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The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Tuesday, May 12, 2026:

AcrossGerman for "Mrs."

• The answer is Frau.

Small stall at a mall

• The answer is Kiosk.

Bring to mind

• The answer is Evoke.

Surprised exclamations upon seeing mice

• The answer is Eeks.

Dramatic end to a World Cup game, for short

• The answer is PKs.

DownRace that equates to 3.1 miles ... or a hint to one letter's frequent appearance in this grid?

• The answer is Five K.

Chess "castles"

• The answer is Rooks.

Poses a question to

• The answer is Asks.

Hawaiian stringed instrument, informally

• The answer is Uke.

Not go bad

• The answer is Keep.

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to play Pips

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 12, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for May 12, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 12 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 12 Pips

Number (12): Everything in this purple space must add up to 12. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 1-4, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 6-2, placed vertically.

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

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

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically; 2-4, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 12 Pips

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

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

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 2-0, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically.

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

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

Greater Than (4): Everything in this dark blue space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically.

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

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 1-2, placed horizontally; 2-2, 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.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will require some sports and pop culture knowledge.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Yellow: Not playing well

• Green: A racket

• Blue: OKC core

• Purple: Types of clocks

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Out of Practice

• Green: Parts of a Tennis Racket

• Blue: Members of the Oklahoma City Thunder

• Purple: ___Clock

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 #596 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Out of Practice: COLD, OFF, RUSTY, SLUGGISH

• Parts of a Tennis Racket: BUTT, GRIP, GROMMETS, STRINGS

• Members of the Oklahoma City Thunder: DORT, HOLMGREN, JOE, WALLACE

• ___Clock: GAME, PITCH, PLAY, SHOT

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.

When your organization struggles to adapt to changing markets, it may not be a capability issue. More often, it stems from an inability to let go of assumptions, metrics, and habits that no longer reflect reality. To stay competitive, you need to identify what your business should stop carrying forward. AI can help. Audit the […]

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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.

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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

Escargot.

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

SNAIL

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A stamp.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 12, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

LABEL

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Need to.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 12 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 12, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

OUGHT

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Amiss.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

AFOOT

Final Hurdle hint

Proportion.

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

RATIO

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

In April, Meta quietly reversed itself after removing an Instagram post honoring older lesbian relationships in Brazil. The excised post was not sexual in nature and did not contain material harmful to minors. The post in question documented a snapshot from a moment in history where lesbians were forced to hide their relationships as "roommates" or "gal pals" and their love was scrubbed from the public record. Nevertheless, Meta removed the content. 

Meta cited its hate speech rules. The Oversight Board later acknowledged what should have been obvious from the start: The Brazil case was an instance of over‑enforcement against a marginalized community, driven by automated systems that could not read context, reclaimed language, or even the full post itself. The content was restored only after outside intervention and advocacy from the LGBTQ+ community.

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This case is now being treated as a narrow content moderation error, but policymakers need to recognize that it signals a clear warning about what happens when lawmakers push platforms to police content instead of fixing design. Across the country, states are rushing to "protect kids online" by restricting access to social media or pressuring companies to remove vaguely defined "harmful" content. But what happened in Brazil shows the human cost of that approach. 

When platforms are incentivized to remove speech quickly and at scale, they do not become better judges of nuance. Social media becomes a blunt instrument, and the first people hit are those whose stories require human context and radical empathy to be understood.

If lawmakers actually want to protect kids, they should stop asking platforms to decide which stories are acceptable and start regulating core design choices that cause harm in the first place, like endless scroll, engagement‑based recommendations, and surveillance‑driven feeds.

SEE ALSO: I had a Grindr sugar daddy for a day. Then he tried to get a refund.

Here’s why that distinction matters, especially for LGBTQ+ kids and other marginalized communities, like neurodivergent kids. LGBTQ+ young people are far more likely than their peers to rely on online spaces to find community, information, and support, often because those things are unavailable or unsafe at home or school. But they are also significantly more likely to end up in unsafe online interactions: harassment, grooming, doxxing, or being pushed into high‑risk spaces they didn’t seek out. 

