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Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
Tweet may have been deletedEach 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 deletedPlayers 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 March 3 Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Looking good
Green: Brush it out
Blue: Think of a famous author
Purple: These words all go before another word
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Adjectives for Nice Skin
Green: Mess of Hair
Blue: Dickens Characters
Purple: ___Chain
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 #632 is...
What is the answer to Connections todayBe at Leisure: DEWY, FRESH, GLOWING, SMOOTH
Formats of Gold: MATT, MOP, TANGLE, THATCH
Cylinder of Material: BUCKET, PIP, SCROOGE, TWIST
Seen in "The Flintstones": DAISY, FOOD, MOUNTAIN, SUPPLY
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 March 3Are 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: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for March 3 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 March 3, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:Let's take a closer look at that.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?It does!
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter C.
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...
CHECK.
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 March 3Reporting 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.
TL;DR: Own Microsoft Visual Studio for life for just £22 (reg. £392.57) through 30 March and transform your development process with advanced tools.
Opens in a new window Credit: Retail King Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 for Windows £22.00 at the Mashable ShopIf you’re serious about coding, you need a serious tool to match your skills. Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 is built to help developers work smarter, not harder — offering a comprehensive suite of features to simplify coding, debugging, and deploying your projects.
Own Microsoft Visual Studio for life for just £22 (reg. £392.57) through 30 March and transform your development process with advanced tools.
Designed for professionals and teams, this platform supports a wide range of programming languages and frameworks, making it a go-to for everything from web development to mobile app creation. Its integrated debugging tools allow you to spot and fix errors in real time, cutting down on frustration and saving you hours of work.
Collaboration is seamless, thanks to various built-in integrations, letting you work smoothly with your team. The intuitive interface and advanced organisation tools help you handle even the most complex workflows with ease, so you can stay focused on what really matters — creating amazing applications.
This isn’t just a tool for writing code; it’s a full-scale development environment tailored to the needs of professionals. You’ll also enjoy live testing features, making it easy to catch bugs early and deliver polished results. Best of all, this is a lifetime license, so there are no subscriptions or recurring fees.
Whether you’re an experienced developer or looking to take your skills to the next level, Visual Studio Professional 2022 is the ultimate companion for efficiency and precision.
Get a lifetime license to Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2022 for £22 (reg. £392.57) through 30 March and elevate your coding game with tools built for success.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
FREE BOOKS: The latest Stuff Your Kindle Day takes place on March 4. Alpharoll is offering free romance books with cinnamon roll main characters.
Yep, we're back here again. We're announcing another Stuff Your Kindle Day, because the schedule has got completely out of hand in 2025. Of course, we're not complaining at all. Any chance to stock up on free books is something to celebrate.
For those not following events on BookTok, Stuff Your Kindle Day events provide an awesome opportunity to stock up on hundreds (or sometimes thousands) of books for free. And better yet, the books that you download are yours to keep.
The latest Stuff Your Kindle Day is focused on romance. Hosted by Alpharoll, this latest events offers romance books with cinnamon roll main male characters (sweethearts who love to dote). Want to make the most of this popular event? We've lined up everything you need to know.
When is Stuff Your Kindle Day?The Stuff Your Kindle Day schedule has been incredibly hectic in 2025. In February, Stuff Your Kindle Day took place on Feb. 10, Feb. 14, and Feb. 21, and Feb. 28, with monster romance, indie titles, and so much more on offer for free.
SEE ALSO: The best Kindles in 2025And now on March 4, Alpharoll is offering free romance books with cinnamon roll main male characters.
Who can take part in Stuff Your Kindle Day?Anyone can participate in Stuff Your Kindle Day. You don't need to own a Kindle to get involved.
Kindle, Kobo, and Nook readers can download these books for free. You can even download these books on your preferred app and read them straight from your phone, as you can also find these free titles on the Google Play and Apple Books apps.
