Mashable

Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she's your mother-in-law, your best friend's mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.

Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.

The game plan here isn't just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you're not the kid who forgot Mother's Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don't even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother's Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?

SEE ALSO: The best gifts for her

Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it's something to make a part of her life easier, something she's mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can't put a price on everything she's done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.

After all, they say "No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother." But is that even a bad thing?

Instagram has added a bunch of new features for Stories, offering users new ways to share posts, photos, and videos with their followers.

The latest additions to the app's roster of tools include some that are interactive, like "Reveal": a way to post a hidden, blurred story that will only reveal itself once a follower sends a DM. This could be a fun new way to connect with followers, but it's unclear how many people will actually turn to using the sticker.

If you want to be one to try it out, here's how to do it.

How to use Reveal on Instagram Total Time

• 2 minutes.

What You Need

• Instagram app
• Smartphone

Step 1: Go to the Story tab on the top left-side corner of the Instagram homepage, and click on "Create".

Credit: Instagram.

Step 2: Place a picture of your choice from your camera roll.

Step 3: Click on the Stickers icon, and select "Reveal".

Step 4: Here, you'll be prompted to add a hint for your followers that will help them unveil the hidden picture.

You can also click the "Preview" button to see what the story will look like to followers.

Credit: Screenshot: Mashable / Instagram.

Step 5: Post!

Once you post the story, friends can reply to it with a DM. They will only be able to see the picture once they reply.

Featured Video For You How to deactivate your Instagram account

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for May 8 SEE ALSO: 'Wordle' today: Here's the answer hints for May 8

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Wednesday, May 8, 2024:

AcrossHybrid striped animal whose dad is a 1-Down, and whose mom starts with "h"

• The answer is zorse.

Put into law

• The answer is enact.

Software releases that might still be buggy

• The answer is betas.

"Save it for a ___ day"

• The answer is rainy.

So much

• The answer is alot.

DownBlack-and-white safari animal

• The answer is zebra.

Shaq's last name

• The answer is oneal.

Numerical relationship often written with a colon

• The answer is ratio.

Barely enough, quantity-wise

• The answer is scant.

Online marketplace for crafters

• The answer is Etsy.

After feasting my eyes on the thinnest-ever iPad Pro, which drew me in with its vivid, color-rich, ultra-bright OLED display, the new M2 iPad Air looked like the plain Jane sibling.

The iPad Pro had me looking like Jim Carrey's jaw-dropping character in The Mask while the iPad Air, well, just got an indifferent nod from me.

For some time, the rumor mill claimed that the iPad Air would sport miniLED, borrowing a display perk from the previous-generation 2022 iPad Pro. This incited a little bit of excitement in me. But then, last minute, another rumor shot that down, claiming that miniLED isn't coming to the iPad Air.

As it turns out, it's true. The iPad Air still sports its predecessor's LCD display. Darn!

On the plus side, the iPad Air still comes with some worthy upgrades that may lure Apple enthusiasts into its lair.

SEE ALSO: Everything Apple announced during its iPad event, including new OLED iPad Pro Webcam got moved

If you've ever used an iPad Air on the Magic Keyboard, you may have noticed that the webcam, situated on the top bezel, sits on the side because of the landscape orientation. As such, video conferencing and FaceTime sessions may have felt a little awkward. (After all, we're all used to having webcams sitting on the top frame of our devices.)

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

That's why Apple moved the webcam to the side bezel, ensuring that the 12MP webcam is on top during video calls. There's still no FaceID, though.

New 13-inch model

When I tried working with the iPad Air for week, I thought it felt a little cramped. While some may love the portability of a 10.9-inch display, I thought, "Some extra screen real estate wouldn't hurt."

13-inch iPad Air in all of its glory. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

So when I saw the new iPad Air entrant, the 13-inch model (matching the size of the largest iPad Pro), I was like, "Ooh! This size is just right." Apple said that the 13-inch iPad Air has 30% more screen real estate compared to its predecessor, and yeah, the uptick in spaciousness is unmistakable.

If you don't have a workflow that is intensive on the internals, and you're not affected by the limitations of iPadOS, you can pop this bad boy on a Magic Keyboard for a more comfortable, laptop-esque experience. (Plus, the new Magic Keyboard now has a full function row and a larger haptic trackpad.)

The iPad Air comes in 11-inch and 13-inch models now, but the latter is the showstopper here.

iPad Pro stole its shine

If the iPad Air were chilling on its own, I would have been impressed (particularly with the spacious 13-inch model). However, with the iPad Air sitting next to the iPad Pro, it was easy to see the conspicuous differences in their displays.

After all, you're shelling out less cash, $599 to start via the official Apple Store, which is a wallet-friendly price tag (for Apple, anyway), but this comes with trade-offs.

11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air models on max brightness. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

One of those trade-offs is a dimmer screen.

The 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models in all of their glory. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Brightness ranges from 500 to 600 nits; compare that to the iPad Pro, which delivers a peak brightness of 1,600 nits.

That being said, if you don't mind splurging, I highly recommend the iPad Pro, particularly if you plan on using this tablet on-the-go. If you'll be using your iPad indoors, however, and you don't sit next to a bright window, the iPad Air should suffice.

It's also worth noting that the iPad Air comes with an M2 chip, the same processor that's inside the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air I'm currently using to type this hands-on review. And during the demo, I saw the M2 chip handle processes like Photomator's "ML Enhance" and "Super Resolution" better than ever, where I saw a photo go from ho-hum to vividly striking in just seconds.

via GIPHY

The iPad Air, particularly the 13-inch model, caught my eye, but next to the iPad Pro, the Air is struggling to stand out.

The iPad Air starts at $699 while the iPad Pro starts at $999.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable iPad Air (M2) $599.00 at Apple
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Opens in a new window Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable iPad Pro $999.00 at Apple
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When Venus formed billions of years ago, the planet probably had about as much water as Earth.

