Mashable

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 August 30'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 August 30 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: Things that sparkle and shine

• Green: Olympic events in present tense

• Blue: Awe-inspiring landmarks

• Purple: Ice based items and phenomena

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: Sparkling Things

• Green: Participate in Summer Olympic Events

• Blue: Wonders of the World

• Purple: Ice__

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 #445 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Sparkling Things: DIAMOND, GLITTER, GOLD, SEQUIN

• Participate in Summer Olympic Events: BOX, DIVE, FENCE, ROW

• Wonders of the Worlds: GARDENS, LIGHTHOUSE, PYRAMID, TEMPLE

• Ice___: CREAM, CUBE, MACHINE, STORM

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.

Apple is reportedly in talks with OpenAI for investing in its latest fundraising round.

According a report from The Wall Street Journal, Apple is expected to invest in the ChatGPT maker. Venture capital firm Thrive Capital is leading the investment round, which would make OpenAI's valuation above $100 billion. Apple analyst Mark Gurman also reported the rumored investment and added that Nvidia and Microsoft would also be participating. So yes, the three most valuable tech companies in the world want to get in on what OpenAI is offering.

Tweet may have been deleted

Microsoft has been a major investor in OpenAI since 2019, pouring $13 billion into the AI company. The deal gave Microsoft exclusive access to OpenAI's LLMs, which has enabled Microsoft to boost up its own AI productivity tools and features. But Microsoft and OpenAI are no longer exclusive. At Apple's WWDC event in June, the tech giant announced a partnership with OpenAI, which will integrate ChatGPT features on the iOS 18 update. Apple Intelligence features are currently available in beta, but ChatGPT-related features have not yet been released.

Apple has been cagey about its AI plans, and has mostly sat on the sideline as other Big Tech companies duked it out for AI dominance. But Apple's partnership in June with OpenAI was its first major play in the AI arena.

Apple is reportedly exploring partnerships with Google, Meta, and Anthropic to provide users with their AI model of choice on its devices. But now, Apple's reported investment in OpenAI is a major move in strengthening their ties; especially since Apple rarely invests in startups.

The Apple event in September typically focuses on hardware. And the iPhone 16 lineup, Apple AirPods 4, and perhaps a new iPad mini are expected. But there's also a chance that Apple will make some announcements about Apple Intelligence and other AI features. The event is on September 9, so we won't have to wait long.

Meta is cracking the door back open for minors interested in the company's virtual offerings, with new parent-approved entry to the platform's Horizon Worlds.

Children (or "preteens," as Meta refers to them) between the ages of 10 to 12 on parent-managed Meta accounts will be able to request access to specific virtual experiences, most of which are social hangout rooms. The age-appropriate designed "worlds" include areas like "The Space Station," a futuristic space where users don astronaut gear, and "The Aquarium," an underwater marine life adventure.

SEE ALSO: Parents need to talk to their kids about this online danger right now

"Worlds can offer preteens access to a variety of fun, engaging and age-appropriate places to hang out with friends and family—no matter where they happen to be, both in-headset and on mobile," Meta wrote. "And as we open up preteen access to worlds (with parental permission, of course), we’ll encourage creators to build even more age-appropriate and enriching experiences."

It's an expansion of new parent permissions granted last month, which allow parents and caregivers to add individual approved contacts to their preteens' accounts. Previously, Meta Horizon's social interactions, like chat and calls, were only available to accounts marked 13 and older.

The new update also includes age ratings for each world, designated as "10+, ages 13+, and ages 18+" and additional customizable settings for parents. Meta says the virtual spaces were co-designed with third parties as part of a new Trust, Transparency & Control Labs (TTC) report on the reintroduction of minors into digital experiences.

Originally part of Meta's larger Metaverse and Meta Quest offerings in the emerging world of VR, Horizon Worlds was later released to mobile and desktop users in 2023. A year prior, Meta overhauled its parental controls for VR Quest users after parents and watchdog groups called attention to increasingly inappropriate interactions, hate speech, and harassment toward minors.

Beyond the world of VR, Meta has been criticized for "pursuing" users under 13 despite concerns about mental wellbeing and safety, and is still wading through a complicated sea of lawsuits and federal investigations.

New Horizon Worlds access is predicated on additional safeguards meant to assuage these fears, including disabled voice chat, personal boundary features for avatars, and non-discoverability for preteen accounts.

"Google is a monopolist." Those were the words written by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta earlier this month in his landmark ruling against the search giant in the antitrust case brought to the court by the U.S. Justice Department.

