Mashable

TL;DR: Get the iPhone 17 for free with T-Mobile. To qualify, simply switch and bring your number on an Experience Beyond or Better Value plan.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple T-Mobile: Apple iPhone 17 for free   Shop Now

There's a battle going on between leading mobile carriers to offer you the most tempting offers. We've seen really impressive deals dropped by the likes of Verizon and AT&T recently, but T-Mobile is leading the charge with a free iPhone offer that doesn't require a trade-in.

For a limited time, anyone can claim the Apple Phone 17 for free when switching to T-Mobile and bringing their number on an Experience Beyond or Better Value plan. The iPhone 17e is also available for free with just about any T-Mobile plan. What sets these offers apart from much of the competition is that neither requires a trade-in. You do need to pay taxes and a $35 device connection fee, but that's a small price to pay for a free iPhone.

SEE ALSO: iOS 27 could finally bring AI photo-editing to your iPhone

The iPhone 17 is built to handle Apple’s most advanced AI features. In Mashable's review, Stan Schroeder said it's an "excellent phone that matches the iPhone Pro models in many ways that matter." According to Stan Schroeder, the camera is "almost as good as the one on the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max."

How will T-Mobile's rivals respond? Only time will tell, but right now T-Mobile is offering one of the most tempting packages for anyone interesting in making the switch.

Score the Apple iPhone 17 for free from T-Mobile.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will require some sports and pop culture knowledge.

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.

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 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.

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: 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: Isolated muscles

• Green: Smart teams

• Blue: Famous Jonathans

• Purple: How to start

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Muscles, Informally

• Green: Ivy League Team Nicknames

• Blue: Jonathans

• Purple: ___Start

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 #595 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Muscles, Informally: AB, PEC, QUAD, TRAP

• Ivy League Team Nicknames: BIG GREEN, CRIMSON, LIONS, QUAKERS

• Jonathans: KUMINGA, QUICK, TAYLOR, VILMA

• ___Start: FALSE, KICK, QUALITY, SPOT

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 today's Connections.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Monday, May 11, 2026:

AcrossItty-bitty insect

• The answer is Gnat.

"Excellent job!"

• The answer is Bravo.

Bird that "croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan," in "Macbeth"

• The answer is Raven.

Each and ___

• The answer is Every.

Swollen mark

• The answer is Welt.

DownDeathly serious

• The answer is Grave.

Belly button

• The answer is Navel.

Prevent, as a crisis

• The answer is Avert.

___ the Tiger, mascot of Frosted Flakes

• The answer is Tony.

Beer, informally

• The answer is Brew.

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

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

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

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

He is ___.

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

RISEN

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Solver.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 11, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

FIXER

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Topic.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 11 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 11, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

THEME

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Troubleshoot.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

DEBUG

Final Hurdle hint

Pungent.

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

ACRID

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 Moon is losing visibility each night as we approach the New Moon. With just a few nights left before it's total darkness, keep reading to find out what you might be able to see tonight.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Monday, May 11, the Moon phase is Waning Crescent. Tonight, 36% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

Without any visual aids, tonight you can see the Kepler Crater and the Aristarchus Plateau. If you have binoculars or a telescope, these should help you see the Gassendi Crater, Clavius Crater, and Mare Humorum.

When is the next Full Moon?

There are two Full Moons in May, with the next due to take place on May 31.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon takes around 29.5 days to complete a full orbit around Earth, passing through eight different phases along the way. Even though we always see the same side of the Moon, the way sunlight falls on it changes as it moves, which is what creates the familiar full, half, and crescent shapes. In total, there are eight main phases in 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.

A two-year legal battle between General Motors and California prosecutors, led by Attorney General Rob Bonta, over the alleged misuse of customer driving data has concluded, with GM agreeing to pay $12.75 million in penalties. 

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creator today!

In a press release announcing the settlement, the AG alleges that GM sold "the names, contact information, geolocation data, and driving behavior data of hundreds of thousands of Californians" to data brokers, including Verisk Analytics and LexisNexis Risk Solutions. And, as the statement points out, "If you know the precise location of a person’s car, then you know an enormous amount of personal, sensitive information about that person — their home, work, children’s school, place of worship."

