Technology

TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub from anywhere in the world with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

Access to Pornhub is in turmoil. Early in 2025, more than a third of U.S. states introduced age verification laws. In response, Pornhub banned visitors from those states from accessing their website. The same situation then took place in France, and although Pornhub is complying with the UK's age verification law, users are now required to provide personal information to access the site.

The situation is constantly changing, but you can stay one step ahead with a quick and easy hack. If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from anywhere in the world, we have the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free

VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure server in another location. This process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can access adult sites like Pornhub from anywhere in the world.

Unblock Pornhub by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to Pornhub

4. Visit Pornhub

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial peiods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Pornhub without actually spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you the opportunity to temporarily retain access to Pornhub before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to your favorite site, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing online restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Pornhub?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking porn sites like Pornhub, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $78.18 and includes an extra four months for free — 78% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Unblock Pornhub for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Compare multiple AI models in one spot with this lifetime subscription to ChatPlayground AI’s Unlimited Plan, now for just $79.00 (reg. $619) through Jan. 11.

Opens in a new window Credit: ChatPlayground AI ChatPlayground AI: Lifetime Subscription (Unlimited Plan) $79
$619 Save $540   Get Deal

Whether you’re totally new to the world of AI or a total veteran who knows the strengths of different models, every AI user can benefit from ChatPlayground AI. This handy service lets you see multiple AI models’ results in one convenient spot, so you don’t have to tab hop or second-guess which model you’re using.

Right now, you can get a lifetime subscription to ChatPlayground AI’s Unlimited Plan for just $79.00 (reg. $619) through Jan. 11.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

AI is a powerful tool that can help you save a lot of time — if you know how to use it correctly. If you want to cut the guesswork out of which models are best for which task, ChatPlayground AI is here to help. This platform lets you compare the results from top AI models side-by-side, so you can pick the best result and skip tab-hopping.

Need to generate an image? How about getting help with coding or content creation? You’ll have access to ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude Sonnet, DeepSeek, Llama, and dozens more top AI models in one convenient window with ChatPlayground AI. There are also advanced tools like image or PDF chat, prompt engineering, and saved conversations to improve your workflow even further.

Use ChatPlayground AI seamlessly with the Chrome web browser extension. If you run into any issues, there’s priority customer support to help when needed.

This Unlimited Plan gives you access to unlimited messages every month for life, making it particularly helpful for prompt engineers, startups, and teams who constantly run experiments. It also includes priority access to new features and future models.

Get an lifetime subscription to ChatPlayground AI’s Unlimited Plan for just $79.00 (reg. $619) through Jan. 11.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get a three-year subscription to Surfshark VPN Starter Plan for just $67.19 (reg. $430) with code SURF through Jan. 11.

Opens in a new window Credit: Surfshark Surfshark VPN Starter Plan: 3-Yr Subscription $67.19
$430 Save $362.81   Get Deal

Just because you can’t see hackers and cybercriminals doesn’t mean they’re not out there. If you want to stay safer online this year, a VPN is an easy and effective way to do it. The Surfshark VPN Starter Plan is great for beginners, and right now you can secure a three-year subscription for just $67.19 (reg. $430) with code SURF until Jan. 11.

Hoping to upgrade your cybersecurity in 2026? The Surfshark VPN Starter Plan is a great choice, offering an easy way to stay protected and browse the web without worry.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

If you’re new to the world of VPNs, they allow you to experience the internet safely and in total privacy. Hackers won’t be able to steal your data, and you’ll enjoy access to CleanWeb, which blocks cookie pop-ups, ads, and malware and allows you to experience a faster internet.

Surfshark VPN offers military-grade AES-256 encryption and hides your online location so you can’t be tracked. It also bypasses geographical restrictions, allowing you to browse freely and access content from anywhere. Surfshark has a no-log policy, so your activity remains private.

Choose from over 3,200 servers worldwide, in more than 100 different countries. You’ll also have Surfshark Search at your fingertips, so you can peruse the web more easily and receive unbiased, organic search results.

