The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a control freak.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. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. 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. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media. SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for April 3, 2026 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: SpitefulGreen: To craveBlue: DrinkwarePurple: Have it in checkHere are today's Connections categoriesNeed a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:Yellow: CattyGreen: Hanker (For)Blue: Cocktail glassesPurple: ___ ControlLooking 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.Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators todayDrumroll, please!The solution to today's Connections #1026 is...What is the answer to Connections todayCatty: MEAN, PETTY, SMALL, SNIDEHanker (For): JONES, LONG, LUST, THIRSTCocktail glasses: COLLINS, HURRICANE, ROCKS, ZOMBIE___ Control: CRUISE, DAMAGE, GROUND, MISSIONDon'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 April 3, 2026 Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're a clean eater. Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace. SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Smooth(ie) operatorThe words are related to healthy snacks. Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedThese words describe island plants.NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is Tropical Fruit.Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators todayNYT Strands word list for April 3AcaiLycheeGuavaPineappleMangiPapayaTropical fruitLooking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a timekeeper.If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators todayWhat'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 Pips hints, answers for April 3, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:After.Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?There are no recurring letters.Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter S. 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...SINCEDon't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.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.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine. There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle. If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered. SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hintTo deteriorate. SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answerERODEHurdle Word 2 hintA marine predator. SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 3, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 AnswerSHARKHurdle Word 3 hintA sticky liquid. SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 3 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answerSERUMHurdle Word 4 hintA god or goddess.Hurdle Word 4 answerDEITYFinal Hurdle hintThey love to play. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answerGAMERIf you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Artemis II has officially left Earth's neighborhood, with the Orion spacecraft now on a three-day leg of the deep space journey toward the moon.After NASA polled "go" on translunar injection — or TLI, the key engine firing — flight controllers commanded the maneuver just before 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, April 2, less than 24 hours after the historic mission launched from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. For the U.S. space agency, this moment is the real point of no return in a carefully orchestrated test flight. It's the last major engine firing of the mission. The burn not only pushes the capsule toward the moon, it also serves as the same critical maneuver that will eventually bring the astronauts home. That's riskier than NASA's usual spaceflights. On the International Space Station, astronauts circle Earth every hour and a half. If something goes wrong, they're never more than about 90 minutes from an emergency landing. But on Artemis II, as soon as controllers take this step, NASA has committed to the rest of the mission, save a couple of options for a U-turn, said crewmate Christina Koch. "Wrapping our heads around that is very interesting," said Koch, who is heading up those procedures, during a pre-launch news conference. "Before we go into some of our entry [simulations], we talk about how, 'Hey, there's no canceling the countdown on this — we are re-entering,' but the truth is, we are re-entering at the moment we do TLI." SEE ALSO: Artemis II launches its historic moon mission: See the launch and mission details The 10‑day Artemis II flight, led by Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Jeremy Hansen and Koch, aims to pave the way for a moon-landing during Artemis IV as early as 2028. This mission tests the resources needed for that upcoming journey: NASA's powerful rocket, the Orion spacecraft, and the teams on the ground who guide them. In future Artemis missions to the moon, the agency wants astronauts to practice living for longer periods away from Earth before pushing on to Mars, where crews will need far more extraterrestrial survival skills.  NASA's Artemis II mission launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 6:35 p.m. ET April 1, 2026. Credit: NASA / Joel Kowsky So far the crew has set up the spacecraft toilet — with a few setbacks — and performed a piloting demonstration for steering toward and around the spent propulsion system. The exercise was meant to test how Orion's manual controls handle, as this will become necessary in future missions for docking with moon landers in space. The astronauts are also acclimating to life inside the capsule. The cabin has had unexpectedly cold temperatures. The crew unpacked extra long-sleeve shirts from their suitcases to try to warm up. At the end of Flight Day 1, the astronauts' sleep was disrupted by a middle-of-the-night, brief engine firing to adjust Orion's orbit around Earth. The ill-timed operation was part of the plan, and the crew returned to their sleeping bags for a few more hours of rest before the translunar injection burn. Koch set up Orion's system for the burn, performed by Orion's main engine on the European Service Module. The system provides enough thrust to accelerate a car from zero to 60 mph in less than three seconds. Over a 10-day spaceflight, the Artemis II crew will fly around Earth and then the moon, testing the Orion spacecraft's life-support systems. Credit: NASA infographic The roughly six-minute engine firing was necessary to speed up the spacecraft so that it could escape Earth's gravitational pull. This technique allows the astronauts to travel without having to make major course corrections along the way. Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.The burn has reshaped the spacecraft's path into a long loop that will carry them out a quarter‑million miles from home. It will also harness the moon's gravity to slingshot Orion back to Earth. This is the first time since 1972 that humans have left Earth's orbit. The mission configuration is what's known as a free-return trajectory, said Lakiesha Hawkins, an exploration systems development administrator."This is something that we've experienced before," she said. "If you recall in your history, we did that on Apollo 8 and Apollo 13." 