Thick carbon dioxide clouds in Venus' atmosphere trap heat, making it the hottest planet in the solar system, despite it being farther from the sun in space than Mercury. The runaway greenhouse effect has raised the planet's temperature to a sizzling 900 degrees Fahrenheit, according to NASA. 

But scientists say evaporation from heat can't completely explain why Venus, sometimes known as Earth's evil twin, is the arid wasteland it is today. 

"As an analogy, say I dumped out the water in my water bottle. There would still be a few droplets left," said Michael Chaffin, a researcher at the University of Colorado Boulder, in a statement. 

On Venus, almost all of those remaining "drops" are gone, too, and a new study co-led by Chaffin puts forward a theory for how it has happened. The answer, according to the research, may be a molecule that could be in the planet's upper atmosphere, known as HCO+, which forms when water mixes with carbon dioxide. 

SEE ALSO: Lava poured out of a volcano on Venus, scientists find Tweet may have been deleted

What makes the finding somewhat odd is that scientists have never detected this molecule around Venus. The team published its research in the journal Nature this week. 

With computer simulations of the planet's chemistry, the scientists discovered that hydrogen atoms in the Venusian atmosphere could escape into space through so-called "dissociative recombination," causing the planet to lose twice as much water daily than previous estimates. 

To get a better sense of just how much less water Venus has than Earth, co-author Eryn Cangi explains it this way: If all of Earth's water could be spread evenly around the world, the planet would be covered in a nearly 2-mile-deep ocean. But on Venus, where almost all of the available water is steam in the air, that liquid would blanket the planet in a paltry single inch of water. 

Venus has the most volcanoes in the solar system, according to NASA. An astronomer recently discovered a volcanic eruption there, evidence that, however inhospitable to life, the planet is still geologically active. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / Peter Rubin illustration

"Venus has 100,000 times less water than the Earth, even though it's basically the same size and mass," Chaffin said. 

"Venus has 100,000 times less water than the Earth, even though it's basically the same size and mass."

The HCO+ molecule would form in the atmosphere, but individual ions wouldn't last long, according to the new theory. Instead, electrons in the atmosphere would seek these ions and recombine to split the ions. Through this process, hydrogen atoms would drift away, depleting the planet of one of the two necessary ingredients to make water. This could explain why Venus continues to lose water to space. 

Tweet may have been deleted

Despite scientists never having observed HCO+ around Venus, the research team thinks that might be because no spacecraft that has visited the world has had the right instruments to check. And even though there are upcoming missions planned to study Venus from the sky in the 2030s, such as NASA's DAVINCI and the European Space Agency's Envision, these robotic probes won't have the right tools to detect the molecule, either. 

But getting to the bottom of how Venus dried out could help scientists better understand what can happen to water elsewhere. 

"Water is really important for life," Cangi said. "We need to understand the conditions that support liquid water in the universe."

An extract from Sluts: The Truth About Slutshaming & What We Can Do To Fight It by Mashable contributing writer Beth Ashley.

If the history of slutshaming has taught us anything, it’s that we have been condemning female sexuality and shaming anyone who doesn’t appear to fit sexual norms since long before the smartphone showed up. But the arrival of social media has significantly changed how slutshaming happens, how it’s received, and even how we speak about it.

Someone calls a woman a ‘slut’ or ‘whore’ on X (formerly Twitter) almost 10,000 times per day. According to a 2016 study, 200,000 aggressive tweets were sent using those specific insults in a given month. If you’re counting, that’s about seven abusive tweets per minute, or about 9,500 a day. What’s worse is that half of the offenders were women. Seventy-two per cent of women across the UK, the European Union, the USA, Australia and New Zealand report receiving unsolicited nudes online, a phenomenon commonly dubbed 'cyberflashing'. 

SEE ALSO: Why these former tech workers became sex workers — and love their new lives

The internet has become a breeding ground for slutshaming due to its anonymity and rapid dissemination of content, and to amplify the real-life experiences that happen offline. Photos, videos or posts can be easily shared, commented on or mocked, making it difficult for victims to escape public scrutiny and humiliation. Research has shown that many people who slutshame on the internet aren’t necessarily thinking about their actions at all. The internet has granted anyone with Wi-Fi access the ability to share their personal beliefs publicly, often on impulse, with little thought about the content or the impact this might have on others. This is, in part, due to something called the anonymity and online disinhibition effect. Coined by psychologist John Suler in his 2004 paper "The Online Disinhibition Effect", this is the idea that the internet allows users to remain relatively anonymous. It makes them feel less constrained by social norms, and so they may engage in behaviour they wouldn’t in face-to-face interactions. He wrote that many people on the internet live by a "you can’t see me and you don’t know me" ethos, making them feel free to say whatever the hell they like. 

Slutshaming during adolescence 

Slutshaming has become part and parcel of adolescent cyber bullying. In fact, many girls will likely be sexualized on the internet, including being called a slut – or a slag, hoe, whore or other synonyms – by the time they’re just 12 years old. 

One study found that the internet has offered teenagers new ways to slutshame each other. Boys who want to bully girls who have shared intimate photos with them can do it all too easily with the click of a button. And the trauma can last a lifetime. The research shows that teenage girls can become victims of unwanted dissemination, coercion and blackmail as a result of sexting and nude-swapping, while teenage boys are unlikely to suffer the same backlash. "While it normalises it for boys, girls become victims of slutshaming," it concludes.

The study "Why did she send it in the first place? Victim blame in the context of 'revenge porn'", found that people generally lacked sympathy for victims of non-consensual nude-sharing, specifically because they were naked. They also found that participants tended to assume the victim was promiscuous and were to blame for the image being shared. 

It’s common for girls who’ve sent nudes, or had nudes nonconsensually spread around, to hear slutshaming phrases like: 

• "What did you expect?"

• "You shouldn’t have sent nudes in the first place."

• "She was asking for it."

