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Whistleblower and former Meta employee Sarah Wynn-Williams sat in silence at the Hay Festival in Wales last weekend, reportedly barred from speaking due to the tech giant's legal proceedings against her. However in this case, her silence was arguably more effective than any words she might have said.

SEE ALSO: Meta blocks whistleblower from promoting book, guaranteeing way more people will read it

Entitled "Power of Tech," Sunday's Hay Festival panel was billed as a "rare opportunity to hear from the people who understand Big Tech from the inside." In addition to Wynn-Williams, this included Columbia Law School professor Tim Wu and investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr.

"This candid discussion pulls back the curtain on the unprecedented influence of social media, the hidden forces shaping our online lives, and the urgent questions about democracy, privacy and accountability in the digital age," read the panel description.

However, the planned panel ended up being more of a conversation between Wu and Cadwalladr, with Wynn-Williams sitting silently between them.

"As a charity, we exist to support the open and free exchange of ideas, and we will resist any force to the contrary," Hay Festival programme director Helen Bagnall said in her introduction of the panel. "Since Wynn-Williams' Meta expose — Careless People —  was published in March 2025, she has faced immense legal pressure. Today, on the advice of her lawyers, she is unable to speak, but joins us on stage alongside Tim and Carole in an important act of solidarity for the silenced."

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Released last March, Wynn-Williams's memoir Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism recounts her experiences working at Meta (previously Facebook) from 2011 to 2017. In it, she depicts Meta's executives as clueless and arrogant individuals who refused to take responsibility for Facebook's rampant disinformation or its consequences. 

Unsurprisingly, Meta has denied the book's allegations, calling it "a mix of out-of-date and previously reported claims about the company and false accusations about our executives."

Meta won an emergency ruling to block Wynn-Williams from promoting Careless People within days of its publication, alleging that she'd breached a non-disparagement agreement she'd signed as an employee. Significantly, this ruling did not make any judgement on whether the claims in Careless People are true or false, merely that Wynn-Williams may have violated her contract by making them public. 

Wynn-Williams will reportedly incur a $50,000 fine for each breach of the order. As such, the Hay Festival withdrew Careless People from sale during the event to ensure she could appear while still remaining compliant.

Fortunately, the audience wasn't left to sit in complete silence during Wynn-Williams' appearance. Unbound by any legal order from Meta, Wynn-Williams' fellow panellists had no issue speaking out against the tech giant for the hour-long session.

"I think this might be a Hay first, in which we have an author in a hostage situation," Cadwalladr said, as reported by The Guardian. "Blink once if you can hear us, Sarah, twice if [Meta founder and CEO Mark] Zuckerberg is an asshole."

Wynn-Williams did not speak or respond during the session, including nodding or shaking her head.

Cadwalladr also read a letter from Wynn-Williams' lawyers to the Hay Festival organisers. In it, they stated that Meta claims Wynn-Williams violates the order "any time she appears in public in a place where she should know that her book is available for sale and her presence might draw attention to it, [such as] a bookstore." The letter further stated that Meta had specifically named the Hay Festival as an appearance that would be a breach.

"This is not how you conduct crisis comms," said Cadwalladr. "Crisis comms would just be simply to ignore this and deprive it of oxygen. This is a kind of trolling-like behaviour against their enemies."

Meanwhile, Wu likened Meta's actions to that of "despotic nation states," stating that such powerful companies are responsible for "some of the worst abuses in our time." 

"For a long time now, people have been saying that the tech platforms have come to have the power and the size and the might of nation states," said Wu. "This is the living example, because this is censorship. Any authoritarian regime naturally gravitates towards silencing its critics."

The Guardian reports that the panel was given a standing ovation at its conclusion, which moved Wynn-Williams to tears.

Though Meta's emergency order has prevented Wynn-Williams from promoting Careless People, it was also some of the best publicity she could have asked for. The book quickly became a bestseller, topping Amazon and the New York Times' best-seller lists. Wynn-Williams also won the British Book Awards' Freedom to Publish prize alongside Virginia Giuffre, a victim of Jeffrey Epstein who was posthumously honoured for her memoir Nobody’s Girl. 

Speaking at the awards in early May, Wynn-Williams refrained from promoting Careless People in deference to Meta's order, instead focusing on Giuffre.

