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The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you love the cold.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for October 29, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Spare change

• Green: Cold birds

• Blue: Microsoft Word

• Purple: Colorful

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Things You Put Coins into

• Green: Associated with Penguins

• Blue: Ends of Famous Fonts

• Purple: Things that Feature Three Colors

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 #1236 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Things You Put Coins into: PARKING METER, PAYPHONE, PIGGY BANK, WISHING WELL

• Associated with Penguins: ANTARCTICA, EMPEROR, TUXEDO, WADDLE

• Ends of Famous Fonts: GOTHIC, ROMAN, SANS, TYPEWRITER

• Things that Feature Three Colors: CALICO, CANDY CORN, NEAPOLITAN, TRAFFIC LIGHT

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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.

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you belive in magic.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, 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 October 29, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Double, double toil and trouble

The words are related to witchery.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe making potions.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Cauldron.

NYT Strands word list for October 29

• Tongue

• Worm

• Newt

• Lizard

• Bubble

• Cauldron

• Blood

• Fire

• Snake

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a mechanic.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 29, 2026 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.

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

Keeps a car running.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter O appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter M.

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...

MOTOR

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.

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

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

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

The Xreal Aura, spatial computing glasses made in partnership with Google for the Android XR platform, are now available to order. We first learned about these XR glasses at Google I/O 2026, and early adopters can finally try them in a matter of weeks.

The futuristic XR device combines elements of augmented reality and virtual reality in a pair of smart glasses. They're the first wired smart glasses to run on the new Android XR operating system from Google. The glasses and accessories are available for preorder at the Xreal website as of today, and they're scheduled to ship in mid-November, according to a press release shared with Mashable. Customers who preorder the glasses can save $180 on the hefty $1,279 price tag.

“Xreal Aura is finally here, and we're so proud to unlock new ways for people to work, watch, play, and build," said Chi Xu, co-founder and CEO of XREAL, in a press release.

The Xreal Aura utilizes dual Sony Micro-OLED displays to create a virtual display with a 70-degree field of view, up to 1,050 nits of brightness, and up to a 120Hz refresh rate.

Credit: Xreal Credit: Xreal

Xreal is one of the leading augmented reality companies, known for its tethered AR glasses, which project a large virtual display into the user's field of view. The Xreal Aura will provide spatial computing and virtual reality experiences usually associated with headsets in the smart glasses form factor.

The Xreal Aura is part of a new generation of spatial computing smart glasses, along with the Specs AR glasses from Snap and the recently announced Meta VR glasses. The Snap Specs are fully wireless but have a chunky design and a $2,195 price tag. The Meta VR glasses have a $1,299 price tag but won't launch until spring 2027.

What do the Xreal Aura Glasses do? Credit: Xreal / Mashable Photo Composite

Xreal says the new glasses will support "productivity, immersive entertainment, and next-generation XR experiences."

The Xreal Aura offer the same augmented reality features as other AR smart glasses, but they up the ante with spatial computing experiences powered by the Android XR operating system and Qualcomm's Snapdragon Reality Elite Platform. (A press release states that the glasses were made in partnership with Google and Qualcomm.)

Unlike most AR glasses, the Xreal Aura can also be controlled via voice and hand movements, thanks to onboard sensors and cameras. Instead of simply plugging into a user's smartphone, laptop, or gaming device, the Aura glasses come with a puck, which houses the battery and powers most of the compute necessary for spatial computing.

The Apple Vision Pro introduced spatial computing into the public consciousness. The technology turns a user's surroundings into a 360-degree virtual canvas, and users can open apps, games, entertainment, and AI tools directly into their space. However, unlike headsets, which can be extremely limiting, smart glasses don't limit a user's movements or block their peripheral vision.

“This is a defining moment for XR," Xu said in a press release. "We built AURA for people who want the power of spatial computing without being removed from the world around them. With transparent lenses, a category-leading lightweight design, Gemini by your side, and access to the Android ecosystem from day-one, the promise of XR is more approachable than ever."

The Xreal Aura will also offer support for Gemini, letting users ask questions about their environment or complete tasks across apps.

