Blogroll

After almost a decade of rocking NVIDIA GPUs, I got an AMD RX 9070 XT in early 2025 and have been using it for almost a year and a half. In general, I haven't had any major complaints. The performance has been great at my resolution of choice (1440p ultrawide), FSR 4 looks almost as good to my eyes as DLSS 4, the drivers have been very stable, and ray tracing performance is more than usable in most games.

As summer hits its stride, HBO Max is keeping the momentum going with a July lineup that features buzzy originals, franchise expansions, and fresh cinematic arrivals.

I have an old Chromebook with a slightly broken casing that used to belong to my wife. It's still perfectly usable, and I hate throwing tech away unnecessarily. I decided to set it up as a dedicated Home Assistant terminal, and it's way more useful than I expected.

If you've ever found yourself sweating through a heatwave waiting for a contractor to quote you for central air installation, you already know the problem. Traditional HVAC systems work well enough in theory, but the reality of getting one installed, running it efficiently, and maintaining it over time is a different story. Mini-split systems have been quietly solving that issue for years, and with newer models like the COZEWARE Visio, the case for going ductless has never been stronger.

Summer is here. The days are long, the temperatures are rising, and millions of Americans are hitting the road for their epic summer adventures. However, nothing spoils a summer road trip faster than a busted air conditioning system.

3D printing is an intoxicating hobby, but it's so easy to get caught up in printing useless things. The prints look cool, but they don't actually serve a purpose. So, I've challenged myself to 3D print something useful every day for a month. Here are the first four projects I'm starting with.

I love physical media, you love physical media. Physical media is awesome, and generally just better than digital streaming or downloads, if a little bit less convenient.

AI tools can be useful, but the costs add up quickly once you start looking beyond the free versions. ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and other platforms all have their strengths, but paying for multiple subscriptions just to get the best parts of each one isn't something most people are going to do casually.

One of the oldest hardware features in smartphones is vibration motors. While the technology has improved, the functionality hasn't really changed much over the years. However, I recently discovered a feature on my Google Pixel phone that makes vibration a lot smarter.

Cleaning up data by hand in Excel is a recipe for mistakes, and even well-built formulas can become difficult to maintain as spreadsheets grow. Power Query is often dismissed as a tool for data experts working with massive datasets—but it's actually one of the most practical tools for everyday Excel tasks. It offers a safer way to automate spreadsheet chores without the complexity most people expect.

3D printing has democratized fabrication at home, but there are a lot of items that many of us assume cannot be 3D printed. For a while, I put threads in this category.

Ubuntu has done a lot for the Linux desktop, including making installation less frightening, pushing Linux into normal laptop conversations, and giving many people their first working desktop. The problem is that Ubuntu's GNOME no longer feels like GNOME with a distro underneath it. It is a negotiated settlement between GNOME's design, Canonical's old Unity instincts, Snap integration and an entire set of defaults designed to make the transition from other desktops less awkward.

The 2026 World Cup knockout rounds are finally here, following two weeks of exciting — and sometimes unpredictable – soccer action. That excitement now continues as qualifying teams now face each other in single elimination games.

Today, June 28, features just one game: South Africa play co-hosts Canada for a spot in the last 16. Here's everything you need to know to watch live today.

FIFA World Cup schedule today: June 28

• Round of 32: South Africa vs. Canada (Los Angeles Stadium) — kickoff at 3 p.m. ET

How to watch FIFA World Cup games todayWatch South Africa vs. Canada

South Africa made it through to the knockouts with a last ditch win against South Korea, finishing second in Group A. Now they face Group B runners-up Canada. The Canadians will see this as a winnable fixture and will back themselves to reach the next round. South Africa would almost certainly say the same thing.

Live coverage will be on Fox and Fox One. Peacock will carry the live Spanish-language coverage.

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$59.97 Save $19.99   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock (Spanish Language) Starting at $10.99/month Get Deal More live streaming optionsLive TV cable replacement

Not interested in signing up for a standalone streaming service like Fox One or Peacock? You can sign up for a live TV cable replacement service, like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV.

