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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 July 31, 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 July 31, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for July 31 Pips

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for July 31 Pips

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

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally.

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

Greater Than (6): Everything in this space must be greater than 6. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for July 31 Pips

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-4, placed vertically.

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

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

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

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

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed vertically.

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

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 6-4, placed vertically; 1-2, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 5-0, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically; 4-0, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed horizontally.

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you've ever watched 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. 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: How to finish a drive

• Green: Both hands out

• Blue: Meet the Robinsons

• Purple: Sounds like a WR

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: How's a Football Drive Ends

• Green: Reach (For A Ball)

• Blue: Robinsons

• Purple: Homophones of NFL WRs

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 #676 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• How's a Football Drive Ends: FIELD GOAL, PUNT, TOUCHDOWN, TURNOVER

• Reach (For A Ball): DIVE, EXTENDED, LAY OUT, LUNGE

• Robinsons: BROOKS, JACKIE, MITCHELL, TRUCK

• Homophones of NFL WRs: JUDY, LAM, MORE, NEIGHBORS

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 the latest Connections.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a gamer.

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.

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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.

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 Pips hints, answers for July 31, 2026 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: To build

• Green: Popular gaming characters

• Blue: Healthy snacks

• Purple: Glad

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Construct

• Green: Super Mario figures

• Blue: Fruits plus starting letter

• Purple: Starting with merriments

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 #1146 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Construct: FASHION, MODEL, MODE, SHAPE

• Super Mario figures: DINOSAUR, MUSHROOM, PLUMBER, PRINCESS

• Fruits plus starting letter: DAPPLE, JDATE, SLIME, SPEAR

• Starting with merriments: CHEERIOS, FUNGUS, GLEEK, JOYSTICK

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 31, 2026

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

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.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if it's your birthday season.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, 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 July 31, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Summer sign

The words are related to astrology.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe astrological traits.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Leo the Lion.

NYT Strands word list for July 31

• Bossy

• Loyal

• Generous

• Bold

• Dramatic

• Leo the Lion

• Charming

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 today's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love a nice accessory.

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 hints today: Clues, answers for July 31, 2026 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 Pips hints, answers for July 31, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Handbag.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter P.

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...

PURSE

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.

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 today's Wordle.

Apple held its Q3 2026 earnings call on Thursday, marking Tim Cook's final outing as CEO at such events before he transitions to the role of executive chairman. Unsurprisingly, Cook took the opportunity to reiterate his confidence in his successor John Ternus, Apple's current Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering.

SEE ALSO: Tim Cook bows out with a very Tim Cook keynote

"This will be my final earnings call, and John will lead these calls going forward," Cook said at the end of Thursday's call. "The transition is going seamlessly, and I am beyond excited for John to step into his new role and lead Apple into its next era.

"He is truly one of a kind, and there is no better person to take the helm of the company. As I said, I couldn't be more confident in his leadership, in our executive team, and in the extraordinary people at Apple, who are determined to enrich the lives of our users all over the world. We have a bright future ahead, and I truly have never been more optimistic. So, thank you all."

Cook announced that he would be stepping down as Apple's CEO earlier this year, with the transition to take place on Sept. 1. Apple is expected to release the iPhone 18 that same month, which would be a significant debut for Ternus as CEO. The company's annual iPhone announcements are its biggest event of the year, with the 2026 release shaping up to be a public test of fire for Ternus.

As such, Apple has been making efforts to reinforce the company's faith in its incoming CEO to ensure a smooth transition. Appearing together at Apple TV's Ted Lasso Season 4 premiere on Monday, Cook and Ternus emphasised that the transition was going "great."

"John is the perfect person for this role, and the whole thing has just been great," Cook told Deadline. "We really wanted this transition to be the best because Apple deserves the best, and both of us are really doing that, and it feels fantastic." 

For his part, Ternus expressed excitement at the opportunity to lead Apple, though he demurred when asked what his first first act as CEO will be. Instead, he simply stated that people would "have to wait and see."

Ternus appears unlikely to make any wild changes once he takes the reins at Apple, with the tech giant working to portray him and Cook as perfectly in sync. As such, the start of his tenure as CEO is expected to be a steady, stable continuation of Cook's work.

Such messaging even went so far as having Cook and Ternus dressed in apparently identical navy suits at the Ted Lasso premiere, complete with matching "Believe" pins on their lapels. 