"We are all living in a world that now, more than ever, is dominated by networks of powerful elites, whose wealth too often puts them above the law. As they rewrite the rules, they grow arrogant with entitlement and impunity, often abetted by a legal system where justice has become a transaction not a right," said Wynn-Williams.

"When you try that hard to silence a woman who is telling the truth, you announce to the whole world that the truth must be very dangerous indeed."

Google’s whole future is dripping in AI, including a brand-new version of search. There is a problem, however: Google is now packaging the information instead of just serving it up. How did Google figure out its conclusions? Are they even accurate? Do you want to ask these questions every time you use Google? You may have to. 

SAVE $20: As of June 1, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale for $39.99 at Amazon. That's 33% off the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max $39.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $20   Get Deal

Need a new streaming device? The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is back on sale, so if you want a 4K streaming device with 16GB of storage, head to Amazon now. And as of June 1, it's down to just $39.99, saving you $20.

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is Amazon’s most advanced streaming stick. This is the 2026 edition, featuring the updated Fire TV experience with a redesigned interface. It also supports 4K Ultra HD streaming with Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos so that you can enjoy incredible picture quality and immersive sound. The 16GB of storage is also double that of many other Fire TV streaming sticks.

In addition to easy access to streaming, the 4K Max also supports cloud gaming via Xbox Game Pass and Amazon Luna. Alexa voice controls also make it easy to search for films and shows, and the upgraded remote adds dedicated buttons and quick access to recently viewed content.

This device also includes the Fire TV Ambient Experience. This can display pieces of artwork and photography when the TV isn’t in use.

Get this Fire TV Stick deal at Amazon now.

TL;DR: Amazon has the Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet — Journey Together Booster Box available from $296.99 across several third-party sellers. Under TCGplayer’s market price of $300.48, this means you’re only paying as little as $8.33 per pack. 

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet — Journey Together Booster Box $296.99 at Amazon
  Get Deal

Although many older Pokémon TCG expansions usually go up in price, as production goes down in favor of newer sets of trading cards, finding packs of those like Journey Together is still doable at a reasonable price when you know where to look. 

As of June 1, sellers at Amazon have the Pokémon TCG’s 36-pack Journey Together Booster Box listed for as low as $296.99 via SSA Cards, with free delivery for Monday, June 8, at the time of writing — or $297 with Infinity Collections LLC for delivery between June 9 and June 11 at the time of writing. 

For one of these sealed boxes, this means you’re paying up to $4.49 lower than TCGplayer’s market price of $300.48. 

In terms of cost-per-pack, for 36, you’re paying $8.25 each, which is saving you $3.74 compared to buying Journey Together Booster Packs on Amazon individually, currently priced at $11.25 each. For all 36, you’re saving $134.64. 

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Each pack contains 10 trading cards, with this box giving you 360 altogether — giving you a chance to pull some of Journey Together’s most valuable chase cards (available to buy individually), including N’s Zoroark ex, Iono’s Bellibolt ex, Lillie’s Clefairy ex, and Hop’s Zacian ex. 

SEE ALSO: The Pokémon TCG Chaos Rising Booster Display Box is available for below $280 at Amazon

As backups, if the $269.99 and $297 prices go out of stock, there are several other sellers boasting prices under the $300 market prices as a backup. With that in mind, the price increase per pack should be kept to a minimum. 

For those hunting the newest expansion, though, the Pokémon TCG’s 36-pack Chaos Rising Booster Box is priced under $280. If you’re collecting from multiple expansions, the Pokémon TCG: Mega Zygarde ex Premium Collection is still at least $10 off. 

Although currently not available on Amazon, the Pokémon TCG’s newly announced Pitch Black expansion — Booster Packs, ETBs, Display Boxes, and Booster Bundles — is available to preorder at TCGplayer.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

TL;DR: Amazon has the Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution — Chaos Rising Booster Display Box available from $277.95 with free shipping. That gets you 36 Chaos Rising booster packs for about $7.72 each before tax, with another Amazon seller option still under $280 if the lowest listing sells out.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Chaos Rising Booster Box $277.95 at Amazon
  Get Deal

While we’re still waiting for Pitch Black preorders to appear on Amazon’s Pokémon TCG selection, collectors can still get a great cost-per-pack rate when going for the current new expansion’s biggest box. 