Which e-books are free?Finding all of these free books is straightforward thanks to Alpharoll. All genres and heat levels of romance are featured in the free giveaway, and segmented by heat level and subgenre for maximum convenience for readers. See something you like? Start stocking up without spending anything.
And if you want to make sure you're ready for the next edition of this bi-annual event, consider signing up for the Alpha Cinnamon Roll newsletter.
Is Stuff Your Kindle Day the same as Amazon Kindle Unlimited?Everything you download on Stuff Your Kindle Day is yours to keep, and there's no limit on the number of books you can download. Stuff Your Kindle Day downloads don't count towards the 20 books per month that Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscribers can borrow, so don't hold back.
Shop Stuff Your Kindle Day deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle (16GB) + 3 Months of Kindle Unlimited $109.99 at AmazonThese super popular e-readers help you take your entire library on the go. With weeks of battery life and an anti-glare display, you can read anywhere and anytime with the Kindle. They start at $109.99, a great price for those on a budget, but if you want to save even more, you can get three months of Kindle Unlimited absolutely free during Stuff Your Kindle Day.
Kindle Unlimited costs $11.99 per month and allows you to borrow up to 20 months per month. For a limited time, you can get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free, saving you $35.97.
TL;DR: Live stream India vs. Australia in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is reaching its dramatic conclusion. The group stage is settled, with India, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa securing their spots in the knockout rounds.
India will meet Australia in the first semi final. It's an absolutely huge matchup between two cricketing powerhouses, and you can watch all the action without spending anything.
If you want to watch India vs. Australia in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is India vs. Australia?India vs. Australia in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy starts at 4 a.m. ET on March 4. This ODI takes place at the Dubai International Stadium.
How to watch India vs. Australia for freeThe 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
UK — Sky Sports
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:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Pakistan
Live stream India vs. Australia for free from anywhere in the world
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 India vs. Australia (plus every remaining 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 India vs. Australia in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Unblock porn sites for free with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.
When considering the online world, it's normal to think that you can navigate with total freedom. But on closer inspection, there are actually content restrictions and blockades at every turn. This doesn't usually stop you from getting where you need to go, but from time to time, the ability to bypass content restrictions would be really useful.
Porn is something that suffers from online restrictions. There's probably a good reason for this, but there's also something to be said for retaining your right to online freedom. When the time is right, there's nothing wrong with visiting sites like Xnxx, but your access is not always guaranteed.
Fortunately, there is a simple hack that can bypass geo-restrictions to unblock porn sites like Xnxx from anywhere in the world.
How to unblock Xnxx for freeVPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This straightforward process bypasses geo-restrictions to access porn sites like Xnxx from anywhere in the world.
Unblock porn sites like Xnxx by following these simple steps:
Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to Xnxx
Visit Xnxx
The best VPNs for bypassing content restrictions are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Xnxx without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can retain access to porn sites when temporarily away from home.
What is the best VPN for porn?ExpressVPN is the best service for fast and reliable unblocking of porn sites like Xnxx, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy
Fast streaming 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 also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Unblock Xnxx for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Live stream Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid in the Champions League for free on Virgin Media Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The Champions League's first knockout round includes some really interesting matchups, but Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid has got to be the most explosive pairing. Real Madrid looked comfortable dumping Manchester City out of the competition in the playoff round, and now they'll be confident of doing the same to their neighbors.
If you want to watch Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid in the Champions League from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid?Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid in the Champions League kicks off at 8 p.m. GMT on March 4. This fixture takes place at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
How to watch Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid for freeReal Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid is available to live stream for free on Virgin Media Player.
Virgin Media Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, 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 Ireland, meaning you can unblock Virgin Media Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid for free by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Ireland
Visit Virgin Media Player
Watch Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for Virgin Media Player?ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Virgin Media Player, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Ireland
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 Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Live stream Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa in the Champions League for free on Virgin Media Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The Champions League playoff round produced some surprising results, including Club Brugge's victory over Atalanta. The Belgian side stunned the Italians with a 3-1 win away from home, securing a knockout round matchup with Aston Villa.
