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Last year, wireless charging for Android devices received a boost thanks to Qi2. The Galaxy S25 was one of the first to support this new standard, but Samsung infamously left out one of its biggest features: magnetic wireless charging—a.k.a. “MagSafe.” The Galaxy S26 series is making the same mistake.

Got an old Android phone sitting unused in a drawer? By installing an open-source ROM, you can bring it bang up to date and give it a whole new lease of life. That's what I did with my old Motorola phone. Here's how it went.

A non-working NVMe drive can be alarming. Not only are NVMe SSDs expensive, but if it was previously working and your system now won’t recognize it, it could also put your data at risk.

ExpressVPN is rolling out a suite of new and reworked digital security tools for its subscribers. Most of them will join its existing Basic, Advanced, and Pro plans at no extra cost, and current subscribers can start using two of them immediately.

The suite's freshest features include ExpressMailGuard, an email-disguising service, and ExpressAI, an encrypted AI platform that isn't trained on user data. ExpressMailGuard is available globally as of Thursday, Feb. 5, while ExpressAI will launch at a later date.

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN Starting at $3.49/month for 28 months Shop Now

ExpressVPN is also turning its built-in password manager and identity protection tools into standalone mobile apps for iOS and Android. ExpressKeys, the former, launches today alongside ExpressMailGuard. The other, Identify Defender, is set for release on Thursday, Feb. 26.

It bears mentioning that none of these tools will improve ExpressVPN's actual VPN service. Rather, they add to the value of an ExpressVPN subscription.

SEE ALSO: ExpressVPN review: A stylish, minimalist VPN service with solid privacy practices — and a steep price

The goal here is to turn ExpressVPN into a "broader privacy ecosystem," according to a press release, which puts it more in line with competitors like ProtonVPN and NordVPN.

ExpressMailGuard Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressMailGuard lets users create disposable email aliases that they can use to sign up for services, apps, and newsletters. If a sender fills your primary email inbox with junk or unwanted messages, you can block the alias associated with them. ExpressVPN said this tool works with any email service and device, "[unlike] existing email alias tools."

ExpressMailGuard makes it so that users don't have to give out their real email address as often, lessening their likelihood of appearing in a data breach. It's "like a VPN for email," said ExpressVPN COO Shay Peretz.

ExpressVPN Basic, Advanced, and Pro subscribers are all receiving varying degrees of access to ExpressMailGuard starting today.

ExpressAI Credit: Screenshot via ExpressVPN

ExpressAI is billed as "the world's first consumer AI platform built on confidential computing." Translation: User conversations, prompts, and files are encrypted to everyone, including ExpressAI's model providers and ExpressVPN itself. The company said the technology involved was previously exclusive to Nvidia's enterprise data centers. Additionally, ExpressAI's models are never trained on user data. Proton released a similar AI assistant, Lumo, last July.

ExpressAI is designed to better protect sensitive content, "like work files, financial questions, and personal details," compared to other AI platforms, ExpressVPN said.

Users can choose from up to five different models depending on their ExpressVPN subscription tier, including GPTOSS 20B, DeepSeek R1 Distill, Qwen2-VL 2B, Qwen3 32B, and Nvidia Nemotron. The same prompt can be run across multiple models simultaneously for easy comparisons.

All ExpressVPN subscription tiers will include access to ExpressAI.

ExpressKeys Credit: ExpressVPN

The ExpressKeys app works as a password generator, a password strength checker, a two-factor authenticator, and secure storage for logins, credit card information, and notes. It supports autofill, offline access, and automatic syncing across different devices. Everything is encrypted, so no one can see your data except you.

By moving this tool out of its VPN's mobile apps, where it was previously called "Keys," ExpressVPN will be able to grow it at a greater scale, the company said.

New ExpressKeys users can log in with their ExpressVPN credentials and import information from other password managers. Existing Keys users can continue to use that service until March 5, 2026.

ExpressVPN Advanced and Pro subscribers are getting complete access to ExpressKeys starting today. It's not available for ExpressVPN Basic subscribers.

