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Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for May 9 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: You'd use a remote to find these

• Green: Distant

• Blue: Math terms

• Purple: Used to block out sunlight

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: TV display settings

• Green: Fuzzy, as a memory

• Blue: Results of some arithmetic

• Purple: Window treatments in the singular

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 #697 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• TV display settings: BRIGHTNESS, COLOR, CONTRAST, TINT

• Fuzzy, as a memory: DIM, FAINT, REMOTE, VAGUE

• Results of some arithmetic: DIFFERENCE, PRODUCT, QUOTIENT, SUM

• Window treatments in the singular: BLIND, DRAPE, SHADE, SHUTTER

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 9

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 Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferrined pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 9 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Outsiders

The words are outdoor-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are types of camping essentials.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Camping Gear

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for May 9

• Tent

• Backpack

• Camping gear

• Thermos

• Cooler

• Lantern

• Grill

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.

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 May 9 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 May 9, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Gibberish.

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 T.

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...

TRIPE.

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 May 9

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

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

The discussions follow those of rival OpenAI, which recently closed a funding round that valued it at $300 billion.

Thanks to President Donald Trump's tariffs, we've seen a lot of price increases in the tech world. And today, some outlets reported that Microsoft is increasing prices on some of its Surface devices.

We're not so sure.

Yes, the $999.99 base configurations of Microsoft's 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7 and 13-inch Surface Pro 11 disappeared from its online store this week after the company unveiled two smaller and cheaper Surface devices. The two flagship Copilot+ PCs now start at $1,199.99 in the Microsoft Store, causing several tech publications to report 20-percent price hikes. And to be fair, Microsoft did recently increase the price of Xbox gaming consoles.

However, Microsoft tells Mashable the price of its base Surface Laptop and Pro hasn't changed after all.

"Microsoft did not raise Surface Pro or Surface Laptop prices," Nancie Gaskill, Microsoft's General Manager of Surface Business, said in a statement to Mashable. "Microsoft simply removed the Surface Laptop and Pro $999 base models from Microsoft.com. Customers can purchase base models of Pro and Laptop at the starting price of $999 at other key retailers."

SEE ALSO: Microsoft reveals 2 compact Surface devices starting well under $1,000

At the time of writing, shoppers could buy them for even less: The base models of both devices were on sale for $200 off at Best Buy.

Why the markup in the Microsoft Store, then? Look closely at the specs in their listings: The $1,199.99 Surface Laptop and Pro that Microsoft is selling have a 10-core Snapdragon X Plus processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage, while the $999.99 base models available elsewhere have half the storage (just 256GB).

So, the prices haven't changed; the company is simply no longer selling the lesser configurations.

It's also worth noting that both 512GB models have held steady at $1,199.99 since launching in June 2024.

Microsoft's newly announced 13-inch Surface Laptop and 12-inch Surface Pro are slightly cheaper alternatives to their flagship counterparts, with starting prices of $899.99 and $799.99, respectively. They're available for preorder in the Microsoft Store and beyond.

Some laptop manufacturers have raised their prices because of President Donald Trump's tariffs on imported Chinese goods. Asus previously told Mashable that some of its laptops saw tariff-related price hikes of up to nine percent. But Microsoft's Copilot+ PCs have been marked safe for now.

Other Microsoft products haven't been so lucky. On May 1, the tech giant announced that it was raising the recommended retail prices of its Xbox consoles and controllers, and that new first-party games would debut at $79.99 later this year. It attributed the price changes to "market conditions and the rising cost of development."

Digital resurrection projects — using artificial intelligence to bring back the likeness of people who have died — have become a trend for at least two years. And, as AI gets more advanced, so do the resurrections.

Most recently, Stacey Wales used AI to generate a video of her late brother, Christopher Pelkey, to address the courtroom at the sentencing hearing for the man who killed him in a road rage incident in Chandler, Arizona. According to NPR, its the first time AI has ever been used in this way.

"He doesn't get a say. He doesn't get a chance to speak," Wales told NPR, referring to her brother. "We can't let that happen. We have to give him a voice."

Pelkey was a veteran who served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army, according to an online obituary. He was also heavily involved in his local church, and he went on multiple mission trips. His sister told NPR that he loved God, loved others, and would give a stranger the shirt off his back. He was 37 when he died.

