Blogroll

NYT's The Mini crossword answers for March 3

Mashable - Sun, 03/03/2024 - 15:06

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for March 3 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for March 3

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Sunday, March 3, 2024:

AcrossHidden supply
  • The answer is Stash.

Self-driving taxi service seen around San Francisco
  • The answer is Waymo.

Words of clarification
  • The answer is I mean.

Romantic connection
  • The answer is Spark.

Injures
  • The answer is Harms.

Down"Nothing but net" sound
  • The answer is Swish.

Florida's third-most populous city, after Jacksonville and Miami
  • The answer is Tampa.

Annually
  • The answer is A year.

Quality of someone who's a little too smooth
  • The answer is Smarm.

Jam din?
  • The answer is Honks.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Improve your financial literacy for $29.99

Mashable - Sun, 03/03/2024 - 11:00

TL;DR: Through March 3, get help from the pros in the Essential Money Management Bundle and study investments, side hustles, budgeting, and more for just $29.99. 

Managing your money is a tough job, and sometimes it takes another tough job just to get enough money to manage. Whether you're looking for a side hustle that won't take up too much time or want to improve your budgeting skills, it could help to get some insight from a real professional. 

This 10-course $29.99 bundle covers the basics of money management, investing, budgeting, financial tracking, and more. Invest in your financial education and you might be laughing all the way to the bank later.

Learn to manage your money 

Mastering your money isn't a simple task, but this course bundle breaks it down into a few workable areas. If you want to learn to save, you can study financial tracking and budget-making to be more mindful of the money you have before it's gone. 

Want to make more money? Check out courses on investment planning. The stock market may be intimidating, but Skill Success instructors break it down so you can make your first investments with a little more confidence. 

There are 26 hours of material in this bundle, and it's all yours for life. Study fast and make changes or revisit whenever your budget changes. 

A low-budget budget education course

Managing your money isn't just one skill. It's learning whether you need to get a new income stream, spend less, or find new ways for your money to make money. 

Start your education with a few simple courses on the basics with the Essential Money Management Bundle on sale for $29.99. 

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Skill Success The Essential 2024 Money Management Bundle $29.99 at the Mashable Shop
$400.00 Save $370.01 Get Deal
Categories: IT General, Technology

This $46 Python learning bundle helps you build websites and apps

Mashable - Sun, 03/03/2024 - 11:00

TL;DR: Through March 3, save 76% on this 14-course Python online learning bundle that shows you how to build websites, apps, and more. That comes out to under $4 per course.

What if we told you that you likely already have everything you need to create your own websites, chatbots, and games? Well, almost everything — beyond your computer, hands, and free software like Python, you just need this online learning bundle on how to make it all happen. You can get lifetime access to 14 courses for $45.99 (reg. $196).

Learn the basics and get hands-on experience

There are actually a few courses designed for total beginners, like Learn to Code With Python 3, Python Boot Camp In a Day, and The Easiest Python for Beginners Course. Choose one or take them all to learn how to write code, understand the full process, and test your projects.

Once you feel confident with the basics, you can move on to building real-world projects with step-by-step guidance. You might create card games, web scraping tools, a medical diagnosis bot, or a text-based escape room.

If you want to develop even more advanced skills, these courses also cover libraries and frameworks you can use with Python:

  • Django: Build web applications, such as a blog website.

  • Tkinter: Create graphical user interfaces (GUIs) like a calculator app.

  • TensorFlow: Use machine learning models to create tools like an image recognition system.

  • NumPy: Construct projects using data analysis and calculations, such as a weather prediction model.

  • Bokeh: Craft interactive dashboards for web browsers, like a stock market chart with real-time data.

Expert-led instruction from organizations and individuals 

Another powerful asset of this learning bundle is the variety of instructors. With organizations like Oak Academy and individual experts like Ardit Sulce, you’ll gain multiple perspectives, techniques, and strategies.

Turn your imagination into reality with this 14-course online learning bundle on Python, now $45.99 (reg. $196).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Joseph Delgadillo The Premium Python Programming Mega Certification Bundle $45.99 at the Mashable Shop
$196.00 Save $150.01 Get Deal
Categories: IT General, Technology

This refurbished classic MacBook Pro is only $246

Mashable - Sun, 03/03/2024 - 11:00

TL;DR: Through March 3, save 29% on this refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Pro with an Intel Core i5, 500GB HDD, and macOS Catalina. 

Even though Apple announces a new MacBook about once a year, newer devices aren’t always better. If you take metrics like versatility into consideration, classic MacBooks with now-discounted features might better suit your needs. Plus, when buying an older refurbished model, you could save hundreds. In fact, this refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Pro is currently only $245.99 (reg. $349).

An oldie but a goodie: The 2012 MacBook Pro 

The reason this MacBook Pro is $1,000+ less than shelf models is that it’s a 2012 model year. If your first thought is that it’s too old, hear us out. For one, the 2012 MacBook Pro is equipped with a CD/DVD reader, USB 3 ports, and an SD card slot you simply won’t find on new laptops these days. Say goodbye to adapters.

Two, it runs on macOS Catalina. This operating system is overall simpler than later versions, which is excellent for standard users or those who are new to Mac. Catalina also has classic Apple app icons with strong nostalgia.