As of June 1, Amazon has the Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution — Chaos Rising Booster Display Box available for $277.95 at the lowest price with free shipping. With the same price across two sellers, Air Capital Supply and BetterShopping4You, standard delivery is set for June 9 at the time of writing, with faster delivery options for Wednesday, June 3, as well. 

At the $277.95 price, the 36-pack box works out to roughly $7.72 per booster pack before tax. Although that’s not the cheapest we’ve ever seen this box go, it’s still a lower price than buying Chaos Rising Booster Packs individually, which cost $12.83 each. 

On the other hand, there are lower prices elsewhere if you’re open to saving more beyond Amazon. 

Walmart currently has a  Chaos Rising Booster Box listed for $239.95 with free shipping, sold by Realgoodeal and fulfilled by Walmart. TCGplayer has a lowest-priced listing of $255, which is only slightly higher than its market price of $251.60. 

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Each Chaos Rising Booster Display Box contains 36 booster packs from the titular Mega Evolution set. 

The expansion includes over 120 cards to collect, more new Mega Evolution Pokémon ex, more than 25 Trainer cards, and over 35 Pokémon and Trainer cards with special illustrations. Its theme brings Mega Floette ex into the spotlight, while Mega Greninja ex, Mega Pyroar ex, and Mega Dragalge ex are among the big and valuable featured pulls — which are also available to buy individually at TCGplayer. 

To stock up on even more Chaos Rising Booster packs, you can grab the Pokémon TCG Chaos Rising Booster Bundle for just under $60. 

For a variety of packs from different expansions, the Pokémon TCG’s Mega Zygarde ex Premium Collection is still at least $10 off, as well.

Although currently not available on Amazon, the Pokémon TCG’s newly announced Pitch Black expansion — Booster Packs, ETBs, Display Boxes, and Booster Bundles — is available to preorder at TCGplayer. 

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

Want to experience the thrill of rowing from the comfort of home? In this video, PCMag Managing Editor Angela Moscaritolo explains the different types of rowing machines you can buy, and the most important factors to consider when shopping for one.

The Full Moon has now passed, meaning with each night visibility will get smaller. This will occur until we reach the New Moon. This phase is part of the lunar cycle, a roughly 29.5-day journey the Moon makes around Earth.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Monday, June 1, the Moon phase is Waning Gibbous. Tonight, 97% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

So, what can you see? Without any visual aids, you'll be able to spot the Mare Imbrium, Copernicus Crater, and the Mare Tranquillitatis. If you have binoculars you'll also be able to catch a glimpse of the Clavius Crater, Apennine Mountains, and the Alps Mountains. Finally, with a telescope will help you see the Fra Mauro Highlands and the Caucasus Mountains.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on June 29.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon takes around 29.5 days to orbit Earth, passing through a repeating pattern of eight distinct phases. Although the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, the portion illuminated by the Sun changes as it moves around the planet. This is what creates the different shapes we see in the night sky, from thin crescents to half Moons and the full Moon. Together, these phases form the lunar cycle:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will require knowledge of sports and gym culture.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, 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 the latest 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: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports 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 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 before 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: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Roster building

• Green: Workout

• Blue: Philly batters

• Purple: Isolated muscles

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Parts of a Baseball Roster

• Green: Gym Equipment

• Blue: Philadelphia Phillies Players

• Purple: Muscle Nicknames, Plus A Letter

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: Sports Edition #616 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Parts of a Baseball Roster: BENCH, BULLPEN, LINEUP, ROTATION

• Gym Equipment: ELLIPTICAL, MEDICINE BALL, ROWING MACHINE, TREADMILL

• Philadelphia Phillies Players: MARSH, NOLA, TURNER, WHEELER

• Muscle Nicknames, Plus A Letter: FLAT, SPEC, SQUAD, WHAMMY

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections 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.

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 yesterday's Connections.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 1, 2026

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for June 1, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for June 1 Pips

Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 1-2, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this light blue space must be equal to 3. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 5-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this orange space must be equal to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically; 6-2, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for June 1 Pips

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed horizontally; 4-0, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically; 1-6, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for June 1 Pips

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 0-2, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 5-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally; 4-0, placed vertically; 4-5, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-4, placed horizontally.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally; 5-3, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 5-2, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 1-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally; 5-2, placed vertically; 2-4, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically.

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

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.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

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

Hawaiian hello.

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

ALOHA

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Lives under the bridge.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 1, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

TROLL

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Gooey.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 1 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 1, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

SLIMY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Upper body.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

CHEST

Final Hurdle hint

Number.

