Blogroll

Microsoft 50th anniversary event: How to watch live

Mashable - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 16:22

Microsoft turns the big 5-0 today (April 4), and the company is kicking off the celebration with a live Copilot event, rumored to include a suite of new announcements for the AI tool, as well as a nostalgic look back on the tech giant's storied history.

SEE ALSO: Has the Trump administration used AI to calculate tariffs?

Windows fans can expect an appearance from Copilot CEO Mustafa Suleyman — and select deals on Microsoft products — but the real star of the show is the iconic Windows 95 logo, back in all its glory to honor Microsoft's more humble beginnings.

Head over to Microsoft's X page for a another festive birthday surprise.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. What time does the live event start?

The live event will start at 12:30pm ET (9:30am PT).

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. How can I stream the Copilot event?

The Copilot event will stream live on the Microsoft Copilot YouTube page and the Microsoft website. Viewers can also catch birthday content, stories, and updates on Microsoft's 50th anniversary landing page.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 Have Dropped to $179

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 16:05

If you're an Android user looking for premium earbuds that rival the AirPods, you'll want to check out the Google Pixel Buds Pro 2. Google's second-gen earbuds pack a big punch and fancy features, and right now, they're down to an all-time low price.

Categories: IT General, Technology

9 Tasks You Can Automate on Your Android Phone

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 16:00

Not everything on your Android phone has to be turned on or off manually. You can automate many tasks on your phone, letting it do useful things on its own. Here are some useful automations to use on your device.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Ford Is Offering Discounts on Nearly All of Its Vehicles

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 15:55

Following the announcement of significant tariffs on imported vehicles this week, you might expect prices to rise across the board. However, that’s not the case. Ford has just revealed that it is offering discounts on nearly every vehicle in its lineup.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This is The Best Laser Cutter/Welder for a Hobby Shop That I’ve Ever Seen

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 15:30

Metal cutting is something that's never been an easy feat. It's typically expensive, difficult, and requires a lot of skill to do. Well, the xTool MetalFab aims to change that, and I think it's truly the best laser cutter/welder I've ever seen.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Here's Everything New in Ubuntu 25.04 'Plucky Puffin'

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 15:00

Ubuntu 25.04, nicknamed "Plucky Puffin" is arriving this month. The release takes major steps forward to help prepare for the next long-term support (LTS) release next year.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NHTSA Launches Investigation into 2.2 Million Honda and Acura Vehicles

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 14:49

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recently announced it has launched an investigation into 2,209,466 Honda and Acura vans, trucks, and SUVs. The affected models include popular ones like the Honda Pilot and Acura MDX.

Categories: IT General, Technology

It's Okay to Use More Than One Browser (Here's Why I Do)

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 14:31

It’s easy to let work bleed into other aspects of your life if you work from home, especially if you use your own personal computer like I do. Juggling multiple log-ins, extensions, and tabs for two separate purposes can get messy. Simply using two different browsers has been a game-changer for me.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Switch 2 LCD Is a Big Upgrade Over the OLED Switch

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 14:00

With the official reveal of the Nintendo Switch 2, we now know that the launch model comes with an LCD and not an OLED as the last Switch model did. This seems to have upset quite a few prospective Switch buyers, but is it really a downgrade?

Categories: IT General, Technology

Experience These Gaming Greats, Revamped, With G2A.COM

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 14:00

You can't beat a classic. But you can relive it, particularly when it's been respawned with better graphics and gameplay mechanics. And judging by the recent trend of videogame reboots and remasters, these reformed and repackaged classics are in high demand.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Has the Trump administration used AI to calculate tariffs?

Mashable - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 13:29

With all of the world talking about Trump's tariffs — you know, the set of levies on basically the entire world that's set to wreak havoc in the global trade and make your iPhone more expensive — an important question looms: Has the Trump administration used an AI to calculate those tariffs?

It would be unheard of. Trump's "Reciprocal Tariffs" table — while certainly not definitive at this point — could turn out to be the most important document of the decade. But the numbers on the table indicate tomfoolery.

SEE ALSO: Stephen Colbert jokes about Trump using ChatGPT for tariff formula

Without going into intricacies of tariffs for every specific country, the thing is, these tariffs aren't reciprocal, despite Trump calling them so. It appears that the White House used a pretty basic formula that divides the trade deficit for the U.S. for a country, then divides that by the total imports from that country, and then divides the result in two. Note that there are no actual tariffs in that formula; a country could be charging a tariff on U.S. imports, but this formula disregards it (the White House countered this by basically providing more proof that this was exactly the case, per finance writer James Surowiecki).