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Apple's incoming CEO remained silent for the majority of Thursday's earnings call, leaving Cook to lead the proceedings. He did respond to a direct question on Apple's position amongst competition from upcoming AI-enabled devices, with companies such as OpenAI and SpaceX currently developing their own hardware. However, Ternus shied away from specifics, prefacing his comments by stating that he "would just reiterate what Tim said." 

"There is so much opportunity for us with everything that's happening in this space, and we're just really focused on our plans and very excited about it," said Ternus.

Regardless of what those plans turn out to be, Ternus appears set up for success. Apple's Q3 earnings call reported $109.4 billion in quarterly revenue —  an increase of 16 percent year over year. Of this, $54.3 billion came from iPhones alone. Overall, Apple hauled in a net quarterly profit of $29.8 billion.

If you want to see a classic Marvel credits scene after Spider-Man: Brand New Day, you'll have to wait. And wait. And wait some more.

SEE ALSO: Spider-Man: Brand New Day' review: More like 'Déjà Vu'?

That's because the film ditches the now-expected mid-credits scene entirely. It only includes one quick teaser at the very end of the credits. I mean the very end, after even the production company logos. That's only a few seconds after most Marvel end-credits scenes roll, but it's such a switch-up from the norm that you might not think to wait for it.

If you're not planning on sticking around that long but want to know what you missed, or if you just want to understand what the teaser is really saying, you've come to the right place.

What happens in Spider-Man: Brand New Day's end-credit scene?

Spider-Man: Brand New Day's end-credit scene shows the display screen of Spidey Tracker, created by Ned Leeds (Jacob Batalon). It reveals that Peter Parker (Tom Holland) is no longer on Earth. In fact, he's somewhere in outer space.

Then, we get the message that Spider-Man will return. Of course he will! But how?

What does the Spider-Man: Brand New Day end-credit scene mean?

Marvel has yet to announce a new Spider-Man film, but there are two major upcoming films where Peter could show up. The first is this year's Avengers: Doomsday, and the second is 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars. The former serves as Doctor Doom's (Robert Downey Jr.'s) introduction to the MCU, while the latter will wrap up the Multiverse Saga that began with WandaVision in 2021.

Holland is not in the extensive cast list announced for Doomsday, although that certainly doesn't mean you can't expect a surprise appearance. Plus, outer space would be a natural place for him to wind up in these films, either through multiversal shenanigans or traveling to new planets. For example, Secret Wars is highly likely to introduce the comics' Battleworld, a planet made up of several realities that have all been smashed together. That could very well be the site of Spider-Man's next appearance, and would fit in perfectly with the information Spidey Tracker gives us in Spider-Man: Brand New Day's post-credit scene. That's a pretty solid tease for Peter's next move, but until Doomsday, we're still swinging into the unknown.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now in theaters.

Tim Cook hosted his final quarterly earnings call as Apple's CEO Thursday evening, and it ended on a positive note: Apple beat Wall Street analysts' revenue estimates. But it appears to have done so via a one-time windfall: an estimated $2.19 billion in tariff refunds.

"Company gross margin was 50.1 percent, including a favorable impact of approximately 2 percentage points from tariff refunds," the company announced in a press release. "Diluted earnings per share was $2.02, up 29 percent year over year, and included a favorable impact of $0.11 from tariff refunds."

The $2.19 billion figure is an estimate based on the company's reported total revenue of $109.4 billion.

SEE ALSO: Apple could still release new Apple Home Pods, a folding iPhone, and OLED MacBooks this year

Apple's stock dropped following its revenue report. The one-time tariff rebate artificially inflated the company's gross margin. Without it, the company failed to beat analysts' expectations, per CNBC.

President Trump aggressively pursued global tariffs after he returned to the White House, resulting in a shock to the global economic system and a wave of price increases on consumer tech products.

However, in February, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration lacked the authority to unilaterally impose tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA), striking down Trump's signature economic policy.

As a result, many companies — like Apple — became eligible for refunds for the tariff fees levied against them.

Apple was one target of the Trump administration's tariffs, and that's not speculation. The president expressed a desire for the iPhone to be manufactured domestically (which most experts agreed was not technically possible); at one point, Trump threatened Apple specifically with 25 percent tariffs in a Truth Social post.

Apple wasn't the only company that faced tariff costs in the billions. But in the end, the company recouped billions.

Previously, Apple disclosed that it paid more than $3.3 billion in tariff fees. During the Q2 2026 earnings call, Cook said any tariff refunds would be reinvested in the U.S.