Spatial photos, virtual reality, and more Credit: Xreal / Android XR

Using Google Photos and Android XR, Aura users will be able to view their photos and videos in new immersive ways. For example, users can convert their existing photos and videos into 3D, while panoramas will become full 360-degree experiences. Via Google Maps, users can explore destinations in immersive 3D, either with an aerial view or via Street View.

Users can also enjoy 360-degree and VR180 video content on YouTube.

New XR experiences

At launch, users will also be able to access a library of more than 150 XR experiences, with more to come in the months ahead. Some of the highlights include:

• NBA App for Android XR

• Fallout: Factions video game

• Project Hail Mary: Journey Among the Stars, a mixed-reality adventure

• NASCAR XR app

• Oh My Galaxy!, a physics-based arcade game

• XR HoloMedicine

• Simply Piano XR

Where to preorder the Xreal Aura

The Xreal Aura are available for preorder now exclusively at the Xreal online store. The glasses have a retail price of $1,279 but are available for $1,099 for a limited time.

Opens in a new window Credit: Xreal Xreal Aura XR Glasses $1,099 at Xreal
$1,279 Save $180   Preorder at Xreal Xreal Aura specifications Credit: Xreal

And for the real AR/XR nerds, here are the key specs for these upcoming smart glasses:

• Displays: Dual Sony Micro-OLED

• Field of view: 70 degrees

• Refresh rate: Up to 120Hz

• Resolution: 1200p resolution (1,920 × 1,200 pixels per eye)

• Peak brightness: 1,050 nits

• Controls: Support for voice, hand, keyboard, trackpad, and game controller input

• Tint: Electrochromic dimming with 5 transparency levels

• Sound: Bose audio

• Microphones: 4 microphones

• Glasses weight: Under 95 grams

• Processor: Xreal X1S Chip

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters or get Mashable push alerts today. 

How did baseball broadcasts get like this? Over 40 camera angles, shots change every couple of seconds, pitch speeds, exit velocity, spin rate, launch angle, and ads everywhere you look. I went back through the archives of Major League Baseball to see how we got here, starting with the very first World Series in 1903. 

Read more about the World Series: Brewers vs. Rays: How to watch the 2026 World Series for free

Timecode chapters
0:00 How did we get here?
0:38 1903: The first World Series
1:21 The megaphone man
1:51 The Playograph
2:39 1921: Radio, baby!
3:36 1939: The first televised MLB game
5:07 1947: The first televised World Series
5:40 1951: Baseball in color
5:57 The center field camera
6:17 The first instant replay
6:56 The 1990s and the Fox Box
7:54 Today: The modern super broadcast
9:11 Is it too much?
9:55 Bring back the local booths
10:54 Why I love this game

Video credits
Host: Dillon Lopez
Scripted by: Dillon Lopez
Producer: Dillon Lopez
Camera: Dillon Lopez
Video editor: Dillon Lopez
Thumbnail designer: Dillon Lopez

TL;DR: Upgrade your listening method with these comfortable new, open-box Sony LinkBuds Open Truly Wireless Earbuds, on sale now for just $89.99 (reg. $229.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony LinkBuds Open Truly Wireless Earbuds White (Open Box) $89.99
$229.99 Save $140   Get Deal

Whether you’re on a walk, working at your desk, or just tackling chores around your house, earbuds make it all a little more fun. The Sony LinkBuds Open Truly Wireless Earbuds let you enjoy your tunes and podcasts while staying aware of your surroundings. And right now, they’re on sale for just $89.99.

If you’re in the market for a new pair of earbuds, you don’t have to spend hundreds to enjoy your content comfortably. These Sony LinkBuds Open Truly Wireless Earbuds deliver clear audio, comfort, and peace of mind, so you can stay safe and still hear the world around you.

The Sony LinkBuds Open Truly Wireless Earbuds feature an open-ring design that lets ambient sound through, while adaptive volume control automatically adjusts to your surroundings. This combo makes them an excellent option when you can’t fully tune out the world around you.

The integrated V2 processor delivers a balanced audio experience, while the 11mm ring-shaped driver unit delivers clear sound no matter what you’re listening to.

You can enjoy up to 22 hours of battery life with the charging case, and you can listen that long thanks to the comfortable air-fitting supports that make these excellent for everyday wear. When you run out of battery, the fast power-ups give you 60 minutes of playback with just a 3-minute charge.

