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Mashable is a leading source for news, information & resources for the Connected Generation. Mashable reports on the importance of digital innovation and how it empowers and inspires people around the world. Mashable's 25 million monthly unique visitors and 10 million social media followers have become one of the most engaged online news communities. Founded in 2005, Mashable is headquartered in New York City with an office in San Francisco.
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Updated: 13 hours 35 min ago

Amazon has the best Cyber Monday robot vacuum deals — low prices are still live

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 17:25
The best Cyber Monday robot vacuum deals at Amazon at a glance Best Roomba deal iRobot Roomba Combo j5+ $399 at Amazon (save $330.99) Get Deal Best self-cleaning robot vacuum deal iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max $919 at Amazon (save $480) Get Deal

Cyber Monday robot vacuum deals at Amazon are mostly just Black Friday robot vacuum deals that have rolled over — and those discounts just happen to be on most of my favorite robot vacuums that I've tested this year. That said, a handful of the best deals have finally sold out, so making your upgrade ASAP is crucial.

As unlikely as it sounds, Amazon doesn't have the best deals in every single category on shopping holidays (TVs ring a bell). But Amazon consistently leads the pack in robot vacuum deals. While the other big retailers have a few, Amazon easily has the best variety of Cyber Monday robot vacuum deals, both in terms of the brands and models up for grabs and the actual spectrum of price points. As someone who tests robot vacuums and tracks their prices for a living, I would know — but if you want some cold, hard numbers, just plug any URL into Amazon price history tracker Camelcamelcamel. You'll see that almost every robot vacuum on sale has dropped to a new record-low price.

SEE ALSO: Why Eufy's X10 Pro Omni is the most surprising robot vacuum I've tested all year

I'm tracking all of the Cyber Monday robot vacuum deals still live at Amazon below, and will be refreshing the list throughout Cyber Week as deals eventually start to fade and sell out.

Note: All newly added or updated deals have been marked with a ✨, while struck-through deals were expired at the time of writing. Any deal marked with a 🔥 has dropped to a record-low price at Amazon.

Best Cyber Monday robot vacuum deal at Amazon Opens in a new window Credit: iRobot iRobot Roomba Combo j5+ $399.99 at Amazon
$729.99 Save $330.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Though my previous favorite Roomba deal this Black Friday season, the $299.99 Roomba Combo i5, has sold out, it wasn't hard to pick a new top pick. I've crowned the Roomba Combo j5+ as the best Roomba value when it's on sale, and guess what: It's definitely on sale. The nearly 50% off price slash looks like an even sweeter deal when compared to the current deal on the cheapest self-emptying Roomba, the Roomba Vac 2. For $249.99, that basic Roomba doesn't mop, can't smart map specific rooms in your home, and certainly can't steer clear of small obstacles like phone charges and pet waste. The Combo j5+ does all of those things for $150 more, which is a small jump in cost that I think you'll be thankful you made when your Roomba isn't getting stuck everywhere.

If you live in a small space where a robot vacuum won't scrounge up a ton of debris during every cleaning session (or are otherwise fine with manually emptying the dust bin), the standalone Roomba Combo j5 that doesn't self-empty is at a similarly stellar sale price: $284.98, a record low.

More robot vacuums (that don't mop) on sale at AmazonRobot vacuum and mop combos on sale at AmazonRobot vacuum and mop combos with self-washing station on sale at Amazon
Categories: IT General, Technology

These are the best Apple deals still live at Amazon post-Cyber Monday

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 17:02
The best Apple deals still live at Amazon post-Cyber Monday: BEST AIRPODS DEAL Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) $169.99 (save $79.01) Get Deal BEST MACBOOK DEAL Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M3, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,499.99 (save $199.01 with on-page coupon) Get Deal BEST IPAD DEAL Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M2, WiFi, 512GB) $824 (save $75) Get Deal BEST APPLE WATCH DEAL Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS) $329.99 (save $69.01 with on-page coupon) Get Deal

Apple runs a similar gift card promo during Cyber Week every year; get a gift card worth up to $200 with the purchase of select iPhones, MacBooks, AirPods, etc. To be honest, it's not anything all that special. If you're looking for more immediate savings, we always suggest heading over to Amazon instead.

Amazon's Cyber Monday 2024 Apple deals did not disappoint — we saw AirPods Pro drop to a new record-low $154, M2 MacBook Airs as low as $799, and up to $200 off the M4 iPad Pro. Sadly, most of the best Apple deals have already dried up post-Cyber Monday, but there are still a few deals to be had if you're looking to score some savings on the fruit company.

We've been keeping track of all the best Apple deals across retailers throughout Cyber Week — here are the best ones still live at Amazon post-Cyber Monday.

Note: All struck-through deals were either sold out or expired at the time of writing.

Best AirPods deal still live Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) $169.99 at Amazon
$249.00 Save $79.01 Get Deal Why we like it

With impressive ANC, six hours of battery life per charge, balanced sound, and seamless Apple ecosystem integration, the AirPod Pro 2 continuously top our favorite headphones lists. During Cyber Week, they dropped to a record-low $154 across multiple retailers, including Amazon. Sadly, that price is no longer available post-Cyber Monday, but we still think they're worth grabbing for $169.99. That's still 32% in savings, after all.

Read Mashable's full review of the Apple AirPods Pro 2.

More post-Cyber Monday AirPods deals at AmazonBest MacBook deal still live Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M3, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,499.99 at Amazon
$1,699.00 Save $199.01 with on-page coupon Get Deal Why we like it

While most MacBook deals have dried up quickly after Cyber Monday, we're still eyeing this discount on the 15-inch M3 MacBook Air with 24GB RAM and 512GB of storage. With an on-page coupon, the $1,699 price tag drops down to just $1,499.99. That's around 12% in savings, which isn't quite as big as its Cyber Monday discount, but still pretty solid at just under $200 off.

You'll get 15% more power than the M2, WiFi 6E, and support for up to two 5K, 60Hz external displays. Mashable Tech Editor Kimberly Gedeon writes: "The M3 MacBook Air continues to blur the line of the Air and Pro models."

Read our full review of the M3 MacBook Air.

More post-Cyber Monday MacBook and Mac deals at Amazon

MacBook Air (13-inch)

MacBook Air (15-inch)

MacBook Pro

Mac

iMac & Apple Studio Displays

Best iPad deal still live Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M2, WiFi, 512GB) $824.00 at Amazon
$899.00 Save $75.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Our favorite iPad for most people, the 2024 iPad Air is powerful enough that can keep up with the big dogs — including some of our favorite laptops. Its battery life is also fantastic; we found it to last even longer than it promises on paper. Aesthetically, it doesn't look much different than the previous model, but as Mashable's Kim Gedeon noted in her review, "The M2 chip brings sweet energy efficiency and a performance uptick."

Post-Cyber Monday, only a few M2 Air models are left on sale (or in stock): both the 11-inch and 13-inch option with boosted 512GB storage. Save $75 on the 11-inch model and snag it for $824 or save $88 on the 13-inch model and grab it for $1,011 while you still can. If you really want to max out storage, the 1TB option is also still available for $1,199.

Read our full review of the M2 iPad Air.

More post-Cyber Monday iPad deals at Amazon

iPad

iPad Air

iPad mini

iPad Pro

Best Apple Watch deal still live Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS) $329.99 at Amazon
$399.00 Save $69.01 with on-page coupon Get Deal Why we like it

The Apple Watch Series 10 hit a new record-low for — checks notes — the third time this month during Cyber Week, dropping down to just $329 for the 42mm, GPS model. That's a savings of 18%. While most other top Apple deals jumped back up in price post-Cyber Monday, this deal only increased by 99 cents. Be sure to check the on-page coupon to score the savings.

