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TL;DR: Live stream Washington Commanders vs. New York Giants for free on TVNZ+. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Most NFL fans would agree that Sunday Football is the highlight of the week. And today's action sees the in-form Washington Commanders head out on the road for a showdown with the struggling New York Giants.

Everyone's keen to see something special again from the Commanders' rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels, who threw a 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown to beat the Bears last week. With a season record so far of 6-2, the Commanders are favorites against the Giants, whose 2-6 record says a lot about their performance and low-scoring offense this season. But can New York turn things around against Washington?

If you want to watch Washington Commanders vs. New York Giants, it's available to stream for free from anywhere around the world. But only if you know how. Here's all the information you need to watch the game.

When is Commanders vs. Giants?

Washington Commanders vs. New York Giants takes place at 1 p.m. ET on Nov. 3. This fixture will be played at the MetLife Stadium.

How to watch Commanders vs. Giants for free

Washington Commanders vs. New York Giants is available to live stream for free on TVNZ+ in New Zealand.

TVNZ+ is a free streaming platform that's geo-blocked outside of New Zealand, where the platform is based. That means you might need to use a VPN if you're watching from abroad. VPNs work by hiding your real IP address (digital location) and connecting you to secure servers in other countries (including New Zealand), which will help you to bypass the geo-restrictions and access free streams.

Access free live streams of the NFL 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 New Zealand

4. Visit TVNZ+

5. Live stream Commanders vs. 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

The best VPNs for streaming aren't free to use, but the top VPN providers do tend to offer free trial period deals or money-back guarantees. By signing up for these offers you'll be able to access free live streams of the NFL without spending a thing in the long run. Sure, it's a short-term fix, but this will gives you enough time to watch Washington Commanders vs. New York Giants (plus other select NFL fixtures) before recovering any upfront investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the NFL, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is currently available for $99.95. Within this limited time deal you'll get an extra three months at no additional cost, a whole year of unlimited cloud backup for free, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Commanders vs. Giants for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills for free on TVNZ+. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Sunday Football is back for Week 9 of the NFL 2024 season, and there's exciting action lined up as the Miami Dolphins visit the Buffalo Bills.

The Bills are in fine form, leading AFC East by three games and 6-2 overall this season. Quarterback Josh Allen has made significant contributions to those stats and will look to do more in this divisional clash.

It's a different story for the Dolphins, who are only 2-5 and are unlikely to make the playoffs. Indeed, this looks like a Bills win, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Upsets do happen on the gridiron, as proved when AFC East stablemates the New York Jets beat the Houston Texans earlier this week.

The good news is you can watch Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills for free from anywhere in the world. Keep reading for all the information you need.

When is Dolphins vs. Bills?

Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills takes place at 1 p.m. ET on Nov. 3. This fixture will be played at the Highmark Stadium.

How to watch Dolphins vs. Bills for free

Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills is available to live stream for free on TVNZ+ in New Zealand.

TVNZ+ is a free streaming platform that's geo-restricted to New Zealand so you might need to use a VPN to watch from abroad. VPNs work by hiding your real IP address (digital location) and connecting you to secure servers in other countries (including New Zealand), which allows you to sidestep geo-restrictions and access free streams.

Access free live streams of the NFL 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 New Zealand

4. Visit TVNZ+

5. Live stream Dolphins vs. Bills 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

The best VPNs for streaming aren't actually free, but the top VPN services do tend to offer free trial period deals or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you'll be able to access free live streams of the NFL without spending a thing. It's a short-term fix of course, but it gives you enough time to watch Miami Dolphins vs. Buffalo Bills (plus other select NFL fixtures) before recovering your downpayment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the NFL, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is currently available for $99.95. Within this limited time deal you'll get an extra three months at no additional cost, a whole year of unlimited cloud backup for free, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Dolphins vs. Bills for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

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 preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 3 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 3 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: In my kingdom

These words are evolutionary.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words that refer to identification. 

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 Taxonomy.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for November 3

• Class

• Genus

• Species

• Taxonomy

• Phylum

• Order

• Family

• Domain

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.

TL;DR: Live stream Dallas Mavericks vs. Orlando Magic in the NBA for free on Ran.de. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The NBA season has started really strongly, with a number of teams making a good impression.

