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The best Labor Day laptop deals to beat RAMageddon: Hand-picked deals on Apple, HP, and Dell

Mashable - 5 hours 2 min ago
The best Labor Day laptop deals at a glance: Best MacBook deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M5, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,699 (save $100) Get Deal Best Windows laptop deal HP OmniBook 3 16 (Snapdragon X, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $599.99 (save $550) Get Deal Best Chromebook deal Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 (MediaTek Kompanio Ultra, 12GB RAM, 256GB UFS) $579 (save $170) Get Deal

The ongoing memory crisis means higher prices for the tech we've come to depend on. Laptops have been hit especially hard by "RAMageddon," with PC makers like Dell, Lenovo, and Acer raising prices to reflect rising component costs. Even Apple marked up its MacBooks by at least $100 apiece this summer. (Gone are the days of the $599 MacBook Neo.)

The current state of the market makes shopping sales feel all the more important. Your last big chance to snag a deeply discounted laptop before Black Friday comes with this weekend's Labor Day sales. Below, we've rounded up the best Labor Day laptop deals we could find, including discounts on MacBooks, Windows laptops, and a very nice Chromebook we've tested.

Best MacBook deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M5, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,699 at Amazon and Best Buy
$1,799 Save $100   Get Deal

The 13-inch M5 MacBook Air is our favorite MacBook for college students, as it's super portable and a little cheaper than its 15-inch brother. It's a fabulous ultraportable with a crisp, colorful display, amazing speakers, and blazing-fast performance. This upgraded model, with 24GB of RAM and a terabyte of storage, should last you well past graduation. Amazon and Best Buy currently have it on sale for $1,699, or $100 off.

Heads up: If you have a valid student ID, you'll get $100 off and a free $100 gift card if you buy this MacBook directly through the Apple Store during its Back to School sale (live through Sept. 24). However, it won't ship until late September or early October. If you need it sooner, Amazon (with Prime) and Best Buy were both advertising next- or two-day shipping at the time of writing.

Read Mashable's full review of the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M5).

More MacBook dealsBest Windows laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: HP HP OmniBook 3 16 (Snapdragon X, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $599.99 at Staples
$1,149.99 Save $550   Get Deal

The OmniBook 3 16 is a slim, big-screened laptop with a mind-blowing battery life of over 40 hours per charge. It's the longest-lasting laptop we've ever tested in more than a decade of reviewing laptops. Just note that its Snapdragon X processor is best for everyday productivity tasks, not intensive app usage. This configuration with 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage (a good daily driver combo) is 48% off at Staples for Labor Day. For reference, HP's website lists the same model at $90 more.

Read Mashable's full review of the HP OmniBook 3 16.

More Windows laptop dealsBest Chromebook deal Opens in a new window Credit: Acer Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 (MediaTek Kompanio Ultra, 12GB RAM, 256GB UFS) $579 at Best Buy
$749 Save $170   Get Deal

This premium Chromebook boasts an 18-hour battery life and a silky-smooth touchscreen display that can flip around 360 degrees. It makes a great MacBook Neo alternative for ultra-casual users who want a laptop that doubles as a tablet. Ahead of Labor Day, it's significantly cheaper than the Neo: Best Buy has it marked down to $579, or 23% off. That more than erases its $50 price hike from May.

Read Mashable's full review of the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The best Labor Day deals on outdoor gear: We found rare deals on Coleman, Yeti, and Ninja

Mashable - 5 hours 3 min ago
Best Labor Day outdoor deals at a glance: Best power station deal Anker Solix C300 $199.99 (save $50) Shop Now Best cooler deal Ninja FrostVault $169.99 (save $30) Shop Now Best backyard deal Govee Smart Outdoor String Lights 2 $129.99 (save $60) Shop Now

Summer is winding down, but that doesn't mean the fun is ending. Now that summer temps tend to lean more toward sweltering than comfortable, fall gatherings are the new summer. That means we still have plenty of time for backyard barbecues, putting an inflatable pool on the patio, and spending a weekend camping.

In more good news, retail trends still think we're winding down with the outdoor activities. That means this is the perfect time to make upgrades with sale prices and still get plenty of use before packing it all away for winter.

If you've been thinking about getting a portable power station for camping, refreshing the inflatable pool toys, or finally getting a backyard projector, consider this is a great time to be shopping. Here are some of our favorite Labor Day outdoor deals at Amazon:

Best portable power station deal Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Solix Anker Solix C300 $199.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $50   Get Deal Why we like it

Camping trips don't have to mean disconnecting, unless you want to. But if you'd rather keep in touch, a portable power station is perfect for keeping phones and other devices charged. The Anker Solix C300 comes with 288Wh and four USB-C ports. Anker mentions the capacity of the Solix C300 can recharge a phone about 19 times. Plus, the built-in light is perfect for the campground.

Best cooler deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja FrostVault $169.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $30   Get Deal Why we like it

Ninja makes some of Mashable's favorite kitchen appliances, and the FrostVault cooler has been a favorite since it launched last year. Unlike most coolers, Ninja added a dry storage drawer to the cooler, ensuring there's a dedicated space that'll keep food cool and dry. It's perfect for easy access to road trip sandwiches and snacks.

The 30-quart Ninja FrostVault is on sale on Amazon ahead of Labor Day for $169.99. With 15 pounds of ice, this size can fit 26 cans.

Best backyard deal Opens in a new window Credit: Govee Govee Smart Outdoor String Lights 2 $129.99 at Amazon
$189.99 Save $60   Get Deal Why we like it

Light up the backyard, patio, or balcony with the Govee Smart Outdoor String Lights 2. The 144-foot pack is on sale on Amazon for only $129.99 and comes with 45 bulbs. The Govee lights carry an IP65 waterproof rating, so you won't need to worry about them getting wet in fall rainstorms. Govee makes some of the best outdoor lights that are sure to impress your neighbors.