Compared to previous models, the Series 10 boasts a thinner and lighter design, a larger display with a built-in speaker, faster charging (a major selling point for our reviewer), and new health and fitness features like sleep apnea alerts and water temperature and depth sensing.

Read Mashable's full review of the Apple Watch Series 10.

More post-Cyber Monday Apple Watch deals at Amazon

Series 10

SE

Ultra

More post-Cyber Monday Apple deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

Only one Cyber Monday gaming laptop deal is still live at Amazon

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 16:56

UPDATE: Dec. 3, 2024, 10:30 a.m. EST We've checked all of the featured deals for pricing and availability.

Amazon was the dark horse of this year's Cyber Weekend laptop deals, undercutting other tech retailers when it came to discounts on popular Apple MacBooks and Microsoft Surface devices. The gaming laptop deals it offered on Cyber Monday weren't quite as competitive as the ones available at Best Buy, which had a better selection of models at a variety of price points. (That included a $480 Lenovo LOQ, the cheapest model anywhere.) However, Amazon's options were still worth considering: I looked them all up on the price-tracking site CamelCamelCamel, and most of them were sitting at record lows.

SEE ALSO: The best Cyber Monday deals still live in 2024

Now that Amazon's Cyber Monday sale is officially over, all of those record lows have disappeared — except one. Read on for the scoop.

Note: Any deal marked with a 🔥 has dropped to a record-low price. 

Best (still-live) gaming laptop deal at Amazon Opens in a new window Credit: Asus Asus TUF Gaming F16 (Intel Core i7-13650HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) 🔥 $999.99 at Amazon
$1,299.99 Save $300.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Designed to offer "long-lasting value," this year's TUF Gaming F16 features a high-performance 13th-gen Intel Core i7 HX series CPU and RTX 4060 graphics. (Translation: It's got some decent mid-range power.) It also has an MUX switch and support for Nvidia Advanced Optimus, meaning you can swap to its integrated GPU for lower frame rates/better battery life when you're not using it for gaming. It sports an RGB keyboard, Dolby Atmos speakers, and a 165Hz 16-inch display with thin bezels and a 16:10 aspect ratio; it'll look huge, though it may feel a tad dim since it's only been rated at 250 nits of brightness. Notably, Asus says it's been tested to meet a "military-grade" durability standard. If you're cool hauling around its five-pound frame, you don't have to worry about it getting annihilated by the occasional bump when you play on the go.

At an all-time low of $999.99 (normally $1,299.99), the TUF Gaming F16 is currently $100 cheaper on Amazon than it is on the Asus website.

Cyber Monday gaming laptop deals under $1,000Cyber Monday gaming laptop deals over $1,000
Categories: IT General, Technology

The best TV deals in the Amazon Cyber Monday sale — these deals are still live

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 16:43

UPDATE: Dec. 3, 2024, 9:40 a.m. EST We've updated this article to reflect TV deals at Amazon that are still live even though Cyber Monday is officially over. While some deals are gone, we're seeing even lower prices today on a few models.

The best Amazon TV deals at a glance: Best 55-inch TV deal Hisense 55-inch U8 Mini LED ULED 4K TV $649.99 at Amazon (save $450) Get Deal Best 65-Inch TV Deal TCL 65-Inch Q65 4K QLED TV with Google TV $427.99 at Amazon (save $122) Get Deal Best 75-inch TV deal TCL 75-inch Q5 QLED 4K TV $547.99 at Amazon (save $202) Get Deal Best OLED TV Deal LG 65-inch evo C4 Series 4K OLED TV $1,596.99 at Amazon (save $1,203) Get Deal

We all know that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the best days of the year to buy a TV. Where to find those stellar TV deals is less obvious, and for many, a question that boils down to one simple question: Amazon or somewhere else?

While Amazon had its fair share of stellar Black Friday doorbuster TV deals, we have to be honest: Best Buy and Walmart bring some serious competition in this space. Before pulling the trigger on a cheap TV at Amazon, it's worth checking the selection elsewhere. Of course, Amazon will have the lowest price on its own Fire TVs as well as Fire TVs made by TCL, Toshiba, Hisense, and Insignia. And while technically Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone and many TV deals are back at full price, we're still seeing a few great discounts.

Amazon is a good place to find an affordable 4K TV with a smooth smart TV interface. That's especially true now that Amazon has debuted new versions of its Omni TVs, including its very first mini LED TV. However, you can also find some good deals on premium TVs at Amazon, especially if you've been eyeing an award-winning LG OLED TV.

SEE ALSO: The best Black Friday streaming deals so far: Peacock, Max, Paramount+, and more

For the biggest selection of QLED or OLED models, check Best Buy's Black Friday TV deals that are still live. It has a bigger selection of large-screen premium options from Samsung, Sony, and LG, and that selection isn't riddled with questionable third-party sellers like Amazon's. And if you're looking on the other end of the pricing spectrum, Walmart is offering the cheapest possible 4K TVs in 2024.

Don't want to price-check TVs across all the different retailers? That's why you've got us. In this guide, we'll curate the best Amazon TV deals that are still live even after the chaos of Cyber Monday. We're confident you won't find these TVs at a cheaper price anywhere else.

Best still-live budget Cyber Monday TV deal at Amazon Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV 55-inch 4-Series 4K UHD smart TV with Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote ¤339.99 at Amazon
¤519.99 Save ¤180.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Amazon Fire TVs are always majorly discounted during holiday shopping times, and this year has been no exception. This model offers the extra bonus of coming with a Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote, so you can control the volume and power with the help of Alexa. We won't lie and say this is anything but a basic TV with a basic LED display. However, it's hard to argue with $339.99 for a 55-inch smart TV, and we're not going to try.

Best still-live mid-range Cyber Monday TV deal at Amazon Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 75-inch Q5 QLED 4K Google TV $547.99 at Amazon
$749.99 Save $202.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Amazon put its new Mini LED Fire TVs on sale for the first time mere days after announcing them, but that doesn't automatically make those the best deal on a QLED TV at Amazon this Black Friday. We have to give up that prize to this huge 75-inch Hisense TV, which is already ridiculously affordable at full price. Its $549.99 sale price looks even sweeter when compared side-by-side with Amazon's cheapest in-house Omni QLED.

If you need to replace your old, slow TV and are looking for a happy medium between the cheapest possible TV and the fanciest possible TV, then TCL's base-tier QLEDs hit the sweet spot. Even as one of the more basic QLEDs on the market, you'll immediately notice the improved brightness and color of the Q65. The difference comes from a layer of quantum dots laid over the LED backlight, which provides an overall punchier picture that's much better for gaming or watching sports.

More TV deals at Amazon22- to 40-inch TVs43-inch TVs50- to 55-inch TVs65-inch TVs75-inch TVs and up85-inch TVs and up

One more thing: If you're getting rid of an old TV to make room for this holiday sale purchase, take it somewhere that recycles old electronics (like Best Buy) rather than trashing it.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The best Amazon Cyber Monday deals on headphones and earbuds that are still live

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 16:39
Best Cyber Monday headphone and earbud deals 2024 Best headphones deal Sony WH-1000XM5 $298 (save $101.98) Get Deal Best earbuds deal Bose QuietComfort Ultra $249 (save $50) Get Deal Best Bone Conduction Headphones Deal Shokz OpenRun Pro $129.95 (Save $50) Get Deal

Cyber Monday has come and gone, but Spotify Wrapped is still around the corner. That means it's still a great time to get a new pair of headphones or earbuds if you're in the market for some. Plus, we're still seeing a ton of deals on audio tech at Amazon from brands like Bose, Sony, and other popular names.

