IT General

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is simple if you understand basketball.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

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

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

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

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

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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.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Prize

• Green: Roman grappling

• Blue: Baseball team in Cali

• Purple: Blue things

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

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

• Yellow: Award

• Green: Wrestling Terms

• Blue: Nicknames for the Dodgers Franchise, Over Time

• Purple: Blue____

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #396 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Award - CUP, MEDAL, PLAQUE, TROPHY

• Wrestling Terms- ESCAPE, FALL, SINGLET, TAKEDOWN

• Nicknames for the Dodgers Franchise, Over Time - BRIDGEGROOMS, DODGERS, ROBINS, SUPERBAS

• Blue____ - DEVILS, JACKETS, JAYS, LINE

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

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

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

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

Encrypted emails are the oldest trick in the book. These scams can often appear as messages from close relationships, deal opportunities, lottery winnings, or lost inheritance. They may even look like a simple social media notification (with a secret phishing scam buried just beneath the surface). While you might think you can easily spot and avoid potential threats from snatching your information, these emails can slip past even the most observant of people.

For as many phishing scams as you avoid, more are sent back into its place. Falling for one of these “urgent” emails allows scammers to access your personal information for their own nefarious purposes. Though fear not, there’s an easy solution to this common problem. Let us show you how to spot these fake emails and save yourself from being their next victim.

The fake email scam

Fake emails vary in terms of realism. Each made to sound personal or professional depending on the target, these emails might use business and government logos or typography in order to sell the ruse. Fake emails may even pretend to be your closest friends and family in order to trick you.

Though you can try to find amateur details to uncover their true nature, here are several types of fake email scams you should be on the look out for first:

• Impersonisation: Impersonation scams will pretend to be businesses, government or charitable organisations, celebrities, or friends and family, to lure you in. Then through links or downloadable attachments, scammers can install malware onto your device. They may even try intimidation or emotional manipulation tactics to convince you to log into your personal accounts or send through money.

• Unexpected Money: Probably, the most well-known email scam. Unexpected money scams will try to convince you of winnings, rebates, or inheritance, you could access at the push of a button. Then to take hold of your winnings or inheritance, scammers will try to convince you to pay administration fees or taxes through your bank details.

• Victim of Identity Crime: These email scams will try and persuade you that you’ve been a victim of a previous crime. Scammers prey on your fear of identity theft to convince you that they can help recover any lost money or compensation, if you simply send them your personal details.

How to spot a fake email

Some emails may be very convincing, yet there are still a few details that will give them away. From changes in tone of voice to strange fee requests, not every scammer has the means to keep their bases covered. So If any suspicious emails make their way into your inbox, here are some common signs to look out for:

• Requests personal details: No legitimate organisation will ask you for payment over email or phone call. If you’ve been sent an email asking for your BSB and account number or a payment link to input them, you’re more than likely about to fall for a scam. Avoid theft attempts by refusing to hand over your personal bank details.

• Unusual links or attachments: A scammers favourite way to install viscous malware, clicking any links or attachments on suspicious emails will endanger your devices. Forego any requests from emails that you do not fully trust. Though if you happen to click before you realise, do not enter in any personal details.

• Free webmail address: Most businesses and government organisations will not have free email addresses (such as @outlook.com or @gmail.com). So if you stumble across an email from a business or government organisation asking you to input your details, check the email address before you do anything.

• Threats of violence or retaliation: Often, scammers may resort to threats or retaliation tactics to scare victims into submission. You will notice a shift in tone as they may try to intimidate you with threats of violence, deportation, or potential arrest. Though these emails may make their nefarious purposes crystal-clear, if you’re still unsure, you can reach out to the real organisation via phone to confirm.

Try Bitdefender protection

While you can do everything in your power to avoid scammers, you may need an extra layer of defense to block phishing attempts from your inbox. Bitdefender has an array of security products and services that’ll keep you fully protected:

• Bitdefender Total Security: Generous protection against viral threats, Bitdefender Total Security includes cross-platform protection for multiple devices. With additional Scam Prevention and Detection software, your money, credentials, identity, and digital assets will be kept fully safe.