In Australia, after a social media ban on anyone under 16 was enacted, disability rights advocates noted that autistic youth were cut off from some of the only support and peer networks available to them. 

Recommendation systems don’t understand vulnerability, but they understand engagement. When a queer kid searches for community, platforms often respond by aggressively amplifying whatever keeps them clicking. Usually, this means increasingly sexualized content, adult strangers, extremist rhetoric, or predatory accounts that know exactly how to exploit isolation. 

Infinite scroll makes disengagement much harder for adolescents, according to the Electronic Privacy Information Center, even more so for those in vulnerable communities. Algorithmic "friend" or "account" suggestions collapse liminal boundaries between teens and adults. Weak defaults make it difficult to block, mute, or disappear.

Young people, not just LGBTQ+ young people, are exposed to harm online because platforms are built to extract attention, not protect users. Parents are right to be worried and to advocate for change. But a content-based framing misses the real problem. 

The greatest risks kids face online don’t come from a single bad post slipping through moderation, but from automated systems that push content at kids they didn’t ask for, connect them to people they don’t know, and keep them scrolling long after warning signs appear.

Policymakers at both the state and federal levels need to design regulations that address those risks directly. Age‑appropriate design codes don’t tell platforms what speech to allow, but they can tell platforms how to behave. Design codes require safer defaults, like limits on behavioral profiling, stronger blocking tools, reduced amplification of unsolicited recommendations, and guardrails that slow down virality and compulsive use. 

The public should advocate for product refinement, rather than infringement of First and Fourth Amendment rights. Design codes reduce the chance that a curious or lonely kid is algorithmically funneled into danger, like I was, searching for community and nudged toward risk by systems that did not care who I was.

Age‑appropriate design codes offer a way out of this mess. By regulating how platforms are built rather than what people are allowed to say, design code laws reduce harm without turning companies into cultural censors. They don’t require platforms to interpret reclaimed slurs, queer history, or political speech. Companies should instead be required to stop engineering addiction and risk. 

We don’t need more content or platform bans. We need fewer harmful systems. If we’re serious about protecting kids online, especially the ones already most at risk, this case reminds us exactly where to start.

This article reflects the opinion of the writer.

Lennon Torres is the Movement Director at the Heat Initiative and Founding Partner of The Attention Studio. 

TL;DR: Get a lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons for $99.97 (reg. $299.99) through May 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Opens in a new window Credit: Skoove Skoove Premium Piano Lessons: Lifetime Subscription $99.97
$299.99 Save $200.02   Get Deal

Learning to play the piano can seem daunting, especially with traditional lessons not in your budget, scheduling conflicts, and the limitations of free online tutorials. Yet, for aspiring musicians eager to take the first step, a new deal on Skoove Premium Piano Lessons could open the door to a more accessible, rewarding learning experience.

Right now, a lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium is on sale for $99.97 (reg. $299.99). That’s a 67% discount through May 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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Skoove is an online learning platform crafted for both beginners and intermediate players, earning recognition from notable outlets such as Apple, Forbes, Wired, and The Guardian. Unlike platforms that depend exclusively on pre-recorded lessons, Skoove integrates AI-driven feedback, actively listening to your playing and offering real-time responses. This feature helps students identify mistakes on the spot, fostering better habits and more effective practice sessions.

The platform includes more than 400 lessons and thousands of instructional videos, with new songs and exercises added regularly. You’ll find a mix of genres too, from pop songs by artists like Adele and The Beatles to classical music from composers such as Bach and Beethoven. There are also special courses and access to one-on-one support from Skoove instructors if you need extra guidance.

Flexibility is another hallmark of Skoove’s approach. The platform is compatible with acoustic pianos and USB or MIDI keyboards, and it operates seamlessly across iOS, Android, and desktop devices. Whether you have just 15 minutes to practice after work or prefer to dedicate weekends to developing your skills, Skoove adapts to your lifestyle.

If you’ve been thinking about learning piano but didn’t want to commit to recurring lesson fees, this lifetime subscription could save you money in the long run. You can get Skoove Premium Piano Lessons for $99.97 while the deal lasts through May 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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TL;DR: Aivolut AI Book Creator is on sale for $48.99 (reg. $456) and helps entrepreneurs, coaches, and aspiring authors create KDP-ready books faster.