Identity Defender

ExpressVPN Advanced and Pro subscribers will get full access to the Identity Defender app's services later this month. That includes dark web monitoring, $1 million in identity theft insurance, change of address alerts, automatic data removal, and a credit scanner.

ExpressVPN Basic subscribers will not get access to the Identity Defender app.

Working as a developer doesn't mean you always code. Often, you're assigned boring, mundane tasks. Be it converting data formats, encoding and decoding data, or validating their structure, jumping from tool to tool is cumbersome. That's where Dev Toolbox comes into play.

UK comedian James Acaster's appearances on Late Night with Seth Meyers are always fairly unhinged, but the one above takes thing to a whole new level.

In the clip above, Acaster relentlessly promotes his upcoming Q&A appearance at a record store in Denver, Colorado, explains to Meyers why he's exclusively wearing merch from the show, advocates for "street toasts," and offers his own disturbing recollection of Meyers' appearance on Taskmaster Live.

This the most we've seen Seth Meyers giggle during an interview in a long time.

If you're like me and tend to read physical books while listening to the audiobook, dismayed at the inconvenience of time spent away from your current narrative, insistent on having that storyline blasting through your consciousness 24/7, there's a new Spotify feature for you. (I'm fine.)

Launched on Feb. 5, Spotify's new Page Match feature takes cues from Audible's reading/listening sync, enabling you to seamlessly switch between audio and physical format. The feature was announced as part of Spotify's major push into physical book sales, with the audio streamer pairing up with online book marketplace Bookshop.org to sell titles directly through the platform.

SEE ALSO: Spotify moves beyond audiobooks to offer physical books

The anticipated feature follows Spotify's audiobook Recaps feature, launched in Nov. 2025, which lets you listen to short audio summaries of the story so far.

But what is Page Match and how does it work?

What is Page Match?

As Mashable culture editor Crystal Bell writes, Page Match is a "technically ambitious" Spotify mobile app feature that amalgamates your physical books, audiobooks, and e-books and lets you continue where you left off reading. Essentially, it's like a bookmark across time and space.

"Built using computer vision and text matching — not AI, [Owen Smith, Spotify’s global head of audiobooks] noted — the feature lets readers scan a page in the Spotify app to jump instantly to the corresponding moment in the audiobook, then scan again later to find their place back on the page," Bell writes.

Featured Video For You 'Admin night' is the most responsible fun you can have in 2026

So far, Page Match is only available in English, and will be available for most titles by the end of February.

Is Spotify's Page Match free?

Page Match is available to all Spotify users, free and paying, however there's some differences — and remember, those prices are going up.

The feature only works for free users who have bought an audiobook through Spotify. Premium Spotify users can use Page Match for any book with the monthly allocation of audiobook hours that comes with the subscription, as can users who have paid for the extra Audiobook+ plan.

Now, here's how to use the feature, whether you're moving from book to audiobook or the other way around.

How to use Spotify's Page Match (book to audiobook) Total Time

• 5 min

What You Need

• Spotify iOS or Android app on mobile

Step 1: Open Spotify on your smartphone.

Step 2: Search for your book in the audiobook section.

Step 3: Tap "Scan to listen" and allow camera access with the pop-up.

Step 4: Take a photo of the page you're currently reading.

Step 5: Wait for Spotify to match the page to the audiobook time, then tap "Play from here" or "Save for later."

If Spotify can't find the page, the app will prompt you to try again.

How to use Spotify's Page Match (audiobook to book) Total Time

• 5 min

What You Need

• Spotify iOS or Android app on mobile

Step 1: Open Spotify on your smartphone.

Step 2: Navigate to your audiobook in search or Your Library.

Step 3: Tap the "Page Match" button."

Step 4: Tap "Scan to read" and allow camera access with the pop-up.

Step 5: Take a photo of any page in your physical book or e-reader.

Step 6: Wait for Spotify to process, after which it should tell you where in the book you stopped listening.

If you can't yet see the Page Match buttons on your Spotify app, don't fret. The feature only launched on Thursday, Feb. 5 and is rolling out globally, so it should appear on your phone soon — make sure you've updated the Spotify app at least.

