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Some people can brush off careless, dangerous driving when they see it. Not me. I loathe it and shake my fist at the sky like Grandpa Simpson. 

As a pedestrian and motorist, I've been nearly struck by distracted or careless drivers more times than I can count. Recently, my jaw went slack when I watched a driver stop at a red light, then proceed through the intersection before the light turned green, all while holding — and looking — at their phone in their non-driving hand. It really is bad out there. 

You'd think experiences like these would make me an unequivocal believer in autonomous vehicles. Since I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, riding in one is actually possible. Waymo has been ferrying paying passengers around San Francisco since mid-2024. The company also now operates in Los Angeles and Phoenix, and will open its doors to the public in Atlanta and Austin later this year. 

Waymo and other robotaxi companies promise an escape from terrible driving, thanks to vehicles programmed to obey traffic safety rules and laws. Imagine no more so-called California stops that send pedestrians stumbling backward, no cars hurtling through highway traffic at dangerous speeds as if their drivers are playing a video game, and no drunk motorists putting everyone's lives at risk. 

That sounds great, but as a journalist I'm also trained to be skeptical of most things, and especially of an emerging technology with billions of private and shareholder dollars at stake. Plus, I keep seeing viral videos and news stories about robotaxis — mostly Waymos — making mistakes. They've driven into concrete, circled the airport, and steered into oncoming traffic. 

As Waymos become more commonplace, I wanted to see what riding in one is like and whether the hype lives up to the experience. 

SEE ALSO: Waymo stopped a man from stealing a driverless car What is it like to ride in a robotaxi? 

I hailed my Waymo in downtown San Francisco via the company's app. When I stepped into the electric Jaguar I-PACE, I knew what to expect. There would be no driver, but I'd be able to see the wheel turn along with the car's movements. I also understood that we wouldn't need a driver if all went well. 

But if something unexpected happened, like a glitch that stalled us mid-trip, I'd probably wish for someone at the wheel and would have to rely on remote customer support, which a passenger can call from a console in the back seat. 

Upon settling into that backseat, I noted the music already playing through the car's speakers. I described it as "spa" music, shorthand for the kind of soundtrack you might hear while getting a massage. I'm not sure what this says about me, but I was instantly calmed — until the Waymo needed to turn left across oncoming traffic to begin my ride to the Chase Center. I wish I'd been on my way to cheer on the Warriors, but alas, my test ride had no purpose other than to spend time in a Waymo.

First, though, we needed to make it across the street in one piece. I'd heard Waymos were overly cautious, so I was surprised when the car executed an ambitiously human maneuver. As the car assertively swung into a narrow space behind a delivery truck and in front of a passenger car, I was reminded of a few white-knuckle moments I'd had driving in New York City traffic long ago. Thankfully, no oncoming driver was laying on their horn, shouting at my driverless car for cutting them off. 

SEE ALSO: Waymo’s driverless cars are coming to these cities next

Thereafter, the ride was remarkably smooth. To my great delight, the Waymo slowed and stopped at each intersection we approached. On the console screen in front of me, I could see what the car's sensors perceived around it, including gray figures representing pedestrians on and off the sidewalk. It is true, sometimes tragically so, that human drivers are oblivious to pedestrians, and the screen gave me more confidence in Waymo's baseline ability to navigate a hectic city street. 

I did notice that my Waymo took a very roundabout route to the Chase Center, but it factors in a number of variables that aren't always clear to the passenger, like road conditions and construction. Unlike a human-ride share driver, you cannot direct a Waymo to your preferred route. 

The ride, just shy of two and three-quarters of a mile, took 17 minutes and cost $20.02, an amount that, frankly, I wouldn't have paid unless I could be reimbursed for it—or was indeed seeing the Warriors play and was late for tip-off. A comparison against Google Maps estimated a shorter ride both in distance (2 miles) and duration (12 minutes). 

I took an additional two trips that morning. By the time I'd covered 6.2 miles of ground in an hour's time, I'd paid nearly $50. Altogether the rides were largely pleasant but also pricier than I expected. To return home that afternoon, I took a ride-share from the Bay Area's version of the subway and paid $10.99 to go 2.8 miles, tip included. 

What you get for the Waymo premium

The Waymo premium may be worth it for some. 

Jeffrey Tumlin, a regular Waymo rider who recently served as the director of transportation of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, told me that he's heard from many women and trans people who prefer Waymo for safety reasons. There's no scrutiny of their gender identity, confrontational interactions, or riding in fear, with the emergency button open in their app the duration of their trip. (For more about the overall safety of robotaxis, read this story.)  

As a woman who has felt unsafe in a human ride-share vehicle, I can absolutely see paying for a Waymo in certain scenarios. At the same time, people have figured out ways to otherwise harass — or terrorize — Waymo riders. 

Last fall, a female Waymo rider in San Francisco couldn't proceed with her ride when two men stood in front of it, demanding her phone number. The rider contacted Waymo's customer support via the car's backseat console. 

SEE ALSO: New Lyft feature matches women and nonbinary drivers and riders

Some riders may also like traveling alone, without the pressure to make conversation, whether or not they're worried about their personal safety. I've certainly gotten into a ride-share exhausted after a long day, hoping to exchange only pleasantries with the driver. But I also enjoy talking to drivers when my energy level is high and our personalities are a match, perhaps because my job involves chatting with people I've never met before. 

