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TL;DR: Enjoy award-winning sound in total comfort with the Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones for just $99.99 (reg. $199).
Want to tune in and tune out? If you've been looking for a more comfortable way to listen to music than wireless earbuds, it may be time to consider a pair of wireless on-ear headphones.
These Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones offer total comfort without sacrificing high-quality sound. And right now you can snag a pair for just $99.99 (reg. $199).
Enjoy award-winning sound with these comfortable on-ear headphonesWant to enjoy rich, award-winning sound anywhere? The Beats Solo 3 are wireless on-ear headphones that deliver finely tuned acoustics, noise isolation, and balanced audio... without hurting your earbuds. The comfort-cushioned and adjustable ear cups offer a luxurious listening experience.
Whether you want to listen to your go-to playlist on a walk or unwind with your favorite podcast on the commute home, these wireless on-ear headphones offer all-day play with up to 40 hours of listening time. Running low on juice? Just a speedy five-minute charge can get you three hours of playback.
There are controls located on the headphones, so you can take calls, control your music, adjust the volume, and even activate Siri right from the on-ear controls.
The Beats Solo3 are equipped with an Apple W1 chip, so you'll take advantage of an extended range and fewer dropouts with Class 1 Bluetooth. And they're Android compatible, too.
Curious how you're getting such a great discount? These Beats Solo3 are an open-box item, which means they are typically excess inventory in brand new condition, and you're receiving a steep discount due to the packaging not being in pristine condition.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Opens in a new window Credit: Beats By Dre Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones (Open Box) $99.99The 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: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on MashableHere are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, April 18, 2025:
AcrossLack of practice, metaphoricallyThe answer is Rust.
The answer is Inch.
The answer is Diary.
The answer is Tree.
The answer is Eyes.
The answer is Rid.
The answer is Unite.
The answer is Scary.
The answer is Three.
The answer is Yes.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of GamesAre you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Mini Crossword.
Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Collector's items
Green: Treatment
Blue: Same last name
Purple: Things that have this in common with a wheel
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Sports memorabilia
Green: "Rice" method
Blue: Youngs
Purple: Things that roll
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #207 is...
What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition todaySports memorabilia - AUTOGRAPH, JERSEY, POSTER, TRADING CARD
"Rice" method - COMPRESSION, ELEVATION, ICE, REST
Youngs - CHASE, CY, STEVE, TRAE
Things that roll - BOWLING BALL, DICE, GYMNAST, SCREENER
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.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.
Strands 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 MashableBy 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 preferrined pace.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 18 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 18 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: On the boardThe words are used in gaming.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedThese words are essential components of play.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is GamePieces.
Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for April 18Checker
Domino
GamePieces
Battleship
Tile
Token
Knight
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 yesterday's Strands.
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.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for April 18 Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Exclamations
Green: Legendary thrillers
Blue: Things you collect or choose
Purple: Someone's things
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Interjections
Green: Horror movies, with "The"
Blue: Things you can pick
Purple: Personal property minus "S"
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 #677 is...
What is the answer to Connections todayInterjections: BOY, GOODNESS, MAN, WOW
Horror movies, with "The": BIRDS, EXORCIST, HAUNTING, SHINING
Things you can pick: APPLE, BANJO, CARD, NOSE
Personal property minus "S": BELONGING, EFFECT, GOOD, POSSESSION
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 April 18Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to 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 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 today: Hints and answers for April 18 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's The Mini crossword answers for April 18, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:An elegy.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?There are no recurring letters.
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter D.
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...
DIRGE.
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 April 18Reporting 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 yesterday's Wordle.
If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.
There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.
An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.
If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.
SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hintTo cut.
SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answerSLASH
Hurdle Word 2 hintAn opening that leads to an attic or basement.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 18, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 AnswerHATCH
Hurdle Word 3 hintDarkness.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 18 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 18, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answerGLOOM
Hurdle Word 4 hintA yellow and white flower.
SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for April 18 Hurdle Word 4 answerDAISY
Final Hurdle hintA dome made of snow.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answerIGLOO
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
On Thursday morning, Nintendo kicked off the post-hump day portion of the week with a juicy little Nintendo Direct livestream focused on Mario Kart World. It was nice to get some fun new details about the flagship launch title for Switch 2, but the Direct didn't really answer the biggest question on many gamers' minds: Why does Mario Kart World cost $80?