More outdoor deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

Labor Day mattress and bedding sales are live: We found the best deals at Purple, Naturepedic, Saatva, and more

Mashable - 5 hours 5 min ago
Best Labor Day mattress deals at a glance: Best mattress deal Naturepedic Serenade Organic Latex Hybrid (Queen) $1,599.20 (save $439.80) Shop Now Best bedding deal Purple Harmony Pillow $194 (save $35) Shop Now

Sleep is a key component of a healthy lifestyle. It sounds like a simple thing: get into bed, close your eyes, and drift off to sleep. Unfortunately, many of us face a wide range of issues that prevent us from getting restorative sleep. A huge contributor to poor sleep is an old or uncomfortable mattress.

Even beds that come with a lifetime warranty aren't meant to last forever. If your current bed is sagging or you wake up with aches and pains that weren't there the night before, it's probably time for a new mattress. While you're at it, it's smart to refresh the bedding. A supportive pillow and breathable sheets can make a world of difference when it comes to bedtime comfort.

SEE ALSO: Hatch introduces new Sleep Clock, an alarm clock that tracks your sleep

Labor Day mattress and bedding sales are already live, and some take hundreds off bedroom essentials like mattresses, bed frames, and sheets. Check out some of our favorite Labor Day sleep deals below. And if what's keeping you awake is a snoring partner, check the Mashable guide to the best sleep earbuds.

Best mattress deal Opens in a new window Credit: Naturepedic Naturepedic Serenade Organic Latex Hybrid (Queen) $1,559.20 at Naturepedic
$1,999 Save $439.80   Get Deal Why we like it

Designed to work with all sleeper types, the Naturepedic Serenade Hybrid Mattress combines pressure-relieving latex with the support of coils. Plus, there's an organic cotton cover to enhance breathability.

Naturepedic offers this mattress in three firmness levels: plush, cushion-firm, and firm, so there's a great match for every sleeper. All materials in the organic bed are free from flame retardants, fiberglass, and glues. It also comes with a 100-night sleep trial, so you have over three months to make sure the mattress feels comfortable.

More mattress dealsBest bedding deal Opens in a new window Credit: Purple Purple Harmony Pillow $194 at Amazon
$229 Save $35   Get Deal Why we like it

If you told me several years ago that I would be telling everyone I know to buy a pillow that costs over $200, I'd say you were lying. But as it turns out, a $229 pillow relieved my neck and shoulder pain. Since I was dropping who knows how much money on doctors' appointments, PT, and magic balms to calm the pain, the price tag was well worth it for me.

In time for a Labor Day refresh, the Purple Harmony pillow is on sale at Amazon for $194. It comes in three thickness levels and uses Purple's GelFlex Grid with responsive latex to provide pressure relief. The result is a pillow that's extra supportive in all sleeping positions, doesn't flatten, and stays cool all night.

More bedding deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

The 30+ best Labor Day tech deals: We found laptops, TVs, headphones, and AirTags on sale

Mashable - 5 hours 7 min ago
The best Labor Day tech deals at a glance: Best Apple deal Apple AirTag (2nd Gen, 4-pack) $79.99 (save $19.01) Get Deal Best laptop deal HP OmniBook 3 16 (Snapdragon X, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $599.99 (save $550) Get Deal Best TV deal TCL 65-inch QM8L Mini-LED QLED 4K TV $1,397.99 (save $1,102) Get Deal Best headphones deal Sony WH-1000XM5 $198 (save $201.99) Get Deal Best smart home deal Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $19.99 (save $30) Get Deal

Labor Day sales are already live in full force. It's an especially good time to shop if you've been thinking about upgrading some older tech: For one thing, these sales offer some welcome relief from RAMageddon-related price hikes (which just keep coming, ugh). For another, they're probably your last real chance to save on big-ticket gadgets like laptops, TVs, and premium headphones until late October, when early Black Friday festivities get going.

Below, I've rounded up a big batch of the best Labor Day tech deals that I could find at Amazon, Best Buy, and beyond. That includes new record-low prices on devices from brands like Apple, Sony, and TCL, with discounts soaring as high as 60%.

Most retailers' Labor Day sales run through Labor Day proper on Monday, Sept. 7, so I'll continue to update this story into the long weekend.

Best Labor Day Apple deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag (2nd Gen, 4-pack) $79.99 at Amazon and Walmart
$99 Save $19.01   Get Deal

Individual AirTags are marked down to $24 this week, but if you snag a four-pack on sale for $79.99, you're only paying $19.99 per tracker. (That deal is up for grabs at both Amazon and Walmart, by the way, and it's a new all-time low.) Apple updated the AirTag with a louder speaker and a bigger finding range at the beginning of the year. Mashable's Stan Schroeder called it "a useful little thing" that "saved me a lot of worrying once when my baggage got lost," rating it a 4.2/5.

Read Mashable's full review of the Apple AirTag (2nd Gen).

AirPods dealsiPad dealsMacBook dealsMore Apple accessory dealsBest Labor Day TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 65-inch QM8L Mini-LED QLED 4K TV $1,397.99 at Amazon
$2,499.99 Save $1,102.00   Get Deal

Offering a sharp, ultra-bright picture and boasting a clean, virtually bezel-free design, this TCL display is our favorite 65-inch QLED TV for most people. It's an especially good pick for folks "who know they'll be doing a good amount of their TV watching in the daytime," wrote Leah Stodart, Mashable's former TV expert. That's you, college football fans. Its Labor Day sale price of $1,397.99 on Amazon — a 44% savings — marks its lowest price ever. That beats a rivaling deal at Best Buy by $2.