You’re saving big on these earbuds thanks to their Open Box status. That means they were likely excess inventory from store shelves, but they have been verified to be in new condition and in clean packaging.

Snag your own pair of Sony LinkBuds Open Truly Wireless Earbuds for just $89.99 today.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Meta has yet another cute little creature it would like you to get to know.

The company's new app, Waddle World, combines a Tamagotchi-style virtual pet with AI-assisted journaling. Available on iOS and Android only in the Philippines for now, the free app lets adults hatch a 16-bit pixelated pet, feed it, play mini-games, and tell it about their day.

Meta's App Store listing calls it "a daily journal disguised as a pet." Users must be 18 or older.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. How Waddle World works

The setup will feel familiar to anyone who has raised a Tamagotchi. You hatch a digital creature and spend time looking after it, with mini-games such as catching stars, stacking groceries, and solving word puzzles, earning stamps to spend on your pet.

But this creature also wants to hear how your day went. Users can speak or type an update, which the app turns into a journal entry written in the pet's voice, complete with a doodle. That personalized writing and illustration is where AI comes into play, although the listing does not identify the model powering those features.

Over time, Meta says, the pet notices what lifts users' moods or wears them out and brings those details up in later interactions. Daily questions offer prompts for anyone unsure what to share, while weekly email postcards can reference something they previously mentioned.

It's a familiar idea with a different approach to keeping a diary. Finch, for example, already pairs a virtual bird with reflection prompts, daily goals, and breathing exercises. As its slogan goes: "Take care of your pet by taking care of yourself!" Waddle World takes on some of the writing, turning a brief update into something users can revisit.

Meta presents that routine as low-pressure, promising "no pressure, no streaks to protect, no scores to chase." Still, the same description calls Waddle World a "gentle journal habit tracker" and encourages daily check-ins. There may be no leaderboard, but the app gives users plenty of reasons to return.

Meta keeps giving AI a cute face

The little pet arrives shortly after another character joined Meta's lineup. Last month, the company introduced Jolly, the cheerful mascot for its Muse AI agent, alongside a handheld device called Muse Charm.

Meta has not established that Waddle World runs on Muse or connects to Charm. The clearer connection is how these products invite people to interact with technology through a character they can get attached to.

As Mashable previously explored, mascots have long helped tech companies make unfamiliar products feel more welcoming. Microsoft had Clippy, Duolingo has its green owl, and Meta now has Jolly. And don't forget about ChatGPT recently launching an array of adorable Dots. With Waddle World, that familiar design choice could help make sharing personal experiences with AI feel as ordinary as checking in on a pet.

SEE ALSO: From Clippy to Jolly: Why tech keeps putting a cute face on its products What happens to your personal updates?

The app's App Store privacy disclosure, supplied by Meta, lists audio data and other user content among the information that may be collected and linked to a user’s identity. Both appear under categories for third-party advertising and the developer's own advertising or marketing. (Apple notes that it has not verified the disclosure.)

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

That leaves some details unresolved. The listing does not clarify whether journal entries fall within those advertising categories or whether entries are used to train AI models. It also does not explain what controls users have over the information their pet remembers.

For an app that invites conversations about relationships, routines, and difficult days, those are meaningful questions. The pet's ability to remember a personal detail may be part of its appeal; knowing how to delete that detail should probably be part of the experience, too.

A group of select OpenAI employees will spend Nov. 3 in the AI giant's new midterm election "war room," tasked with monitoring ChatGPT's role in the political machine.

The company announced, via Politico, that it would convene its own Election Operations Center ahead of next week's nationwide elections with the express task of spotting potential misuse of its AI models.

SEE ALSO: NY governor signs major chatbot safety bill into law

"We’ve put considerable effort [into] ensuring we help users get reliable voting information, combat misuse of our tools, and support election defenders. The Elections Operations Center builds on that years long work, bringing our teams together to respond quickly to emerging issues and enforce our policies as people head to the polls," Josh Lawson, head of civic and strategic risk for OpenAI, told Decoded by Politico.

Other tech giants have diverted resources to election integrity in recent years, including Microsoft's voter education and AI literacy initiative and Meta's $30 billion spend to advance its election security initiatives, following allegations its platforms sowed political discord.