While that case against Google pertained to its $20 billion deal with Apple regarding Google Search maintaining its default dominance on the iPhone, it seems that the DOJ lawsuit may have just opened the floodgates.

On Wednesday, local business review platform Yelp filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google regarding the company's dominance over local search and local search advertising.

Yelp takes on Google's local search dominance

Yelp's case against Google is all about the search giant giving priority to its own local search product. 

"Our case is about Google, the largest information gatekeeper in existence, putting its heavy thumb on the scale to stifle competition and keep consumers within its own walled garden," writes Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman in a public post addressing the lawsuit. "Google has illegally abused its monopoly in general search to dominate the local search and local search advertising markets — engaging in anticompetitive conduct that has degraded the quality of search results and demoted rivals to grow its market power."

Type in any local business whether it be a nearby restaurant or plumbing service and Google local search information is unavoidable. Google reviews and star ratings for an establishment, left via Google Maps, as well as contact information, business hours, and more are all readily available right the on Google Search results page. On the web, this information is usually located on the sidebar and doesn't distract from Google's competitors on the search page as much. However, perform a local search on a mobile device and Google's local search information is oftentimes the first – and only – thing you see on the page until you scroll down.

SEE ALSO: Google Gemini now lets you create AI-generated images of people — but there's a catch

"When a consumer conducts a Google search with local intent, Google manipulates its results to promote its own local search offerings above those of its rivals, regardless of the comparative poorer quality of its own properties, exempting itself from the qualitative ranking system it uses for other sites," Stoppelman says. 

According to the Yelp CEO, Google's anticompetitive practices have impacted the company so much that Yelp has noticed that an increase in the number of Google searches for a term has often resulted in zero additional clicks to links recommended on the page. The reason, according to Yelp, is that Google's local search product just provides all the information on the search page which gives users no reason to click through to a competitor. 

Yelp's public push explaining its lawsuit against Google cites numerous cases against Google over the years as well as fines the company has received for anticompetitive practices. It also includes crucial quotes from Google executives over the years such as one from Google's former VP of search products Marissa Mayer where she claims Google would put their own products first in Google search results because it "seems only fair." Mayer's statement also acknowledges that search ranking results would only be ranked by popularity after Google's own product link at the top of the page.

Yelp, a regular Google critic, clearly sees an opening after the recent ruling from Judge Mehta. Yelp’s General Counsel Aaron Schur said so himself in a statement provided to Mashable.

"Judge Amit Mehta’s recent ruling in the government’s antitrust case against Google, finding Google illegally maintained its monopoly in general search, is a watershed moment in antitrust law, and provides a strong foundation for Yelp’s case against Google," Schur said. "In addition to injunctive relief, Yelp seeks a remedy that ensures Google can no longer self-preference in local search."

"The harms caused by Google’s self-preferencing are not unique to Yelp, and we look forward to telling our story in court," he continued.

Mashable has reached out to Google for comment and will update if we hear back.

Apple dropped the iOS 18.1 beta 3 for developers — and it added a new Apple Intelligence feature to the mix: the AI-powered Clean Up tool.

We've all been there. You take a photo, you're excited to share it with friends or post it on social media, but there's just one little obstruction that diminishes the photo's visual appeal.

Maybe it's an awkward photobomber — or perhaps there's an unsightly thingamajig that's stealing the spotlight. In these situations, Apple Intelligence is here to swoop in and save the day.

iOS 18 Clean Up: 3 things it can do

The iOS 18 Clean Up tool, similar to Google's Magic Eraser feature, is designed to help get rid of unwanted objects in your photo to enhance the overall quality of the image.

Credit: Den Photos / Shutterstock.com

Here are three things it can do:

1. It uses smart detection, relying on multiple machine-learning models, to identify and isolate objects in your photo. In other words, the technology that underpins Clean Up tool can precisely determine the edges of objects.

2. After identifying the edges, it removes the object and intelligently fills in the void. (Clean Up Tool is even designed to handle challenging elements of an object, including shadows and reflections.)

3. Clean Up "knows" whether other subjects, like yourself or friends, overlap the object. So in theory, Clean Up will not accidentally replace a person you want to be front-and-center of your photo.

Users can use the Clean Up tool in the Photos app. Once you spot an undesirable object in an image, you can tap or circle it, prompting the AI to detect it, so you can remove it. You can also zoom in on photos to finely retouch tiny blemishes.

One other Apple Intelligence feature the Cupertino-based tech giant added to the new iOS 18.1 update is notification summaries. Before, notification summaries only supported the Mail and Messages app. Now, it can summarize notifications from all of your apps.