I do worry that an autonomous future, writ large, will eliminate everyday opportunities to connect with other humans, even fleetingly. These are moments that can further train our ability to see strangers as people with their own hopes and dreams, who might be someone's son or mother, to whom we might be able to extend compassion or understanding. 

Why am I writing about this earnest dynamic in a review of Waymo? Because after taking one I can see how ordering a driverless car is both a convenient but complicated choice that involves tradeoffs. There are the mundane bargains, like knowing that the ride might take you longer but at least you'll be able to sit in silence. Yet riding in a robotaxi is also about negotiating your humanity in an increasingly technological world. 

Everyone will develop their own unique understanding of what this means for them, but it would be a mistake to pretend that hailing a driverless car is an inconsequential act. 

If you haven't seen a driverless autonomous vehicle circling your city or neighborhood block yet, that may change in the very near future. 

Waymo, the industry-leading robotaxi company, currently operates in Phoenix, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, and is coming to Atlanta and Austin via an Uber partnership later this year. Waymo has also made exploratory "road trips" to more than 25 other cities in a quest to become what it calls "the world's most trusted driver." 

Other AV companies, like Zoox and May Mobility, are on the road, too. 

This may leave many wondering whether a transportation revolution is underway, especially as consumers' personal vehicles gain more autonomous features, like Tesla’s self-driving — but supervision-required — vehicles. But the reality is far more complex, with tension between the technology's promise and how it's playing out in the real world.

When will I own my own autonomous vehicle? 

First, let's get one thing straight: There is no car that you can buy from a dealership today that's fully self-driving, says Jeff Farrah, CEO of Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association (AVIA). 

Yes, that includes Teslas. While the company's CEO Elon Musk recently said he planned to release an unsupervised version of the car's full self-driving software later this year, drivers currently need to closely monitor their vehicle when engaged in FSD supervised mode. 

What people can purchase today are vehicles equipped with lower-level autonomous features, like lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and basic navigation. 

"I think it's important to distinguish that, at those levels of autonomy, there's still a massively important responsibility for the human driver to be able to take over at a moment's notice," Farrah says. (AVIA's members include AV operators Waymo and Zoox, as well as traditional auto manufacturers like Ford, Volkswagen, and Volvo. Tesla is not a member.)

The results when drivers don't take over can be fatal. In April 2024, a Tesla owner put his car in what the company bills as its FSD (Supervised) mode, then proceeded to look at his phone, according to NPR. Within minutes, the Tesla driver had struck and killed a motorcyclist, despite a warning from Tesla's system to pay attention. 

Dr. Missy Cummings, a professor of robotics and engineering at George Mason University who reviewed investigation documents from that crash for NPR, told Mashable that she doesn't believe individual ownership of AVs will happen in her lifetime. 

"There's a really good reason for that," Cummings says. "Even if we do finally solve some of these [safety] problems, you actually have to take such good care of these cars." 

The leading self-driving cars use numerous sensors, including LIDAR and RADAR, to create a picture of their surroundings, among other critical tasks. These sensors have to be kept clean and calibrated for peak performance and safety. 

So if you can barely keep up with your car's maintenance now, imagine trying to take care of an AV. 

SEE ALSO: Mercedes-Benz beats Tesla to selling Level 3 autonomous cars in the U.S. If I can't own an autonomous vehicle, when will I be able to ride in a robotaxi? 

Given the deployment of AVs in major cities, Kathy Winter, May Mobility's chief operating officer, says we've reached an "inflection point" in the last year. With significant investments from Toyota, the company is testing its driverless Sienna minivans in Ann Arbor, Michigan and Sun City, Arizona. It offers paid rides to the public in Peachtree Corners, Georgia, a city in the Atlanta metro area. 

Amazon-owned Zoox just began testing its robotaxi in San Francisco. For now, only company employees can catch a ride in the vehicle, which looks a bit like a toaster on wheels. 

Franklin Trujillo, who works on commercialization as the head of technical program management for product infrastructure at Waymo, agrees that there's been a rapid shift in robotaxi availability in the last year. The company has 150,000 paid riders per week, according to Trujillo. 

Read more about riding in a Waymo: Smooth, silent, strange: What it's really like to hail a robotaxi

"This is real," he says. "This is a fully operating service ingrained in daily life." 

Waymo currently only provides rides to paid passengers on surface streets, but it recently began sending driverless cars onto L.A. freeways with company employees on hand to observe and share their feedback. 

It took a decade for robotaxis to get to this point. While the progress is promising, you're still not going to suddenly see the AVs across the United States. That's because getting them on the road is far more difficult than the average potential rider probably realizes. 

How do AV companies decide where to deploy? 

Some places are simply harder to drive in than others, thanks to road and weather conditions, and potential limitations of a company's AV technology. Zoox's leadership, for example, said last year that they wouldn't be rolling out in snow anytime soon. 

Even in San Francisco, where the weather is relatively mild, rain can challenge Waymo's sensors, says Jeffrey Tumlin. He regularly hails Waymo rides and recently served as the director of transportation of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. The role gave Tumlin a front row seat to all the highs and lows of living — and managing transportation — in a city with a robotaxi fleet. 