SEE ALSO: Meta tests tools to protect teen users from sextortion and unwanted nudes The Andrew Tate effect 

To understand how slutshaming has evolved online over the last few years, we have to talk about Andrew Tate, a former professional kickboxer who’s now one of the biggest social media personalities in the world, renowned for his videos on how to be an alpha male, how men can find "high value women" and for speaking proudly about being a misogynist. Tate has recently been charged with rape, human trafficking and forming an organized crime group to sexually exploit women. Despite this, he has over 8.5 million followers on X alone, plus more on other social media platforms. He’s also in the top 5 most googled people in the US and is the number one most influential person in the US. According to statistics provided by YouGov in 2023, a quarter of men in the UK aged between 18 and 29 who had heard of Tate agreed with his views on how women should be treated. And 28 percent of men between 30 and 39 supported his views too. 

SEE ALSO: Andrew Tate is affecting what kids believe about relationships

What views are they, you ask? Here are just a few things he’s said about sluts: 

• "I would not see male infidelity as even one per cent as disgusting as female infidelity because female infidelity involves emotion."

• "Any woman who can say, 'I fuck dudes and I don’t care about it' is fundamentally broken. Her soul is broken. I don’t want no broken bitch near me."

• "In the modern world if I meet a girl who’s thirty-three and single, I know the amount of dick that’s been through her before me is just simply unattractive."

Tate is a dangerous person with a massive reach, and he seems to have a lot of men – and some women too – in the palm of his hand. When we look at how conversations about sex on apps like TikTok are changing, we can see his influence, and the influence of others like him, taking shape in very harmful ways

No one ever deserves to be slutshamed for their sexual expression, on or offline. No one ever deserves to be shamed for finding and enjoying their sexual selves. And no one should ever be subjected to non-consensual sharing of nudes. It’s time we make slutshaming itself a shameful act, rather than sexual expression – online as well as in real life. We must call out people who perpetuate rape culture on the internet, correct our friends who lack sympathy for victims of online abuse and slutshaming, and call our friends into sex positive spaces online.

Sluts: The Truth About Slutshaming & What We Can Do To Fight It by Beth Ashley (Penguin Random House) is published 9 May.

In 2008, at the Macworld conference in San Francisco, Steve Jobs pulled the original MacBook Air out of a manila envelope, thus ushering the era of ultra-light, "Air" Apple devices.

And although some MacBook Air variants did put on weight in the following years – there's now a larger, 15-inch variant – the company's Air lineup more or less stayed very light and nimble.

But in the company's most recent iPad lineup, introduced at yesterday's "Let Loose" event, the "Air" moniker makes little sense. At the event, Apple introduced two new iPad Air and two new iPad Pro devices — both available with either an 11-inch or a 13-inch display. And this time, the Airs are both heavier and thicker than the Pros.

The new king is here, both in power and in lightness. Credit: Apple

The 11-inch iPad Pro is 0.21 inches thick and weighs 0.98 pounds, while the 11-inch iPad Air is slightly thicker, at 0.24 inches, and weighs 1.02 pounds. Similarly, the 13-inch iPad Pro is 0.20 inches thick and weights 1.28 pounds, while the 13-inch iPad Air is 0.24 inches thick and weighs 1.36 pounds.

The new iPad Air isn't heavy by any means, but we're not sure it still deserves the name. Credit: Apple

It's also worth pointing out that the 11-inch iPad Air is just a hair (0.03 pounds) lighter than the 10.9-inch iPad, which costs considerably less (the 11-inch Air starts at $599 while the iPad starts at $349).

The new iPad Airs have a bit of a saving grace, though: They're overall a little shorter than their iPad Pro brethren. The 11-inch iPad Air measures 9.74 by 7.02 inches, while the 11-inch iPad Pro is 9.83 by 6.99 inches. The 13-inch iPad Air measures 11.04 inches by 8.46 inches, making it both shorter and narrower than the 13-inch iPad Pro, which measures 11.09 by 8.48 inches. Those differences are small enough to be negligible in real life use, though.

SEE ALSO: iPad Pro 2024 vs. M3 MacBook Air: What are the differences?

It's not a big deal for the non-nitpicking customer (that, dear reader, is not us), but it is odd. Apple's Air devices were never just cheaper versions of the Pros, they were a lighter, thinner, smaller alternative, making you feel like you got a bit more (if you consider less weight and size to be more) for your money. Now, the iPad Air is just a cheaper, slightly heavier version of the iPad Pro. Maybe it needs a new name?

Stray Kids became the first full K-pop group to ever attend the Met Gala on Monday, with all eight members present at the annual fundraising fashion event. Unfortunately, the momentous occasion was marred by "disrespectful" and "racist" comments made by photographers covering the red carpet, infuriating K-pop fans all around the world.

In a widely circulated clip from USA Today's arrivals livestream, Stray Kids members Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and I.N are shown arriving at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art for the event. Wearing coordinated red, white, and navy Tommy Hilfiger suits, the K-pop idol group pose together for clusters of photographers.

SEE ALSO: The 2024 Met Gala was filled with floral fashion. The internet had thoughts. Credit: Taylor Hill / Getty Images

It's a loud environment, filled with people shouting directions over crowd chatter. Even so, several photographers can clearly be heard making remarks they might not have had they known that Stray Kids most certainly understand English — or that their comments were being livestreamed.

Tweet may have been deleted

Sarcastically telling Stray Kids to "tone it down," the Met Gala photographers complained that the K-pop idol group wasn't expressive enough for their liking. It was a particularly incongruous criticism considering that other guests such as Gustav Magnar Witzøe, Wisdom Kaye, Zendaya, and Willow and Jaden Smith weren't similarly admonished despite showing an equivalent amount of emotion.

"I've never seen so many unemotional faces in my life," one photographer said of Stray Kids.

"They're robots," said another.