Check out our top deal picks below on earbuds, on-ear and over-ear headphones, and bone conduction headphones (pretty much the entire Shokz lineup is on sale) below. Don't waste any more time during shopping season.

SEE ALSO: These Cyber Monday gadget deals make excellent gifts Best Cyber Monday headphones deal at Amazon Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-1000XM5 $298.00 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $101.99 Get Deal Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the Sony WH-1000XM5.

"If you want headphones that have great noise cancellation and incredible (adjustable) sound, then the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones won't let you down. Out of the noise-cancelling headphones we've tested, these are our top pick for audiophiles. It can be a little annoying that the ear cups don't fold in, but with 30 hours of battery life, you'll probably find yourself wearing them more often than not. Dropped down to $298, these headphones are at a dollar cheaper than their Prime Day price." — Bethany Allard, Lead Shopping Reporter

More headphone deals at AmazonBest earbuds deal Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort Ultra $249.00 at Amazon
$299.00 Save $50.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds.

"For folks who want the best possible noise cancellation they can get in their earbuds, we like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds. They do come with a price tag that reflects their top-notch noise cancellation — but, on sale, they cost less than the full price of AirPods Pro. After testing out these earbuds, Mashable Shopping Reporter Samantha Mangino was more impressed than she expected to be, writing, 'Truthfully, I can't imagine a person that wouldn't appreciate these buds. The noise cancellation is the best I've ever experienced, and the music feels like it surrounds you thanks to spatial audio. Plus, the fit is like no other.'" — Bethany Allard, Lead Shopping Reporter

More earbud deals at AmazonBest bone conduction headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Shokz OpenRun Pro $129.95 at Amazon
$179.95 Save $50.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If your headphones or earbuds are starting to feel a little too cumbersome, switching over to a pair of bone conduction headphones — which submit sound waves through the bones in your skull rather than your ear canal — may be the move. The Shokz OpenRun Pro are a great example, featuring a completely open-ear design, ten hours of battery life, and reliable waterproofing. For this post-Cyber Monday deal that's still live, you can get a pair for $50 off at Amazon, making them just $129.95.

More bone conduction headphone deals at Amazon
Categories: IT General, Technology

The best cordless power tool deals still live after Amazons Cyber Monday sale, from electric screwdrivers to circular saws

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 16:36
Best Cyber Monday cordless power tool deals at Amazon Best cordless power tool deal DeWalt Cordless Drill Kit $129 (save $110) Get Deal Best small tool deal Black+Decker 4V MAX Cordless Screwdriver $24.98 (save $8.01) Get Deal Best circular saw deal DeWalt 20V MAX Circular Saw $89.10 (save $69.90) Get Deal

If by some miracle you own a home in 2024, congrats! That's awesome. But home ownership isn't all sunshine and rainbows — without a superintendent, anything that breaks is yours to fix, whether that's with hired help or by yourself. If you prefer the latter method, you're going to need a decent lineup of power tools on hand to keep you prepared for any surprise issues.

SEE ALSO: Home Depot is still giving away free cordless tools for Cyber Monday

It just so happens that a lot of cordless power tools are on sale at Amazon even after their 2024 Cyber Monday sale, from electric screwdrivers, to nail guns, to circular saws, and more. We're still keeping track of all of the best deals, and have listed them out below so you can spend less time shopping, and more time planning your next home project.

Note: All newly added or updated deals have been marked with a ✨, while struck-through deals were expired at the time of writing.

Best cordless power tool deal Opens in a new window Credit: DeWalt DeWalt 20V MAX Cordless Drill and Impact Driver Kit $129.00 at Amazon
$239.00 Save $110.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Whether you live in a home or a studio apartment, you should probably have a power drill handy. This drill kit from DeWalt has everything you need and then some, including an impact driver for more heavy-duty tasks and a case to carry them in. For Cyber Monday, the bundle is just $129, saving you $110.

More cordless power tool deals at Amazon
Categories: IT General, Technology

Two Point Museum preview: A playful and unserious foray into museum curation

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 16:00

I recently spent 10 hours playing a pre-release build of Two Point Museum, exploring three different museum locations across the game's preview campaign. From what I've seen so far, the latest instalment in the Two Point video game universe may end up being just as much fun as its popular predecessor, Two Point Hospital.

Developed by Two Point Studios, Two Point Museum retains the same zany tone as both Two Point Campus and Hospital. This time the series has you build and manage a museum, including collecting artefacts, curating displays, and raking in sweet cash from impressed visitors.

SEE ALSO: 'Two Point Campus' gross sex bed has raised questions I never want answered

I am ruthlessly practical when playing such business simulators. Unless I've already reached Elon Musk levels of wealth, I tend to focus on optimising efficiency rather than interior design. However, Two Point Museum deftly merges these concerns, incorporating aesthetic considerations into its gameplay and providing practical incentives for players to thoughtfully plan and decorate their museum. I was hooked almost immediately.

Two Point Museum reveals two new exhibit themes Credit: Mashable screenshot: Two Point Studios

One of the most exciting revelations from Mashable's Two Point Museum preview was the confirmation of two new exhibit themes. The developer has previously announced the game will include Prehistory, Marine, Supernatural, and Botany exhibit themes, all of which I got to explore. However, upgrade paths in the preview also revealed two more themes: Science and Space. 

Though neither theme was available to play just yet, Prehistory artefacts such as the Time Portal and a fossilised time-traveller suggest that Two Point Museum could venture into some futuristic tech. Judging by the loading screens, aliens may make an appearance as well. Fans have been eagerly hoping Two Point Museum would add Science and Space themes, as their concepts seem perfectly suited to its wacky world. 

"There are so many types of museums in the real world, we wanted to reflect that, but also include some of the more eccentric aspects of life in Two Point County too." - Ben Huskins

Speaking to Mashable, Two Point Museum's design director Ben Huskins said that variety was key when choosing exhibit themes.

"There are so many types of museums in the real world, we wanted to reflect that, but also include some of the more eccentric aspects of life in Two Point County too," he said. "We've picked exhibits that are visually very different, but also those that provide new gameplay opportunities. With every theme we've tried to add new gameplay twists, things that make you play in a different way, exhibits with special requirements or interesting side effects."

Credit: Mashable screenshot: Two Point Studios

Such requirements and side effects quickly became apparent during my time with Two Point Museum. Cold artefacts such as the Frozen Cave-Person and Snowy Howl Skeleton must be placed near a freezer. Aquarium tanks may require heaters if you're exhibiting tropical Star Fish or Flambuoyant Fish. Even ghosts have demands — their Polterguest Rooms need adequate decoration so the ghouls don't grow restless and break out.

Meanwhile, plants like the man-eating Blooming Buffoon gobble up and transform guests into clowns who entertain others, while the Haunted Doll artefact always stares unblinkingly at the player regardless of how you orient the camera.

"We've managed to cram in lots of Easter eggs, subtle crossovers between exhibits from different themes, and secrets to discover," said Huskins. "We're hoping people will want to collect all of the exhibits (you can track your progress in the in-game sticker book), and experiment with different combinations in their museums."