Major telehealth giant Hims & Hers is the latest target of a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) crackdown on consumer data privacy, following a years-long investigation into whether or not the company was selling sensitive customer health data.

In a new filing issued July 29 by the agency, joined by the states of Utah and California, the federal watchdog has formally accused the direct-to-consumer health company of sharing patient information with advertisers and tech giants like Meta and Snap. The FTC claims Hims & Hers provided the companies with lists of customer names, as well as information on their site behavior, despite pledging to protect customer data privacy. Such disclosures violate FTC Act and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act, the FTC argues.

SEE ALSO: Using ChatGPT Health? Read this first.

The lawsuit also alleges the platform "deceives users about its billing and cancellation practices," including making it difficult to cancel subscriptions and mischaracterizing the process for prescription charges for new patients. Specifically, the FTC claims the company misleads users into believing they will not be charged for prescriptions before consulting with a physician. In practice, the lawsuit claims, many customers are asked to provide billing information and charged for prescription plans shortly after filling out intake forms, and without first reviewing the medications.

In 2024, the FTC instituted new "Click to Cancel" rules mandating sellers utilize simple cancellation processes that allow customers to terminate charges in just one click. Many companies, primarily telecom giants, pushed back on Click to Cancel mandates, citing concerns that the agency was overextending its powers. The FTC was forced to vacate the ruling by a U.S. Appeals Court last year.

Hims & Hers has faced scrutiny from lawmakers and major pharmaceutical companies. The platform faced threats of a lawsuit following what some alleged were misleading claims made in a 2025 Super Bowl ad criticizing the profit motivations of GLP-1 manufacturers. It has also been accused of running a gray market for weight loss medications using non-FDA approved manufacturing processes. The company itself has staked billions in the sale of weight loss products marketed as affordable, direct-to-consumer alternatives to mainstream GLP-1 medications.

In a press release responding to the lawsuit, Hims & Hers argued the FTC was disregarding evidence unearthed during its investigation and ignoring existing state laws and industry standards to specifically target the San Francisco-based company. "This is not enforcement grounded in consumer protection; it is an effort to generate headlines at our expense," the company wrote.

Typically, at the end of every month, streamers will remove a select group of shows and movies from their respective services. However, these departing programs will be replaced with new and returning shows to fill the void. Our top choice of the week stems from Hulu. It's a twisty crime thriller starring Emmy Rossum, who returns to television for her first starring role in nearly three years.

TL;DR: flowkey teaches piano through interactive lessons, instant feedback, and more than 1,000 songs. Get five years of access for $79.99 (reg. $899).

Opens in a new window Credit: Flowkey flowkey Piano Learning App: Classic Plan (5-Year Subscription) $79.99
$899 Save $819.01   Get Deal

Learning piano used to mean weekly lessons, a stack of intimidating sheet music, and finding time in your schedule to make both happen. Now all you need is a keyboard, a phone or laptop, and a little consistency. Oh, and an app. flowkey teaches piano through interactive lessons and real songs, and it’s $79.99 (reg. $899) for five years.

Rather than throwing you into music theory from day one, which can feel overwhelming for beginners, flowkey focuses on playing. The app listens as you perform and provides instant feedback, so you know when you’ve hit the right notes — and when you haven’t. Features like Wait Mode, which won’t move on until you play the correct note, along with slow-motion playback and looping, make it easier to work through tricky passages without feeling rushed.

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Once you’ve got the basics down, there’s plenty to keep you busy. The Classic plan includes more than 1,000 classical and public-domain pieces, with arrangements for beginner, intermediate, advanced, and pro players. You’ll find works by Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Bach, Debussy, Brahms, Liszt, and other classical composers, while lessons cover fundamentals like reading sheet music, playing with both hands, chords, rhythm, and technique.

Because your subscription works across computers, tablets, and phones, it’s easy to fit in practice whenever you find a few minutes to spare. Whether you’re learning your first scales, dusting off piano skills from childhood, or finally tackling a piece you’ve always wanted to play, flowkey offers a structured way to keep making progress without having to schedule weekly lessons.

Formerly $899, you can grab a 5-year subscription to flowkey for just $79.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Google's next big event, Made By Google, is just a few weeks away. But, if you can't wait to see what the tech giant has in store, Google has just dropped a little teaser regarding the new Pixel 11 Pro.