• Bitdefender Premium Security: Featuring unlimited VPN and comprehensive email breach checks, Bitfender Premium Security takes malware protection to the next level. And with Scam Copilot and Email Protection built-in, these AI-powered anti-scam features will make sure your devices are fully safe.

• Bitdefender Ultimate Security: The best in all-encompassing protection software, Bitdefender Ultimate Security is a one-stop-shop for malware defense. You’ll be fully covered from potential threats with password manager, unlimited VPN for private browsing, Scam Copilot software, and digital identity protection.

• Bitdefender Scamio: This free to use AI-powered scam detector has your back. Powered by Bitdefender, this easy-to-use 24/7 chatbot can check your messages, links, attachments, even QR codes, for any potential scams, within seconds. Any and all potential threats will be dealt with before you know it.

Keep your inbox safe

If you’re tired of the endless scam emails sent to your inbox, invest in a reliable solution to shield you from frustrating phishing attempts. Bitdefender has everything you need to keep your information and digital footprint free of online attacks. With online scammers blocked from your devices, you can finally breathe a sigh of relief knowing your information is completely safe.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Episcopal.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

PAPAL

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A mistake.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

GAFFE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A delegate.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 4 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

ENVOY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A demon.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for August 4 Hurdle Word 4 answer

BOGEY

Final Hurdle hint

Part of a circus.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

CLOWN

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

The moon is slowly making its comeback as we work towards November's full moon. We're on day three of the new lunar cycle, so keep reading to find out what this means.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Friday, Oct. 24, the moon phase is Waxing Crescent. There will be 8% of the moon lit up tonight, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

But sadly there's still too little lit up to see anything. Check back tomorrow.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Nov. 5.

What are moon phases?

According to NASA, moon phases, like Waxing Crescent, are caused by the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit. The cycle occurs when the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth change. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much of it is lit up by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle.

The eight main moon phases are:

New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Windows doesn't display your PC's serial number anywhere in its interface, and neither do popular system information tools. But you can often find a PC's serial number with a simple command, a peek in your BIOS, or on the hardware itself.

Fellow streaming entertainment enthusiasts, I must say, this is a weekend of thrilling releases. From true-life documentaries and anticipated horror-thriller movie premieres to new seasons of a Taylor Sheridan show and a Kristen Bell series, season premieres of a Stephen King-approved prequel, a Harlan Coben miniseries, and another installment in Anne Rice’s Immortal Universe, there’s plenty here to keep you occupied until the candy knockers arrive.

SAVE $1,200: As of Oct. 23, shop the Roborock Saros Z70 robot vacuum with mechanical arm for $1,399.99. That saves you $1,199.01 off of its $2,599 MSRP for 46% savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Saros Z70 Robot Vacuum and Mop $1,399.99 at Amazon
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Part of our job on the shopping team at Mashable is vetting the best tech, but also the gimmicky tech. That's the case of the Roborock Saros Z70, a robot vacuum that comes with a mechanical arm to move obstacles. We vetted the robot vacuum, and while we don't think it's worth its usual $2,599 price tag, we're more compelled by its current discounted price.

As of Oct. 23, the Roborock Saros Z70 is down to $1,399.99. That's nearly $1,200 off its usual price tag of $2,599 for 46% savings. Not to mention, it's the lowest price we've ever seen on the robot vacuum and mop.

So what's so special about the Roborock Saros Z70 robot vacuum and mop? Well, let's talk about the mechanical arm. The included grabby arm, as we affectionately call it, picks up objects, whether it be a stray sock or shoe, and moves them to their designated home. But how does this feature actually fair? It's just okay — and our reviewer actually recommends turning it off.

Otherwise, the device still has powerful suction and scrubbing action, making it a solid combo robot vacuum and mop. While we didn't think it was worth its $2,599 MSRP, it's more worthy of its discounted price of $1,399.99 at Amazon.