Compared to the standard video game price of $60 that held steady for about 15 years — and even considering the more recent bump to $70 with some big titles — the price is downright upsetting at first glance. When the $80 price was first revealed, gamers immediately raised questions. Ever since, Nintendo's party line has been to tell gamers just wait for the Direct. The implication being that once fans saw the game in action, they'd understand the price hike.
Now that the livestream is over, I don't feel Nintendo really revealed anything to explain it. (And I've actually played Mario Kart World.)
But after giving it some thought, and wanting so badly to scold Nintendo for nickel-and-diming customers, I realized that maybe the price doesn't even need to be justified. And with ongoing tariff chaos, Nintendo likely has bigger problems. You still can't pre-order the Switch 2 in the United States, after all.
SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 preorder date just days away, per leak Mario Kart World's price might not have anything to do with the game itself Chargin' Chuck's inclusion might be driving up the price, honestly. Credit: NintendoIn interviews with the media after the big Switch 2 Direct two weeks ago, Nintendo employees generally took the position that Mario Kart World's price makes sense because of how much content is in the game. Thursday's Mario Kart-centric Direct did shed some light on this, and to be sure, the game does seem to have a lot of cool new stuff.
It's got a giant open world full of hundreds of optional challenges to explore with friends. There are also dozens of unlockable costumes, loads of new tracks, a multitude of both local and online multiplayer modes, and even enhanced social features, like webcam support. It's clear that Mario Kart World is a massive game with dozens (or maybe even hundreds) of hours of enjoyment to be found. Strictly from that perspective, one can easily argue that it's worth $80 (Nintendo clearly thinks so), even if no one actually enjoys spending $80 on a video game.
But there's a lot more at play here. The big one: Video game prices have been flat for a long time, even as other tech products get more expensive. In general, prices go up over time. It sucks, and no one likes it, but that's life. You used to be able to get a week's worth of food at Taco Bell for $20, and now you can't. It's actually a strange aberration that game companies maintained a $60 price tag for so long.
I'd argue that gamers have been getting a good deal on big-budget games for the last decade. That's even easier to argue when you look at how much it costs to make a big video game in the 4K era.
Unfortunately, game companies are far less forthcoming about budgets than film studios, so the best information we have comes from data breaches. One such breach in 2023 revealed that Marvel's Spider-Man 2 for PS5 cost $300 million to develop. It also takes a lot longer to make blockbuster games than it used to, which adds to labor costs.
My face when thinking about real-world economics. Credit: NintendoIt's also worth pointing out that PlayStation (among many other video game companies) has done layoffs at its internal studios since that leak came out. While Nintendo cut contractor positions from its testing department last year, the company does not have an extensive history of doing mass layoffs for full-time employees. Much of this is undoubtedly due to friendlier employee rights in Japan compared to the U.S., but it should be noted that Nintendo has, in the past, actively worked against doing layoffs.
For example, former CEO Satoru Iwata once cut his salary in half to make sure jobs wouldn't be lost. And if the cost of treating employees fairly is slightly pricier video games for the Switch 2, I'm okay with that.
Mario Kart World's $80 price may be a harbinger of things to come...I've gone to great lengths to explain why Mario Kart World probably costs as much as it does, but that doesn't make the hit to your wallet any less impactful. That's a lot of money to plunk down on a luxury good like a video game, especially in stressful economic times. Fans may also wonder why this game, and only this game, costs so much, especially as some families struggle to afford basics like groceries and rent.
That's where the final and most maddening real-world factor comes into play: your wages. In the U.S., wages have not kept up with inflation or productivity at all over the past several decades. In 2022, the Economic Policy Institute found that the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour was worth less than it had been at any point in nearly 70 years. The EPI also found in 2015 that hourly worker productivity had risen by 74 percent in the prior 40 years, while wages for hourly workers had risen by only 9 percent in that same timeframe. Contrast that to the 30 years following World War II, when wages and productivity rose at a nearly 1:1 level.
In short, stuff costs more, but you're not necessarily getting paid more.