50- and 55-inch TV deals65-inch TV deals75-inch TV dealsDeals on 80-inch TVs and largerBest Labor Day headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-1000XM5 $198 at Amazon and Best Buy
$399.99 Save $201.99   Get Deal

The last-gen Sony XM5s are an honorable mention on our best headphones guide because they're sooo similar to the newer XM6s, and because they're frequently on sale. (The $460 XM6s really only add folding ear cups and slightly better sound out of the box.) This week, the XM5s are chilling at their lowest price yet: Amazon and Best Buy both have them listed for $198 during their Labor Day events, which is a whopping 51% off their $399.99 MSRP.

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

More headphone dealsBest Labor Day laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: HP HP OmniBook 3 16 (Snapdragon X, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $599.99 at Staples
$1,149.99 Save $550   Get Deal

This 16-inch PC is the best battery life laptop we've ever tested: It lasted 40 hours and 14 minutes in a video rundown test. Its portable design and large, colorful display are also highlights — it's "great for streaming movies and juggling multiple documents" on the go, to quote my review. This model with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage would make a great daily driver for folks with basic workloads (think web browsing and sending emails). It's 47% off at Staples right now; the same configuration is $90 pricier on HP's website.

Read Mashable's full review of the HP OmniBook 3 16.

More Windows laptop dealsChromebook dealsBest Labor Day smart home deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $19.99 at Amazon and Best Buy
$49.99 Save $30.00   Get Deal

A slew of Amazon's smart home devices saw price hikes last month, but fortunately, most of the lineup is on sale for Labor Day. The biggest discount is going to the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, Amazon's cheapest 4K streaming stick: It typically retails for $49.99 these days (previously $39.99), but it's currently listed for just $19.99 at Amazon and Best Buy — an impressive 60% savings. It's only $2 away from its record-low Prime Day price.

More streaming stick dealsSmart speaker and display dealsSmart thermostatsLooking for more Labor Day sales?
Categories: IT General, Technology

Labor Day Apple deals are live: We found the best deals on iPads, iPhones, MacBooks, and more

Mashable - 5 hours 10 min ago
The best Apple Labor Day deals at a glance: Best iPad deal Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 128GB) $649 (save $100) Get Deal Best iPhone deal Apple iPhone Air (256GB, unlocked) $849.99 (save $150) Get Deal Best AirPods deal Apple AirPods Max 2 $449 (save $100) Get Deal Best Apple accessory deal Apple AirTags (2nd gen, 4-pack) $79.99 (save $19.01) Get Deal Best MacBook deal Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 Pro, 24GB RAM, 2TB SSD) $2,699 (save $300) Get Deal

It's no secret that tech prices are getting out of control, thanks to RAMageddon. Apple has jacked up the costs of most of its popular gadgets (with more to come), so any excuse to save some money is welcomed. Enter Labor Day.

Labor Day sales at Amazon, Best Buy, and other major retailers are in full swing, which means deals are popping up left and right on Apple gear. Notably, iPads and iPhones are up to $150 off, while MacBooks are up to $500 off.

We're hoping to see even bigger discounts as the weekend progresses (wishful thinking), but we've already spotted some pretty solid Apple deals worth checking out. Below, we've rounded up all of our top picks.

Best iPad deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 128GB) $649 at Amazon
$749 Save $100   Get Deal Why we like it

If you're looking to buy a new iPad, the M4 Air is our top pick for most people. It's not all that different from its predecessor, but that's not a bad thing (we loved the M3 iPad Air, too). The latest version packs an insanely powerful M4 chip, a thin and lightweight build, a brilliant Liquid Retina display, and Apple's N1 and C1X connectivity chips. It's honestly almost too powerful for most users, with enough oomph to handle memory-intensive programs like Final Cut Pro. Yet, its price tag isn't quite as stunning as the iPad Pro. For Labor Day, the base model with WiFi connectivity and 128GB of storage is down to just $649.

Read our full review of the M4 iPad Air.

More iPad dealsBest iPhone deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPhone Air (256GB, unlocked) $849.99 at Best Buy
$999.99 Save $150   Get Deal Why we like it

While we regularly see solid deals on unlocked Android phones, unlocked iPhone deals are few and far between. So finding the iPhone Air at Best Buy for $150 off (with any storage capacity) is a big deal. Mashable's reviewer dubbed the iPhone Air Apple's "sexiest iPhone" to date. It's thinner than you can fathom, yet packs a gorgeous OLED display and a surprisingly good camera. With the inevitable iPhone price hikes coming, snagging the iPhone Air for less could be an even better value than you realize.

Read our full review of the iPhone Air.

More iPhone dealsBest MacBook deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 Pro, 24GB RAM, 2TB SSD) $2,699 at Best Buy
$2,999 Save $300   Get Deal Why we like it

The M5 Pro MacBook Pro jumped $300 earlier this summer, so this discount at Best Buy essentially erases that price hike. Granted, the MacBook Pro with an M5 Pro chip is definitely overkill for most users — especially this model with boosted specs (24GB RAM and 2TB storage). Still, it's a great pick for graphic designers, editors, or programmers with heavy workloads. Besides the powerful M5 Pro chip, specs include Apple's N1 wireless chip, a brilliant 3K mini LED display, a 120Hz refresh rate, and three USB-C Thunderbolt 5 ports.

Read our full review of the M5 MacBook Pro.

