Technology

TL;DR: Put all your AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini Pro, and Leonardo.AI in one place with a lifetime subscription to 1minAI, an all-in-one AI app, on sale for just £22.24 (reg. £173.67). 

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£173.70 Save £151.43 Get Deal

The free version of some AI models like ChatGPT can get the job done, but if you want the good stuff, you should consider opting for a paid subscription.  

1minAI consolidates many of the most popular AI models — like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Meta AI — into one platform where you can use them all seamlessly, whether you need to generate text, images, or even full videos. A lifetime subscription to 1minAI is on sale now for £22.24.

What can you do with 1minAI

1minAI gives you one platform where you can access AI models like ChatGPT, Gemini, Meta AI, Mistral AI, and more. You don't just get the baseline version, either — 1minAI users can chat with GPT-4, GPT-4 Turbo, Gemini Pro 1.5, and Llama 2 or Llama 3. 

Like a ton of other AI platforms, 1minAI has a limit to how much you can generate every month. Unlike other platforms, the limit is incredibly high. Here's what your lifetime subscription gets you every month. 

First, you get a baseline of 1,000,000 credits per month. Then, every day you log in, you get an additional 15,000 free credits. These will roll over if you don't use them all, too. 

In practice, those huge numbers mean you could generate up to 362,500 words, research nearly 2,000 SEO keywords, generate 386 images, upscale 241 images, remove 24 backgrounds, convert text to speech for over 120,000 characters, and generate up to 12 videos. 

Your AI Swiss Army Knife

Put all your go-to AI tools in one place. Get a lifetime subscription to 1minAI for £22.24.

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferrined pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 29 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 29 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: It's a little buggy

The words are bug-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are common six-legged bugs.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Insect

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for May 29

• Butterfly

• Wasp

• Flea

• Moth

• Insect

• Dragonfly

• Hornet

• Mantis

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. 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 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for May 29 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for May 29, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To cancel.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter Q.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

QUASH.

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

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 29

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.

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 sharp slope.

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

STEEP

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To embellish.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 29, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

ADORN

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Storage for golf clubs.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 29 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 29, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

CADDY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A principle.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for May 29 Hurdle Word 4 answer

DOGMA

Final Hurdle hint

A spiral.

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

HELIX

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

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.

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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.

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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's The Mini crossword answers for May 29 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: Expressions of courtesy

• Green: Needed for certain things

• Blue: Ways to top off a donut

• Purple: Jacked

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Salute

• Green: Suitable

• Blue: Verbs for Finishing Donuts

• Purple: What "Buff" Might Mean

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 #718 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Salute: APPLAUD, HAIL, HONOR, PRAISE

• Suitable: APT, FIT, PROPER, RIGHT

• Verbs for Finishing Donuts: FROST, GLAZE, POWDER, SPRINKLE

• What "Buff" Might Mean: ENTHUSIAST, MUSCULAR, NUDE, POLISH

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 May 29

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

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

Thunderbolt 5 is a relatively new tech, but it packs some insane speed gains, and if your hardware supports it, gadgets using it can be a great addition to any laptop or computer. Anker recently released a Thunderbolt 5 dock, but you can already score a significant discount.

Ever since Spotify added podcasts, it has become one of the top apps for listening to podcasts on the go, but it's still not a dedicated podcast app—and sometimes, it shows. Its main focus is, still, music. Now, though, it's getting slightly better for podcasts.

Let the record show that I will do almost anything for Beyoncé. I will fight for my life in a Ticketmaster queue. I will spend hours covering a cowboy hat in mirror tiles only to wear it once. I recently learned that I'll even shelter in the basement of Soldier Field for three hours when there's a tornado in my city.

I will not, however, give myself hearing damage. Concerts can hit noise levels of 95 to 110 dBA (A-weighted decibels), according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) — that's well above its recommended 85-dBA threshold for long or repeated exposure. And that horse lady can belt.

