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TL;DR: Get a Microsoft Office Professional 2019 for Windows lifetime license or a Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019 for Mac lifetime license for £23.33, saving 86% on list price.

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It can feel demotivating when your manager has a clear favorite—and it’s not you. But don’t give in to the sense of rejection. You can strengthen the relationship and regain some favor. Observe and adjust. Where is your boss’s attention focused? What’s their communication style? What are their goals? Take steps to better align yourself […]

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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 March 13's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

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.

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

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 used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

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

Someone who knows the area.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter L appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter L.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. What's the answer to Wordle today?

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 Wordle #998 is...

LOCAL.

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.

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

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

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for March 13's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

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

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Things you'd buy at Spirit Halloween

• Green: Tasty plants

• Blue: Food

• Purple: Ways to cut a diamond

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: Halloween Purchases

• Green: Plants with Similar Flavors

• Blue: Food Slang for Head

• Purple: Gemstone Cuts

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 Connections #276 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Halloween Purchases: CANDY, COSTUME, DECORATIONS, PUMPKIN

• Plants with Similar Flavors: ANISE, FENNEL, LICORICE, TARRAGON

• Food Slang for Head: BEAN, MELON, NOODLE, NUT

• Gemstone Cuts: BAGUETTE, EMERALD, PRINCESS, RADIANT

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.

Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections.

Apple has recently been making big changes to how it runs its core platforms in order to comply with the EU's new Big Tech regulations known as the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

After weeks of unveiling new – and often controversial – new policies, Apple announced one of its most significant DMA-inspired moves yet on Tuesday: Web distribution.

This means that Apple will let app developers distribute their iOS apps to iPhone and iPad users directly through the developers' own websites.

SEE ALSO: Vision Pro apps are now visible on Apple's App Store website

In addition, developers will be allowed to link out to external pages within their apps without having to follow Apple's guidelines or templates for discounts, promotions, and other deals. Companies who choose to set up an "alternative marketplace" will also now be allowed to solely distribute their own apps through those platforms.

Apple announced these new EU policy additions in an update on Tuesday titled "More options for apps distributed in the European Union."

The way apps are distributed on iOS in the EU will forever change

Apple first announced sweeping changes to its App Store model earlier this year in preparation for the DMA. The new EU regulation officially went into effect last week and forces Big Tech companies, known as "gatekeepers," to open their core platforms to third-parties in order to spur competition.

Apple introduced a slew of DMA-inspired changes that spans all facets of iOS, but its App Store changes were easily the most significant. Due to the DMA, Apple could no longer monopolize app distribution on iOS through the App Store. Apple complied by allowing competitors to the App Store, known as  "alternative marketplaces," to distribute apps on iOS devices. Developers who released these apps on these marketplaces would not need to follow Apple's App Store content policies or take part in Apple's App Store revenue share model.

However, its new App Store policies were widely criticized by its peers in the tech industry. Under Apple's DMA-inspired changes, app developers who agree to the company's new terms which allow for "alternative marketplaces" will end up being charged a €0.50 "Core Technology Fee" for every first annual installation over one million installs. This means that for the very first time, developers could owe money to Apple without pulling in any revenue from its apps.

With that being said, these latest updates from Apple are a step in the right direction but there are more stringent requirements for developers choosing to distribute their apps in this way.

Apple will still require that developers who distribute their apps from their websites be enrolled in the Apple Developer Program. In addition, Apple says those developers must be in "good standing in the Apple Developer Program for two continuous years or more, and have an app that had more than one million first annual installs on iOS in the EU in the prior calendar year." Apple will also require that those developers take on responsibilities typically reserved for app distributors such as handling government requests and keeping in touch with Apple regarding potential issues such as fraudulent or illegal behavior related to the apps.

One major drawback, though, is that apps distributed directly via a developer's website are still subject to the controversial Core Technology Fee.

And, of course, only app developers in the EU are covered by these new iOS app distribution policies. Everyone else still has to go through Apple's official App Store.

Airplane manufacturing giant Boeing is going viral this week for all the wrong reasons.

The company's fleet of commercial airplanes has been rife with safety issues, prompting widespread media attention and mounting concerns from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and flyers. Here's what you need to know.

What is going on with Boeing planes, and what does John Oliver have to do with it?

It's been a turbulent few weeks for Boeing planes, as several aircraft have experienced alarming issues mid-flight — we'll get into that later — but the company started getting a lot of heat for its insufficient safety protocols after John Oliver's Last Week Tonight did a brilliant and damning segment on it last week.

We've embedded the entire video, which is worth a watch. But the TL;DR of the commentary from Oliver: Boeing's company culture shifted away from safety and quality to increasing shareholder value, which resulted in, well, plummeting safety and quality.

Oliver goes through the history of the company in depth, providing context for the recent safety issues. It's all fitting and in line with the reporting in 2018 and 2019 after two Boeing 737 Max crashes killed 346 people.

