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Waymo's autonomous ride-share vehicles are becoming increasingly common across the United States, but they just became much less common in four southern U.S. cities.

Waymo has temporarily suspended service in Atlanta, San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas due to the risk of inclement weather, after at least one Waymo vehicle was spotted driving headfirst into a flooded street in Atlanta, according to TechCrunch. A photo of the incident circulated on social media, drawing attention to the issue that may have prompted the decision to suspend service as the company figures out how to fix it.

SEE ALSO: Can Waymo and Waze fix cities' potholes?

“Safety is Waymo’s top priority, both for our riders and everyone we share the road with. During a period of intense rain yesterday in Atlanta, an unoccupied Waymo vehicle encountered a flooded road and stopped,” Waymo said in a statement, per TechCrunch.

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Waymo had actually issued a software update to its fleet (numbering nearly 4,000) last week to address this issue. Still, the photo of the vehicle rushing into flooded waters was taken after that. A local news report stated that the car had been stuck in the water for about an hour before being removed. Waymo is still working on a final fix to the problem, but until then, people in those four southern cities will need to find another way to get around that doesn't involve robot cars.

We all get 24 hours a day, and, unlike money, you can’t save unused time for later. That makes “saving time” more about reallocating it—figuring out which tasks don’t deserve as much of your attention so you can spend that time elsewhere, whether that’s picking up a hobby or being with family. It’s not an easy problem to solve, but these three free and open-source (FOSS) apps can help.

The best Memorial Day portable power station deals at a glance: Best overall deal Anker Solix C1000 $449.99 (save $50) Get Deal Best waterproof portable power station Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra $899.10 (save $99.90) Get Deal Best power station deal for creators DJI Power 1000 V2 $386.10 (save $42.90) Get Deal

If you go by the calendar, the official start of summer is June 21. But we won't hear anything of the sort. We prefer to celebrate the unofficial start, aka Memorial Day weekend. And as the season turns to outdoor activities and adventures, now's the time to think about upgrading any relevant tech and devices — the kinds of things to get the fun going all summer long.

If you've yet to jump on the portable power station bandwagon, this is the moment to do it. Camping season is very nearly here, so it's worth snagging a powerful model to stay fully charged. It'll keep your phone juiced up, along with Bluetooth speakers, laptops, and anything else you might need on that camping trip. You can also use the electric air pump for the inflatables before hitting the beach or pool.

The great news is that Memorial Day not only marks the unofficial start of summer, it also means a whole bunch of deals and discounts as retailers jump aboard the festivities with sales. We've rounded up all the best discounts we could find on power stations below.

Best overall deal Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Solix Anker Solix C1000 $449.99 at Amazon
$499.99 Save $50   Get Deal Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the Anker Solix C1000 here.

For weekends at the campground, it's impossible to go wrong with the Anker Solix C1000. It has 1,056Wh of capacity for keeping your phones charged up and for plugging in the string lights. If you're feeling like more of a glamping experience, pack along the coffee maker and air fryer for comforts from home and easy camping meals. Unlike plenty of models, the Anker Solix C1000 has a built-in LED light which is excellent for both visibility for getting your devices plugged into the ports but also for illuminating the campsite.

Best waterproof portable power station deal Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra $899.10 at Amazon
$999 Save $99.90   Get Deal Why we like it

If your summer camping trips might involve wet weather, head out with the waterproof Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra. Rare for portable power stations, it comes with an IP65 waterproof and dust-proof rating. That means it'll hold up to light splashes or sitting near a pile of sawdust in the work shed.

Best portable power station deal for creators Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Power 1000 V2 $386.10 at Amazon
$429 Save $42.90   Get Deal Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the DJI Power 1000 V2 here.

We're all familiar with DJI cameras, drones, and mics, but the brand has been building its lineup of portable power stations in the recent years. The DJI Power 1000 V2 comes with great features for creators, especially those who use DJI drones. The quick-charging SDC ports means super quick recharging of drone batteries.

Even if you're not a creator, the sale price of $386.10 is excellent for a portable power station that offers 1,024Wh of capacity. It also focuses on quiet operation which is great if you'll be using this at home during an outage in a bedroom at night.