Characterising Asians as robotic and unfeeling is a racist stereotype that has persisted for decades. Such false narratives dehumanise Asian people, leading to ostracisation, hate, and violence against them — as well as negatively impacting their mental health.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Credit: Taylor Hill / Getty Images

But the group of Met Gala photographers continued, several loudly complaining when Stray Kids took off their coats, and grousing that they now had to take more photos of the group. Outfit changes aren't an outlandish concept for the Met Gala. The event's co-host Zendaya even swapped out her custom blue John Galliano for Maison Margiela dress for a vintage black Givenchy gown later that night. Lady Gaga brought no less than four outfit changes to the 2019 event.

Even so, Stray Kids simply shedding their jackets was apparently too much for these photographers to handle. In fact, some of them can be heard in the video commenting they'd have to explain it was still the same K-pop group, suggesting that others would think Stray Kids were completely different people merely because they'd removed their coats.

"You gotta explain that shit," said one. "They're gonna be, 'ah, two K-pop bands.'"

"That's funny," said another.

The idea that all Asian people look the same is another persistent racist stereotype that dehumanises and reduces them to a homogenous mass.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

During the shoot, the photographers also yelled at Stray Kids to jump or "do something crazy," asked them how to say certain words in Korean, and seemed to mockingly joke that the group were going to start performing right there on the red carpet — a stark contrast to the photographers' behaviour when other celebrities were in front of their lenses. 

Combined with repeated calls of "annyeonghaseyo" ("hello" in Korean) and a comment labelled as "arigato" ("thank you" in Japanese) in the video, the whole ordeal left a bad taste in many people's mouths. Viewers from across K-pop fandoms have slammed the Met Gala photographers, calling their behaviour "disgusting" and "xenophobic."

"treating them like fucking zoo animals because the photographers assume they don't know english is so disgusting," wrote Twitter/X user @saimingki.

"don't need to be a fan of stray kids to recognize the blatant xenophobia," said @mygucciburned98. "this is so disgusting and disheartening"

"Not a Stay or even a fan, but I know they too work hard for their dreams. So what the f... did I just watch?? How rude and disrespectful!" commented @cypherluscious. Stray Kids' fans are called "Stay."

Mashable has reached out to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for comment.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

This rude reception is unlikely to have flown over Stray Kids' heads either. Leader Bang Chan and rapper Felix are fluent in English, both being Korean-Australian, while most of the other members have at least a fair command of the language. 

"Had such a great time because everyone treated us so respectfully~😊" Bang Chan reportedly posted to K-pop fan app Bubble later that night. Many fans have interpreted this statement as sarcastic.

Social media has also praised Bang Chan and his Stray Kids for handling the situation with poise and grace, despite knowing exactly what the photographers were shouting at them. It undoubtedly wasn't what the K-pop group had been hoping for from their first Met Gala experience.

"if i were skz i would nawt be staying professional oml im not their biggest fan but damn props to them for keeping their composure in front of all that bs," wrote @haobaoshearts.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

The issue of anti-Asian racism gained significant attention over the past few years. Asian communities around the world have faced increased racist rhetoric and violent attacks, as many erroneously blamed them for the COVID-19 pandemic. Sadly, it seems as though this increased awareness still hasn't led to more thoughtful behaviour from some.

I wanted the Apple Pencil Pro, leaked a few days before Apple's "Let Loose" livestream on May 7, to have two things: FindMy support and a Space Black colorway.

Apple only answered one of those prayers. Hallelujah! The Apple Pencil Pro has FindMy support. As clumsily forgetful as I am, this is a necessity.

Sadly, there's no Space Black Apple Pencil Pro, but the Apple Pencil Pro still has a ton of new features that I got to play around with at a recent New York City showcase.

SEE ALSO: Everything Apple announced during its iPad event, including new OLED iPad Pro "Squeeze me!"

Like the rumor mill predicted, there is, indeed, a new squeeze gesture on the Apple Pencil Pro. When I squeezed the Apple Pencil Pro for myself, allowing my forefinger to sit on the flat edge while pinching it, I felt some barely there, satisfying haptic feedback that brought up the tool palette in the Freeform app.

Giving the Apple Pencil Pro a lil' squeeze. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

And just like that, I was able to select the pen type, color, line weight, opacity, and more.

Of course, this won't be the only feature that the squeeze gesture can access. This perk has opened up to developers, so you'll enjoy using the fun new gesture with other apps, opening a whole new world of Apple Pencil Pro fun.

The barrel roll

The barrel roll was my favorite feature to experiment with at the showcase. This feature lets you employ a twisting motion with the Apple Pencil, expanding the cool things you can do with your digital artistic creations.

For example, in Procreate (a drawing app), I pulled up a colorful illustration of a woman with dangly blue earrings.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

To add a cool spiral design to the earring, all I needed to do was use the "Liquify" feature before rotating the tip of the Apple Pencil Pro on the sapphire gem. And just like that, I transformed her earring, solid and a bit dull, into a twirly, swirly fun adornment.

I also tried the barrel roll feature in Procreate Dreams, an animation app.

via GIPHY

I dragged an object into an animation scene. While twisting the Apple Pencil, not only could I have the object traverse the scene from side to another, but I could also ensure that it rotates to show different dimensions as the scene progressed. I'm no animator, but with this feature, I felt like I was ready to animate the next Pixar film. (Hire me, Disney!)

Hover comes to M2 iPad Air

Thus far, I tried all of these features on the new M4 iPad Pro.

via GIPHY

So I decided to try these features on the newly announced M2 iPad Air with the same success. It's also worth noting that Apple expanded the hover feature to the M2 iPad Air, allowing you to preview your stroke before committing to it.

I know this is obvious, but it's still worth noting that the iPad Pro's display is significantly better than the screen on the iPad Air. It was so easy for me to scribble and play around on the iPad Pro, which has a brilliant, vivid OLED display. However, the iPad Air was showcased in a bright room, so its less premium panel wasn't has visible as its upper-tier sibling.

You can really see the difference between the iPad Pro's 1,600-nit display (peak) and the iPad Air's 500-600 nit screen.