Google just released the latest version of its open AI model, Gemma 4, on Thursday. Crucially, Gemma 4 is a fully open-source model licensed under Apache 2.0, which is typically not the case with frontier models.Open models can be run locally on users' devices, and Google says Gemma 4 can be run on "billions of Android devices" and some laptop GPUs."This open-source license provides a foundation for complete developer flexibility and digital sovereignty; granting you complete control over your data, infrastructure, and models," a Google blog post reads. "It allows you to build freely and deploy securely across any environment, whether on-premises or in the cloud."Most people have likely heard of Google's popular Gemini AI model, thanks to the ubiquitous AI chatbot that's been integrated into many of Google's products.Gemma is also a large language model (LLM) and was developed from the exact same technology and research that Google DeepMind used to build Gemini 3.Google is calling Gemma 4 its "most capable" open AI model yet. Gemma vs. Gemini?So, how is Gemma different from Gemini? Gemini is Google's proprietary subscription AI product, and the name of Google's family of multimodal AI models. Gemini has been integrated into virtually all of Google's core products, including Google Search, Gmail, Google Docs, and Google Cloud.Gemma 4, however, is an open AI model, meaning that the code and data that it's trained on are shared with its user base. Gemma AI models can be run off of a user's local hardware, even without an internet connection. Anyone can download Gemma 4 and run it off their device for free. These open AI models provide a more private and secure experience, as none of the chats, uploaded files, or answers are shared with a third party.Developers could use open AI models like Gemma 4 in order to integrate AI into their own applications without the need for any recurring subscription costs.What is Gemma 4?Gemma 4 brings some advanced capabilities to Google's open AI model family.According to Google's announcement, Gemma 4 is now capable of advanced reasoning, which includes multi-step planning and deep logic. Google says it has made "significant improvements in math and instruction-following benchmarks that require it" with Gemma 4.Gemma 4 now also supports processes that are required for agentic workflows and localizes AI coding assistance. In addition, Gemma 4 can process audio and video for speech recognition and interpreting visuals such as charts. Gemma 4 is available in four sizes based on the number of weights used to power the model: two billion, four billion, 26 billion, and 31 billion. Hugging Face reports that these open-weight models are available in pre-trained and instruction-tuned variants, offering even more flexibility for developers.The AI model has been trained on more than 140 languages and has a context window up to 256,000 tokens, according to Google. (The smaller E2B and E4B variants have a context window of 128,000, however.)Gemma 4 is now open and open sourceNow, open doesn't mean open source when it comes to AI models. Previous iterations of Gemma were open-weight (meaning the training datasets are publicly available) but were still bound by Google's terms, even if users were allowed to download the model onto their device. While users could modify the local LLM, they still had to operate under Google's rules on its use and redistribution.With Gemma 4, Google has now made the model open and open source.Google is distributing Gemma 4 under the popular open source software license Apache 2.0.Under this license, anyone can download and modify Gemma 4 and use it for any purpose, whether for personal or commercial use cases. Gemma 4 can be redistributed without any royalty requirements as well. Basically, the only requirement under the Apache 2.0 license is attribution, and the license must be distributed alongside the AI model.Looking for Gemma 4? Hot to try it. Gemma 4 can be found in Google AI studio and can be downloaded from third-parties such as  Hugging Face, Kaggle, or Ollama.