You can use this three-year subscription on an unlimited number of devices, including tablets, smartphones, and laptops.

Secure a three-year subscription to Surfshark VPN Starter Plan for just $67.19 (reg. $430) with code SURF through Jan. 11.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

And don't give up. Despite the burnout, apps are still one of the main ways people connect. A 2025 SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus found that 65 percent of people aged 18 to 29 have used a dating app, and a 2023 Pew Research Center report found that one in 10 partnered adults met their significant other on one.

You just need the right tool. That's why I've put in the hours, the swipes, and the subscription fees to find the best options for every kind of single person. To help you find your match, these are the best dating apps worth downloading in 2026.

If you need even more personalized advice, check out our guides to the best dating apps for men, women, and the LGBTQ community.

The dating apps I'd skip (and why)

You'll probably notice a few popular apps are missing from my list. That’s intentional. Part of my job is to filter out the platforms that aren't worth your time, money, or sanity. An app doesn't get my recommendation just because it's well-known — it has to be effective and safe.

Here are a few popular dating apps I'd skip:

• Plenty of Fish (POF): I know this one shows up on a lot of lists, but in my opinion, it's a dating app ghost town. POF launched as a dating site back in 2003, and it shows. In my experience (and based on widespread user feedback), the platform is filled with bots and scams, and the odds of finding a quality connection are stacked against you. Unless you enjoy sifting through fake profiles, I think your time is better spent elsewhere.

• Raya: Raya is basically the Soho House of dating apps. It's exclusive, expensive, and not for the average person. You have to fill out an application to use it, and the vetting process can take anywhere from a few days to a few years. While it might be great for networking or bagging an influencer, it's just not a practical recommendation for most people who are simply looking for a date. (See also: The League.)

• Niche "hookup" sites (like BeNaughty, Fling, etc.): There's a chance you've seen ads for sites like these, which promise quick, no-strings-attached fun. Based on my research and countless user reviews, I'd advise you to steer clear. These platforms are notorious for being overrun with bots and having questionable billing practices, with users reporting unexpected and hard-to-cancel subscription charges.

Stranger Things may be over, but the theories and speculation live on. And while the show itself leaves the question of whether Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) is alive or dead at the end open to interpretation, Sadie Sink is pretty clear which side she lands on.

"I think she's dead, I don't know," Sink, who plays Max in the Netflix series, says in The Tonight Show clip above. And the audience groans. "Is that like a hot take or something? I think Mike's story is just one last story, and then they say goodbye to childhood. But that's just one final tale. And that's it. I think it's just like a coping thing."

Maybe the upcoming Netflix documentary, One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5, will give us some clearer answers.

In the age of on-demand everything, finding a "date" (and I use that term loosely) should be as easy as ordering a pizza. Thanks to the best hookup apps of 2026, finding a sexy new friend is usually just a tap away. As for the quality? That can be just as hit-or-miss as a late-night slice, depending on the time of day, where you're located, and how hungry you are.

Fortunately, you’ve got me, your resident dating app expert (though I prefer modern-day Carrie Bradshaw), to guide you. I've personally vetted all the top contenders to separate the real deal from the "hot garbage." I also consulted a panel of sex and relationship experts to make sure my picks are solid.

What to know before you swipe

My number one rule is to be brutally honest about what you’re looking for. You’re here for a good time, not a long time — so own it. That also means staying in your lane; don't go looking for a one-night stand on an app like eharmony.

"Hookup apps help prevent situations where people are on mainstream dating sites with the intention of having a casual hookup but are unclear about these intentions," Suzannah Weiss, resident sexologist for Biird and author of Subjectified: Becoming a Sexual Subject, tells Mashable. "They also give women a space to be openly sexual creatures without judgment."

And here's a little insider secret I picked up from Alexander Liebisch, the CEO and founder of TinderProfile.ai: Timing is everything. He found that people messaging on Tinder's "free tonight" feature after 10 p.m. on a weekend had a 45 percent higher chance of hooking up.