Check out some of the other AI-powered features in our Apple Intelligence roundup. Just keep in mind that this is a beta, so it's expected to be a little rough-around-the-edges. Make sure that you have an iPhone backup before installing iOS 18.1 beta 3.

The official version of iOS 18 is expected to roll out later this year after Apple announces the iPhone 16 at its "Glowtime" Sept. 9 event.

Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Jenna Ortega, Catherine O'Hara, Monica Bellucci and Justin Theroux break down what it was like bringing the long-awaited sequel to life.

Google Meet knows it can be challenging to stay on a single tab during meetings, and it's here to help.

For all you habitual tab-shifters out there — I count myself among your ranks — Google Meet recently made a picture-in-picture feature an automatic part of its service. What does that mean? As I discovered this morning, when you leave the tab while in a Google Meet, the call will automatically shrink to a smaller size and appear in the bottom-right part of your screen.

SEE ALSO: Google Meet's new portrait touch-up feature will give you a virtual glow-up

This feature used to be an option you could turn on during a meeting, though some, like myself, likely didn't know it existed. It's quite helpful, especially if you want to look something up while discussing a work project. Now, you're not tied to the Google Meet tab.

The feature, at least for now, is available only to users on a computer using Google Chrome.

Wrote Google's Workspace team in a blog post: "This simple yet impactful update will help ensure your meeting stays visible and accessible if you need to switch tabs to take notes, view meeting-related documents, and more."

SEE ALSO: Google Meet can now detect your 'hand raises' in real life. Here’s how to activate the feature.

I've found the tool helpful thus far. It allows me to attend a meeting and to whatever else I might need to do.

The feature's gradual rollout started on Monday. It appeared for me on Thursday and could appear for others over the next week or so. For all you multi-taskers out there, welcome to a new world.

Mashable's Miller Kern spent a month testing Dyson's new Ontrac noise-canceling headphones to see if their quality stands out as much as their design.

Elon Musk's AI company has caught the attention of environmentalists in Memphis, Tennessee for reportedly operating gas turbines without a permit.

On Monday, environmentalist groups Memphis Community Against Pollution, Young, Gifted & Green, Sierra Club Chickasaw Group, and Sierra Club Tennessee Chapter sent a letter to the Shelby County Health Department calling for an investigation of the xAI data center, which powers the X chatbot Grok.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's Grok heeds misinformation concerns by sending users to Vote.gov The environmental cost of supercomputers like xAI

According to the letter, xAI has installed at least 18 gas combustion turbines, which "have the capacity to emit about 130 tons of the ozone-precursor nitrogen oxides (NOx) per year." The groups allege that the xAI data center, which may be contributing to Memphis' existing smog problem, "has not applied for any air permits for these turbines."

The vast amount of electricity and computing power required to run AI models is an emissions nightmare. According to a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), electricity consumption of data centers is projected to double by 2026, which would roughly equate to the entire electricity consumption of Japan. And that's not counting the amount of water required to cool the servers and e-waste.

With supercomputers using up the same amount of energy as a small country, it's easy to see the global environmental impact, let alone the immediate vicinity of a data center like Memphis.

The letter, which says xAI's data centers violate Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) smog standards, calls for an investigation by the local county health department. Moreover, the letter requests that the data center cease operations until a permit is obtained.

UP TO 70% OFF: As of August 29, save up to 70% off sex toys and select items at Lovehoney during its Labor Day Sale. Plus, get a free gift when you spend $79, and get free shipping when you spend $49.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lovehoney Lovehoney Labor Day Sale Up to 70% off select sex toys, plus a free gift with order of $79 Get Deal

Labor Day Weekend is almost here. If you plan on celebrating the long weekend by taking some time for yourself (and perhaps a lover), you might want to stock up on some goodies from Lovehoney. This beacon in the sexual wellness sphere has a great deal on sex toys and other goodies, and you can save a significant amount of cash by shopping there for all your pleasure-related needs.

As of August 29, get up to 70% off select sex toys and other products during the Lovehoney Labor Day Sale. Plus, get free shipping when you spend $49, and a free gift when you spend $79 or more. No promo code is required, as your discounts will be automatically applied at checkout.

SEE ALSO: All of the best sex toy deals we could find this week

Choose from a wide variety of different toys, like the Lovehoney Heat Wave Warming Rechargeable G-Spot Rabbit Vibrator, the Magic Bullet Vibrator, prostate massagers, and much more. You'll find toys on sale for every preference and gender to add to your cart. If you've got something you've been eyeing at Lovehoney for a while, chances are it's on sale.

Pop everything in your cart and prepare to spice up your sex life. Just do it quickly, as it's likely this sale will end soon.