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

DIGIT

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

Dell finally announced its new XPS 13 laptop at Computex 2026 in Taiwan on Monday, almost five months after teasing it at CES. With a premium CNC aluminum build and a launch price of just $599 for students, the device is poised to aggressively compete with Apple's budget bombshell, the MacBook Neo.

On that battlefront, Dell is coming out swinging. "I'll give [Apple] credit, it's a good product...The difference is, we built something better," Dell COO Jeff Clarke told reporters during a briefing ahead of Computex.

Dell XPS 13 specs The XPS 13 will come in sky and storm finishes (left and right, respectively). Credit: Dell

The XPS 13 will be the thinnest and lightest XPS laptop Dell has ever made. It's just as slim as the Neo but half a pound lighter, weighing in at just 2.2 pounds. It will come equipped with a 2.5K touchscreen, keyboard backlighting, and WiFi 7, three features the Neo lacks.

The XPS 13's display will offer up to 500 nits of brightness and full DCI-P3 color coverage, so it should look very crisp and vibrant. It will also support a variable 120Hz refresh rate that can drop to just 30Hz when it's displaying static content, maximizing its battery life.

The XPS 13 doesn't have a lattice-style keyboard or a seamless touchpad, two signature features of Dell's XPS 14 and 16 laptops. Credit: Dell

Dell's XPS 13 is rated for up to 17 hours of video streaming per charge. If that holds up in testing, it'll beat the Neo's battery life by just over two hours.

The XPS 13 will launch sometime later this month in a silvery "sky" finish with Intel's new entry-level Core Series 3 chips ("Wildcat Lake"). The base configuration comes with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, and until Nov. 2, students ages 16 and up can buy it for just $599. Everyone else pays $699 (the same price as an identically configured Neo).

Later this summer, Dell will add a second "storm" finish and scaled-up variants with the flagship Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chips ("Panther Lake"). Those upgraded models will have two Thunderbolt 4 ports, while the cheaper Wildcat Lake versions will have two USB-C ports. None will have a headphone jack, so there's one point on the Neo's side.

A cheap XPS laptop? In this economy? The XPS 13 is half a pound lighter than the MacBook Neo. Credit: Dell / Mashable composite

The Neo's arrival this spring sent many PC makers scrambling, but Clarke said it didn't affect Dell's planned features for the XPS 13, which was developed over the course of "around 30 weeks." The company first hinted at its existence at CES in January, describing it in a blog post as "our most accessible XPS price point yet."

Dell previously sold an XPS 13 laptop from 2012 to 2024. But it was basically just a compact version of its XPS 14 and 16 laptops, not a budget machine targeting a whole different user base.

The new XPS 13's cheap price tag is quite the feat amid the global RAM shortage that's forced most PC makers to raise their prices — Dell included. Last month, select configurations of its latest XPS 14 got up to 31 percent more expensive. And its new entry-level Alienware 15 gaming laptop debuted at a higher price than expected.

Dell delivered a premium-feeling budget laptop in the current market to fulfill the accessibility commitment it made at CES, Clarke said, though it also took "a change in mindset and attitude."

SEE ALSO: Thank the AI industry for tech price increases: See the full list

"We had this belief that XPS was this incredible premium product, which it is, and it couldn't go below a certain floor," he explained. "We put our minds to it, making the XPS experience more affordable. We wanted to share that experience with a broader range of consumers."

So far, Acer is the only other major PC maker to announce a Wildcat Lake-powered budget laptop with U.S availability. (Out this August, the new Acer Swift Air 14 also starts at $699.) Other models launched in China last month.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

TL;DR: Save $154 on the AdGuard Family Plan, which protects up to nine devices with ad blocking, privacy tools, malware safeguards, and parental controls for $15.97 (reg. $169.99) through May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdGuard AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription $15.97
$169.99 Save $154.02   Get Deal

Between smartphones, tablets, laptops, and shared family computers, keeping every device protected can quickly become complicated. The AdGuard Family Plan simplifies that by covering up to nine devices under a single subscription while helping reduce ads, block trackers, and filter potentially harmful websites.

Right now you can get the plan while it’s price-dropped to $15.97 (reg. $169.99) through May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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AdGuard’s Family Plan is built specifically for households rather than individual users. While the company’s Personal Plan covers up to three devices, the Family Plan expands that coverage to nine, making it a more practical option for families with multiple phones, tablets, and computers.