SAVE $500: The Mova Z60 Ultra Roller Complete robot vacuum and mop is on sale for $999 at Amazon, down from the list price of $1,499. That's a 33% discount and a price that matches the record low at Amazon. Opens in a new window Credit: Mova Mova Z60 Ultra Roller Complete $999 at Amazon $1,499 Save $500   Get Deal The Amazon Big Spring Sale is officially over. Now, we wait until Prime Day in June or July for the next round of massive discounts. But in the meantime, Amazon has left a few items sitting at the Big Spring Sale price. That's great news if you're looking for a powerful robot vacuum and mop.As of April 2, the Mova Z60 Ultra Roller Complete robot vacuum and mop is on sale for $999 at Amazon, down from the list price of $1,499. That's a 33% discount that shaves $500 off the normal price. It also matches the record low at Amazon.A bunch of robot vacuums can now mop your floors, but not all of them can do it well. The Mova Z60 Ultra Roller Complete focuses on getting both vacuuming and mopping done right. The vacuum uses 28,000Pa suction power to clean all crumbs, dirt, and dust from the floors. Plus, the brush is designed to never tangle. SEE ALSO: Grab the Eufy Omni C20 robot vacuum and mop at its best-ever price at Amazon — save $250 The mopping functions include hot water mopping and hot-air drying of the mop pads. Plus, Mova uses an AutoShield function to ensure no drips from the mop land on the carpet. This is also an ideal model if your home has higher thresholds, since the Mova Z60 Ultra Roller Complete can get over obstacles as tall as 3.15 inches. Pet owners are also in great shape with this model since Mova incorporated two compartments for a cleaning solution. One is designed for standard cleaning while the other is optimized for removing pet odors. The vacuum's cleaning algorithm will decide which cleaning solution to use on which areas.Instead of staring at a never-ending list of chores, grab the Mova Z60 Ultra Roller Complete while it's on sale for under $1,000. You won't have to think about vacuuming or mopping with this powerful model.

SAVE $300: As of April 2, the Google Pixel 9 is on sale for $499 at Amazon. That's a 38% discount on the list price. Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel 9 $499 at Amazon $799 Save $300   Get Deal In the market for a new smartphone? If signing up to a two-year contract isn't what you're looking for, this latest Amazon deal lets you buy the Google Pixel 9 outright for $499. It's normally priced at $799, so you're saving $300. For this low price, you can choose between the obsidian and porcelain color options. For slightly more ($575), you can pick up the wintergreen model. This is an unlocked phone, so you can use it with the network provider of your choice. Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up! This phone is built around Google’s AI features, so it truly lives up to its smartphone name. It has Gemini (Google’s generative AI) integrated with almost everything, helping with everyday tasks and searches. The phone also has a 50MP main camera and a 48MP ultrawide lens. And even these are enhanced with its AI tools. Features like Best Take, Magic Editor, and Add Me will enhance photos and make edits easier. Additional smart features include Pixel Screenshots for saving useful information, and instead of typing, use Gemini Live.You can find this Google Pixel deal online at Amazon now.

SAVE $70: As of April 2, the Beats Studio Buds+ are on sale for $99.95 at Amazon. That's a 41% discount on list price. Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Studio Buds+ $99.95 at Amazon $169.95 Save $70.00   Get Deal Beats earbuds for under $100? It's not a belated April Fools' joke — this deal is back at Amazon for a limited time. As of April 2, the Beats Studio Buds+ are down to their best price since July 2025, just $99.95. This is a $70 discount, and you can even choose between three colorways: black, ivory, or transparent. Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up! They're a truly great pair of earbuds, with impressive sound quality thanks to Beats’ custom acoustic platform. You’ll get support for spatial audio for a more surround-style listening experience as well as both Active Noise Cancelling and Transparency modes, letting you control how much of your surroundings you hear.For the battery life, you'll get up to nine hours of listening on a single charge. This is extended to 36 hours with the charging case. They're also a great workout companion thanks to their IPX4 water and sweat resistance. Plus, they come with four different silicone tip sizes to make sure you have a comfortable, secure fit. This Beats deal has a "limited-time" stamp at Amazon, so if you need some new earbuds, don't miss out on this deal.