In the midst of the 2024 presidential election, a coalition of tech companies pledged to work together to combat generative AI's potential to undermine global elections. The agreement included commitments to mass public education, more transparent AI policies, and robust detection tools to curb the spread of political deepfakes.

Even so, many remain concerned about AI's role in election disinformation campaigns. According to misinformation watchdog NewsGuard, disinformation campaigns directed by foreign governments have increased ahead of election day, primarily amplified on social media platforms like X. More than half of Americans were fooled by such election misinformation, and X's Community Notes failed to identify more than 93 percent of such posts, according to the organization's research.

A report from the Brennan Center for Justice found that guardrails in major AI models, including Gemini and Meta AI, were failing to prevent the generation of fake election images — ChatGPT was the only model that showed some improvement in curbing photorealistic images, according to the center's findings. But NewsGuard's tests of OpenAI's ChatGPT Images 2.5 found the model repeatedly generated lifelike images of political candidates when prompted.

Meanwhile, a growing number of Americans are leaning on chatbots to help them find polling information, research candidates, and even fill out their ballots.

SpaceXSI (formerly xAI) owner Elon Musk has personally contributed more than $366 million to Republican election efforts ahead of the 2026 election, making him one of the most prolific mega donors in recent history.

Wednesday marked the apex of Apple's "Pro and Tell" week of announcements with the unveiling of the new touch-enabled MacBook Pro. It turns out a touchscreen isn't the only thing this new laptop has in common with iPhones.

Tucked away in the lengthy announcement press release for the "PROLED" MacBook Pro is the reveal that this new laptop feautres a Dynamic Island module, just like modern iPhones. This marks the very first Mac product to come with Dynamic Island. Apple's press release only included a paragraph of information about Dynamic Island on the MacBook Pro, but it did reveal that it's the new home for Siri AI, Spotlight, and Live Activities, similar to how it works on an iPhone.

SEE ALSO: Here's how much a maxed-out touchscreen MacBook Pro will cost you That's handy. Credit: Apple

If Apple's included screenshots are to be believed, you can also use the Dynamic Island pop-up to control incoming AirDrop transfers and music playback. In all, it seems fairly equivalent to what you can use Dynamic Island for on an iPhone, with one exception: This laptop doesn't have Face ID. You'll still have to use Touch ID for biometric login purposes.

Still, it's interesting to see Apple homogenize its user interfaces across devices even more so than usual. Perhaps future MacBooks will have Dynamic Island, too.

TikTok already helps decide which restaurants get people lining up outside. Now, it wants to help users sort through those recommendations and, in some cases, book a table.

The company announced Must Eat on Wednesday, Oct. 28, a restaurant guide launching in the areas around New York City, Los Angeles, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Drawing on more than 40 million posts, reviews, and comments, the feature gathers restaurants attracting attention on TikTok into city-specific lists.

How TikTok's Must Eat guide works

Must Eat is part of TikTok GO, the app's offering for discovering and booking experiences. Its restaurant lists are divided into Everyday Eats, covering casual spots and neighborhood favorites, and Elevated Dining, for celebrations and other special occasions. Users can filter by cuisine, price, score, and location, explore restaurant pages with related TikTok content, and save places to their existing collections. Select restaurants also offer reservations through OpenTable.

The guide is accessible through TikTok search, the Local feed, restaurant location pages, and location links on videos featuring listed businesses. TikTok says it checks that businesses are open and operating before publishing a list.

"Independent restaurants and local specialties take priority, and no restaurant can pay to be featured," the company said in its announcement.

Much of that will sound familiar to anyone who already keeps a running list of places to eat. Beli lets users rank restaurants, track places they want to try, see where friends are eating, and receive personalized recommendations. Yelp's annual "Top 100 Places to Eat" similarly turns community feedback into a restaurant guide, using factors including review volume and ratings.

Google offers an especially timely comparison. Earlier this month, it introduced its first Fan-Favorite Dining List, using Maps reviews, ratings, and searches for directions to identify dining spots across 10 cities worldwide, including New York and San Francisco. Maps also has weekly dining lists highlighting trending restaurants, neighborhood gems, and established favorites.