And three, its specs actually hold up quite well today. An Intel Core i5 processor and 4GB of RAM with turbo boost up to 3.1GHz are probably powerful enough for everyday use and multitasking. It even has a 500GB HDD hard drive for installing tons of applications and storing files locally. You can also enjoy a 7-hour battery life and a 720p FaceTime camera, the same used on the 2022 MacBook Pro.

Save $1,000+ with refurbished vs. shelf models

Since Apple discontinued this MacBook Pro years ago, this laptop is a refurbished model. If you’re new to the term, it basically means the device is used but went under a stringent refurbishment process including full testing, inspection, and cleaning. This MacBook Pro in particular was given a grade “B” rating to demonstrate light to normal signs of wear, so we recommend getting a case to conceal any minor flaws.

Grab the new Apple of your eye with this 13.3-inch MacBook Pro refurbished model for $245.99 (reg. $349).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro 13.3" Intel Core i5 (2012) 4GB 500GB HDD - Silver (Refurbished) $245.99 at the Mashable Shop
$349.00 Save $103.01 Get Deal
Categories: IT General, Technology

This $400 refurbished near-mint iMac has more ports than newer models

Mashable - Sun, 03/03/2024 - 11:00

TL;DR: Through March 3, save 33% on this like-new refurbished iMac from 2015 with a 21.5-inch Retina display, 1TB hard drive, and macOS Monterey.

Nobody really talks about the ‘owning one Apple device, then wanting them all’ pipeline. In the same way tons of iPhone users eventually buy iPads, MacBook users often want to upgrade to an iMac. If that’s you, but you’re on the fence because of another four-figure price tag, you might want to check out this refurbished model.

This late 2015 iMac in near-mint condition with a 21.5-inch display and 1TB hard drive is only $399.97 (reg. $599). That’s almost $1,000 less than brand-new models from Apple.

This classic iMac has timeless Apple features

However, it’s not really fair to compare a 2015 model to those made today — the former actually has features you won’t find on brand-new iMacs, like ports for USB-A, Gigabit Ethernet, and an SD card. But, just like getting a shelf model, this one comes with a keyboard and mouse.

Let’s get into what else this iMac has: a 21.5-inch Retina display with IPS technology, an Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz, 8GB of memory, a 1TB HDD hard drive, and an HD FaceTime camera.

As for macOS, this iMac will not upgrade beyond Monterey. However, this version has the latest Apple icons and you can expect one more update from Apple in November of 2024.

You might even be able to use your new-to-you iMac as a second monitor for your MacBook. Imagine how productive you’d be with two Apple computers, and how aesthetically pleasing your setup could look.

Save nearly $1,000 when compared to brand-new iMacs

This refurbished iMac received a grade “A” quality rating, showcasing its near-mint condition with minimal to zero amounts of scuffing or scratching. What you’re really getting is a classic, like-new iMac for a fraction of the cost of brand-new models.

Snatch your late 2015 iMac in near-mint condition for $399.97 (reg. $599) while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iMac 21.5-inch A1418 (Late 2015) | 2.8GHz | 8GB RAM | 1TB HDD (Refurbished Grade A) $399.97 at the Mashable Shop
$599.00 Save $199.03 Get Deal
Categories: IT General, Technology

Charge 4 devices at once with this $55 power station

Mashable - Sun, 03/03/2024 - 11:00

TL;DR: The 5-in-1 MagSafe Wireless and Wired Charging Station can power iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods wirelessly while leaving room for one more wired device — and it's on sale for $54.99. 

Whether it's on your desk at work or your nightstand at home, charging all your devices in one place might mean a whole mess of cables. Even if your devices are compatible with wireless chargers, if you need more than one place to power up, that's not cutting down on cables. It's just changing how many things you have to plug into them. A simpler option would be to get a single charging station that powers multiple devices, like the 5-in-1 MagSafe Wireless and Wired Charging Station. This powerhouse power station can refill the batteries on four devices at the same time, and it's only $54.99. That's the best price online too, but it might not last forever. 

Power your Apple Watch, iPhone, AirPods, and more

This power hub streamlines your charging by replacing multiple chargers and cables on your desk or nightstand. This convenient power station has three wireless charging spots and a USB-A port, so you can power up a wide variety of devices. Plus, this charger is compatible with both MagSafe and Qi devices, so Android, iPhone, and other mobile devices can all power up at the same place. 

Whether it's on your desk or by your bed, the gentle nightlight function might also add a warm touch to your space. Add a little life to your aesthetic with the same device you use to declutter. 

Charge four devices at once

Maybe you don't need to keep trying to untangle that mess of cables. Ditch the tumbleweed and get a charging station for four different devices. 

Get the best price online for the 5-in-1 MagSafe Wireless and Wired Charging Station when you get it for only $54.99. 

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

Opens in a new window Credit: WonderCube 5-in-1 MagSafe Wireless & Wired Charging Station $54.99 at the Mashable Shop
$79.99 Save $25.00 Get Deal
Categories: IT General, Technology

The coming solar eclipse is rare. How often does it happen?