Opens in a new window Credit: Aivolut Books Aivolut AI Book Creator: Lifetime Subscription $48.99
$456 Save $407.01   Get Deal

Writing a book sounds exciting until you’re staring at a blank page and watching the cursor blink until your eyes glaze over. If you’ve had an idea sitting in your head — or scrawled in a notebook — Aivolut AI Book Creator is designed to help move the book-writing process along much faster.

The lifetime subscription to Aivolut AI Book Creator is currently on sale for $48.99, and it’s a one-time purchase so you don’t have to pay recurring subscription fees.

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The platform is built specifically for people who want to create and publish books without having to utilize multiple writing and formatting tools. Aivolut combines AI-assisted writing with publishing support to help turn rough concepts into structured, coherent manuscripts. Users can start with a topic, outline, or even use the voice dictation feature, then customize the tone, structure, and style while the software helps generate long-form content.

One exceptional feature is its built-in Kindle Direct Publishing support. In addition to producing manuscripts, Aivolut can automatically create Amazon-ready metadata such as descriptions, keywords, and categories, which may save hours of manual setup for self-publishing authors. According to the platform, books can be prepared for Amazon KDP upload in under five minutes.

The software is ideal for entrepreneurs, marketers, coaches, freelancers, and other professionals looking to write books. It may also appeal to first-time nonfiction authors who want help organizing ideas without outsourcing ghostwriters or editors early in the process.

Another selling point is the program’s flexibility. Instead of locking users into fixed templates, Aivolut lets writers edit tone, blend in their own material, and adjust the structure as they go. You won’ be replacing your voice, the goal is to speed up the outlining, drafting, and formatting process.

If you’ve been putting off writing a book because the process felt too time-consuming, Aivolut AI Book Creator is currently available for $48.99 (reg. $456) for lifetime access.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Sometimes, when you're scrolling through Paramount+'s movies looking for something to watch, the algorithm gods just drop all the right things on you. I was trying to line up a handful of movies to watch throughout the work week, and this mix, streaming for U.S. subscribers, just might do the trick.

The latest update for iPhone users, iOS 26.5, is officially here.

The beta version of the update has been available for developers for about a month now, giving iPhone users a pretty good idea of what new features to expect. However, as we've seen with previous iOS updates, features frequently get added or removed by the time the public version launches — so now we know exactly what's news in iOS 26.5.

First things first, iPhone users need to update their device to iOS 26.5. Besides the new features, updating to the latest OS ensures your device is protected with the latest security updates. To upgrade to iOS 26.5, simply go to Settings, then tap General, followed by Software Update. 

Users must have an iPhone 11 or newer in order to download and install iOS 26.5 to their device.

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RCS end-to-end encryption After updating to iOS 26.5, users will see a lock icon appear in RCS chats. Credit: Apple

It's official. After being tested in previous beta versions of iOS but failing to make the final release, encrypted RCS messaging is here.

RCS, or Rich Communication Services, is basically the messaging protocol that provides an Apple Messages-like experience when iPhone users and Android users text one another. It enables iPhone and Android devices the ability to send and receive high-quality media as well as view read receipts and typing indicators. 

However, before this update, these messages between iPhone and Android devices were unencrypted, meaning that they could potentially be intercepted and read by unauthorized third parties.

iOS 26.5 finally brings encryption to RCS messaging. It should be noted, though, that even though the feature has made it to the public release of iOS 26.5, encrypted RCS messages are still labeled as a beta feature by Apple. The availability of the feature is also dependent on your mobile carrier as well.

Yes, the green chat bubbles remain.

Apple Maps ads and Suggested Places

Nearly 13 and a half years after Apple launched its very own Maps application, advertisements have made their way to Apple Maps. (As of this writing, the feature is still labeled as "Coming Soon" on the Apple Ads website.)

Businesses will now be able to pay to advertise in the Apple Maps app, much like how app developers can run ads in Apple's App Store. Users will see local ads in the Maps app based on their location.