FoodTok's influence reaches beyond the feed

TikTok's pitch brings those familiar planning tools closer to the videos that might have sparked someone's interest in the first place. A creator's review, the comments underneath it, videos from inside, and an available reservation can all become part of deciding where to eat within the same app.

For restaurants, that attention can reach well beyond their usual customers. In TikTok's announcement, Ann Redding, co-owner and chef of New York's Thai Diner, described watching diners introduce the restaurant to a wider audience.

"TikTok has given our guests a way to share those experiences with people far beyond our dining room," Redding said. "It’s pretty amazing to watch."

There is data to support TikTok's strategy, particularly among younger diners. In a recent survey, 38 percent of Gen Z respondents reported discovering new restaurants through TikTok, making it that group's leading discovery channel. Social media's influence also extends beyond dedicated food influencers. A 2025 report, based on a survey of U.S. consumers and hospitality operators, found that 69 percent of Gen Z diners relied on social media for restaurant discovery.

TikTok has its own figures, too. Citing PF Global research in the announcement, the company says 27 million Americans visited an independent restaurant, cafe, or shop for the first time after discovering it on the platform in 2025, generating an estimated $4.7 billion in local spending. That estimate includes retail shops as well as dining businesses.

Of course, going viral can mean a lot more people showing up hungry. For Sam Yoo, chef-owner of Golden Diner and Golden HOF, keeping up with that rush took some adjusting.

"When we went viral about three years ago, our team had to adapt quickly, but our focus stayed the same: making great food and taking care of our guests," Yoo said. "I’m proud of how our team rose to that occasion, and grateful that people are still coming through our doors years later."

TikTok has explored turning food videos into meal orders before. As Mashable reported in 2021, the company announced plans for TikTok Kitchen, a delivery concept built around viral recipes. That project stalled, though Virtual Dining Concepts later rolled out a similar offering called "Creators' Kitchen As Seen On TikTok" in 2024. But Must Eat is "cool" and "pretty convinent," at least according to some X users. Though others are more critical, writing complaints like, "finally an app for discovering new lines to stand in," and "tiktok taking the reservation too, wild."

For food creators, Must Eat could give a restaurant recommendation a longer life beyond the feed. For viewers, it could make that place they’ve been meaning to try easier to find when someone finally asks, "Where should we eat?"

The company has been spending relentlessly to build A.I., but its revenue growth was not as high as investors had anticipated. Profit dropped because of changes to the value of its investments.

The company’s free cash flow stayed positive in the last quarter even as it spent $45.2 billion on data centers and offered to pay workers to leave.

Google announced Gemini 4 Carbon, a new frontier AI model that arrives just two weeks after Gemini 4 Argon reached the Gemini app.

In a blog post published Oct. 28, Koray Kavukcuoglu, SVP at Google DeepMind, the company’s frontier AI lab, called Carbon Google’s strongest model yet. (Kavukcuoglu is leading Google DeepMind now that former CEO Demis Hassabis has stepped aside.) The post points to cybersecurity and long-horizon tasks, meaning complicated jobs that take many steps or run for a long time, as Carbon’s biggest strengths.

Already, Gemini 4 Carbon has the top spot in the Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index, beating out Claude Opus 5.5.

Credit: Screenshot: Artificial Analysis SEE ALSO: Google says Gemini 4 Argon agents beat 'Minecraft' without human help

The pace at which AI companies are releasing new frontier models has accelerated sharply in recent months, as the frontier AI labs race to have the best model available. Anthropic released Claude Opus 5.5 on Sept. 22, OpenAI shipped GPT-6 Astra earlier that month, and Google announced Argon on Sept. 30 before releasing it to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers on Oct. 13. Each lab has claimed a new lead within weeks of the last.

As with Argon, Google is announcing Carbon well before most people can use it. Carbon is starting with a small group of cybersecurity defenders, and Google hasn’t said when it will reach everyone else. (Last week's PHP2Shell incident shows just how much havoc new AI models could wreak on the internet at large.) Announcing early lets Google claim the top spot on the leaderboards now. It also gives everyone a look at the benchmarks before the next round of releases.

Gemini 4 Carbon: Benchmarks

In Google’s comparison table, Carbon posts the top score on 15 of 17 benchmarks against Argon, GPT-6 Astra, Claude Opus 5.5, and Claude Fable 5.1. All figures in this section are as reported by Google.

