Blogroll

These 5 PC upgrades cost pennies to 3D print instead of buying

How-To Geek - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 17:15

If you have a 3D printer sitting idle, it’s time to put it to work. Your PC gaming setup can be made so much better by printing instead of buying off-the-shelf parts. Here are five things that you should definitely 3D print before you ever consider buying.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Your router has a secret menu that exposes which device is killing your Wi-Fi

How-To Geek - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 17:00

Even having a super speedy fiber connection won't make you immune to various bottlenecks. The reality is that if you use the internet, you're bound to have some issues with it at one point or another. For many, this can lead to a long stretch of frustrating troubleshooting that ends in an annoyed phone call directed to your ISP.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 Linux commands that replaced my desktop apps

How-To Geek - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 16:45

For most people, the Linux terminal is where you troubleshoot issues or run sudo commands—not a place where you do your day-to-day work. I used to think the same way until I stumbled into the world of TUI (Terminal User Interface) apps—terminal-based tools with real interfaces. I tried a few, and while most didn’t stick, these five did. In fact, they’re so good they’ve replaced several graphical desktop apps I used before.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Olivia Rodrigo tries to make her ex jealous in this SNL sketch

Mashable - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 16:40

Everyone has at least one bad breakup they'd rather forget. For Olivia Rodrigo's character Saturday night, that breakup was very much front and center.

The sketch finds Rodrigo at a party, freshly face-to-face with an ex she's determined to make jealous. Her solution is to recruit the perfectly nice, completely game guy standing next to her, played by Tommy Brennan. A solid plan, all things considered.

SEE ALSO: Olivia Rodrigo shows off her lava cake in SNL's ShopTV sketch

Her ex, played by Ben Marshall, has the exact same idea. Unfortunately, the woman he recruited for his scheme is being played by Ashley Padilla. So, while Rodrigo and her easygoing pretend date have a genuinely lovely time, the ex's night devolves into something approaching a minor psychological crisis. Padilla has a particular gift for playing characters who exist just slightly outside the bounds of normal human behavior, and this sketch is a showcase for exactly that.

A great time all around.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I stopped mourning Google Reader after building the perfect self-hosted RSS server

How-To Geek - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 16:30

Being an avid reader on the modern internet sucks. After the disastrous pivot-to-video debacle of 2015 and experiencing the excessive amount of ads, pop-ups, consent forms, and overlays that plague modern websites, I yearn for the days of Google Reader and the simple RSS feed.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I never leave the house without this $8 gadget, and it's not just for charging my phone

How-To Geek - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 16:15

Let’s set the scene: your phone or some other gadget is on its last battery percentage, and even though there’s a USB port nearby, you don’t actually have a cable to use it. I’ve run into that situation more times than I can count, so I picked up a tiny USB-C keychain cable that I can carry everywhere, and it’s been way more useful than I ever could’ve expected.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Harry Potter’s new full-cast audiobooks are better than any TV reboot could be

How-To Geek - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 16:00

I have a confession—I am a Potterhead.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Olivia Rodrigo shows off her lava cake in SNLs ShopTV sketch

Mashable - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 15:58

Another day, another pop star doing a Shop TV sketch on Saturday Night Live.

Much like fellow pop girly Sabrina Carpenter before her, this weekend's host Olivia Rodrigo pulled double duty as both host and musical guest. And also like Carpenter, the Guts singer found herself behind the counter of Shop TV — the show's recurring QVC-style segment featuring hosts Rhett and Bev, played by Mikey Day and Ashley Padilla, hawking products that have absolutely no business existing.

SEE ALSO: 'SNL' opens with another Pete Hegseth press conference

This week's offering comes from Daisy, played by Rodrigo, who's selling lava cakes innocently shaped like buttholes.

There are several lines of dialogue in this sketch that, personally, did not need to exist and cannot be unheard. The bit is a great time, genuinely — but as Rhett and Bev themselves might say, the less time spent discussing the specifics, the better. So, consider this your warning and your recommendation simultaneously.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Stop struggling with big phones: Android's hidden one-handed setting changes everything

How-To Geek - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 15:45

I've never been a big fan of big phones. Sure, they can almost completely replace your PC if you want them to, but they just aren't that convenient to use on the go. At least, that's what I used to think. I've finally started using Android's one-handed mode, and it's so good that I can't remember why I never used it before.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Pips hints, answers for May 3, 2026

Mashable - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 15:32

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 3, 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 3, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 3 Pips

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

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

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

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 0-1, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed vertically.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 3 Pips

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally; 4-6, placed vertically.