More Memorial Day power station deals

• EcoFlow Trail 300 — $146.99 $249 (save $102.01)

• Anker Solix C300 — $169.99 $249.99 (save $80)

• EcoFlow River 3 — $195.99 $239 (save $43.01)

• Bluetti Elite 30 V2 — $218.98 $299 (save $80.02)

• EcoFlow River 2 Max — $289 $449 (save $160)

• Jackery Explorer 500 — $339 $449 (save $160)

• Jackery Explorer 1000 V2 — $428.99 $799 (save $370.01)

• Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 —  $499.99 $799 (save $299.01)

• DJI Power 2000 — $719.99 $1,299 (save $579.01)

• EcoFlow Delta 2 with Smart Extra Battery — $797.98 $1,099.99 (save $302.01)

• Jackery Explorer 2000 V2 — $798.99 $1,499 (save $700.01)

• Bluetti Elite 300 — $1,098.99 $1,449 (save $350.01)

• Jackery HomePower 3000 — $1,169 $2,499 (save $1,330)

• Anker Solix F3000 — $1,298.99 $1,699.99 (save $400.01)

• Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus — $1,619 $2,799 (save $1,180)

• Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus with 2x 200W solar panels — $2,148.99 $3,699 (save $1,550.01)

• Anker Solix F3800 Plus – $2,294.99 $2,699.99 (save $405)

TL;DR: The 13-inch MacBook Air M5 is on sale for $949 in Amazon's Memorial Day sale. That's $150 off the list price and the record-low price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple MacBook Air M5 (13-Inch $999 at Amazon
$1,099 Save $100   Get Deal

We're doing our best to keep tabs on all the new Memorial Day deals dropping this weekend. It's a tough ask, because there are a lot. Between the deals on TVs, power stations, mattresses, and everything in-between, we can barely keep up.

But what we can always make time for is a deal on the latest MacBook Air, especially when that deal drops the price down to a record low.

The 13-inch MacBook Air M5 is on sale for $949 in Amazon's Memorial Day sale. That's $150 off the list price and the record-low price for this popular model. We can't guarantee anything at this point, but we don't expect this price to stick around for long. With Prime Day fast approaching, we wouldn't be surprised to see Amazon bump the price up to $999 (or more).

The MacBook Air M5 is a super portable laptop that delivers power in abundance. In Mashable's review of this popular machine, Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Werth said the new MacBook Air "takes everything good about the MacBook Air and adds the faster M5 chip." Werth adds that it's "incredible" but wishes it was "$200 cheaper."

This is where a deal comes in handy. This Memorial Day discount brings it down to a level that's hard to ignore.

Pick up the MacBook Air M5 for its best-ever price at Amazon.

Anker's Soundcore brand just unveiled its successors to the Liberty 4 Pro, and the true wireless earbuds promise a leap forward in call performance — one large enough that the company sought a world record to prove it.

Most PC troubleshooting tips start with digging into the settings of whatever operating system you're using. Maybe you'll run a benchmark. Maybe you'll open up the case. You might run down the list of various ways PCs get accidentally damaged and try to figure out what went wrong.

LEGO and 3D printing may seem like a perfect combination, but there’s more to it than first meets the eye. While you can 3D print LEGO blocks, tight tolerances can produce disappointing results if you aren’t prepared to experiment a bit first.

You'd think that with May winding down, Netflix would be stretching a little thin when it comes to some fresh things to watch on the streaming service. Perhaps you haven't gotten around to watching Steph Curry's fun cartoon movie GOAT, or maybe you're still reeling after watching the harrowing car-crash documentary The Crash that I wrote about last weekend, but if you're ready for a few new suggestions that have come to Netflix recently, then read on.

It is easy to look at certain tools and mistake them for cheap toys that won't hold up during a serious project. We typically assume that "real" work needs heavy, specialized machinery, but dragging out massive equipment for simple tasks gets frustrating very quickly. Ryobi makes many exciting tools, but also many unusually small, battery-powered tools.

Google's password manager takes care of syncing passkeys between Android devices. The same passkeys will sync with Chrome on any platform as long as you're using the same Google account. However, I exclusively use Firefox on my phone and computers. I'm also a huge fan of self-hosting whenever possible, so I prefer a solution that doesn't rely on Google. Here is the setup I'm using for that.

What's black and white and fun all over? Spider-Noir, a new superhero series led by Nicolas Cage.

The show has its roots in 2018's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, in which Cage voiced the Spider-Man variant known as Spider-Man Noir. Appearing in black and white and always accompanied by a rain-scented wind, Spider-Man Noir managed to steal scenes in a film already overflowing with goodness. A large part of that comes down to the casting of Cage, who commits wholeheartedly to Spider-Man Noir's over-the-top slangy dialogue. ("You gonna fight or you just bumping gums, you hard-boiled turtle-slapper?") That Cage's work is much-memed adds an extra layer of hilarity to the role, a wink to the audience that yes, the film got the Nicolas Cage to channel old-timey film detectives.