SEE ALSO: 'Aggressive and riskier' A.I. — and bureaucracy — caused the Boeing crashes, report says What's happening now with Boeing?

In short: a few things, none of them good. The New York Times reported that the FAA examined Boeing and found it failed 33 of 89 audits after a high-profile incident where a panel blew off a 737 Max 9 flight before reaching cruising altitude.

You've most likely seen footage of that terrifying incident where, by some miracle, everyone survived.

SEE ALSO: iPhone that fell 16,000 feet from Alaska Airlines plane found intact

The Times goes into a bit of detail on these issues, but the FAA gave Boeing 90 days to come up with a quality-improvement plan.

The latest Boeing safety incidents

Fortunately, there haven't been fatal incidents in the past few weeks, but Boeing planes have experienced significant safety issues. Fifty people were injured on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner that took a nosedive flying from Sydney, Australia to Auckland, New Zealand on Monday.

Passenger Brian Jokat told CNN that the pilot said they lost control of the plane, causing the incident.

"I immediately engaged with him and said, 'What was that?' And he openly admitted, he said, 'I lost control of the plane. My gauges just kind of went blank on me,'" Jokat told CNN.

There have been a few other recent instances as well, including a Boeing 777-200 that had a tire fall off shortly after takeoff in San Francisco on Thursday. The flight was re-routed to Los Angeles and landed without any injuries. A Boeing plane landing in Houston on Friday ran off the runway into a grassy area. Last week, a Boeing 737-900's engine caught fire some 20 minutes after takeoff, and videos of the incident, naturally, went viral.

This could be more folks noticing common relative incidents because Boeing is in the news already, but the fact remains there have been numerous incidents as of late.

Boeing whistleblower John Barnett found dead

John Barnett — a longtime Boeing employee who had been providing evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit against the company — was found dead on Monday. The Charleston County coroner said the death was from a "self-inflicted" wound, the BBC reported.

Barnett, who had worked as a quality manager, had alleged that Boeing put workers under intense pressure which led to compromised safety. He did several interviews over the years alleging Boeing pushed aside safety procedures to keep things running smoothly.

The timing of Barnett's death has caused a lot of internet speculation, in ways that might be expected. As of right now, however, we don't know very many details about the 62-year-old's passing. Still, people are, in general, very suspicious of Boeing.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted What now for Boeing?

Well, that's not clear. The company has to come up with a quality improvement plan per the FAA's orders.

"Boeing must commit to real and profound improvements," FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said last month. "Making foundational change will require a sustained effort from Boeing's leadership, and we are going to hold them accountable every step of the way."

However, the FAA hasn't specified how they would punish the company if it did not deliver results.

For now, customers seem to be taking things into their own hands. There have been a lot of posts from folks saying they'd no longer fly in a Boeing aircraft. And people are now using sites like Kayak to filter Boeing planes out of their travel plans.

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There may be a lot more people suddenly interested in boarding only Airbus aircraft moving forward. And with all the news out there, who could blame them?

Reddit (RDDT) is set to go public soon and is as of now, one of the most highly anticipated initial public offerings (IPOs) of 2024. The social media company, led by CEO Steve Huffman, is seeking a $6.5 billion valuation and is aiming to raise up to $748 million in the company's public offering.

Planned for March 21, the offering is imminent, and Reddit said last week that it will be selling 22 million shares at an expected price of $32.50 per share to help reach that aforementioned $748 million. Around 1.76 million shares of the stock have been isolated for Redditors — meaning they'll have the opportunity to buy separate shares at the initial offering price and can sell them when the IPO happens without delay. A mandatory six-month holding period is typical for early investors after a stock debut.

SEE ALSO: Reddit finally files IPO, gives Redditors first dibs on buying stock

These isolated shares are mostly for the holders of Reddit accounts made before January 1, 2024, so if you're new to Reddit you can't get in on this. The offer to buy the stock applies to select users, moderators and then "friends and family of various board members and employees," according to Yahoo Finance.

Back in February, select users were given invitations for the IPO with participants chosen based on their level of activity as forum moderators on the platform, or their "karma" scores, which reflect the perceived value of users' contributions and work as shorthand metrics for individual standing within the community. Users of Reddit who did not receive an invitation had the chance to sign up in advance to purchase shares in the IPO from March 1 to March 5. If the program reached its capacity before March 5, Reddit would initiate a waitlist.

Reddit's IPO launch has been in the works since the company first confidentially filed in 2021. Unsurprisingly, Redditors hate this move. Most heavy users seem to feel that the site is already suffering from Reddit's attempt to further monetize a platform that hasn't turned a profit in 20 years. This includes, most notably, Terms of Service changes in 2023, specifically to its API, that forced developers of very popular third-party Reddit apps to shut them down. Then there's the $60 million content licensing deal with Google that allows its AI to be trained on the sites data. Additionally, Reddit removed users' option to opt-out of personalized ads.