If you want to watch Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa in the Champions League from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa?Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa in the Champions League kicks off at 5:45 p.m. GMT on March 4. This fixture takes place at the Jan Breydel Stadium.
How to watch Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa for freeClub Brugge vs. Aston Villa is available to live stream for free on Virgin Media Player.
Virgin Media Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, 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 Ireland, meaning you can unblock Virgin Media Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa for free by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Ireland
Visit Virgin Media Player
Watch Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for Virgin Media Player?ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Virgin Media Player, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Ireland
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 Club Brugge vs. Aston Villa in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Watch PSV vs. Arsenal in the Champions League for free with a 30-day trial of Prime Video. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The Champions League playoff round was thrilling matchups and dramatic moments, and it didn't get much more exciting than PSV vs. Juventus. The Italian side were probably favorites to progress, but PSV came out on top thanks to an extra-time goal. Their reward for that dramatic victory? A knockout round matchup with Arsenal.
If you want to watch PSV vs. Arsenal in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is PSV vs. Arsenal?PSV vs. Arsenal in the Champions League starts at 8 p.m. GMT on March 4. This fixture takes place at the Philips Stadion.
How to watch PSV vs. Arsenal for freePSV vs. Arsenal is available to live stream on Prime Video in the UK, but you don't need to be subscribed to Amazon Prime to watch this fixture. Instead, you can watch PSV vs. Arsenal (plus more Champions League fixtures) for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.
Fans from outside the UK will need to use a VPN to watch the Champions League for free on Prime Video. This process is straightforward:
Sign up for a 30-day Amazon Prime trial (if you're not already a member)
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Watch PSV vs. Arsenal for free from anywhere in the world on Prime Video
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 PSV vs. Arsenal on Prime Video without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Champions League fixtures before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for Prime Video?ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Prime Video, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the UK
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 also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Stream PSV vs. Arsenal in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.
FREE PANCAKES: On March 4, IHOP is giving away free pancakes to celebrate National Pancake Day. Check participating locations here.
Opens in a new window Credit: IHOP IHOP: Free Pancakes on March 4 Learn MoreWe have a very important announcement to make: IHOP is giving away free pancakes to celebrate National Pancake Day. Stop what you're doing, cancel your plans, and make your way to your nearest participating store.
National Pancake Day takes place on March 4, and to mark this special occasion, IHOP is offering a short stack of buttermilk pancakes for absolutely nothing. You're looking for the catch, aren't you. There isn't a catch, you cynic. Sometimes life gives you lemonade, except in this case, it's pancakes.
SEE ALSO: I love watching BTS fail at making pancakesThis free giveaway is valid for anyone walking into IHOP's dine-in locations from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on March 4. We should note that there is a limit of one stack per guest, and you should check participating locations before you set off in pursuit of free pancakes.
Celebrate National Pancake Day in style with a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes.
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 MashableBy 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 March 4 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 4 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: It's our game-iversary!These words are flexible.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedThe words are ways to find answers in this game.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is Strands.
Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for March 4Ribbon
Tendril
Wisp
Filament
Curl
Thread
String
Strands
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.
Just a few days ago, Mashable published an article investigating why Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies were suddenly in a freefall. Of the four main reasons, three were attributable to Donald Trump and his actions as president.
This is not exactly what one would expect from Trump, who promised to be a pro-crypto president after its advocates helped him win the presidency.
But over the weekend, as Bitcoin lost roughly one-fifth of its value, Trump suddenly made an announcement that temporarily sent cryptocurrencies' values skyrocketing once again.
SEE ALSO: 4 reasons why Bitcoin value is nosediving. (Hint: It's Trump.)On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump announced that the U.S. government would create a "Crypto Strategic Reserve" and begin buying various cryptocurrencies. Trump specifically mentioned five: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Solana, and Cardano.