The Dallas Mavericks and Orlando Magic have both started this campaign well, and will be looking to secure another big win this weekend. The Orlando Magic have a team full of young stars, going up against the experience of Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving. And Luka Dončić is pretty good, as well.

If you want to watch Dallas Mavericks vs. Orlando Magic in the NBA for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Dallas Mavericks vs. Orlando Magic?

Dallas Mavericks vs. Orlando Magic in the NBA starts at 7:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 3. This game takes place at the American Airlines Center.

How to watch Dallas Mavericks vs. Orlando Magic for free

Dallas Mavericks vs. Orlando Magic is available to live stream for free on Ran.de in Germany.

If you're traveling outside Germany during this game, you might need to use a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Germany, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Dallas Mavericks vs. Orlando Magic for free on Ran.de 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 Germany

4. Visit Ran.de

5. Watch Dallas Mavericks vs. Orlando Magic 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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams of the NBA without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream Dallas Mavericks vs. Orlando Magic before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Germany

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Dallas Mavericks vs. Orlando Magic in the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Harness the power of AI and get this lifetime subscription to AI MagicX on sale for £30.93 (reg. £250.62) for a limited time.

Ever thought about having your own virtual assistant that would do whatever you wanted it to? While we're not offering an assistant that can fold your laundry and do your dishes (yet!), there is a great deal available on a helpful AI generator and editor by AI MagicX.

Imagine having a powerful AI tool at your fingertips that can generate high-quality text, stunning visuals, and professional designs with just a few clicks. Now you can with lifetime access to AI MagicX, on sale for £30.93. No more staring at a blank screen or struggling with design software.

AI-powered services you can use:

• AI Logo Designer

• MagicX Art Generator

• AI Chatbots

• AI Article Generator

• AI Story Generator

• Document Editor

What sets MagicX apart is its user-friendly interface and advanced capabilities. With this tool, you can easily and quickly create engaging blog posts, chat bots, social media content, marketing materials, and so much more. The AI-powered editor ensures that your content is not only visually appealing but also grammatically correct. You can use the design features to create stunning graphics and layouts without needing any prior experience.

Save time and let AI figure it out for you. 

Score this great price on a lifetime subscription to AI MagicX on sale for only £30.93 for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: AI Magicx AI MagicX: Lifetime Subscription £30.93 at the Mashable Shop
£250.62 Save £219.69 Get Deal

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 October 28'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 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.

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for November 3 Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Football players

• Green: Fun school names

• Blue: Schools of the top choices

• Purple: Strong words

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

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

• Yellow - Soccer positions

• Green - Schools with colorful nicknames

• Blue - Alma mater of last 4 NFL No. 1 picks

• Purple - Power _____

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 #41 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Soccer positions: GOALKEEPER, MIDFIELDER, SWEEPER, WINGER

• Schools with colorful nicknames: STANFORD, SYRACUSE, TULANE, TULSA

• Alma mater of last 4 NFL No. 1 picks: ALABAMA, CLEMSON, GEORGIA, USC

• Power ____: FORWARD, HITTER, LIFTER, PLAY

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.

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 November 3'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 November 1 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 November 1 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A fierce fire.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no reoccurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter B.

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...

BLAZE.

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 November 3

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.

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 November 3'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.

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for November 3 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: Tugs at the heartstrings

• Green: Not passing the vibe check

• Blue: Judicial process

• Purple: Easy things

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: Heartwarming

• Green: Sneaking Suspicion

• Blue: Legal Session

• Purple: Easy___

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 #511 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Heartwarming: MOVING, SWEET, TENDER, TOUCHING

• Sneaking Suspicion: FEELING, HUNCH, IMPRESSION, SENSE

• Legal Session: HEARING, INQUIRY, PROCEEDING, TRIAL

• Easy___: CHAIR, LISTENING, MONEY, STREET

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 November 3

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.

Amazon might be in a pickle with the promised AI upgrades to Alexa.

Bloomberg reported that the company's signature voice assistant, which was supposed to get a big AI overhaul before the end of this year, will instead get that upgrade in 2025. The idea is to make Alexa smarter and more powerful by making it more conversational and capable of new things. Unfortunately, by all accounts, that isn't happening.