One of AdGuard’s primary functions is ad blocking. The software is designed to remove many of the ads that appear while browsing the web, helping create a cleaner online experience. It also works to block tracking tools that collect browsing data, giving users more control over their privacy.

Beyond ads and trackers, AdGuard includes protection against phishing sites and certain forms of malware. These safeguards can help reduce the chances of accidentally visiting websites designed to steal information or distribute malicious software.

For parents, the Family Plan’s parental control tools may be one of its biggest advantages. The feature allows adults to restrict access to inappropriate or adult-oriented content, helping create a safer browsing environment for younger users.

The software works across both Android and iOS devices, helping families maintain consistent protection across multiple platforms.

For households looking to simplify online safety, privacy, and ad blocking across multiple devices, the AdGuard Family Plan is currently available for $15.97 (reg. $169.99) through May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Everybody gets the thirst for a hookup once in a while, and you certainly don't need to worry about justifyng that thirst to us — or anybody else for that matter. The heart (and body) wants what it wants.

What you do need to worry about though is your online privacy — particularly if you're using dating sites and apps that are geared towards sex and NSFW content.

If you want to protect your privacy or at least keep a low profile while you swipe through sexy singles in your area, there are a few different things you can do. Here's some general guidance that works across all apps and sites, plus some more targeted advice depending on the service you're using.

General tips for browsing hookup apps discreetly

The following tips work well across all hookup sites. Think of them as general guidelines for limiting your exposure:

• Sign up using an alternative email address. Not only does this spare you in the event of a data breach (and trust us when we say they can be more common than you would think), it also means that if somebody does catch a glance at your inbox they won't be able to see what sites you frequent.

• Anonymize your photos as far as possible. You don't have to blur your face, but neither should you be taking photos of yourself that reveal where you live, where you work, or where you hang out. Additionally, ensure you leave out any identifying marks, such as unique tattoos, from any of your profile photos.  

• Don't link your social media in your profile. Too many people share their Instagram pages or TikTok handles in their profiles, but doing so dramatically increases your exposure, since every image and story you post there could inadvertently contain identifying information about you, such as who your friends are or where you're from. 

• Take advantage of gift cards or prepaid credit cards. If you purchase a premium membership to a hookup app or site, you'll leave a paper trail that links to your bank account or credit card. To maintain your anonymity, you can use a prepaid card or purchase a gift card instead of using your main credit or debit card when you register your membership. 

App-specific tips to retain your anonymityFeeld

For the privacy-conscious dater, Feeld’s Incognito mode is a game-changer: You can scout the Discover feed without leaving a digital footprint, remaining invisible to anyone you haven't explicitly "liked." The app also supports private photo vaults that only unlock for confirmed connections.

Tinder

Tinder offers a few unique features that can help you lower your profile, even as you swipe away. First, consider turning off Discovery mode when you're trying to keep a low profile. This will make it impossible for new people to find your profile in search. Meanwhile, you can still chat to people you're already matched with.

If you really want to take things up a notch and you already have a Tinder Plus, Gold or Platinum membership, you can use Passport Mode to browse singles in a nearby city, or a place you're travelling to for work or on a vacation. This is a great way to prevent your local friends and family from accidentally stumbling across your profile. 

SEE ALSO: Is Tinder making a comeback?

You can also block phone numbers if you really don't want certain individuals to find you — your boss, neighbor, or sibling, for instance.

Grindr

The first line of defence on Grindr is a relatively new feature called Profile Hide that works on one user at a time. Say, for example, you come across a co-worker on the app, and don't want them to know you're also using it. Simply click on their profile and find the Hide icon. If you tap this, your profile will become invisible to them and their profile will become invisible to you, like magic.

If you want to take things up a notch, you'll need a Grindr Unlimited membership, which unlocks a really useful privacy feature called Incignito mode, which essentially allows you to use the service in total secrecy, without anyone knowing you're there until you initiate an interaction. 

AdultFriendFinder

AdultFriendFinder is like the Wild West of hookup sites, a place where seemingly anything goes, but that carefree attitude can also be a privacy nightmare. We strongly recommend you limit the amount of identifiable information you put on your profile. That includes being very selective about which photos you choose to share.