Heeding the advice of the Beyhive on Reddit, I decided to wear a pair of Loop Earplugs to Chicago's first night of the Cowboy Carter Tour in mid-May. Here are five reasons why I now recommend them to anyone who's attending a concert or music festival this summer.

Loop Experience 2 Earplugs $38.95 at Amazon
Shop Now 1. They really do work (maybe a little too well)

Loop's earplug lineup covers a variety of different use cases, including sleep, noise sensitivity, parenting, events, and travel. I bought the Loop Experience 2 because they're specifically designed to preserve the sound quality of live music while dampening damaging noise. The Experience 2 Plus, which are slightly pricier, come with a Mute silicone insert for extra noise reduction.

I was genuinely impressed with how well the show sounded while I wore my Loops. I could hear Beyoncé and her band perfectly, but the din of the stadium was almost completely suppressed. Curious to hear what I was missing, I removed my right earplug at one point during the set and was shocked to hear that the crowd was close to singing over Bey. The Loops were tuning out everyone else without making her sound muffled.

By the end of the night, I had two very sore feet but two very happy ears — no tinnitus, no headaches. I reported my findings to the friend who went to the show with me, who laughed and said that my Loops may have worked a little too well: He apparently made a few mid-song remarks that I totally ignored. Sorry, Conor!

2. They don't look dorky Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Most concerts double as fashion shows nowadays, but Beyoncé concerts demand maximum slayage. I love that the ring-shaped acoustic channels on the end of Loops make them look like daith piercings when worn. They blend right into an existing earring stack, especially if you opt for one of the metallic colorways. (One r/beyonce member recommends TikToker @mollyvivianmcg's Hush Holders, which are earrings that clip onto Loops for safe-keeping — genius.) My Experience 2 are silver, but they also come in shiny gold, rose gold, matte black, and in limited-edition ombre and holographic finishes.

Opens in a new window Credit: Loop Tomorrowland x Loop Experience 2 Earplugs $39.95
Shop Now 3. They're super comfy

I have a hard time finding earplugs and earbuds that fit well — for reference, I need to wear a tight beanie whenever I use my Apple AirPods Pro or else they fall out. I had no such issues with my Loops, which twisted easily into place and stayed comfortable for the full two hours and 45 minutes from "AMERIICAN REQUIEM" to "AMEN" (even when I ran to the restroom during an interlude). I occasionally forgot I was wearing them.

The Experience 2 come with four swappable sets of soft silicone ear tips so the wearer can customize their fit. I tried them all before heading to the show and wound up using the smallest size.

4. They come with a keychain case. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Loop Earplugs are no bigger than a couple pieces of Froot Loops cereal, so it's really easy to lose them inside of a backpack or purse. Fortunately, each pair includes a carry case that's roughly the size of a silver dollar. There's a rubbery loop on one end so you can attach it to a keychain, and a silicone insert inside to keep the earplugs secure. It hardly took up any room inside the NFL-mandated clear clutch I brought to the Cowboy Carter Tour.

5. They're available for fast, free shipping via Amazon

If you need a pair for an upcoming show, Loop Earplugs are available on Amazon with free next- or two-day Prime shipping. I should note that the Experience 2 cost $4 more there compared to the Loop website, but the latter charges a $4.95 delivery fee for all orders under $44.

Keep a lookout for deals on Loops come Black Friday; they haven't gone on sale outside of the holidays. However, loopearplugs.com offers a year-round 15% discount on a bundle of two pairs for you and your shotgun rider.

Shop Loop Experience 2 Earplugs: Loop Experience 2 Earplugs $38.95 Shop Now Loop Experience 2 Plus Earplugs $44.95 Shop Now Loop Experience 2 Earplugs (two pairs) $59.42 (save $10.48) Get Deal

There have been many attempts at building the perfect HTPC (Home Theater PC) platform, and some, like Kodi, have stood the test of time. However, almost a decade ago Mythbuntu reached the end of the road. Despite having so much promise.