The newest exhibit at Las Vegas's Mob Museum may not contain flashy items like Bugsy Siegel's sunglasses or the bloody wall from the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, but it's still a riveting look at modern organized crime.

"Digital Underground," which opened this week, highlights the scourge of cybercrime. Spanning early hackers of the 1970s to today's sophisticated ransomware organizations that steal over $150 million every day, the exhibit allows the public to visualize faceless crimes. The highlight of "Digital Underground" is a live cyberthreat map displaying attacks happening in real-time. A large wall mural and panel describe how these criminal enterprises operate and continue to proliferate around the world, with corporations and government bodies facing about 1,900 cyberattacks a week.

SEE ALSO: DOGE's insecure Social Security database part of secretive cybersecurity nightmare, report claims

"Cybercrime has become one of the most pressing, pervasive and profitable threats of our time," Geoff Schumacher, The Mob Museum's Vice President of Exhibits and Programs, said in a statement. "'Digital Underworld' provides important historical context, compelling artifacts and a live look at how these crimes are carried out today, making it clear that organized crime is no longer limited to the streets, it thrives in the digital world."

In 2023, a huge cyberattack crippled MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment, both of which operate the largest casino resorts in Las Vegas. But before hackers locked people out of hotel rooms and demanded multi-million-dollar ransoms, they were involved in phone scams 40 years ago, as "Digital Underground" highlights.

An early hacking tool, courtesy of a cereal box. Credit: Courtesy Mob Museum

The exhibit also features a floppy disk containing an early computer virus, a Cap’n Crunch cereal toy whistle used to trick pay phones into providing free long-distance calls, and a book by Joseph Popp, creator of the first ransomware in 1989. Find more details on the exhibit website.

SAVE $33: As of Oct. 23, get the Anker MagGo Power Bank for $56.99, down from its usual price of $89.99 at Amazon. That's a discount of 37% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Anker MagGo Power Bank $56.99 at Amazon
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How many times do you find yourself out and about with a dead phone? It happens to the best of us. But it doesn't have to. Not when you can get a great power bank to keep your phone up and running as long as possible. You can bring home an Anker power bank for the lowest price we've seen right now at Amazon, and you'll never have to suffer that dead phone curse again.

As of Oct. 23, get the Anker MagGo Power Bank for $56.99, down from its usual price of $89.99 at Amazon. That's a discount of 37% and the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: The Anker Solix C300 has hit its lowest price in months — save $90 for a limited time

This ultra-fast charger doubles as both a stand and a charger. You can attach your phone via MagSafe magnet and it can stay upright while boosting your battery back to 100%. It uses Qi2-certified 15W charging to ensure you don't have to wait long to get back to 100%.

It's compatible with iPhone 14 through iPhone 17, and it has a folding stand so that you can use the battery pack itself as a kickstand for watching movies and TV shows, playing games, scrolling on social media, or just calling and texting. And with a massive 10,000mAh battery you'll be able to charge up a few times if needed. It also has a smart display on the side of the unit so you can see how much battery is left at any given time.

Stop dealing with dead phones when you don't have to and bring this charger home. You'll love having it around as a backup option.

For years, Meta has been just about the only serious contender in the realm of getting consumers to wear computers on their faces. Now, Samsung is trying to succeed where even Apple has failed.

The Korean tech giant launched the Galaxy XR headset this week, which is, in some senses, a competitor for the Meta Quest 3. However, Samsung's new XR headset and Meta's slightly older one are very different products, in plenty of ways. That's where we come in.

Here's how the Samsung Galaxy XR and Meta Quest 3 specs, price, and key features compare.

Samsung Galaxy XR vs. Meta Quest 3: Price

Perhaps the most stark difference between these two devices, both of which nominally offer similar XR experiences, is the price. Let's get right to it: The Galaxy XR costs $1,799. Meta Quest 3, on the other hand, starts at $499. That's a huge difference, so much so that you almost have to wonder if these two devices are really competitors. To be clear, they are, but Meta's headset is definitely going to be a more mainstream-friendly option due to how much cheaper it is.