SEE ALSO: How to cancel your Amazon Prime membership

The Bloomberg report goes on to detail the problems that the AI-enhanced Alexa is having in testing. For example, beta users reported that the AI can give long, rambling answers that aren't entirely relevant to the original query. Other alleged problems include hallucinations and, stunningly, a failure to work with connected smart devices like light switches consistently.

Amazon hasn't officially confirmed any delay, but beta access has apparently been turned off, so you can't even try the more conversational Alexa in a test environment anymore. Perhaps you'll be able to use it in 2025.

Shameik Moore, Susan Sarandon and D'Arcy Carden are joined by Yassir and Isaiah Lester in breaking down how this wild film came together.

Okta just squashed a particularly unusual bug in its software.

The digital security management company posted a bug fix report to its website (as spotted by The Verge) letting users know that a glitch in the system that theoretically allowed bad actors to gain access to accounts had been ironed out. Sounds normal enough, right? Well, here's the kicker: The bug could've allowed someone to log into an account without entering the password as long as the username was 52 characters or longer.

SEE ALSO: Largest U.S. healthcare data breach exposes medical records of 100 million customers

"During specific conditions, this could allow users to authenticate by only providing the username with the stored cache key of a previous successful authentication," Okta wrote.

It should be re-emphasized that this is no longer a concern for Okta users. The bug has been fixed. Unfortunately, it existed in the system for about three months, as Okta's report said the software had been affected since July until someone noticed on Oct. 30. That's a very long time for such a vulnerability to be present, but it's unclear at this point if anyone was negatively affected by it.

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: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Saturday, November 2, 2024:

AcrossThermometer reading, for short

• The answer is Temp.

Dessert made with black-and-white cookies

• The answer is Oreo Pie.

Viral pygmy hippo parodized on "Weekend Update"

• The answer is Moo Deng.

"Incidentally ...," in a text

• The answer is BTW.

Heart test inits.

• The answer is ECG.

"Don't worry, it's just a scratch!"

• The answer is I'm okay.

French filmdom

• The answer is Cine.

Canceled, as a TV series

• The answer is Axed.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle hints and answers for November 1 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for November 1 Down"Lara Croft: ___ Raider"

• The answer is Tomb.

Sexy, steamy stuff

• The answer is Erotica.

Pet food product with a jingle sung by a cat

• The answer is Meowmix.

Holder of peas

• The answer is Pod.

Cheated at hide-and-seek

• The answer is Peeked.

Ancient builder of Machu Picchu

• The answer is Inca.

Like quiche and custard

• The answer is Eggy.

Number accidentally typed instead of an exclamation point

• The answer is One.

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 Games

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

Wondering how to watch college football this season? Here are your best options: Best for affordability Sling TV Blue Plan $20 for the first month, then $40/month (save $20 ) Get Deal BEST FOR SINGLE GAME FuboTV Pro plan 7-day free trial, then $59.99/month for 1 month (Save $20) Get Deal

The Pittsburgh Panthers and SMU Mustangs football teams go head-to-head this weekend at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The match will take place on Saturday, Nov. 2, and is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. 

SEE ALSO: How to watch college football without cable Pittsburgh vs. SMU football kickoff time and network

The Pittsburgh vs. SMU football game is scheduled for an 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT start on the ACC Network on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Best streaming services for Pittsburgh vs. SMU football game

You need to choose a streaming service to watch college football without cable or satellite TV. We've found some of the best streaming services to consider for the Pittsburgh vs. SMU football game on the ACC Network. 

Most affordable: Sling TV Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Orange Plan Get Deal

Sling TV suggests the streamer's Orange Plan for the game, which costs $20 for the first month and $40 monthly after that.

Sling TV’s sports channels feature ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, FS2, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network.

Best for single game: FuboTV Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV Pro plan Get Deal

FuboTV offers you more than 250 channels of live TV and the option to watch on 10 screens at once. You can try FuboTV with a seven-day free trial period. 

FuboTV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, FOX, FS1, FS2, Golf Network, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network. 

Wondering how to watch college football this season? Here are your best options: Best for affordability Sling TV Blue Plan $20 for the first month, then $40/month (save $20 ) Get Deal BEST FOR SINGLE GAME FuboTV Pro plan 7-day free trial, then $59.99/month for 1 month (Save $20) Get Deal

The Louisville Cardinals and Clemson Tigers football teams go head-to-head this weekend at Memorial Stadium in Clemson. The match will take place on Saturday, Nov. 2, and is scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT. 