Coming up with gift ideas for someone who loves astronomy isn't easy, especially if they are deep enough in the hobby that they already own a lot of things related to it. If you're struggling to think of a gift for just such a person, these ideas might help you out.

Even the biggest Android diehards have to admit that iPhones have some nice features. AssistiveTouch is firmly one of them. It’s that little floating button that lets you do almost anything without straining your thumb. You can get that on your Android device with a handy app.

Video game pre-orders have become one of the most controversial practices in modern gaming. While some see it as a risky gamble that encourages publishers to release unfinished games, I think that there are legitimate reasons to pre-order your favorite upcoming titles.

Pocket will soon be no more.

Mozilla, the creators of the web browser Firefox, announced last week that it would be shutting down Pocket, the read-later platform it acquired back in 2017.

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Pocket was the most popular read-later service with more than 30 million users, according to Mozilla. The platform was originally founded in 2007 as Read It Later, just as social news and social bookmarking began to take off.

Read-later services enable users to save web pages, articles, and videos for easy access. These services enabled users to remember long articles they came across for a later time, archived web pages for offline viewing, and more.

Pocket provided a free service as well as a paid premium subscription for less than $50 per year.

However, regardless of Pocket's utility and user base, Mozilla has decided to shut the platform down. According to Mozilla, "the way people use the web has evolved," so the company has decided to shut down Pocket in order to put more resources into Firefox.

Pocket will shut down on July 8, 2025. Users will be able to export their data until October 8, 2025. After that, user data will be permanently deleted.

Pocket alternatives

Pocket may be saying goodbye, but plenty of bookmarking and read-later platforms are still alive and kicking.

If you're looking for a read-later service like Pocket, Instapaper and Readwise are two popular options. 

Instapaper launched shortly after Pocket in 2008, so it's been around for awhile. The service offers a free plan as well as a paid premium subscription option. Instapaper has a much more minimalist design than Pocket, so it might take some getting used to, but it definitely looks sleek. Plus, Instapaper is offering three free months of its $5.99 per month Premium subscription plan to anyone who imports their Pocket data over to its platform. Readwise has a bit more of a Pocket-esque UI but it does not offer a free plan beyond a 30-day trial. After that, a paid subscription to their $9.99 per month plan or their $5.59 per month "Lite" plan is required.

Read-later apps

However, my personal pick for a read-later service replacement for Pocket is an app called GoodLinks.

GoodLinks app for Mac. Credit: GoodLinks

GoodLinks is not a service like Pocket, and the previously mentioned alternatives, where user data is stored on a server. GoodLinks is a downloadable app for Mac and iOS devices. GoodLinks costs just a one-time purchase of $9.99 to get the app for life and new features for a year. Once the year is up, users can continue to use the app as is, with quality of life updates, without any additional costs. Any new features after that initial year will become completely optional one-time, in-app purchases.

GoodLinks provides all the same features those subscription services provide, such as offline reading, downloadable archives, highlights, notes, and more. Plus your data is stored locally and syncs via iCloud.

Like Pocket, all of these services allow users to save more than just articles. If you're a Pocket user looking for a more video-oriented option, Play just might be for you.

Play isn't a read-later app, it's a watch later one. Play keeps track of YouTube videos, channels, and playlists so users can keep tabs on what they want to watch when they have time to watch it. Play also fetches all of the metadata, such as timecodes, descriptions, and more. That means users don't even need to leave the app while catching up on videos they saved.

Play: Watch Later app for Mac Credit: Play

Like GoodLinks, Play isn't a service, but an app that stores data locally and syncs via iCloud. Play is available on Mac, iOS devices, and even has an Apple TV app. You can unlock Play across all apps with a one-time purchase of $2.99. Premium features, like channel tracking, requires a $2.99 per month or $19.99 per year subscription, or can be unlocked forever with a one-time purchase of $99.99.

Bookmarking alternatives

By default, a read-later platform is basically a bookmarking platform as well. For Pocket users who used the soon-to-be-defunct platform to bookmark their favorite websites, the above alternatives work…but they are really made more for articles.