SAVE $20: As of Feb. 5, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max has been marked down to $39.99 at Amazon. This 33% discount saves you $20.

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

Between a new season of Bridgerton, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and even The Muppet Show, streaming services are stacked with great things to watch right now. If you've been searching for a streaming device that'll help you enjoy it all in a high-quality format, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is worth a look. What's even better is it's currently on sale at Amazon.

For a limited time, Amazon has dropped the price of the Fire TV Stick 4K Max to $39.99. Usually its full price is $59.99, so this gives you a chance to grab it for $20 less.

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Enjoying shows and films across a wide variety of streaming services with a crisp, colorful picture quality comes easy with the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, as it supports 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+. It even supports Dolby Atmos audio to match its supported picture quality, so you can catch every sound happening on screen.

Plus, with support for WiFi 6E, you'll experience smoother streaming quality while you watch. And on top of all that, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max even features the Fire TV Ambient Experience, which allows you to show off art or photos on your TV when you're not streaming.

If it's caught your attention, now is the time to grab it on sale. Act fast to save on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max at Amazon.

If you’ve been shopping for a Prius because of its affordable starting price, but dream of something more refined and luxurious, the used market has an intriguing alternative. For roughly the same price you’d pay for a new Prius, you can step into a German sedan with premium appointments, thoughtful design, and the kind of build quality usually reserved for higher price brackets. It’s a rare opportunity to get true luxury without stretching your budget.

You're probably familiar with the most common ways to trigger automations in Home Assistant. You can trigger an automation when the state of an entity changes, when you press a button, when presence is detected, or at a specific time of day. Today we're going to take at some lesser-known triggers that can be just as useful.

Apple's Lockdown Mode for iPhone is getting significant attention this week.

On Wednesday, 404 Media reported the FBI has so far been unable to access the seized iPhone of a Washington Post reporter during an investigation. The barrier to entry? The publisher reports the phone has Lockdown Mode enabled, a feature Apple added in 2022 as heavy personal defense against sophisticated cyber attacks.

Added by Apple with iOS 16, Lockdown Mode was launched as "an extreme, optional protection for the very small number of users who face grave, targeted threats to their digital security," meaning journalists, government officials, and other professionals with a high risk of being personally targeted by mercenary spyware.

SEE ALSO: FBI says it's investigating Signal. Should users worry?

However, while Lockdown Mode launched for this particular group of iPhone users, the feature has since been rolled out to all — though Apple cautions it as "extreme protection if you believe you're being targeted in a cyberattack."

Lockdown Mode limits certain functionalities on your iPhone — it's also available for iPad and Mac — including restricting or blocking some apps, websites, and features. So, be warned.

How Lockdown Mode affects your iPhone

If you have Lockdown Mode enabled, Apple says:

• Message attachments are blocked unless they're video, images, or audio.

• Phone calls and plain text messages work, but incoming calls won't ring on a paired Apple Watch.

• Incoming FaceTime calls are blocked if the device owner hasn't called the number within the previous 30 days.

• Link previews in Messages are disabled.

• Wired connections with a computer/laptop are blocked if the iPhone is locked.

• Photo location data will be omitted if you share an image, and shared albums will be removed from the Photos app — you can still see these on other devices.

• Live Photos are unavailable.

• Company IT teams can't monitor these devices — configuration profiles cannot be installed, and the phone can't be added to a company's remote mobile device management (MDM).

• Your iPhone won’t automatically join non-secure Wi-Fi networks.

• 2G and 3G mobile support is turned off.

• Invitations to Apple service apps like the Home app are blocked unless you have previously invited that person.

• Internet browsing is limited, though you can exclude an app or website in Safari from being impacted and limited by WebKit restrictions. You may receive notifications even if an app or website is blocked by Lockdown Mode.

• Game Centre is disabled.

• SharePlay is unavailable.

Featured Video For You Is U.S. TikTok censoring its users?

Now, here's how to switch it on and off.