TL;DR: Give your kids the gift of safe screen time with this lifetime subscription to Pok Pok, currently on sale for just $59.99 (reg. $250). Opens in a new window Credit: Pok Pok Pok Pok: Lifetime Subscription $59.99 $250 Save $190.01   Get Deal Tired of the never-ending mom and dad guilt? When it comes to the world of parenting online, it often feels like you just can’t win. That’s why Pok Pok is such a breath of fresh air — it’s an educational and non-addictive way to introduce your children to screen time. A lifetime subscription is even currently on sale for just $59.99 (reg. $250).If you’re ready to make parenting a little easier, it’s time to introduce your kids to Pok Pok. This app provides a safe, calm screen time experience that uses a Montessori-based approach — emphasizing hands-on learning, independence, and natural development. That means little ones can navigate the app on their own, and learn STEM concepts, language, and numbers in the process. Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up! Pok Pok doesn’t have any rules — there are no levels, no objectives, and most importantly, no winners or losers. It just lets children have fun while learning and interacting with hand-drawn animations and low-stimulation, in-house-made sound effects.While many apps marketed to children are loud, bright, and noisy, the award-winning Pok Pok was created with early childhood experts to enrich and support a child’s development. It’s also COPPA-certified and GDPR compliant, so you don’t have to worry that your children will be tricked into making purchases while they play.This subscription to Pok Pok includes access to new content, plus seasonal and cultural updates for life. You’ll also receive a surprise gift delivered to your doorstep.Get your own lifetime subscription to Pok Pok for only $59.99 (reg. $250) now.StackSocial prices subject to change.

SAVE UP TO $200: As of April 2, the KitchenAid KF6 fully automatic espresso machine is on sale at Amazon for $1,049.99 (reg. $1,199.99). For a step up, the KitchenAid KF8 espresso machine is also on sale for $1,799.99 (reg. $1,999.99) — a saving of $200. Opens in a new window Credit: KitchenAid KitchenAid KF6 fully automatic espresso machine $1,049.99 at Amazon $1,199.99 Save $150   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: KitchenAid KitchenAid KF8 fully automatic espresso machine $1,799.99 at Amazon $1,999.99 Save $200   Get Deal If your morning routine begins with endless cups of regular old coffee, it might be time for an upgrade. With an at-home espresso machine, you can start your day with barista-quality specialty drinks without stepping out of your kitchen. While it's not the cheapest investment, it'll certainly put a new pep in your step. Plus, two fully automatic models from KitchenAid are currently on sale for up to $200 off if you're not looking to pay full price.As of April 2, the KitchenAid KF6 fully automatic espresso machine is on sale at Amazon for $1,049.99. That's 13% or $150 off the list price of $1,199.99. The even more powerful KitchenAid KF8 espresso machine is also on sale for $1,799.99 at Amazon, a $200 price drop from its usual $1,999.99. While those aren't their lowest prices on record, they are the lowest prices we've seen on these models since last summer. Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up! Both of these models are designed to make creating personalized drinks as easy as touching a button. There's no steep learning curve involved. You can even store the recipes you love based on strength, length, and temperature, making your morning routine a breeze. The KF6 machine allows you to choose from 15 recipe options like Espresso, Americano, Latte, Cappuccino and more, while the KF8 machine ups the options to over 40. There's even several user profiles (four for the KF6, six for the KF8), so each member of the family can have their own unique experience.Both models offer automatic milk frothing and cleaning, but the KF8 model takes things up a notch with its own included milk container, dual milk delivery, and options for plant-based milk. Either option you choose lets you enjoy unlimited lattes, cappuccinos, and espresso shots without stepping foot in a Starbucks again.