That's a political problem more than anything, and any potential solutions to it are well above my pay grade. But over the last two weeks, I've gone from thinking that $80 for Mario Kart World is unreasonable to reluctant acceptance.
You're allowed to be annoyed at a video game costing $80 (I still am), but it's likely not the last game we'll see priced at this level. And in deciding if the price is justified, Switch gamers will ultimately vote with their wallets.
This story is an opinion piece and doesn't necessarily reflect the views of Mashable or its publisher, Ziff Davis.
Google Gemini 2.5 Flash, its hybrid reasoning model, is now available in preview for the standalone Gemini app.
On Thursday, the company rolled out an "early version" of the model with updated reasoning capabilities. It can also better determine how much processing power or "thinking" to apply to each request. The Gemini 2.5 Flash model is also available on Google AI Studio and Vertex AI with controls for developers to manually turn off its reasoning compute and budget the amount of compute applied to tasks, therefore having more control over the amount of tokens they spend.
Gemini 2.5 Flash is part of the Gemini 2.5 family of models launched earlier this month and also includes Gemini 2.5 Pro. In the Google model naming convention, Flash is the smaller, more cost-efficient version of Pro and is best for everyday tasks. But both siblings in the Gemini 2.5 model family have integrated reasoning skills, which are automatically applied based on the task. Long gone are the days when Google's models lagged embarrassingly behind OpenAI's models (back when Gemini was still called Bard). Gemini 2.5 Pro currently tops the LMArena AI leaderboard, with the Gemini Flash version not far behind.
That's not to say OpenAI is resting on its laurels. Yesterday, it launched o3 and o4-mini, the latest versions of its reasoning models that can now harness all of the tools available in ChatGPT (searching the web, image recognition, Python compatibility). It's become commonplace for the two companies to ship similar products within 24 to 48 hours of each other, inevitably drawing comparisons and entrenching its fierce rivalry. On that note, GPT-4.5 Preview, its last non chain-of-thought model, is in second place on the LMArena leaderboard.
Now that Gemini 2.5 Flash is available to try out (albeit in preview mode), it's time for users to see how it stacks up to OpenAI's o-series models.
Google has lost yet another huge antitrust case — and the search giant is still facing another antitrust-related trial later this month. On top of that, the company just received an antiturst cease-and-desist order from Japan's Fair Trade Commission, which follows an antitrust fine upheld in 2024 by the European Union.
On Thursday, a federal judge ruled that Google violated antitrust laws and illegally monopolized the online ad tech industry. In 2023, Google made $237.9 billion from advertising revenue, far more than competitors like Microsoft and Baidu. The Justice Department and 17 states joined together to sue Google in this case.
The ruling states, “Plaintiffs have proven that Google has willfully engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts to acquire and maintain monopoly power in the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets for open-web display advertising.”
After U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema's ruling, it is likely that the U.S. Department of Justice will force the Alphabet-owned search company to sell off its Google Ad Manager, including its publisher ad server and its ad exchange. The DOJ has recommended such action prior to the court ruling.
During the three-week-long trial, the DOJ argued that Google monopolized the industry by buying up competitors and locking its publishers and advertisers into using its products. Google argued that it provided a more affordable solution to its customers than more expensive competitors.
Google's online advertising technology, which connects publishers and advertisers, accounts for around 12 percent of Alphabet's business. Spinning off Google Ad Manager would not affect the company too much, as the bulk of the search company's revenue comes from ads served on its own platforms like Google Search and YouTube. In fact, Google previously looked into selling off part of its ad tech business as a result of EU antitrust regulations, as Reuters reported last year.
This marks the second time Google has lost a big antitrust case in less than a year.
In August 2024, a U.S. judge ruled that Google violated antitrust laws with its agreement with Apple, which saw the search giant pay the iPhone maker $20 billion per year in exchange for Google Search being the default search product on iOS.
Later this month, a trial will be held to determine what Google will need to do as a result of that antitrust trial. The DOJ has recommended that Google sell off its web browser Google Chrome. The DOJ has also recommended that if this does not remedy Google's monopoly of the industry, then Google may have to sell off its mobile operating system Android.
A major data breach at Laboratory Services Cooperative (LSC), a medical non-profit, compromised sensitive information of 1.6 million people.
