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SAVE 25%: As of Dec. 22, you can get the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $749, down from $999, at Amazon. That's a 25% discount or a $250 price cut. It's also the lowest price we've tracked for this model.

13-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $749 at Amazon
$999 Save $250   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Best Buy Get Deal at Walmart

If you’ve been spending the last few weeks scrambling to get everyone on your holiday shopping list the perfect gifts, it may be time to get a little something for yourself. Right now, Amazon has a ton of deals on Apple products, including the 2025 MacBook Air.

As of Dec. 22, you can get the 2025 13-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for just $749, down from $999, at Amazon. That’s a 25% discount or a $250 price cut. It’s also the lowest price we’ve ever seen this model go for. The only downside is that it won’t arrive before Christmas, but it’s still a great deal if you’re willing to wait for a post-holiday delivery.

SEE ALSO: The best MacBooks to buy in 2025: The M5 is our new battery life champ

The MacBook Air M4 is Apple’s fastest and most portable laptop yet. It supports Apple Intelligence, offers up to 18 hours of battery life, and has a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display. It’s built for productivity and is considerably thinner and lighter than previous models. You’ll also get a 12MP Center Stage camera, three mics, and four speakers with Spatial Audio, so you can take video calls from wherever you are without compromising audio or video quality.

Even Mashable’s Senior Editor, Stan Schroeder, says the MacBook Air M4 is “absolutely” worth buying. In his review, he praised its affordability, speed, and portability, writing that the MacBook Air “put my 16-inch MacBook Pro to shame in so many ways that I'm wondering if I should just switch to the Air the next time around.”

If you've got a gaming PC and haven't overclocked your graphics card yet, you should seriously consider it. It's one of the easiest ways to boost gaming performance significantly without spending a single dime—and it's mostly risk-free.

The beta release for Linux Mint 22.3 "Zena" has arrived with several new features and improvements to the popular Linux distribution. It includes the new System Information app and several interface upgrades for the Cinnamon desktop.

Universal Pictures has released the first official trailer for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, and Nolan-heads, we have never been so back.

In his follow-up to the Academy Award-winning Oppenheimer, Nolan adapts Homer's Greek epic with an all-star cast. Matt Damon plays Odysseus, the wily King of Ithaca. He's one of the tens of thousands of Greeks who fought in the Trojan War. It's his ruse of the Trojan Horse that finally breaches the walls of Troy and puts an end to the decade-long siege. After all that death and destruction, Odysseus is more than ready to return home to his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and his son Telemachus (Tom Holland).

Of course, Odysseus' journey quickly goes awry, otherwise we wouldn't have an epic poem — or Nolan's film, for that matter. On his voyage home, he'll encounter all matter of obstacles, from the enchantress Circe (Charlize Theron) to the Cyclops Polyphemus.

The latter's appearance is one of the many show-stopping moments in the trailer, with Nolan reportedly using animatronics to bring the famed one-eyed giant to life. But that's not all The Odyssey's trailer has in store. Between sweeping shots of the ocean, teases of the Trojan Horse sequence, and riveting storm sequences that leave Damon in bedraggled wet cat mode, the trailer is a visual feast. (And don't even get me started on the stirring score. My ears can only get so pumped.)

If the trailer already has you foaming at the mouth to see more of Nolan's next film, you're in luck. The Odyssey's six-minute prologue is now playing in theaters ahead of IMAX screenings of Avatar: Fire and Ash.

The Odyssey also stars Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, and Zendaya.

The Odyssey hits theaters July 18.

Some products can only be appreciated after you've tried them for yourself. I've known about laptop docking stations for years, but it wasn't until I got my first MacBook that I finally understood how awesome (and freeing) they are.

I've been running a fairly simple homelab for about five years, give or take. And while my current setup does most of the things I want it to do, I've effectively backed myself into a corner by cheaping out on hardware and making some other ill-advised choices that I wish I could go back on. Woe is me, and all that, but I don't think I'm alone here. So, maybe my story will help steer people toward the path that's right for them.

VLC, arguably the best media player around, dons a festive Santa hat every holiday season. The hat appears automatically, but you can remove it or prevent it from even appearing in the first place in just a few seconds. Here's how.

You might've heard the argument that many years of updates don't matter because “you’ll replace your phone in 2 years anyway.” In the age of e-waste, though, there’s a reason why you should want your phone to last years on end—even if you aren't the one using it.

Capture the flag is one of the most iconic traditions at Camp Half-Blood, along with chariot racing and, you know, trying not to get killed by monsters. If given the opportunity to join in on a game, which Percy Jackson and the Olympians characters would the cast choose to be their teammates?

SEE ALSO: How is 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' Season 2 different from the books?