SEE ALSO: How to watch college football without cable Louisville vs. Clemson football kickoff time and network

The Louisville vs. Clemson football game is scheduled for a 8=7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT start on ESPN on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Best streaming services for Louisville vs. Clemson football game

You need to choose a streaming service to watch college football without cable or satellite TV. We've found some of the best streaming services to consider for the Louisville vs. Clemson football game on ESPN. 

Most affordable: Sling TV Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Orange Plan Get Deal

Sling TV suggests the streamer's Orange Plan for the game, which costs $20 for the first month and $40 monthly after that.

Sling TV’s sports channels feature ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, FS2, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network.

Best for single game: FuboTV Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV Pro plan Get Deal

FuboTV offers you more than 250 channels of live TV and the option to watch on 10 screens at once. You can try FuboTV with a seven-day free trial period. 

Go to the FuboTV website to check if ESPN is available in your zip code. If it is, you can access ESPN with the FuboTV Pro plan, which offers an introductory rate of $59.99 for the first month and a regular rate of $79.99 per month.

FuboTV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, FOX, FS1, FS2, Golf Network, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network. 

Can ChatGPT tell you where to vote or even how to vote?

With the presidential election swiftly approaching, it seems we all need a search engine to tell us what to do. Most voters in 2022 confirmed that they still use search engines to find election information, and one information systems expert, Varol Kayhan, told The Guardian, "We're at the mercy of Google when it comes to what information we're able to find."

Does the same go for ChatGPT?

People use ChatGPT as a search engine similar to how they use Google Search — and OpenAI knows it. The company recently announced that it has put a search engine inside ChatGPT apps and websites for that very reason.

However, there are limitations to what search engines can provide. For instance, The Guardian found that Google has a problem with confirmation bias. If you ask, "Is Kamala Harris a good Democratic candidate," the results will be positive. If you ask, "Is Kamala Harris a bad Democratic candidate," the results will be negative. ChatGPT Search appears to be a bit wider in its evaluation based on Mashable's research — if you ask either question, it lists "strengths and challenges" or "strengths and criticisms." 

This line was at the bottom of both questions — positive or negative:

"Ultimately, the assessment of Harris as a candidate depends on individual perspectives and priorities. Her candidacy brings both historic significance and policy experience, but she faces challenges in approval ratings and electoral competition."

While you might get more information in the response from ChatGPT, you also get fewer links. And there are still some very real issues that ChatGPT and OpenAI face when it comes to election bias. According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, which asked ChatGPT about voting eligibility criteria, voting locations, methods of voting, and current congressional candidates in the state of Illinois, it is still "important to exercise discretion regarding its applications, especially when there are significant implications on our democracy."

"It is easy to mislead users when solely relying on unconfirmed sources, such as ChatGPT and other chatbots, for answers," the policy center's report reads. "The bot has limitations of prompt length and information training and often does not answer with complete or consistent information. We would caution users to check ChatGPT answers with reliable resources such as government websites or their local election boards."

While the capabilities of using AI to share election information are "promising," the report states that there is "much room to grow and refine for ChatGPT to be useful to voters."

There are also questions ChatGPT simply can't answer for you. We asked the system all of the questions listed on the FAQ website for the Board of Elections in the City of New York. Out of 23 questions, ChatGPT failed to provide a concrete answer for 12 inquiries, replying, "I'm sorry, but I cannot provide specific details about voting in the United States. I recommend visiting CanIVote.org, where you'll find the latest information from your state or local election authority." 

It's right, but it could be more helpful.

This kind of response didn't happen by accident. In January, ChatGPT maker OpenAI planned to stop the spread of election-related misinformation by banning people from using ChatGPT to impersonate candidates or governments, misrepresent how voting works, or discourage people from voting, the Associated Press reported. It digitally watermarked AI images using its DALL-E image generator to slow or stop the spread of misinformation. It partnered with the National Association of Secretaries of State to ensure answers were accurate and to send people to CanIVote.org, a nonpartisan website that directs constituents to the websites of their state and local election officials. 