These services carry over 100 live channels, but run off a WiFi connection. You'll get live access to Fox and FS1, plus a whole lot more. Here are some options to consider:

• YouTube TV — 10-day trial, then $67.99/month for 3 months

• Fubo Sports — 1-day trial, then $45.99/month for 1 month

• Hulu + Live TV — 3-day trial, then $89.99/month

Watch the World Cup for free with a VPN

It's possible to watch the World Cup for free on international services like ITVX, BBC iPlayer, NOS, or RTÉ. Our global World Cup watch guide can walk you through the process.

You will need a VPN to live stream the World Cup on these free streaming services. We recommend ExpressVPN — a Mashable-tested service and an Official Tournament Supporter of the FIFA World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Europe — as our VPN of choice for sport. It offers servers in 105 countries, a user-friendly app available on all major devices, a speedy connection, and up to 10 simultaneous connections.

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Ever feel like the internet is a crowded mall with people popping out of nowhere trying to sell you something? That’s exactly how pop-up, banner, and video ads appear, but now there’s a way to stop them. AdGuard puts an end to endless ads, and the Family Plan even lets you share a more peaceful online experience with your loved ones.

Right now, you can snag a lifetime subscription to the AdGuard Family Plan for only $14.97 during Deal Days, our version of Prime Day, until tonight at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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Ads aren’t just annoying; they can also be dangerous. Many are powered by trackers that follow your online activity, but AdGuard puts an end to all of them, so you can browse the web the way it was intended.

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If you have kids, you’ll appreciate AdGuard’s parental control features. This can help restrict their access to inappropriate or adult content, serving as another set of eyes while your children are online.

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TL;DR: Today is the last day to get a Babbel Lifetime Subscription for $134.99 (reg. $299) with the StackSocial code LEARN and unlock access to all 14 languages (created by linguists) for life.

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Have you been telling yourself you’ll learn a new language someday? Consider this your reminder that someday is running out. As part of our Deal Days sale — our answer to Prime Day — the Babbel Lifetime Subscription is available for a one-time $134.99 (reg. $299) through the end of today.

Babbel has earned a loyal following by focusing on something many language apps overlook: helping people actually have conversations. Instead of endless vocabulary drills, lessons are designed around real-life situations like ordering food, asking for directions, making travel plans, and navigating everyday interactions.

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A Babbel Lifetime Subscription gives new users access to all 14 available languages, including Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Swedish, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Polish, Turkish, Indonesian, Russian, and English. With more than 10,000 hours of content available, it’s a resource you can return to again and again — whether you’re preparing for a trip, expanding your professional skills, or simply learning for fun.

The platform was developed by more than 100 expert linguists and incorporates speech recognition technology, personalized review sessions, and an AI Conversation Partner to help learners practice speaking naturally and confidently.

One of Babbel’s biggest advantages is flexibility. Lessons typically take just 10 to 15 minutes, making it easy to fit learning into a busy schedule. Your progress syncs across devices, and offline access lets you keep studying even when Wi-Fi isn’t available.

For travelers, professionals, and lifelong learners alike, time is of the essence here,

This is the last chance to secure lifetime access to Babbel for a one-time $134.99 (reg. $299) with the StackSocial code LEARN through June 28 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get prepped for coding with some help from the Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 and the Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle, on sale now for just $44.97 (MSRP $1,999.99) through tonight at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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Whether you’re learning to code for work or you just want to pick up a new hobby and start automating your tasks or building a personal project, this bundle gives you everything you need to take the first step. The Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 and the Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle give you the education and gear you need, and no prior knowledge is required.

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Start coding easier with the Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 and the Premium Learn to Code Certification Bundle, on sale now for just $44.97 until 11:59 p.m. PT.

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The AI revolution we're all living through has shaken up the labor market, supercharged the stock market, and flooded the internet with memes, but you may not have noticed that it's quietly rewriting the rules of online dating. 