Wales created the AI video of her brother in a few days, but she didn't come up with the idea immediately. After two years of trying to craft a victim impact statement, Wales said she had the epiphany that the only voice that mattered was her late brother's.

"Every time I'd get in the shower or the car and my thoughts were quiet, I wrote down what I was feeling — frustrated, crying or emotions, yelling, anger, love, anything that I could think of," she told NBC News. "I've been writing it for two years, but I never had the idea to help Chris speak until a week and a half before this second trial."

Wales also posted the AI video of her brother online, and you can watch the same video shown in the courtroom.

SEE ALSO: AI deepfakes bring back the voices of gun violence victims. They're still begging Congress for change.

"Hello. Just to be clear for everyone seeing this, I'm a version of Chris Pelkey recreated through AI that uses my picture and my voice profile," the AI avatar said in the video. AI Pelkey thanked everyone in his life, and said he and his shooter, Gabriel Paul Horcasitas, "could have been friends" in "another life."

"Well, I'm gonna go fishing now. Love you all. See you on the other side," AI Pelkey said at the end of the video.

According to NPR, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Todd Lang said, "I loved that AI. Thank you for that." He gave Horcasitas the maximum sentence of just over a decade in prison for manslaughter.

This isn't the first time people have pushed the limits of AI to create versions of people who have died. It's a phenomenon particularly beloved by TikTok true crime fans, as Rolling Stone reported in 2023. And just last year, youth-focused gun reform organizations March For Our Lives and Change the Ref used audio "deepfakes" to "resurrect" gun violence victims in a campaign to Congress.

Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return to The Conjuring franchise for one final demonic case in The Conjuring: Last Rites.

The pair have played real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren since 2013's The Conjuring. They reprised their roles in the sequels The Conjuring 2 and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. Plus, they also appeared in cameos or supporting roles in other Conjuring Universe films, like Annabelle Comes Home and The Nun.

Safe to say that after all this time, Ed and Lorraine have seen enough demonic activity to scare them several lifetimes over. But The Conjuring: Last Rites promises to be their last case, raising the question: After killer dolls and possession, what could possibly have been bad enough to make the Warrens retire?

The Conjuring: Last Rites is based on the Warrens' investigation of the Smurl family, who claimed to have experienced several supernatural incidents in their house in West Pittston, Pennsylvania. The trailer for The Conjuring: Last Rites highlights some of these occurrences, including a nightmarish floating doll and a sink filling with blood. But surely it will take more than that to deter the Warrens.

The Conjuring: Last Rites also stars Mia Tomlinson as Ed and Lorraine's daughter Judy, as well as Ben Hardy as Judy's boyfriend Tony. Michael Chaves, who helmed The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, is back in the director's chair. James Wan, creator of the franchise, serves as a producer alongside Peter Safran.

The Conjuring: Last Rites hits theaters Sept. 5.

Based on how hard it's been to lock down a Nintendo Switch 2 preorder, just about anyone could predict a big launch for the hotly anticipated new game console. In its latest earnings report, Nintendo itself predicted a giant first year for the Switch 2.

In its latest official sales forecast, released on Thursday, Nintendo said it expects to sell 15 million Switch 2 consoles before the end of March 2026, per CNBC. That date may seem random, but Nintendo's corporate fiscal calendar runs through March, so that's Q4 for the Japanese gaming giant.

SEE ALSO: Handheld Xbox console images leak just weeks before Switch 2 launch

For context, 15 million units would be one of the fastest starts for a console ever. Per Polygon, the original Switch came in at 14.8 million units in a similar timespan after its launch, while the PS5 (which was admittedly hurt by COVID supply chain issues) hit 13.4 million in that same window.

Fascinatingly, some industry analysts like Daniel Ahmad from Niko Partners actually see the 15 million units figure as conservative by Nintendo, and with good reason. While the hardware itself is impressive and there's a solid enough software lineup to match, President Donald Trump's tariff policies have thrown the general economic state of the world into question. The Switch 2's preorder in the U.S. had to be delayed by a couple of weeks because of tariffs, and though the announced price point of $450 is unchanged at the time of publication, the recent Xbox price hikes show that the gaming industry is not immune to large-scale price increases due to economic uncertainty.