"In an effort to reach a broader audience, NASS has collaborated with OpenAI to direct ChatGPT users to CanIVote.org when an election-related question is asked," Maria Benson, the Senior Director of Communications for NASS, told Mashable. Benson added that CanIVote.org could answer voters' questions about how to register to vote, their voter registration status, finding their polling place, the valid forms of ID, information about absentee and early voting, information for overseas voters, provides an election officials directory and gives information how to become a poll worker.

As a reminder, the election is on Tuesday, Nov. 5. As ChatGPT will tell you, you should head to CanIVote.org for any information you might need.

Wondering how to watch college football this season? Here are your best options: Best for affordability Sling TV Blue Plan $20 for the first month, then $40/month (save $20 ) Get Deal BEST FOR SINGLE GAME FuboTV Pro plan 7-day free trial, then $59.99/month for 1 month (Save $20) Get Deal

The Indiana Hoosiers and Michigan State Spartans football teams go head-to-head this weekend at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. The match will take place on Saturday, Nov. 2, and is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT. 

SEE ALSO: How to watch college football without cable Indiana vs. Michigan State football kickoff time and network

The Indiana vs. Michigan football game is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT start on Peacock on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Best streaming services for Indiana vs. Michigan State football game

The game will be available to stream exclusively on NBC’s Peacock streaming service.  

Exclusive streaming: Peacock Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium Get Deal

There are two tiers to NBC’s Peacock streaming service. The Premium plan is $7.99/month, and the Premium Plus at $13.99/month. 

The advantage of the Premium Plus plan is no ads, but that doesn’t apply to live sporting events. Also, the Premium Plus plan provides 24/7 access to your local NBC channel. 

Peacock also offers a full year for the price of 10 months if the full year is paid upfront. Those rates are $79.99 for the Premium plan and $139.99 for the Premium Plus plan. 

College students can get Peacock’s premium plan for $1.99/month. Students can get more information at PeacockTV.com/students.

Wondering how to watch college football this season? Here are your best options: Best for affordability Sling TV Blue Plan $20 for the first month, then $40/month (save $20 ) Get Deal BEST FOR SINGLE GAME FuboTV Pro plan 7-day free trial, then $59.99/month for 1 month (Save $20) Get Deal

The Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs football teams go head-to-head this weekend at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville. The match will take place on Saturday, Nov. 2, and is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT. 

SEE ALSO: How to watch college football without cable Florida vs. Georgia football kickoff time and network

The Florida vs. Georgia football game is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT start on ABC on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Best streaming services for Florida vs. Georgia football game

You need to choose a streaming service to watch college football without cable or satellite TV. We've found some of the best streaming services to consider for Saturday's Duke vs. Miami football game on ABC. 

Most affordable: Sling TV Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Orange Plan Get Deal

For fans looking to stream games, Sling TV’s Orange & Blue Plan is a solid option. At $55 per month, it provides 46 channels, including ESPN3, which simulcasts ABC games. New subscribers can take advantage of getting the first month for $35.

Sling TV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network.

Best for single game: FuboTV Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV Pro plan Get Deal

FuboTV offers you more than 250 channels of live TV and the option to watch on 10 screens at once. You can try FuboTV with a seven-day free trial period. 

After the free trial, college football fans can access channels like ABC for the Florida vs. Georgia football game with FuboTV’s Pro plan at a rate of $59.99 for the first month. The Pro tier’s regular rate is $79.99 per month.

FuboTV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, FOX, FS1, FS2, Golf Network, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network. 

Wondering how to watch college football this season? Here are your best options: Most affordable Paramount+ 7-day free trial, then $12.99/month Get Deal Most channels FuboTV 7-day free trial, then $59.99 for the first month (Save $20) Get Deal

The Oregon Ducks and Michigan Wolverines football teams go head-to-head this weekend at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The match will take place on Saturday, Nov. 2, and is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT. 

SEE ALSO: How to watch college football without cable Oregon vs. Michigan football kickoff time and network

The Oregon vs. Michigan football game is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. PT start on CBS on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Best streaming services for Oregon vs. Michigan football game

You need to choose a streaming service to watch college football without cable or satellite TV. We've found some of the best streaming services to consider for Saturday's Oregon vs. Michigan football game on CBS. 