LSC provides lab testing services to a number of Planned Parenthood centers and has warned that folks who've visited those centers could've been affected.
"If you, or someone whose healthcare bills you pay for, visited one of these centers and had lab tests done or were referred for lab tests, your information might be part of this incident," LSC wrote in a recent press release about the incident.
SEE ALSO: Here’s what to do if you give your information to a scammer"Please be advised that this incident did not involve all Planned Parenthood centers. It specifically may have impacted only those centers that received lab testing services from LSC."
LSC has a dedicated site for FAQs on the data breach incident, including states where it works with Planned Parenthood. The breached data differs from person to person, but LSC wrote a number of things — like medical info — could be affected.
In the press release, LSC noted that data such as this could have been exposed in the breach:
Medical/Clinical Information: This may include information such as date(s) of service, diagnoses, treatment, medical record number, lab results, patient/accession number, provider name, treatment location, and related-care details.
Health Insurance Information: This may encompass plan name, plan type, insurance companies, and member/group ID numbers.
Billing, Claims, and Payment Data: This could involve claim numbers, billing details, bank account details (including bank name, account number, and routing number), billing codes, payment card details, balance details, and similar banking and financial information.
Additional Identifiers: This may include Social Security Number, driver's license or state ID number, passport number, date of birth, demographic data, student ID number, and other forms of government identifiers.
LSC said it was offering "free credit monitoring and medical identity protection services" to people who believe their information may have been compromised. If you suspect you’re affected, you can find more information at LSC's site.
TL;DR: Get a lifetime license to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro for just A$24 (through April 27) and upgrade your PC with advanced security and productivity tools.
What you get with your lifetime license to Windows 11 Pro:Enjoy a lifetime license with no recurring fees or subscriptions
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Install on two devices and receive an instant redemption code via email
Get a lifetime license to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro on sale for just A$24 and upgrade your PC with powerful features for work, security, and entertainment.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Opens in a new window Credit: InterPlein Microsoft Windows 11 Pro AU$24Another week, another round of rumors about a foldable iPhone.
While new Apple iPhone "leaks" arrive on a near-weekly basis, evidence is growing that a folding iPhone is coming soon, now bolstered by new reports about its camera and use of Touch ID.
Via 9To5Mac, Korean blog yeux1122, which covers chatter from Chinese social media site Weibo, reported that Apple's foldable iPhone will have a punch-hole camera design on its external display. The blog also shared that the internal display will be 7.76 inches with a 2713 x 1920p resolution, and the external display will be 5.49 inches with a 2088 x 1422p resolution. This is similar to the design of Samsung's flagship foldable, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, and the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
SEE ALSO: How much would the mythical made-in-the-U.S. iPhone cost?The punch-hole camera on the external display strengthens last month's report from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said the foldable iPhone will use a Touch ID side button like the iPad Air instead of Face ID, which is what every iPhone since the iPhone X has used. Touch ID unlocks the phone with a fingerprint sensor, whereas Face ID unlocks the phone with biometric facial recognition.
Kuo said the foldable iPhone will opt for a Touch ID "due to thickness and internal space constraints," meaning a Face ID sensor might not fit in the foldable display. For the record, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6, Apple's main competitors in the foldable category, have facial recognition unlocking, although users have also said it doesn't work very well.
If this is true for the foldable iPhone, then this would also mean it won't have the pilled-shaped Dynamic Island on the display for quick access to apps.
Rumors of foldable iPhones and iPads have circulated for years now, only for Apple users to be disappointed by their absence in the iPhone product cycle. But this time, all signs point to... maybe. If it happens, a foldable iPhone might come as soon as late 2026, a date backed by Kuo and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who both have good reputations for their insider intel.
As always, take these rumors with a grain of salt, but such specific details about the foldable iPhone's design might point to a launch coming soon.
SAVE $39.01: As of April 17, get a refurbished Nintendo Switch OLED Model with White Joy-Con at Woot for $249.99, down from its usual price of $289.99. That's a discount of 18%.
Opens in a new window Credit: Woot Nintendo Switch OLED Model (refurbished) $249.99 at WootThe Nintendo Switch 2 is on the horizon, but the original Switch is still a great console that's worth investing in. It has a huge library of games, many of which are still just as fresh as they were the day they released, including tons of titles featuring Nintendo mascot characters like Mario, Yoshi, and more. There's a bit of confusion in the air about when you'll be able to pre-order a new Switch 2, so if you're curious about the first generation, now's the time to get one at Woot.