"A U.S. Crypto Reserve will elevate this critical industry after years of corrupt attacks by the Biden Administration, which is why my Executive Order on Digital Assets directed the Presidential Working Group to move forward on a Crypto Strategic Reserve that includes XRP, SOL, and ADA," posted Trump. "I will make sure the U.S. is the Crypto Capital of the World. We are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
Crypto immediately went up across the market. Bitcoin, for example, shot up from the $85,000 range to the $95,000 range, ending a seemingly downward spiral that the crypto market was experiencing.
However, critics immediately called out Trump and his administration for the move. For one, it seemed like a bizarre strategy for an administration spearheading a cost-cutting initiative led by Elon Musk to use taxpayer dollars to buy up cryptocurrencies.
"Nobody announced a tax or a spending program," White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks said to those critics. "Maybe you should wait to find out what’s actually being proposed."
Tweet may have been deletedSacks, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist, never shared precisely what was being proposed as a followup.
While most have likely heard of Bitcoin and Ethereum, the other three cryptocurrencies mentioned by the president serve very niche crypto audiences. Solana is probably best known as the platform on which many meme coins are built. For example, Trump's controversial meme coin is traded on the Solana blockchain. Some crypto advocates even criticized Trump's inclusion of XRP and ADA due to concerns regarding centralization and the lack of stablecoin issuers.
But speaking of Sacks, a big spotlight was also put on him and his seemingly coincidental connection to the five specific cryptocurrencies that Trump wants the U.S. government to buy.
Sacks was an early investor in Solana and, as a result, had a significant amount of Solana crypto holdings. Sacks claims he has since sold off all of his crypto holdings. However, Sacks has yet to speak to his venture capital firm Craft Ventures and its connection to the five specific cryptocurrencies.
Craft Ventures invests in crypto companies such as Bitwise, a crypto asset manager with significant crypto holdings. Its top five cryptocurrency holdings? Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Solana, and Cardano.
We'll have to wait and see exactly what Trump and Sacks have planned to fully look into the ramifications here, but so far, it's not looking good.
As for Trump's attempt to help the crypto markets, the bounce appears to have been only temporary. As of publication, most cryptocurrencies have dropped back to their trading levels before Trump's announcement.
The Department of Education is now inviting parents to submit complaints about diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts that may be happening at their child's school.
Last week, the federal agency launched a new "End DEI" portal that parents can use to report "discrimination based on race or sex" in publicly-funded schools for kindergarten through 12th grade.
The department has the authority to investigate discrimination based on race, sex, and disability, among other protected characteristics, and already offered a form for such reports.
SEE ALSO: DOGE tech employees jointly resign in protest of Elon MuskThe End DEI portal appears to specifically target instruction or curriculum that conservatives have long attacked. A text introduction on the online form notes that students should "have access to meaningful learning free of divisive ideologies and indoctrination."
The department's news release introducing the portal also includes a lengthy quote from a co-founder of Moms for Liberty, a far-right political organization that has pushed book bans and backed Trump's presidential campaign.
Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice argued that children are being taught "critical theory, rogue sex education and divisive ideologies."
"Parents, now is the time that you share the receipts of the betrayal that has happened in our public schools," Justice said in her statement.
Conservatives have previously supported the use of tip lines to report what they consider objectionable discussions or curriculum in the classroom.
In 2022, Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin created a tip line to receive related reports. In 2021, one New Hampshire Moms for Liberty chapter even offered a $500 bounty to the first person who caught a public school teacher breaking a new law intended to discourage educators from discussing "divisive concepts."
The End DEI portal allows parents to submit their email address, school or school district, and a brief description of the alleged discrimination, as well as attached JPG, JPEG, PNG, and PDF files. The portal says that the education department will use the submissions for potential investigations.
Major unions that represent educators — the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association — are fighting back against the Trump administration's pressure to eradicate DEI from schools.
NEA President Becky Pringle called the End DEI portal a "stunt" and defended DEI initiatives in a statement.