Samsung Galaxy XR vs. Meta Quest 3: Specs The Samsung Galaxy XR on display at an event in New York City. Credit: Adam Doud / Mashable

The gap in price can be accounted for when you see the specs. Here are the Galaxy XR's basic specs:

• Two micro-OLED displays with 3552x3840 resolution per eye and up to 90Hz refresh rate

• Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 chipset

• 109-degree horizontal, 100-degree vertical field of view

• Eye tracking and iris recognition included

• 256GB storage

• 16GB RAM

• 545g weight

And here are the equivalent specs on Quest 3:

Playing with the Meta Quest 3. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

• Two LCD displays with 2064x2208 resolution per eye and up to 120Hz refresh rate

• Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 chipset

• 103.8 degree horizontal, 96.4 degree vertical field of view

• No eye tracking

• 512GB storage

• 8GB RAM

• 515g weight

It all starts with the displays. Galaxy XR's two displays are higher-end OLED panels with substantially higher resolutions than what you get on Quest 3. The refresh rate is lower, though the difference between 90Hz and 120Hz is not hugely noticeable for the average person. You also get a newer chip powering the Galaxy XR, as well as twice as much RAM, though how its performance differs from Quest 3 in practice remains to be seen.

Samsung's device also comes with eye tracking, which is pretty important for a headset. On the flipside, Quest 3 is a little bit lighter and actually comes with more onboard storage. Those are the only real advantages, though. It should also be noted that Galaxy XR runs on the Android XR operating system, while Quest 3 runs on Meta's proprietary OS. That means they won't necessarily support the same games and apps.

Oh, and the Galaxy XR also has six motion-tracking cameras, as opposed to four on the Quest 3. Again, we can't say for sure how much that matters in practical terms, but it is a difference worth noting.

Samsung Galaxy XR vs. Meta Quest 3: Controllers The Galaxy XR's left-handed controller. Credit: Samsung The Meta Quest 3's right-handed controller. Credit: Meta

Both of these devices support hand tracking, meaning you don't necessarily need controllers, but those help a lot when it comes to playing VR games and whatnot. The good news is that Meta Quest 3 comes with two controllers, featuring a standard lineup of buttons, motion tracking, and analog sticks, right in the box.

The bad news? Galaxy XR doesn't come with controllers. There are Galaxy XR-specific controllers available for sale, but they cost $249. It's not certain yet just how necessary these are for full enjoyment of the Galaxy XR, but just know that if you want the full experience, you're going to end up quadrupling the price of a Quest 3.

Samsung Galaxy XR vs. Meta Quest 3: Battery life

Samsung rates the Galaxy XR headset for up to 2 hours of general use and up to 2.5 hours of video playback. That's obviously not great, but it's pretty normal for an XR headset. Meta, meanwhile, rates the Quest 3 for 2.2 hours of usage, so there isn't really a big difference here. One would hope that the nearly $2,000 device would have a meaningfully better battery than the $500 one, but that doesn't seem to be the case here.

There will surely be more differences between these two devices that are worth highlighting once the Galaxy XR is in our hands, but for now, it seems like the Galaxy XR is much more tuned to enthusiasts and early adopters, while the Meta Quest 3 is for a more general audience.

Products featured in this guide: Samsung Galaxy XR Headset $1,799.99 Shop Now Meta Quest 3 Virtual Reality Headset (512GB) $499 Shop Now

SAVE $200: As of Oct. 23, the Roborock Q7 M5+ robot vacuum and mop is down to $229.99 with an on-page coupon, knocking $200 off its $429.99 MSRP.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Q7 M5+ Robot Vacuum and Mop $229.99 at Amazon
$429.99 Save $200 Available for $229.99 with on-page coupon. Get Deal

You can tidy surfaces and dust every corner of the house, but your floors show just how clean your house really is. Unlike a single counter or table, floors are everywhere and with so much space to cover, sometimes you just don't have time to clean. That's where a combo robot vacuum and mop comes in.

As of Oct. 23, the Roborock Q7 M5+ robot vacuum and mop is down to to $229.99. It's listed as $249.99, but there's a sneaky on-page coupon bringing it down to $229.99. That saves you $200 off for 46% off its $429.99 MSRP.