Ads will also appear in another brand-new Apple Maps feature called Suggested Places.

Apple has been recruiting advertisers for Apple Maps ads. Credit: Apple

While Suggested Places in Apple Maps will provide users with recommendations based on paid ads, it will also produce organic recommendations as well. Suggested Places will show users nearby trending locations, such as restaurants, shops, or tourist destinations, based on their recent search results.

USB-C accessory pairing

Want to use a Magic Mouse or Magic Keyboard with your iPhone? It's easier than ever before with iOS 26.5.

Simply connect the peripheral device to an iPhone via USB-C, and the device will automatically pair with the iPhone.

This means that after the initial pairing, users can simply unplug the USB-C cable and use the Magic Mouse or Magic Keyboard with their iPhone over Bluetooth without an additional required setup.

iPhone to Android transfer options

This is a small new update, but one that will surely be welcomed by an iPhone user making the switch to Android.

With iOS 26.5, users can now choose which message attachments they want to transfer to their Android device when moving data from their iPhone.

'Pride Luminance' wallpaper The new Pride Luminance background for iPads and iPhones. Credit: Apple

iOS 26.5 rolls out with a brand new iPhone wallpaper celebrating Pride Month.

Apple has released Pride Month wallpaper before. However, this marks the first time Apple has released one as a motion wallpaper. This isn't a static background. The "Pride Luminance" wallpaper is animated and customizable, meaning users can create their own version of the wallpaper using the 12 available colors.

The new Pride Luminance wallpaper that matches the new Pride Luminance watch face for Apple Watch in watchOS 26.5.

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When people start shopping for a reliable compact car, they usually end up looking at the same names over and over again. The Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, and Mazda3 tend to dominate the conversation, while Subaru quietly gets ignored in the background.

Looking for a good movie to watch this week? So far, nothing seems to be unseating the Charlize Theron thriller Apex from the top spot in the Netflix Top 10 movie rankings in the U.S., but one cute and cuddly animated surprise might be the one to do it, and it's on this week's list of movies subscribers should add to their watch lists.

After more than a year of promises, end-to-end encrypted RCS (Rich Communication Services) messages are finally available on both Android and iPhone users as part of a beta. The move locks down chats no matter which platform you're on, although you'll need to meet certain conditions.

Get ready for more Jack Reacher at Amazon. On Monday, Prime Video announced that Reacher, one of the service's most popular shows, has been renewed for season 5. The news was announced ahead of Amazon’s upfront presentation.

Luxury EVs are getting absurdly expensive. It’s becoming increasingly common to see compact electric crossovers push past the $80,000 mark once options are added, all while offering compromises in range, practicality, or driving feel. Badge appeal still carries a lot of weight in this segment, but buyers are beginning to ask a pretty reasonable question: how much are you actually getting for the money?

You'll find Apple Watches and Whoop fitness trackers on a number of Mashable writers and editors' wrists. Fitbit may have popularized fitness trackers and the entire concept of "counting steps," but the brand has been eclipsed in recent years by feature-rich rivals.

When one of our reporters ran the New York City marathon wearing seven fitness trackers, Fitbit didn't impress.

But a new Fitbit could change that. The screen-free Google Fitbit Air hits store shelves May 19, and the $99.99 price tag is very tempting compared to an Apple Watch, which can cost $249 to $799. The Fitbit Air even has some unique features that could tempt dedicated Whoop fans.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Fitbit Air $99.99 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here

We haven't had the chance to test the Google Fitbit Air yet (Steph Curry is not on our staff, unfortunately), but here are the top Fitbit Air features we're eyeing ahead of May 19.

Google Health Coach The new Google Health Coach launches alongside the Fitbit Air Credit: Google

When the Fitbit Air launches on May 19, Google will also debut the new Google Health Coach, which will be part of the Google Health Premium subscription ($9.99 a month or $99 a year).

Google Health Coach is an AI personal trainer that can make personalized workout and health recommendations tailored to you. Using the health, sleep, and fitness data collected by the Fitbit Air, you'll be able to get insights that go way beyond counting steps. The level of personalization is impressive, as the AI coach can take your sleep cycle, local weather, and medical history into account when designing workouts.