Mashable - Sun, 03/03/2024 - 11:00

You may have heard that a really cool total solar eclipse is happening soon — and that you shouldn't miss it, because they're rare.

But just how rare?

A total solar eclipse — when the moon passes in between the sun and Earth and completely blocks the sun for a few minutes or so — is on average visible somewhere on our planet every 18 months. But over 70 percent of our planet's surface is ocean, so being in an accessible viewing place (on land) is much rarer. And rarer yet is living in a place where this event is happening — meaning you don't need to travel hundreds of miles or perhaps even to another continent to see it.

"It's rare for it to come to you."

"It's rare for it to come to you," Richard Fienberg, an astronomer and senior advisor at the American Astronomical Society, told Mashable.

SEE ALSO: You should buy eclipse glasses right NOW. Here's how to find legit ones. How often does a total solar eclipse happen?

When the moon completely blocks out the sun, it casts a shadow on Earth. As this shadow moves, it creates a "path of totality," which is a relatively narrow band that sweeps across the surface. Anyone standing inside this path will see a total solar eclipse (weather and clouds permitting). On April 8, 2024, this eclipse band will be 115 miles wide.

Crucially, it's rare for any specific location on Earth to experience a total solar eclipse.

"On the average, about 375 years elapse between the appearance of two total eclipses from the same place. But the interval can sometimes be much longer!" NASA explains.

(There are other types of solar eclipses that happen, like a partial or an annular eclipse, but these are nothing like a total solar eclipse, wherein the sun's ghostly corona is revealed. "Seeing a partial eclipse bears the same relation to seeing a total eclipse as kissing a man does to marrying him," the author Annie Dillard wrote in her essay "Total Eclipse," a poignant tale about experiencing totality in Washington state.)

The path of the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. Credit: NASA Science Visualization Studio A total solar eclipse seen from the International Space Station. Credit: CNES

For this reason, avid eclipse viewers (sometimes called "eclipse chasers") chase total eclipse shadows wherever they may fall, which is often at sea. Total solar eclipses happen somewhere around every year or two.

"That's why most of the eclipses I have seen have been on cruise ships," Fienberg, whose journey to see the imminent eclipse on April 8, 2024, will be his 15th experience.

So if there's one on land, and in an accessible place, it's an exciting opportunity. It's almost certainly the only chance millions will have to experience totality from home. For example, after the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 — which crosses a long northeastern path across the U.S. — the lower 48 states won't experience another such eclipse for over 20 years, until Aug. 23, 2044. And that event will sweep just across a small portion of the U.S. before crossing north through Canada and into the Arctic. (But another one will sweep across a wide expanse of the nation in 2045.)

"It's not just something you see. It's something that you feel."

Experiencing totality, when you can see the sun's corona, the world darkens, and animals begin to act strange, is a poignant experience. That's why Fienberg certainly encourages anyone living in the path or near it to see it. And from personal experience, if you have the opportunity, it's also worth even traveling longer distances for the unique space spectacle. Make it a trip.

"It's not just something you see. It's something that you feel," Fienberg said.

This story has been updated with more information about the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This CompTIA and IT exam training bundle is on sale for under £40

Mashable - Sun, 03/03/2024 - 06:00

TL;DR: The Complete CompTIA and IT Exam Training Bundle is on sale for £39.57, saving you 98% on list price.

If you are in the IT game (in any capacity), you need to stay informed of the latest developments in the field, as well as prepare for any certifications or training you may need or want to complete to advance your career. This online learning bundle is a comprehensive IT resource designed to keep you ahead of the curve. With lifetime access to a wealth of training materials, this bundle equips you with the skills and knowledge needed to conquer CompTIA and other IT certification exams

It includes five platforms in one learning bundle. This includes CompTIA, Cisco, AWS, Microsoft, Google, and Linux certification path training. Get an in-depth, comprehensive online education to help you pass the exams you need to elevate your career. You'll get five courses totaling 180 hours of premium learning content — and lifetime access is just £39.57 for a limited time.

The CramWise course is taught by Exams Digest and gives you 40 hours of content and more than 25 simulated exams to practice for the real ones. This course will help you understand all the components of computer security, master AWS databases, and more.

Other courses include Dojo Lab, which shows you how to assess risk in a Linux environment. You'll also go over all the hardware you should know about, including motherboards, CPUs, RAM, and more.

Get ready to take your exams with the help of this expert-led instruction. You'll also learn to apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations with hands-on labs and real-world scenarios and develop the skills necessary to thrive in natural IT environments. 

Get productive in the new year. Get lifetime access to this CompTIA and IT exam training bundle on sale for £39.57.

Opens in a new window Credit: Exams Digest The Complete CompTIA and IT Exam Training Bundle £39.57 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal
Categories: IT General, Technology

Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for March 3

Mashable - Sun, 03/03/2024 - 04:00

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 3'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:

A nation or territory.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter T appears twice.

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. 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 #988 is...

STATE.

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.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for March 3

Mashable - Sun, 03/03/2024 - 03:00

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 3'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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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

Tweet may have been deleted

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

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

  • Yellow: Large quantities of something

  • Green: Choke

  • Blue: Attention seeker

  • Purple: Types of bellies

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: Large Amount

  • Green: Fall in Under Pressure

  • Blue: Ways to Get Attention

  • Purple: Belly___

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 #266 is...