Tumlin notes that San Francisco, with its complex geography and transportation system, posed problems for Waymo that didn't materialize to the same extent in Phoenix, where the streets are straightforward, there are fewer pedestrians and cyclists on the road, and fewer anomalous events, like a motorcade or protest. 

So if an AV company isn't in your city yet, it may have to do with the nature of where you live. But Trujillo says that as Waymo learns distinct city layouts and characteristics, it can better manage similar challenges in the next place it arrives. Going from San Francisco to Los Angeles, for instance, wasn't that difficult, Trujillo says. He also notes that Waymo focuses on entering the top ride-hailing cities, where demand for a robotaxi would be strong. 

What doesn't change from city to city is the detailed work that AV companies say they put into partnering with locals, which can include transportation officials, emergency responders, policymakers, and community groups. 

Then there's the red tape. Some cities and states don't have regulations that permit AVs to operate on their streets. Waymo works with policymakers to change that. May Mobility has partnered directly with departments of transportation or other local agencies and businesses to both test their robotaxis as well as offer on-demand ride-hailing, which can be its own lengthy process. 

Polls show that people are skeptical of AVs prior to riding in them. In order to build consumer confidence in their product, some of the AV companies have been very deliberate about where and how they deploy, and emphasize the importance of safety. 

"Unfortunately for all of us, there have been a few accidents that have set the industry back in terms of trust," says Winter, May Mobility's COO. 

Are AVs safe? 

Perhaps the most notorious accident involving a self-driving AV happened in San Francisco, in October 2023. A Cruise vehicle struck a pedestrian, dragging her 20 feet before stopping. The victim survived, but Cruise suspended its operations soon after and was ultimately fined $1.5 million by federal regulators. Majority owner General Motors decided in December 2024 to shutter Cruise as a robotaxi service and instead focus on developing the technology for fully autonomous personal vehicles. 

True believers in AV technology tend to see accidents like Cruise's as a rare exception to an unproven high-stakes rule: A driverless car powered by artificial intelligence and sophisticated sensors is unequivocally safer than a human driver.

But experts who study AV safety say it's far too early to make such pronouncements. Cummings conducted a recent study of safety data reported by AV companies between December 2021 and November 2023 to the state of California and found a number of concerning issues related to "unexpected driving behaviors." This can include collisions with stationary objects; the AV inexplicably disengaging, which stalls the car; and phantom braking, when an AV suddenly slows or stops without explanation, but most likely because it hallucinated an obstacle. Phantom breaking particularly worries Cummings, as she sees no signs yet that AV companies have solved that problem.

Safety incidents sometimes show up as a viral news story about a robotaxi that acted strangely or dangerously by heading into oncoming traffic, driving in loops around an airport, or rolling into wet concrete, but many more occur without becoming a headline. Additionally, AVs appear to struggle when they encounter emergency responders and traffic control, says Cummings. Some have blocked the path of ambulances and firetrucks, and others have gotten stuck in traffic because they can't interpret hand signals by a police officer directing traffic. 

Waymo and Zoox are both under investigation by the federal government for unexpected driving behavior. Last May, the Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into Waymo for 22 reported incidents in which the company's AVs collided with objects like gates, chains, parked vehicles, and also appeared to disobey traffic safety control devices. 

Dr. Missy Cummings, who previously worked as the senior safety advisor for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, saw near disastrous accidents caused by human coding mistakes.

No other details are available because the company appealed to NHTSA to redact its response, citing confidential business information. Trujillo said he could not comment on the investigation, but he touts Waymo's record of fewer airbag deployments and reduced injury-causing crashes and police-reported crashes compared to human drivers going the same distance in a city where the company operates. 

"The data is clear, we are safer," Trujillo says. 

Yet Cummings argues that it's very difficult to compare AV performance to human driving behavior for a number of reasons. Human drivers tally 3 trillion miles on U.S. roads each year, whereas AVIA reports that its members have driven more than 70 million fully driverless miles to date. There's also the matter of where they're driving: Highways see more deadly crashes than surface streets, and robotaxis currently operate exclusively in slower speed zones. 

Cumming also points out that you cannot take human error out of coding algorithms that power AVs. Cummings, who previously worked as the senior safety advisor for NHTSA, saw near disastrous accidents caused by human coding mistakes, a lesser-known but important aspect of potential AV safety issues. 

The RAND Corporation has estimated that driverless cars will need to tally 275 million miles in order to confidently demonstrate their failure rate, a benchmark they're far from reaching despite significant progress. 

David Kidd, senior research scientist at the independent nonprofit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, says that while Waymo's transparency is laudable, more research needs to be done so that the field can reach a consensus about what qualifies as safe when comparing human drivers and AVs. 

"Can we make the claim that they're safer than human drivers? I don't think that there's enough evidence yet to put that stake in the ground," Kidd says. 

Cummings credits Waymo for doing a "pretty good job" making their rides relatively safe so far, but worries that market pressures will produce a race to the bottom as shareholders and investors look to make a profit. Alphabet, for example, has spent billions funding Waymo. 

"That kind of financial pressure, as a person who does AI and safety, that's a perfect recipe for an accident," Cummings says. 