Haptic feedback is subtle, but welcomed

I played around with the Apple Pencil Pro's haptic feedback after pulling up the tool palette (with the new squeeze gesture, of course) and tapping on the undo button.

Apple Pencil Pro on the iPad Pro Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

A semi-circle of undo icons popped up. The more icons I passed with the Apple Pencil Pro tip, the more that disappears (and gets undone) from your screen. Along with this feature, I felt a subtle "tick" of haptic feedback with each icon that I touched.

You can also feel haptic feedback when you use the double tap feature to switch between the eraser and pen, for example, giving you more confidence during your workflow.

Apple Pencil Pro compatibility

No, the Apple Pencil Pro isn't compatible with any previous models of the iPad Pro, not even the 2022 variants.

Why? There appears to be some sort of new charging mechanism for the Apple Pencil Pro that makes it incongruent with older models. As such, the Apple Pencil Pro is only for the new M2 iPad Air and M4 iPad Pro models. (You can also use the USB-C Apple Pencil for these new iPads, too.)

Another bummer is that the Apple Pencil 2 is not compatible with the new iPads.

The Apple Pencil Pro is $129 via Apple's official website, the same price as the Apple Pencil 2.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Apple Pencil Pro $129.00 at Apple
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SAVE $155.03: Through May 12, get the most out of the Adobe Creative Cloud Suite with an all-in-one certification course bundle on sale for $24.97, down from the regular price of $180. That's an 86% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Adobe The All-in-One Adobe Creative Cloud Suite Certification Course Bundle $24.97 at the Mashable Shop
$180.00 Save $155.03 Get Deal

Having professional creative skills can open doors to careers in graphic design, video editing, web development, photography, and more. Whether you're looking to start a new career, enhance your existing skills, or unleash your creative potential, learning how to use the expansive Adobe Creative Cloud Suite, an industry-standard program, could take you to the next level. And there's a great deal to help you learn the ins and outs of the creative suite today.

The All-in-One Adobe Creative Cloud Suite Certification Course bundle is on sale for just $24.97, down from the regular price of $180. That's an 86% discount, or $155.03 off. This bundle provides expert-led training in some of the most powerful tools in the creative industry. It covers a range of Adobe Creative Cloud applications including Illustrator, Lightroom, Photoshop, Premier Rush, and more to help you become proficient in multiple tools and techniques.

New users should begin with the Complete Adobe Premiere Pro CC Course: Beginner to Advanced 2022. This is where you'll learn the basics, including how to download and install Adobe Premiere Pro (software is not included). From there, expect to learn essentials like how to create a new project, layers, editing, transitions, animations, and more. You will even learn how to edit to a musical beat if you'd like to try a new productivity hack.

Another beginner course covers Illustrator. This hands-on course gets you started designing logos. Work on several logo projects, create your own graphics, and recreate a hand-drawn picture in the app by the time you're through. 

The 2022 Adobe Animate Games & Characters course helps users familiar with Flash use Adobe Animate to create games, draw and animate, enhance JavaScript skills, and more. There's even a course that teaches the basics of Adobe Premiere Rush so you can edit videos on your phone.

With this bundle, you’re not just learning software; you’re gaining the skills to create, innovate, and tell stories in exciting ways.

Until May 12 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can get this Adobe Creative Cloud Suite online learning bundle on sale for $24.97 (reg. $180).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: As of May 6, this refurbished 2018 Lenovo 2-in-1 Chromebook with 32GB SSD is on sale for $110.99 — a 76% discount from the original price.

Whether for school, work, or personal use, having a reliable computer is essential these days. And while buying a brand new model might seem like the obvious choice, don't sleep on refurbished products like this Lenovo 2-in-1 Chromebook. Refurbished devices are cleaned and inspected to ensure they're in good working order, letting you get an attractive laptop at a mere fraction of the regular cost.

This Lenovo Chromebook is from the model year 2018, but it still has attractive features to get you through your daily grind. It has a grade "B" refurbished rating, which means it could come to you with some light cosmetic blemishes on the case or bevel.

The 2-in-1 design blends the functionality of a laptop with the portability and convenience of a tablet. It can switch between laptop, tablet, tent, and stand modes. It has a wide 11.6-inch immersive touchscreen that lets you compute with simple swipes and taps. You can also use the keyboard and trackpad if you need to write for longer periods of time. 

You'll get a 2.4GHz processor, 4GB RAM, and 32GB of storage, which you can utilize for smooth performance, multitasking, and more. It runs the Chrome OS, offering an intuitive interface and access to a variety of web-based apps through the Google Play and Chrome Web Store.

Weighing around two pounds, it's a lightweight option for taking on the go, whether you're a hybrid professional working out of multiple offices, a business traveler, or a student taking notes in class.

Don't miss this chance to take advantage of a terrific refurbished price point with this 2-in-1 Chromebook.

Originally $475, you can get this refurbished Lenovo 2-in-1 Chromebook while it's on sale for $110.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo 2-in-1 Chromebook 300e 2nd Gen 11.6" 4GB RAM 32GB SSD - Black (Refurbished) $110.99 at the Mashable Shop
$475.99 Save $365.00 Get Deal

Watch 'Doctor Who' Season 14 online with these quick links: BEST STREAMING DEAL FOR MOST PEOPLE Disney+ Basic monthly subscription $7.99 per month Get Deal BEST BUNDLE DEAL Disney Duo Basic Bundle: Disney+ and Hulu (with ads) $9.99 per month (save 37%) Get Deal BEST FOR VERIZON FIOS CUSTOMERS Disney+ Premium (no ads) Free for 6 or 12 months with eligible Fios internet accounts (save up to $109.99) Get Deal BEST FOR TOTAL BY VERIZON CUSTOMERS Disney+ Premium (no ads) Free with the Total by Verizon $60 plan (save $13.99 per month) Get Deal BEST FOR VERIZON WIRELESS CUSTOMERS Disney Bundle: Disney+ Premium (no ads), Hulu, and ESPN (with ads) $10 per month for Verizon customers with myPlan (save $8.99 per month) Get Deal BEST FREE OPTION BBC iPlayer Free with VPN when logged into UK server Get Deal BEST VPN DEAL NordVPN $3.09 per month + 3 months free (up to 69% off 2-year plan) Get Deal

A new Doctor Who season is upon us — and it's the first-ever season to launch on Disney+ and release simultaneously worldwide. So whether you're a dedicated Whovian or you've never even heard the word Tardis before, it's an exciting time to dive into the Whoniverse.