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

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

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

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 3 Pips

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

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 0-4, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 4-2, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 3-2, placed horizontally; 2-0, placed vertically; 4-6, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to turn images and screenshots into Excel data

How-To Geek - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 15:30

Manually typing data from a printout or a screenshot into Excel is time-consuming and error-prone, but you can skip the data entry grind by letting Excel do the heavy lifting. Whether you're on your phone or your computer, the Data from Picture tool turns image rows into digital cells in seconds.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 3, 2026

Mashable - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 15:19

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

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: Hitting the gym

  • Green: NFL coaches

  • Blue: Cursed

  • Purple: Finish the Big Ten name

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

  • Yellow: In Good Shape

  • Green: Current NFL Head Coaches

  • Blue: Famous Sports "Curses"

  • Purple: Starts of Big Ten 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 #586 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?
  • In Good Shape: AGIL, ATHLETIC, FIT, STRONG

  • Current NFL Head Coaches: COEN, GLENN, REID, RYANS

  • Famous Sports "Curses": BAMBINO, BILLY GOAT, MADDEN, SI COVER

  • Starts of Big Ten Names: BOIL, BUCK, CORN, HAWK

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

Why my favorite smart home upgrade is a $7 smart plug

How-To Geek - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 15:15

There are so many smart home devices these days, it's hard to know where to start. A lot of smart home devices can be expensive, but a $7 smart plug is still one of my favorite smart home upgrades.

Categories: IT General, Technology

SNL opens with another Pete Hegseth press conference

Mashable - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 15:12

Saturday Night Live returned from a brief hiatus Saturday with a cold open depicting a joint press conference between Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and FBI Director Kash Patel, with "Master of None" creator Aziz Ansari playing the latter.

SEE ALSO: Aimee Lou Wood's addresses 'SNL' beef in in 'SNL UK' promo

Colin Jost's Hegseth hit the familiar beats at the podium — performative machismo, military bravado, and repeated jabs at the secretary's well-documented drinking habits. This time, Hegseth arrived at the mic hauling an oversized pitcher of scotch, which he assured the room was his one for the day. He then fielded questions from the press about the administration's handling of U.S. strikes on Iran, dismissing each reporter with the particular brand of smug confidence that has become central to Jost's portrayal of the character.

Ansari's Patel proved to be the sketch's standout, arriving to defend his tenure at the FBI and proceeding to do so poorly. The bit's centerpiece involved Patel simultaneously denying and admitting that he had locked himself out of his work email for 36 hours after forgetting he had changed his password to "kashmeoutside69."

Funnily enough, Patel was reportedly locked out of his FBI email in real life and believed, at least momentarily, that he was being fired. As the sketch demonstrated, the distance between SNL's Cold Open and the actual news cycle has rarely felt smaller.

Categories: IT General, Technology

You are overpaying for your network setup (6 Ethernet marketing lies)

How-To Geek - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 14:58

Ethernet is the backbone of any healthy home network and you're probably not using enough of it. It's the gold standard for home networking, but it's also often misunderstood.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 Home Assistant integrations that make my smart home feel like it came from the future

How-To Geek - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 14:45

It's amazing how many of the futuristic features that I saw in sci-fi shows growing up already exist. Video calling and talking watches seemed like the stuff of fantasy, but now they're so ordinary we barely register them. The same is true of smart home tech; there are plenty of Home Assistant integrations that often make me feel like I'm living in the future.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to organize your Obsidian vault using Claude (prompts included)

How-To Geek - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 14:30

Your Obsidian vault was supposed to be your second brain—but at some point it became a second junk drawer. Routine maintenance can keep things tidy, but if you’re anything like me, you probably enjoy capturing notes more than organizing them. The good news is you don’t have to untangle it manually. Claude can scan your entire vault and reorganize it into a clean, logical structure in the time it takes to make coffee.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Stop installing random GNOME extensions—this one is perfection

How-To Geek - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 14:15

Similar to Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, the free and open source GNOME desktop found on Linux PCs can be radically customized using extensions. Which extensions are worth installing is a matter of taste, but there’s one that I can easily recommend to just about everyone.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I've owned an OLED TV for 8 years—here's how I prevented burn-in

How-To Geek - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 14:00

I bought my Philips OLED television eight years ago, but I have yet to have any real bleed-in, burn-in, or anything close to it. It is thicker than TVs you can get today, and its quality has dropped over time, but there's nothing else wrong with it. My experience shows that while the risks are physical, you can manage them. Getting the best picture quality requires more conscious care than other technologies do, but the organic panel can last a long time if you have the right habits.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Don't buy a Kindle until you've tried reading on these 6 devices you already own

How-To Geek - Sun, 05/03/2026 - 13:30

The Kindle is the go-to choice for anyone who wants to read eBooks. But if you don't already own one, don't rush out to buy it just yet. You already own a lot of devices that work pretty well as eReaders, and some might even suit your needs better.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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