With that in mind, it's entirely possible that Nintendo is low-balling itself and the Switch 2 will be an even bigger hit than predicted. Or, perhaps, many gamers will be avoiding big purchases over the next several months. Everything is on the table.

Toyota is facing a staggering $1.2 billion tariff bill, and that sum only includes tariff costs for April and May.

The Japanese automaker released financial results on May 8, which the company said "tentatively factored in" the estimated costs of the Trump tariffs.

In its FY2025 financial results, the company forecasted material costs for the coming year at 350 billion yen. But that number does not include an additional 180 billion yen for tariff impacts.

To put these numbers in perspective, Toyota reported a net profit for the year of $32.7 billion (through March). The $1.2 billion tariff bill would amount to 4 percent of the company's profit. Overall, Toyota's operating profit was down about 10.4 percent year over year, and the company forecasted a steeper decline of 21 percent in 2026.

The company also reported that electric vehicle sales now accounted for 46.2 percent of total sales, a “significant increase” driven largely by hybrid EVs like the Prius. The company sold an additional 850,000 EVs in the latest fiscal year, and it expects EVs to account for 50 percent of all sales in 2026, a major milestone. Across the world, current and potential Tesla drivers are rejecting the brand because of polemic CEO Elon Musk, which could be a boon for companies like Toyota.

The financial report also acknowledges the uncertainty of the current financial moment. The slapdash rollout of the Trump tariffs has caused much confusion and many price increases, and the report highlights "the difficulties in anticipating the business outlook due to the impact of U.S. tariff impacts and other factors."

Previously, Mashable reported on the ongoing fallout from the Trump tariffs. Smart home company Wyze recently shared a steep tariff bill on X, while e-commerce giants like Shein and Temu are struggling after the May 2 expiration of the de minimis exemption for imports.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Toyota only included the April and May tariff impacts because the tariff situation is so "fluid." The United States and Japan are actively negotiating the latter's tariff rate.

We reached out to Toyota for comment on the tariff situation, and we'll update this report if we hear back.

In 2020, The Old Guard, from director Gina Prince-Bythewood (The Woman King), delivered a thrilling combination of badass action and fantasy. Now, the tale of a group of immortal mercenaries — headed up by Charlize Theron, firmly in her action hero era between this, Atomic Blonde, and Mad Max: Fury Road — continues in The Old Guard 2.

SEE ALSO: Summer Movie Preview: What's coming to theaters and streaming?

For The Old Guard 2, Victoria Mahoney (Yelling to the Sky) takes over directing duties from Prince-Bythewood, who remains a producer. Greg Rucka, who wrote the first film as well as the original Old Guard graphic novels, co-wrote the film with Sarah L. Walker.

The movie picks up in the aftermath of The Old Guard. Andromache "Andy" of Scythia (Theron) has lost her immortality, while newbie immortal Nile (KiKi Layne) is getting the hang of being on the team. However, a fresh threat is rising: The first of the immortals (Uma Thurman) is coming to tear Andy and co. apart, resulting in a sword fight in the film's first trailer that will leave you saying, "Hell yeah."

But Thurman's character isn't the only problem awaiting Andy and Nile. Fellow immortal Quynh (Veronica Ngô) has escaped from her underwater prison and teamed up with traitor Booker (Matthias Schoenaerts). You can bet that after 500 years of being trapped in an iron maiden, revenge is Quynh's top priority. As the past catches up to Andy, and as she grapples with being mortal, will she and the rest of the Old Guard live to see another day?

The Old Guard 2 also stars Marwan Kenzari and Luca Marinelli as longtime lovers Joe and Nicky and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Old Guard handler Copley. The film introduces Henry Golding as Andy's longtime friend Tuah.

The Old Guard 2 hits Netflix July 2.

Meet Aperol and Bellini, the codenames Meta has given its new "super-sensing" AI glasses with facial recognition technology, according to The Information.

Meta originally scrapped the facial recognition feature for the first generation of the Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses over ethical concerns. However, the new report from The Information claims that a more business-friendly Federal Trade Commission under the new Trump Administration has emboldened Meta to reboot its plans for the next generation of smart glasses.

It's the latest example of AI-powered tech creeping into your private life, whether you like it or not.