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Aug. 29: OUR TOP PICK Apple iPad Mini 6 (64GB, WiFi) $379.99 at Amazon (save $119.01) Get Deal BEST SOUNDBAR DEAL Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar $399 at Amazon (save $100) Get Deal BEST TV DEAL Amazon 40-inch 2-Series Fire TV $159.99 at Amazon (save $90 with Prime-exclusive code 40PRIME) Get Deal BEST PHONE DEAL Samsung Galaxy S24+ (256GB, Unlocked) $799 at Amazon (save $200.99) Get Deal

With Labor Day weekend coming in hot, we're seeing some pretty sweet deals at Amazon. We've rounded up the best deals we could find at the mega retailer on Aug. 29, including record-low prices on gadgets from Apple, Samsung, and Sonos.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. If none of these speak to you, be sure to check back at our deal picks from Aug. 27 and Aug. 28. Many of those are still live — including 20% off a NordicTrack treadmill and $100 off a fancy Garmin running smartwatch.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Mini 6 (64GB, WiFi) $379.99 at Amazon
$499.00 Save $119.01 Get Deal

As of Aug. 29, Apple's sixth generation iPad Mini is back down to its record-low Prime Day price of $379.99 — a savings of 24%. It comes as no surprise that we're seeing the price on the 2021 device drop with the rumored iPad mini 7 expected to launch soon. When it debuted, Mashable's Stan Schroeder called it "the best iPad if you want a small iPad" and "a better deal than the iPad Air," crediting the sleek new design, camera upgrade, speed, stereo speakers, and practical Touch ID. While it could certainly use a chip upgrade, it's still an excellent device in 2024 — especially at this price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sonos Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar $399.00 at Amazon
$499.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal

The second-generation Sonos Beam soundbar improves upon the already fantastic design of its first iteration, which Mashable tech reporter Raymond Wong said "hits the sweet spot on price, design, sound quality, and features." Upgrades include a new grill, better processor, and Dolby Atmos compatibility on top of is already excellent audio quality and convenient voice assistant support. It's our favorite soundbar to pair with your TV, although it's important to note that it does not support Bluetooth and is a little more limited for Android users. As of Aug. 29, the Beam Gen 2 is on sale for just $399 at Amazon — that's 20% in savings and matches its all-time low.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon 40-inch 2-Series Fire TV $159.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $90.00 with Prime-exclusive code 40PRIME Get Deal

While it's not the fanciest TV on the market by any means, Amazon's 2-Series Fire TV is a great choice for those seeking a no-frills smart TV on a tight budget. As of Aug. 29, the 40-inch version is down to just $159.99 for Prime members when you use the code 40PRIME at checkout. That's a savings of $90 and just $10 away from its lowest price on record. It doesn't support 4K resolution (check out the 4-Series or Omni Series for that feature), but it does offer all the smart capabilities from the Fire TV experience, hands-free control via on-board Alexa, and support for HDR 10, HLG, and Dolby Digital Audio.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy S24+ (256GB, Unlocked) $799.00 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $200.99 Get Deal

Announced at the Galaxy Unpacked event back in January, the Samsung Galaxy S24+ is the mid-range model in the S24 lineup. It features subtle improvements over the S23 series specs, including a newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, a brighter screen, and thinner bezels, plus support for a new suite of Galaxy AI features. The S24+, in particular, offers more screen real estate than the S24 with higher-resolution, as well as a beefier 4,900mAh battery. Regularly $999.99, an unlocked S24+ with 256GB of storage is down to just $799 as of Aug. 29 — that's its lowest price to date.

None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.

After a few quiet months, rumors about Sony's alleged upcoming "PS5 Pro" console are flooding the internet again. This time, we may have gotten a glimpse at what the console looks like.

Leaker billbil-kun, writing for the French website Dealabs, claims to have seen the final packaging for the not-yet-released console.

PS5 Pro design

According to the leaker, the PS5 Pro is slightly thicker than the current model, but otherwise retains the same basic size and shape.

Tweet may have been deleted

The biggest visual difference lies in three black stripes that run horizontally along the device's white exterior.

SEE ALSO: PS5 Pro: There are new whispers that the release date is fast approaching

Aside from some stripes, it doesn't seem much has changed visually. It's still white, and sports two USB-C ports and a power button on the front. The bulk of the changes will probably happen inside, where the console is expected to be more powerful than the PS5 – but not powerful enough to be a full-on PlayStation 6.

