Blogroll

This open-source app turned GitHub into my favorite Android app store

How-To Geek - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 18:45

If you like using open-source apps on your Android phone, you likely visit GitHub on a regular basis, since it's the largest open-source app repository out there. But GitHub, in its default form, is anything but the best way to discover new apps and update the ones you already have on your phone, even if you have a GitHub account.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Stop putting off your homelab projects—they’re easier then you think

How-To Geek - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 18:30

If you’re anything like me, then you’ve probably put off certain projects in your homelab because they feel too difficult up front. Recently, I found that the homelab projects I was putting off weren’t actually as difficult as I thought when I did them, and that completely changed how I viewed projects in my homelab and in other areas of my life.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The internet keeps telling you to do these Raspberry Pi projects—don't

How-To Geek - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 18:15

The Raspberry Pi lineup consists of a range of great devices, and the most powerful units can even be used to self-host a number of services. However, there are some things I'll never use them for. These are the projects I stay away from.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Spaceballs sequel has a release date

Mashable - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 18:08

The long-awaited sequel to the cult movie Spaceballs now has a release date: April 23, 2027.

Spaceballs was released on June 24, 1987, making the Spaceballs 2 premiere nearly 40 years later.

Original writer-director Mel Brooks officially announced Spaceballs 2 last year, with Bill Pullman, Rick Moranis, and Daphne Zuniga reprising their roles. Now, Amazon MGM Studios has announced the actual release date ahead of CinemaCon 2026, exclusively for Deadline.

From there, we really only know the details that were released last year, like that Josh Greenbaum (Will and Harper) is directing, and the script is written by Josh Gad, Benji Samit, and Dan Hernandez. Gad is also expected to star, along with Keke Palmer.

Categories: IT General, Technology

These '90s classroom shows were actually brilliant—and you know it

How-To Geek - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 18:00

Think back to the 1990s. I imagine some of you—myself included—were in school. You're in a classroom when, suddenly, the teacher rolls in a television and pops in a VHS tape. It was one of the best feelings a student could have. Nowadays, a teacher would pull up a video on YouTube to play on the computer.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How I turned a dying laptop into a priceless home server with these 4 apps

How-To Geek - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 17:45

I had an old mini laptop lying around that had been gathering dust for years. It's too old to run modern operating systems and its screen doesn't work. It doesn't even have a storage drive inside. It sounds like it belongs in the bin, but it's not useless. I turned it into a tiny home server, and it now runs a handful of Docker containers. It consumes very little power (no screen) and it has perfect uptime because of its built-in battery backup.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Linux desktop environments are dying, and KDE and GNOME killed them

How-To Geek - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 17:30

Although the number of Linux Desktops has fluctuated over time, the fact that several are available is an important Linux tradition. It follows the principle that programs should be modular and composable; you should be able to swap out your desktop for an alternative, easily and seamlessly.

Categories: IT General, Technology

3 essential tools every 3D printer owner forgets to buy

How-To Geek - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 17:15

Your 3D printer setup is only as good as the tools you have. I’ve been 3D printing for years at this point, and I’ve found that there are a few essential tools that most 3D printer owners forget to buy because I wish someone had pointed these out earlier to me on my 3D printing journey.

Categories: IT General, Technology

That $20 tech deal is actually a scam—why your new router is an empty box and your SSD is destroying your data

How-To Geek - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 17:00

Tech products can be expensive, so when you see what appears to be a great deal, it can be hard to resist. The trouble is that when a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Why I don't use Linux on my desktop PC

How-To Geek - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 16:53

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

I finally found the ultimate Android Auto setup: Here's the 3 changes I made to get here

How-To Geek - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 16:45

Whether you're commuting to work or heading on a cross-country road trip, your car's infotainment system is vital. For years, I settled for the average Android Auto experience that's often laggy, cluttered, and tethered to a USB cable, but not anymore. I recently made several changes and now have the ultimate Android Auto setup, and here's how.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I replaced 3 paid productivity apps with one simple Python script

How-To Geek - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 16:30

Paying for multiple apps when I don't even use them to the fullest seemed like a waste. Each one served different purposes but had one common goal: managing and organizing my files. Individually, each app made sense. Together, they felt like overkill.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Netflix must refund customers for price hikes, Italian court rules

Mashable - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 16:26

While Netflix prices seem to keep rising in the United States, the streaming giant may have to reverse that trend in Italy.

On Friday, a Rome court ruled that Netflix's price increases over the last seven years were unlawful, and that the streamer must refund its Italian customers, Reuters reported. Netflix apparently violated Italy's Consumer Code by changing the subscription price without a valid reason. Specifically, the ruling states that Netflix breached this code in 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2024, according to Euro News.

SEE ALSO: Victim of Jeffrey Epstein files class-action lawsuit against Google

Each subscriber will be entitled to a reduction in their current subscription price and reimbursement of applicable past charges. Some customers could even get further compensation, Reuters reported.