Two Point Museum buries ancient artefacts in loot boxes Credit: Mashable screenshot: Two Point Studios

Obtaining artefacts to display in Two Point Museum isn't as simple as just purchasing them. Rather, they're acquired through Two Point Museum's new exploration feature, which is an element unique to this latest release in the Two Point franchise.

Players can choose a locale such as the Prehistory-focused Bone Belt, the fishy Two Point Sea, or the spooky Netherworld, then select staff members to form a party and head off in the museum's helicopter to explore. The expedition will encounter various events depending on their combined level and particular set of skills (though most resolve without the player's interference), before eventually returning with a brand new artefact for your museum.

Once found, artefacts are presented in a manner akin to a loot box, a glowing crate popping open to give you that familiar serotonin rush that comes from unboxings.

Credit: Mashable screenshot: Two Point Studios

Expedition map exploration is also shared across different museums, though artefact inventories remain separate. This means that if the experts in your marine-focused museum unlock a new location with a new specimen, you can jump over to your supernatural museum and send its staff there to find one for themselves. As such, Two Point Museum intends for players to bounce between their museums, continually returning to add exhibits rather than abandoning them in favour of the next location.

"There's a lot more depth to each museum in this game, there's always a reason to return to each one, so we're hoping that players want to invest the time designing and refining, and in doing so get attached to their creations," Huskins said.

We murdered ghosts for science in Two Point Museum Credit: Mashable screenshot

Each expedition location has different specimens available, with some requiring multiple trips to find their various fragments. Combined with the search for Pristine quality specimens, you'll likely end up with multiple copies of the same artefact. These duplicates may be sold, or kept in your inventory in case a wealthy collector wants to buy an exhibit.

However, the specimens can also be examined in the Analysis Room's aptly named Deconstructor. This device destroys the artefact to increase your Knowledge about it, which in turn boosts the Knowledge visitors gain from exhibit info stands — which all contributes to their review of your museum. Knowledge is quite literally power here.

Interestingly, specimens can be placed in the Deconstructor regardless of whether they're living, dead, or undead. I initially hesitated to place poltergeists in the machine, feeling like a villain in a dystopian YA novel. However when I eventually capitulated in the name of this preview, I was surprised to see my doomed ghosts smiling placidly as their atoms were disassembled.

Credit: Mashable screenshot: Two Point Studios

"Yeah, we had a few conversations about this," Huskins told Mashable when asked about Two Point Museum deconstructing seemingly sentient beings. "We like to think of the analysis process as the 'digitisation' of the exhibit. Sure, its physical presence is deconstructed, but it lives on as a stream of pure data. Hopefully people have watched enough episodes of Black Mirror to question what the metaphysical implications of this are for sentient entities, and how sinister or otherwise it might be."

Fortunately, the ghosts are apparently as unperturbed as they appear, so you can dissolve them in the name of science with only mild guilt.

"Spirits are generally fairly happy with this process as they don't have much of a physical presence anyway, and it's considered slightly more comfortable than being sucked up by a janitor's Ghost Duster device, as tends to happen elsewhere in Two Point County," said Huskins.

Two Point Museum focuses on interior design Credit: Mashable screenshot: Two Point Studios

As I've mentioned, creating aesthetically pleasing rooms in Two Point games has never been a top priority for me. My interior design aspirations in Two Point Hospital were largely restricted to dotting pot plants everywhere solely to prevent my staff from getting grumpy.

Two Point Museum puts significant emphasis on customisation and design as crucial to the museum visitor experience, so you can't really approach these elements halfheartedly. The game encourages players not only to consider layout and how they position exhibits in proximity to each other, but also how they decorate the surrounding areas. Some decorations can even be altered via a colour picker, a first for the Two Point series.

Essentially, decorations are essential for what the game calls Buzz. The right decor can boost the Buzz generated by an exhibit, particularly if you fulfil the requirements for an artefact's Buzz Bonus. The more Buzz a guest has, the higher their donations and reviews of your museum will be. Like their real life counterparts, Two Point's museums tend to run primarily on donations.

Credit: Mashable screenshot: Two Point Studios

Such considerations make themselves even clearer when planning tours through your museum, selecting which exhibits your experts will stop at. Tours are more highly rated if they're brief and coherent, consisting of artefacts which all follow the same theme. As such, keeping exhibits appropriately grouped throughout your museum is rewarded, and the overall flow of the museum becomes more important as you build your collections. And that means considering how exhibits work with walls, corridors, and open spaces.

"Building is a lot more freeform now," explained Huskins. "We've moved away from room-centric gameplay (the treatment rooms and classrooms of Hospital and Campus), and the focus is much more on the corridor space and how you want to arrange all of the exhibits in your collection.

Credit: Mashable screenshot: Two Point Studios

During the preview, I was slightly frustrated that while Two Point Museum now allows players to build walls on an angle, you can't build rooms along them. You can't extend rooms to fill the awkward triangular space either. Unfortunately there are currently no plans to support angular rooms, though Huskins noted that they will monitor community feedback and continue to update the game post-release, just as they did with Hospital and Campus.

Two Point Museum drew inspiration from real museums Credit: Mashable screenshot: Two Point Studios

While Two Point Museum takes an undeniably playful and unserious approach to museum curation, Huskins stated that the development team did draw inspiration from real museums. 

"Ultimately we're aiming for fun over realism, but we like to have elements that are grounded in reality alongside the more extraordinary parts of the game," Huskins told Mashable.

"We were even invited to a couple of the big museums in London, which was an amazing experience, and gave us an opportunity to ask probing questions about museum finances, how to design an exhibition space, and even get a sneak peek at some of the backstage areas," he added. "In some cases this has inspired us to add features to the game (staff-only doors, guided tours, sponsorship opportunities, etc.), and it's also been a useful reference when coming up with lists of exhibits, obviously with a Two Point spin on a lot of them."

Credit: Mashable screenshot: Two Point Studios

Real museums have a controversial history, and British museums in particular. However, Two Point Museum deliberately steers away from such matters, opting to keep its tone light. Huskins told Mashable that Two Point Museum's development team had discussed this issue, and were mindful about how they depicted the acquisition of exhibits in the game. As such, Two Point Museum sticks closer to satire rather than replicate real-world cultural artefacts. 

"It helps that Two Point County is our own made-up world, where everything is lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek, and we can have those larger than life elements," said Huskins. "Every time we design a new type of exhibit or expedition map, we think about what feels appropriate to us, what makes sense to exist within Two Point County, and what allows us to apply our own brand of humour."

Credit: Mashable screenshot: Two Point Studios

That isn't to say that Two Point Museum is all fish and flowers. The game does still roam into human history, however it's a much more fantastical version than the one we're familiar with. It also might be more accurate to say that it delves into sentient humanoid history, as not all of Two Point County's characters appear strictly human.

"We do still have cultural artefacts in the game, but they're based within the fiction and lore of Two Point County, so we can frame them in a way that feels right to us," Huskins continued. "You'll have seen glimpses of this in what we've shown so far — remnants of an underwater civilisation in [marine-themed museum] Passwater Cove, for example, you'll learn more about that as you progress into the game."

More to come with Two Point Museum

Two Point Studios is continuing to keep some of the game's surprises close to its chest for now. Huskins did note he'd love to add a first-person to allow players to walk through their own museums, though that's a feature which is likely to come later if at all.

"We have a debug command that puts you into first-person view for a selected character," said Huskins. "It's quite entertaining, but the lack of a ceiling is somewhat disconcerting, and when they go to the bathroom it's the stuff of nightmares… Having said all that, if we ever get time we'd love to polish it up a bit and sneak it into the game somehow. Watch this space!"