The relationship between Reddit and its free workforce of volunteer moderators is already in a precarious place, especially after many were removed from their subreddits after protesting the company's API changes. Thus, Reddit allowing moderators early dibs to its IPO can be thought of as an attempt to "make good" to those who feel slighted.

Many users' enthusiasm about grabbing the stock is not overwhelming, however. "They failed to turn a profit as one of the most popular websites in the world for decades and their only path to profit now is selling access to the previously-not-profitable shitposts to scrapers who will feed it to their AI," wrote user DPSnacks on the r/investing Subreddit.

Victims of nonconsensual deepfake porn are using the laws of copyright to take back ownership of their likenesses, according to a new investigation.

In an analysis of copyright claims against websites known to share nonconsensual, digitally-altered videos, WIRED discovered thousands of women (including streamers, gamers, and other popular content creators) levying complaints to Google demanding the content be taken down.

The publication documented more than 13,000 copyright claims (which includes almost 30,000 URLs) against dozens of sites that populate Google.

SEE ALSO: SXSW 2024: 3 WTF tech products, including an AI Marilyn Monroe

Victims are utilizing the Digital Media Copyright Act (DMCA), which is frequently weaponized to remove copyrighted music, videos, and other media from third-party sites (and personal pages) online. The DMCA has also been used on behalf of victims of image-based sexual abuse or "revenge porn," with cases citing personal authorship and the unauthorized used of images.

A deepfake creator's alteration or outright fabrication of original images does complicate the matter, providing a higher obligation of proof for victims claiming rights over intellectual property.

Google has previously addressed the spread of revenge porn and deepfakes with new policies and reporting procedures, including options to remove personal explicit images from search results and deepfake reporting systems involving the detection of both original and copied images. The company has also documented its efforts to flag and remove such content. According to Google's own data, around 82 percent of complaints resulted in URL removal. "For the biggest deepfake video website alone," WIRED reported. "Google has received takedown requests for 12,600 URLs, 88 percent of which have been taken offline."

The sheer number of confirmed violations has prompted online safety and copyright advocates to wonder why the websites are still allowed to remain up. "If you remove 12,000 links for infringement, why are they not just completely removed?” posed Dan Purcell, founder and CEO of pracy protection firm Ceartas, in a WIRED interview. “They should not be crawled. They’re of no public interest."

SEE ALSO: What to do if someone makes a deepfake of you

The copyright strategy is a legal workaround for victims as government leaders crawl forward with proposed legislation that would criminalize the spread of "sexualized digital forgeries."

Known as the DEFIANCE (Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits) Act, the legislation also outlines a civil path for victims to sue the creators of deepfake images using their likeness.

"Victims of nonconsensual pornographic deepfakes have waited too long for federal legislation to hold perpetrators accountable. As deepfakes become easier to access and create — 96% of deepfake videos circulating online are nonconsensual pornography — Congress needs to act to show victims that they won’t be left behind,” wrote Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez upon the bill's introduction to the House.

In February, hundreds of AI leaders — joined by academics, researchers, artists, and even politicians — issued an open letter calling for the prioritization of deepfake legislation. The coalition called for a bill that would fully criminalize deepfake child pornography, establish criminal penalties for anyone knowingly involved in creating or spreading harmful deepfakes, and place requirements on software developers and distributers, Mashable's Meera Navlakha reported.

The letter cited the limits and inadequacies of current legislation to address deepfakes specifically, as well as the sheer increase in deepfake technologies and output. "Unprecedented AI progress is making deepfake creation fast, cheap, and easy. The total number of deepfakes has grown by 550 percent from 2019 to 2023," the coalition wrote.

Explicit deepfakes of celebrities are top of mind for many, following the spread of nonconsensual images of Taylor Swift on X and the recent discovery of deepfake porn ads using the likeness of actor Jenna Ortega.

But the problem is just as worrisome for non-famous individuals. Deepfake images are increasingly entering the social lives of young children and teens, prompting online child safety experts to call for preventative measures and heightened attention from parents.

In February, a group of California middle school students used deepfake technology to create and disseminate nude images of their classmates, just the latest instance among minors who seem to be getting younger and younger. Various court cases have laid down the verdict on victim recourse, with few to no laws to guide them.

"Deepfake pornography is a form of digital sexual violence. It violates victims' consent, autonomy, and privacy," wrote Sexual Violence Prevention Association (SVPA) founder Omny Miranda Martone in support of the DEFIANCE Act. "Victims face increased risk of stalking, domestic abuse, loss of employment, damaged reputation, and emotional trauma."

If you have had intimate images shared without your consent, call the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative’s 24/7 hotline at 844-878-2274 for free, confidential support. The CCRI website also includes helpful information as well as a list of international resources.