One good way to strike a balance between total anonymity and a modicum of privacy is to take advantage of AFF's many photo features, specifically their photo permissions options. You can make your main profile photo something reasonably discrete, such as a full-length picture of you wearing a hat or a photo shot from a distance or even a photo with your face blurred out, but then you can create a photo album of more identifiable, personal photos that you choose to share only with friends. 

That way, you can be super selective about whom you share your photos with.

Online prediction platform, Polymarket, is starting to block IP addresses from VPNs and asking some users to identify themselves, The Information first reported.

Due to regional regulations and international sanctions, Polymarket is blocked in 33 countries and several regions. But people in those places could, in theory, use a VPN, or Virtual Private Network, to mask their real location. According to The Information, Polymarket has now made it harder to use VPNs. It's blocking certain IP addresses associated with VPNs and blocking accounts with suspicious connection patterns.

If it doesn't start enforcing its official policy, Polymarket could risk regulatory action, The Information reported.

SEE ALSO: Meta faces employee backlash over tracking tool

Polymarket is also apparently asking some customers for their identities to "access faster trading technology," the report states. This marks a shift from the market's previous model of anonymous trading, TechRadar reported.

The news comes during a broader crackdown on VPNs in the U.S. and elsewhere. Utah now bans using VPNs to visit porn sites, though the law doesn't go into effect for Aylo websites like Pornhub until Sept. The UK is also considering a VPN ban for children following a spike in usage after the enactment of its age verification law, the Online Safety Act.

Age verification laws require proof of age, like a government ID or a facial scan, to see explicit content or content otherwise deemed "harmful to minors." Two studies on the burgeoning laws state that they don't work to keep minors off porn sites, and instead infringe on adults' First Amendment rights in the case of U.S. laws.

Last year, First Amendment experts warned Mashable of VPN bans as "second-order censorship." When people work around the initial law, in this case, age verification, then further regulations ensue.

Website builder Wix has laid off 20 percent of its staff, amounting to 1,000 employees, Reuters and others have reported.

On May 28, Wix cofounder and CEO Avishai Abrahami shared his internal message to the Wix team on X, stating that the reasons behind the layoff are the strengthening of the Israeli shekel against the U.S. dollar (Wix is an Israeli company) and the "fast evolution of AI capabilities."

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"As the majority of our teams are Israel-based, a very meaningful portion of our costs are shekel-denominated, while our revenue is largely dollar-denominated," Abrahami wrote of the former. "This creates a structural pressure on our ability to operate at our current scale. It is a reality that directly shapes what is sustainable for our company."

In terms of AI, Abrahami wrote that companies need to adapt to AI changes in order to compete, and that "We are moving to a structure with fewer levels between any member of our leadership and the most junior person on the team."

It's only the latest announcement of a major tech company laying off workers to usher in AI, including Meta, Snap, Amazon, and Pinterest. A Dec. 2025 report stated that AI was linked to 50,000 job cuts last year.

In April, Reuters reported that Meta would track U.S. employees' mouse movements and keystrokes to train its AI agents. Weeks later, Meta laid off 8,000 employees, citing its AI push. Now, the company is facing backlash from remaining employees over the tracking tool, called Model Capability Initiative (MCI), which may also violate European Union privacy rules, Reuters reports.

Last month, the company apparently told U.S. employees that it launched MCI to track how they work — including clicks and dropdown menu navigation — to build AI agents that can perform software tasks, Reuters reported. They were also told this would only impact employees in the U.S. and that privacy safeguards were in place.

SEE ALSO: Meta plans to make an AI pendant and more smart glasses soon

Some employees have already complained about MCI, calling Meta an "Employee Data Extraction Factory," Reuters reported. One complaint is that the tool is using so much data that workers' home internet usage has spiked, and in some cases, using a month's quota in days. Another complaint is that MCI is more over-reaching than Meta lets on, extending to code changes, a computer's sleep and wake cycles, and URLs copied to a computer's clipboard.

An internal post about this apparently disappeared, two Meta employees told Reuters. Meta spokesperson Dave Arnold told the outlet that the post was "fundamentally inaccurate."

In a document reviewed by Reuters, Meta stated that MCI would capture the contents of any email or direct message sent to U.S. employees, regardless of the sender's location. According to a legal expert who spoke to Reuters, this may violate the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The question is whether data collection of EU resident data is considered "incidental" and whether the tool can pass a "purpose limitation" test.