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

Then there's the question of the countries and territories included, which include places where there are no people (which is why the internet is today flooded by penguin memes).

Tech artist Gordon Chapman then dropped a bombshell on Threads, indicating that the White House's tariff table corresponds to internet top level domains (instead of, you know, actual countries), which could be proof that it was generated by an AI. Chapman later withdrew the post, explaining that the tariffs table is likely based on this data.

View on Threads Who did the math?

Still, the question remains: How much (human) thought went into the tariffs calculations if the entire thing is just a simple formula applied onto a list of territories which doesn't entirely correspond to places that the U.S. should reasonably be imposing tariffs upon?

According to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, United States Trade Representative (USTR) economists had worked on this stuff for years. Some experts, per Reuters, dismiss this as they consider the tariffs to have "no methodology" that produced "nonsense numbers."

Interestingly, if you ask an LLM, such as ChatGPT, to calculate U.S. tariffs on other countries in an "easy way," you get pretty much the same formula that the White House used. Ouch.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. What happens next is unclear

The tariffs figures can be viewed as starting point for further negotiations. In fact, Eric Trump said it pretty bluntly on X: "I wouldn’t want to be the last country that tries to negotiate a trade deal with @realDonaldTrump. The first to negotiate will win - the last will absolutely lose. I have seen this movie my entire life...," he wrote. So maybe the math behind the numbers is less important, if the numbers are all going to change soon.

But if the tariffs calculations have been hastily put together by an AI, that would indicate a new depth of incompetence for the Trump administration, closely following that of using Signal chat to plan military operations and including a journalist in that same chat.

It's hard to prove that the White House used ChatGPT or an equivalent for its tariffs math. The AIs themselves give a fair share of warnings that their calculations are imperfect and simplified, which should give pause to...anyone, really. The signs are out there, though, and we shudder to think what else the White House experts may leave to AI to do.

Categories: IT General, Technology

My favorite AirPods are still discounted at Amazon even after the Big Spring Sale

Mashable - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 13:20

SAVE $50: As of April 4, the AirPods Pro 2 are on sale at Amazon for $199, 20% off their list price of $249.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 2 $199 at Amazon
$249 Save $50 Get Deal

Amazon's Big Spring Sale featured some nice deals on Apple devices, including on various AirPod models. Even though the sale event is behind us now a few of them are still on sale, even if they're not quite as low as they were during the sale itself. My personal favorites, the AirPods Pro 2, are included in this discounted selection right now. If you've had your eye on them, now is still a good time to pick them up.

The AirPods Pro 2 are currently on sale for $199, which is a 20% discount from their list price of $249. While this isn't as low as they were during the Big Spring Sale, this is still a worthy deal to jump on if they've been on your radar. They've even made our lists of the best earbuds and the best headphones, so you know they're worth the investment.

SEE ALSO: Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 are still at their lowest-ever price at Amazon after the Big Spring Sale

No matter if you enjoy kicking back with new music or getting lost in an audiobook, you'll experience excellent sound quality with the AirPods Pro 2 thanks to the H2 chip. This is further bolstered by noise-canceling features that keep you completely immersed. Active Noise Cancellation gets rid of any outside noise, transparency mode opens things up for you to hear the world around you without disrupting what you're listening to, and Adaptive Audio shifts the noise control depending on where you are and how loud it is.

If you're already immersed in Apple's ecosystem, the AirPods Pro 2 are worth adding into your Apple family. Scoop them up for 20% off their list price at Amazon today.

They aren't the only Apple deal that's available right now, either. You can also save on the 2024 Mac Mini right now at Amazon and the Apple Watch Series 10 is still discounted there as well.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Why I Don't Use Linux on My Desktop PC

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 13:00

Linux is a great operating system, but I just can't use it as my main desktop. I've tried in the past, and there are a few things that hold me back from switching over. I would if I could, but I just simply can't.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Get $300 off the iRobot Roomba j7+ Robot Vacuum Right Now at Best Buy

Mashable - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 12:35

SAVE $300: As of April 4, the iRobot Roomba j7+ Robot Vacuum is on sale at Best Buy for $499, 37% off its list price of $799.

Opens in a new window Credit: iRobot iRobot - Roomba j7+ (7550) Wi-Fi Connected Robot Vacuum with Automatic Dirt Disposal - Graphite $499 at Best Buy
$799 Save $300 Get Deal

Looking to get some cleaning done as the springtime weather rolls in? The good news is you can still score some great deals on items like robot vacuums to help you out, even with many of the spring sales behind us now. One of our favorite discounts at the moment is on the iRobot Roomba j7+ Robot Vacuum at Best Buy, which has received a $300 discount.