SEE ALSO: 2026 Summer TV preview: Every TV show you need to know about now

As much of a scene stealer as he is, Spider-Man Noir is only onscreen for about five and a half minutes of Into the Spider-Verse. With Spider-Noir, Cage gets to take this Spider-Man variant to new heights in a technically dazzling thrill ride. Sure, it's familiar — it's a Spider-Man story, and we've seen plenty of those! — but Spider-Noir manages to find a new lease on spidey life with its loving embrace of film noir.

What's Spider-Noir about? Nicolas Cage in "Spider-Noir." Credit: Prime

The superhero we meet in Spider-Noir is not the same one from Into the Spider-Verse. Cage plays Ben Reilly, a down-on-his-luck private investigator who once moonlighted as New York City's only hero, the Spider.

Like the Spider-Verse films, Spider-Noir knows we've seen enough Spider-Man origin stories to fill hundreds of comic books, so it wisely motors through the beats we're familiar with. In the first of the show's many stylish flairs, it overlays scenes from Ben's life on windows of a New York City skyscraper he's climbed, catching us up to speed on all things Spider. That includes him meeting, then losing, the love of his life, Ruby. Following her death, Ben hung up his mask and goggles for good.

SEE ALSO: 'The Boroughs' review: Stop what you're doing and watch retirees fight monsters in this fantastic sci-fi series

However, just because Ben's retired the Spider doesn't mean he won't wind up trapped in dangerous webs of others' making. And Spider-Noir presents a fascinating web indeed, one involving crime lord Silvermane (Brendan Gleeson), lounge singer Cat Hardy (Li Jun Li), and a rogue's gallery of superpowered men, including well-known Spider-Man villains like Flint Marko (Jack Huston), aka Sandman, and Lonnie Lincoln (Abraham Popoola), aka Tombstone.

Spider-Noir is a gorgeous love letter to film noir. Li Jun Li in "Spider-Noir." Credit: Prime

The way these threads converge isn't necessarily ground-breaking. Obviously, Ben will put on the mask and seek redemption, even if he doesn't think it's worth it. And obviously, the origins of these superpowered villains have ties to Ben's own genetic mutation. But the show's carefully calibrated style manages to make each familiar plot point feel like a new discovery.

Recent superhero shows have tried to set themselves apart by dabbling in genres beyond just "superhero." That's how you get gangster dramas like The Penguin, or a legal comedy like She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. But not since WandaVision has a show so thoroughly immersed itself in a different genre. Unlike WandaVision, Spider-Noir holds fast to its genre trappings throughout, and that steadfastness elevates it over every other superhero show's genre dabbling.

SEE ALSO: 'Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed' review: The power of Tatiana Maslany makes this thriller a must-watch

The visuals are the key here, starting with the show's unique presentation. Prime Video offers viewers the choice of watching in both black and white and color. While I recommend checking out the color version at least once to take in all the details on the show's costumes and set pieces, black and white is certainly the way to go here. Spider-Noir thrives in the contrast between light and dark, casting bold, inky shadows across city streets in pointed tribute to the film noir genre that inspired it. In a world where so many TV shows are underlit or visually flat, it's a joy to see a series take full advantage of lighting as a key way to build mood and atmosphere.

Elsewhere, Spider-Noir has a ball with stylistic staples of the film noir genre, from Dutch angles to a moody score, courtesy of Kris Bowers and Michael Dean Parsons. Don't think of Spider-Noir as being focused on style over substance, though. It's more style as substance, as the series engages seriously with film noir's thematic tropes. Ben is a classic world-weary antihero, while Li's enigmatic Cat falls squarely into the femme fatale archetype, going from crooner to double-crosser at the drop of a fedora.

Nicolas Cage was meant for Spider-Noir. Nicolas Cage in "Spider-Noir." Credit: Aaron Epstein / Prime

Film noir — and '30s-era films in general — are key to Spider-Noir because they're key to Ben as well. As he reveals to Cat, in the wake of his mutation, he was overcome with arachnid instincts. He had to go to the movies to relearn how to be human from the actors.

That gives Cage free reign to channel film noir's leading men, and he does it with gusto. In Ben's scenes with his closest confidants, like his secretary Janet (Karen Rodriguez) or his reporter friend Robbie (Lamorne Morris), he carries himself more naturally, with a tinge of grumpiness. Once he's out in the field, though, he dials up the hard-boiled detective to a solid 11. He slings quips like they're webs, alternating between charming and brooding his way out of danger.