SEE ALSO: Samsung heats up AR glasses arms race with new microdisplay technology

Meta may have signalled this shift back in April, when the company updated its privacy policies for its AR glasses. Meta also sometimes uses facial recognition to verify users' identity.

Now, The Information reports that facial recognition will be part of a live AI feature that will "always keep its cameras and sensors turned on and use AI to remember what its wearer encountered throughout a day." The feature will be opt-in (for the wearer, of course, not for anyone they interact with), but Meta is reportedly considering an indicator that would let people know the super-sensing feature is active. Currently, Meta's AI glasses have a light in the corner of the frame that signals when the glasses are taking a photo or video.

The live AI feature is already available, but it only lasts for about 30 minutes because of battery constraints. The new initiative is exploring how to make this feature last for hours, while adding facial recognition into the mix.

Meta's new focus is one of several instances of tech companies leveraging the AI boom to gather and process more granular data from its users. Recently, Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas said on the TBPN podcast that they're building a browser to gather more personalized data about users. OpenAI is reportedly exploring some kind of social network to better compete with Meta AI and xAI's Grok, which can train on data from user posts. And then there's the Sam Altman-backed nonprofit World, which recently unveiled a mobile human verification device that scans people's eyeballs to distinguish humans from AI.

User data can be valuable to advertisers, but it can also be leveraged to improve AI models, since experts say companies are running out of training data (after "sucking the internet dry of usable information," as Nature put it recently).

As companies compete to gather as much data as possible, a concerning trend is becoming clear: privacy is out and surveillance is in.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Your next AR headset may include a brand-new microdisplay technology from Samsung.

According to a new report from South Korean business news outlet The Korea Economic Daily, Samsung's semiconductor division is now accelerating work on its new microdisplay technology, LED on Silicon, or LEDoS.

LEDoS is described as a "miniature display platform built on micro-LEDs mounted on silicon wafers." This next-generation display is being created with the intent that the technology will be used in augmented reality products (AR). 

Samsung's new microdisplay technology could heat up the competition in the AR space. However, in addition to Samsung's own upcoming AR glasses, the company reportedly wants to supply its LEDoS technology to Apple and Meta for use in their AR glasses.

When will we see LEDoS AR glasses?

According to the report, Samsung is currently looking at commercial production of LEDoS by 2027. That's also when Samsung's Mobile eXperience (MX) division could debut the company's second-generation AR glasses.

Smart glasses and AR headsets are the current big bet in the tech hardware space. Mashable noticed this trend earlier this year at CES 2025, as multiple AR startups showed off their latest augmented reality wares.

It's not just up-and-comers either. Tech companies like Sony and XREAL are also taking advantage of the AR headset market with new products. And, of course, companies like Meta and Apple already have products in the space.

However, a few tech giants have been noticeably absent. That is, until earlier this year when Samsung briefly teased its rumored XR headset, "Project Moohan." The headset is a joint venture between the South Korean electronics giant and Google.

Tech companies are betting big on AR despite early failures Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Credit: Google engineer Ian McKellar wears Google Glass during the Google I/O developers conference in 2013.

Speaking of Google, the search giant has also been rather quiet in this space. When it comes to wearables, Google is perhaps best known for its smart glasses failure, Google Glass, which set the entire industry back by years. (Are you old enough to remember the "Glasshole" backlash?) However, Google is expected to make announcements related to Project Astra, its visual AI tool meant for mobile devices and AR headsets, at the company's upcoming Google I/O 2025 event.

With big augmented reality plans in the works from Samsung and Google, it seems like big tech will continue betting on AR headsets and smart glasses. Clearly, they're hoping to succeed where even Apple failed.

SAVE $300: As of May 8, the original Peloton bike is down to $1,145 at Amazon instead of the usual $1,445. That's 21% in savings and just $50 away from its lowest price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Peloton Original Peloton Bike $1,145 at Amazon
$1,445 Save $300 Get Deal

The OG Peloton bike skyrocketed to popularity during the pandemic and has since become synonymous with the term exercise bike, a la Kleenex with facial tissues. That's not to say it's the only worthy exercise bike option on the market, but it is pretty dang great. That greatness comes at a very steep price, so when we see a discount on the flagship bike, we have to let the people know.

As of May 8, you can get the Mashable Choice Award-winning original Peloton bike for $1,145 at Amazon. That's $300 or 21% cheaper than usual and just $50 shy of its best price ever, which it reached during October Prime Day in 2023.

