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The high-performance American sedan is a vanishing breed. V8 engines, manual transmissions, and a rear-wheel-drive platform that rewards everyday drivers on the way to work and skilled ones on the track. True, hybrids and electrified vehicles are sometimes faster and more powerful, but there is nothing like a classic V8 performance car with a beefy exhaust.

The BMW X6 effectively created a new category when it arrived in 2008. By blending the higher seating position of an SUV with the sloping roofline of a sporty coupe, it challenged the idea that a utility vehicle had to look like a box.

Samsung has dominated the foldable phone space ever since the introduction of the first Galaxy Fold in 2019, followed by the vertical flip-style Galaxy Z Flip in 2020. While plenty of other brands have tried to challenge that early lead with their own foldables, none have really come close—except for one underdog, and believe it or not, it’s Motorola.

Home Assistant is one of the most powerful smart home platforms around, but even Home Assistant has its limitations. That’s exactly what the Home Assistant Community Store aims to solve, and it does a killer job at making your Home Assistant installation much more capable.

Ask.com, originally founded as the Y2K stalwart Ask Jeeves, is officially dead.

"As IAC continues to sharpen its focus, we have made the decision to discontinue our search business, which includes Ask.com. After 25 years of answering the world's questions, Ask.com officially closed on May 1, 2026," the homepage now reads.

SEE ALSO: Friendster has returned! But you can only connect with offline friends.

Ask Jeeves was launched in 1997 by the Berkeley-based duo Garrett Gruener and David Warthen, a year before Google's now-dominant search engine debuted to the masses. At the time, Ask Jeeves' natural language processing, combined with its personality-filled voice and branding, made it the go-to web search and answer engine for early internet adopters. The website's butler mascot, Jeeves, modeled after the P.G. Wodehouse character, made appearances at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, holding its own against other iconic corporate logos of the early 2000s.

"Can one man have all the answers?" If he has access to the entire internet, absolutely.

But while many still refer to the site by its 1990s name, Ask.com hasn't been "Ask Jeeves" for nearly 20 years, with the brand dropping the latter word and its valet logo in 2006. The shift came after a change in ownership, when the brand was transferred to American holding company IAC. In 2009, Ask.com was dubbed the official search engine of NASCAR.

"We are deeply grateful to the brilliant engineers, designers, and teams who built and supported Ask over the decades. And to you — the millions of users who turned to us for answers in a rapidly changing world — thank you for your endless curiosity, your loyalty, and your trust," Ask.com reads. "Jeeves’ spirit endures."

Amid an overwhelming shift toward generative AI-powered search engines and a repositioning of AI agents as the future of web browsing, the loss of Ask.com feels like a true end of the early dot-com era. So long Jeeves, hello AI.

Paramount+ has a solid lineup of new movies and shows on the way for the month of May (and Battlestar Galactica has found a new home there, too). But as we transition into all that new stuff, there's plenty to watch on the documentary side of things, if you're into riveting real-life stories that are stranger than fiction could ever be.

What streaming platform do you think of when you hear the term "comfort shows?" There are plenty of great comfort shows over on Netflix, or maybe available with an HBO Max subscription. But for me, I always think of Peacock.

Vibe coding has made it possible for anyone to create their own custom components for Home Assistant. Many of these integrations are shared on forums for other people to use, but using them could put your smart home at risk.

Old Android phones and tablets make better security cameras than cheap IP cameras. You'll find a lot of apps designed for repurposing phones into live security cams. The apps generate a live stream that you can view inside a browser. However, you can also hook it up to a network video recorder to record or re-stream the feed from the Android device. That way it can seamlessly integrate into your existing security system.

Apple just axed its cheapest Mac Mini option, a compact 256GB desktop brain that previously cost Apple shoppers just $599.

First reported by MacRumors, the tech giant's new lineup starts with the Mac Mini at the company's $799, 512GB option. The more expensive model runs on Apple's M4 chip and offers 16GB of RAM, just like the $599 model, but with twice the storage.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI explains why ChatGPT suddenly loved goblins

Last week, Apple paused orders of the then sold-out 256GB Mac Mini, hinting at a lineup change. Apple CEO Tim Cook — who recently announced his departure from the company after 14 years — said on a recent earnings call that Mac Mini supply was currently constrained under global manufacturing squeezes and that meeting existing demand may be difficult. Tech companies and AI enthusiasts are weathering a global memory chip shortage, which is expected to worsen over the next year.

Cook himself attributed an increase in Mac Mini orders to the device's AI capabilities, with the Mac Mini now advertised for its Apple Intelligence processing power. Users have flocked to the portable computer amid a surge in interest in agentic AI after the launch of the open-source AI agent framework OpenClaw (previously known as both Moltbot and Clawdebot).