More MacBook dealsBest AirPods deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Max 2 $449 at Amazon
$549 Save $100   Get Deal Why we like it

The second generation of the AirPods Max arrived earlier this year and our reviewer recommended only buying them on sale. Well, if you've been patiently waiting, your time has come. This is the first proper upgrade to Apple's only over-the-ear headphones and was six years in the making. That being said, it's not a huge upgrade. They look the same as the previous version, have the same battery life, and cost the same amount. The major differences are the new H2 chip inside for better noise cancellation and a few new smart features. Save $100 while you can in the sleek blue shade or around $70 in other colorways.

Read our full review of the AirPods Max 2.

More AirPods dealsBest accessory deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTags (2nd gen, 4-pack) $79.99 at Amazon
$99 Save $19.01   Get Deal Why we like it

Once again, Apple's newest generation of AirTags didn't bring a whole lot of changes, but why fix what isn't broken? The second-gen AirTags have improved range, slightly louder notifications, and the same affordable price tag. If you're a frequent traveler or tend to lose things often, they're a must-have. And at under $80 for a four-pack, they're a total steal right now.

Read our full review of the AirTags 2nd gen.

More Apple accessory dealsLooking for more Labor Day sales?
Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch PSG vs. Monaco online for free

Mashable - 5 hours 19 min ago

TL;DR: Watch PSG vs. Monaco in Ligue 1 for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Ligue 1 has started with some unexpected results. We're all so used to seeing Champions League champions PSG at the top of the standings, but right now they're sitting in 11th. We expect to see the defending champs move up the table, but are we seeing the start of a decline for Luis Enrique's side?

Next they face Monaco, probably not the side they wanted to come up against as they seek their first win of the season. Monaco top the standings after two rounds, without conceding a single goal.

If you're interested in watching PSG vs. Monaco in Ligue 1 from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is PSG vs. Monaco?

PSG vs. Monaco in Ligue 1 kicks off at 3:05 p.m. ET on Sept. 4. This fixture takes place at the Parc des Princes.

How to watch PSG vs. Monaco for free

PSG vs. Monaco in Ligue 1 is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream PSG vs. Monaco for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream PSG vs. Monaco for free by following these simple steps:

  1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil

  4. Visit CazéTV

  5. Watch PSG vs. Monaco 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 they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch PSG vs. Monaco without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Ligue 1?

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

  • Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

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

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds free from throttling

  • 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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream PSG vs. Monaco for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Score a full year of Audible Premium Plus for less than $100 this Labor Day

Mashable - 6 hours 19 min ago

SAVE $50: Through Sept. 13, new and select returning subscribers can score an entire year of Audible Premium Plus for just $99. Typically $149.50 for the year, that saves you $50.50 on an annual subscription.

Opens in a new window Credit: Audible Audible Premium Plus (Annual Plan) $99 for one year (save $50.50) Get Deal

Audible's newer Standard plan might be cheaper than its Premium Plus plan ($8.99 vs. $14.95), but it doesn't come with the same perks. I personally don't think it's worth it unless you come across a discount. The Premium Plus plan is far superior. And this Labor Day promotion knocks the price down to less than the standard plan for a limited time.

Through Sept. 13, new subscribers and most returning subscribers can score an entire year of Audible Premium Plus for only $99. It typically costs $14.95 per month or $149.50 per year, so you'll save $50.50 on the annual plan (or $80.40 compared to the monthly plan).

The difference between the Standard and Premium Plus plans lies in how long you can keep the audiobooks you choose. With Standard, you're essentially just borrowing one book per month, and it disappears once the calendar turns. Premium Plus membership lets you "buy" whatever title you want with a monthly credit. And you'll get to keep it indefinitely. You'll also unlock access to over 150k included audiobooks and podcasts that don't require a credit card to purchase.

With the annual plan, you'll also receive all 12 of your monthly credits up front, so you can "buy" a dozen titles whenever you see fit. No need to wait until the first of each month to make your selections.

Why pay for Audible at all when apps like Libby exist? Plain and simple, there are no wait times. You can easily select and listen to new 2026 releases, popular BookTok picks, Goodreads favorites, and more without waiting for your hold to go through.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The best deals on Ryobi cordless tools in Home Depots Labor Day sale — shop deals for under $50

Mashable - 6 hours 19 min ago
The best Ryobi Labor Day deals from Home Depot: Best beginner deal Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless 1/4 in. Hex Screwdriver Kit with Compact Battery and Charger $49.97 (save $108.97) Get Deal Best angle grinder deal Ryobi ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless 4-1/2 in. Angle Grinder with 4.0 Ah High Performance Battery $99 (save $149) Get Deal Best multi-tool deal Ryobi ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless Oscillating Multi-Tool with 4.0 Ah High Performance Battery $99 (save $149) Get Deal Best circular saw deal Ryobi ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw with ONE+ 18V 4.0 Ah High Performance Battery $139 (save $129) Get Deal

There's a version of every home project where you end up making three trips to the hardware store because you're missing one specific tool. Home Depot's Labor Day sale is a good chance to close that gap for good — it's taking up to 69% off Ryobi's 18-volt cordless tools, and since Ryobi's batteries are compatible with over 300 different tools, getting one today means you're already set up for future buys.

We rounded up the best deals from the sale below, from a circular saw that can handle your bigger cuts to a driver kit that covers everything else on your list.

Best beginner deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless 1/4 in. Hex Screwdriver Kit with Compact Battery and Charger $49.97 at Home Depot
$158.94 Save $108.97   Get Deal Why we like it

Every DIY kit needs a reliable driver, and the Ryobi 18V ONE+ 1/4-inch Hex Screwdriver Kit covers the basics: driving screws, drilling holes, hanging shelves, or fixing a fence. It's lightweight, making it easy to handle for smaller jobs, and its design reduces hand fatigue during overhead or tight-space work, while an onboard LED worklight illuminates dark work areas. Swapping bits is also effortless thanks to the 1/4-inch keyless quick-connect collet.