Most affordable: Paramount+ Opens in a new window Credit: Paramount+ Paramount+ Get Deal

If you want to watch just CBS or just the Oregon vs. Michigan football game, Paramount+ offers a solution. 

New subscribers to Paramount+ get a seven-day free trial. Then for the Paramount+ plan that includes live streaming CBS, you need the Paramount+ with Showtime tier, which is $12.99/month. If you choose the annual plan, it is $119.99 for a year, saving about $2.99/month. 

For students, Paramount+ will give you a 25% discount.

Most Channels: FuboTV Opens in a new window Credit: FuboTV FuboTV Pro plan Get Deal

With FuboTV, new subscribers can enjoy a seven-day free trial and more than 250 live TV channels, along with the ability to simultaneously stream on 10 devices.

College football fans who want access to CBS for matchups such as the Oregon vs. Michigan football game will want the FuboTV Pro tier, which has a one-month introductory rate of $59.99 and then a regular rate of $79.99 per month. 

FuboTV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, FOX, FS1, FS2, Golf Network, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network. 

TL;DR: Live stream Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA for free on Ran.de. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The NBA season is up and running, with a lot of interesting storylines already developing. Something that has caused a lot of conversation in the early stages is Joel Embiid's insistence on resting his body whenever he feels like it. That's a shame for fans, but Philadelphia won't care if they end up making the playoffs with a healthy Embiid.

The Philadelphia 76ers meet the Memphis Grizzlies in the next matchup. Both teams have started inconsistently this season, so if the playoffs are to become a reality, they'll need to build some momentum.

If you want to watch Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies?

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA starts at 7:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 2. This game takes place at the Wells Fargo Center.

How to watch Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies for free

Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies is available to live stream for free on Ran.de in Germany.

If you're traveling outside Germany during this game, you might need to use a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Germany, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies for free on Ran.de 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 Germany

4. Visit Ran.de

5. Watch Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies 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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams of the NBA without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Germany

• 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

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A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Philadelphia 76ers vs. Memphis Grizzlies in the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.

Historically, if you wanted a pair of earbuds with good noise cancellation, impressively balanced sound, decent battery life, and the ability to switch between your devices with ease, you were looking at a price tag of at least $200 or so. Likely more.

That said, the tides are starting to change. This past September, Apple released its first non-Pro model of noise-cancelling earbuds, the AirPods 4, for $179.99. Now Bose has entered the ring with the Bose QuietComfort earbuds, with a price tag of $179 flat, which makes them $120 cheaper than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds.

SEE ALSO: I'm in love with my new Bose noise-canceling earbuds and I want everyone to know it

The Ultra earbuds from Bose are some of the Mashable staff's favorite on the market, and I've tested my fair share of the QuietComfort line: I owned the QuietComfort II headphones as my personal headphones for years, tested the QuietComfort 45 headphones, and the QuietComfort Ultra headphones for Mashable's headphones buying guide.

With all of the above headphones, I found they lived up to their name: I could easily wear them all day, and appreciated that their active noise cancellation worked to make the world around me quiet. With that in mind, I had to see how the latest addition to the QuietComfort line stacked up.

The sound and battery life are hard to beat

Right away, I was impressed by the sound quality of these earbuds. While I wouldn't consider myself the harshest audiophile in the world, I found that the lows, mids, and highs of songs came through balanced and clear, becoming only the tiniest bit muddled at higher volumes. They sounded as great with the The Marías Tiny Desk performance as they did with Chappell Roan's Austin City Limits set, and as someone who loves the sound of live music but not always the experience of going to see it, I appreciated what these earbuds could do.

SEE ALSO: Why is the internet fighting over Chappell Roan?

The companion app does have an equalizer, with five presets and the option to save a custom setting, but it's good news that these earbuds sound solid out of the box — it was genuinely hard for me to tell the difference in balance with the equalizer on, whether I was listening to classic rock or piano concertos. If you have more sensitive ears than mine, you might notice more of a difference — at the very least, the equalizer was easy to adjust.

Choose between five equalizer presets. Credit: Screenshot: Bose Or make your own custom settings. Credit: Screenshot: Bose

The battery life, on the other hand, I truly have no notes about. I use the first-generation AirPods Pro as my usual earbuds, and I have for a couple of years, so I'm used to noise-cancelling earbuds holding on for about four hours (or less) before needing to juice up in their case. In my three weeks of testing these earbuds, that didn't happen to me once, despite my best efforts to wear the battery life down.