SEE ALSO: The 9 best dating apps for men who are tired of being alone

So, whether you're looking for a one-night stand, a regular FWB situation, or just a space to explore your sexuality, I've got you covered. Based on all my hands-on testing and expert consultations, I’ve broken down the best hookup app for every type of person and mood.

Recent updates to this guide

• Hinge: Hinge just keeps getting better, so I’ve bumped it up higher on my list as of October 2025. Its user base is growing, and my own recent tests on the app have been surprisingly positive.

• Sniffies (added September 2025): I've added Sniffies, the map-based app for queer men, because it's been gaining a lot of traction. (It got a little too spicy for Apple and was pulled from the App Store, so it's now technically a dating site.) Don't say I didn't warn you about the NSFW content.

• FetLife (added September 2025): FetLife is my new favorite "Honorable Mention." It's not your typical hookup app; it's more of a social network for the kink community (and, oddly enough, the best hookup app for gamers). Just remember: it's a community, so don't treat it like Tinder.

Why some popular hookup apps didn't make the cut

You might notice a few apps that pop up in ads or other lists are missing here. That’s intentional. I swipe through the good, the bad, and the downright sketchy so you don’t have to. For an app to make my list, it has to be effective, safe, and worth your time.

Here's a shortlist of apps that didn't make the cut this year:

• Wild: You’ve probably seen ads for this one. On paper, Wild sounds like the perfect casual dating app. In practice, the paywalls are aggressive, the distance filter doesn't work, and you have to pay for anything that's even remotely useful. Unless you're willing to spend serious cash upfront (and hope for the best), the experience feels limited compared to more open apps like Tinder.

• DOWN: This app (formerly "Bang With Friends") is known for its simple "Get Down" vs. "Get Date" feature. It sounds clever, but in reality, the experience is messy at best. Many users report feeling scammed by subscriptions that don't deliver matches, or finding that the few real people on there are... let's say "odd." It’s hard to recommend an app when the main user complaint is "Is anyone real?" Hard pass.

• Facebook Dating: Yes, Facebook has a dating section, and it’s surprisingly massive (and completely free, which is huge). While it's a decent option for casual dating, the vibe tends to be a bit more "friends of friends" and "relationship-focused" than the anonymous, no-strings energy you get from apps like Pure or Feeld. (For Mashable's Chance Townsend, signing up was "the most uneventful dating experience" of his life.) It's worth a shot if you're already on Facebook, but it didn't quite crack my top tier for hookups specifically.

Apps I've cut from the list

• Plenty of Fish (removed January 2025): POF went through a rebrand recently, and honestly, I'm not impressed. My latest tests showed they got rid of key features like free messaging for non-matches, and I kept running into the same old profiles. At the end of the day, it just doesn't offer anything special that other apps aren't already doing better, so it's off the list.

• Match (removed August 2025): I know some people say they've found casual hookups on Match, but that's not what it's for. Match is where you go to find a serious, long-term relationship, and I still recommend it for that. But for a hookup? You're just fishing in the wrong pond, so I've removed it from this guide to avoid any confusion.

CES 2026 was AMD's moment to shine in the light of the ongoing AI boom, offering more chips to drive AI compute and bringing industry luminaries on stage to talk about the future.

The Santa Clara, Calif.-based chipmaker has already surpassed local rival Intel in revenue. But if it's ever going to catch its other local rival, Nvidia — now the world's most valuable company, thanks to its data center-friendly GPU chips — AMD has to prove it is just as relevant to big tech's big moment, if not more so.

The world's largest tech show was a chance to prove that. After all, Nvidia didn't unveil any new GPU chips, just a forthcoming family of chips named Rubin. Dr. Lisa Su, AMD CEO, was given the spotlight of the show's main keynote. As she noted, AMD products — the Helios rack introduced in 2025, the Epyc CPU chips — are used by every major AI company already. And she had some new PC-level AI-friendly processors, the Ryzen AI 400, waiting in the wings.