Credit: Google

The two benchmarks Carbon doesn’t win are worth noting. GPT-6 Astra still leads on FrontierSWE 2, a software engineering test. Claude Opus 5.5 leads on OSWorld-2.1, which measures how well a model can operate a computer.

A big change from Argon is that Google now reports Terminal-Bench 4.0 scores run by Artificial Analysis, an independent testing firm, rather than its own. For quick context, Terminal-Bench 4.0 measures how well an AI model can complete real technical tasks — like installing software or fixing broken code — by typing commands into a computer’s terminal on its own. It's one of the hardest agentic tests for LLMs.

This is notable because the scores companies reported for each other’s models didn’t always line up with independent testing. On Terminal-Bench 4.0, Carbon jumps about eight points over Argon and moves ahead of Opus 5.5.

Google also says Carbon can work on difficult engineering problems for days at a time. Its web development skills improved enough to climb to fourth place on WebDev Arena, a leaderboard where people vote on AI-built websites.

The Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index

The Artificial Analysis Intelligence Index is one of the most closely watched independent leaderboards for AI models. Artificial Analysis runs a range of tests itself and combines them into a single composite score.

On the newly updated version 5.0, Carbon (high) scores 59, one point ahead of Claude Opus 5.5 (max).

Gemini 4 Carbon's score of 59 is leaps above Argon's 50. Credit: Artificial Analysis

The scores can’t be directly compared to the previous version of the index, where Argon (High) scored 53. A one-point lead is also thin enough that the next release from OpenAI or Anthropic could easily erase it. Carbon and Meta’s Muse Wonder Full are both flagged on the leaderboard as having no publicly available API, so they can’t yet be used outside their companies’ own access programs.

Gemini 4 Carbon: Safety and safeguards

Google says Carbon uses the same safety system as Argon, which includes monitoring the model’s reasoning, and adds more work on alignment, or keeping the model behaving as intended. According to Google’s own testing, Carbon is also better behaved than its predecessor.

Google says Carbon never successfully cheated on Terminal-Bench 4.0, meaning it never found a shortcut that passed a task without actually doing the work, and it tried to cheat only 0.4 percent of the time. During internal coding work, high-severity misalignment alerts, which flag a model acting in ways its developers didn’t intend, dropped by nearly 80 percent. Carbon also makes about half as many unsupported claims as Argon. And on Gray Swan’s prompt injection benchmark, which tests whether hidden instructions can hijack a model, Carbon blocked every attack attempt, improving on Argon’s 0.7 percent attack success rate.

All of these figures come from Google’s own testing.

How to try Gemini 4 Carbon

For now, you can’t use Gemini 4 Carbon unless you’re an approved cyber defender in Google’s Fairwind Program. Starting this week, Carbon is rolling out to a small group of those testers, and Google says it will gradually add more trusted partners. Developers, businesses, and consumers will get access after that, but Google hasn’t given an exact public launch date.

If we use Argon to figure out a timeline, about two weeks passed between its announcement and its arrival in the Gemini app for Pro and Ultra subscribers. Though we won't be able to confirm whether Google will commit to that same schedule for Carbon.

When Carbon does reach the API, Google says it will cost the same as Argon’s introductory price:

• $2 per million input tokens

• $10 per million output tokens

• Cached input tokens at 95 percent off the input price

That keeps Carbon well below its main rivals. Mashable previously reported that Claude Opus 5.5 costs $4 per million input tokens and $20 per million output tokens, while GPT-6 Astra costs $10 per million input tokens and $50 per million output tokens.

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The touchscreen MacBook Pro is finally here – and it's pricey.

On Wednesday, Apple unveiled its first-ever touchscreen laptop, the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display. The starting price for the 14-inch model powered by the M5 Pro chip with 24GB of memory and 1TB of storage is $2,899. While that's quite costly, remember, that's just the base model for the device.

Looking to completely max out all the specs so you have the most premium, top-of-the-line model of the new touchscreen MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display?

That's going to cost $14,549. 

That's right, $14,549.