Between tech behemoth Instagram copying its best features (successfully) and a potential ban looming, TikTok is being attacked on all fronts — but it's fighting back.

TikTok might be developing a new "TikTok Photos" app, according to The SpAndroid, who spotted references to "TikTok Photos" in the back-end code of the current TikTok app. A potential new welcome message allegedly reads: "TikTok Photos will be launched soon, we hope to help you gain new audiences in the new app. If the switch is on, we’ll sync your public photos to the new app, whether you close the pop-up or not." TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

It kind of looks like TikTok is copying Instagram's copying strategy, which it used to copy TikTok's short-form videos to create Reels. Copying isn't new for TikTok, which already has a "photo mode" for slideshows of still images and attempted a pretty lame Instagram-like app called Lemon8. Innovation for social media platforms is just a constant cycle of one app stealing ideas from another app until all apps become the same app. Love!

SEE ALSO: Instagram is copying TikTok, and the strategy is working

This leak comes as TikTok faces its most aggressive battle yet. For the first time since 2020, TikTok had fewer new app downloads in 2023 than Instagram, according to data from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower reported by the Financial Times. In 2023, TikTok downloads grew just 4 percent compared to Instagram's 20 percent — and part of that growth can be attributed to Instagram's copycat strategy.

All the while, TikTok is also facing a potential ban. Lawmakers are working to pass the "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act," which would ban TikTok and all other apps based in China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran from U.S. app stores. President Joe Biden said that if Congress does pass the ban, he'd sign it into law. In response, TikTok encouraged its U.S. users to call their representatives to "stop a TikTok shutdown."

We don't know if TikTok's attempt to copy Instagram will work as well as Instagram's copycat playbook has. But the app is pulling out all the stops to maintain its hold — and relevancy — on U.S. users.

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Calling all vloggers, content creators, filmmakers, and anyone who wants to step up their social media game: To create next-level videos that engage your audience, you need to take advantage of AI-enabled video editing software, or risk falling behind. The catch is that many of the AI-loaded editing programs out there can be costly and a real headache to figure out — but not Filmora.

Wondershare’s Filmora editing software reigns supreme for its slick, simple interface and its advanced AI-powered tools. In addition to offering the standard trimming, transitions, and overlays you’d expect in any video editing software, Filmora’s AI toolbox is loaded with Smart Cutout to clean up your clips, Smart Masking for precise selection, and a one-click Vocal Remover tool, for starters. Add in the fact that Filmora 13.2 is updated with even more pro AI features, and the slick new version is worth taking for a spin.

Here are five ways that Filmora’s AI-powered tools can help both newbies and experienced editors alike give their video content a serious glow-up.

Edit your video like a text doc

Filmora’s AI Text-Based Editing tool is ideal for beginners because it lets you edit your videos using only your text-editing skills. Just insert your video, click a button, and a text layer will appear. Next, you can edit words and sentences from the text and the AI tool will automatically synchronize your video, saving you loads of time. If you’re a journalist or podcaster, the Speech-to-Text (STT) tool will also transcribe your videos into text for a quick copy-and-paste into blog posts and social media. 

Take your content worldwide with AI translation 

If you want your video to reach an international audience, the new AI Translation tool baked into Filmora 13.2 can translate your text and audio into Korean, Spanish, and 23 other languages. Simply choose your source language (the language your video is filmed in) and which language you want your video translated into. The "text only" option will create bilingual subtitles on the spot, and the "voice and text" option will dub over your existing audio with a translated audio track in an instant. 

Generate royalty-free AI music 

The right background music can take your video up a notch, and Filmora’s AI Music Generator is up to the task. It’s easy, just choose the music theme that best matches your video’s vibe — like happy, sad, or epic — and the AI will generate fully editable tracks for you to pick from in seconds. Filmmakers and pro content creators take note: The new Filmora 13.2 lets you use your AI-generated musical masterpieces for commercial purposes, meaning no more pulling your hair out trying to find the perfect royalty-free track. 

Elevate your video’s vibe with pro color grading

Just like your background music, your video’s color palette is key to capturing the overall mood and engaging your audience. This is where color grading, the process of adjusting your video’s color, comes into play. Color grading used to be a tricky process for even the pros to master, but the AI Histogram of Curve tool in Filmora 13.2 acts as a quantifiable visual guide as you make color enhancements, helping to steer your adjustments toward the vibe you want.

Get it done faster with an AI assistant 

The Filmora dashboard is pretty easy to navigate, but if you ever feel overwhelmed during the editing process, fret not because the AI Copilot Editing tool has your back. In short, it leverages advanced algorithms to analyze your video’s content and style, and it dishes out custom suggestions for edits, transitions, and effects. Basically, it’s like having your own expert editing assistant, and it can help you achieve pro results, fast. 