How to enable Lockdown Mode on iPhone

Make sure you've updated your iPhone/iPad/Mac software to the latest iOS and back up your device. Lockdown Mode works with iOS 16 or later, iPadOS 16 or later, watchOS 10 or later, and macOS Ventura or later.

You'll have to turn Lockdown Mode separately for each device, however, if you enable it on your iPhone, your paired Apple Watch will have it switched on automatically.

Total Time

• 5 min

What You Need

• iPhone

Step 1: Open Settings.

Step 2: Scroll down and tap "Privacy & Security."

Credit: Shannon Connellan / Mashable

Step 3: Scroll down to the bottom and tap "Lockdown Mode."

Credit: Shannon Connellan / Mashable

Step 4: Tap "Turn On Lockdown Mode."

Credit: Shannon Connellan / Mashable

Step 5: Scroll through the features (read them) and tap "Turn on Lockdown Mode" again.

Enter your Apple Account user password if required.

Step 6: Tap "Turn On & Restart."

BYROW is the gold standard for row-based math in Excel. By housing your formulas in one spilled range, you eliminate the risk of manual overrides, keep your files lean, and make your data more scalable. It's the easiest way to turn a fragile, messy workbook into a robust tool that actually works.

The one thing that slows me down (or at least used to slow me down) was having to look up documentation or commands while working with Termux. So I found a way to bring an AI assistant (not a coding agent) into Termux. Now I can look up commands and search for stuff on the fly without leaving the terminal. It's helping me learn Termux faster and saves me the trouble of switching between apps.

Donald Trump has been insulting female journalists again, this time CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins, who had the audacity to do her job and ask the president about the Epstein files at a recent press conference — leading Trump to respond, "I don't think I've seen you smile."

"Damn, that is messed up," says Daily Show host Michael Kosta in the clip above. "Can I talk to the president alone, for just a second? Hey, uh, DJ, few thought. I don't know if there's ever a time to tell a reporter to smile, but I'm almost positive it's not when she's asking you about sex trafficking victims."

Kosta goes on to play a clip of Trump saying he thinks "it's really time for the country to get on to something else."

"Yeah, of course you want to move on to something else," says Kosta. "I would too if I was in the Epstein files thousands of times. I feel the same way when the IRS tries to audit me. Hey guys, I appreciate your interest, but me and my business jacuzzi are ready to move on."

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Spotify's next bet on books isn’t digital — it's physical.

At a press event on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at Spotify's New York City headquarters, the streaming giant unveiled a slate of new book-focused features that push well beyond audiobooks. The updates include Page Match, a tool that lets readers seamlessly switch between physical or e-books and audiobooks, and a new partnership with Bookshop.org that will allow users to purchase physical books directly through the Spotify app.

SEE ALSO: Spotify's Prompted Playlist lets you micromanage your own algorithm

Together, the moves signal a surprising but deliberate expansion: Spotify isn't just doubling down on audio. It's entering the physical book economy and positioning itself as a bridge between discovery, listening, and owning a book you can hold in your hands.

The announcement was framed by a stark statistic shared by Owen Smith, Spotify’s global head of audiobooks: Only 16 percent of U.S. adults say they read for pleasure.

"But that isn’t because people don't care about books," Smith said. "The world has changed. We live in a busier, more distracted world. People find it hard to focus. They find it hard to find the time to engage with a book."

Spotify's pitch is that reading doesn't need to compete with modern life — it needs to adapt to it. The company's new features are designed to make reading more flexible, more forgiving, and easier to pick up and put down without losing momentum.

Page Match wants to make switching between reading and listening seamless

The most technically ambitious of these is Page Match, which Spotify describes as a "first-of-its-kind" feature that connects physical books, e-books, and audiobooks into a single experience. Built using computer vision and text matching — not AI, Smith noted — the feature lets readers scan a page in the Spotify app to jump instantly to the corresponding moment in the audiobook, then scan again later to find their place back on the page.

While reading Rufi Thorpe's Margo's Got Money Troubles, for example, I found myself bouncing between the physical book at home and the audiobook while commuting. Each switch meant fumbling to find the right chapter or guessing how far along I was in the story. A feature like Page Match would have removed that friction entirely.