"Diversity, equity, and inclusion programs create a sense of belonging where we all feel comfortable sharing our ideas and lived experiences," Pringle said.
The American Federation of Teachers recently sued the Trump administration for threatening to cut off funding for schools that do not comply with its demand to effectively cease efforts designed to achieve "diversity, racial balancing, social justice, or equity" by Feb. 28.
The administration argued in a Feb. 14 memo that those efforts unlawfully preference certain racial groups.
"This vague and clearly unconstitutional memo is a grave attack on students, our profession and knowledge itself," AFT President Randi Weingarten said in a statement. "It would hamper efforts to extend access to education, and dash the promise of equal opportunity for all, a central tenant of the United States since its founding."
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Opens in a new window Credit: 1min.AI 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime Subscription A$160.00 at the Mashable ShopIf you could easily predict TikTok trends, I suspect you'd be spectacularly rich. There's so much money to be made on the platform — brand deals, chart-topping songs, major e-commerce — but its trends are so difficult to foresee.
Plus, TikTok is a weird place. A trending sound right now, for instance, is a parody song combining ska — the upbeat, horn-centric, staccato-guitar music that resurged in the '90s — and McDonald's inside the Pentagon.
If that sounds like a mishmash of words, that's because it is. The TikTok sound is an actual song created by a TikTokker @sillystu4u. To be clear, there is, in fact, a McDonald's in the Pentagon food court just for federal employees. The song from Silly Stu has the (expected) refrain of "There's a McDonald's in the Pentagon" and uses the upbeat ska to highlight that absurdity. The original TikTok of the song has racked up roughly 10 million views.
People have then posted themselves singing along, dancing, or otherwise commenting on the catchy tune.
There is not necessarily an overarching theme to the folks posting with the song beyond the fact that it's catchy. The song itself, however, does a fine job of highlighting the absurdity of the U.S. government paying to have a McDonald's in the building responsible for maintaining its empire.
The tune focuses on a narrator flipping burgers for folks who can't talk about what they do for work because, well, they work in the Pentagon. All with a janky guitar sound and lots of horns. It really is a perfect little parody. TikTok is weird, but it can also be great.
"There's something in the air," posted Apple CEO Tim Cook on X. And it's likely a MacBook Air with an M4 chip.
On Monday, Cook teased a product drop happening this week. He didn't specify the day or time, but the "air" hint all but confirms strong rumors that it will be the M4 MacBook Air. This was predicted by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman who expected a March launch. Given that today is the first business day in March, that prediction is right on track.
Tweet may have been deletedApple is also rumored to be launching a new iPad Air soon. Although given the timing of the product cycles and inventory, odds are on the M4 MacBook Air to debut first.
What to expect with the M4 MacBook AirLike its predecessors, the M4 MacBook Air is expected to come in 13-inch and 15-inch versions. It will also reportedly be equipped with the M4 chip, which is the same that powers the 2024 MacBook Pro and iMac.
According to 9to5Mac, the new MacBook Air will offer increased RAM from 24GB to 32GB, a 12MP Center Stage camera, and increased speed and performance that comes with the more powerful chipset. It might also include Thunderbolt 4 ports for better external display support.
As we mentioned, a new iPad Air isn't entirely out of the question, since it too is reportedly slated for release. Maybe a MacBook Air / iPad Air combo since the hint could apply to both?
We won't have to wait long to find out.
Foldable phones are having a moment, but alongside the release of new book-style foldables and flip-style phones, some are experimenting with new concepts. We've seen a few foldables with two hinges instead of one, but the latest concept unveiled at MWC 2025 could be the most polished yet. In fact, the Tecno Phantom Ultimate 2 is one of the thinnest foldable phones yet.
To be clear, the Phantom Ultimate 2 is just a concept for now. Tecno hasn’t said anything about releasing the phone to the public. But, the concept does at least show that work on foldable phones is progressing pretty nicely.