OpenAI announced on social media today that it's launching a voice-first ChatGPT experience in CarPlay, the popular Apple dashboard that many drivers use in their car's infotainment system. That means drivers with Apple CarPlay and supported iPhone models can now talk to ChatGPT Voice as they drive, bringing the AI chatbot on the road. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. iPhone users will need to be running iOS 26.4 to activate the hands-free feature.How to use ChatGPT Voice in Apple CarPlay Total Time 1-2 minutes What You Need iPhone running iOS 26.4+ and a vehicle with Apple CarPlay Step 1: Update your iPhone to iOS 26.4 Step 2: Update the ChatGPT app to the latest version available in the App Store. Step 3: Connect your iPhone to Apple CarPlay Step 4: Open ChatGPT and begin chatting After connecting your iPhone to CarPlay, you can then open the ChatGPT app and start a new voice conversation or continue an existing chat.However, the new ChatGPT Voice experience in CarPlay does have some notable limitations. Crucially, it can't help you with navigation or act agentically. SEE ALSO: How to use Apple CarPlay with your iPhone According to an OpenAI help page, "It cannot access maps, vehicle information, or live location," nor can it "control your car or affect other apps (for example, Maps or messaging apps like Mail or Slack)."OpenAI also includes a safety warning for drivers on its help page. "Only use your mobile device when allowed by law and when conditions permit safe use. Set up the app before driving, rely on hands-free, voice-first features whenever possible, and avoid interacting with your device while the vehicle is in motion."Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Orion is in space, the Artemis II crew will head to the moon, and you can follow their journey without leaving Earth.NASA's Artemis Real-time Orbit Website, or AROW, allows the public to track the moonship. During the roughly 10-day test flight, anyone with a phone or computer can see how far the crew — Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen — are from Earth.The tracker turns a complex deep space mission into something easier to understand at a glance. With data from sensors on the spacecraft, AROW takes information already flowing to mission control in Houston and interprets it into simple visuals for the layperson. Instead of trying to picture where the crew might be, you can actually see their path, distances, and major milestones as they happen. SEE ALSO: Artemis 2 mission timeline: An itinerary for the historic 10-day flight People can download the NASA app or go to the website to give the tracker a spin. AROW began updating about a minute after liftoff on Wednesday, April 1, and will keep feeding live information until Orion dives back into Earth's atmosphere for a splashdown at the end of the mission. Online, users can see where the spacecraft sits in space and trace its figure-eight route. NASA's Artemis Real-time Orbit Website provides the public with information about the Artemis II moon mission as it happens. Credit: NASA / AROW screenshot NASA designed the website to show more than a dot on a map. It highlights key moments in the mission and points out features on the moon, including landing sites from the Apollo program. That lets viewers connect what they’re seeing today through Artemis — named after Apollo's twin sister in Greek mythology — with the first era of human exploration on the lunar surface.The NASA app includes similar features, plus an augmented reality tracker. After calibration, the app uses phone sensors to tell you how to move your device so on‑screen markers line up with where Orion is relative to your position on Earth.  This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. For people who love to pore through the numbers, AROW also shares precise data describing Orion's location and motion.Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.Since launch, the crew has been in a high-Earth orbit, allowing them time to check out the systems aboard the spacecraft before pushing into a moon-bound trajectory.Artemis II is NASA's first crewed mission in the Artemis campaign and a major step toward landing on the moon and learning how to live there. By sending astronauts around the moon and bringing them home safely, NASA is attempting to prove the systems needed for future lunar landings — and, perhaps down the road, the first human mission to Mars.

You might not know this, but AirDrop isn't exclusive to Apple devices.So, if you've grown tired of hearing your Apple friends say, "Just AirDrop it to me," there may be a solution.The over-the-air file sharing feature is synonymous with iPhones (as well as iPads and Mac devices), but Google recently made it available on select Pixel devices, too. All you need to do is tap the Quick Share button on the content you want to send to a nearby Apple device, and as long as their AirDrop settings are open for business, you'll be able to AirDrop the photo or document to them.However, not all Pixel phones support AirDrop. SEE ALSO: iPhone 18 Pro will be missing a popular color, leaker says Every Pixel phone that can use AirDropHere is the full list of every Pixel phone that can AirDrop content with Apple devices:Pixel 9Pixel 9 ProPixel 9 Pro XLPixel 9 Pro FoldPixel 10Pixel 10 ProPixel 10 Pro XLPixel 10 Pro FoldPixel 10aIn other words, it's only compatible with the Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 families. There is one notable exception, however: The Pixel 9a does not support AirDrop via Quick Share. Anyone with Google's mid-range Pixel 9 device will need to upgrade to take advantage of this feature.And hopefully Google can keep this useful feature around for future Pixel releases, too.