SEE ALSO: CES 2026 live updates: See the latest news, surprises, and strange tech from LG, Samsung, Lego, and new startups

But as we've seen over the past three years, elbowing your way into the AI boom isn't just about new product. It's about making bombastic predictions, and showing lots of charts where the line goes up. And in this respect, Su delivered.

"You ain't seen nothing yet" when it comes to AI, Su said — showing off a graph that predicted AI would go from 1 billion active users to 5 billion active users within 5 years. She didn't explain where either figure came from (expert estimates vary wildly, with at least one 2030 estimate coming in below one billion users).

OpenAI makes a cameo appearance

Of course, no company can make huge hopeful predictions like OpenAI, makers of ChatGPT. Su brought an OpenAI luminary up on stage before she announced any brand-new chips. Not its CEO Sam Altman (who isn't at CES, but did offer an endorsement of Nvidia's Rubin), but co-founder Greg Brockman. "I would love to have a GPU running in the background for every single person in the world," Brockman says, explaining why he's constantly asking Su for "more compute."

More compute is what Su had to offer, along with multiple attempts to make strips of silicon seem exciting. "Helios is a monster of a rack," she said, showing off a "double-wide design" developed in collaboration with Meta. She noted it weighed 7,000 pounds, or "more than two compact cars."

The announcement follows an October 2025 report that OpenAI is making an investment worth "tens of billions of dollars in revenue" in AMD, relying on the company to provide six gigawatts of AI infrastructure in the years ahead as part of a deal that could see the AI giant owning up to 10 percent of AMD.

SEE ALSO: At CES 2026, Samsung’s AI Living vision leaves no device un-AI’d

On the "bigger is better" front, Su invited White House science advisor Michael Kratsios on stage to talk about how AMD was helping the U.S. "win" the "AI race" via the Genesis Mission, a public-private partnership that aims to use AI for scientific discoveries. Kratsios was short on specifics on what exactly an AI race is and how any country can win it.

And then there was "AI for everyone," AMD's tagline for its PC processors. The Ryzen AI 400 is an upgrade to the Ryzen AI 300, announced in 2024 and finally arriving in on-sale PCs this quarter. AMD says the new chip will allow for 1.3x faster multitasking and is 1.7x faster at "content creation" than its competitors.

What that means exactly, we'll have to wait and see. But in the meantime, Su offered a dizzying array of guest CEOs to talk up how AI will transform everything from healthcare to spaceflight. None of that seems to have made much difference to investors, at least. They drove AMD stock down slightly earlier in the day; it flatlined in after-hours trading.

Seth Meyers has weighed in on the U.S.' attack on Venezuela and abduction of President Nicolás Maduro, theorising about what President Donald Trump's motivations could possibly be.

"Even the most astute observers remain perplexed as to what could have possibly motivated this attack given that the Trump administration has played its cards so close to the vest," Meyers said.

He then immediately launched into a supercut of Trump and his supporters blatantly stating their desire to seize Venezuela's significant oil reserves.

"Dammit, I just wish there were clues," quipped Meyers.

The Late Night host also aired a montage of Trump claiming to be against foreign wars and regime changes, an assertion which seems at odds with his actions as of late.

"I still can't actually believe anyone thought Trump was telling the truth about being anti-war," said Meyers. "You really thought Donald Trump, the most thin-skinned, impulsive man on the planet, would suddenly discover the concept of restraint once he gained control of the world's most powerful military? Giving Donald Trump control of the U.S. military is like giving the cast of The Real Housewives an open bar and a 'one free slap' coupon."

Open earbuds are having a moment at CES 2026. First came a batch of releases from JBL, then Anker Soundcore's dual-form open earbuds. Shokz, one of the biggest players in the open earbuds space, is no exception, bringing a new release aimed at improving the open earbud listening experience.

Meet: the Shokz OpenFit Pro. The earbuds are the first from Shokz to feature open-ear noise reduction, which lowers the volume of the environment so users can hear audio with more clarity. As of Jan. 6, they're available for preorder in two colorways — black and white — from Shokz's website and Best Buy for $249.95. According to Shokz, they'll be available for purchase from Amazon starting in March.