I've had a computer in some shape or form for too long to mention now, and have been building my own PCs for 20 years. Those two decades span multiple desktops, including some that were technically the same PC that evolved multiple times over years of upgrades. I'm also the designated tech person for a number of my family members and friends, which means I'm often saddled with old PCs that they don't know what to do with anymore.

If your aging PC is struggling to keep up with the demands of a modern Windows version, you are not alone. It's pretty common for older hardware to be left behind as software evolves. However, that doesn't mean your system is ready for an e-waste dump.

Whenever I'm at the computer, I seem to have Spotify going in the background. With data on Spotify songs available, I wanted to see if any traits the hit songs had in common. I used Spotify to see if I could build a model of a hit song.

Before every weekend rolls around, I like to refresh my Netflix watch list with limited series and miniseries that I can typically wrap up within a day or two. And if you're like me, you know how exciting these shows can be for a perfect binge-watching session.

Unreliable Wi-Fi is the most frustrating and common issue we deal with. It's a real struggle when you have to deal with buffering screens, dropped video calls, issues with your smart home, and slow download speeds that usually make even new devices seem old. For years, the default advice for solving this problem has been to replace your old router. Performance does not depend on purchase price. If you master a few cheap software tweaks and small physical adjustments, you can get back significant speed and stability without spending money.

PowerShell is a Windows utility you can use to fix a surprisingly large number of common Windows 11 issues. It's often faster than digging through Windows 11 menus and in many cases, you can simply copy, paste, and execute commands without any further intervention on your side.

It's 2026, and Android still doesn't have some basic features like cutting off internet access for certain apps. Now there are third-party apps that make this sort of firewall possible on Android. However, they come with one big trade-off: they need to run constantly in the background as a VPN tunnel.

Serial Instagram reuploaders are about to be hit hard in the algorithm, as the platform announces new content ranking guidelines intended to boost original content creators.

Accounts that primarily aggregate content or repost others' content without meaningful alterations or additions won't be recommended to other users, Instagram explained in a recent Creators blog post. The platform announced the same algorithmic guidelines for Reels uploads in 2024. Now they'll apply to photos and carousel posts, too.

SEE ALSO: New rules for the Oscars: AI actors are out of the race

"Original content" is defined as "work that you wholly created or reflects your unique perspective," Instagram explains. That includes original photos and designs, as well as third-party content that is materially edited by the user. "Some examples include adding unique text on the content itself that provides more context than just describing what’s happening, adding creative graphics that offer new information, or using our remix feature to transform the original," the blog post reads.

The platform recommends that accounts that frequently reshare content share other users' posts to their stories, use the repost button, or enable collab posts to avoid being marked ineligible.

Aggregator accounts that are marked ineligible for recommendations under the new guidelines can regain their place in the feed by pivoting to original posts. Instagram says "most" of an account's posts, carousels, and reels need to feature original content over a 30-day period to have the decision reversed. Users can also remove unoriginal content and appeal the decision.

The Academy won't be handing over the golden statuette to robots anytime soon.

In new rules announced May 1, the Academy ​of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has ruled that AI performances are not eligible for an Oscar. Filmmakers can still utilize AI tools in their submitted works, but only human actors and human-authored screenplays will be considered for the body's highest honors.

SEE ALSO: Spotify now verifies artists that are human, not AI

The move aligns with AI agreements won during the 2023 Writers' Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA strikes and addresses growing tension over the presence of generative AI tools across artistic industries.

For example, a recent trailer for the upcoming historical adventure film As Deep as the Grave, featuring an entirely AI-generated recreation of the late Val Kilmer, caused widespread furor among fans who recoiled at the on-screen digital likeness. Prior to his death, Kilmer created an AI version of his speaking voice with UK tech company Sonantic. Other celebrities, like Matthew McConaughey and Michael Caine, have worked with AI company ElevenLabs to clone their voices, as well.

But while some celebs are getting ahead of their AI counterparts, others are fighting back against nonconsensual deepfakes writ large. Pop star Taylor Swift recently filed for trademark of her voice and image — including the phrase "Hey, it's Taylor." — amid a surge of synthetic AI likenesses of her proliferating across the internet, including ones used in data phishing scams.

The Academy announced additional rule changes for international film and acting categories, generating buzz online after several contentious Oscar campaign races in recent years. For non-English films, a country can now have multiple nominated entries instead of the previous limit of one. Similarly, actors can receive multiple nominations in the same category if their performances rank in the top five.

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

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

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

How to play Pips

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for May 2, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 2 Pips

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed horizontally.

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

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

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 2 Pips

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically.

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

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally

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

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

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 2 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 2-5, placed vertically.

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

Number (15): Everything in this space must add up to 15. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally.

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