As of April 17, get a refurbished Nintendo Switch OLED Model with White Joy-Con at Woot for $249.99, down from the refurb price of $289.99 at Amazon, and $342.99 for a new model. That's a discount of 24% off the new price. It comes with a limited 30-day Woot warranty and has been factory reconditioned by the company, so keep that in mind when purchasing.
SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 preorder date just days away, per leakThis large and in charge Switch comes with a brighter, 7-inch OLED screen that's much more crisp and colorful than the old Switch. It also has a wide adjustable stand that's sturdier than the original console's, with enhanced audio that comes through in both handheld and tabletop modes. And with 64GB of internal storage, you can save a few smaller games from the Nintendo Switch eShop without adding a microSD card.
Beyond those upgrades, this is the same old Switch with tons of games to play for all types of players. It's perfect for at home or on the go play since you can dock it or play in handheld mode, and despite this being its final year as the only handheld in town from Nintendo, it's still worth every penny. Grab yours before the Switch 2 lands and catch up.
If you haven't already updated your iPhone to the latest iOS, then we highly recommend that you do so now.
On Wednesday, April 16, Apple released iOS 18.4.1. The latest update to Apple's mobile operating system fixes not just one, but two zero-day vulnerabilities that have already been exploited by hackers.
"Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on iOS," the company said in a statement posted on its website about each of the two exploits.
According to Apple, the two vulnerabilities impact Core Audio (CVE-2025-31200) and Return Pointer Authentication Code, also known as RPAC (CVE-2025-31201).
Core Audio is an API that Apple uses to process sound on Apple's operating systems. The CVE-2025-31200 exploit basically allowed a bad actor to execute code on the device when attempting to process an audio stream in a "maliciously crafted media file."
Return Pointer Authentication Code is an iOS security feature that aims to stop an attacker from manipulating existing code for malicious purposes. The CVE-2025-31201 exploit enables a threat actor with "arbitrary read and write capability" to bypass this Pointer Authentication security measure.
In addition to the iPhone, these vulnerabilities also affect a slew of other Apple devices, such as certain models of the iPad, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, and Macs running macOS Sequoia. Apple has now released updates to each device's respective operating systems to fix the exploits.
SAVE $70: The Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS) is on sale at Amazon for $329, down from the list price of $399. That's an 18% discount.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS) $329 at AmazonThe future of tech prices is questionable with news about tariff policies changing often. Instead of wondering what'll happen to prices next week, lock in a solid price on a super functional smart watch today thanks to a great Amazon sale price.
As of April 17, the Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS) is on sale at Amazon for $329, marked down from the normal list price of $399. That's a savings of $70 from an 18% discount.
One of the most common complaints about the Apple Watch is its battery life, and Apple took that into account when designing the Apple Watch Series 10. The brand mentions this model can get up to 18 hours of battery life and it comes with fast charging. Apple says the charging feature takes the watch from 0 to 80% battery in just 30 minutes.
Mashable Senior Editor Stan Schroeder reviewed the Apple Watch Series 10 and found it got back up to 80% in 40 minutes. But he mentioned it's not likely you'd let the watch get all the way down to dead, so he charged from 20 to 80% and found it took about 25 minutes. "This means that you can essentially charge your Watch as you brush your teeth or make coffee in the morning," wrote Schroeder.
SEE ALSO: Here's how to get a 10% discount on Apple accessories, including AirPodsIn terms of design, this is the thinnest Apple Watch while also boasting the largest screen. "The new, wide-angle OLED tech Apple is using really does improve visibility when glancing the watch from the side, which, for me, is most of the time, so that's a nice touch," Schroeder mentioned in his review.
Apple also added a few other noteworthy features with the Series 10 like the Translate app and sleep apnea detection. The Vitals app is also snazzy, allowing users to take an EKG at anytime and get notifications about high, low, or irregular heart rates.
If you're thinking about upgrading your smart watch before summer, today's deal at Amazon shaves $70 off the price of the Apple Watch Series 10. You'll be getting advanced fitness tracking, quicker charging, and water resistance in a tracker that synchs perfectly to your iPhone.