Best angle grinder deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ryobi ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless 4-1/2 in. Angle Grinder with 4.0 Ah High Performance Battery $99 at Home Depot
$248 Save $149   Get Deal Why we like it

An angle grinder isn't the flashiest tool, but it's the one you reach for when you need to cut or shape metal, or just nip off the end of a screw that's poking through where it shouldn't. The Ryobi 18V ONE+ HP 4-1/2-inch Angle Grinder can make up to 210 cuts on a single charge, so you're not stopping mid-project to recharge, and comes with an 18-volt, 4-amp-hour battery.

Its smart brushless motor keeps the tool cool so it lasts longer, while an updated design lets you make flat cuts easily against surfaces. With a comfortable grip, quick tool-free guard adjustments, and a battery that works across hundreds of other Ryobi tools, it’s built to handle tough DIY projects with total ease.

Best multi-tool deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ryobi ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless Oscillating Multi-Tool with 4.0 Ah High Performance Battery $99 at Home Depot
$248 Save $149   Get Deal Why we like it

The Ryobi ONE+ HP 18V cordless oscillating multi-tool with 4.0 Ah high-performance battery does a little bit of everything: cutting wood, PVC, metal, or drywall, plus sanding and polishing depending on which attachment you swap in. It comes with a plunge-cut blade, a flush-cut blade, and a sanding attachment right out of the box, and you can adjust the speed depending on what you're working on, useful for anything from rough cuts to more delicate jobs like refinishing furniture.

Best circular saw deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ryobi Ryobi ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw with ONE+ 18V 4.0 Ah High Performance Battery $139 at Home Depot
$268 Save $129   Get Deal Why we like it

If you don't have a table saw, the ONE+ HP 18V Cordless 7-1/4-inch circular saw is basically your stand-in for one. It handles long, straight cuts through materials like plywood and two-by-fours, which covers a lot of ground for woodworking or repair projects. It also has an attachment port for a shop vac or dust collection system, so you're not left cleaning up sawdust for the rest of your weekend.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Silo showrunner Graham Yost teases what to expect from Season 4 — including one key characters fate

Mashable - 6 hours 19 min ago

Silo showrunner Graham Yost can sum up the fourth and final season in two words: "It's war."

The upcoming season, set for a summer 2027 release, picks up in the wake of Season 3's twisty finale, which took viewers inside Silo 1. There, we discovered survivors from the show's past timeline, who are cryogenically frozen and periodically reawakened to serve shifts controlling the other silos. Among them are Daniel Keene (Ashley Zukerman) and his sister Charlotte (Jessica Brown Findlay), whose memories have been erased and who have been renamed Troy and Susan.

SEE ALSO: 'Silo' showrunner Graham Yost breaks down the Season 3 finale's massive Silo 1 reveal

Troy butts heads with Juliette Nichols (Rebecca Ferguson) at the end of Season 3, in a sequence that merges the show's timelines and sets the stage for a showdown between Silo 18 and Silo 1, and between Juliette and Daniel. According to Yost, that means we'll be getting more of Juliette on the warpath.

"[This season] Juliette has come from not knowing who she was to saying, 'We have to take on Silo 1.' That's Juliette. That is the full return of Juliette. In Season 4, we are full-on Juliette from the first frame of the season to essentially the final one," Yost told Mashable.

SEE ALSO: 'Silo' Season 3's twisty ending, explained

On top of Juliette's full return, Silo Season 4 is also going to be showing more of the inner workings of Silo 1.

"Certain characters we've spent some time with really move up into the fore," Yost said of the new focus on Silo 1.

Among the characters you can expect to see more of are Senator Rosalind Thurman (Laura Innes), her daughter Anna (Morven Christie), her aide Henry (Reed Birney), and Charlotte, now Susan.

However, several key characters are missing from that list. What happened to trillionaire Per Stensen (Colin Hanks)? Or journalist Helen Drew (Jessica Henwick)? Both their fates were left unclear following the nuclear explosion that sent the silo residents underground. (But Per had to have engineered the apocalypse, right? The timing was too convenient!)

Yost confirmed that we could get answers on at least one of these topics. "The biggest thing is you will find out what happened to Helen," Yost said.

Knowing Helen's fate post-explosion will help better connect the past and the present, including finding out how the Pez dispenser and Helen and Daniel's baby's sonogram photo became relics in Silo 18. Plus, Helen and her baby are likely the ancestors of some Silo 18 citizen we've grown to know and love over the seasons. Who is their descendant?

In an interview with Backstage, Henwick confirmed that she will be back for Season 4, meaning we're likely in for flashbacks to her time in Silo 18. What did her life look like there, especially in the aftermath of the explosion? And was she, in true journalistic fashion, able to uncover secrets about the silos' true purpose? Bring on Season 4 so we can find out.

Silo Season 3 is now streaming on Apple TV.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Silo Season 3s twisty ending, explained

Mashable - 6 hours 19 min ago

Last week, Silo Season 3 delivered its most shocking episode so far. But now, with the finale, Graham Yost's adaptation of Hugh Howey's book series may have outdone itself.

A lot happens in the closing episode of Season 3, which knits our post-apocalyptic silos of the present day with the flashback storyline that's followed congressman Daniel Keene (Ashley Zukerman) and journalist Helen Drew (Jessica Henwick). The main thing we're left with? Questions. Many, many questions.