Credit: Mashable screenshot: Two Point Studios

There are still several months until Two Point Museum's planned launch in March, with more exhibits, museums, and maps to be revealed as it draws closer. Even so, the game's current build is already enough to get excited about. Obtaining artefacts, arranging them in your museum, and decorating the space around them forms an enjoyable gameplay loop, encouraging players to collect them all to build the greatest museum they can.

"We are just very excited to watch people play Two Point Museum and hear what they think about the game," said Huskins. "We had (and still have) the most amazing time creating Two Point Museum and we just hope players will enjoy it as much as we are."

Two Point Museum will be released March 4 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Jude Law and the Skeleton Crew cast on bringing Star Wars to a new generation

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 15:23

Jude Law and the young cast of Star Wars: Skeleton Crew share their excitement about working in the iconic galaxy, from encountering real Jawas to exploring massive, detailed sets. They discuss the unique perspective the series brings by focusing on children navigating adventures in the Star Wars universe.

Skeleton Crew is now streaming on Disney+.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Apple Music Replay 2024: How to get it

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 15:00

Apple Replay 2024 has arrived, and we know what you're thinking: Isn't this thing available throughout the year?

Well, yes and no. It's true: You can access Replay all year over at replay.music.apple.com to see your personalized list of top artists, songs, albums, and genres, as well as milestones such as the number of minutes you've spent listening to music this year.

But now, Apple also has a special Replay experience, and it comes with several new features, too.

What is Apple Music Replay 2024?

Similar to Spotify Wrapped (which should be coming any day now as well), Apple Music Replay is a colorful look back at your year in Apple Music, displaying your top played songs and minutes listened, but also stuff like the top cities you used Apple Music in, and your top Shazam song if you use the Apple-owned music recognition service.

If you've got less than 100,000 minutes listened, are you even a real music fan? Credit: Apple

Other insights that are new to this year's Replay include Listening Streaks, which show the longest consecutive number of days you've used Apple Music, Top Artist Streak, which shows if you've had a certain artist as your number one artist for multiple consecutive months, as well as being able to see the date when you've first listened to your top song, artist, and album this year.

You can also listen to your most-played songs of the year with Replay 2024 mix, as well as check out your listening habits per month (including previous years) in your Replay insights archive.

How to view your Apple Music Replay 2024

So, how do you get the goods? There are several ways to do it.

On your iPhone, you can access the Replay 2024 experience in your Apple Music (you'll find it in the Home, New, and Search tabs). To do so, however, you'll need to have iOS 18.1 or later installed.

If, for some reason, you have a version of iOS earlier than 18.1, you'll still be able to access the experience on replay.music.apple.com, which works on both mobile and desktop.

And if you so desire, you can share all the insights with friends on social channels and messaging platforms (this is optional, and Apple says no one can access your insights unless you explicitly share them).

Apple Music has also dropped its 2024 Year-End Charts

Alongside the new Replay experience, Apple also shared its top charts for the year, which this year includes the biggest songs on Shazam.

Spoilers ahead: The number one song globally on Apple Music this year is Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us," and newcomer Benson Boone is on top of the Shazam chart with "Beautiful Things."

There are many charts to browse through this year, including Top Songs of 2024: Global, Top 100: Shazam, Most-Read Lyrics, Top 100: Sing, Shazam Global Radio Spins, and Top Fitness Songs, among others. You can check all of Apple's year-end chart over on Apple Music.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Tinders top dating trends and predictions for 2025

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 15:00

Cuffing season is in full swing and 2024 is nearing its end, which means it's time for Tinder's annual Year in Swipe. Each year, the ubiquitous dating app reveals year-long trends and what they could mean for dating in the future.

SEE ALSO: 2025 dating trends, including romance and evolving masculinity

Here's what defined dating in 2024, according to Tinder, and what may be in store in 2025:

Tinder's top 2024 dating trends

This year, "pickleball" was the fastest-growing mention in people's bios (+148 percent). This is followed by "freak" (+118 percent) — likely users asking for someone to match their freak. "Deserve" rounded out the top 3 with +95 percent mentions.

Tinder users stated their top communication style was "better in person," followed by being a "big-time texter," then "phone caller," then "bad texter." "Video chatter" ranked at the bottom.

In terms of love styles (similar to the love languages), the top 5 from highest to lowest were: time together, touch, thoughtful gestures, compliments, and presents.

Tinder also measured the fastest-growing emojis on the app: the pink bow, cloud, backpack, palm, and owl.

Fastest-growing emojis in Tinder bios. Credit: Tinder Tinder's 2025 dating predictionsSinges are "loud looking"

"Looking for..." was Tinder's top bio mention in 2024, according to global data from Tinder bios, descriptors, and interests from January 1 to October 1 this year. Despite Tinder's longtime reputation as a "hookup app," insights from the app's Green Flags study show that's not always the case: 53 percent of men want a romantic relationship, and 68 percent of women want the same.

Singles online and off are being more up-front about what they want, Tinder CMO Melissa Hobley told Mashable at the app's Year in Swipe event. And it's not hookups or penpals they're looking for, from what Hobley observed. "I'm seeing — I think a lot of people seeing this growing frequency of people say, 'Do not talk to me if you're not looking for something serious.'"

Manifesting "kiss-met" love

Manifest is the Cambridge Dictionary's word of the year — and young singles are proving that true. Nearly 20 percent of 4,000 18-30 year-old daters surveyed said they're creating vision boards to manifest their ideal relationship in 2025. Tinder introduced an interactive vision board tool so users can create one in-app and share it with friends and family.

Tinder predicts that daters will "embrace the magic of the unplanned" in 2025, moving away from strict "rules" (and, hopefully, icks).

"Micro-connecting" is in

Tinder also predicts the rise of "nano-ships" and "micro-connections" — such as good morning texts (textuationships, naturally) or stealing a glance at a cute stranger on the subway (eyecontactship). While it may seem silly, Bumble also discussed micro-mance behaviors in its 2025 dating trends forecast — so there might be something to this.

Both apps also discussed renewed optimism in their users, which they would need in the next year considering daters are getting sick of dating apps. Around a quarter of surveyed singles said they're focusing on joy and positivity, and bringing an optimistic outlook to their dating life, according to that same survey of 4,000 18-30 year-olds. Bumble found that 87 percent of users experienced positives of dating this year.

"There's a lot of benefit in getting pleasure out of those micro-moments," Hobley told Mashable.

Daters are streamlining their rosters

A quarter of surveyed singles are choosing fewer, more meaningful connections to keep their energy and excitement for dating alive, Tinder states. This may be the result of what apps predicted during the height of the pandemic: Daters will become more intentional and seek deeper connections.

Daters also aren't deciding their rosters alone: They're enlisting the help of friends and the stars. This year, 60 percent of singles turned to friends for dating advice, and almost 20 percent asked a friend to pre-screen their date by checking out their social media profiles. Nearly half of singles said they plan to rely on their friends to navigate the dating world next year (Bumble also found the same, in terms of guy friends helping women in their lives).

Astrology is also influencing how singles choose dates. Nearly 40 percent of singles said that "astrology love predictions" will shape who they date next year. (Virgos, Geminis, Leos, Scopios, and Sagittariuses received the most "likes" of all the Zodiac signs in 2024.)