It was hard to make a dent in the battery life. Credit: Screenshot: Bose

I kept them connected to two devices every time I had them on, wouldn't bother putting them back in the case if I stopped playing audio for a bit, and had noise cancellation on at all times. At most, I probably got five hours of active use of the headphones in a day, and I ended up with battery life to spare.

The Bose QuietComfort earbuds live up to their name, for the most part

All-day battery life means less if the earbuds that battery is powering can't promise comfortable all-day wear.

SEE ALSO: Review: Bose QuietComfort Ultra are the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn

For me, that was a promise that Bose more than delivered on. Although, it took a few tries to find the right combo of ear tip and stability band sizes for the earbuds to fit snugly but comfortably in my ear. I usually switch to the small ear tips as a rule, and that worked well here, but the medium stability band worked better for me — the small one was too big, and made my ear sore within an hour of wear, while the medium one gave me basically no soreness. Swapping out the bands was easy, with a small notch in the earbud making it clear which way to orient the band. Once they were in, I never had an issue with them moving.

Different ear tips and bands allow you to find a comfortable fit for your ear. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

Maybe this doesn't seem like such a big deal to some, but as someone who struggles to find earbuds that actually stay put, even when I'm sitting still, I was kind of wowed these Bose earbuds stayed in place. This might just apply to my weird ear shape, but if you're someone who doesn't like the fit of AirPods, these may work way better for you.

My combo fit my ear amazingly. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

I will caveat my amazement with the fact that earbud fit can vary from person to person. Mashable Shopping Reporter Sam Mangino tried out these earbuds and found that the stability band regularly came loose when she took the earbuds out. For her ears, she found that compared to the QC Ultra earbuds, these standard QC earbuds were nowhere near as secure or comfortable. (Mashable contributor Timothy Beck Werth also found the Ultra earbuds to be incredibly comfortable, giving him no ear fatigue during up to seven hours of wear). All this to say, always try on earbuds when you can and take advantage of return policies wherever possible.

The active noise cancellation didn't impress, but it did the job

Where Mangino and I agreed was on the active noise cancellation — it's serviceable, especially for the price point, but it's certainly not at the same level as Bose's other headphones. Still, considering the next cheapest pair of QuietComfort headphones or earbuds are $120 more expensive, the noise cancellation did seem to meet the price point.

SEE ALSO: We’ve tested tons of noise-cancelling headphones and these are the ones we’d take on a plane

That's not to say it was bad — it was certainly better than other earbuds I've used in slightly cheaper price ranges, and it's definitely helped if you're playing music while using it. With ANC on, I could make out the words of my boyfriend talking in the next room over from me, but just barely. With music, his voice all but disappeared. To compare, when I tested the Bose QuietComfort Ultra over-ear headphones last year, his voice was nearly completely drowned out with just the noise cancellation and no music.

The touch controls worked a little too well

There are some earbud features that should be defined by ease, like connecting via Bluetooth. There are others that I would prefer to have a bit of friction, and at the top of that list is touch control. I want touch controls to be intuitive but not terribly sensitive, and unfortunately, the Bose QuietComfort earbuds fall firmly in the latter category.

These earbuds not only responded to the lightest tap of my fingers, but also — get this — the strands of my hair. It took a good 10 minutes into the first walk I took with these to figure out why my music kept pausing, until I realized the slightest sway of my hair against the earbuds was activating the touch response (it wasn't even breezy out).

The flat outer surface can be used for touch controls, but it does its job too well sometimes. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

Though there is a lot of customization available for the touch controls via the app (more on that a little farther down), there isn't a way to fully toggle the touch controls off — as in, you don't hear a soft beep that something has touched the earbud surface. Though that's not unheard of, when earbuds are this sensitive, I not only want but need that option, so I can go for a walk without a) stopping to toggle touch controls off and b) continuing to have my music punctuated by the beeps of my earbuds because my hair happened to brush over them.

Bose's Bluetooth connection struggles

As I mentioned above, the Bose QC II headphones used to be my personal pair — operative phrase being "used to be." While I loved how comfortable they were and thought the ANC more than did the job for me, as someone who switches between my laptop and phone for audio frequently, I started looking at other headphone brands.