We don't love it when products require a paid subscription to unlock crucial features, but the amount of data available to your AI coach could set this tool apart from similar offerings. If you have a Pixel 4 smartwatch, you'll also be able to use this new feature.

A super lightweight design The Fitbit Air is lighter and thinner than the Whoop. Credit: Google

For the Fitbit Air, Google seems to be prioritizing lighter weight over battery life. While the Whoop 5.0 and MG have a longer battery life, the Fitbit Air will be significantly lighter and smaller.

The new Fitbit weighs a mere 12 grams, less than half the weight of the Whoop 5.0, which weighs in at 26.5 grams (the Whoop MG is 27.3 grams). The sensor area, which Google describes as a "pebble," is also slimmer in height and narrower in width than Whoop.

When compared to smartwatches, it has a significant size and weight advantage. That's crucial for people who want to use their fitness tracker as a sleep tracker.

Despite the small size, the Air can still measure heart rate, heart rhythm, SpO2 (blood oxygen levels), sleep stages, and more. It also contains an accelerometer and a gyroscope.

Gemini voice and text chat You can talk to the Google Health Coach by voice or text. Credit: Google

Within the Google Health app, you'll be able to talk to your AI coach by voice or text, with the conversations powered by Google's AI chatbot Gemini. You'll need your phone to do this, but for athletes who like to talk to their AI chatbot, you'll be able to talk in real-time. You'll be able to ask questions and make requests as you workout.

Perks for Gemini power users Credit: Google

Google offers several paid AI subscriptions for users who want to access the latest Gemini models and features — Google AI Pro and Google AI Ultra. With the debut of Google Health Coach, users on either of these plans will now get free access to Google Health Premium.

So, if you're already a Gemini power user, you can unlock extra features on the Fitbit Air at no extra cost.

Fitbit Air can use Gemini to "see" your workout and meal plans

As the maker of Gemini, one of the most advanced AI chatbots, Google has some big advantages over Apple, Whoop, Garmin, Nothing, and other smartwatch and fitness tracker brands.

Case in point: You can take pictures and upload them to Google Health Coach for analysis. A Google blog post states that users can "upload photos of gym whiteboards or snap photos of meals for nutritional analysis." You can also upload PDFs with health information.

Again, you'll need to use your phone to use this feature.

3-month free trial Credit: Google

Finally, Google has one more advantage over Whoop: a longer free trial. When you buy a Fitbit Air, you get three months of access to Google Health Premium, whereas Whoop only offers a 1-month free trial

For all these reasons, we expect the new Google Fitbit Air to be a serious competitor in the fitness tracker world and may even tempt some people to ditch their smartwatch. We're seeing growing interest in screen-free technology lately, which is one reason Whoop is so popular.

However, once again, Google is going all-in on artificial intelligence features. For athletes who are not interested in having an AI personal trainer or using Gemini as a workout buddy, the Fitbit Air may be a tougher sell.

Google touts its privacy features, but not everyone wants to provide such detailed health information to Big Tech.

The Google Fitbit Air is available for pre-order now for $99.99 at Amazon and the Google Store.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued Netflix over claims it not only spies on you by collecting data without your permission but has also designed its service to keep you hooked — and your kids.

Many Android phones now promise five, six, or even seven years of major software updates, which is great. If you're spending $1,000 on a phone, it's fair to expect it to last more than half a decade—especially now that performance and camera quality have largely plateaued.

The hacking collective ShinyHunters says it disrupted a major education platform not once but twice over the past few weeks. And the data breach could not have come at a worse time for students and teachers. These events unfurled during school finals at many of the affected institutions.

On April 30, Instructure, the edtech company behind Canvas, the popular Learning Management System (LMS) utilized by educational institutions around the world, temporarily went offline. A day later, Instructure confirmed that a "criminal threat actor" was behind a data breach into the company's systems.