What is the answer to Connections today
  • Large Amount: MASS, SEA, SLEW, TON

  • Fall in Under Pressure: BUCKLE, CAVE, COLLAPSE, GIVE

  • Ways to Get Attention: SHOUT, SNAP, WAVE, WHISTLE

  • Belly___: BUTTON, DANCE, FLOP, LAUGH

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.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Homebrew - The Missing Package Manager

TweakWin7 - Sun, 03/03/2024 - 01:00
Software packages on Linux or Unix are typically distributed and installed from repositories using a special utility called a package manager. This utility simplifies the installation of a package and makes sure all the dependencies of the software are also met and installed. In addition, the package manager makes it easy to install updates or remove the software package. While macOS is a descendant...

The people love 'Dune: Part Two'

Mashable - Sat, 03/02/2024 - 20:30

Anticipation for Dune: Part Two ran high here at Mashable, where my fellow staff members spent significant time traipsing around New York City in search of the film's NSFW popcorn bucket. Now we know much of North America is obsessed with the film too, to the tune of $32 million. That's how much the film earned on its opening day domestically, with Deadline estimating it could earn as much as $170 million across 71 additional international markets over the weekend.

Tweet may have been deleted

Folks who have already seen the film are heading to X (formerly Twitter) to share their first impressions of the sequel, which are coming in as hot as the sun on the sands of Arrakis.

SEE ALSO: 'Dune: Part Two' stars Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya discuss their physical transformations and learning the Fremen language Leaving the theatre... gimme a sec Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Time to update my Letterboxd. Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

Still thinking about Stilgar Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

Yeah, that was ✨ cinema ✨ Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted
Categories: IT General, Technology

Regulators approve more self-driving Waymo taxis in LA and San Francisco

Mashable - Sat, 03/02/2024 - 17:18

Waymo's robotaxis has been approved for expansion by the California Public Utilities Commission. The driverless taxis already operate in parts of Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area. Now they'll be allowed to drive further outside the city centers into neighboring counties, including the heart of Silicon Valley.

SEE ALSO: TikTokker shares her creepy ‘driverless Uber’ experience. Here’s how it works step-by-step.

Driverless cars have become a contentious issue in San Francisco, where officials report that they interfere with public safety and labor advocates say they will put taxi drivers out of work. In October 2023, competitor Cruise was suspended by California's Department of Motor Vehicles after a September 2023 report from the San Francisco Fire Department that claimed two Cruise robotaxis had blocked an ambulance that was carrying a patient who later died. After the incident, Cruise halted all driverless projects across the 15 US cities and remains inoperative today.

Waymo, an Alphabet subsidiary, is one of the more prominent robotaxi services still in operation. Just this week, Apple announced it was abandoning its attempts to develop driverless car technology. Tesla is reportedly attempting to develop its own electric driverless taxi system but has yet to present prototypes to the public.

In a report from November, local CNBC reporter Deirdre Bosa likened being driven by one of Cruise's driverless taxis to being "driven by a student driver," and described several close calls and multiple instances of being honked at during a 20-minute ride. Her Waymo ride was, by comparison, "unremarkable."

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT's The Mini crossword answers for March 2

Mashable - Sat, 03/02/2024 - 15:34

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for March 2 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for March 2

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Saturday, March 2, 2024:

AcrossAlgebra, calculus, etc.
  • The answer is Math.

College reunion attendees
  • The answer is Alumni.

Broadway's "The Book of ____"
  • The answer is Mormon.

Author Patchett
  • The answer is Ann.

Nickname for a longtime Supreme Court justice
  • The answer is RBG.

Heat on low
  • The answer is Simmer.

Drug such as morphine or codeine
  • The answer is Opiate.

Feature of a leopard or lobster
  • The answer is Claw.

DownWord belted out by Freddie Mercury in the first verse of "Bohemian Rhapsody"
  • The answer is Mama.

Pete ___, All-Star slugger for the New York Mets
  • The answer is Alonso.

Rounded root vegetable
  • The answer is Turnip.

"Let me think ..."
  • The answer is Hmm.

Standard
  • The answer is Normal.

Still being tested, as an app
  • The answer is In Beta.

Got bigger
  • The answer is Grew.

Piece of podcasting equipment
  • The answer is Mic.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix online for free

Mashable - Sat, 03/02/2024 - 13:04

TL;DR: Watch the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix for free on ORF, ServusTV, RTBF, or RTL ZWEE. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

A lot of F1 fans are expecting another season of Max Verstappen dominance, which would be a shame for everyone except Christian Horner, Max Verstappen, and everyone who supports Red Bull. What most people desperately want is a more competitive season.

Will we get that this year? Will we see Mercedes close the gap to Red Bull? Will we see McLaren's talented young drivers become stars? Will Ferrari stop making horrible mistakes every weekend? There's only one way to find out, and it starts in Bahrain.

If you're interested in watching the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix, we've got all the information you need.

When is the Bahrain Grand Prix?