Golden Retrievers wanted

Nearly 45 percent of singles want a "Golden Retriever" type in 2025: loyal, friendly, energetic, and optimistic. Here are some other qualities singles are prioritizing next year:

  • Trustworthiness (40 percent)

  • Physical attraction (35 percent)

  • Shared values (31 percent)

  • Emotional availability (30 percent)

  • Shared interests (28 percent)

Here are the top deal-breakers:

  • Bad hygiene (50 percent)

  • Rudeness (44 percent)

  • Talking too much about an ex (34 percent)

"Singles are embracing intentionality in their dating lives — being upfront about what they want and refusing to settle," Hobley said in the announcement. "These trends are all about empowering choice — whether it's confidently stating your needs while Loud Looking, savoring serendipitous moments through Kiss-mets, or finding meaning in micro-connections with Nano-ships."

Dating app predictions amid a dating app bust

Tinder released these predictions soon after UK comms regulator Ofcom reported that 600,000 users left Tinder in the last year. This isn't unique to the apps, as other major players Hinge, Bumble, and Grindr have all declining user bases.

Hobley told Mashable that the app plans to continue to address "perception challenges" on Tinder. The app has long been known as a hookup app, despite relationships of all kinds forming there. "Relationships are started every three seconds on Tinder," she said, referring to a survey of dating app behaviors in 2023. "If you're LGBTQ, you probably come out first on Tinder... So many relationships are starting here, whatever your relationship is that you want — short term, long term, meeting the parents, getting married, never getting married, exploring queerness, whatever, whatever those are" can be found on Tinder, and she wants Tinder to be loud about that in 2025.

But, also, Hobley is hesitant to say Tinder "isn't just for hookups." "I grew up in an era [where] slut shaming was the worst thing. Whatever you want, awesome. You want to get laid, great, I got you. You want forever, I got you. You want something in between, I got you."

UPDATE: Dec. 4, 2024, 9:34 a.m. EST This article has been updated with quotes from an interview with Tinder CMO Melissa Hobley.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Wordle archive is gone, but you can still find past Wordle answers here

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 14:36

Sites that created Wordle archives have been pressured by the New York Times to shut down. That means there's no longer any way to access the full archive, but we’ve provided a list of the past two weeks' Wordle answers for you to see what words have just been used, and help plan your Wordle strategy going forward.

The free daily word game Wordle blew up in popularity at the start of 2022 despite not having an app and only allowing players to tackle one puzzle per day. Both were intentional choices, as Wordle founder Josh Wardle told the BBC, so fans couldn't spend too much time on it. As such, previous puzzles aren't available through the official website.

"Wordle is very simple and you can play it in three minutes — and that is all you get," Wardle said in his BBC interview. "There are also no ads and I am not doing anything with your data — and that is also quite deliberate."

SEE ALSO: 'Taylordle' is 'Wordle' for Swifties What is today's Wordle?

You can find clues and the answer for today's Wordle right here.

Why was the Wordle Archive shut down?

Since the acquisition last year, the NYT has moved to safeguard what is now its wholly owned intellectual property by placing pressure on Wordle affiliates to shut down their "unauthorized" recreations of the game's earlier daily puzzles, starting with the Wordle Archive in March. By the beginning of June 2022, all of the best-known ways to play Wordle outside of the NYT website were gone, including the game's original, pre-acquisition home.

While there's no guarantee that the game will remain freely available for non-NYT subscribers to access, it hasn't slipped behind the paywall yet. It's also unknown whether the NYT will one day build an archive of its own so that players can play through old Wordle puzzles.

Past Wordle answers (and their meanings)

Find a recent list at our sister site, Rock Paper Shotgun.

Other past answers:

Wordle #1247: TALLY - A count or record of items or numbers.

Wordle #1246: VISOR - A shield or brim to protect the eyes.

Wordle #1245: TACKY - Sticky or in poor taste.

Wordle #1244: UVULA - The fleshy projection at the back of the throat.

Wordle #1243: PRIMP - To groom or dress carefully.

Wordle #1242: FLOWN - Past participle of "fly."

Wordle #1241: STOIC - Showing no emotion in pain or hardship.

Wordle #1240: INNER - Located within or closer to the center.

Wordle #1239: SWELL - To increase in size or volume.

Wordle #1238: READY - Prepared to do something or in a suitable state for an action.

Wordle #1237: EVENT - An occurrence, especially one of significance.

Wordle #1236: TRULY - Honestly or sincerely, genuinely.

Wordle #1235: OCTET - A group of eight people or things.

Wordle #1234: VINYL - A synthetic plastic material often used for records and upholstery.

Wordle #1233: BLAZE - A very large or fiercely burning fire.

Wordle #1232: SNOOP - Investigate or look around furtively in an attempt to find out something.

Wordle #1231: SIXTH - Constituting number six in a sequence

Wordle #1230: WEIRD - Induce a sense of disbelief or alienation in someone.

Best Wordle starting words

We have some ideas to help you pick the perfect first move (or as close to perfect as you can get without just magically guessing the exact right word). Such tips include choosing a word with at least two different vowels in it, plus a few common consonants such as S, T, R, or N.

Wordle alternatives

Thousands of people around the globe now play Wordle each day, and fans have even created alternatives inspired by the original format. This includes music identification game Heardle, Hollywood nerd faves Actorle and Framed, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.

More Wordle Featured Video For You Three words could save you, thanks to this app

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

Categories: IT General, Technology

What is Wordle? Heres everything you need to know.

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 14:25

The waning days of 2021 introduced us to a new genre of tweet: Green, yellow, and grey boxes arranged in a 5-wide grid with as many as six rows. The tweets also include some indecipherable-to-outsiders numbers and a funny, little non-word: Wordle.

Maybe you've asked Google about this yourself already. It's easy enough to find out what Wordle is, and from there decipher the grids and numbers people have been tweeting. Maybe you've been playing obsessively for over a year already.

But you also want to understand why, right? It's one thing to read that Spider-Man: No Way Home is a giant love letter to fandom, but it's a whole other thing to see the movie's surprising and deeply fulfilling twists and turns for yourself.

So what is it about this thing called Wordle that's gotten so many people talking about it in shared public spaces?

Want more Wordle? Here's the Wordle answer and some subtle hints for December 3.

What is Wordle?

Yeah, I just said this is an easy question to answer. But for the sake of completeness, let's start with the basics.

Wordle is a daily word game created by Josh Wardle, a Brooklyn-based software engineer who has developed something of a reputation as a crafter of interesting social experiments. Every day, the people of the internet are greeted with a fresh word puzzle that can only be solved — or not! — using a series of process-of-elimination clues.

SEE ALSO: Best 'Wordle' starting word? Step up your game today. How does Wordle work? How do you do Wordle?

It works like this: When you visit the Wordle website, you're greeted by a 5-wide by 6-long grid of empty, white boxes. Each box can hold one letter, and so you guess at the answer by typing in a five-letter word and pressing 'Enter'.

There aren't any clues up front, so any five-letter word will do as an initial guess. That's where the game of Wordle really starts. When you send a guess along, the color of each letter's box changes.

  • If it turns green, that letter is in the daily word and you've placed it in the right spot.

  • If it turns yellow, the letter is in the word but you have it in the wrong position.

  • If the box turns grey, it means the letter isn't in the word at all.

The website serves up a simple explainer graphic for first-time visitors that lays it all out clearly.

Credit: Screenshot by Mashable How do you start Wordle? Best starting words?

We have some ideas to help you select the perfect opening. Some of those tips include choosing a word with at least two different vowels in it, plus a few common consonants such as S, T, R, or N.

Why is Wordle such a big deal?

Wordle has been available since October 2021 as a daily word game that anyone online can play for free. It only exploded more recently, after Wardle announced the addition of a "Share" feature in mid-December that makes it easy to post your daily performance online.