Just to compare, the latest and most powerful MacBook Pro model without the touchscreen, completely maxed out, comes to a total of $10,149. So, the maxed-out version of the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display seems to be the most expensive Apple MacBook so far.

What does the maxed-out model include? First, upgrading the MacBook Pro from a 14-inch display to a 16-inch one bumps the starting price up to $3,399.

Then upgrading the standard glass display to the nano-texture glass adds an additional $150.

Next, we're going to upgrade the M5 Pro chipset to the M5 Max, which gives us a total cost of $4,949 so far. When you upgrade to the M5 Max chip, Apple also forces buyers to upgrade from 24GB of RAM to 36GB, which adds an additional $300.

SEE ALSO: Apple just announced a touchscreen MacBook Pro: How to buy

For another extra $300, we're upgrading the processing power from an 18‑core CPU and 32‑core GPU to an 18‑core CPU and 40‑core GPU.

Next, we're maxing out the memory too and going from that previously mentioned 36GB of RAM to 128GB of RAM, which, thanks to the AI-boom-related shortages, adds an extra $2,000 to our total.

And you can thank AI once again for driving prices of storage up too. Bumping the MacBook Pro from 2TB of storage to a whopping max of 16TB adds another $7,000 to the final price.

That brings us to our grand total of $14,549. Tax not included.

So, Apple's got new MacBook Pro devices to show us. They're very powerful; they have touchscreen OLED displays for the first time, and they're the MacBooks you'll lust over from now on (until the new ones come along).

That's all fine and dandy, but the coolest thing about these new Macs isn't even listed in the tech specs. The two colors on offer, Space Black and Silver, are standard fare for Apple, and even the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips have been seen before. But these new MacBooks are distinctive in a different way: They have a glowing Apple logo on the back.

Step aside, commoners. I have a special MacBook Pro. Credit: Apple/YouTube

You may remember the glowing logo. It was introduced in ancient times, in 1999, on the third-gen PowerBook G3, and it lasted until the 2015 MacBook Pro. It was a very cool detail that most other laptops didn't have (well, until everyone started copying Apple), but by the end, it did look a little stale. The glowing logo was replaced by a simple, shiny Apple logo, and that was that...

...until now. The 2026 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro devices with PROLED display have a glowing Apple logo on the back once again.

Be careful, though: The glowing logo isn't advertised anywhere, and it's not even prominently visible in Apple's marketing materials (except for the video below). It's not available on all of the new MacBook Pro devices; only the ones with the PROLED display and either an M5 Pro or an M5 Max chip.

And yes, those do not come cheap. The 14-inch model starts at $2,899, while the 16-inch model starts at $3,399. Does the glowing logo justify the price? Don't ask us; we're nerds, and we like shiny stuff.

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TL;DR: Apple announced the new MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display. The touchscreen MacBook is available for purchase now, starting at $2,899.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display Starting at $2,899 Preorder at Apple

During its "Pro and Tell" event on Oct. 28, Apple announced the long-awaited (and long-rumored) touchscreen MacBook Pro. Officially named MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display, the new laptop starts at $2,899 for the 14-inch base configuration and $3,399 for the 16-inch base configuration, and is available to preorder now. Apple's education pricing drops those starting prices to $2,749 and $3,199, respectively.

The new MacBook is available in 14-inch and 16-inch models and is equipped with Apple's M5 Pro and M5 Max chips. Configurations start at 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, and go up to 128GB of RAM and 16TB of storage.

Currently, the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display is only available to order directly from Apple.com. We will update this story as more retailer listings become available. To learn more about the laptop, read our full breakdown of the MacBook Pro with PROLED XDR Display.

The parents of a 31-year-old Seattle woman are suing OpenAI, alleging the company's AI chatbot led to her death, according to a new report from The New York Times.

Per the Times' report, the parents of Bowen Wan allege ChatGPT helped their daughter taper off the medication that controlled her severe epilepsy, and helped her hide the plan from her doctors in the weeks before she died. In February, Wan was found dead in her apartment; her official cause of death was sudden, unexpected death in epilepsy, the NYT reported. Her parents, Qun Wan and Meiqin Xu, filed the lawsuit the same day.