If you need a bookmarking alternative to keep your favorite websites easily accessible wherever you are and regardless of which web browser you're using, I recommend Anybox or Raindrop.io.

Anybox app for Mac Credit: Anybox

Anybox is a free downloadable app that can be used to save, search, and organize your bookmarks across Mac, iPhone, and iPad. All data is stored locally and shared via iCloud sync. All features are available at no cost, but there is a bookmark limit for the free plan. To bookmark unlimited links, there's a subscription of $1.99 per month or $14.99 per year, with a one-time payment option of $39.99 to unlock the Pro plan forever.

Raindrop.io on the other hand is an online bookmarking service. The free plan provides users to access all basic bookmarking features without any limits. The $28 per year Pro plan provides the most robust premium features of any of the service, with AI suggested tags, collections, and more. It also gives users the ability to annotate pages, add reminders to bookmarks, and save a permanent archived copy of every webpage that's saved. 

So, there you have it: A Pocket alternative for every possible use case. And, if none of those hit the spot, you can always hold out hope that Pocket will somehow live on. Kevin Rose, the founder of Digg, said he offered to buy Pocket from Mozilla shortly after the sunsetting announcement. However, Mozilla has reportedly not yet responded.

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Rose is still trying though.

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Microsoft Excel has hundreds of tools and functions, meaning it's quite easy to overlook some of the most useful ones. In this guide, I'll share four lesser-known, hidden tricks that could transform how you use the popular spreadsheet software.

Star Wars is one of the most popular media franchises ever. It all started on the big screen almost 50 years ago and today you can watch, read, play, and listen to a smorgasbord of Star Wars media.

Humanity has been reliant on bacteria for centuries. From fermentation and agriculture to making vaccines and genetic engineering, bacterial strains have found widespread industrial and lifestyle applications. In the near future, they could help make resilient bricks to build habitats on the Moon’s surface.

Apple's self-service repair program is seen by some as being a bit on the half-baked side, but to Apple's credit, it has been slowly improving it with new devices and parts. Now, the iPad is finally joining the list of devices that you can repair at home.

If you're a Discord user, you might have noticed something new popping up in your app, and it’s not another prompt to try a free trial of Nitro. This time it’s about "Discord Orbs," a brand-new in-app currency that's currently in beta.

Following an early reveal at CES 2025, LG has now released its Smart Monitor Swing. This is a portable monitor with a long adjustable neck and a massive 32-inch 4K panel.

Texas has signed into law its online child safety bill, a sweeping measure that mandates Apple and Google must verify user ages and secure parental approval before minors can download apps or make in-app purchases. The law is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026.

At the core of this conflict is a broader battle over who bears responsibility for age verification. Apple and Google have clashed with app makers such as Meta, Snap, and Match Group, the parent company of Tinder and Hinge, as state-level legislation on digital safety continues to multiply. Texas joins nine other states, including Utah, that have passed child-focused online safety laws, according to the Age Verification Providers Association.

SEE ALSO: What the Supreme Court hearing about age verification could mean for you

It's a major win for the Texas Legislature, which is also advancing a more controversial measure: a statewide ban on social media accounts for anyone under 18. For Apple and Google, it’s a significant regulatory setback. Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly contacted Governor Greg Abbott directly, urging changes to the bill or a veto.

House Bill 186, Texas’s proposed social media ban, cleared the House last week with bipartisan backing. It is expected to pass the state Senate. If enacted, the law would bar minors from creating accounts on all major social media platforms, including TikTok, X, Facebook, and Snapchat. Age verification would be mandatory, and platforms would need to comply by April 2026.

Parents would also have the right to request the deletion of their child’s account. Social media companies would be required to process those requests within 10 days.

If Abbott signs the bill, Texas would become the first state to enforce a social media ban for minors under 18. Florida currently has a similar law, but its age cutoff is 14, and legislators are now considering raising it to 16.