For the first time in 50 years, human beings are more than 1,000 miles away from Earth as the historic Artemis II mission continues.The four astronauts aboard NASA’s Orion spacecraft — Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen — are currently circling the Earth and preparing for a potential translunar injection later today.As they look toward the moon, NASA also shared a picture looking back at the Earth, which appears as a crescent in the black of space. While it might look like the moon at first, this picture depicts the Earth as seen from the Orion spacecraft. Credit: NASA The picture shared by NASA is a screenshot from the Orion livestream, available via YouTube. It shows part of the Orion spacecraft as it travels around the Earth.Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators todayThe picture calls to mind another iconic NASA photograph, known as "Earthrise."Taken by Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders on Dec. 24, 1968, the famous "Earthrise" photograph depicts the Earth rising above the ghostly lunar horizon. The 'Earthrise' photograph captured the Earth rising above the surface of the moon. Credit: Bill Anders / NASA "Earthrise" is one of the most famous space photographs ever taken. Apollo 8 astronauts were the first to orbit the moon, and thus the first-ever humans to witness Earthrise in person. And like the Apollo 8 astronauts before them, the crew of Orion is aiming for a lunar orbit. SEE ALSO: What 'home' will look like for the Artemis 2 crew headed to the moon Artemis II astronauts will not set foot on the moon during the planned 10-day lunar mission. However, they could travel further away from home than any human being in history, reaching a distance of 248,700 miles, breaking a record set by Apollo 13 astronauts in 1970.For now, the four-person Orion crew is still in orbit around the Earth, where they reached a maximum height of 46,000 miles. Later today, mission control will decide whether the historic lunar mission is a go or no-go. Should the mission proceed, Orion will leave Earth's orbit and head toward the moon.If Orion forges ahead, they're scheduled to slingshot around the moon on April 6 before returning to Earth on April 10 or 11.The Artemis II mission is part of a larger plan to establish a crewed lunar base, and potentially even a Martian base in the future.You can track the progress of the Orion crew via the NASA website or app.Want more science and tech news delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable's Light Speed newsletter today.

There's a new screen-free way to dive into the joy of Pokémon. Freshly introduced today, the two-player Guess Who? Pokémon Edition Game is up for grabs at Amazon. Opens in a new window Credit: Hasbro Guess Who? Pokémon Edition $24.99 at Amazon   Get Deal The Pokémon version of Guess Who? plays like the standard version, but instead of asking, "Is your person bald?" you'll get to ask fun questions like, "Is your Pokémon a water type?" The first player to guess five mystery Pokémon's first is crowned the champion. Credit: Habro Credit: Hasbro Each game comes with two double-sided sheets full of characters to guess, totaling 48 Pokémon and eight types. A round of Guess Who? usually takes about 15 minutes to complete which makes this a great quick game for road trips or when the kids have a friend over. So far, the game is exclusively available at Amazon, but we'll keep this page updated if we see it pop up at other retailers. Happy guessing!

Were you planning to get a black iPhone 17 Pro last year, only to be sideswiped with the revelation that there was no black iPhone 17 Pro? Well, if you were hoping that Apple would come to its senses and release a black iPhone 18 Pro later this year, then we have more bad news for you.According to one Apple leaker, Apple has no plans to release a black iPhone 18 Pro.  SEE ALSO: Apple to issue emergency patch to protect iPhones from DarkSword spyware The leaker, known as Instant Digital on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, has a good track record when it comes to advance knowledge of Apple's upcoming devices. Instant Digital has previously shared accurate information in previous iPhone leaks.This would mark the second year in a row that Apple decided to pass on a black color option for its premium iPhone models. Apple shocked its fans last year when it released the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max without a standard black option (the phones were offered in silver, deep blue, and cosmic orange).The iPhone 17 Pro line had an anodized aluminum body (instead of titanium), which proved to be extremely scratch-prone, and "scratchgate" could explain the lack of a black color option. Scratches were more visible with the darker deep blue colors. SEE ALSO: What is ‘scratchgate’? Unpacking the iPhone 17 Pro scratching problem. As 9to5Mac points out, while the cosmic orange offering caught consumers off guard, the color option was actually widely popular and may have partially led to Apple having its best fiscal quarter in its history.It appears Apple may be trying to catch lightning in a bottle twice. As Bloomberg's Apple insider Mark Gurman previously reported, the company is currently working on a "Deep Red" color offering for the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro models. This would be the first iPhone to come in any shade of red since the iPhone 14 was offered in red as part of the (PRODUCT)RED lineup.For iPhone users who must have a black color smartphone, the iPhone 18 base model will likely still come in black. In addition, Apple is reportedly passing on any fun colors for the much-talked-about iPhone Fold, which is rumored to launch by the end of the year. Apple appears to be opting for more traditional Apple colors for its first foldable mobile device (think space gray and, yes, black).With all that being said, Apple could still change its mind or even unveil a completely different color lineup for the new iPhone 18 line come September.Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