The Roborock Q7 M5+ robot vacuum and mop is a combo device that in addition to sucking up debris, wet scrubs floors. It's ideal for pet owners too. If you've ever had to detangle pet hair from your robot vacuum, the Roborock Q7 M5+ avoids tangled pet hair with a two part system using a JawScrapers main brush and 0% hair-tangling side brush.

Shop the Roborock Q7 M5+ robot vacuum and mop at Amazon for just $229.99 — just don't forget to clip the on-page coupon.

TL;DR: Elevate your binge-watching habits with Curiosity Stream, a documentary streaming service with a lifetime subscription on sale now for just $149.99 (reg. $399.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Curiosity Stream Curiosity Stream Standard Plan: Lifetime Subscription $149.99
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Tired of feeling guilty about your binge-watching habits? Imagine if you could learn new things while watching TV. That’s what Curiosity Stream delivers: a streaming service filled with educational and entertaining content like documentary films and series.

Right now, you can snag a lifetime subscription to Curiosity Stream’s Standard Plan for only $149.99 (reg. $399.99).

SEE ALSO: What's new to streaming this week? (Oct. 17, 2025)

Sit back, relax, and learn with Curiosity Stream. This unique streaming service serves up thousands of documentaries that educate while they entertain. Started by the mastermind behind Discovery Communications, John Hendricks, this streamer delivers top-quality content on topics like nature, art, history, science, and technology.

Dive into a fascinating show, like Planet of Treasures or Into the Jungle. Curiosity Stream has even won an Emmy Award for their original production, Stephen Hawking’s Favorite Places. And new content is added every week, so you’ll never run out of things to watch.

It’s easy to find the right content depending on your mood, thanks to the multiple search options. See something you want to watch later? You can bookmark content or save things to watch offline.

Learn for life with this lifetime subscription to Curiosity Stream’s Standard Plan, now only $149.99 (reg. $399.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

How to watch the World Series for free: Free trial Fox One Free 7-day trial, then $19.99/month Get Deal Free trial YouTube TV Free 5-day trial, then $72.99/month for your first month Get Deal Free trial Fubo Sports Free 5-day trial, then $45.99/month for your first month Get Deal

The stage is set. The defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers will face the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 World Series to see which team will take home the trophy. The Dodgers beat the Yankees in 2024 to take home their second title this decade (eighth overall), while the Blue Jays haven't seen a World Series since 1993. Whichever team you're rooting for, it's sure to be a dramatic week (or more) of games.

Lucky for baseball fans, watching the postseason is a whole lot easier than watching regular-season games. You can even watch for free with some strategic planning. We've rounded up the best ways to watch the World Series for free below. Let's play ball.

When is the 2025 World Series?

The 2025 World Series schedule is as follows:

• Game 1 — Friday, Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. ET in Toronto

• Game 2 — Saturday, Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. ET in Toronto

• Game 3 — Monday, Oct. 27 at 8 p.m. ET in Los Angeles

• Game 4 — Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 8 p.m. ET in Los Angeles

• Game 5 (if necessary) — Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. in Los Angeles

• Game 6 (if necessary) — Friday, Oct. 31 at 8 p.m. in Toronto

• Game 7 (if necessary) — Saturday, Nov. 1 at 8 p.m. in Toronto

What channel will the 2025 World Series be on?

Since the early 2000s, the World Series has been exclusively on Fox — and this year is no different. You can watch the games play out live on your local Fox network if you have cable.

Can I watch the World Series without cable?

You have a couple of different options to access Fox in 2025 without cable: a digital antenna, a Fox One subscription, or a cable replacement service. Each option has its pros and cons, of course, so we'll leave it up to you to decide what's best for your situation.

A digital antenna is a relatively cheap (generally between $25 and $40) way to gain access to your local TV stations, but you need to be within a certain radius of the stations themselves and free of obstructions in order to get a clear broadcast. Fox One subscriptions give you access to your local Fox station and so much more — it's a one-stop shop for the entirety of the Fox TV portfolio. It's a great choice for sports fans in general, but it might be overkill if you just want access to your local station.