As part of its Ask More of Your Phone campaign, Google's Pixel 11 Pro sneak peek lists a slew of Google's suite of online products like Gmail, Google Maps, Google Search, and Gemini. The narrator than hints that the viewer should perhaps go with a Google Pixel phone as well.

The teaser then displays Google's upcoming Pixel 11 Pro device with a strong focus on the rear of the device, specifically a glowing multi-colored circle next to the camera lenses.

This appears to be Google's introduction of the rumored Pixel Glow indicator.

It's not yet entirely clear what the glow indicator does. It appears to be a small reactive LED display located within the Pixel camera bar.

Reports have suggested that the glow indicator could react with different colors in order to provide visual notifications to the user. It's possible that the colored lights react differently to certain contacts or specific apps.

We'll find out more about the Pixel 11 lineup of Google smartphones, including the Pixel 11 Pro and the glow indicator, on August 12 during the Made By Google event.

If you have spent the past two weeks refreshing theater listings for an IMAX 70mm ticket to The Odyssey, your persistence may finally pay off.

IMAX has extended Christopher Nolan's blockbuster in the coveted format through Sept. 16, nearly a month beyond its previous Aug. 19 end date. New screenings appeared on IMAX's website Thursday July 30, although the additional dates did not exactly eliminate the competition. The AMC app placed moviegoers in a digital queue as tickets were released.

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The problem is partly one of supply. Only 25 theaters in the United States and 41 worldwide can project the physical IMAX 70mm reels used for the movie. Other theaters offer digital IMAX screenings, but those versions may be cropped depending on the auditorium rather than displaying the full, towering image captured by the cameras.

That distinction matters more for The Odyssey than it does for most blockbusters. Nolan's retelling of Homer's epic — starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, and Anne Hathaway — is the first feature film shot entirely using IMAX film cameras.

Previous movies typically used the bulky, extremely loud cameras for action sequences before returning to another format for dialogue-heavy scenes. As a result, their aspect ratios could change throughout the movie. The Odyssey fills the screen from top to bottom for its entire 173-minute runtime.

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Moviegoers have treated the screenings accordingly. The first tickets went on sale a full year before the movie's July 17 release, and some theaters sold out weeks of showings in advance. Locations eventually added screenings at hours generally reserved for airport departures, including 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., to squeeze more viewers into the limited number of auditoriums.

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All of that demand is turning the format into a large piece of the movie's success. By July 26, IMAX screenings had generated more than $140 million worldwide in ticket sales, accounting for over 20 percent of the movie’s then-$652 million global total. That's especially notable given that IMAX locations represent less than 1 percent of its screens.

By July 30, The Odyssey had passed $700 million globally after just 12 days in theaters, already becoming the fourth highest-grossing movie of the year.

Its second-week ticket sales declined only 27 percent from its domestic opening weekend. Major studio releases more commonly fall between 50 and 70 percent, making the unusually small drop another indication that people are continuing to book tickets and possibly returning for repeat viewings.

Nolan has been here before. IMAX extended the 70mm run of Oppenheimer twice in 2023, and the movie later returned to the format as its awards campaign gathered momentum. Given the reviews and box-office performance of The Odyssey, it could eventually follow a similar path.

For now, fans have one more month to catch the movie in Nolan's preferred format, though finding an available seat may remain an odyssey of its own.

Did you know that the next time you drive across town, a camera you barely notice could record where your car goes?

Known as Flock cameras, the small black devices sit beside roads, near intersections, and at the entrances to neighborhoods and parking lots, collecting information about every vehicle that passes.

Flock Safety says its network now includes more than 120,000 cameras across 49 states and operates in more than 6,000 communities. Police departments, businesses, schools, and homeowners associations use the cameras, which can turn a passing car into a searchable record containing its license plate, location, color, model, and even details such as bumper stickers or dents.

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The company's rise has been fast. Founded in Atlanta in 2017 by Garrett Langley, Matt Feury, and Paige Todd, the company raised $275 million last year at a $7.5 billion valuation. Although it is best known for license plate readers, Flock also sells broader surveillance systems and is developing first-responder drones following its acquisition of Aerodome.

As that network has grown, so has the backlash. Cities are canceling contracts, police officers have been accused of using the system for personal reasons, and protesters have painted, burned, and cut down cameras across the country — and encouraged others to do the same.

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So, what exactly are Flock cameras, and why do some people want them gone?

How do Flock cameras work?

Flock cameras are automated license plate readers, commonly known as ALPRs. Unlike red-light or speed cameras, they are generally not waiting for a driver to commit a specific traffic violation, but rather photograph passing vehicles and convert what they see into data that can be searched later.