Whether you want to scale up your social media presence or are a filmmaker looking for a global audience, Wondershare’s new Filmora 13.2 will improve your videos with pro AI tools and help boost your productivity.

Since its inception in 2014, dating app Bumble's schtick was that women users "make the first move" — meaning, only women users can message male matches first, and within 24 hours of matching at that. Over the years, however, the concept has somewhat eroded.

It was always slippery for LGBTQ users, for example. Women can obviously message other women first, while men messaging other men would have to message first, too. Then in 2022, Bumble added more gender options which raised the question: Can nonbinary people message first, or only women? It turned out that Bumble allowed nonbinary users to message first.

Now, two years later, Bumble's new CEO Lidiane Jones told Fortune that she's reconsidering women making the first move on the app. Jones took over as CEO from Bumble's founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, who stepped down at the start of the year.

SEE ALSO: Best gay dating apps for hookups, relationships, and everything in between

Women messaging matches first has "obviously been our signature," Jones told Fortune, "but it feels like a burden for a subset of our customers today."

Apparently, this reconsideration began under Wolfe Herd, and Bumble is now testing different options for a relaunch later this year. One option, according to Fortune, is giving women pre-written messages; AI-generated icebreakers are already on Bumble for Friends, the platonic version of Bumble. Another option is allowing men to message first.

If Bumble scraps "women making the first move," it'll be a stark change for the decade-old app — but some users may see it as a relief.

Mashable has reached out to Bumble for comment.

Helldivers 2 just got another balancing update — and it's made the galactic-wide fight for democracy even easier.

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Arrowhead Studio's smash hit has a vast array of weapons meant to take on the Termanids and the Automatons. However, as many in the community will note, when it comes to enemies with armor, the arsenal becomes pretty ineffective. Until this recent update, the current meta for tackling larger enemies like the Charger or the Bile Titan involved a combo of the Breaker shotgun and the Railgun.

SEE ALSO: 'Helldivers 2' on Xbox? What we know so far

Now though, after minor nerfs to the aforementioned Breaker/Railgun combo, the Expendable Anti Tank 17, or EAT-IT, will finally get its time in the shine. Along with the Recoilless Rifle, the two weapons have now become the two strongest anti-tank options in the game. As it should be of course — these special weapons are meant to take on heavy enemies.

As pointed out by a user on Reddit, with an accurately placed shot, the EAT-17 can kill the notoriously heavy armored Charger in just two hits. As demonstrated by this YouTuber, it only takes 2-4 headshots to kill the Bile Titan. Conversely, with the Railgun, it'd take 10-20 shots in unsafe mode.

This isn't because the two anti-weapons have been buffed, but more so, the developers have nerfed the Charger. Per the developer's notes, "It should now be at a point where a well placed shot from a Recoilless Rifle or EAT-17 instantly kills a charger."

Among other editions to the new Helldivers 2 update, heavy enemy spawn rates have been decreased. In the past few weeks, there were many posts in the Helldivers subreddit about the incessant amount of heavy enemies that would spawn in higher difficulties.

There has been no change to the difficulty of the game, but as the developer intends, this update is meant to make Helldivers 2 manageable on higher difficulties for "well-equipped" teams.

Apple has improved Apple Maps frequently over the years. Considering how widely criticized the app was when it first launched, Apple has been successful in rehabilitating its web mapping and direction app for iOS. It may now even be some iPhone users' map app of choice.

However, Google Maps still reigns supreme in the category. Others prefer Waze, another navigation app from Google.

Unfortunately, for those iPhone users that never quite warmed up to Apple Maps, there hasn't been a way to change iOS' default Apple Maps app to an alternative — until now.

Changing the default navigation app in iOS 18?

Apple is finally going to let some iOS users change their default maps app from Apple Maps to one they might prefer such as Google Maps or Waze.

The news comes from a report that Apple released last week, which detailed how the company is preparing to comply with the EU's new Big Tech regulations known as the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Apple makes mention of changes to the maps app default in a sentence first noticed by AndroidCentral.

"Apple also plans to introduce a new default control for users in Settings for navigation apps," reads the document. Apple says its working towards making this available by March 2025.

It's unclear whether Apple will roll out this feature to change the default maps app to all users. However, it's certainly going to be made available to EU users, as new laws require it.

Mashable previously reported on Apple's DMA compliance report, detailing some of the major upcoming changes to iOS and iPhone as a result of the DMA. However, we somehow overlooked this one-liner from Apple. And it's a fairly significant development.

Apple's timeframe for launching this feature appears to line up with it being released within a future update for iOS 18. The company will likely launch the beta version of the latest iOS in June for developers, followed by a public release in September.

iOS 17.4 was released earlier this month, so it seems plausible that EU users can look forward to changing their default maps app by iOS 18.4 next year.