From the ominous goings-on in Silo 1 to terminology like "The Project" and "The Directive," we've done our best to unpack everything below.

SEE ALSO: 'Silo' showrunner Graham Yost breaks down the Season 3 finale's massive Silo 1 reveal What happens in Silo Season 3's finale?

First, a recap. After Season 3, episode 9 showed us the start of the apocalypse — a nuclear explosion on the launch day of the silo project masterminded by Per Stensen (Colin Hanks) and Senator Thurman (Laura Innes) — that sends Daniel and Helen running towards Silo 1 and Silo 18, respectively. We know that event took place hundreds of years before the present-day silos, but the finale opens with another shock: Daniel is still alive. Like other key members of Silo 1, he's been cryogenically frozen, woken only to deal with major security incidents around the silo complex. Now a specialist known as Troy, he seems like a different person, listening to a briefing from (also still-alive) psychologist Victor (Matt Craven) before ordering the killing of Silo 17's rebels with disturbing detachment.

His sister Charles (Jessica Brown Findlay) is alive too. She's now known as Susan, and she is a senior drone commander who Daniel/Troy appears not to recognise. Clearly, his memory has been wiped, but he still has flashes of Helen, even though he no longer knows who she is. Before he goes back into cryogenic sleep, he asks Victor about her. The doctor promises to look into it and give Daniel/Troy an answer when he next wakes up. But when he puts the note in Troy's file, we see many other notes just like it.

Back in Silo 18, Juliette (Rebecca Ferguson) and her allies do their best to clamp the pipe that's used to deliver the "safeguard" (i.e. poisonous gas) to the silo, while Camille (Alexandria Riley) attempts to negotiate with the algorithm to stop their silo from being poisoned. Here, we finally learn that the algorithm's voice is actually that of Victor back in Silo 1, which answers a question that's been hanging over the show since the end of Season 2.

Thankfully, Silo 1's attempt to safeguard Silo 18 doesn't work. Camille deceives the algorithm/Victor and switches sides, giving Knox (Shane McRae) and Shirley (Remmie Milner) time to clamp the pipe. Victor orders Daniel/Troy to be woken back up and then dies by suicide, leaving him a video recording to tell him that the name of the woman he's been glimpsing when he wakes from cryogenic sleep is Helen Drew.

Finally, back in Silo 18, Juliette visits the pipe at the very bottom of the silo and speaks with the algorithm, now voiced by Daniel/Troy. He tells her that if they make no attempt to contact other silos, Silo 1 will stop trying to kill them. She agrees.

What will happen next in Season 4?

We have many questions, but what comes next feels like the most pressing one. Something that seems pretty certain, though, is that Season 4 will focus on the people of Silo 18 going up against Silo 1.

"They're expecting us to prepare to defend ourselves, right?" Juliette whispers to the others in the episode's closing moments. "Which means they won't be prepared to defend themselves against us. So if we get to them first, we could protect everyone. We need to take out Silo 1."

Mashable's Belen Edwards spoke to showrunner Graham Yost, who confirmed that Season 4 will follow Juliette on the warpath while also spending more time with Silo 1's characters. He also said we'll learn what happened to Helen, so it sounds like more flashbacks may be on the way.

Is the air outside the silos actually poisonous?

Throughout Silo, the characters have been imprisoned by the fear of a supposedly poisoned atmosphere that exists beyond the safety of their underground bunkers. But is it actually poisonous after all?

The answer appears to be no. In the opening sequence of Season 3's finale, when we watch from Silo 1's perspective as Daniel orders the murder of Silo 17's rebels, the people are outside the silo for some time. It's only when Silo 1 launches a drone attack using a "compound" that they start to die.

Does this mean that every person who's been sent out to clean has actually been murdered by Silo 1's drones, flying high enough to be invisible and targeting them with the same compound? It suddenly seems likely.

What is The Directive?

When the newly murderous Daniel enters Silo 1's control room to deal with Silo 17's rebellion, he uses something called "The Directive" to justify his actions.

"The top priority, per The Directive, is to prevent contamination between silos," Daniel says, before referring to it again later when he addresses his drone operators. "The citizens of Silo 17 have chosen to go outside. They are beyond The Pact, but they're not outside The Directive."

So we've got The Pact, The Order, and now The Directive — but what's this latest one? Well, while The Pact is the public law memorised by silo citizens, and The Order is a secret rulebook for the head of IT, it seems that The Directive is yet another rulebook exclusively for Silo 1. Perhaps it's a framework that they use for keeping the rest of the silos in check?

What is The Project?

We don't see Per Stensen (Colin Hanks) in the finale (more on that later), but we do see Senator Thurman. She's now known as "Madam Director," and she's also still very much alive thanks to Silo 1's cryogenics. During her conversation with Daniel/Troy and Victor, she mentions another term we're not familiar with: The Project.

Speaking about Susan/Charles, who earlier disobeyed a direct order from Daniel/Troy, Thurman says Susan's punishment would typically be "neutralization." But in this case, that's not an option.

"Susan's skills will play a critical role at the end of The Project," she says.

Later, when speaking with Daniel/Troy about the memories he's been experiencing, Victor references The Project again. "The whole purpose and design of The Project is to free us from the past," he says.

It's pretty clear that The Project is the concept of the silos themselves, orchestrated by Stensen, Thurman, and Victor all those centuries ago. What we still don't know is the real why behind The Project, and what the mysterious end — referenced by Thurman — will look like. Why will Susan/Charles' drone piloting skills be so important?

We don't yet have the answers, but we do have one more clue. It comes in the answer Victor gives to Camille when she asks the why question posed to her by Juliette.

"The human species was in a terminal cycle of self-annihilation," Victor says. "The silo was the last, best hope to ensure the survival of the species."