The quintessentially British TV show is one of the longest-running scripted series in the world. The original series aired for 26 seasons beginning in 1963, while the revived series that premiered in 2005 has 13 seasons under its belt. That makes the upcoming release Season 14 (or Season One, or Season 40 — it's all very confusing). If you're wondering how to watch the new season of Doctor Who when it premieres, we've got you covered. Here's what you need to know about this epic sci-fi series.

When is Doctor Who Season 14 coming to Disney+?

Doctor Who Season 14 premieres on Disney+ on Friday, May 10 at 7 p.m. ET with two initial episodes. In the UK, the season kicks off Saturday, May 11 at 12 a.m. GMT on BBC iPlayer, followed by BBC One later in the day. There will be eight episodes total, with subsequent episodes airing weekly.

Why is Doctor Who Season 14 also called Season 1?

Not only is this the first season to premiere on Disney+, but it's also the first season to star Ncuti Gatwa as the fifteenth doctor — though he already won over viewers in the latest Christmas special and a surprise appearance in the last of the 60th anniversary episodes. While technically Season 14 on paper, showrunner Russell T. Davies believes rebranding it as Season 1 can help attract new audiences and give the franchise a bit of a reset. After all, this season will make history with Gatwa as the first Black Doctor and explore more inclusive themes as well.

"Who is interested in Season 67, or whatever it is? It genuinely starts again. The reason why it’s survived for all these years is that every so often, Doctor Who stops, opens the door and refreshes itself, and gets a new audience in," Davies said in an interview with Rolling Stone.

How to watch Doctor Who: the best Disney+ streaming dealsBest Disney+ deal for most people Opens in a new window Credit: Disney+ Disney+ monthly subscription $7.99 per month (with ads) or $13.99 per month (ad-free) Watch Now

The best way to watch Doctor Who Season 14 is to sign up for a Disney+ monthly subscription. Technically, you won't actually save any money, but you also won't continuously waste it either — so long as you remember to cancel your subscription immediately after the season ends (although you may want to stick around to watch Star Wars series like The Acolyte). If you don't mind a few ads, it'll only cost you $7.99 per month. Otherwise, the ad-free option will run you $13.99 per month.

Best Disney+ bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu / Disney+ Disney Bundle Duo Basic (Hulu + Disney+) $9.99 per month (with ads) Watch Now

The Disney+ bundle is too good of a deal to pass up — especially if you're already a Hulu subscriber. For just $9.99 per month, you can bundle Disney+ with Hulu — that's only $2 per month more than paying for Disney+ or Hulu on its own or 37% savings compared to paying for each separately. If you're a sports fan, you can even throw ESPN+ into the mix and pay just $14.99 per month for all three — a savings of 44%. You'll have to watch a few ads during your viewing experience, but at this price, it's hard to complain. To eliminate ads, you'll have to pay an extra $10 per month.

Best Disney+ trial Opens in a new window Credit: Verizon Disney+ Premium (no ads) Free for 6 or 12 months with eligible Fios internet accounts (save up to $109.99) Watch Now

If you're a Verizon Fios home internet user, check your plan to see if you qualify for a free year or six months of Disney+ Premium (no ads). Customers on the 2 Gig Streaming or 2 Gig Complete package can watch for free for an entire year, while those on the 1 Gig Streaming or 1 Gig Complete package can watch for free for six months. Either way, that's plenty of time to consumer the new Doctor Who season. Activate the offer and read more about eligibility terms on the Verizon website.

Best Disney+ deal for Verizon Wireless customers Opens in a new window Credit: Verizon / Disney+ Disney Bundle: Disney+ Premium (no ads), Hulu, and ESPN (with ads) $10 per month for Verizon customers with myPlan (save $8.99 per month) Watch Now

Verizon Wireless customers can score a sweet deal on Disney+ through Verizon myPlan. Just add a Disney Bundle to your account through myPlan, which includes Disney+ Premium (no ads), Hulu (with ads), and ESPN (with ads). The bundle would regularly cost you $18.99 per month, but by signing up through this myPlan deal, it'll only cost you $10 per month.

Best way to get Disney+ for free Opens in a new window Credit: Total by Verizon Disney+ Premium (no ads) Free with the Total by Verizon $60 plan (save $13.99 per month) Watch Now

If you're a Total by Verizon customer on the $60/month prepaid unlimited plan, then you get Disney+ Premium (no ads) for free. No terms or trial periods — just be sure to keep your account in good standing and you can stream as much as you desire on Disney+. If you decide to cancel or switch your plan, your subscription will end as well.

Those on the $50/month prepaid unlimited plan can also enjoy six free months of Disney+, which is plenty of time to watch the new season of Doctor Who. However, you can extend those six months by switching over to the $60/month plan instead.

Other ways to watch Doctor Who: BBC iPlayer via VPN

If you're based in the UK, traveling to the UK, or simply cannot fathom adding Disney+ to your already crowded streaming service collection, you can watch the new season of Doctor Who via BBC iPlayer. You can access the entire season without hassle from the UK, but if you're based anywhere else in the world, you're going to need a VPN to unlock the geographical barrier. The good thing is BBC iPlayer is free, so you'll only have to pay a small monthly fee for a VPN if you don't already have one.

A VPN can hide your real IP address and allow you to connect to a secure server in the UK, which makes BBC iPlayer think you're connecting from a local network. Then, you can watch not only the new season of Doctor Who, but tons of other content from the Whoniverse from right here in the United States.