SEE ALSO: Hands on with the world's thinnest smartphoneSo, why would you want a foldable phone with two hinges instead of one? It all comes down to more screen real estate. The Phantom Ultimate 2 concept essentially involves one-third of the display on the front when the phone is completely folded up — and that's what you'll use in phone mode. Then, you can unfold the device to get a wide aspect ratio, like the phone on the laptop or tablet you already use. That's instead of the near-square aspect ratios we've seen from most foldables so far.
Look at those hinges. Credit: Christian de Looper / MashableThe device's thickness is particularly impressive. In fact, the phone is only 11mm thick when it's completely folded up. That’s thinner than the 12.1mm Galaxy Z Fold 6, which has two sides instead of three.
According to Tecno, the device achieves that ultra-thin design thanks to a thin battery cover, which is only 0.25mm thick. The display in phone mode measures 6.48 inches, but when you unfold the phone, you’ll get a huge 10-inch 3K OLED display.
Tecno says that the software has been optimized for the huge display, including the different modes that the device can be used in with the two hinges. You can use the device as a kind of big-screen laptop, with one-third of the display lying flat on the table with a keyboard. You can also use the device for things like dual-screen translation.
As mentioned, this is still a concept, and we don’t know what kind of processor the phone has or the camera specifications. We also don’t know how big the battery is under that ultra-thin cover. And keep in mind that the device would likely be expensive if it ever were to be released.
Regardless, I hope we see a phone like this available to the public sometime soon — especially for those who want a little more productivity from their phone when they’re on the go.
Mashable's on the ground at MWC 2025, covering the best tech products that have Barcelona abuzz.
ZTE's Nubia brand is back at MWC with some big releases for 2025. Alongside the flip-style foldable phone it unveiled last week, the company introduced the Nubia Neo 3 series — designed with gamers in mind. These phones feature RGB lighting and hidden shoulder triggers in the phone’s frame.
There are other gaming-focused features beyond the shoulder triggers for gaming. Notably, the device has interesting RGB lighting and offers a variety of different designs. It also has a powerful cooling system that should help keep your phone running smoother for longer, which is helpful for those who game for extended periods of time.
SEE ALSO: What to expect at MWC 2025 from Samsung, TCL, and moreAs you might expect, the Nubia Neo 3 is largely designed for gamers. The Neo 3 GT is the top-tier model in the lineup and offers an impressive 12GB of RAM (plus 12GB of so-called virtual RAM that the operating system can use from the storage). Perhaps more impressive is the fact that it has a UNISOC T9100 5G processor — an uncommon choice in a sea of Qualcomm and MediaTek-powered phones. It has an OLED display with a 1080p resolution and a massive 6,000mAh battery.
The slightly lower-performing Neo 3 is powered by a UNISOC T8300 processor and has 8GB of hardware RAM. It also features gaming shoulder triggers and a linear haptic feedback motor.
Up close and personal with the Nubia Flip 2. Credit: Christian de Looper / MashableBoth phones also feature the new AI Game Space 3.0, which lets you customize game modes, and tweak performance to match your preferences.
Perhaps cooler than those phones, of course, is the new foldable device, which was also on show at MWC 2025. The new device, called the Nubia Flip 2, will go up against phones like the Motorola Razr series and has a rectangular display on the front with a larger screen inside. It has a MediaTek Dimensity 7300X processor, along with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. I was able to see the phone in person at MWC 2025, and it felt relatively premium and well-built —though no more so than the other flip-style phones on the market right now.
ZTE Nubia phones aren’t necessarily the most well-known, but they prove to be great choices for those who want to buy a solid, powerful phone on a budget. All three of these devices will become available over the next few months.
The Nubia Flip 2 is perhaps the most notable in price — it comes at only 62,080 yen, which equates to around $410. For now, it’ll only be available in Japan.
Mashable's on the ground at MWC 2025, covering the best tech products that have Barcelona abuzz.
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