Large language models (LLMs) have put the power of sophisticated chatbots into the hands of ordinary people, including ordinary scammers, leading to a massive surge in fake profiles and bots taking over dating sites. Now, online dating isn't just about being witty or taking a great selfie; it's also about spotting AI-generated writing or photographs to avoid being scammed every other match. 

These same AI tools have made it much easier and more affordable for dating apps and sites to enforce their moderation policies, and some of the apps have even harnessed AI to improve quality of life for their users, either by refining the matchmaking or by acting like a digital wingman, suggesting which of your photos to showcase or picking out new profiles for you based on your past matchmaking preferences. That being said, AI has also led to more sophisticated trust and safety features from dating apps, like how Bumble uses AI to weed out spammers and scammers. These apps are also using AI in user-facing features, including acting like a "digital wingman" and helping you improve your profile.

Suspicious of AI, or just want a break from our digital overlords? Here are three hookup apps that haven't yet succumbed to the AI revolution.

3 hookup apps without AI featuresFeeld

Billed as a "dating app for the curious" and the place "where curiosity meets connection," Feeld is easily the most open-minded app in the hookup sphere, a place where you can find anything you're looking for and even things you didn't know to look for. From the beginning, Feeld rejected the algorithm-based swiping frenzy that became the standard on so many other apps, preferring to treat its digital space like an online house party where you might talk to anyone who catches your fancy. 

As of this writing, Feeld has not yet embraced AI, and if its CEO is to be believed, they don't have any plans to, either. 

SEE ALSO: Is AdultFriendFinder safe to use? What a cybersecurity expert says. Pure

Pure, the "open-minded dating app," is definitely built around short-term fun, with an emphasis on anonymity and prominent displays of "turn-ons" and kinks, but it also bucked the carousel-style matchmaking trend made popular by Tinder.

There are two main ways to connect with strangers: you'll either be shown one profile at a time, forcing you to properly assess each person for compatibility, or you can opt for the "Devil's Bones" gamble, which puts you into an anonymous voice or text chat with a total stranger.

If you're sick of the indirect approach of most dating apps and want to avoid AI's influence in the algorithms, Pure is a great, straightforward alternative.

AdultFriendFinder

If you're really anti-AI, you're probably safest sticking with AdultFriendFinder, not because it has any ethical or philosophical objections to artificial intelligence, but because its site architecture has hardly changed in the 25+ years since its founding. 

Even better, AFF doesn't have an algorithm-based matchmaking system. Instead, it allows you to search for people based on criteria like their location, gender, age, or favorite kinks, or else it creates online communities and discussion boards where you can meet like-minded people to start conversations organically.

If you don't like the idea of artificial intelligence impacting your future hookup options, the above three apps and sites are a great way to resist the tide.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Slide.

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

CHUTE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Cheer.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 28, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

CHANT

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Performing.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 28 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 28, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

DOING

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Parade.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

RALLY

Final Hurdle hint

A link.

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

NEXUS

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you watch international soccer.

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

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight, and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

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

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Drip

• Green: Stat sheet

• Blue: Les Bleus

• Purple: Basketball courts

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Style

• Green: Basketball Stats, Abbreviated

• Blue: Members of France's World Cup Squad

• Purple: NBA Arenas

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

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #643 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Style: FLAIR, PANACHE, PIZZAZZ, SWAGGER

• Basketball Stats, Abbreviated: FG, FT, PF, TO

• Members of France's World Cup Squad: BARCOLA, GUSTO, MBAPPE, OLISE

• NBA Arenas: BARCLAYS, KIA, MODA, TD

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to play Pips

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 28, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for June 28, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for June 28 Pips

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 6-3, placed vertically; 3-3, placed horizontally.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for June 28 Pips

Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically.

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

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

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for June 28 Pips

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

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

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

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically.

Number (14): Everything in this space must add up to 14. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally.

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

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically; 1-2, placed vertically.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

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

Number (14): Everything in this space must add up to 14. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 4-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

Number (17): Everything in this space must add up to 17. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed vertically.

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

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