It's a little unclear, but it sounds to us like Victor is saying that the silo's founders decided that The Project needed to begin. Rather than using the silos as a last resort, is it possible they orchestrated the apocalypse to put the wheels of their own plan into motion? If that's the case, then presumably they also have an end goal in mind.

Where is Per Stensen?

Speaking of the Founders, where is the world's richest man who financed the entire project? There's no mention of him in the finale, and the fact that Thurman is referred to as "Madam Director" sort of implies that she's the top dog. Of course, it's been hundreds of years since the founders first entered Silo 1. A lot of stuff could have happened in the meantime. Maybe Per Stensen died somewhere along the way?

Is Helen Drew related to Juliette Nichols?

We know that Helen is pregnant when she runs into the shelter of Silo 18. It would seem like a very strange narrative choice for her not to be related to someone in the present-day silos, but who is her distant descendant? Juliette seems like obvious choice here. She has the same no-nonsense rebellious streak as Helen, and there's a moment at the end of the finale when Daniel/Troy stares at a close-up of Juliette's face on his giant Silo 1 screen. Wouldn't it make their upcoming war even more tragic if they were, in fact, long-lost relatives?

The good news? We won't have too long to wait for answers. Season 4 has already been filmed and is due out summer 2027. In the meantime, you can read Mashable's interview with showrunner Graham Yost for more clues.

Silo Season 3 is streaming now on Apple TV.

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Categories: IT General, Technology

Silo showrunner Graham Yost breaks down the Season 3 finales massive Silo 1 reveal

Mashable - 6 hours 19 min ago

After three seasons of mystery, Silo has finally unveiled what's inside Silo 1: most of the characters from its past timeline. Also, elevators!

The Season 3 finale reveals that Daniel (Ashley Zukerman) survived episode 9's devastating nuclear blast. So did his sister Charlotte (Jessica Brown Findlay). However, they aren't the same people they once were. Their memories have been erased, and they now go by Troy and Susan. Even worse, they're cryogenically frozen for long periods of time, waking up every few years to carry out a shift in the silo.

SEE ALSO: 'Silo' Season 3's twisty ending, explained

The first shift we see Troy/Daniel carry out is horrifying. Overseen by Dr. Victor (Matt Craven), he clinically orders the mass poisoning of the Silo 17 rebellion, both answering the question of what wiped out the silo and raising more questions about Silo 1's insistence that the silos do not interact with one another. In an interview with Mashable, showrunner Graham Yost broke down the long-awaited introduction of Silo 1, from its aesthetic to the dehumanization of its inhabitants.

We finally get to see Silo 1 this episode, and it's visually so different from all the other silos. How did you and your team shape the look for Silo 1?

Graham Yost: I'd originally thought one thing, and then quickly realized no, we've got to go cool. We've got go, "What's the most fun, interesting, weird [idea] that still fits in the Silo world? What's a silo that doesn't look like the other silos, but still is a silo?"

What [production designer] Nicole Northridge came up with was that everything's curved, and it's all very well maintained. In the other silos you're seeing cracks in the walls and destruction and overgrowing. There's no plants. There is this weird tree in another set that you'll see in the next season, but it's a fake.

SEE ALSO: 'Silo' showrunner Graham Yost breaks down episode 9's bombshell ending and surprise musical guest

The other silos were designed to be lived in for 500 years with succeeding people. Silo 1 is the same people, so they need a sense of continuity. It needs to be the same shift by shift so that they can do their jobs, and it needs to be well maintained, so they're not spiraling into depression. Then we talked about the big screen. The big screen in the other silos shows the outside world, and it's dead and horrible. And for Silo 1, we thought, "What if it's just pictures of Earth?" My thing was there should be no or very little human stuff in it. It should be more just nature.

I was so intrigued by that whole setup, like those big futuristic mouse pads for the controls.

There were so many discussions about that! And there's stuff that we used in the finale episode of Season 3 that you won't see again in Season 4 because we decided enough time has passed that they've figured out a better design.

Sticking with that control room, we get to see the murder of the citizens of Silo 17 through Troy/Daniel's eyes. Tell me about showing this brutal moment through his eyes.

We wanted to show the dehumanization that's happened in this silo, and how he's no longer Daniel.

We knew it would be really interesting to see what happened to Silo 17 because we've seen all the bodies as Juliette walked through. We saw this hand holding this flagpole and this tattered flag, and we know that that was the sheriff, but how did it get there? So there was this sort of retconning that Amber [Templemore], the director, had to do to get Ross [McCall] to land in such a way that his hand would be on the flag, so it would make sense from the beginning of Season 2. Seeing him, seeing his face, seeing his wife's face, seeing their their son, it really humanized them as this horrible shit's about to happen. All of that was in service to see Daniel — now Troy — doing it without apparently having the least qualm. That's his job and that's what he does. Charlotte — now Susan — has a different reaction, and that was important to us.

I am so fascinated by that. I'm also fascinated by Victor monitoring them and checking to see how much they remember of each other.

It was fun to create this character that we look at as being sort of a secondary character in the first part of the season, who then steps up. There's a reason that I got Matt Craven to play him.

But in his reaction [to the Daniel and Charlotte scene], he's not only clocking them; he's just watching Daniel/Tory do this horrific thing, and there's a part of him that's dying. When he leaves that message to Daniel saying, "When they capped the safeguard in Silo 18, there was part of me that was relieved," it's clear he doesn't want to be a part of this anymore. His life has run its course. There's no point.