Tweet may have been deleted

The platform-agnostic feature doesn't connect to any specific social platform. Instead, it copies that grid we've been seeing so much of on Twitter to your device's clipboard, as emojis. You can then take that copied text and paste it into a post for your preferred social media feed.

(If you have the technical capability, I'd recommend pasting your results text somewhere neutral, screenshotting it, and posting that instead. Doing so allows you to add explanatory alt text for people who can't read a post directly off the screen.)

That explains why we suddenly started to see a lot more talk around Wordle in the waning weeks of 2021: Wardle made it easy for people to bring their brags to their favored internet watercooler. But there's still the more basic question of why people are flocking to this thing to begin with.

It's honestly best — and easiest — if you go try it for yourself. There's no cost to play Wordle; you just go to the website, make your guesses, and that's it for the day. Then you can decide for yourself if it's something you want to turn into a daily pastime.

Personally, I think Wordle's success lands somewhere between the New York Times crossword puzzle and Wheel of Fortune. The hidden word changes daily but, just like NYT crosswords, it's the same for everyone each day — so it's an experience every player shares, even if they take different routes to finding the same answer. And the puzzle itself is limited to just one, five-letter word, which makes it more like Wheel's mainstream "anyone can do this" appeal.

Then add in the brilliant sharing feature which uses non-specific colored box emoji to let people easily and clearly brag about their Wordle wins. When you post one of those indecipherable-to-outsiders grids on social media, you're implicitly telling every follower, "Hey, I play this too. We're in on this cool internet thing together. Let's talk about it."

Is there a Wordle app for Android or iOS? Is Wordle free?

My first instinct when I learned of Wordle's existence was to fire up an app store and search for it. Surely, I reasoned, this immensely popular thing on Twitter tied to an app of some kind.

You might find "Wordle" results in an iOS App Store or Google Play Store search, but don't mistake it for the real thing. Wordle, the original one Josh Wardle came up with and kindly delivered unto the internet in late 2021, currently only exists as a browser game that lives right here. If you're playing it anywhere else, it's — at best — a shameless knock-off that's trying to capitalize on someone else's success.

And, yes, it's still free.

Who made Wordle? Where did Wordle come from?

Wordle's sudden explosion at the end of 2021 led to a round of press focused on its creator. Wardle actually came up with the game in 2021 as a private exercise for him and his word game-loving partner. It eventually became a staple of their family WhatsApp messaging, and that's when Wardle started to suspect he might have something special enough to merit a wider release.

SEE ALSO: NYT's new ‘WordleBot’ will passive-aggressively insult your strategy

The very sweet origin story is thoroughly detailed in this great NYT profile of Wardle and his latest creation. You're better off reading that for the full scoop, but as far as basics go it's enough to know that Wordle was conceived by a caring person who wanted to keep his partner entertained during the quiet, trying times of our ongoing global pandemic.

Tips and tricks for Wordle

My first big tip is to not make the mistake I did: That pop-up window you see the first time you visit the site is a fixed tutorial, not a clue for the day's puzzle! It's clearer on a PC display than it was on the smartphone browser I was using at the time, so that's probably not a common mistake. But I made it, and that means you might, as well.

In the realm of more helpful tips: It's not clear until you've played a few times, but you can have words that use the same letter in multiple spots. So if the day's word was "APPLE" and your first guess was "PAPER," the first "P" would get a yellow box for being the right letter in the wrong spot and the second "P" would get a green box for being correctly picked AND placed.

You can also click the gear icon at the top of the Wordle website to tweak a few things. There's a Dark Theme option for those who prefer something other than the eye-searing intensity of a mostly-white screen. A "Hard Mode" switch requires all guesses after the first one to account for revealed hints. (So turning back to our previous "APPLE" example, every guess after "PAPER" would have to use "A," "E," and two letters "P," with one of the always plugged into the third box.) Finally, there's a "Color Blind Mode" which uses high contrast colors for those who need or prefer it.

Some people have gotten really into analyzing Wordle's inner mechanics and the way it gets us playing with (English) language. Others have take more of a lesson from Wardle's initially DIY vibe with the game and embraced that for their own lives.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

Really though, there's no "wrong" way to play. The beauty of Wordle is its simplicity. It won't even let you get away with plugging a nonsense lineup of letters in lieu of an actual word; every guess you make is checked against Wordle's own dictionary. If your guess isn't a real word, the game doesn't allow you to push it through.

Just give it a shot and see for yourself. Once you've caught the bug, it's hard to keep yourself from coming back for more.

Reporting by Caitlin Welsh contributed to this article.

SEE ALSO: Why are so many people saying 'Wordle' is harder now?

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

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Connections today: Hints, answers for December 3, 2024

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 14:15

Connections is the latest New York Times word game 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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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 December 3 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

  • Yellow: Iconic New Jersey mob family

  • Green: Names you call a loved one

  • Blue: Beloved puppets teaching ABCs

  • Purple: Phonetic abbreviations for people

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: Sopranos

  • Green: Familial Nicknames

  • Blue: Sesame Street characters

  • Purple: Names That Sound Like Two Letters

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

The best Cyber Monday deals you can still shop now

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 #541 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

  • Sopranos: CARMELA, JUNIOR, MEADOW, TONY

  • Familial Nicknames: CUZ, GRAMMY, MUMMY, POP

  • Sesame Street characters: COOKIE, COUNT, OSCAR, SNUFFY

  • Names That Sound Like Two Letters: CECE, EDIE, EMMY, KATIE

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 December 3

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 the latest Connections.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 3

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 14:09

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 December 3 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 December 3 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Unsteady or trembling.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no reoccurring letters.

The best Cyber Monday deals you can still shop now Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

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...

SHAKY.

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 December 3

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.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Bose QuietComfort earbuds are still at their lowest-ever price after Cyber Monday

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 13:23

SAVE $50: As of Dec. 3, Bose's QuietComfort earbuds are on sale for $129 after Cyber Monday. This is 28% off their original price of $179.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose New QuietComfort Earbuds $129.00 at Amazon
$179.00 Save $50.00 Get Deal

Cyber Monday deals are starting to wind down after the big day, but Amazon still has a few discounts up its sleeve for shoppers. If you've had earbuds on your radar to get this year, whether to gift yourself or someone you know for the holidays, Bose QuietComfort earbuds are still enjoying a very nice discount after the big seasonal sale event.

Amazon has Bose's QuietComfort earbuds on sale for $129, $50 off their original price of $179. The retailer also has them listed as a limited time deal so this could be your last opportunity to pick up these earbuds at their lowest-ever price, according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. What's even better is all of the available colors are discounted, so you can choose between black, chilled lilac, or white smoke.

SEE ALSO: Top items bought by Mashable readers on Cyber Weekend — find some still on sale

Alongside high-quality sound, these earbuds are sure to make your listening experiences even better with the help of their noise-canceling features that allow you to tune in or out of your surroundings. In the review from Mashable's shopping reporter Bethany Allard, she said, "if you're trying to get earbuds that sound as good as they can under $200, with exceptional battery life added in, picking up the QuietComfort earbuds is an easy choice."

This limited time deal won't last long, so pick up the Bose QuietComfort earbuds for $129 at Amazon while they're still live.

There are a few more deals floating around after Cyber Monday that are worth checking out, too. In our roundup of Cyber Monday deals, you can see some discounts from the sale that are still live. Again, these won't last long, so if something catches your eye act fast to pick it up.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Stephen Colbert responds to Trumps FBI pick saying theyll come after the people in the media

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 12:12

Stephen Colbert has some strong words for Donald Trump's new FBI director pick, Kash Patel, who clearly isn't a big fan of media types.