It wasn't clear when or even if a PS5 Pro would come out after Sony's summer gaming showcase came and went without an announcement, but new rumors are pointing to perhaps a September announcement. The PS4 Pro was announced in September of 2016 and released in November of that year, so maybe Sony will adhere to that schedule again.

SAVE $200: The Starlink Standard Kit AX Tri Band WiFi System is on sale at Best Buy for $299.99, down from the usual price of $499.99. That's a 40% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Starlink Starlink Standard Kit AX Tri Band Wi-Fi System $299.99 at Best Buy
$499.99 Save $200.00 Get Deal

After remote work became a lot more common in 2020, some of us have gone fully off-grid. A secluded cabin in the wilderness, a fully-outfitted van, or a sailboat cruising an archipelago are all places some of us call home, but staying connected for work can pose a challenge. Starlink offers a solution, connecting you to satellite internet from secluded areas that aren't typically in coverage zones. Thanks to today's deal at Best Buy, the associate kit to get you set up with Starlink connectivity is much more affordable.

As of Aug. 29, the Starlink Standard Kit AX Tri Band WiFi System is on sale at Best Buy for just $299.99, discounted from the usual price of $499.99. That means you'll be saving $200 and scoring a 40% discount. But keep in mind you'll need to sign up for a Starlink service plan to get coverage, which starts at $50 per month.

SEE ALSO: The best VPN in August 2024

Starlink aims to deliver high-speed internet to rural or remote locations that usually don't see a signal to stay connected. Through a network that includes thousands of satellites, Starlink gives broadband internet access that's strong enough to stream shows, join your Zoom meetings, stay in touch with emails, or even spend the weekend online gaming.

To get access to this network, you'll need to set up a WiFi satellite dish at home — or on your van, or boat — which is where the Starlink Standard Kit AX Tri Band WiFi System comes into play. This kit includes all necessary elements to get started with Starlink, including the satellite, WiFi router, cables, and a convenient base.

The Standard Kit supports WiFi 6 so you'll be able to get faster speeds while connecting to either 2.4GHz or 5.0 frequencies.

Since the included Starlink satellite sits outside, it's made with weather-resistant materials that can withstand the coldest of cold and hottest of hot temperatures. But keep in mind you should set up the satellite in an area that has a clear view of the sky, making it possible to connect to Starlink's network.

You can also download the Starlink app to get more information about the best set-up location before you install.

If you're hoping to stay connected while off grid, Starlink is a great option, and you can currently save $200 on the Starlink Standard Kit AX Tri Band WiFi System that'll keep you connected. Your family, friends, and work will be thrilled to have you online.

50% OFF: As of August 29, get 50% off your a year-long MasterClass subscription. That's $5 off monthly and a yearly fee of $60.

Opens in a new window Credit: MasterClass MasterClass subscription $60.00 at MasterClass
$120.00 Save $60.00 Get Deal

If you're looking to spend some time honing a new craft, there's no better place to learn than MasterClass. There, you can pick up new skills from the pros in each field you could be interested in, like singing from Christina Aguilera or comedy from Steve Martin. Right now, you can grab a year subscription for 50% off its normal price.

As of August 29, you can get a year-long MasterClass subscription for 50% off. That means you can spend just $60 instead of the $120 it would normally run you. The deal is available from now through September 2, so you'll have to act quickly if you want to pick it up.

MasterClass has over 180 classes throughout 11 different categories. There are also plenty of new options added on a rolling basis. You can learn writing from legendary Goosebumps author R.L. Stine, cooking from Gordon Ramsay, or even screenwriting from Aaron Sorkin. Whatever you're into, there's a celebrity expert to learn from. You can also participate in course discussions, read up on offline learning materials, and take part in Q&A discussions.

With the holidays coming up, this could make a great gift. Snag one for you, a friend or family member, or a group and see if you can't learn a few things together.

Key advice from one acting legend to another as Blair Underwood recounts the key piece of advice he received from the great Sydney Poitier.

Just when The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power reveals the identity of one mysterious wizard, it brings in a new mysterious mage for us to puzzle over.

Season 1 introduced us to the Stranger (Daniel Weyman), a powerful figure with no recollection of who he is. Based on a key quote in the Season 1 finale and a new hint in Season 2, episode 2, it's fairly clear to the audience that the Stranger is Gandalf the Grey. But he has no way of knowing that! So it's off to the Eastern land of Rhûn for the Stranger, where he hopes to find answers about who he is and what role he has to play in the battle to come against Sauron (Charlie Vickers).