Elon Musk recently announced that Tesla plans to debut its own robotaxi service in Austin this June. Cummings said she worries people will die inside and outside of any Tesla robotaxi deployed so soon, given the company's safety record. Musk previously called Cummings "biased" against Tesla, and his followers subsequently harassed her aggressively online. 

One significant but unanswered question about the future of robotaxis is how they'll be regulated by the Trump administration. With Musk overseeing efforts to gut federal agencies, safety advocates are worried that NHTSA might dismiss the directive that requires Tesla and other AV-operating companies to report crashes to the government. DOT issued this directive in 2021 in response to safety concerns, and Musk and other Tesla executives have been critical of it. 

Regardless of what happens to that directive, Michael Brooks, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, says that industry groups like AVIA have floated suggestions for regulatory standards. He hopes industry groups bring more consumer advocates, academics, and independent safety researchers into the standard-setting process. 

"We're not really guaranteed anything coming out of that process other than what the industry's version of what safe is," Brooks says.

The future of robotaxis

When Lyft and Uber debuted more than a decade ago, they promised a lot, including reduced congestion and reaching underserved communities and riders with disabilities. Tumlin says those and other promises haven't materialized.

In fact, data show that Lyft and Uber have worsened transportation conditions in some cities. Instead of getting people out of their cars, research shows the ride-share services have lured people off public transportation, like buses and trains. He worries the same thing will happen with robotaxi services, especially as they come under increasing pressure to demonstrate their market viability. 

"I'm not seeing ways in which AV technology solves any of the problems that Uber and Lyft faced in the marketplace," Tumlin says. 

"There's a lot of potential upside, but at the current stage of development of autonomous vehicle technology, we are not seeing any net benefit to the transportation system as a whole," Tumlin says. "We're seeing a good deal of user benefit."

In other words, robotaxis in San Francisco are terrific for individual riders, but not transformative for the city. 

He adds that the riskiest drivers may be the least likely to take a Waymo, because the behind-the-wheel chaos is a feature not a bug for them. So even if robotaxis are exactly as safe as the average human driver, the service could still increase overall traffic and thereby increase traffic risk as a result.

SEE ALSO: Uber gives users option to contact ADT with safety concerns

So in one version of the future, robotaxis replace human drivers at a massive scale while operating in diverse rural, suburban, and urban communities, serving everyone, including those with disabilities, while also dramatically increasing safety. But perhaps just as likely is a future where we have yet another service that does little to solve our congestion and safety problems but caters to well-heeled city residents who prefer not to talk to a ride-share driver, or who feel safer without one.

It's hard to know which future we're going to get, or if a hybrid of the two will emerge. It's easier instead to look out the window of a robotaxi and assume that a billion-dollar technology will get us where we really need to go.

TL;DR: Live stream Saprissa vs. Vancouver Whitecaps in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free on Tubi. Access this free streaming service from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The final game from the first round of the Concacaf Champions Cup is Saprissa vs. Vancouver Whitecaps. We're expecting big things from this matchup. The Canadian side will be favorites to win this one, but don't count out the team from Costa Rica.

If you want to watch Saprissa vs. Vancouver Whitecaps in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Saprissa vs. Vancouver Whitecaps?

Saprissa vs. Vancouver Whitecaps in the Concacaf Champions Cup kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on Feb. 20. This fixture takes place at the Estadio Ricardo Saprissa Aymá.

How to watch Saprissa vs. Vancouver Whitecaps for free

Saprissa vs. Vancouver Whitecaps in the Concacaf Champions Cup is available to live stream for free on Tubi.

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Live stream Saprissa vs. Vancouver Whitecaps by following these simple steps:

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Saprissa vs. Vancouver Whitecaps in the Concacaf Champions Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Concacaf Champions Cup fixtures before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Tubi?

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

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

Live stream Saprissa vs. Vancouver Whitecaps in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: This 2-pack of MagSafe-compatible Apple Find My trackable wallets is on sale for just $54.99 (reg. $79) for a limited time.

Opens in a new window Credit: Centralspot Folding MagSafe Wallet (2-Pack) $54.99
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What if your wallet could do more than just hold your cards? The Folding MagSafe-Compatible Wallet isn’t just a wallet — it’s a smart, trackable, and ultra-secure everyday essential. Designed to work seamlessly with Apple’s Find My network, this sleek, RFID-blocking wallet keeps your valuables safe while ensuring you never misplace them again.

You can get a 2-pack for just $54.99 (reg. $79), making it the ideal time to upgrade your everyday carry.

If you’ve ever had that mini heart attack after realizing you left your wallet behind, this MagSafe-compatible wallet is here to help. It integrates with Apple’s Find My app, so you can track its location in real time, play a sound to find it nearby, and even receive alerts if you leave it behind. With a one-tap setup, it works just like an AirTag, except this wallet does more than just track.

It securely holds up to eight cards across three RFID-blocking slots, keeping your credit cards safe from digital theft. Made from scratch-resistant PU leather, it’s designed for both style and durability. And with a magnetic force made to be six times stronger than Apple’s official wallets, it stays firmly attached to your MagSafe case or iPhone.