Credit: Spotify

It's a continuation of Spotify’s recent push to reduce "drop-off" in books. Page Match follows Audiobook Recaps, which offer short, personalized summaries that help listeners re-enter a story after time away. These tools reflect Spotify's belief that the biggest barrier to reading today isn't interest but rather continuity.

"We want to help more people find more time to enjoy more books," Smith said. "If we do that, we also make Spotify a more valuable part of people's lives, a place where people feel inspired or energized after their session, not regretting the time they spent."

Page Match is rolling out to most English-language audiobooks for all Spotify listeners. Premium subscribers can start using it today with their monthly audiobook hours. Spotify says the feature will be fully available to everyone by Feb. 23.

Spotify is getting into physical books — with indie bookstores in mind

Beginning later this spring, users in the U.S. and UK will be able to purchase physical books directly in the Spotify app through a partnership with Bookshop.org, which routes sales to independent bookstores. Bookshop.org will handle pricing, inventory, and fulfillment, while Spotify becomes a new discovery and purchasing surface.

Credit: Spotify

"We know that many people prefer reading physical books over listening at particular moments in their lives," Smith said. "So what we want to do is help people find and read more of them."

Andy Hunter, CEO and founder of Bookshop.org, framed the partnership as part of a broader, unexpected resurgence in independent bookselling. Speaking at the event, Hunter shared data showing that after years of decline, indie bookstores are rebounding.

Since 2020, more bookstores have opened than closed each year, he said. The American Booksellers Association has grown from 1,900 members to 3,200, and 90 percent of those stores now sell through Bookshop.org. In the past five years, the platform has sent more than $52 million to independent bookstores in the U.S. and UK.

"Booksellers are essential to readers, writers, publishers, and to keeping books a vital part of our culture," Hunter said. "[Books] cultivate critical thinking, empathy, and an understanding of ourselves in the world — traits that are much needed in this moment in history."

By integrating Bookshop.org into its app, Spotify is positioning itself as a discovery engine that can translate attention into physical ownership, while explicitly supporting local bookstores rather than bypassing them.

The expansion builds on Spotify’s growing audiobook business. Launched just over two years ago, Audiobooks in Premium has grown from 150,000 titles to more than 500,000 English-language books across 22 markets. Spotify says it has paid hundreds of millions of dollars to authors and publishers, with more than half of its audiobook listeners under 35, a significantly younger audience than the traditional audiobook market.

Listening continues to climb, too: the number of people starting an audiobook on Spotify is up 36 percent year over year, while total listening hours have grown 37 percent.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 Winter Olympics curling for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Winter Olympics is showcasing so many incredible sports that we wouldn't usually get the opportunity to watch. We're circling our calendar for the Alpine Skiing, Figure Skating, Ice Hockey, and Luge. In fact, we're making time to watch it all.

The busy schedule starts with curling. You know, that strategic sport where players gracefully slide granite stones towards a circular target. The battle for medals is going to be intense in this competition. In the men's event, Sweden are defending champions but Great Britain and Canada will be confident of taking gold. In the women's event, Great Britain will be looking to defend their crown against the likes of Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, and South Korea.

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If you want to watch the 2026 Winter Olympics curling for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is the 2026 Winter Olympics curling?

Curling at the 2026 Winter Olympics is scheduled for every day of the games, from Feb. 4-22. Curling is held at the Cortina Olympic Stadium in Cortina D’Ampezzo.

How to watch 2026 Winter Olympics curling for free

Curling at the 2026 Winter Olympics is available to live stream for free on a number of services:

• Australia — 9Now

• Austria — ORF

• Canada — CBC Gem

• France — France TV

• Germany — ARD

• Ireland — RTÉ Player

• Italy — RAI

• Spain — RTVE

• UK — BBC iPlayer

These free live streams are geo-restricted, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location, meaning you can access free live streams of the 2026 Winter Olympics curling from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Winter Olympics curling by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with free access

4. Watch the 2026 Winter Olympics curling for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the curling plus the rest of the 2026 Winter Olympics before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the 2026 Winter Olympics?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2026 Winter Olympics curling for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free on ICC.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There are so many incredible sporting events taking place in 2026. Fans can look forward to the Winter Olympics, World Cup, and much more this year. And cricket fans don't need to wait long for arguably the biggest showpiece event on the calendar: the 2026 T20 World Cup.