"We're gonna come after the people in the media," says Patel in an interview clip from Dec. 2023 that Colbert played on The Late Show on Monday night. "Whether it's criminally or civilly, we'll figure that out. But yeah, we're putting you all on notice."

Colbert, however, is clearly unfazed by this threat.

"Oh, really? You see me shake, Kash?" says the host in the clip above, advancing towards the camera. "Let me help you remember me, OK? I'm the middle-aged, brown-haired, white guy with an 11:30 network show. And I will never bow down to authoritarians, or my name isn't Jimmy something! Write it down! Write it down!"

Categories: IT General, Technology

Last chance to save. The Samsung Odyssey G9 gaming monitor is $650 off for a limited time.

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 12:04

SAVE $650: As of Dec. 3, Samsung Odyssey G9 OLED curved gaming monitor is still on sale for $949.99 at Amazon. That’s $650 off its original price of $1,599.99 (41% saving). This deal is live for Cyber Monday shoppers who want an unbeatable gaming setup.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Odyssey G9 OLED $949.99
$1,599.99 Save $650.00 Shop Now

Are you looking for a premium ultrawide gaming monitor that's easier on the pocket? The Samsung Odyssey G9 OLED is easy on the brand tax at $949.99, an incredible $650 off the usual price tag of $1,599.99 on Amazon.

This huge 49-inch ultrawide gaming monitor sports a dual QHD resolution at 5120 x 1440 with a buttery smooth 240hz refresh rate. Ghosting won't happen here, either, thanks to a 0.03ms response time. Every move on a keyboard, mouse, or controller will occur in near real-time. The screen's 1800R curvature is designed to align with the human eye, making it ideal for ultrawide HUDs in first-person shooters or power-user multi-tasking setups.

SEE ALSO: 2024 Black Friday ads: Best deals from Amazon, Target, Walmart, Best Buy, Home Depot, and more

Odyssey G also packs OLED tech, with vibrant colors and inky blacks backed up by a strong contrast. It has DisplayHDR True Black 400, which helps make gaming or watching movies in low-light settings almost lifelike with no pixel bleed. Got an AMD graphics card? It's locked and loaded with FreeSync Premium to keep games smooth and stutter-free, too.

There are enough connectivity options, such as HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort, and a USB hub, for linking up your operational battle station. They are all powered by Auto Source Switch+, too, which detects when new devices are powered on and switches inputs automatically.

SEE ALSO: Get both Hulu and Disney+ for $2.99 per month for Black Friday

The G9's metal finish is only 4.5mm thick at its thinnest point, which means it doesn't take up more space than it needs to. It's as sleek as it is functional, thanks to its adjustable stand, which helps avoid neck and shoulder pain. All in all, this monitor has it all, including the real estate. Think of it as a cheaper investment in ensuring your day-to-day and alone time is the best. Cyber Monday may be over, but this is a fantastic deal and a solid way to upgrade your gaming rig for less.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This is your last chance to snag the best Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra deal

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 12:01

SAVE $160: As of Dec. 3, the 47mm Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra Bespoke Edition is on sale for $489.99 at Amazon. This is 25% off its list price of $649.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra Bespoke Edition (47mm) $489.99 at Amazon
$649.99 Save $160.00 Get Deal

Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales may be over and done with, but that doesn't stop the deals entirely. Amazon's still offering a few discounts ahead of the holidays that are worth checking out. If you've had your eye on a smartwatch, why not invest in a techy timepiece like the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra? Thankfully, it's on sale right now at Amazon for a limited time.

The 47mm Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra Bespoke Edition is currently on sale at Amazon for $489.99. This is 25% off its original price of $649.99, allowing your to pocket $160. As mentioned earlier, this is a limited-time deal so you'll want to act fast to pick it up if it has caught your eye.

SEE ALSO: Save $1,700 on a massive 77-inch Samsung OLED TV after Cyber Monday

This durable smartwatch is built for adventurous individuals, complete with a GPS, heart rate tracking, an energy score, and so much more. In our hands-on review of the smartwatch, Mashable's Kimberly Gedeon also mentions that, "Unlike the Apple rival, the Galaxy Watch Ultra offers a blood-oxygen sensor (the Apple Watch used to have one, but er, it's a long story) and a sleep apnea monitor (though some rumors claim the Watch X will have it)."

This deal won't last long, so pick up the 47mm Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra Bespoke Edition for $489.99 at Amazon.

While Cyber Monday deals have largely disappeared there are still a few smartwatch discounts holding on, like the Garmin Forerunner 955 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. If you're curious what other Cyber Monday deals might have carried on to today, it's worth having a look at our overall breakdown of Cyber Monday deals this year to check out which sales are still live.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Daniel Craig schools Stephen Colbert on how to say Daniel Craig

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 12:01

You'd think Daniel Craig's name is pretty straightforward to pronounce, but then again, it depends whether you're from the UK or U.S. when attempting it.

The Queer star and English actor would very much like people to pronounce it the British way ("crayg" — it's Scottish Gaelic) rather than the American way ("cregg") and took this pitch to Stephen Colbert during his interview on The Late Show.

"I've a bone to pick with you. Six shows. Say my name," said Craig to Colbert, before demonstrating the diphthong difference many, many times.

"That is a subtle difference, and I apologise," responded Colbert. "I don't want you Daniel Craig-mad at me. Daniel Cregg? Fuck that guy. Daniel Craig, I'm so sorry."

You can watch Mashable's interview with Daniel CRAYG while you're mastering the difference too.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Save $1,700 on a massive 77-inch Samsung OLED TV after Cyber Monday

Tue, 12/03/2024 - 11:41

SAVE $1,700: As of Dec. 3, Samsung's 77-inch S84D 4K OLED TV is on sale for $1,599.99. That's $1,700 off the list price of $3,299.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 77-inch Class S84D Series 4K OLED TV $1,599.99 at Best Buy
$3,299.99 Save $1,700.00 Get Deal

Black Friday and Cyber Monday may be officially over and done with, but a few retailers are still offering some great discounts in the lead-up to the holidays. Best Buy is one such location with its own selection of Holiday Deals available. If you missed out on some of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday TV deals this year, they're here to assist with a fantastic discount on a Samsung 4K OLED TV.

For those looking to create a mini movie theater in their home, this huge 77-inch Samsung S84D 4K OLED TV has had a whopping $1,700 discount at Best Buy. This has dropped its price from $3,299.99 to $1,599.99. You also get a nice little bonus with your purchase of one free month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

SEE ALSO: Last chance to save over $250 on the PlayStation VR2 'Horizon Call of The Mountain' bundle

Alongside its large size, this TV offers up high-quality 4K resolution and an OLED display to bring you crisp, vibrant colors for any movie nights, TV show marathons, or games you love to get lost in. It also comes with Dolby Atmos built it, which makes the sounds you hear just as immersive as the visuals. On top of that, it's also a smart TV that can hold all of your favorite streaming apps in one place.

There's still time to invest in a new TV. Don't miss out on this 77-inch Samsung S84D 4K OLED TV deal at Best Buy.

While the official seasonal sale event is over and most deals have disappeared, there are a few still lingering around at other retailers. If you want to check out more TV deals, it's worth having a look through our roundup of the best Cyber Monday TV deals live at Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon to see which ones are still on sale.

Categories: IT General, Technology

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