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And when it comes to battery life, you won’t have to worry. With up to four months per charge, it’s built to last. Plus, it supports wireless charging, so you can power up without hassle.

Whether you keep both for yourself or gift one to a friend or family member, this deal delivers serious value.

Don't miss a 2-pack of Folding MagSafe-Compatible Wallets for just $54.99 (reg. $79).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Turn any wall into a 200-inch movie screen with the CinéMini 720P HD Mini Projector for just $129.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: HyperGear CinéMini 720P HD Portable Mini Projector with Speaker $129.99
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Tech lovers, meet your new favorite gadget. The CinéMini 720P HD Portable Mini Projector made waves at CES 2025, and now it's hitting the market with a limited-time launch price of just $129.99.

If you've ever wanted a massive 200-inch screen in your living room, backyard, or even on the go, this sleek, compact projector delivers HD clarity, powerful sound, and seamless wireless streaming — all in a device smaller than a shoebox.

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StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Master 14 languages on your schedule with Babbel’s lifetime subscription — only $149.99 with code LEARN20 at checkout.

Opens in a new window Credit: Babbel Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) $149.99
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Learning a new language shouldn’t feel like cramming for finals. With Babbel’s lifetime subscription, you can kiss the pressure goodbye and embrace a more relaxed, effective way to expand your horizons. Whether you're prepping for a trip to Paris, aiming to spice up your resumé, or simply want to understand what your favorite K-drama is saying without subtitles, Babbel can help.

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StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get a lifetime license to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro for just $17.97 (through March 30) and upgrade your PC with advanced security and productivity tools.

Opens in a new window Credit: Retail King Microsoft Windows 11 Pro $17.97
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Get a lifetime license to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro on sale for just $17.97 through March 30.

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StackSocial prices subject to change.

SAVE $100: As of Feb. 20, the Amazon Fire TV 4-Series is on sale for $359.99 at Amazon. That's a 22% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV 4-Series $359.99 at Amazon
$459.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal

Deals on TVs give you an excellent excuse for an upgrade, and when they are as impressive as the all-new Amazon Fire TV 4-Series, it's really hard to say no.

And as of Feb. 20, you won't only be getting a great deal, but you'll be getting this model for the cheapest it has ever been, currently priced at $359.99 (down from $459.99).

SEE ALSO: The 21 best TV episodes of 2024, and where to stream them

Stats-wise, you won't be disappointed, it has 4K Ultra HD, HDR 10, HLG, and Dolby Digital Plus, all giving you unbelievable clarity, brighter colors, and vivid detail in your favorite TV shows and movies.

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Like all good things, this deal will soon come to an end.

SAVE $300: As of Feb. 20, the Shark Robot Vacuum and Mop is on sale for $399.99 at Amazon. This deal saves you 43% on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark Robot Vacuum and Mop $399.99 at Amazon
$699.99 Save $300.00 Get Deal

Like many, at Mashable we're big fans of robot vacuums — just take a look at our review of the best models and you'll understand why. So that's one of many reasons we love this latest Amazon discount on the Shark Robot Vacuum and Mop.

As of Feb. 20, you can take home this impressive model for $300 less than usual, now $399.99.

SEE ALSO: Best vacuum cleaners 2025, from cordless stick vacuums to robot vacuums

What we really love about this vacuum is that it doesn't just pick up dirt, it mops your floors too. It uses Sonic Mopping to scrub hard floors 100 times per minute, and if you know it's about to encounter an extra deep stain, head to the app and initiate Matrix Mop to get 50% better stain cleaning in certain spots.

This vacuum also boasts an impressive precision matrix grid, meaning it takes multiple passes over dirt and debris to ensure it is all removed. And the smart features don't end there: the CleanEdge Detect system uses blasts of air and corner recognition to remove debris from edges and corners pulling the debris into the cleaning path. Plus, there's no need to manually map out the path for this vacuum, because it uses 360-degree LiDAR vision to learn your space, detect obstacles, and pick up dirt.

Like all high-end vacuums worth shouting about, this machine self-empties, self-charges, and holds up to 60 days' worth of dirt, limiting your work even further. The base is bagless, so both useful and environmentally friendly as it eliminates the need for waste bags.

This is only a limited-time deal at Amazon, so act quick so you don't miss out.

When I found out that Apple's new iPhone 16e doesn't support MagSafe accessories (despite having wireless charging), it was an unpleasant surprise. I rely on at least three different versions of the magnetic chargers daily (including a MagSafe Wallet), and losing access to those would be a bummer.

More broadly, the decision didn't make much sense to me. Apple may be cutting costs by omitting MagSafe on the iPhone 16e, as well as differentiating it from the more powerful phones in its lineup, but it's sure to lose potential profit on MagSafe accessories.

SEE ALSO: Apple iPhone 16e is the new affordable Apple phone

Regardless of Apple's reasoning for this decision, the solution seemed simple: Just get a MagSafe case. However, typically for Apple, the company went all the way with omitting MagSafe on the iPhone 16e, because even the official cases for the device do not support it.

Fortunately, third-party companies have already started to fill this gap. Spigen, for example, has launched a pretty extensive lineup of iPhone 16e cases, some of which support MagSafe. A company called Mous also sells a couple of iPhone 16e cases with MagSafe.