Netflix told Reuters it will appeal the decision, and "We take consumer rights very seriously and believe our terms have always ​complied with Italian laws and practice."

The lawsuit was originally filed by consumer group Movimento Consumatori, or Consumer Movement. In a press release on Saturday, the group responded to Netflix's statement.

"If Netflix intends to put the rights of its subscribers and consumers before all other interests, it should respect the Rome Court ruling and provide refunds, thus saving itself from massive class-action and individual litigation that will last years, damaging its reputation and resulting trust," said Movimento Consumatori president Alessandro Mostaccio in a translated statement.

According to Mostaccio, over 25,000 Italian Netflix consumers have contacted Movimento Consumatori about the price hikes.

Movimento Consumatori's lawyers for the case, Paolo Fiorio and Corrado Pinna, stated, "It is surprising that Netflix defends its actions as compliant not only with the law but also with Italian market practices," in a translated statement. "In Europe and in Italy, market practices cannot derogate from the law, which, as the Court found, were violated by Netflix, which implemented unlawful price increases."

Categories: IT General, Technology

7 smart home devices you can replace with a $5 ESP32 board

How-To Geek - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 16:15

Sensors are some of the most useful devices you can add to your smart home. If you want true automation rather than simply control, sensors can give you the signals you need. Smart home sensors can be relatively expensive, but you can make your own using an ESP32 board for just a few dollars.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 hit TV shows you didn't know were remakes

How-To Geek - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 16:00

With the age of streaming, audiences have greater access to television from across the globe. From simultaneous global releases of the latest hits to classics and lesser-known gems, streaming viewers can access the latest hits at the touch of their fingertips. However, even with this greater availability, it hasn't stopped studios from reimagining existing series from a new cultural perspective.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Pips hints, answers for April 5, 2026

Mashable - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 15:45

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 Pips

If 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 April 5, 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 April 5, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for April 5 Pips

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

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

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically; 6-0, placed vertically.

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

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 2-3, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for April 5 Pips

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

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

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

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 0-6, placed vertically.

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

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 4-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally; 0-6, placed vertically.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for April 5 Pips

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally; 5-1, placed horizontally.

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

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed vertically.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 6-2, placed vertically.

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

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically.

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

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically; 3-1, placed vertically.

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

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 6-1, placed vertically; 3-1, 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.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Your Pixel phone is packed with AI features you probably don't want

How-To Geek - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 15:45

I think Pixel devices have attractive hardware, but personally, it’s the software that turns me off. Google has gone all-in on Gemini and AI, introducing it in an ever-growing number of ways. Fortunately, that turning off can go both ways. If you also think “No, thanks” every time Gemini rears its head, here are various ways you can take back your phone.—

Categories: IT General, Technology

SNL Weekend Update goes after both Pam Bondi and Kristi Noem

Mashable - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 15:31

Another week, another Saturday Night Live that isn't afraid to punch up at President Donald Trump over the Epstein files and whatever else happened in the last few days.

This time, Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che aimed at now-former Attorney General Pam Bondi and how Trump reportedly fired her over the Epstein files, "because the only person Trump has ever trusted to handle the Epstein situation is a prison guard with the cameras off," Jost said. Cue groans from the audience.

Jost didn't stop there; he joked that he actually understood Trump because he'd also be mad if someone "took a Sharpie and drew all over favorite memories," referring to the heavy redactions of the files.

Of course, the anchors didn't hesitate to also bring up the scandal regarding former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem's husband and his photos wearing fake breasts as a part of a "bimbofication" fetish. Che mentioned that Secretary of War Pete Hegseth quoted an airman saying the only thing they need in Iran is "bigger bombs."

"Got you covered," said Che. "How about Kristi Noem's husband?"

Categories: IT General, Technology

I stopped paying for third-party antivirus 14 years ago—here's how I keep Windows secure without it

How-To Geek - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 15:30

It doesn't feel that long ago that one of the first things I did with a new WIndows installation was get some antivirus software on there. At first, I used free software like Avast, but eventually I ponied up for paid software, especially after my computer was connected to the internet and I had more to worry about than an infected USB drive.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 5, 2026

Mashable - Sun, 04/05/2026 - 15:18

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is for people who watch NFL football.

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.

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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.

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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: Sideline

  • Green: Feathery mascots

  • Blue: QBs

  • Purple: Misspelled NBA teams

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

  • Yellow: Things on an NFL Sideline

  • Green: NFL Teams with Bird Nicknames

  • Blue: NFC Quarterbacks

  • Purple: Anagrams of NBA Teams

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 #559 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?
  • Things on an NFL Sideline - BENCHES, CHAINS, COACHES, MEDICAL TENT

  • NFL Teams with Bird Nicknames - CARDINALS, EAGLES, RAVENS, SEAHAWKS

  • NFC Quarterbacks - HURTS, LOVE, PURDY, YOUNG

  • Anagrams of NBA Teams - HATE, PARROTS, SCRAPE, THRONES

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.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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