SEE ALSO: Apple AI lawsuit settled: Every iPhone included in the $250 million settlement

The original facts of the case were uncovered by The New York Times back in 2024, where the focus was on whether insurance companies were using this driving data to charge some customers higher insurance rates. But the attorney general's investigation concluded that "California drivers were not directly impacted by GM’s sales of data," because under California's strict insurance laws, "insurers are prohibited from using driving data to set insurance rates." 

In addition to the $12.75 million settlement, GM has agreed to stop selling driving data to any consumer reporting agencies for five years, delete any current driving data within 180 days (unless expressly permitted to keep the data by the driver), and develop and maintain its own privacy program to assess its data collection practices and mitigate the risks of a data breach.

While the settlement is definitely a win for consumer privacy, you shouldn't feel too bad for GM just yet. According to the attorney general's own calculations, GM earned roughly $20 million for the sale of its OnStar data, so even with the hefty settlement, they're still turning a nice profit. 

Good news for owners of foreign-made drones and routers: the Federal Communications Commission has amended its original deadline that would have banned firmware updates to these devices after March 1, 2027. 

In an announcement posted on May 8, 2026, the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) updated its previous guidance to allow new software and firmware updates to foreign-made drones and routers until January 1, 2029, adding nearly two years to the initial cut-off date.

SEE ALSO: The FCC's proposed plan to fight spam calls puts consumer privacy in jeopardy

The main concerns cited by the American government are espionage, unauthorized surveillance, and data exfiltration, all of which can be enabled by backdoor exploits built directly into both drones and routers. The most famous example of such a cyberattack is the ongoing Volt Typhoon "advanced persistent threat" (APT), which attempts to leverage compromised hardware, including routers, to steal data and establish "command and control" channels over American cyber infrastructure. 

And though drones are newer than routers, they have been used in corporate espionage since at least 2022, when drones were used to infiltrate the wireless networks of a major American financial firm. 

From a numbers perspective alone, the size of the vulnerability is frightening: around 60% of America's routers are manufactured in China, according to Reuters, while more than 80% of the drones operational in the United States were designed and built in China, according to the Wall Street Journal. 

But put yourself in the shoes of someone who just shelled out serious money for a drone or router, only to learn, after the fact, that the government had made your purchase illegal. The Consumer Technology Association, advocating on behalf of precisely those American consumers, issued an open letter to the FTC just last month, urging legislators to exercise leniency, as well as to better clarify which products might be affected by the ban. 

Their efforts are probably responsible for this two-year extension, but expect supply lines and manufacturers to re-localize in the coming years as the full scope of the cybersecurity threat becomes clearer.

Sick and tired of having your day disrupted by robocalls? You're not alone, and the FCC is taking notice. In press releases from the past month, the FCC said that preventing illegal spam calls has become its "top consumer protection priority," while FCC chairman Brendan Carr vowed to "bring meaningful robocall relief to consumers." 

Unfortunately, their approach might be so broad, so badly focused, that it will create new privacy concerns, destroy so-called "burner" phones, and place an extra burden on consumers. Or in the words of Gizmodo's Mike Pearl, "the FCC's cure might be worse than the disease."

SEE ALSO: Braze Xbox test message spams phones: What we know

One proposed change, known as the "Know Your Customer" rules, would require businesses to collect a government ID, a physical address, and the customer's full legal name, instead of just their phone number, to initiate phone contact. This proposed change might serve to stop robocalls, but it would also effectively end the concept of consumer privacy. In the words of civil liberties advocates Reclaim the Net: "The result would be an identity-verification regime covering one of the last semi-anonymous communication tools available to ordinary Americans." 

Worse still, the FCC's proposed "red flags" that would heighten scrutiny are broad enough to encompass the lawful behaviors of millions of Americans. Proposed red flags include using a virtual office, making payments in cryptocurrency, using a "suspicious" email address, or operating a phone number not tied to a residential address. 