Follow these quick steps to watch Doctor Who via BBC iPlayer from the U.S.:

1. Sign up for a VPN (peep our top picks below)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app, sign in, and choose a server in the UK

4. Navigate to BBC iPlayer and visit the Whoniverse

5. Watch Doctor Who for free from anywhere in the world

Best VPN deals

Of all the VPNs we've tested and recommend, only two consistently unblocked BBC iPlayer when connected to a UK-based server: NordVPN and ExpressVPN. In other words, not all VPNs are created equal. Here are the details on our top picks.

NordVPN Opens in a new window Credit: NordVPN NordVPN $3.09 per month + 3 months free (up to 69% off 2-year plan) Get Deal

A top contender and probably one of the most well-known VPNs on the market, NordVPN is one of our favorites for a few reasons: an unrivaled suite of top-notch security features, a Threat Protection feature, more than 5,000 obfuscated servers, and a sweet deal on a 27-month Standard plan. You'll be able to unlock BBC iPlayer and plenty of other geo-blocked websites and apps. It has some lingering transparency concerns, but has made great strides to repair its reputation with network upgrades, boosted security standards, and a bug bounty program. It'll only cost you $3.09 per month for your first two years, plus you'll get an additional three months for free.

Read our full review of NordVPN.

ExpressVPN Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN $6.67 per month for 1-year plan + 3 months free Get Deal

It may be a bit pricier, but ExpressVPN is our favorite VPN for streaming. It offers a massive network of more than 3,000 servers across 94 countries, a user-friendly app, and a strong commitment to data protection. Per Mashable Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel, "Skirting geo-restrictions and playing shows on ITVX was a cinch when I connected to one of ExpressVPN's British servers. (Netflix UK and the BBC iPlayer were also easily unblocked.)" You can sign up for a 15-month plan for just $6.67 per month at the time of writing, which is still cheaper than a Disney+ subscription.

Read our full review of ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: For a limited time, get an AdGuard lifetime subscription for £13.59 or a family plan for £18.40.

The internet is such a great tool. Instant connection to tons of information and people worldwide has changed our world irrevocably. However, it's not all roses and rainbows. Excessive ads and annoying pop-ups can really ruin your online experience. And, of course, you have to worry about cybersecurity.

AdGuard was designed to solve both problems with a single tool. And as of this week, a lifetime subscription to AdGuard is currently on sale for as low as £13.59 for a Personal Plan and £18.40 for a Family Plan.

AdGuard will block those ever-present ads, including display ads, pop-up ads, and video ads. A subscription to AdGuard also includes privacy protection to help keep your information safe from trackers. You can also rest assured that the service's data privacy tools will help block fake websites, malware attacks, and phishing. It also features a no-logging policy, which means your information is never saved anywhere.

If you have a family with children and decide to go with the Family Plan, you can also activate parental controls. This means you can block your little ones from accessing sites and information, images, and videos that they shouldn't be seeing. 

This AdGuard offer is for new users only. The Personal Plan gets you access on three devices. The Family Plan covers up to nine devices. The software works on both mobile and desktop devices.

Don't miss this chance to stay protected and ad-free for life.

Pick up one of the following lifetime subscriptions:

• Lifetime subscription to AdGuard Personal Plan, on sale for £13.59 (reg. £48.04).

• Lifetime subscription to AdGuard Family Plan, on sale for £18.40 (reg. £64.06).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdGuard Lifetime subscription to AdGuard Personal Plan £13.59
£48.04 Save £34.45 Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: AdGuard Lifetime subscription to AdGuard Family Plan £18.40
£64.06 Save £45.66 Get Deal

TL;DR: Watch Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich for free on ServusTV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The first leg of the semi-final matchup between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich delivered quality in abundance, but nothing was really decided. Both teams tested each other out, but everything will come down to the result in Madrid. It's going to be a real battle between two giants of European football.

If you want to watch Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich?

Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich will begin their second-leg match at 3 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. BST on May 8. This fixture takes place at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain.

How to watch Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich for free

Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich is available to live stream for free on ServusTV.

ServusTV is geo-restricted to Austria, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Austria, meaning you can bypass geo-restrictions to access ServusTV from anywhere in the world.

Unblock ServusTV 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 Austria

4. Visit ServusTV

5. Stream Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich in the Champions League for free

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to provide free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to ServusTV without committing with your cash. This is not a long-term solution, but it gives you plenty of time to stream Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ServusTV?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on ServusTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Austria

• 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 also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL for free on JioCinema. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2024 IPL season is in full swing, and as we approach the fifth week of matches, the next fixture will see the Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants head to the pitch.

Hooked on the action? Don't worry, you can watch all the IPL games including Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. Lucknow Super Giants for free from anywhere in the world. Scroll on to find out how.

When is Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. Lucknow Super Giants?

Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. Lucknow Super Giants starts at 3 p.m. BST on May 8. This fixture will be played at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad, India.

How to watch Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. Lucknow Super Giants for free

Want to watch free live streams of the IPL? Look no further. JioCinema is offering live streams of every IPL cricket match this season. Just use the app to catch the games in 4K resolution.

Technically, JioCinema is geo-restricted to India. However, you can unblock this free streaming service with a VPN. VPNs allow you to hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in India, meaning you can access JioCinema from anywhere in the world.

Unblock JioCinema to stream the IPL 2024 by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for 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 India

4. Visit JioCinema (you will need an Indian phone number to subscribe)

5. Watch Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. Lucknow Super Giants for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

Most of the best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can watch IPL live streams without committing with your cash. This is clearly not a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select IPL fixtures for free.

What is the best VPN for JioCinema?

ExpressVPN is the best service for unblocking JioCinema, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including India

• 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

• 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 also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream the IPL for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: As of May 6, Pagico 10 is an organizing platform hub for all of your work, school, or personal projects that's on sale for $29.99 (reg. $65).