Mous says it has MagSafe cases for the iPhone 16e, though they're all still labeled as "coming soon." Credit: Mous

I cannot be completely certain that a third-party case with MagSafe will always work exactly the same as having MagSafe on the phone. But given that MagSafe is essentially a Qi wireless charger paired with magnets to automatically align with MagSafe chargers, and the iPhone 16e does support Qi wireless charging, it should work fine with MagSafe-compatible chargers. Some features, such as Find My for MagSafe Wallets, probably won't work (I will put this to the test once I get an iPhone 16e review unit).

Still, if you're keen on getting the iPhone 16e, and you want to use MagSafe accessories, a third-party case is probably your best bet.

SAVE $300: As of Feb. 20, the Apple Studio Display is on sale for $1,299.99 at Amazon. That's a 19% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Studio Display $1,299.00 at Amazon
$1,599.00 Save $300.00 Get Deal

If you're a MacBook user and you want to give your work setup an upgrade, you'll love this latest deal on the Apple Studio Display.

As of Feb. 20, this impressive monitor is reduced to $1,299.99 at Amazon, saving you $300 on list price. This deal is specific to the tilt-adjustable monitor with standard glass. This deal does not include AppleCare+.

SEE ALSO: Here's when you can preorder the new Apple iPhone 16e

The screen boasts a 27-inch 5K Retina display with 600 nits of brightness, P3 wide color, and support for a billion colors — so everything looks really high quality and vibrant. It’s got a 12MP Ultra Wide camera with Center Stage, meaning your video calls stay focused on you, even if you move around.

The three-mic system is seriously impressive, ensuring your voice comes through loud and clear, and the six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio delivers an immersive listening experience. Perfect for long calls or meetings, or watching movies and TV.

Connectivity-wise, you get one Thunderbolt 3 port and three USB-C ports, plus 96W of power delivery to keep your MacBook charged. And for added comfort, there’s an optional stand that lets you adjust both tilt and height.

You can find this great deal on the Apple Studio Display at Amazon.

When a TV show aims to speak to a political moment, it helps for it to face our reality head-on. Zero Day tries for the former but fails at the latter, making for an extremely frustrating political thriller.

The limited series marks Robert De Niro's first leading role on TV. He also executive produces. Zero Day also boasts other big names like Angela Bassett, Lizzy Caplan, and Jesse Plemons, as well as creators Eric Newman (The Watcher, Narcos) and Noah Oppenheim (Jackie, NBC News). While this crew lends gravitas to Zero Day, the show can't escape the feeling that it's out of sync with the political climate it's trying to critique.

SEE ALSO: 2025 TV preview: All the TV shows you need to know, and where to stream them What's Zero Day about? Robert De Niro in "Zero Day." Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

Zero Day drops us into a United States in crisis. A nationwide cyberattack has caused a minute-long power outage that compromised transportation and communications systems, as well as the power grid. Thousands are dead, and the entire country is on edge, especially since the attack ended with an ominous message to every U.S. citizen: "This will happen again." Now, sitting President Evelyn Mitchell (Bassett, woefully underused) is on the hunt to find out who caused the attack and how to prevent it.

Enter former President George Mullen (De Niro). A popular president who won bipartisan support, Mullen would have been a shoo-in for a second term had he not resigned to grieve the death of his son. As Mitchell sees it, Mullen's popularity makes him the ideal candidate to run the Zero Day commission, which will have great powers of surveillance and search and seizure. The commission could be an affront to civil liberties, which is partly why Mullen takes the job — to stop someone more likely to abuse it from getting there first.

SEE ALSO: 'The White Lotus' Season 3 review: Juicy drama, great performances, still underwhelming

Now racing against time, it's up to Mullen to root out the source of the attack. While many believe the culprit to be Russia, Mullen has reason to suspect the attack came from closer to home. He'll have to wade through misinformation, conspiracy theories, and power-hungry tech moguls and hedge fund managers in order to find the truth. As if that weren't enough, he'll face opposition from his own daughter, Congresswoman Alexandra Mullen (Caplan), as well as claims that he isn't sound enough of mind to do this job. (Surreal sequences featuring the repeated use of the Sex Pistols' "Who Killed Bambi?" certainly seem to support that claim.)

All these element make for a compelling enough thriller, especially some late-season twists. But for a show that deals with American division, misinformation, and conspiracy theories, Zero Day doesn't interrogate the reasons why these problems are so prevalent now, or why they're so intrinsically linked to the government.

Zero Day is frustratingly vague about American politics. Robert De Niro and Angela Bassett in "Zero Day." Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

Despite its platitudes about bipartisanship and "reaching across the aisle," Zero Day doesn't actually assign its characters political parties. Where does Mullen fall on the political spectrum? How about President Mitchell, or Speaker of the House Richard Dreyer (Matthew Modine)? We sense opposition and tension between them, and while we can make some educated guesses as to their affiliation, Zero Day never lets us know for sure.

The choice is intentional. Plemons, who plays Mullen's aide Roger Carlson, told The Times, "When you do get into the specifics of a political party, it gives you an out immediately as a viewer to either say, 'I'm for this person' or 'I'm against them.' Something disengages as you're watching."