According to the Times, Wan had come to lean heavily on ChatGPT. Wan worked as a software engineer for Amazon; however, her worsening epilepsy symptoms forced her to take disability leave. After learning she would be laid off from Amazon, she grew worried that her medication was slowing her speech. She feared it would hurt her in the job interviews she needed to pass to stay in the U.S. Wan averaged more than 1,500 messages a week in 2025 while calling her parents less often.

SEE ALSO: Lawsuit alleges OpenAI 'stole' children's user data

The Times reports that ChatGPT drafted schedules that would take her off lamotrigine — a medication that treats epilepsy and bipolar disorder — entirely within weeks. It also endorsed cutting her pills without telling her doctor, and cast physicians’ caution as mere risk aversion. When she described symptoms resembling seizures, the chatbot repeatedly reassured her. The Times’ analysis found she raised concerns about the taper at least 158 times. Her neurologist told the Times he would never have considered tapering a patient with her history.

The lawsuit claims ChatGPT practiced medicine without a license and portrayed her doctors as obstacles. It also alleges the chatbot may have been less likely to refuse her requests for medical advice because she was chatting in Chinese.

An OpenAI spokesperson told the Times that the case was heartbreaking and that it involved an earlier version of ChatGPT that is no longer available. Wan used GPT-4o, which OpenAI pulled from the consumer app on Feb. 13, 2026, the day after the medical examiner believes she died. The spokesperson told the Times that newer models are better at recognizing when a situation needs urgent attention.

GPT-4o has a long record of complaints about sycophancy. In April 2025, OpenAI rolled back an update to the model after CEO Sam Altman admitted it had become "too sycophant-y and annoying," as Mashable reported. At the time, users warned that a chatbot that agrees with everything could validate delusions and deepen mental health crises.

The Wan case joins a growing list of wrongful death lawsuits against OpenAI. The family of 16-year-old Adam Raine sued in August 2025, alleging ChatGPT validated his suicidal thinking. In a court filing, OpenAI denied responsibility and pointed to his mental health history and his violations of its usage policies, Mashable reported. That November, seven more lawsuits alleged ChatGPT contributed to wrongful deaths and assisted suicides.

If you’re feeling suicidal or experiencing a mental health crisis, please talk to somebody. You can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in April 2025, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems. The New York Times has also sued OpenAI.

Apple just debuted a swanky and seriously expensive new MacBook Pro, its first-ever Mac with a touchscreen or OLED display, and you can see it in video form right now.

In a new promo video posted to YouTube on Wednesday afternoon, Apple debuted the new touchscreen-equipped MacBook Pro, with what Apple is calling a "PROLED" display. In the video, Apple refers to the device as a "portable reference" monitor because its display is so good and color-accurate. Apple also boasted about the laptop's speaker quality, selection of ports, and horsepower, even though it uses an older M5 Pro or M5 Max chip.

You can get all of that for a starting price of $2,899.

In a video posted to X, new Apple CEO John Ternus revealed one more surprise: the new MacBook Pro features a glowing Apple logo on the top/back of the device, a feature we haven't seen in years.

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GET $50 OFF: As of Oct. 28, you can get the Beats Pill for $99.95, down from $149.95, at Amazon. That's a 33% discount, or $50 in savings.

Beats Pill $99.95 at Amazon
$149.95 Save $50.00   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Best Buy

Summer might be in the rearview, but now it's spooky szn. To me, that means roasting marshmallows, swapping scary stories, and blasting some good tunes by the bonfire. (Can you tell I grew up in the boondocks?) If you haven't found a portable speaker that can handle your funk (or survive being dragged out into the yard), we just found a Beats deal that's definitely worth a look.

SEE ALSO: Early Black Friday speaker deals are trickling in, but we're still waiting for more notable price drops

Right now, you can get the Beats Pill for $99.95, down from $149.95, at Amazon. That's a 33% discount, or $50 in savings. It's not the lowest price we've ever seen, but it's within 10 bucks of it (it hit $88.99 last September).

You'll get 24 hours of battery life (more than enough to keep you partying through the night) and a built-in racetrack woofer that displaces 90 percent more air than the previous generation. It's also IP67-rated for dust and water resistance, so you can take it just about anywhere.

Steve Jobs and Tim Cook both dismissed the idea, but Apple’s new chief executive is reimagining some of the company’s most important products.