Unlike a typical indoor exercise bike, the Peloton features a large display and companion app so you can follow along in on-demand classes or pedal alongside others in live classes. As Mashable's reviewer wrote, "The workouts are tough, but the captivating experience and (practically) never-ending list of exercise classes are enough to make me want to glue myself to the seat and stay in the magical Peloton universe forever."

The bike itself takes up about the same amount of space as a small yoga mat, so you don't need a ton of square footage to start pedaling. It uses a resistance knob to adjust the tension, so you can manually choose to leisurely ride along flat roads or climb hills and mountains. And like any good exercise bike, everything can be adjusted to suit your comfort: the seat, handlebars, and even the screen itself.

Peloton bikes aren't cheap by any means, but as of May 8, you can invest in one for $300 less than usual. That makes the purchase a little more palatable.

Mashable Senior Creative Producer Mark Stetson sat down with the cast and creators of the Netflix family comedy Nonnas. The film follows aspiring restaurateur Joe Scaravella (Vince Vaughn), who's looking for purpose after the death of his mother. He decides to risk everything to honor her by opening up an Italian restaurant, Enoteca Maria, in her honor. The hook: He hires local Italian grandmothers (Lorraine Bracco, Susan Sarandon, Brenda Vaccaro, and Talia Shire) as the chefs. Before long, everyone in Joe's life rallies to help, including his best friend, Bruno (Joe Manganiello), who goes so far as to do all of the contracting work for free.

"It's based on a real place," Vaughn told Mashable. "It started off by being Italian grandmothers that were really cooking the recipes from their families...And so they were the chefs and preparing these family traditions unique to their own family that was really shared and created this unbelievable feeling of family."

The actual Staten Island restaurant's palette has expanded since its opening in 2007, with "nonnas" from all different cultures throwing their family recipes into the melting pot. Joe Manganiello goes on to describe the experience of eating in the now famous restaurant: "We had dinner and the nonnas served us. There's a Puerto Rican nonna now, and there's a Japanese nonna and...we had this gigantic meal that just wouldn't end. It was just endless. I mean, one plate would have been somebody's full dinner and there were like 12, you know? It just kept going!"

"These women who didn't have a shot, for whatever reason, to have outside jobs or hobbies or find their artistic pursuits, found it in the delicacies of what they cooked," Sarandon added. "So it wasn't just a duty. I think it was also their expression. And that's why they kept their recipes very secret...because it was their specific, patented dish."

"And that's why they covered all their furniture in plastic," joked Lorraine Bracco.

Nonnas is now streaming on Netflix.

TL;DR: Hurry and grab lifetime access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more with a Microsoft Office 2019 license for Windows at A$46 through 1 June.

Opens in a new window Credit: Retail King Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows AU$46
AU$358 Save AU$312 Get Deal

Your credit card is exhausted from all of today’s subscription fees. While you probably don’t want to cancel Peacock and never see the ending of Yellowstone or say goodbye to two-day shipping with Prime, you could swap your Microsoft 365 subscription for a Microsoft Office lifetime license.

Instead of spending A$11 monthly (or A$132 yearly), you can pay once and use the apps as much as you’d like. For a little while longer, the Windows software suite is on sale for A$46 through 1 June.

What apps are included?

Microsoft Office 2019 isn’t the newest version available, but it’s the cheaper one for people who just need to use the apps and don’t care about what they look like inside. However, it does have a classic, timeless design.

Here's a list of the apps you get:

• Word

• Excel

• PowerPoint

• Outlook

• OneNote

• Publisher

• Access

Differences between Microsoft 365 and a lifetime license

This purchase is a no-brainer if you aren’t taking full advantage of Microsoft 365’s OneDrive storage, mobile app access, and cloud-based backups. Those just wanting the apps should be more than comfortable with a Microsoft Office download.

You might actually like this license more than the subscription. The apps are downloaded directly onto your PC instead of hosted on the cloud. While this does mean there are no built-in cloud backups, you don’t have to worry about the hassle of trying to work offline.

Plus, now that Microsoft added Copilot’s AI features to Microsoft 365, you might be looking for a way to escape them. Not everyone is crazy about having a virtual robot interfere with their work, and these classic apps won’t ever bug you about it.