Featured Video For You 3 tips for using Google Maps more effectively

Fascination with the British royal family is nothing new. Globally, the country's monarchy has sat somewhere between cultural and political obsession, representing the face of Britain and its imperialism, as much as it also fits the mould of twenty-first century, celebrity-centric tabloid news.

There is no better example than the current PR catastrophe revolving around Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, a certain Photoshopped picture, and a hypothesized "disappearance" all over people's feeds.

On Sunday, as the UK celebrated Mother's Day, Kensington Palace — the official royal residence and branded social media accounts — unveiled a new portrait of Kate with her three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. The photo, credited as taken by her husband, Prince William, and posted on both Instagram and Twitter/X, was captioned, "Thank you for your kind wishes and continued support over the last two months. Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day."

Not just a family portrait, this was the first publicly-released photograph of Kate since she underwent scheduled abdominal surgery in January, with her last public appearance being Christmas Day over two months ago.

Tweet may have been deleted

Questions began to swirl almost immediately, first from social media users who have already spent months wildly speculating about Kate's absence from the public eye — but then, from media agencies declaring the picture showed signs of "manipulation". Since, the Princess has posted on X apologising for the photo causing "confusion" and the original photo post by @KensingtonPalace on X is now accompanied by a Community Note reading: "This photo is believed to be digitally altered and as a result many major news outlets have pulled the image from their reports."

This Community Note now sits under @KensingtonPalace's X post. Credit: Screenshot: Mashable / X Why did media agencies pull the picture of Kate Middleton and her kids?

Five major media agencies pulled the photo of the Princess and her children on Sunday: the Associated Press (AP), PA, Getty Images, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse (AFP). All five agencies released a "kill notice" via emails and on their imaging websites, which essentially means they alerted clients to remove the photograph immediately from all platforms and to stop distributing it entirely.

SEE ALSO: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry launch rebranded site

In its alert, the AP wrote, "At closer inspection, it appears that the source has manipulated the image. Clients please be advised that the following story has been killed and should no longer be used." The AFP, similarly, cited an "editorial issue" and requested clients to no longer use the image "in any manner."

Tweet may have been deleted

The more specific reasons for pulling the photograph are in the details. For one, the Photoshop job, confirmed by the Princess on X as having been done by herself, is messy: the area around Princess Charlotte's sleeve showed signs of manipulation (and was visibly blurry); both Kate and Charlotte's hair looked unnatural and vaguely chopped off; and other details like the younger Prince's hands look equally doctored.

News agencies have strict guidelines around manipulated images, including the AP who emphasize in its statement of values and principles: "The content of a photograph must not be altered in Photoshop or by any other means. No element should be digitally added to or subtracted from any photograph."

Several outlets, including the BBC and The New York Times, have since removed the photograph from their original coverage of the image.

How did the Palace respond?

A flurry of conjecture followed the image's release, along with subsequent debunking. But on Monday morning, the Princess herself released a statement on Twitter/X, apologising for the "confusion" around the photo and admitting to playing around with editing software: "Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused," reads the statement, signed by C (for Catherine, Kate's full name).

Tweet may have been deleted

The Palace faced pressure in the last 24 hours to acknowledge the doctored image and explain what's really going on. At the time of writing, no other members of the royal family have commented, including the official @RoyalFamily account. The fact that the image was in fact edited raised questions about Kate's health and circumstances, though many were in line with the tabloid-esque rumours that have circulated since the Princess' surgery. But what was meant to quell such rumours actually sent them spinning further, and it's no surprise that a statement was warranted.

What does it all mean?

It seems now that Kate Middleton's family photo was no more than an error in editing judgement, according to the Palace at least. But if the internet has anything to do with it, the story will go on. Royal reporters, too, have had a lot to say even before the ill-advised photograph was released.

The UK media has a uniquely unhealthy relationship with the royals, and rumours circulated in the papers have been addressed by Kensington Palace itself, in broad terms. In late February, spokespersons for the Palace responded to this conjecture to several outlets, dismissing the "wild conspiracy theories": "We were very clear from the outset that the Princess of Wales was out until after Easter and Kensington Palace would only be providing updates when something was significant."

However, as reporter and former Buzzfeed News Royal correspondent Ellie Hall has pointed out, the Palace directly acknowledging these conspiracies is rare in itself. It seems this entirely situation is unprecedented, and people will only have more questions coming — at least until after Easter, when the Princess is set to resume her royal duties.

#KateGate is trending

Needless to say, the saga isn't over and public scrutiny is at an all-time high. Since, Middleton has been pictured leaving Windsor Castle with Prince William, in a photograph where her face was barely visible, staring out a car window. #KateGate and "Kate Middleton" have been trending on X, where reactions vary from further conspiracy theories to concern about the Princess' whereabouts. People have questioned the latest photo itself: there are memes (many of them), queries about the red brick wall behind the car (apparently it looks suspicious), and some discourse around Photoshop. What hasn't been given – and really, never has been for Royals – is privacy.