According to ShinyHunters, the group stole data from 275 million Canvas users at nearly 9,000 schools worldwide. The affected users include students, teachers, and staff, and while no passwords or other sensitive data were taken, the data stolen was significant. The hackers claimed usernames, email addresses, student IDs, and private messages exchanged on the platform were part of the stolen data. Some of the impacted users are underage students.

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Shortly after the hack, Instructure confirmed that it had revoked access from the bad actors, took measures to fix the issues and prevent another breach from occurring, and brought Canvas back online.

However, just one week later, ShinyHunters says it hit Canvas again. This time, the hackers compromised school-specific login pages for the platform and defaced the pages with messages threatening to publicly release the stolen data from the previous breach unless Instructure agreed to "negotiate a settlement."

A monetary demand from ShinyHunters was not surprising. The ransomware group is known for extorting victims following a data breach. A second breach at Instructure, however, was a surprise. Canvas once again went offline, and when it came back, the company had removed the source of the second incident: Free-For-Teacher accounts.

According to a newly updated incident page on Instructure's website, the company says it "identified a vulnerability regarding support tickets in our Free for Teacher environment that was exploited." 

"We temporarily disabled Free for Teacher while we complete a full security review," the company said. "We know that's disruptive, and we didn't make that call lightly. But keeping the entire Canvas platform secure has to come first."

While the second breach did not result in any stolen data, the timing of the security incident could not have been worse for students, as many schools are currently holding finals and other scheduled deadlines for end-of-year coursework.

As PCMag reports, "students and professors struggled to access the online platform used to submit assignments and tests." (Disclosure: PCMag and Mashable are both owned by the same parent company, Ziff Davis.)

According to data provided to Mashable from Alliance Risk Trends, Google searches for "canvas hacked" and "canvas down" spiked roughly 1,000 percent just this past Friday. There was a combined search volume of more than 1 million for searches involving the Canvas security incidents and subsequent downtime.

Some readers reached out to Mashable to share their experience. One parent of a student at Seton Hall University forwarded Mashable an email that the school sent out while Canvas was down.

"We know the timing of this is hard," the school's email to students read. "Finals are underway, coursework is due, and Canvas being offline right now is genuinely disruptive."

Some schools, such as Bayton University in Texas, postponed final exams on Friday specifically due to issues accessing Canvas.

"With Canvas down at the national level, Baylor University will delay final exams tomorrow (Friday, May 8, 2026)," the school said in a statement.

Canvas is now back online. However, ShinyHunters' "settlement" deadline to release the data on May 12 still looms.

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Counterfeit DDR5 RAM is circulating across online storefronts and gray-market retailers, and some fake modules are convincing enough to pass visual inspection — until you cut them open. According to Digital Trends, the chips installed on the fraudulent sticks aren't memory at all, but merely fiberglass boards shaped to resemble legitimate DRAM.

SEE ALSO: The RAM shortage driving up tech prices won’t end any time soon, Micron says

The issue was reported by a Japanese X user who purchased what appeared to be a genuine SK Hynix SO-DIMM laptop module and physically dissected it after becoming suspicious. Inside, they found non-functional fiberglass pieces where the memory chips should have been.

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"At first glance, they look like regular memory sticks, but the chips actually installed on them are just bare circuit boards—plastic boards. I removed them and cut them open to check," reads a translation of the X post.

Some of these counterfeits are reportedly being sold openly on auction platforms like Yahoo Japan under listings marked "untested" or "junk," with sellers explicitly refusing returns.

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The problem is compounded with desktop DDR5 kits, where large heatspreaders cover the memory chips entirely. Without visible chips to inspect, Digital Trends notes, buyers often have no way to confirm what they've purchased until a system fails to boot or crashes repeatedly.

The conditions for this kind of fraud are straightforward. DDR5 prices have been rising sharply for over a year, driven by AI-related demand that has sparked a global memory crisis. And as memory manufacturers prioritize enterprise and server production over consumer supply, there's no end in sight for shoppers.

Mashable previously reported that Framework, the modular PC maker, raised its DDR5 prices multiple times through late 2025, with a 48GB module jumping from $240 to $620 over the course of months. Samsung warned manufacturing partners of further price hikes to come, with major laptop makers including Lenovo, Dell, and HP warning of price increases.