That's the challenge Mashable laid out for six of Percy Jackson and the Olympian Season 2's stars in our latest edition of Choose Your Squad. The rules: You can't choose your own character, and once you've drafted a pick, that character is permanently off the board.

To make things extra competitive, we added some Greek gods to the draft pool. Will the cast go for the ultimate power players in the Percy Jackson universe, or will they be wary of the gods' tendencies for pettiness and infighting?

The answer is decidedly the former. Stars Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries, Aryan Simhadri, Daniel Diemer, Dior Goodjohn, and Charlie Bushnell each decide to beef up their teams with some godly powers, and the result is delightful chaos. Come for the cast, stay for some of their wild strategizing.

Who will be the first pick in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians capture-the-flag draft? Which demigod actors will draft their fictional parents to their side? Watch the full video above to find out.

Percy Jackson and the Olympians Season 2 is now streaming on Disney+, with new episodes every Wednesday.

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Whether you're off for the holidays or working through, if you're looking for some great movies to entertain you or even get you in the holiday spirit, I've got you covered with four excellent Paramount+ picks—expertly chosen and all Certified Fresh by the movie nerds at Rotten Tomatoes.

The affordable sports compact segment is more competitive than ever, and 2025 has brought three standout contenders from Honda, Volkswagen, and Hyundai into a surprisingly tight race. Each delivers its own blend of performance, practicality, and value, making this comparison especially important for buyers who want thrills without breaking the bank.

Finally, it’s here—the most anticipated week of the year. It’s also the most stressful and chaotic, so to help with that, I bring you a healthy mix of lighthearted, mostly holiday-spirited flicks to shift your mood and put it right where it needs to be.

Practically every useful online service requires a subscription now. Even though each individual one may seem small, together, over time they add up. There's probably no way to completely cut subscriptions out of a digital life these days, but you can cut back if you use these 5 self-hosting apps.

Many of you will be celebrating Christmas this week, so it's a perfect time to watch some movies. But even if the holiday isn't for you, you never really need an excuse to enjoy some cinematic treats. That's why I dish up some Netflix recommendations every week.

Excel's grid feels like an endless canvas until you hit the boundaries of row 1,048,576 or column XFD. These limits aren't random—they're digital walls shaped by history, hardware, and binary logic. Here's why the "Big Grid" is the size it is, and why it hasn't moved since 2007.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're always looking for what's next.

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 December 22, 2025 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: A gush

• Green: Next

• Blue: Given on birthdays, holidays, etc.

• Purple: Hues

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Influx

• Green: Subsequent

• Blue: Kinds of cards

• Purple: Colors minus last letter

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 #925 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Influx: RASH, RUSH, SURGE, WAVE

• Subsequent: COMING, FOLLOWING, FUTURE, LATER

• Kinds of cards: BUSINESS, GREETING, MEMBERSHIP, PLAYING

• Colors minus last letter: BROW, CYA, PIN, WHIT

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 December 22, 2025

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 don't like buying gifts.

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 December 22, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 22, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme:Pass it along

The words are related to the holidays.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe giving presents.

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 Regifting.

NYT Strands word list for December 22

• Book

• Candle

• Gadget

• Wine

• Scarf

• Regifting

• Lotion

• Earrings

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're a beachgoer.

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 December 22, 2025 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 December 22, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

It has a spiral shell.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter C appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter C.

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...

CONCH

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 22, 2025

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.

Want to watch college football this season? Here are your best options: BEST FOR ESPN ESPN Unlimited $29.99 per month for 1 year (save $15) Shop Now Best for Fox and Big Ten Fox One 7-day free trial, then $199.99 per year (save $39.89) Shop Now BEST FOR SINGLE GAME FuboTV 7-day free trial, then $54.99/month for 1 month (save $30) Get Deal Best for channels Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $76.99/month Shop Now Best for affordability Sling Season Pass $329 for 5 months (save $50.95) Shop Now BEST for INTRODUCTORY OFFER YouTube TV 5-day free trial, then $49.99/month for 3 months (save $99) Shop Now

The first round of the College Football Playoffs are in the history books but there's more bowl season action to enjoy this week. Next up is Utah State Aggies vs. Washington State Cougars in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, a long-running contest previously won by Utah State in 2012.

The programs are tied with respective records of 6-6 this season. That means there's more than the glory of the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on the line for these college teams — both programs are battling to make it a winning season.

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If you want to watch Utah State vs. Washington State for free from anywhere in the world, here's all the information you need.

When is Utah State vs. Washington State?

Utah State vs. Washington State takes place at 2 p.m. ET on Dec. 22. This game takes place at Albertsons Stadium.

Utah State vs. Washington State is broadcast on ESPN.