The 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix takes place over 57 laps of the 5,412-kilometre Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. The full schedule can be found here:

  • Practice 1 — 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. GMT on Feb. 29

  • Practice 2 — 3 to 4 p.m. GMT on Feb. 29

  • Practice 3 — 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. GMT on March 1

  • Qualifying — 4 to 5 p.m. GMT on March 1

  • Race — 3 p.m. GMT on March 2

Sky Sports is broadcasting live coverage of every race weekend this season, with race highlights available on Channel 4 after the race on March 2. But there's an alternative, and it's free.

How to watch the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix for free

It is possible to stream F1 for free in 2024. The following platforms are offering free coverage of this season:

These free streaming platforms are geo-restricted, meaning you'll be blocked if you attempt to connect from outside the country of origin. Fortunately, you can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, meaning you can access these streaming services from anywhere in the world.

Unblock these free streaming services by following these simple steps:

  1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Austria, Belgium, or Luxembourg

  4. Connect to ORF, ServusTV, RTBF, or RTL ZWEE

  5. Watch the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix for free

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) £82.82 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, so how is this method any better value than subscribing to Sky Sports? Importantly, the best VPNs for streaming tend to offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can watch Formula 1 live streams for free. This is not a long-term solution, but it does mean you can stream the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for F1?

There are a number of streaming-friendly VPNs out there, but ExpressVPN remains the best service for streaming sport:

  • Servers in 94 countries including Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg

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

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is protected

  • Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

  • Up to five simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £82.82 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Watch the 2024 Bahrain Grand Prix for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Broken moon lander beams back a final poignant photo — of Earth

Mashable - Sat, 03/02/2024 - 12:00

A spacecraft on the moon is lying on its side. It snapped a leg while landing. And now it's lost power.

But before the freezing, two-week lunar night swept over Intuitive Machines' Odysseus moon lander, the robotic craft beamed back one final transmission from space. It shows the cratered grey surface spreading to the lunar horizon. And if you look closely, near top-left you can spot a crescent of shadowed Earth in the distance.

"Before its power was depleted, Odysseus completed a fitting farewell transmission," Houston-based Intuitive Machines posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Feb. 29.

SEE ALSO: Why landing a spaceship on the moon is still so challenging

"Received today, this image from February 22nd showcases the crescent Earth in the backdrop, a subtle reminder of humanity’s presence in the universe," the company, which became the first to land a commercial mission on the moon, added. "Goodnight, Odie. We hope to hear from you again."

Tweet may have been deleted

Indeed, Odysseus may awake from its slumber in mid-March when solar rays hit the lander's solar panels. Japan's space agency, JAXA, has a lander (SLIM, which landed upside-down in January) that recently awoke from a similar lunar night. But plummeting temperatures, dropping to some minus 250 degrees Fahrenheit, can damage essential components.

While Odysseus' landing wasn't perfect, NASA, which provided $118 million for the mission, hailed the challenging Feb. 22 touchdown as a success. Even in a compromised state, the lander beamed back scientific data from all of NASA's equipment, which included research into space weather and interactions between the spacecraft's plume and the moon's chalky surface.

"We hope to hear from you again."

The mission is part of the space agency's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program, which picks companies to deliver NASA missions to the moon. This frees the agency, already burdened with an ambitious timeline to return astronauts to the moon under the Artemis program, from having to completely plan and fund missions leading up to human landings. Such a crewed mission won't happen before 2026.

The completed Intuitive Machines lander before launching to the moon. Credit: Intuitive Machines

"This landing marked the United States’ first lunar landing since Apollo 17, as well as the first landing as part of our Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative, which aims to expand the lunar economy to support future crewed Artemis missions," NASA said in a statement.

Odysseus landed near the lunar south pole, a coveted region for future exploration, and potentially moon bases. The south pole's permanently-shadowed craters are believed to preserve bounties of water ice, an invaluable resource for extended lunar missions — and for journeys to worlds beyond.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Scientists zoom in on distant solar system. It's teeming with water.

Mashable - Sat, 03/02/2024 - 11:30

Astronomers are excited about this one.

Using a sprawling astronomical array in the lofty Chilean desert — the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) — scientists found huge volumes of water around a young, developing solar system (technically still in its "protoplanetary disk" phase). The star, HL Tauri, is located 450 light-years away in space. Yet in the disk around HL Tauri, the powerful observatory was able to spot at least three times the amount of water contained in Earth's oceans.

"It is truly remarkable that we can not only detect but also capture detailed images and spatially resolve water vapour at a distance of 450 light-years from us," Leonardo Testi, an astronomer at the University of Bologna who worked on the observation, said in a statement.

SEE ALSO: NASA found a super-Earth. It's in a tantalizing place.

But that's not all.

In the inner disk of material churning around the young star is a visible gap — an indication of where a planet could be forming. That's where the water is.

"I had never imagined that we could capture an image of oceans of water vapour in the same region where a planet is likely forming," Stefano Facchini, an astronomer at the University of Milan who led the research, explained. The research was recently published in the science journal Nature Astronomy.

"I had never imagined that we could capture an image of oceans of water vapour in the same region where a planet is likely forming."

In the image below, the blue-colored regions show where the water molecules exist. The red-colored areas are rings of dust orbiting the star (HL Tauri) that resembles our sun (when it was much younger).