This has dropped the price of the iRobot Roomba j7+ Robot Vacuum from $799 to $499, which is a very nice deal to take advantage of especially considering many of the big spring sales and their deals on robot vacuums have come to an end by now. If you've been looking for a robot vacuum to help make your household cleaning just a little bit easier, the Roomba J7+ is worth every cent. It has powerful suction and empties itself into a bin that can store up to 60 days worth of dirt, so you don't have to worry about it for months.

SEE ALSO: I've tested 20+ robot vacuums and these are the best for every budget in 2025

When it comes to cleaning, the iRobot Roomba j7+ Robot Vacuum features a three-stage cleaning system that offers a powerful clean as it moves around your house, covering hard floors and carpets alike. It can also move around any objects in its way, so there's no need to worry about tidying up before it sets out to clean for the day. And with Imprint Smart Mapping, you can customize a cleaning schedule to figure out specific rooms you want cleaned around the house and when you want them done.

This deal on the iRobot Roomba j7+ Robot Vacuum at Best Buy may not stick around for long, so act fast to save $300 on it.

It isn't the only robot vacuum deal that's crossed our radar recently. Over at Amazon, you can also score a sweet deal on the Shark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum, which is 50% off at the moment.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Bill Murray and Naomi Watts chose the one film for which they want to be remembered, and its surprising

Mashable - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 12:26

The Friend co-stars Bill Murray and Naomi Watts discuss the films they are most proud of and the relationship between sacrifice and art.

The Friend is now in theaters.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Stephen Colbert jokes about Trump using ChatGPT for tariff formula

Mashable - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 12:07

We've faced Liberation Day, and everyone is still scrambling to get their heads around how Trump's tariffs will impact the struggling economy.

Stephen Colbert breaks the past 24 hours in the Late Show clip above, from the stock market reaction to the way Trump may or may not have calculated his tariff formula.

"Everybody's trying to figure out the logic behind these tariffs, and according to some guys on the internet who actually did this, the formula is apparently what you get if you ask ChatGPT to make tariff policy," says Colbert, referencing an article by professor and former NYT columnist Paul Krugman. "Ohhh, busted! Somebody cheated on your tariff homework. 'Oh God, I didn't finish my project for Liberation Day! Or start it, or decide what it is! Help me out, Secretary Robo-brain.'"

Categories: IT General, Technology

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 4, 2025

Mashable - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 11:36

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

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 today: Hints and answers for April 4 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's The Mini crossword answers for April 4, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Part of plankton.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter L appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter K.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. 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...

KRILL.

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 4

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

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 the latest Wordle.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 4, 2025

Mashable - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 11:36

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's The Mini crossword answers for April 4 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: The surplus

  • Green: Road trip

  • Blue: Where you'd watch the Yankees, Red Sox, etc.

  • Purple: Minus "E"

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

  • Yellow: What's leftover

  • Green: Car trip

  • Blue: Baseball venues

  • Purple: Companies with "E" removed

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 #663 is...

What is the answer to Connections today
  • What's leftover: BALANCE, DIFFERENCE, REMAINDER, REST

  • Car trip: CRUISE, DRIVE, RIDE, SPIN

  • Baseball venues: DIAMOND, FIELD, PARK, STADIUM

  • Companies with "E" removed: BAY, HARMONY, INK, TRADE

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 4

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 the latest Connections.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Strands hints, answers for April 4

Mashable - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 11:36

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands 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 April 4 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 4 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Step on it!

The words are meant for walking.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are something you would take steps on, typically inside.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Flooring.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for April 4
  • Hardwood

  • Linoleum

  • Terrazzo

  • Laminate

  • Concrete

  • Flooring

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 the latest Strands.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 4

Mashable - Fri, 04/04/2025 - 11:36

Connections: Sports Edition is a new 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.

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: Underperforming

  • Green: Still have a shot at women's championship

  • Blue: Teams that have had the same player

  • Purple: Words with an ending related to Serena Williams' sport

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

  • Yellow: Not meeting expectations

  • Green: Teams in the Women's Final Four

  • Blue: Teams Kawhi Leonard has played for

  • Purple: Ends in a piece of tennis equipment

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 #193 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today
  • Not meeting expectations - BUST, DISAPPOINTMENT, DUD, FAILURE

  • Teams in the women's Final Four - BRUINS, GAMECOCKS, HUSKIES, LONGHORNS

  • Teams Kawhi Leonard has played for - AZTECS, CLIPPERS, RAPTORS, SPURS

  • Ends in a piece of tennis equipment - BRACKET, EYEBALL, HORSESHOES, INTERNET

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

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 the latest Connections.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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