Because I luckily test headphones for a living, I was able to see firsthand if this was just an issue with an older model of Bose headphones. But both the Bose QC 45s and QC Ultras had trouble seamlessly switching between devices, often requiring me to turn off the headphones for minutes at a time before attempting to switch devices, or in more egregious cases, forgetting the headphones from my device and reconnecting them all over. Other Mashable shopping reporters have encountered the same issues when testing at least two separate pairs and models of Bose headphones.

SEE ALSO: We tested the best Bose headphones of 2024

All this to say, I wasn't waiting with bated breath the first time I switched the Bose QuietComfort earbuds from my phone to my laptop, and though I had my fingers crossed, the same issues came up. In three weeks of testing, I've forgotten and reconnected these headphones at least as many times. I've paused my phone audio, counted to 10, and hit play on my laptop only for the audio to start, play for a few seconds, and then pause.

I became well acquainted with these two screens over the course of three weeks. Credit: Screenshot: Bose Credit: Screenshot: Bose

At best, this connection issue is annoying, and at my least generous, I'm inclined to say Bose needs to stop claiming their headphones and earbuds have multi-point pairing until they figure this out. More affordable model or not, at $179, I not only expect better, but I have tested better for cheaper.

The earbuds also struggled to reliably connect when I was wearing one earbud, whether that be a product of just putting one in, taking one out momentarily, or putting one down for an indefinite amount of time. In the latter two cases, I figured it was likely due to the auto-pause feature built into the earbuds — this likely won't be an issue for the majority of users, but if like me you often wear one earbud, it's definitely something to be aware of.

The app could use some work

Speaking of struggles, let's talk about the Bose QuietComfort earbuds app. For some reason, this is not the regular Bose headphones app, but its own dedicated app, just for these earbuds. And for some reason, Bose decided to make 12 different panels you have to click into, making it much busier visually than the standard Bose app.

The Bose QCE app landing screen. Credit: Screenshot: Bose Versus the regular Bose app. Credit: Screenshot: Bose

Simply put, there is no need for 12 separate menu panels in any headphone app. While you do get a fair amount of customization with the earbuds app, with touch controls, voice controls, and low latency audio settings, there is overlap that makes it feel like panels could have been easily consolidated, with some feeling like they were missing information.

For instance, the multipoint menu lets you toggle multipoint pairing on and off, but it doesn't let you see or switch between specific devices like the other Bose app. The battery prediction section is a neat idea, but conveys similar information as the battery indicators up top — and you can't find information on the battery life left on the case anywhere, which feels like it would've been more useful than having two separate measures of the earbud battery life.

The multipoint pairing menu in the Bose QCE app. Credit: Screenshot: Bose Versus the regular Bose app. Credit: Screenshot: Bose

On a final design note, I didn't love how the panels opened to a half-screen menu — it just made the experience of adjusting settings feel visually busier than necessary. Also, this app didn't need two separate menu items, "Bose" and "Stories," linking out to the Bose website.

Bose QuietComfort vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds

As I mentioned up top, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are one of the Mashable staff's favorite pair of earbuds — and our top pick for the best noise-cancelling earbuds on the market.

When you're shelling out the $299 for the Ultras, here's what the extra $120 gets you:

• Top-of-the-line noise cancellation

• Spatial audio

• A secure and comfortable fit

• Up to six hours of battery life

In comparison, here's what you get with the standard QuietComfort earbuds:

• Decent, but not amazing noise cancellation

• Customizable touch controls with the companion app

• A good fit depending on your ear shape

• Up to 8.5 hours of battery life

Are the Bose QuietComfort earbuds worth it?

At the end of the day, while the Bose QuietComforts do have some issues that I'd rather not see on a pair of $179 earbuds, they also sound much better than I'd expect at this price point and have excellent all-day wear potential, both in comfort and battery life.

If you're looking for the best noise-cancelling Bose has to offer, you likely won't regret investing more. On the other hand, if you're trying to get earbuds that sound as good as they can under $200, with exceptional battery life added in, picking up the QuietComfort earbuds is an easy choice.

Bose QuietComfort earbuds $179.00 at Best Buy
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