The ALMA telescope array, located at 16,597 feet (5,058 meters) in the profoundly dry Atacama, is an array of 66 telescopes that work in unison to effectively create a sprawling radio telescope. Radio waves, which are a type of energy or light naturally produced by objects all over the cosmos (like visible light or X-rays), are captured by ALMA's large antennae.

Water in the inner disk around the developing star HL Tauri. Credit: ALMA (ESO / NAOJ / NRAO) / S. Facchini et al. The dust-filled region of space, in the constellation Taurus, where the developing star HL Tauri is located. Credit: ESO / Digitized Sky Survey 2

Over the coming millions of years, a likely forming planet may incorporate this water as the molecules freeze onto dust particles, which can amass into the bigger objects that form planets.

It's much too early to say if a water world may one day exist around the star HL Tauri. But astronomers have found evidence of ocean-covered planets in the cosmos. And it's possible that watery worlds and moons, like Enceladus and Europa in our solar system, are common objects in our Milky Way galaxy.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Explore 'X-Files' creator Chris Carter's mind with this curious art exhibit

Mashable - Sat, 03/02/2024 - 11:00

With The X-Files, Chris Carter became a living legend of science fiction. Not only did he give television audiences the ultimate odd couple in pragmatic Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and spooky believer Fox Mulder (David Duchovny), but week after week the show creator unleashed a new and scary paranormal mystery for audiences to obsess over. The show ran for 11 seasons, won 16 Emmys, spawned two feature films, made global celebrities of its stars, and spurred a generation to want to believe. And with a reboot in the works through Ryan Coogler, there's fresh reason to revisit the classic series. 

But there's much more to the now 67-year-old Chris Carter than simply being the fascinating mind behind The X-Files, and fans can get a glimpse into his depths with his new art show, "The Chris Carter Collection." Now running at Legacy Media West in Los Angeles, the exhibition not only includes memorabilia from his X-Files days, but also an ode to Hello Kitty, some personal mementos, and a curious set of hate plates. 

Mashable spoke with Carter about his collection, beginning with a large banner that you can't miss as you enter. It reads "My Crowning Achievement" in gold letters over a backdrop made up of prints of Hello Kitty. 

Why would the creator of one of the most iconic sci-fi shows include Sanrio's iconic cat in his show? As Chris Carter himself told us as we toured the exhibit, "It's up for interpretation." 

SEE ALSO: Watching 'True Detective: Night Country'? Chase it with this 'X-Files' episode.

Perhaps it shouldn't come as a shock that Carter's creative mind would incorporate into his own show a plethora of art — including photos, paintings, murals, and even surfboards — that will have you standing, staring, and questioning every intricate detail of not only the art itself, but also the person behind it. 

The collection as a whole doesn't solely transport you back to The X-Files universe, Carter warned. While there is memorabilia and UFO imagery, it's not predominantly X-Files-centric. 

But don't you worry, X-philes, Carter's show has enough sci-fi goodies to keep you satisfied. We wager Mulder and Scully would be pleased. 

The X-Files memorabilia doesn't disappoint. Credit: Legacy Media West

As you walk through the exhibit, you’ll see a director's chair from the set of the show, first-edition magazine covers featuring Duchovny and Anderson, and a real deep-cut: a how-to guide on taking care of William the Rabbit, a bunny plushie named after Mulder and Scully's son that fans transported around the world before presenting him as a gift to Carter as a thank you for the show's 10th season. As Carter said, "He’s been literally touched by fans all over the world."  

But for even the most die-hard fans, there is one piece in the X-Files section of the exhibit that might have you scratching your head. It's a framed photo of former president Ronald Reagan. Carter explained the movie star-turned-commander-in-chief was a fan of the show, and had personally written Carter a note saying, "The truth is out there." 

Credit: Legacy Media West

In a career full of big moments, it's one of Carter's most treasured. For us as fans, how does it feel to know the 40th president had such love for extraterrestrials? What did he know?

The presidential influence on Carter's collection doesn’t end with Ronald Reagan. In another room, you'll be intrigued by a variety of dinner plates intended as a dubious tribute to a president of whom Carter is less fond. 

What’s up with dinner plates and Donald Trump? Credit: Legacy Media West

Carter was particularly passionate about his so-called "Hate Plates," six dinner plates he hand-painted with words describing former President Donald Trump. Or at least, we think they’re about Trump. 

When asked about the origin of the hate plates, Carter said each plate describes "he who shall not be named but is often referred to as 'Orange.'" The words on the plates — some of which include curse-laden insults — reflect labels Carter heard, read, or enjoyed over cocktail-hour conversations about the unnamed inspiration. 

"All the words you didn't see on the news about Orange, that weren’t allowed to be said on TV," Carter teased, "but that people felt about him, like 'fuck face,' and 'asshole' …. These are the words I heard used the most and decided needed to be on the plates."

But why dinner plates? Could this all be an indication of family dinners gone wrong? Just like most of the art here, "it's up for interpretation," said Carter. 