We thought it would be interesting and hopefully emotional to see a character that we learn to love over the course of the season, Daniel, become this absolute amoral, completely untethered [person], just doing his job and killing people. There's a line that [finale writer] Fred [Golan] wrote where he says, "Let's get those numbers down, people." The numbers are people. It's just like, "Let's make more dead bodies." That's a big setup for Season 4 as well, just understanding the level of the lethality of this project.

The interview above was edited for length and clarity.

Silo Season 3 is now streaming on Apple TV.

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Categories: IT General, Technology

UGREEN's new "Ultra" NAS systems put your sluggish homelab to shame

How-To Geek - 9 hours 19 min ago

UGREEN wants to be sure your home studio has network-attached storage that's always up to the job—even if you're juggling multiple tasks at once. The company has come to IFA 2026 with two NAS units, the NASync DXP6800 and DX8800 Ultra, that are meant for everyone from individual creatives through to fast-growing shops.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Hurdle hints and answers for September 4, 2026

Mashable - 9 hours 19 min ago

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts 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

Hard to get out of a shirt.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

STAIN

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To capture.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 4, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

CATCH

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Related to a raccoon.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 4, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Sept. 4, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

COATI

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Found in the deep sea.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

DIVER

Final Hurdle hint

To wow.

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

AMAZE

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

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 4, 2026

Mashable - 10 hours 8 min ago

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you skateboard.

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

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

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

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

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

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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

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

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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

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

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

  • Yellow: Hit by pitch

  • Green: Seen in a Tony Hawk game

  • Blue: Iconic swimmers

  • Purple: The draft

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

  • Yellow: Nail a Batter with a Pitch

  • Green: Skateboarding Tricks

  • Blue: Swimmers with 10+ Olympic Medals

  • Purple: Draft___

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 #711 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

  • Nail a Batter with a Pitch: BEAN, DRILL, HIT, PLUNK

  • Skateboarding Tricks: 900, HEELFLIP, MANUAL, MCTWIST

  • Swimmers with 10+ Olympic Medals: DRESSEL, LEDECKY, PHELPS, THOMPSON

  • Draft___: CLASS, LOTTERY, ORDER, PICKS

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.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Pips hints, answers for September 4, 2026

Mashable - 10 hours 11 min ago

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

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 September 4, 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 September 4, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 4 Pips

Number (7): Everything in this red space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed vertically.

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

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 4 Pips

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

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

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 5-1, placed vertically; 3-1, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed horizontally.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 4 Pips

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 6-0, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed horizontally.

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 4-0, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically.

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

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

Number (4): Everything in this red space must add up to 4. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 0-2, placed vertically.

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

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

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-6 placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 1-3, placed horizontally; 3-2, placed vertically.

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

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Sept. 4, 2026

Mashable - 11 hours 19 min ago

Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 4, 2026 Cringy meaning

Causes embarrassment or discomfort.

Opine meaning

To state an opinion.

Stied meaning

Confined a pig in a pigpen.

That's meaning

Points to specific people, things or ideas.

Cake donut meaning

A small, holed round baked treat.

Candy corn meaning

A triangular orange and yellow treat, often associated with Halloween.

Cherry tomato meaning

A small, sweet red vegetable.

Pizza pie meaning

A large, round baked Italian dish.

Conger meaning

A large eel.

Gulper meaning

An eel with a large mouth used to swallow its prey.

Moray meaning

A family of large eels.

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Ribbon meaning

A piece of satin used to tie things together.

Bowling ball meaning

A spherical object used to knock down pins.

Eye meaning

The organ used for sight.

Moon meaning

Earth's natural satellite

Orange meaning

A bright citrus fruit, commonly grown in Florida.

Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

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

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 4, 2026

Mashable - 11 hours 19 min ago

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're fashionable.

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.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise 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.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 4, 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: Well-rounded

  • Green: Tasty

  • Blue: Sea creatures

  • Purple: They throw a fit

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Here are today's Connections categories

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

  • Yellow: Spherical things

  • Green: Food whose name is two foods

  • Blue: Kinds of eels

  • Purple: Accessories inside starting and ending letters

Play our Big Guessing Game: Make your predictions now for a chance to win a new Apple Watch. Time's running out!

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 #1177 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

  • Spherical things: BOWLING BALL, EYE, MOON, ORANGE

  • Food whose name is two foods: CAKE DONUT, CANDY CORN, CHERRY TOMATO, PIZZA PIE

  • Kinds of eels: HOT WHEELS, MATCHBOX, MICRO MACHINES, TONKA

  • Accessories inside starting and ending letters: AVERAGE, COUNT, MAX, SUM

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

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

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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.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Strands hints, answers for September 4, 2026

Mashable - 11 hours 19 min ago

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're a comics fan.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 4, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: To the rescue

The words are related to being superhuman.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe extraordinary traits.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Heroes.

NYT Strands word list for September 4

  • Courageous

  • Fearless

  • Heroes

  • Lionhearted

  • Intrepid

  • Brave

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and 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 Strands.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 4, 2026

Mashable - 11 hours 19 min ago

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a gambler.

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 hints today: Clues, answers for September 4, 2026 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 Pips hints, answers for September 4, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A bet.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter J.

Play our Big Guessing Game: Make your predictions now for a chance to win a new Apple Watch. Time's running out!

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...

WAGER

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.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 Wordle.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This tiny eReader convinced me that we're finally in a post-Kindle world

How-To Geek - 13 hours 19 min ago

There are some products that are so successful that the brand name becomes the default term for that product. Brands such as Band-Aid, Photoshop, and Scotch tape are often used for any products of that kind, and the same is true of Kindle. While the Kindle has been the dominant force in the eReader market for a long time, a tiny eReader makes me believe that things are starting to change.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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