SAVE $88.37: The AeroGarden Harvest Elite Slim indoor garden system is just $117.58 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $205.95. That's a 43% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Aerogarden AeroGarden Harvest Elite Slim $117.58 at Amazon
$205.95 Save $88.37 Get Deal

For some of us, one of life's greatest joys is gardening and growing our own vegetables. However, maintaining a thriving garden outside comes with some challenges, from unpredictable weather to pesky pests. Remove some of those obstacles thanks to today's deal on an indoor garden system and grow your own fresh herbs.

As of March 12, the AeroGarden Harvest Elite Slim indoor garden system is just $117.58 at Amazon, down from the typical price of $205.95. That's a savings of $88.37.

SEE ALSO: Tidy up your home with this week's best spring cleaning deals, including a Dyson vacuum that's $100 off

The AeroGarden has room for six plants to thrive under an LED grow light with an automatic on/off timer designed to replicate natural sunlight. The upper portion of the garden that houses the lamp is adjustable to accommodate growth up to 12 inches.

In addition to the AeroGarden itself, you'll get a seed pod starter kit that includes seeds to grow basil, parsley, dill, thyme, and mint. It also comes with a three-ounce bottle of liquid plant food to help your first plants thrive in the hydroponic system.

If you love gardening but often forget to water or lose your plants to pests, the indoor AeroGarden could be a perfect solution. Thanks to today's deal, you could grow your own vegetables and herbs at a big discount.

SAVE $300: As of March 12, the 15-inch MacBook Air (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) is on sale for $999. That's a discount of 27%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy 15-inch MacBook Air (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $999.00 at Best Buy
$1,299.00 Save $300.00 Get Deal

The 15-inch M2 MacBook Air may have been discontinued after the announcement of the new M3 MacBook Air models, but that doesn't mean you can't still buy one. You won't find it available at the Apple Store, but you will find it if you head over to Best Buy — and for its lowest price yet. We tracked the older model just last week when it fell to $1,099 at Best Buy and B&H Photo, and now it's available for even less. It's your time to nab one.

As of March 12, you can get the 15-inch MacBook Air (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for just $999 at Best Buy. That's $300 off its normal price of $1,299 and a discount of 27%. It's also the lowest we've seen the laptop go for following its discontinuation.

SEE ALSO: The best laptop deals for March 2024: Apple's new M3 MacBook Air is already on sale

This 15-inch MacBook Air is a great option if you're not looking to upgrade to the latest version just yet. Its larger screen makes your screentime a more luxurious experience, whether you're whipping up a spreadsheet or streaming your shows. With 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, this is the configuration that should work for most users, especially since it's already boasting more RAM than most entry-level MacBook Air models.

Its gorgeous Liquid Retina display, comfortable and sizable keyboard, and new budget-friendly price make this MacBook one to pick up, even if the newest models are enticing. It's as lightweight as ever, and, of course, nice to look at as well. If you're looking to go ahead and lock in a new MacBook purchase, this is one to snap up before the stock sells out.

Most of us would agree we've made a purchase thanks to something we saw on TikTok or Instagram, from influencer-content to the slew of advertisements we see daily. Meta, parent company to Facebook and Instagram, is helping brands and retailers push our collective consumption further, with a bunch of new, AI-powered updates.

SEE ALSO: Want to buy that viral TikTok Shop product? Think twice.

Some of these new tools come to Meta's Advantage Suite, built for businesses to improve their ads. Now brands can "optimize" their videos, creating multiple variations of an ad so they're more personalized to each user. There's also an option to deliver product recommendations to a person based on their timeline, using branded videos or customer demonstration videos.

An example of an advertisement made with Advantage+ catalog campaigns. Credit: Meta.

AI-based tools, which are increasingly being implemented by retail giants, are another addition: advertisers can now include external links to new products and sales in their Reminder ads, which have been around since 2023 and allow advertisers to send notifications around "upcoming moments." Alongside this, brands can highlight promotions and help people apply valid promo codes through Facebook and Instagram ads.

Finally, advertisers will be supported via Meta's AI to show people specific products at the centers of their catalog ads, using a tool called Advantage+ catalog campaigns.

Basically, shopping is being increasingly prioritized by social platforms — a decision that definitely supports advertisers but may also be tiring for consumers. Meta found that 79 percent of Gen-Z users on Instagram have purchased a product after viewing a Reel. For better or worse, social media is coming for more of your time, and of your money.

SAVE 46%: A certified refurbished Dyson Pure Cool DP04 purifying fan is just $189.99 at Dyson, marked down from the usual price of $349.99. That's a savings of $160.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Refurbished Dyson Pure Cool DP04 purifying fan $189.99 at Dyson
$349.99 Save $160.00 Get Deal

Daffodils, tulips, cherry blossoms, and lilacs are about to take center stage as spring season approaches. As beautiful as spring blossoms appear, their arrival means many of us enter allergy season. Whether the neighbor is cutting their grass or the cedar trees nearby are bothersome, allergy season can spell some serious pain and discomfort for many. If you're seeking cleaner air, today's deal on a refurbished Dyson purifying fan is here to provide some relief.