The price drop on this lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2019 for Windows won't last for too long, so get your download for A$46 until 1 June at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Tesla customers are no stranger to preordering a new product and then waiting years and years (and years) for it to be released. In the case of the Tesla Roadster, for example, people who preordered the electric vehicle in 2017 are still waiting.

However, it appears that the wait is over for Tesla owners who preordered the Cybertruck Range Extender. And, no, it's not because the product has now been released.

Tesla has now cancelled its plan for a Cybertruck Range Extender, according to a report from EV news outlet Electrek.

"We are no longer planning to sell the Range Extender for Cybertruck," reads a Tesla email sent to a customer that was obtained by Electrek. "As a result, we will be refunding your deposit in full."

The range extender was essentially a $16,000 removable battery pack that would have sat in the Cybertruck's bed and extended just how far the vehicle could travel before needing a charge. 

Tesla originally stated that the range extender would bump the dual motor Cybertruck's range up from 325 to 470 miles, but was later revised to 445 miles. Elon Musk's EV company also originally slated the range extender release for early 2025, but moved it to mid-2025. Now it appears there will be no release at all. 

Outlets first noticed trouble for the Cybertruck Range Extender last month when Tesla quietly removed the $2,000 preorder for the range extender from its website.

Range issues continue to be a major concern for EV owners and potential EV customers alike. Tesla and Musk himself have previously been accused of overexaggerating the range of their vehicles when promoting Tesla's EVs. 

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In fact, in 2023, Reuters reported that Tesla had created a team specifically responsible for suppressing range-related complaints from Tesla customers. Customers who scheduled maintenance visits over concerns that their Tesla wasn't hitting the ranges as advertised had their appointments quietly cancelled by this team. 

Vehicle range has especially been an issue with Tesla's Cybertruck, with some customers reporting that the actual range could be 100 miles less than Tesla advertises.

For Cybertruck owners who actually want to keep their vehicle, their options for extending the truck's range may be limited.

If you haven't gotten your Nintendo Switch 2 preorder in yet, there may be another option on the table in the near future.

Leaked photos from a potential FCC product listing seem to confirm the existence of an Xbox-branded handheld gaming PC, made in partnership with Asus. The device, which was discovered in an Indonesian listing by 91mobiles (before Videocardz found the FCC listing, with photos via The Verge), looks to be a new iteration on the existing Asus ROG Ally handheld gaming PC — but with a new button with the Xbox logo.

The Xbox logo is faint, but it's there.

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To be extra clear, this seems to be a listing for the ROG Ally 2, and the Xbox machine seems to be a variant of that rather than a new, distinct piece of hardware by itself. Specs reportedly listed in the FCC filing include a 7-inch 120Hz display and an 8-core AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme CPU, which dwarfs the 4-core CPU in the non-Xbox-branded white version of the ROG Ally 2. While these details are promising, we haven't been able to locate an FCC listing that matches these details.

Xbox has been rumored to be working on a handheld gaming console for a while now, but it wasn't until a recent report from The Verge that we knew it would be made by Asus.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 preorder guide: Track latest restocks, see our first-hand impressions

As The Verge pointed out, this device is likely not far off from being announced if FCC certification is already underway. The biggest questions at this point relate to how exactly it works. Is there any kind of special Xbox-themed OS built into the black ROG Ally 2, or is it just Windows? Does the Xbox button just open the Xbox Windows app during gameplay? Are there any differences in game compatibility between the black and white ROG Ally 2 models?

We don't know the answers to any of those questions yet. However, the device at least seems to exist. It probably won't be long now before we hear everything we need to hear about it.

SAVE $30: As of May 8, get the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds at Amazon for $149, down from their usual price of $179. That's a discount of 17%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Bose QuietComfort Earbuds $149 at Amazon
$179 Save $30 Get Deal

Summer's here! One way to further enjoy sunbathing and long walks outside are a great pair of earbuds. You can snag a pair that not only sound great, but offer noise cancellation that you'll absolutely love on sale today at Amazon.

As of May 8, get the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds for $149, down from their usual price of $179. That's $30 off and a discount of 17%. This price applies to all three colorways: Black, Chilled Lilac, and White Smoke.