Ben's bag of tricks also includes disguising himself. He poses as everything from a plumber to a doctor in his efforts to crack his case, and Cage embraces a new outlandish persona in each role. Viewers may be tempted to add these moments to their "Nicolas Cage losing his shit"-style compilations, but these moments, on top of being extra fun, do remain motivated by the needs of the show. Rarely does Spider-Noir unleash a Cage crash out for memes' sake. (Although the show does play up the meme-iness a little bit, like when Morris unleashes a surprisingly solid Cage impression in the perfect context.)

Cage's dedication to a role as strange as "film noir detective Spider-Man" especially shines through when Ben succumbs to his spider instincts. His physicality is both mesmerizing and bizarre, whether he's contorting himself in strange ways or just lying, twitching, on his bed. While his voice acting in Into the Spider-Verse is delightful, it's moments like this, where you see Cage embodying Ben's uncanny physical experience, that made me truly understand why this show exists.

Between Cage's performance and distinct styling, Spider-Noir proves that there's still ways to freshen up superhero shows. The key is just commitment.

All episodes of Spider-Noir premiere May 27 on Prime Video.

Gmail on Android is polished, familiar, and reliable. Unfortunately, over time, it has stopped feeling like a simple tool for reading mail and started feeling like another entry point into Google’s all-in-one ecosystem. I decided that I wanted something that was just an email client, so I made the switch to Thunderbird. It's a free, open-source, privacy-focused app, and it makes email feel like it used to.

The ESP32 is one of the best microcontrollers on the market for building low-power sensors. By connecting a microphone (and sometimes a few additional components), the ESP32 can react to sound in some interesting ways.

A NAS is easy to set up in a corner and then forget, but even a few free or inexpensive upgrades can make it more useful and more reliable in the long-term. You don't even need to do much—these are 5 ways to improve your NAS without breaking the bank or using up your entire weekend.

SAVE UP TO 40%: From May 22-25, take up to 40% off MasterClass courses and MasterClass Certificates in the Memorial Day sale.

Opens in a new window Credit: MasterClass MasterClass and MasterClass Certificates: Save up to 40%   Get Deal

For anyone who's looking to do a bit of life enrichment over the summer, MasterClass offers a great option. The platform is full of courses taught by industry pros that are sure to prove insightful. To celebrate Memorial Day, MasterClass has a great sale on tap.

Between May 22 and May 25, save up to 40% on MasterClass lessons and professional MasterClass Certificates.

From cooking courses to personal styling lessons, MasterClass has something everyone will find worthwhile. With lessons in science, technology, writing, music, health, and plenty more, the platform gives access to exceptional learning activities.

SEE ALSO: 40+ of the best Memorial Day deals — TVs, mattresses, headphones, and more on sale

MasterClass Certificates is designed to offer professional advancements through lessons that range from 15 to 20 hours. Taught by industry leaders, they're a great way to learn new in-demand skills that complement your career.

Whether you're looking to broaden your horizons or buy a class as a thoughtful graduation gift, jump on saving up to 40% off on MasterClass lessons this Memorial Day.

Smart switches are very useful in the smart home. They give you the best of both worlds: you can automate your lights, but you can also control them manually when you need to. Smart switches aren't always the best option for every room, however.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you always follow back up.

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.

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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: NYT Pips hints, answers for May 22, 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: Circle back

• Green: That's how it is

• Blue: They go round and round

• Purple: Women's names

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creators today

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Reach back out

• Green: The way things are done

• Blue: Places with conveyor belts

• Purple: Starting with name homophones

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 #1076 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Reach back out: CHECK IN, FOLLOW UP, RECONNECT, TOUCH BASE

• The way things are done: CONVENTION, CUSTOM, SOCIAL NORM, UNWRITTEN RULE

• Places with conveyor belts: ASSEMBLY LINE, BAGGAGE CLAIM, CHECKOUT LANE, REVOLVING SUSHI BAR

• Starting with name homophones: CARRY-ON, EL NIÑO, LOOSEY-GOOSEY, TAILOR-MADE

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 22, 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 you go big or go home.

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 May 22, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Put down your ruler

The words are related to size.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creators today

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe large things.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Its Big.

NYT Strands word list for May 22

• Boundless

• Epic

• Vast

• Immense

• Its Big

• Whopping

• Astronomic

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 don't like to venture out.

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 May 22, 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 May 22, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Regional.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creators today

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter L.

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...

VOCAL

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.

You'd think, with USB being around since the late '90s, that Microsoft would have figured out how to make it work reliably by now. We've had no such luck, sadly. Many a Windows user has experienced random USB drop-outs on their PCs.