Yet knowing party affiliations — as we do in other highly political shows like The West Wing and House of Cards — gives you vital context about where a character may stand on certain issues, and who their base is. In a show whose crux winds up being "How can we fix a divided America?", knowing which side of the ideological divide people are on is crucial. Without this knowledge, politician characters like President Mitchell and Dreyer feel woefully undercooked, especially when they deliver sermons about the problems facing the country.

"Half the country [is] caught up in a fever dream of lies and conspiracy," one character tells Mullen. "The other half [is] shouting about pronouns and ranking their grievances."

Statements like these wildly simplify the complex issues facing the United States today, not to mention put people just wanting to be referred to by the right pronouns on the same level as dangerous conspiracy theorists. (Zero Day was filmed prior to the 2024 election, but given the Trump administration's ongoing erasure of queer and trans history, the catchall complaint about "pronouns" is extra unfortunate.)

Crucially, Zero Day never examines who might have led people to believe these lies or have these grievances. The answer is undoubtedly the very politicians we're following, as well as figures like tech billionaire Monica Kidder (Gaby Hoffmann), who barely gets enough screen time to register as the show's answer to Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg. However, since we don't know who stands where and how they treat their base, Zero Day removes culpability for this divide from politicians — they're just trying to fix the division, apparently — and places it on the American people. After all, the only time Zero Day gives an explicit political affiliation is to call out a homegrown terrorist network of "radical leftists." But even then there are inconsistencies. Why do these leftists follow controversial TV host Evan Green (Dan Stevens), who's positioned as a right-leaning, Alex Jones-like figure? Details like this immediately remove viewers from the world of the show, even though Zero Day keeps stressing that it's speaking to division in modern society.

But in the Trump era, when political figures thrive on just such division, Zero Day's vagaries don't just feel naive. They feel like cop-outs.

Zero Day is now streaming on Netflix.

A Monster Train sequel has just been announced, promising more of the incredibly popular, highly addictive roguelike deckbuilder. What's more, there's already a surprise PC demo that players can check out right now for free. It's a good thing we're headed toward the end of the week, because a lot of people's productivity is about to take a massive hit.

Developed by indie studio Shiny Shoe, 2020's Monster Train had players ride a locomotive through Hell, defending the Pyre on board from the armies of Heaven. Choosing from five clans featuring different abilities, players had to fend off the forces of Heaven across the train's three vertical levels, building a new deck of cards on each run to reignite the fires of Hell.

SEE ALSO: 'Slay the Spire 2' gets a ghastly gameplay trailer at The Game Awards

Monster Train 2 will now have players going full steam ahead in the opposite direction, rushing flat out through Heaven. Instead of reigniting the fires of Hell, this time players are out to stop the powerful Titans from destroying the world, heading toward their homeworld of the Abyss. To do so, Heaven and Hell have formed an incredibly unlikely alliance — and opened up exciting new gameplay possibilities.

In addition to new enemies, Monster Train 2 will feature new playable clans, both new and familiar cards, and even new card types. For example, Room Cards will boost a floor on your train, while Equipment Cards will power up individual units. Players can even customise their trains for different buffs, and there will be an endless mode for anyone who doesn't want the ride to end.

The Monster Train sequel isn't the only good news for people who appreciate fantastic video games. The original Monster Train is also a massive 90 percent off on Steam, putting it at just $2.49 — the lowest the game has ever been. Considering the hours of fun and strategic gameplay this game provides, it's pretty much a no-brainer. You can also pick up the Last Divinity DLC for just $1.79, which adds the Wurmkin clan to the game.

I have no idea how many hours I've already sunk into Monster Train on Xbox, but I'm absolutely ready to do it all over again on PC.

Monster Train 2 is scheduled to arrive "soon" on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Between this and Slay the Spire 2, 2025 is already shaping up to be an excellent year for card-based roguelike games.

At CES 2025, AI was everywhere — especially when it came to laptops. We were impressed by many of the AI laptops that were revealed at this year's show, including offerings from Asus, Acer, Lenovo, and many more, as well as the announcement of Qualcomm's budget-level AI chip in the Snapdragon X. But how can you actually get your hands on one of these new-wave machines?

SEE ALSO: Best Windows laptops for 2025: Our top pick lasts longer than the M4 MacBook Pro

The answer in most cases is that you're going to have to wait a tad bit longer to pick one up for yourself, but fortunately, a few of them are available to purchase — or preorder at the very least. Take a look below and check out some of our favorite AI laptops from CES 2025 that you can start shopping as we speak.

Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition $1,459.99 at Lenovo
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One of the best new convertible laptops from CES 2025, the Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition is available on Lenovo's storefront. New and improved AI processing, an updated Yoga Pen stylus, and a sleek design make this 2-in-1 an exciting prospect for the future of AI-assisted convertible laptops. We're excited to get our hands on this one to put it to the test soon.

Acer Swift Go 14 AI Opens in a new window Credit: Acer Acer Swift Go 14 AI $837.99 at Best Buy
$999.00 Save $161.01 Shop Now

Equipped with one of Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X Plus chips, the Acer Swift Go 14 AI is a Copilot+ PC that won't completely break the bank at $999. The compact machine comes with a decent suite of specs at this price as well, including 1TB of storage, 16GB of RAM, and a Full HD, 120Hz display. Not only is this laptop available to purchase, it's already gone on sale.