Each record can include a car’s license plate, location, make, model, color, body type, and the time it passed the camera. Flock’s software can also recognize individual features of the car, creating what amounts to a “vehicle fingerprint.”

Police officers can search for a particular plate or enter a broader description, such as a blue Toyota with a bumper sticker. They can also add vehicles connected to stolen-car reports, missing people, or criminal investigations to a “hotlist.”

If a camera detects a possible match, the system sends an alert with the vehicle's location. A police department can also allow other participating departments to search its camera data. In some states, that can mean searching across much of the country.

Flock says its cameras take individual images rather than continuously tracking a vehicle, and its default policy is to delete license plate data after 30 days — although the actual retention period can vary based on local laws and an agency’s agreement.

SEE ALSO: How 3 very different people use AI chatbots Why do police use Flock cameras?

Some police departments say the technology can produce investigative leads and solve crimes. If a child is reported missing, for example, officers can enter the plate of the vehicle involved and receive an alert when it passes a camera. The same process can help police locate stolen cars, follow fleeing suspects, or determine where a vehicle traveled before or after a crime.

On July 30, North Carolina authorities said Flock cameras helped track a vehicle connected to a child abduction case. Police arrested a woman in Charlotte on July 29, and the child was taken into protective custody.

That same week, police in Alabama credited a Flock camera with helping establish the direction traveled by two missing senior citizens. Officers combined that information with a community tip and assistance from OnStar to locate the couple safely.

Flock says its network has supported more than 1 million investigations and helped locate more than 10,000 missing people in 2025.

So why are Flock cameras controversial? This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

The concern starts with the amount of information being collected about people who are not suspected of committing a crime. When a single camera records one moment on a public road, a network of thousands can capture the same vehicle at different times and locations.

Some industry critics argue that ALPR data can reveal when drivers visit sensitive places, including health centers, protests, and places of worship. The organization has also argued that police should obtain a warrant before searching large ALPR databases, although the Supreme Court has not decided whether historical ALPR searches require one. Flock adamantly disputes the description of its system as mass surveillance.

Data sharing has also pulled Flock into the immigration enforcement debate. In May 2025, 404 Media reviewed search logs showing more than 4,000 Flock lookups that local and state police conducted at the request of federal officials, as an informal favor, or for potentially immigration-related purposes. A Feb. 2026 investigation by The 74 also found that outside police departments searched cameras owned by a Texas school district, including queries that officials said were performed to assist the Department of Homeland Security.

Flock also responded to that claim, stating that it has no contract with ICE and that the agency cannot directly access its cameras or data.

Then there is the possibility of personal misuse. The Institute for Justice has collected 28 reported cases in which officers allegedly used license plate readers to follow partners, former partners, colleagues, or other romantic interests.

On July 29, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation arrested Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Seth Elliot and charged him with illegally accessing a government computer. Investigators allege that Elliot used Flock and a state criminal-justice database to run an unauthorized search of a North Carolina license plate for a non-law-enforcement purpose.

The cameras can also make mistakes. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

In June 2026, The Drive editor Joel Feder was test-driving a Range Rover with a New Jersey manufacturer plate when four Minnesota police cars surrounded him and his wife in a parking lot. Police had been receiving Flock alerts because a different plate with a similar code had been reported lost in California.

Flock acknowledges in its official policy that license plate translations can occasionally be incomplete or inaccurate. CEO Garrett Langley later said departments need a clearer process for challenging and correcting inaccurate hotlist entries.

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Disagreement has also spilled into neighborhoods. More than 80 municipalities have ended or declined to renew Flock agreements, while states including Washington have adopted new restrictions on how license plate data can be collected, searched, and shared. Residents of Marinette, Wisconsin, are pressing their city to do the same — a coalition is now circulating a petition calling for its Flock contract to be canceled outright.

Some communities are also dealing with people damaging the cameras themselves. There have been 33 incidents across 23 states in which people damaged or destroyed Flock cameras in apparent protest against surveillance. Cameras have been covered in paint, cut down, burned, obstructed, and struck with vehicles.

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Online, some X users are tracking where Flock cameras appear, which models are being installed, and what direction they face. One user finds the company to be "laying the infrastructure for a mass surveillance network in America."

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For communities considering Flock cameras, the decision now involves weighing their use in investigations against concerns about privacy, access, and oversight.

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