"Manic and Xanax" are muses. Credit: Legacy Media West

Central to the exhibit is a ceiling-tall collection of photographs named "Manic and Xanax," all of which were taken by Carter himself. Each picture contains the same tree located in the same desert plain, but each print has its own unique color scheme from purple to yellow to green and more. Each offers a different perspective of the tree — some up close, some far away — but all are of the same tree in the same desert. So, what’s with the name? And why all the different colors and depths? 

These pieces are representative of how you see when you take a Xanax, with the colors swirling around, altering perceptions, explained Carter.  

Everyone’s reaction to prescription drugs can be different, but, from the pop of the colors to the depth perception of each picture, if you look at "Manic and Xanax" long enough, it takes you to a relaxing meditative state where your mind is artistically sedated.

Carter welcomes a new generation of X-Files fans. Credit: Legacy Media West

Thirty years since the program first made its debut, Carter still is close with its stars. "I talk to David and Gillian often, David almost daily," he said.

Although Carter has since moved on from his X-Files writing and continues to craft more art, he said, "I miss the collective energy of a crew and a cast who are working to make something great."  

He has high hopes for the new cast and crew that are set to be a part of the newly announced X-Files reboot. Carter is not involved in the production, but he believes that Ryan Coogler, who is set to helm the new series, will satisfy not only fans of old but also attract a new generation of X-Files devotees. "I'll be watching and enjoying it from home," Carter said, "as a fan."

The Chris Carter Collection is on display at Legacy West Media until March 10. Visits are available on Saturday by appointment only.

Categories: IT General, Technology

With the arrival of K-pop stars, fans turn their attention to Fashion Week metrics

Mashable - Sat, 03/02/2024 - 11:00

The newest front-row fixture at Fashion Week? Fanwars.

As luxury brands learn to leverage the star power of K-pop idols, their social media accounts have become a battleground for fandoms looking for new ways to quantify their influence. During Paris Fashion Week, fans created multiple Instagram accounts to boost engagement on posts by their favorite idol. Their goal? To drive up the star's media value and increase their desirability in the eyes of luxury fashion houses.

SEE ALSO: A Eulogy for V Live, K-Pop's Library of Alexandria

If you spend any time online, you're likely familiar with the basic competitive tenants of stan culture. For years, the fandoms of Western artists — from Beyonce's Beyhive and Ariana Grande's Arianators to Taylor Swift's Swifties and Justin Bieber's Beliebers — gathered in digital spaces on Tumblr and Twitter (now X) to debate the superiority of their favorite pop star.

But the global rise of K-pop has propelled new forms of comparison. One of the easiest ways to quantify success was touting album sales and chart positions. Then fans began taking note of the YouTube view counts of music videos, like the 24-hour feats achieved by top K-pop acts like BTS and Blackpink. By the time music awards shows realized they could get in on the action and created new categories that pandered to K-pop groups and their fandoms in 2022 and 2023, fans were sharp enough to see through the conceit.

Tweet may have been deleted

By comparison, fashion partnerships feel fresh and authentic. The industry is a natural fit for K-pop, an art form which prioritizes aesthetic mystique above all else. 

The undoubted leaders in relationship building between K-pop bands and brands has been girl group Blackpink, who have aligned themselves with high fashion labels for years, to great effect. "No one loved Blackpink more in 2021 than the fashion industry," wrote Vogue that year. It's surprising, then, that the fashion industry has been so slow to embrace other K-pop artists.

In 2024, they finally seem to be finding the right rhythm. Instead of adopting entire groups as ambassadors, most brands prefer to pick off individual members that best align with their ethos, choosing to seat one member at a runway show instead of half a dozen. There are exceptions, of course. The seven-member group Enhypen, for example, attended Prada's Milan Fashion Week show in fall 2023 and now serve as official ambassadors for the brand.

Tweet may have been deleted

And as fashion has turned its focus to K-pop, fans have turned their focus to fashion.

When YouTube records were en vogue, fans stayed up into the night replaying a music video to increase its view count. Now they're making similar efforts during Fashion Week, creating multiple Instagram accounts to boost the engagement on posts about their favorite idol. They are also teaching others to do the same by publishing step-by-step guides. One such post for Blackpink fans instructed them to comment on, like, and share member Jisoo's Instagram posts when Dior is mentioned, with a goal of achieving between 2 and 5 million likes per post and 100,000 shares.

Tweet may have been deleted

The goal for fans is to increase an idol's Media Value Impact (MIV) and Earned Media Value (EMV), two metrics tracked and reported by the influencer industry. The metrics help show fashion houses how important it is to invite certain idols, and, perhaps more importantly to fans, they serve as cold, hard proof that their star has star power.

Online, fans have been reporting these metrics with pride. A photo of Stray Kids member Hyunjin with actress Anne Hathaway garnered more than 114,000 like on X. Reports shared by fans appeared to show that he had achieved the top MIV ranking at Milan Fashion Week (Feb. 20 through Feb. 26). Other Korean stars held slots two through four. Hathaway was number five.

SEE ALSO: A guide to K-pop fan apps
Categories: IT General, Technology

Jaw-dropping Webb photo reveals how the universe turned its lights on

Mashable - Sat, 03/02/2024 - 11:00

The universe was once stuck in the Dark Ages.

It was time when, even after the first stars formed, thick gases suffocated their light. Space was dark.