SEE ALSO: 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' Season 2 review: Darkness looks good on Middle-earth

But before the Stranger can worry about the Dark Lord, he'll have to deal with another villainous entity: a Dark Wizard (Ciarán Hinds) who's set up shop in Rhûn. In Season 2, episode 2, we learn that it was this Dark Wizard who was responsible for sending the white-cloaked Mystics after the Stranger in Season 1. He also seems to be a fan of both moth magic and blood magic, but otherwise, we don't know much about the Dark Wizard — not even his real name! Just like with the Stranger's identity in Season 1, though, we can definitely make some educated guesses as to who from J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium the Dark Wizard might be.

The biggest clue here is the "wizard" of it all, which suggests that the Dark Wizard is an Istar like the Stranger. Appropriately meaning "Wise One" or "Wizard," the Istari are a group of five powerful spirits known as Maiar whom the Valar sent to protect Middle-earth.

Three of the Istari feature fairly prominently in Tolkien's work: Gandalf the Grey, Saruman the White, and Radagast the Brown. However, The Rings of Power's Dark Wizard really can't be any of these three. The show has indirectly confirmed time and again that the Stranger is Gandalf, so that's him ruled out. Saruman does eventually fall to the darkness in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but his turn occurring in the Second Age, when The Rings of Power takes place, would be far too soon. Finally, nature-loving Radagast is probably too busy hanging out with the animals of Middle-earth to even bother raising a cult of moth-wielding Mystics.

So that leaves us with the last two Istari, and the ones Tolkien tells us the least about: the Blue Wizards, otherwise known as Ithryn Luin, named for the color of the robes they wore upon arrival to Middle-earth.

SEE ALSO: Did you catch this hint at the Stranger's real name in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' Season 2? Who are the Blue Wizards in Tolkien's work?

The Blue Wizards are a big question mark in Tolkien's legendarium, perhaps even to Tolkien himself. In one of his 1958 letters, he wrote, "I really do not know anything clearly about the other two [Istari]." In the Unfinished Tales, there are mentions of them being named Alatar and Pallando. In later works, though, he referred to them as Morinehtar and Rómestámo.

These later writings clarify a bit of what Tolkien believed to be the purpose of the Blue Wizards, which was to curb Sauron's rise in the East. And you know what's in the East? Rhûn, right where the Dark Wizard is hanging out. Based on that alone, it's pretty likely that the Dark Wizard is one of the Ithryn Luin.

There's even more evidence for that theory, though. In the same letter where Tolkien said he didn't know too much about the Blue Wizards, he theorized that they were "emissaries to distant regions" who "failed, as Saruman did" and fell to darkness. From there, Tolkien "suspect[ed] they were founders or beginners of secret cults and 'magic' traditions that outlasted the fall of Sauron." And I don't know about you, but the Mystics and their moth magic feel very much like a secret cult to me.

Of course, there's the the small problem that the Dark Wizard's robes and surroundings are devoid of anything blue, which doesn't exactly scream Blue Wizard. But perhaps he simply rejected the color associated with his original mission to Middle-earth when he turned evil, ditching the blue for his current look. After all, if Sauron's shift from Halbrand to Annatar taught us anything, it's that Middle-earth villains love a makeover.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 is now streaming on Prime Video, with a new episode every Thursday.

By the end of its first season, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power all but confirmed that the mysterious Stranger (Daniel Weyman) was none other than Gandalf himself. If his magic powers, gray clothing, and affection for the Hobbit-like Harfoots weren't indicators enough, him directly quoting Ian McKellen's Gandalf in the finale — saying "if in doubt, always follow your nose" — sealed the deal.

However, as The Rings of Power Season 2 kicks off, the Stranger still has no clue who he is. That's why he, Nori Brandyfoot (Markella Kavenagh), and Poppy Proudfellow (Megan Richards) are following a star map to the Eastern land of Rhûn. Maybe there, they can find answers about who the Stranger is, including, crucially, his name.

SEE ALSO: 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' Season 2 review: Darkness looks good on Middle-earth

In episode 2, Nori does her best to workshop some possible names for the Stranger. Suggestions include Doderic, Andwise, and Fredegar. While the Stranger isn't feeling any of those, the names are fun nods to Hobbits briefly mentioned in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings: Doderic Brandybuck is a relative of Merry, Andwise Roper is Sam's uncle, and Fredegar Bolger (aka "Fatty" Bolger) is a good friend of Frodo's, and later Merry's brother-in-law.

However, Nori says something else in episode 2 that's a clearer hint at the Stranger's name — even if she doesn't realize it at the time. As Poppy wonders why the Stranger can't just magically create food and water for them, Nori reminds her that he needs a stick or staff of some kind to harness his power, saying "he's afraid he'd lose control again without a gand."

