Blogroll
When it’s time to haul the family, this used minivan delivers
Minivans are back in style, and the Chrysler Pacifica has been leading the pack as America’s top-selling model. It’s consistently at the top for both sales and value, making it a reliable pick for families.
Stop running these homelab apps 24/7—here's why they should run on a schedule instead
Some people treat self-hosted apps as permanent infrastructure. Once installed, they leave them running forever, waiting to be used, even if in reality many apps are only actually needed for a few hours a week.
The hidden cost of cloud-based smart home devices (and why you should stop buying them)
Smart home devices with cloud-based features can feel surprisingly affordable and convenient when you first buy them. However, the ongoing costs and potential risks aren't always obvious until further down the line. The real cost isn't just what you pay up front, but what happens when the company changes the rules.
How I ditched Google Photos and built my own photo server
I grew tired of paying for Google One storage just to use Google Photos. Plus, I wanted more privacy and security over my stored pictures. What did I do? I built my own server to replace Google Photos, and you can too.
Stop using RAID cards for RAID—here's what they're actually good for
Are you still using your RAID card for RAID? It’s time to move to software-based RAID—but don’t throw that RAID card out yet, it still has a lot of use in your homelab.
3 excellent Paramount+ documentaries to watch this weekend (March 20 - 22)
Every week I deliver posts on some of the best documentaries to watch on Netflix and Prime Video, but I'm also a Paramount+ subscriber, and lately I've been finding some absolute killer docs on the service, and you deserve to enjoy them, too.
3 great HBO Max shows to binge-watch this weekend (March 20-22)
I know March Madness will be on everyone's TV this weekend, and rightfully so, but if you're not among the basketball devout, or you just want a break from all the, er, madness, flip over to HBO Max and try out one of our suggestions this weekend.
The secret to Ryobi savings: Why Tuesday is the magic day for tool deals
Have you ever found yourself wanting a new Ryobi tool, only to realize how expensive it is, and left the store or closed your browser tab? Cordless power tools (and battery packs) are expensive, and the secret to finding lower prices and better Ryobi deals is easier than you think.
5 unexpected Wi-Fi 7 benefits that have nothing to do with internet speed
Wi-Fi standards keep moving fast. First, we got Wi-Fi 6, which got a massive bump with a third 6GHz band thanks to Wi-Fi 6E, and now Wi-Fi 7 routers are already starting to become mainstream. If you're still running an older router that already matches your internet speed, it's easy to wonder what the point of upgrading is.
Elon Musk found liable for defrauding Twitter investors
A San Francisco jury ruled Friday that Elon Musk defrauded Twitter investors during his chaotic $44 billion acquisition of the platform in 2022 — and the damages could exceed $2.6 billion.
As reported on by Courthouse News Service, the case centers on a series of tweets and public statements Musk made in May 2022, when he publicly cast doubt on the deal by claiming spam and bot accounts made up a significant portion of Twitter's user base. Investors argued he was manufacturing an excuse to either back out or renegotiate the deal on cheaper terms, tanking the stock in the process. The lead plaintiffs in the case sued Musk in October 2022.
SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's X teases new dislike button on repliesAfter deliberation, the jury unanimously found that Musk's May 13 and May 17 tweets were materially false or misleading. They did not, however, find him liable for a May 16 conference comment in which he claimed that 20% of Twitter users were spam accounts. The jury also rejected the plaintiffs' broader fraud scheme claims.
Musk's legal team has already signaled they'll appeal, calling the verdict "a bump in the road."
Plaintiff attorney Mark Molumphy told Courthouse News the verdict makes clear that wealth doesn't exempt anyone from accountability — a point that feels increasingly worth making these days.
The short, strange life of mechanical smartphone cameras
When you think of a camera, you're probably thinking of a device that's at least partly mechanical. The zoom lens, the shutter, and the little knobs and wheels are all moving parts that exist even in a DSLR.