Now that CES 2026 has kicked off, brands like Shokz are unveiling a ton of new products, so head to the Mashable CES 2026 hub for the latest news.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shokz Shokz OpenFit Pro $249.95 at Shokz and Best buy
  Pre-order Here Shokz OpenFit Pro noise reduction tech

The headline news of the OpenFit Pro is an upgraded listening experience. This starts with the Open-Ear Noise Reduction technology, which quiets external noises for a better listening experience. The feature must be manually enabled via the on-ear controls or through the app, and can be adjusted by levels from within the app. At its default setting of 50 percent power, Shokz estimates it reduces noise by about 12 to 16dB — roughly the same as a pair of Loop Engage 2 earplugs.

SEE ALSO: Open earbuds guide: What they are, who should buy them, and why they're popping up everywhere

This feature is designed to give wearers more flexibility in which environments they can use their earbuds in, whether it be the gym, an office, or a noisy cafe. It should be noted that this is not the same as noise cancellation, which aims to quiet the world around you. The OpenFit Pros are designed to maintain situational awareness, provided by open earbuds, while utilizing a quieter environment to help music come through clearer for the listener.

Alongside the noise reduction, these Shokz earbuds are also optimized for Dolby Atmos to provide a spatial audio listening experience, and feature two speakers per ear (as compared to one on other Shokz models) for an improved audio quality.

Shokz OpenFit Pro specs

In addition to the noise-reduction tech, here's what users will find in the OpenFit Pro specs:

• Ultra large 11 × 20 mm synchronized dual-diaphragm driver

• 10-band custom equalizer

• Five preset equalizer modes (standard, vocal, bass boost, treble boost, privacy mode) and two custom equalizer slots

• Bluetooth 6.1

• 12 hours of listening per charge (50 hours with case) or six hours with noise reduction (and 24 hours with the case)

• 10-minute quick charge for four-hour listening time

• IP55 rating

• Triple microphone system with AI voice recognition and custom wind-control technology

• Multipoint pairing for two devices

Head to the Mashable CES 2026 hub for the latest news and live updates from the biggest show in tech, where Mashable journalists are reporting live.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

A stench.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

SMELL

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To frown.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 6, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SCOWL

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Vulgar.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 6 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 6, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

CRUDE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A small sweet fruit.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for January 6 Hurdle Word 4 answer

BERRY

Final Hurdle hint

An art stand.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

EASEL

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is widely regarded as the best gaming desktop processor available today, with its 3D V-Cache providing an extra performance boost in many games and applications. Now, there's a slightly better version: meet the Ryzen 7 9850X3D.

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is widely regarded as the best gaming desktop processor available today, with its 3D V-Cache providing an extra performance boost in many games and applications. Now, there's a slightly better version: meet the Ryzen 7 9850X3D.

The AMD Ryzen AI Max series is already an excellent option for compact and powerful PCs, and now AMD introducing more of them at CES 2026. The company just revealed the Ryzen AI Max+ 392 and AI Max+ 388, coming to a compact PC near you.

The AMD Ryzen AI Max series is already an excellent option for compact and powerful PCs, and now AMD introducing more of them at CES 2026. The company just revealed the Ryzen AI Max+ 392 and AI Max+ 388, coming to a compact PC near you.

HP just revealed the EliteBoard G1a Next Gen AI PC at CES 2026, a device that crams a full AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series processor directly into a keyboard chassis. HP is calling this the world's first "AI PC built into a keyboard."

HP just revealed the EliteBoard G1a Next Gen AI PC at CES 2026, a device that crams a full AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series processor directly into a keyboard chassis. HP is calling this the world's first "AI PC built into a keyboard."

AMD has just revealed the Ryzen AI 400 series at CES 2026. It's the company's new lineup of premium laptop processors, with a Zen 5 architecture, CPU boost clocks up to 5.2 GHz, and even more TOPS.