SEE ALSO: 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' Season 2: Who is the Dark Wizard?

Now hold on just a minute! A "gand"? As in "Gand"alf? That's it, we've cracked the code!

But "gand" — from the Old Norse "gandr," meaning "staff," "wand," or even "magic" — is so much more than just a word that sounds similar to Gandalf. It's a key part of the etymology of Gandalf's name, and it could be a clue as to what the Stranger's quest in Rhûn will entail.

Why is a "gand" so important in The Rings of Power? Daniel Weyman in "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power." Credit: Ben Rothstein / Prime Video

Tolkien didn't come up with the name Gandalf on his own. Instead, he tweaked a name from a section of the Norse poem Völuspá titled the "Catalogue of Dwarves." (This is also where most of the dwarves' names from The Hobbit came from.) Name-wise, the inspiration for Gandalf was a dwarf named Gandálfr, which combines "gandr" and "álfr," meaning elf. Basically, "Gandálfr" means "elf with a wand."

Being the language lover that he was, Tolkien preserved that meaning in his own works. He wrote in his Unfinished Tales that the name Gandalf means "Elf of the Wand," in reference to both Gandalf's staff and Men's misconception that he was an Elf. (Notably, "Gandalf" is just the name Men came to know the wizard by. He has other names, including Olórin, his name in Valinor, and Mithrandir, the name given to him by the Elves.)

By mentioning the Stranger's need for a gand in episode 2, The Rings of Power positions the search for a staff as a key part of his quest moving forward. Add to that his episode 1 dream of a shapeshifting staff calling to him, and we're officially on staff watch.

So where is Gandalf going to find a staff in Rhûn? Could he fashion one from those gnarled trees all around the desert? Might he receive one as a gift? And perhaps most pressingly, will he understand how a gand relates to his name as soon as he takes up his staff? Or, like in Tolkien's work, will he earn that name from Men he encounters on his journeys?

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 is now streaming on Prime Video, with a new episode every Thursday.

Apple Intelligence is a little easier to try out if you're not in the U.S. Unfortunately, users in the European Union and China are still fully excluded.

As noticed by 9to5Mac, the latest developer beta of iOS (iOS 18.1 Beta 3) no longer requires the user to set the device region to the U.S. The only thing that is required is for the user to set device language and Siri language to the U.S. English language.

This does not mean that AI features are available in languages other than U.S. English; they're not. It's just a little easier for users outside of the U.S. to test the new features out, without having to set device region to the U.S. and thus change their clock, calendar, and other settings.

Apple's own release notes for iOS 18.1 Beta 3 reflect this. "To try the Apple Intelligence beta, join the waitlist in Settings and you will be notified as soon as it is ready for your device. Both device language and Siri language must be set to U.S. English," the notes say.

NOPE. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Being in Europe, I was excited about this change. Unfortunately, the release notes also state that "Apple Intelligence is not currently available in the EU or China." I've upgraded to the latest developer beta and tested this out; sure enough, Apple Intelligence is still unavailable to me.

This is hardly surprising given Europe's recently introduced rules for artificial intelligence, which prompted Apple to delay AI features in the EU.

SEE ALSO: Apple's iPhone 17 will come with a huge RAM upgrade, report claims

There is a way to override this and test Apple Intelligence features in Europe, but it requires the user to set the device region to U.S. (in addition to the settings mentioned above). The real dealbreaker is that you also must set your Apple ID country to the U.S., and to do that, you need to go through a number of (typically painfully annoying) steps which include canceling subscriptions that block a country/region change and wait for subscriptions to expire, and re-download all your apps, music, movies, and TV shows. And even if you do all that, it still might not work unless you use a VPN (and even then you could get mixed results). In other words, for the vast majority of users, it's not worth trying.

It's a Wednesday night in south-east London and dozens of intrepid young single people are sitting cross legged on the floor and looking up at a disrobed life model.

"Am I doing feet again?" I ask, already knowing the answer.

"Who's drawing the boobs?"

"Is that where her bum is going?"

We've just arrived at Dulwich Art Group's "Draw and Date" event for single people in their mid-20s to mid-30s, and we're breaking the ice with a group "fast poses" activity. In random groups, we're combining our efforts to produce a life-size charcoal drawing of the life model in front of us. A few people are drawing the model's upper body, while some sketch out her torso, and I attempt to draw a knee, shin, and foot. I have zero life drawing experience and, well, it shows. But, I'm also not alone in that. There are many beginners here, all of us muddling along and trying our best, with mixed results. A metaphor for modern dating, you might say.