SAVE $500: The 55-inch Samsung OLED 4K S85F Series TV is on sale for $897.99 at Amazon, down from the list price of $1,397.99. That's a 36% discount. Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung 55-inch Samsung OLED 4K S85F Series TV $897.99 at Amazon $1,397.99 Save $500   Get Deal The Amazon Big Spring Sale has come and gone, but Amazon forgot to turn off the discounts on TVs. We're still seeing many models sitting at their sale price two days later, but we're not mad. Baseball season is here, after all, and if you could use an upgrade to watch this year's games, check out this Samsung deal.As of April 2, the 55-inch Samsung OLED 4K S85F Series TV is on sale at Amazon for $897.99, down from the list price of $1,397.99. That's a 36% discount that takes $500 off the price.With 4K resolution, dynamic brightness, and excellent contrast, the 55-inch Samsung OLED TV will be a welcomed addition to your home's entertainment setup. Samsung mentions this model uses the brand's NQ4 AI Gen2 processor to ensure each scene has optimal brightness. Samsung also tapped into the color experts at Pantone to make sure skin tones were realistic and accurate. SEE ALSO: The Google TV Streamer 4K is $20 off at Amazon — save on this streaming game-changer When it comes to watching sports on the 55-inch Samsung OLED, the 120Hz Motion Xcelerator brings smoothness to quick movements. Plus, Samsung used object tracking sound technology which allows sound to follow objects on screen, giving a more life-like experience. In addition to today's sale price, Amazon is tossing in free delivery and unpacking service, which usually costs $29.99. This means delivery will come to the room of your choice with unboxing and packaging removal.Upgrade to the 55-inch Samsung OLED 4K S85F Series TV while it's still sitting at the sale price we saw earlier this week at Amazon's Big Spring Sale sale. You'll be saving $500 that can be used for your favorite streaming services in the future.

The next generation of PlayStation consoles might not appeal to people who enjoy building physical game collections.A hardware leaker known as KeplerL2 posted in the NeoGAF forums this week (via WCCF Tech), claiming that the still-unconfirmed PlayStation 6 will not have a disc drive built in. In a reply to another user's inquiry, KeplerL2 also said the base PS6 would come with just 1TB of storage space on its internal SSD. For reference, that's exactly the same as most PS5 models. Typically, specs like that only get better over time, but it seems like Sony might make a lateral move at best for storage capacity this time around. SEE ALSO: Sony sued over high PlayStation Store 'monopoly' prices and download fees That's almost certainly because of the AI-driven global RAM shortage, which was recently rumored to potentially cause the PS6 to miss its intended late 2027 launch date. All things being equal, Sony might be inclined to put a 2TB drive in each base PS5, but that might not be feasible right now.As for the lack of a disc drive, that's going to ruffle feathers for a multitude of reasons. Yes, the PS5 has had a no-disc-drive variant since its launch in 2020, but Sony also sells a standalone attachable disc drive unit in case users want one. Obviously, Sony could do the same with the PS6, but we don't know that yet. And while a large majority of video game sales happen in digital marketplaces as opposed to physical retail stores, plenty of people still like to own their games, whether it's out of concern for digital storefronts eventually shutting down, or just to build a nice collection of physical media. And, of course, sometimes you get good discounts on used games.Needless to say, if this is true, it will be controversial.Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.