Now, astronomers have used the powerful James Webb Space Telescope — an observatory orbiting 1 million miles from Earth — to reveal what may have ended the dark times and created the clear, observable universe we see today. They pointed the Webb telescope at a region of the cosmos called Pandora's Cluster, a group of galaxies so massive that they warp space, like a bowling ball sitting on a mattress. This creates a curved cosmic lens, magnifying the objects beyond. "Light follows that bend instead of traveling in a straight line, distorting and brightening what’s behind the object," NASA explains.

Using the combined power of this natural lens and the giant Webb telescope, scientists observed some of the faintest, and oldest, galaxies in space. Crucially, they saw these small galaxies (viewed as they were billions of years ago, as this light has taken that long to reach us) were generating huge amounts of ultraviolet light — enough to break down the dense clouds of gas that had saturated space. Ultimately, brilliant starlight was no longer hidden; the light was finally revealed, about 1 billion years after the universe began.

"These cosmic powerhouses collectively emit more than enough energy to get the job done," Hakim Atek, an astronomer at the Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris who led the research, said in a European Space Agency statement. "Despite their tiny size, these low-mass galaxies are prolific producers of energetic radiation, and their abundance during this period is so substantial that their collective influence can transform the entire state of the universe."

SEE ALSO: Webb telescope makes unexpected find in outskirts of our solar system

The research was recently published in the journal Nature. (The end of Dark Ages occurred at a time scientists formally call the era of "reionization." That's because this ultraviolet light, produced by giant stars inside galaxies, changed or "ionized" the thick fog of primordial atoms in the universe.)

"These cosmic powerhouses collectively emit more than enough energy to get the job done."

The Webb image below reveals how astronomers were able to peer so deep into the early cosmos. Here's what you're seeing:

- Pandora's Cluster: This group of massive galaxies are composed of the hazy white objects in the foreground. They create the natural magnification, called a "gravitational lens."

- The red objects: These are the galaxies well beyond Pandora's Cluster. "These lensed sources appear red in the image, and often as elongated arcs distorted by the gravitational lens," the European Space Agency explains. "Many of these are galaxies from the early universe, with their contents magnified and stretched out for astronomers to study."

- A vivid six-pointed object: This conspicuous object is a much closer star in the foreground. Its light has been diffracted by Webb's six-sided mirrors.

Pandora's Cluster producing a lens, called a "gravitational lens," in front of distant galaxies. Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / I. Labbe (Swinburne University of Technology) / R. Bezanson (University of Pittsburgh) / A. Pagan (STScI) Tweet may have been deleted

Once the Webb telescope viewed such distant, faint galaxies through the cosmic lens, astronomers used an instrument called the Near-InfraRed Spectrograph, or NIRSpec, which separates the light coming from these far-off objects, similar to a prism. This allowed them to measure the ultraviolet radiation emanating from these early galaxies.

It was a whopping four times more radiation than previously thought; enough to end the Dark Ages.

The Webb telescope's powerful abilities

The Webb telescope — a scientific collaboration between NASA, the ESA, and the Canadian Space Agency — is designed to peer into the deepest cosmos and reveal new insights about the early universe. But it's also peering at intriguing planets in our galaxy, along with the planets and moons in our solar system.

Here's how Webb is achieving unparalleled feats, and likely will for decades:

- Giant mirror: Webb's mirror, which captures light, is over 21 feet across. That's over two-and-a-half times larger than the Hubble Space Telescope's mirror. Capturing more light allows Webb to see more distant, ancient objects. As described above, the telescope is peering at stars and galaxies that formed over 13 billion years ago, just a few hundred million years after the Big Bang.

"We're going to see the very first stars and galaxies that ever formed," Jean Creighton, an astronomer and the director of the Manfred Olson Planetarium at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, told Mashable in 2021.

- Infrared view: Unlike Hubble, which largely views light that's visible to us, Webb is primarily an infrared telescope, meaning it views light in the infrared spectrum. This allows us to see far more of the universe. Infrared has longer wavelengths than visible light, so the light waves more efficiently slip through cosmic clouds; the light doesn't as often collide with and get scattered by these densely packed particles. Ultimately, Webb's infrared eyesight can penetrate places Hubble can't.

"It lifts the veil," said Creighton.

- Peering into distant exoplanets: The Webb telescope carries specialized equipment called spectrographs that will revolutionize our understanding of these far-off worlds. The instruments can decipher what molecules (such as water, carbon dioxide, and methane) exist in the atmospheres of distant exoplanets — be they gas giants or smaller rocky worlds. Webb will look at exoplanets in the Milky Way galaxy. Who knows what we'll find?

"We might learn things we never thought about," Mercedes López-Morales, an exoplanet researcher and astrophysicist at the Center for Astrophysics-Harvard & Smithsonian, told Mashable in 2021.

Already, astronomers have successfully found intriguing chemical reactions on a planet 700 light-years away, and as described above, the observatory has started looking at one of the most anticipated places in the cosmos: the rocky, Earth-sized planets of the TRAPPIST solar system.

Engineers working on the Webb telescope's mirrors in 2017. Credit: NASA / Desiree Stover
Categories: IT General, Technology
Syndicate content

eXTReMe Tracker