This event is part of a wave of offline dating events that are popping up in response to dating app fatigue, which is currently plaguing online dating culture right now. A recent report found that 79 percent of Gen Z daters experienced dating app burnout. There's a number of issues afoot in dating right now, principal among the complaints is the lack of conversation going on in people's inboxes. Many report amassing matches like collectors' items (albeit ones you can quickly dispose of), but when it comes to interacting with them, that's where we run into trouble. Tumbleweed in the chat. And so, we continue the vicious (and boring!) cycle of swiping, spending enough time for it to feel like the least rewarding side hustle imaginable.

As a long-time singleton who's been on just about every dating app known to humankind, I'm no stranger to feeling like I want to throw my phone in the sea. So, why not try something new? Shake things up a little? Enter the chat: IRL events for singles.

SEE ALSO: I got stood up. I refuse to let dating app culture break my spirit.

Back in the bustling studio, we're appraising the fruits of our labour. And, the finished product is...interesting, to say the least. Together, we've sketched a (very) creative interpretation of the human body. Who said art needed to be realistic, anyway? Glancing over at the handiwork of the group next to us is humbling. Their drawing is objectively great, each body part looking consistent and life-like. There's no time to dwell on our artistic shortcomings, however. We're ushered outside to get some fresh air while the organisers set up easels for the next activity.

Our drawing. Credit: Rachel Thompson / Mashable The superior drawing by the group next to us. Credit: Rachel Thompson / Mashable

It's a balmy evening — 28 degrees celsius (82.4F) — and everyone is looking decidedly sweaty and a tad nervous. But, we're doing what we came here to do: chat to interesting strangers. Mercifully, any shyness was overcome in that group activity and we're all getting stuck in. "So, how did you find out about this event?" appears to be everyone's favourite opening line. The consensus is: Instagram. We move on to asking people where they live and there's a decent mix of people who live near and far.

As a millennial in my mid-thirties, I came of age before Tinder blew up, before dating apps. Offline dating events are having a moment right now amid the dating app fatigue, but let's not forget, it wasn't all that long ago when offline dating was just...dating. If there's a meme response for this last statement, it'd be: "Sure grandma let's get you to bed."

Our next activity at Draw and Date is about to begin, and each woman has been asked to grab and easel, which is equipped with paper and charcoal. Much like a speed-dating event, the men will rotate through the room easel-by-easel, lending their artistic talents (or lack thereof) until the bell rings and it's time to move on. This way, you get a chance to meet everyone and chat to anyone you might have had your eye on. They're a friendly bunch and the conversation is flowing.

Credit: Rachel Thompson / Mashable

During this rotation, I meet two gay guys who feel a little outnumbered by the straight folks in the room. The signup sheet didn't ask about sexual orientation for their inaugural event, but in the future, it would be great to have an event aimed solely at gay and bi men, and another for lesbians and bi women.

Collaboration takes many forms in this activity — some of my group partners stand and talk while I attempt to capture the model's contorted pose. There are a few attempts by the men to "correct" my work and one even rubs out the face I've drawn, replacing it with his own scribbles. One man critiques the curve I've bestowed on the model's bum in my drawing, suggesting I've given her too much ass. "In an ideal world, yes, the line would come out here, but it doesn't," he says, before redrawing the line. I'll let that anecdote percolate with you. Thank goodness for the bell, eh.

The final activity requires being paired up with someone you've not spoken to yet and, together, you draw one half of the model's front-facing body. We get two attempts with two different poses. My partner and I work well together, he compliments my technique, and I feel like my drawing style has loosened up over the course of the class. The finished results are...pretty good actually. I'm not as terrible as I thought I was!

At the end of the two-hour event, the organisers thank us and instruct us to head to the pub next door, should we wish to chat to anyone further, or even swap details. I spy one pairing exchanging numbers (cute!). A few people linger, waiting to see who's heading out to continue the evening.

It was fun to flirt with lots of strangers, but I didn't feel a connection with anyone in particular. I did, however, make a new friend, which is always lovely. What I appreciated about the event was the hopefulness that everyone seemed to have. We all stepped outside of our comfort zone not knowing what to expect, feeling a little exposed, a little vulnerable. It's a brave thing to have hope and to put yourself out there, physically as well as digitally. So, when I stopped by the pub on my route home for a solo G&T, I commended myself for my bravery. Maybe I'll go along again, perhaps I'll take up life drawing lessons. I had a fun evening and chatted a lot of lovely people while doing something artistic. It certainly beats a night of swiping on my sofa.

Netflix has dropped its teaser for Timo Tjahjanto's "The Shadow Strays".