Asus ZenBook A14 and ROG Flow Z13 Opens in a new window Credit: Asus Asus ZenBook A14 $1,099.99 at Asus
Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Asus Asus ROG Flow Z13 $1,999.99 at Asus
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The Asus ZenBook A14 was the best AI laptop overall that we saw at CES 2025 — Mashable Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel got her hands on the laptop, highlighting its light and sleek design, promises of a long battery life, and a beautiful OLED display. On Asus' gaming side of things, the ROG Flow Z13 is a gaming-focused tablet that employs AMD's new line of Ryzen AI Max+ processors. We didn't get to test this one out, but we're certainly looking forward to it.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2025 AFL for free on 7plus. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Aussie Rules is a uniquely fast-paced and physical game that provides entertainment to millions of fans every week, but for whatever reason, this entertaining sport hasn't traveled well outside of Australia. We think this should change, because we firmly believe that the rest of the world would absolutely love footy.

If you want to watch the 2025 AFL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the AFL?

The Australian Football League (AFL) is the leading professional competition of Aussie Rules Football.

SEE ALSO: How to watch the Champions League online for free

The AFL currently consists of 18 teams spread over Australia's five mainland states. The league features 23 rounds in the regular season, with the team with the best record awarded the minor premiership. The top eight teams from the regular season standings compete in a four-round finals series, culminating in the AFL Grand Final.

The defending champions are the Brisbane Lions.

When is the 2025 AFL?

The 2025 AFL season is the 129th edition of the Australian Football League. This season runs from March 6 to Sept. 27.

How to watch the 2025 AFL for free

Every round of the 2025 AFL is available to live stream for free on 7plus. This free coverage includes matches on 23 Thursday nights, 24 Friday nights, State Footy Saturdays, 25 Sunday afternoons, five Sunday nights, plus every game in the Finals Series including the AFL Grand Final.

7plus is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the AFL from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2025 AFL from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit 7plus

5. Live stream the 2025 AFL for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2025 AFL without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select AFL fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 7plus?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 7plus, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream the 2025 AFL for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Bangladesh vs. India in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Pakistan and New Zealand came together for the first 2025 ICC Champions Trophy fixture, and now it's the turn of the other half of Group A: Bangladesh and India. Only two sides will progress from Group A to the knockout rounds, so every game is hugely important.

If you want to watch Bangladesh vs. India in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Bangladesh vs. India?

Bangladesh vs. India in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy starts at 4 a.m. ET on Feb. 20. This ODI takes place at the Dubai International Stadium.

How to watch Bangladesh vs. India for free

The following platforms are offering coverage of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy:

• Australia — Prime Video (free with 30-day trial)

• India — Disney+ Hotstar

• New Zealand — Sky TV NZ

• Pakistan — Tamasha (free) and PTV (free)

• UK — Sky Sports

• USA — Willow and Sling TV

The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is available to live stream for free in Pakistan. The free streaming platforms are geo-restricted to Pakistan, but anyone can access these free live streams with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Pakistan, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Pakistan

4. Visit Tamasha or PTV

5. Live stream Bangladesh vs. India for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Bangladesh vs. India (plus every other 2025 ICC Champions Trophy game) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for live sport?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Pakistan

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream Bangladesh vs. India in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free with ExpressVPN.

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 20 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 20 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Together for the present

These words are popular among married couples.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The words are traditional gifts and the year they are gifted.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Anniversary.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for February 20

• First

• Paper

• Fiftieth

• Gold

• Sixtieth

• Diamond

• Anniversary

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

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

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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.

Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Played on grass, maybe in a backyard

• Green: Nascar-related

• Blue: Runs in the family

• Purple: Athletes turned comedians

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

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

• Yellow: Lawn games

• Green: Parts of a racetrack

• Blue: Members of the Manning family

• Purple: Athletes to guest host 'SNL'

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

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #150 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Lawn games - BOCCE, CORNHOLE, CROQUET, KANJAM

• Parts of a racetrack - INFIELD, PITS, STRAIGHTAWAY, TURN

• Members of the Manning family - ARCH, COOPER, ELI, PEYTON

• Athletes to guest host 'SNL' - BRADY, PHELPS, ROUSEY, WATT

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.

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.

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 February 20 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: Signs of warning or emergency

• Green: Ways to stay overnight

• Blue: Things related to dawn

• Purple: Shapes associated with popular South Korean Netflix show

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: Alert

• Green: Spend The Night (At)

• Blue: Associated with Early Morning

• Purple: Cookie Cutter Shapes in "Squid Game"

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 #620 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Alert: ALARM, FLARE, SIGNAL, SOS

• Spend The Night (At): BUNK, CRASH, SLEEP, STAY

• Associated with Early Morning: DEW, ROSTER, SUNRISE, WORM

• Cookie Cutter Shapes in "Squid Game": CIRCLE, STAR, TRIANGLE, UMBRELLA

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 20

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

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

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

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for 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: 8NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for February 20 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for February 19, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Gross, annoying bug.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no reoccurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter R.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

ROACH.

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 20

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

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

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