SAVE $55: As of April 17, get the Samsung 990 EVO Plus SSD for $129.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $184.99. That's a discount of 30%.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Samsung 990 EVO Plus SSD $129.99 at AmazonIf you're someone who stores a lot of things on your computer, whether that's video games, photos, videos, or other files, you know the unique frustration of suddenly running out of space. Some computers, like laptops, aren't easily expanded with additional storage, but most are, and if you're looking for an affordable SSD to give you more breathing room, Amazon has you covered. This deal on a Samsung SSD might be just the thing to give you more storage power.
As of April 17, get the Samsung 990 EVO Plus SSD for $129.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $184.99. That's $55 off and a discount of 30%.
This 2TB internal SSD needs to be installed in your PC, but it will give you read/write speeds up to 7,250/6,300 MB/s, which is great for large file transfers, game installs, downloading big files, and generally speeding things up when it comes to moving data around. Of course, the size is nothing to sneeze at. You can use 2TB to store plenty of games and other items on your PC, even with today's large file sizes.
The SSD itself is meant to work quickly without overheating as well, and it's optimized to support the latest PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 5.0 standards, so you get better overall performance. Plus, it will stay up to date on its own with Samsung's Magician software, so you don't have to worry about doing it manually. If you need more space or a faster SSD, this is a great option at a price you won't have to take out a second mortgage to afford.
It's a fantastic day to be a Marvel fan, because Marvel Studios has released the first full-length trailer for the highly anticipated Fantastic Four: First Steps.
This retro-futuristic venture into the MCU wastes no time in reacquainting us with Marvel's First Family or their well-trodden backstory, with the trailer opening with a Fantastic Four crash course from talk show host Ted Gilbert (Mark Gatiss).
SEE ALSO: Watch: 'Fantastic Four: First Steps' teaser: Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and company power up"We all know the story," he says. (And after several Fantastic Four films and reboots, we really do.) "Four brave astronauts head up into space and come back forever changed."
These astronauts are, of course, Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn). Each returned to Earth with new superpowers. Reed is now the extra-stretchy Mr. Fantastic, while Sue can wield forcefields and turn invisible, earning her the moniker of Invisible Woman. Ben, aka the Thing, developed super strength and invulnerability, and hothead Johnny burns up as the Human Torch.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps' trailer showcases all these power sets, but more importantly, it spends time fleshing out the characters' family dynamic, from Ben praising robot H.E.R.B.I.E.'s cooking to Johnny accidentally figuring out that Sue and Reed are expecting a child.
But of course, every superhero movie needs a villain, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps is working with two of Marvel's biggest baddies. First up is the Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), who glides down to Earth with some awful news. "Your planet is now marked for death," she declares.
Why? Because the planet-eating Galactus (Ralph Ineson) is on his way. The trailer shows off a glimpse of his gargantuan shadow looming over Manhattan, along with his boots stomping through the streets of New York. Looks like the Fantastic Four have their work cut out for them.
Instagram just launched Blend, a a new feature that lets users create a private feed of recommended Reels in their DMs. The use-case here is kind of confusing, but it has potential to be useful for users who want to get to know their friends and lovers' algorithms better — an inclination so disturbing in nature that it might actually be real.
You could compare it to Spotify Blend playlists — which are great to have in the background of a hang or to discover commonalities with other users — but for scrolling through Instagram Reels in silence next to each other. It could also help make the Reels scrolling experience more collaborative and less lonely. If the feature does nothing else, it will likely keep users logged on for longer; a W for Instagram.
The feature has been in development since at least March 2024, and was being tested with some users in March. It'll work in one-on-one DMs or on group chats.
How to use Instagram Blend Total TimeStep 1: Open a DM and tap Blend
The Blend icon should show up at the top right of a conversation.
Credit: InstagramStep 2: Tap "Invite"
Once you accept or start a Blend, you and your chat will be able to scroll through suggested Reels. When you or a friend reacts to Reels in the Blend using the reply bar, it will send that to the chat to keep your convo going.
Credit: InstagramStep 3: Scroll away
Once at least one other person accepts the invitation, the Blend will begin. It will refresh every day.
Credit: Instagram
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