As of March 12, a certified refurbished Dyson Pure Cool DP04 purifying fan is just $189.99 at Dyson, down from the standard price of $349.99. That's a 46% discount or a savings of $160. Renewed products at Dyson are serviced by experts and hygienically cleaned. Any scuffs or scratches don't interfere with functionality, and it comes with a six month warranty.

For anyone allergic to pollen, spring time can be a conundrum of wanting to fling open the windows to feel warm air but not wanting to get inundated with allergens. The Dyson Pure Cool DP04 aims to clean indoor air thanks to an activated carbon filter combined with a HEPA filter. The carbon filter helps remove gases while the HEPA filter is designed to catch 99.97% of allergens and pollutants as small as 0.3 microns. This Dyson purifying fan will not only help with springtime allergies, it could be great if the area you live in an area that experiences summer wildfires and smoke.

In addition to filtering the air, the Dyson Pure Cool DP04 is also a fan that can oscillate between 45 degrees and 350 degrees for whole-room coolness. Measuring a bit over two feet tall, the purifying fan could fit nicely on a desktop or on your bedroom nightstand.

If you're dreading allergy season, keep your indoor air clean with a refurbished Dyson Pure Cool DP04 purifying fan.

SAVE UP TO $649.98: Through March 31, Verizon is running a promo that unlocks a free Nintendo Switch (a $299.99 value) plus your choice of a free Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go (a $349.99 value) or a $200 Target gift card when you switch to Verizon 5G Home Internet.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Nintendo Switch and Target gift card or Chromebook Free with Verizon 5G Home Internet Get Deal

Nintendo Switch deals are nearly as elusive as a reliable release date for the Nintendo Switch 2. But amid a $25 gift card with your Switch purchase at Best Buy or a $50 gift card with your Switch OLED purchase at Dell, Verizon's current promo gets you a Switch for free — under one condition. Through March 31, Verizon will throw in a Nintendo Switch when you switch to Verizon Home Internet.

That $299.99 savings is also stackable with other Home Internet freebies: Through April 10, you can also choose between a free Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Go (which retails for $349.99) or a free $200 Target gift card by switching your internet at home to Verizon.

SEE ALSO: Chromebook vs. laptop: What are the differences?

This could come to a total savings of $649.98 if you opt for the Chromebook or $499.99 savings if you opt for the gift card. Though the discount is indirect, it's major if you were already eyeing either of these devices (or, of course, eyeing $200 worth of stuff at Target).

Unlocking both free items requires a switch to the premium 5G Home Plus plan, which starts at $45 per month. Compared to the regular 5G tier, 5G Home Plus offers higher download speeds, ultra HD 4K video streaming rather than 1080p, and Verizon Cloud Unlimited, and comes with a router and whole-home WiFi rather than a single wireless router. If you're switching from another service provider mid-contract, Verizon will also help cover early termination fees up to $500 through a credit.

SAVE $270: The Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop is just $429.99 at Amazon, marked down from the standard price of $699.99. That's a 39% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop $429.99 at Amazon
$699.99 Save $270.00 Get Deal

Robot vacuums can save a ton of time and hassle when it comes to cleaning the floors. Having a trustworthy robot vacuum to magically get rid of pet hair can be an incredible addition to any animal lover's home. And if you're looking for a robovac that can sweep up the hair and mop the floors, completely relieving you of floor chores, this deal on a Shark vacuum could be perfect.

As of March 12, the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop is just $429.99 at Amazon, marked down from the normal price of $699.99. That's a savings of $270 or a 39% discount.

The convenience of a robot vacuum is hard to dispute. With advancements in mapping and cleaning capabilities, a robot vacuum can keep floors pristine with little human intervention. But the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 goes several steps further; it not only serves as a vacuum, but it mops your floors too. The robot uses Shark's Sonic Mopping to scrub tile, laminate, or wood floors 100 times per minute.

SEE ALSO: The best robot vacuum deals this week include every self-emptying mopping Roomba on sale

The vacuum function uses Shark's Matrix Clean, which sends the robot off to clean in a grid pattern rather than a single row, which can miss dirt or debris. Plus, this model of the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 has a self-emptying base that doesn't need any attention for up to 60 days. The base serves as both the charging station and the self-emptying storage area that you only have to empty once it's full, which is about every two months with everyday use.

Whether you already know the joy of a robot vacuum and want to upgrade to a mopping model or you're looking into your first floor-cleaning robot, the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 is a do-it-all floor solution. You can set it and forget it for up to two months at a great price.