Dell has announced the new Alienware 16X Aurora at CES 2026, one of the company's first gaming laptops with anti-glare OLED screens. Beyond gaming, it could also be a potential MacBook Pro competitor if a Windows is a hard requirement.

For CES 2026, HP is debuting the EliteBoard G1a, a keyboard with a modular business Copilot+ PC inside. And this isn't just vaporware; HP says the keyboard PC will hit the market this spring. The all-new HP EliteBoard G1a Next Gen AI PC houses an AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series processor, fans, and dual stereo mics and speakers.

Keyboard computers have been around since the late 1970s, though they were far less advanced and geared toward education or 8-bit gaming (see: the Apple II, the BBC Micro, the Commodore 64, and the ZX Spectrum). More recently, the $70 Raspberry Pi 400 hit the market as an affordable home computer.

However, the EliteBoard G1a marks a fresh form factor for modern all-in-one (AIO) PCs, which are usually monitors with integrated components. (The Apple iMac is one popular example.) Unlike traditional all-in-ones, the EliteBoard contains all the necessary hardware within the keyboard itself. Portable and minimalist, it measures 0.7 inches thin and starts at less than 1.5 pounds, fitting nicely inside a backpack.

It's a keyboard. It's a computer. It's the HP EliteBoard G1a. Credit: HP

The EliteBoard G1a is also designed to be easily serviceable, with modular components that IT departments or users themselves can swap in minutes. You can remove the bottom cover to replace its RAM, SSD, speakers, battery, fans, or WiFi module. The top keyboard itself can also be switched out.

HP promises that it doesn't sacrifice performance, either. The EliteBoard G1a can be configured with up to an AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 PRO chip for enterprise purposes, offering up to 50 TOPS of AI processing power. (That stands for Trillions of Operations Per Second, an AI performance metric.) It'll have an integrated AMD Radeon 800 Series graphics, up to 64GB of RAM, and up to 2TB of SSD storage. And it supports two daisy-chained 4K external displays.

The HP EliteBoard G1a weighs as little as 1.49 pounds without a built-in battery. Credit: HP

For everyday users with lesser needs, the EliteBoard G1a will start with an entry-level AMD Ryzen AI 5 330 processor and a mere 32GB of eMMC storage.

The EliteBoard G1a's fans pull air into the device from a vent that covers most of its bottom case and push it out through a rear slit above its function row. HP says its thermal management system has been thoroughly tested to make sure the user never feels the heat of its internals on their fingertips. Its spec sheet notes that it has TUV certification for low noise, so it should run pretty quietly, too.

Credit: HP

The EliteBoard G1a can be configured with or without a built-in battery and an attached cable that plugs into an external monitor. The version with no battery and a detached cable weighs in at just 1.49 pounds. Adding both components increases its weight to 1.69 pounds, which makes it just over a pound lighter than a 13-inch MacBook Air.

The battery models are rated to last for over 3.5 hours of active use, but they can go more than two days in idle mode before dying.

The HP EliteBoard G1a comes with a pre-paired wireless mouse. Credit: HP

The keyboard itself features a lattice-free design (meaning it lacks spaces between its keys), plus a full numpad, backlighting, and an optional fingerprint reader. It's spill-resistant and meets the U.S. MIL-STD 810 standard for military-grade durability.

While HP hasn't announced pricing for the EliteBoard G1a yet, the company says it will be available on HP.com sometime this March. All variants will come in an Eclipse Gray finish and ship with a matching pre-paired wireless mouse. The battery models will have an extra canvas case.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you love gambling.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for January 6, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Living space

• Green: A nice voice

• Blue: Card game terms

• Purple: Creature

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Apartment

• Green: Sonorous

• Blue: Poker hands, familiarly

• Purple: ___ animal

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #940 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Apartment: DIGS, FLAT, PAD, QUARTERS

• Sonorous: CLEAR, DEEP, FLAT, RICH

• Poker hands, familiarly: BOAT, FLUSH, QUADS, STRAIGHT

• ___ animal: BALLOON, PACK, PARTY, STUFFED

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 6, 2026

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Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.