The best international T20 teams are heading to India and Sri Lanks to compete for the top prize. You can expect the likes of India, Australia, South Africa, and England to be fighting it out in the knockout rounds. Those teams are the pre-tournament favorites, but this electric form of the game is unpredictable. Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and Pakistan possess the talent to beat anyone on their best day.

If you want to watch the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the T20 World Cup?

The ICC Men's T20 World Cup is a Twenty20 International cricket tournament organised by the International Cricket Council. The event is generally held every two years. India are the defending champions.

In 2026, 20 teams will compete in 55 matches across five venues. The 20 qualifying teams are divided into four groups of five. In the group stage, each team will play four matches in a round-robin format, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the Super 8 stage. At this point, teams will be placed into two groups of four, and will play three matches. The top two teams in each group will advance to the knockout stage.

When is the 2026 T20 World Cup?

The 2026 T20 World Cup is the 10th edition of the competition. This year's event takes place from Feb. 7 to March 8 in India and Sri Lanka.

How to watch the 2026 T20 World Cup for free

The 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup is available to live stream for free on ICC.TV.

This free live stream on ICC.TV is only available in select regions (see full list of territories here), but anyone can live stream the T20 Cricket World Cup for free with a VPN. These helpful tools can hide your IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with free access. This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can live stream on ICC.TV from anywhere in the world.

Access free T20 Cricket World Cup live streams by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Visit ICC.TV

5. Watch the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch every game from the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ICC.TV?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ICC.TV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup 2026 for free with ExpressVPN.

SAVE OVER $80: As of Feb. 5, Sony WH-CH720N headphones have dropped to $94.95 at Amazon. This is $85.04 off their list price of $179.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-CH720N Noise Canceling Wireless Headphones $94.95 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $85.04   Get Deal

Amazon has had some great offers available on headphones lately, including budget-friendly models. Our favorite headphones for under $100, the Sony WH-CH720N, are marked down to $94.95 for a limited time.

This is a 47% discount from their list price of $179.99, which saves you $85.04 overall. The Sony WH-CH720N headphones in black aren't the only model marked below $100 right now. If you prefer the pink or white pair, those are also on sale for a few dollars extra at $98. So no matter which ones you're interested in, you'll be able to take advantage of big savings.

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Considering these headphones offer noise-canceling features alongside high-quality sound, they're quite a steal for under $100. Our roundup of the best headphones, which crowned them the 'best headphones under $100', said they have "surprisingly impressive ANC and multipoint pairing, as well as impressive sound — hardly a surprise with a pair of Sony headphones." On top of that, you'll even get up to 35 hours of battery life.

Our reviewer Alex Bracetti had a lot of praise for these headphones, saying "The Sony WH-CH720N prove you don’t need to spend $300+ for excellent headphones. At under $200, they strike the rare balance of quality, comfort, and affordability."

If you're shopping on a budget, this headphone deal is well worth a look. Don't miss out on the Sony WH-CH720N headphones on sale at Amazon.

Most people getting into Linux just use Ubuntu, but there are a lot of other distros out there. One of them is Fedora, which is actually pretty cool.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're proud to be an American.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for February 5, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Patriotic things

• Green: To clash

• Blue: They're the smae color

• Purple: Film icons

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Cultural symbols of the U.S.

• Green: Collide with

• Blue: Blue things

• Purple: Lees of Hollywood

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 #970 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Cultural symbols of the U.S.: AMERICAN FLAG, APPLE PIE, BALD EAGLE, BASEBALL

• Collide with: BUMP, BUTT, KNOCK, RAM

• Blue things: BLUE THINGS

• Lees of Hollywood: ANG, BRUCE, CHRISTOPHER, SPIKE

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 February 5, 2026

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

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

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