Arnold told Reuters that MCI was installed only on U.S. employees' computers and that, "In the interest of transparency, we notified non-U.S. employees ‌that it was deployed on the computers of U.S. colleagues they may email or ⁠chat with in the normal course of business."

"We carefully considered and mitigated potential privacy risks in both the development and deployment of this tool, and we are committed to complying with applicable laws and regulations," Arnold stated to Reuters.

Earlier this month, Mashable reported that Meta (along with Google and TikTok) faces complaints from the EU regarding protections against financial scams.

Layoffs at other major tech companies this year, including Snapchat, Amazon, and Pinterest, have been pinned on AI. In 2025, AI was linked to 50,000 job cuts.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 29, 2026

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for May 31, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 31 Pips

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 5-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally; 2-3, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 31 Pips

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 31 Pips

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 1-5, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally; 4-6, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 6-0, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 1-2, placed horizontally.

Number (18): Everything in this space must add up to 18. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 3-4, placed vertically; 3-6, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed vertically.

Number (18): Everything in this space must add up to 18. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically; 2-6, placed vertically; 5-6, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically.

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

In this episode of How It Hits, we explore the fascinating journey of "The Backrooms." What started as a single, unsettling image posted anonymously on 4chan has blossomed into a massive internet subculture. Today, it boasts extensive Reddit lore, a viral YouTube found-footage series by Kane Parsons, and an A24 feature film.

TL;DR: Live stream de Jong vs. Zverev in the 2026 French Open for free on France TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

With a number of high-profile early defeats at the 2026 French Open, No. 2 Alexander Zverev is now the highest-ranked player in the men's singles category. Indeed, the field has been blown wide open thanks to the exit of No. 1 Jannik Sinner and No. 3 Novak Djokovic, which gives Zverev a golden opportunity to win his first Grand Slam.

The German star now faces Jesper de Jong of the Netherlands in the fourth round. On paper, this should be a comfortable win for Zverev over the unseeded de Jong, but the Dutchman has had a fairytale tournament so far. He entered as a lucky loser and has unexpectedly fought his way to the fourth round, dropping relatively few sets.

Can de Jong do the unthinkable and eliminate the highest remaining seed to put yet another twist in the the tale of this Roland-Garros?

If you want to watch de Jong vs. Zverev in the 2026 French Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch de Jong vs. Zverev for free

De Jong vs. Zverev in the 2026 French Open is available to live stream for free on France TV.

France TV is geo-restricted to France, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in France, meaning you can stream the 2026 French Open for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 French Open for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly 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 France

4. Connect to France TV

5. Watch the 2026 French Open for free from anywhere in the world

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 streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Roland-Garros without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream the 2026 French Open before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for sport?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, 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 secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% 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).

Live stream de Jong vs. Zverev in the 2026 French Open for free with ExpressVPN.

The MacBook lineup hasn't had a true budget option until this spring, when Apple introduced the all-new MacBook Neo. It comes in at $599 (or just $499 for students) by ditching some premium fixings and enlisting an A18 Pro chip, a processor that previously powered an iPhone. It's not the best MacBook for everyone, but it's perfect for users with simple needs, and an excellent alternative to cheap Windows PCs and Chromebooks. Now, more people than ever can join the MacBook family.

Which MacBook should you buy?

As of mid-2026, I think the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air is the best choice for most people. It's a sleek, future-proofed ultraportable with the right amount of premium features and more than enough muscle for everyday multitasking, including occasional content creation. It's the ideal daily driver.

The new MacBook Neo is my top budget pick for students and casual users. It's not nearly as fast or as fancy as a new MacBook Air, but it's a good performer for its price point, and it's just as well-made as any other MacBook. If your typical workload involves bopping between some Chrome tabs and an app or two, look no further.

If you want the nicest features and enough sustained power for photo editing, video rendering, or AI work, the 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro is my upgrade pick. It one-ups the Air with better thermal management, more ports, more base storage, a smoother display, and a longer battery life. Just come prepared to spend at least $500 more.

What's new

I added the results of our battery life testing for the M5 MacBook Air in May 2026. It was able to loop a video for 17 hours and 40 minutes before dying.

What's on deck

Apple is reportedly working on a redesigned MacBook Pro with an OLED touchscreen, but it probably won't launch until late 2026 at the earliest, per Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.