While all of these activities are likely indicative of robocall spammer behavior, they are also common practices among law-abiding citizens, who often operate out of virtual offices or use so-called "burner" or pre-paid phones. Worse still, the people who rely on prepaid phones often do so because of the anonymity they afford — think about refugees fleeing conflict zones or victims of domestic abuse attempting to keep a low profile. 

Finally, the FCC is looking to place the burden of enforcement on telecom providers, threatening them rather than individual spam callers with up to $2,500 in fines per call. While this approach is no doubt easier than searching out every individual robocall operator, and certainly motivates the companies to take enforcement seriously, it also creates a bad incentive in which telecom operators have to scrutinize each individual customer and their behavior at the expense of consumer privacy. 

Ultimately, spam calls might prove to be the price we pay for enjoying a modicum of privacy in the digital age.

We all want to treat our moms to the best, but sometimes the budget doesn't quite line up with the best of intentions. That's where freebies, voucher codes, and limited-time exclusives from popular restaurants come to the rescue.

You can find some really great food offers from the likes of Denny’s, Pizza Hut, Dunkin', and more popular names on Mother's Day this year. We've checked out everything on offer to bring you the very best, so you can treat her right this weekend.

Aroma Joe’s

Moms can get a free 24-ounce iced drink (any flavor) on Mother's Day.

Baskin-Robbins

Reward members get a BOGO free scoop on May 9. You might need to think of something else to do on Mother's Day, but it's still a nice early treat.

Denny's

Score $10 off online orders of $30+ when you get breakfast for delivery or pickup with the code MOMDAY. This offer is live from May 9-11.

Dunkin'

From May 9-10, Dunkin' is offering 3x points when you order either a 6- or 12-count donut box or 20- or 50-count of Munchkins.

Friendly’s

Moms can get a free medium sundae with any adult entrée purchase.

Morton's The Steakhouse

From May 7-10, Morton's The Steakhouse is dropping an exclusive Mother's Day menu that starts from $79 per person.

Outback Steakhouse

Outback Steakhouse is dropping a limited-time “Mum’s Day Menu” with filet mignon and lobster tail combinations. Looking to go all-out this Mother's Day? This could seriously impress.

Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut is serving up its famous Heart Shaped Pizza for Mother's Day. This limited-edition pizza is available at select locations nationwide through May 10.

Raising Cane’s

Caniac Club members get a BOGO Free Box Combo on May 10-11.

Ruth's Chris Steak House

Ruth's Chris Steak House is offering a Mother's Day brunch on May 9-10, starting at $49 per person.

Shake Shack

Get a free single burger with any $10 purchase using the app code for National Burger Month. OK, that's not a Mother's Day deal. But does she like burgers? If she does, it's a perfect Mother's Day deal.

TCBY

TCBY is giving moms a 6-ounce treat for free. This offer is only valid on May 10, but your mom can choose between a small cup or cone.

White Castle

White Castle is celebrating moms with a BOGO deal on combo meals. Plus, you can score 20% off any order this weekend by using the code WCMOM.

Depending on who you ask, the last people you'd want to stand next to at your neighborhood bar are the man who started the Iran war and the man who helped end abortion (their words, not ours). That's the premise of SNL's latest Cold Open, where Colin Jost's Pete Hegseth sulks into a barstool lamenting that nobody left in the Trump Administration can keep up with him drink-for-drink. That is, until Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh comes stumbling in, played by this weekend's host Matt Damon.

The two spend much of the sketch bonding over everything they've managed to accomplish — or inflict, depending on your perspective — since taking office. Hegseth is beside himself at the prospect of the Iran conflict actually ending and leaving him without a reason to exist, while Kavanaugh is in full waterworks mode over the "male loneliness epidemic." Rough night for powerful men.

Things do take a turn for the chaotic, however, when Aziz Ansari returns as FBI Director Kash Patel, instantly shifting the energy from sad-drunk to dangerous-drunk. Before long, the trio is floating the idea of a Trump third term.