SEE ALSO: We tested every pair of Bose headphones to find the best for noise cancellation, sound quality, more

These earbuds are a fantastic option if you're looking to block out unwanted noise while outside. They also sound great when you're listening to your favorite songs, with crisp treble and rumbling bass.

Plus, they boast up to 8.5 hours of listening time, with only a 20-minute recharge should you need them juiced up again quickly. They offer on-board tap controls as well that let you change tracks, pause what you're listening to, and change the volume if needed.

If you're in the market for a new pair of earbuds, you can't go wrong with Bose, especially if blocking out unwanted sound is the goal. Grab a pair and see how it can improve a walk or just some time outside when you don't have to hear traffic or construction noise at the same time.

SAVE $50: The Garmin Lily 2 Active smartwatch is on sale for $249.99 at Amazon, down from $299.99, as of May 8. That's 17% in savings and matches its lowest price on record. You can find the same discount at Best Buy and Garmin itself.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin Lily 2 Active $249.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $50 Get Deal

Smartwatches aren't exactly known for their aesthetic appeal, but the Garmin Lily changed that. Our reviewer called the second generation of the watch "sleek, stylish, and beautiful." The thing is, that beauty came with a few functionality qualms — particularly in activity tracking. The Garmin Lily 2 Active, the latest generation of the watch, offers a major upgrade to fix those functionality flaws. And it's on sale!

As of May 8, you can get the Garmin Lily 2 Active for just $249.99 instead of $299.99 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Garmin itself. That's about 17% in savings and knocks it back down to its lowest price on record — only the second time it's dropped this low since its fall release.

The Lily 2 Active keeps all the aesthetic grace of the the first two generations, but adds expanded sport modes, a longer battery life (up to 9 days vs. 5 days), physical buttons on the side for easier use during workouts, and the real kicker: built-in GPS. Adding built-in GPS allows you to more accurately track outdoor activities like walks, runs, bike rides, and more without relying on your phone.

It's also worth noting that the Garmin Connect companion app, which Mashable's reviewer was less than pleased with, has been overhauled since her initial review. The upgrade simplified the app design and I, as a Garmin user, can tell you the difference is night and day. The clunkiness is gone and while there's hiccups like any other app, it's mostly a seamless experience working alongside the watch.

If you're in the market for a smartwatch, but hate the unsightly Apple Watch look (no offense), the Garmin Lily 2 Active is not only beautiful, but also highly functional and now $50 more affordable.

SAVE $200: The Philips Series 3300 automatic espresso machine is on sale for $599.96 at Amazon, down from the usual price of $799.99. That's a 25% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Philips Philips Series 3300 Automatic Espresso Machine $599.96 at Amazon
$799.99 Save $200.03 Get Deal

After countless mornings spent making us breakfast and getting us off to school, mom deserves to have some chill and easy mornings. If you're still searching for a Mother's Day present that'll arrive in time for Sunday's celebration and your mom happens to love coffee, she's gonna be elated to get this gift and you'll be thrilled about the savings.

As of May 8, the Philips Series 3300 Espresso Machine is on sale at Amazon for $599.96, marked down from the usual price of $799.99. That's a 25% discount that takes $200.03 off the price tag.

The Philips 3300 Series Espresso Machine is all about convenience without sacrificing quality. For starters, the machine features a ceramic grinder which means the morning cup of coffee will come from freshly ground beans. Then there's the Aquaclean Filter which ensures the water used to brew your cup is clean — an important factor that often gets overlooked by using tap water. Then there's the one-touch drink choice that lets you select from six hot and iced drinks.

SEE ALSO: The best Mother's Day sales and deals on last-minute gifts

This Philips espresso maker also comes with the brand's LatteGo milk system which whips up perfect coffee-house quality foam to top your coffee creations. Philips mentions this system even works well with milk alternatives like oat or almond milk.

Quiet operation is also a focus on the Philips Series 3300, making it less likely you'll need to wait around in the morning until everyone in the house is awake before making a cup. Plus, the Philips HomeID app is convenient for discovering tutorials and tips on how to use the espresso machine.

If a mom in your life deserves great coffee each morning without any hassle or long lines at the local shop, gift her the versatile Philips Series 3300 espresso machine. It's on sale for 25% off at Amazon and it's likely to arrive in time for Sunday's celebration.