We all have a lot going on. From juggling multiple projects at work to what feels like a thousand moving parts at home, it can be a lot to keep in your head. It can be helpful to find some support. This Pagico platform acts as a central hub for you to manage all of it so you can stay efficient and on-task. It's currently on sale for $29.99 (reg. $65) for a limited time.

This offer is for new Pagico 10 users only. Once you sign up, you'll get updates for one year. After that, you can use the platform and its current features for life.

Use this platform to organize tasks, notes, checklists, documents, projects, and clients from one central place. You can also keep track of and manage your schedules. If you are more of a visual person, you can utilize interactive flowcharts to stay on top of everything and visualize project status for efficiency.

Create custom dashboards, see your daily schedule easily, and quickly go through all your tags to find the project you need. And if you need to collaborate with others on the team or household, Personal Cloud and the public share option allow you to sync across computers and mobile devices to make it happen.

With this platform, you can say goodbye to scattered sticky notes, cluttered calendars, and multiple to-do lists. Check it out for yourself and see if it can help streamline your life and keep you on task.

Pick up the Pagico 10 organizing platform for $29.99 (reg. $65).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Notes 17 Pagico 10: Lifetime License $29.99 at the Mashable Shop
$65.00 Save $35.01 Get Deal

TL;DR: As of May 6, check out this lifetime subscription to Design Wizard Pro for $39.99 (reg. $179) if you're looking for help with graphic design.

Those who have creative visions sometimes find it challenging to create the content they need to realize them. This is especially true if you own a small business or you're just starting out with graphic design. If you need help bringing your designs to life, Design Wizard Pro could be of service. A lifetime subscription is on sale for $39.99 (reg. $179).

According to Forbes, visuals are essential to branding and storytelling. However, getting access to affordable (or free) high-quality images poses an issue for many. This software gives users access to over a million quality images, illustrations, and graphics that are licensed to be used commercially. This means you don't have to worry about copyright issues while you're busy being your most creative self.

You don't need to be a professional designer to use Design Wizard. It's made to be easy to use for beginners and seasoned creators alike. Use it for logos, eye-catching social posts, website pages, and more.

The Pro Plan allows you to create stunning graphics, marketing materials, social media posts, and more. Using the vast library of images, 30,000 design templates, and 120 free fonts, users can have fun creating just the visual they imagine. You can also set color palettes to further customize the look.

You can even upload images and fonts to use in the software. Tools like the instant resize feature make for efficient creation. You can publish your designs straight to social media to make things even more streamlined.

Don't miss the opportunity to get this design tool at a reduced price.

For a limited time, a lifetime subscription to Design Wizard Pro is on sale for just $39.99 (reg. $179).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Design Wizard Design Wizard Pro: Lifetime Subscription $39.99 at the Mashable Shop
$179.82 Save $139.83 Get Deal

Connections is the latest New York Times word game 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 May 7's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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.

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Crimson hues

• Green: Sip

• Blue: Gold medal

• Purple: Keeping clean

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: SHADES OF RED

• Green: LITTLE BIT OF A BEVERAGE

• Blue: CHOICEST

• Purple: ___ BATH

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 Connections #331 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Yellow - SHADES OF RED - BRICK, CHERRY, ROSE, RUBY

• Green - LITTLE BIT OF A BEVERAGE - DROP, SPLASH, SPOT, SPRINKLE

• Blue - CHOICEST - BEST, CREAM, PICK, TOP

• Purple - ____ BATH - BIRD, BUBBLE, MUD, SPONGE

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.

Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for May 6's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

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.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

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 used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

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.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

How you smell after the gym.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no letters that appear twice.

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 Wordle #1054 is...

PIOUS.

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.

Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

The U.S.'s major wireless carriers are preparing to challenge the FCC over a fine totaling $200 million.

In statements provided to Mashable, AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile signaled their intent to appeal the FCC's fine, which was doled out to the companies for allegedly mishandling customers' sensitive location-based data. 

SEE ALSO: The FCC is reviving net neutrality. But what does that mean?

Earlier this week, the FCC announced that it was fining AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile for allegedly selling access to its own customers' location data to "aggregators." The aggregators then resold this access to other third-party, location-based service providers. 

In one specific case, one of these aggregators, a prison communication service company called Securus, provided access to a Mississippi sheriff who in turn used this data to track the location of people through their cell phones.

AT&T, Verizon, & T-Mobile challenge the FCC

According to the three big mobile carriers, the FCC is wrongly holding the big telecom companies responsible for the improper use of their customers' data.

"The FCC order lacks both legal and factual merit," said an AT&T spokesperson in a statement provided to Mashable. "It unfairly holds us responsible for another company’s violation of our contractual requirements to obtain consent, ignores the immediate steps we took to address that company’s failures, and perversely punishes us for supporting life-saving location services like emergency medical alerts and roadside assistance that the FCC itself previously encouraged."

Verizon echoed AT&T's statement in an email correspondence with Mashable.

"In this case, when one bad actor gained unauthorized access to information relating to a very small number of customers, we quickly and proactively cut off the fraudster, shut down the program, and worked to ensure this couldn't happen again," a Verizon spokesperson said. 

T-Mobile, which has since merged with Sprint, also provided a response to Mashable's inquiry.

"We take our responsibility to keep customer data secure very seriously and have always supported the FCC’s commitment to protecting consumers, but this decision is wrong, and the fine is excessive," T-Mobile said.

It should be noted that each of the companies did appear to confirm that a third-party misused the location-data that T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T had shared with aggregators. The disagreement on the part of the telecommunications companies seems to be over whether they should be held responsible. The FCC's decision clearly states that the government's position is that they should be.

In their statements to Mashable, both T-Mobile and Verizon also mentioned how they no longer run the program that FCC is fining them over. According to Verizon, "FCC's order concerns an old program that Verizon shut down more than half a decade ago." T-Mobile stated that the "industry-wide third-party aggregator location-based services program was discontinued more than five years ago."

AT&T also told Mashable that the program was "terminated in early 2019."

All three companies told Mashable that they intend to appeal the fine.