How to watch college football in 2025/26

Fans can live stream college football on a wide range of recommended services, some of which include free trials so you can follow the action without actually spending anything.

ESPN Unlimited (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: ESPN ESPN Unlimited $29.99 per month for 1 year Shop Now

Channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+, and ACCNX

ESPN Unlimited provides access to everything that ESPN has to offer. For college football, you get live access to games on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, SEC Network, SECN+, ACC Network, and ABC. The Unlimited plan will set you back $29.99 per month, but for the first year, new subscribers can secure a bundle with Disney+ and Hulu for the same price.

Fox One (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Fox One Fox One 7-day free trial, then $199.99 per year Shop Now

Channels: Fox, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network

Fox One provides access to live broadcasts on Fox, Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, and Big Ten Network. It costs $19.99 per month, but you can save $40 by opting for the annual plan at $199.99. You can also start with a seven-day free trial, so you've got the chance to watch select games without spending anything.

FuboTV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV 7-day free trial, then $54.99/month for 1 month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NBCSN, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, and The CW

FuboTV offers you more than 250 channels of live TV and provides the opportunity to watch on 10 screens at once, if that's your thing. You can try FuboTV with a seven-day free trial period. 

Fubo takes sports seriously, and that's something we appreciate. With the Pro subscription, you get access to most college football broadcasts. But hardcore fans may want to consider upgrading to the Elite plan, which unlocks access to ESPNU, SEC Network, Pac-12 Network, and ACC Network. Either way, we suggest you test the waters for seven days before you make any sort of commitment.

Hulu + Live TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu + Live TV 3-day free trial, then $76.99/month Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, and The CW

Hulu + Live TV is not exactly cheap, but it does offer good bang for your buck. You need to cough up $76.99 per month (after a three-day trial), but you get access to over 95 live TV channels, plus Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ (all with ads). The included access to ESPN+ provides bonus access to even more college football games on top of live TV networks like ABC, FOX, ESPN, The CW, ACC Network, and more. Now that's value.

Sling (no free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Season Pass $329 for 5 months Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network

Sling is a comprehensive sporting service that offers a whole host of benefits, but you do need to be careful when selecting a plan. The Orange and Blue packages give you access to FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and more in local markets, but for access to ACC Network, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, and more, you'll need the Sports Extra package. We recommend checking your local market to ensure you get access to the channels you actually need.

YouTube TV (free trial) Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV 7-day free trial, then $49.99/month for your first 3 months Shop Now

Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NBCSN, SEC Network, and The CW

YouTube TV provides access to over 100 live channels. Newsflash: that's a lot. This huge list includes most of the channels you actually need to watch live college football, including NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and ESPN, plus networks like FS1 and SEC Network. YouTube TV also offers that all-important free trial so you can watch select games without spending anything.

How to watch Utah State vs. Washington State from anywhere in the world

If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to unblock your favorite streaming service. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can unblock live streams of college football from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Utah State vs. Washington State from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

4. Sign in to your favorite streaming service

5. Watch JUtah State vs. Washington State from anywhere in the world

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the U.S.

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

50% OFF: Mashable readers can save 50% on the first year of 1Password ahead of the holidays. This discount applies to both the Individual and Families plans.

Opens in a new window Credit: 1Password 1Password: 50% off Individual and Families plans   Get Deal

If you're looking to boost your cybersecurity game in the new year, a password manager is a great place to start. There are quite a few services that we like, including 1Password, which we consider the best password manager for families. Right now, Mashable readers can even enjoy 50% off 1Password plans for the first year.

This 50% off deal, which is automatically applied at the checkout, covers both the Individual and Families plans. This brings the former's price down to just $1.99 per month (which needs to be paid as an annual subscription of $23.88), and the latter down to $2.99 per month (paid as an annual subscription of $35.88). This limited-time offer only lasts until Dec. 31, so now's the time to sign up and set yourself up with extra online security in the new year.

SEE ALSO: The 60+ best Christmas gifts for 2025: Find unique gift ideas you'd never think of on your own

When signing up for the Individual plan, you'll be able to generate passwords securely, autosave and autofill credentials, share items securely, get alerts for weak or compromised credentials, and be able to use it on all of your devices. The Families plan includes all of that plus the ability to invite up to five family members, share unlimited vaults, and manage access through admin controls.

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In our roundup of the best password managers, we chose 1Password as a top pick for families. Through this plan, "you can safely share passwords, credit cards, notes, and more, while also managing what individual family members can see and do (meaning you can control who gets access to what passwords, which is ideal for parents). Plus, you can help any family member in your plan easily recover their accounts if they accidentally get locked out."

If either of these plans sound like a good fit for you, now is an excellent time to sign up for a 1Password plan and save 50% off your first year.