These 5 cheap networking gadgets will transform your homelab for under $200
Do you think that everything about a homelab is expensive? Think again! These are my five favorite cheap gadgets that improved my homelab the moment they arrived.
NYT Pips hints, answers for March 21, 2026
Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.
Released in August 2025, the 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 onto 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 PipsIf you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for 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 March 21, 2026The 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 March 21, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for March 21 PipsEqual (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally.
Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 0-1, placed horizontally.
Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally.
Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally; 4-0, placed vertically.
Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally.
Medium difficulty hints, answers for March 21 PipsGreater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.
Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 0-2, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally.
Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 1-2, placed vertically.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically.
Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 2-2, placed vertically.
Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically.
Hard difficulty hints, answers for March 21 PipsNumber (5): Everything in this purple space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-3, placed horiontally.
Number (5): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to 5. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this orange space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.
Number (5): Everything in this light blue space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.
Number (5): Everything in this red space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this green space must add up to 5. The answer is 2-1, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this red space must add up to 5. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to 5. The answer is 0-5, horizontally.
Number (5): Everything in this green space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally.
Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this purple space must add up to 5. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically.
Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-1, 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.
I refuse to buy a laptop without these 10 features
When you're shopping for a laptop, there are plenty of features to consider. Some are obvious—like a fast processor or, for gamers, a dedicated graphics card. After all, no one wants a sluggish, unusable machine.
I finally made Plex remote streaming bulletproof, and I love it
Despite the many worthy alternatives, I always find myself coming back to Plex. I know people have strong opinions on Plex, partly because it's the corporate face of self-hosting and partly because it has paywalled features that feel like they should be free.
NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 21, 2026
Today's Connections: Sports Edition is for people knowledgeable about gymnastics.
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. 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: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Gymnastics
Green: The ring
Blue: Hybrid skill players in the NFL
Purple: Spelled like an NHL team
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Gymnastics Apparatuses
Green: At the Boxing Ring
Blue: First Names of NFL Tight Ends
Purple: Starts of NHL Team Names
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 #544 is...
What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?Gymnastics Apparatuses - BARS, BEAM, FLOOR, VAULT
At the Boxing Ring - BELL, CORNER, ROPES, TURNBUCKLE
First Names of NFL Tight Ends - BROCK, DALLAS, HUNTER, TRAVIS
Starts of NHL Team Names - FLY, ISLAND, OIL, RANG
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 today's Connections.
Here are the once "essential" Android apps you don't need anymore
For years, we've all seen the same lists detailing "must-have apps" for any new Android phone, but times have changed. Android has been around for a long time, and dozens of once-popular apps have faded away. Still, there are several apps many consider "essential" that you no longer need and should probably uninstall.
USB-A costs pennies to make, which is why it'll outlast USB-C
Despite being 30 years old, the USB-A standard is as popular as ever. While USB-C has been steadily gaining ground since it was introduced in 2014, USB-A isn't going anywhere. Considering its ubiquity, popularity, and affordability, USB-A outlasting USB-C isn't out of the realm of possibility.
I always change these Pixel camera settings when I get a new phone
It feels cliché to say at this point, but cameras are a big part of the appeal of Google Pixel phones. I’ve been using Pixel phones for many years, and I’ve become very familiar with the Camera app. With just a few toggles, I have it perfectly set up to my liking.
This 43-year-old Windows app is still my favorite markdown editor
Windows Notepad is slowly losing many of its best qualities, but that doesn't mean it isn't usable today. Since its quiet debut in 1983, it has stayed a fundamental, lightweight core utility. For most of its history, Notepad's stubborn refusal to modernize made it an excellent tool for quick notes and great code writing. Recent updates have brought both good and bad, but for now, there's no reason to avoid it; in fact, it can end up being your most used program. Its invisible design, technical dependability, and commitment to simplicity make it an unbeatable choice, even as Microsoft risks its legacy by chasing unnecessary generative AI integrations.