Finally, a cable replacement service (like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV) gives you access to 100+ live TV channels, including Fox. If you want a long-term way to watch live broadcasts, these are pretty well-rounded options that still cost less than cable. But that doesn't mean they're cheap.

How to watch the World Series for free in 2025

Fortunately, there are a few ways you can watch the World Series (or at least part of it) without paying a cent. Two words: free trials. Not only does Fox One offer a free trial to new subscribers, but YouTube TV and Fubo do as well. If you've never subscribed to those services and you plan your trials accurately, you'll be able to watch the World Series for free — even if it goes to Game 7. If you don't qualify for any of the free trial options, we recommend either signing up for Fox One for one month at $19.99 or grabbing yourself a digital antenna.

Fox One: 7-day free trial Opens in a new window Credit: Fox One Fox One free 7-day trial, then $19.99/month Get Deal

Fox One, the new direct-to-consumer streaming service from Fox, gives subscribers access to the entire Fox TV portfolio. That includes your local Fox station live, as well as Fox News, Fox Sports, Fox Weather, FS1, FS2, Fox Business, Fox Deportes, Big Ten Network (B1G), Fox Network, and Fox Nation. Basically, if it's on Fox, it's on Fox One. A subscription costs $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year, but new subscribers can kick things off with a free trial that lasts an entire week. Depending on how many games the World Series goes into, you may be able to watch the entire thing with your trial.

YouTube TV: 5-day free trial Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV free 5-day trial, then $72.99/month for 3 months (save $30) Get Deal

YouTube TV is a comprehensive cable replacement service with over 100 live TV channels, unlimited DVR, and customizable add-ons. It's definitely overkill if you're just looking to watch your local Fox station for the World Series, but it holds a lot of value if you want to watch live TV long-term. You can test the waters for five days with a free trial if you're new to YouTube TV, which would give you the ability to watch at least part of the World Series for free. Just beware: if you forget to cancel, you'll be charged $72.99 (for the first three months).

Fubo: 5-day free trial Opens in a new window Credit: Fubo Fubo Sports free 5-day trial, then $45.99 for 1 month (save $10) Get Deal

Like YouTube TV, Fubo offers TV lovers a cable replacement with tons of live channels. It also offers a five-day free trial for new subscribers, giving you the ability to watch the World Series (or at least part of it) for free. Unlike YouTube TV, there are multiple tiers you can choose from. The Sports tier only offers 26 channels, including Fox, and will only run you $45.99 for your first month, should you forget to cancel.

Lawyers representing the parents of Adam Raine, a 16-year-old who died by suicide earlier this year during a time of heavy ChatGPT use, filed an amended complaint on Wednesday in their wrongful death suit against OpenAI.

The amended complaint alleges that, in the months prior to Raine's death, OpenAI twice downgraded suicide prevention safeguards in order to increase engagement. The claims are based on OpenAI's publicly available "model spec" documents, which detail the company's "approach to shaping desired model behavior."

As far back as 2022, OpenAI instructed ChatGPT to refuse discussions about self-harm.

SEE ALSO: Colleges are giving students ChatGPT. Is it safe?

According to the Raine family's counsel, OpenAI reversed that policy in May 2024, days before the launch of its controversial GPT-4o model. Instead, ChatGPT was instructed not to "change or quit the conversation" when a user discussed mental health or suicide. Still, OpenAI prohibited the model from encouraging or enabling self-harm.

By February 2025, the amended complaint alleges that the rule was watered down from a straight prohibition under its restricted content guidelines to a separate directive to "take care in risky situations" and "try to prevent imminent real-world harm." While the model continued to receive instructions not to encourage self-harm under that rubric, the Raine family believes these conflicting guidelines led to dangerous engagement by ChatGPT.

Raine died two months after those policies were implemented. The AI model validated his suicidal thinking and provided him explicit instructions on how he could die, according to the original lawsuit filed in August.

Before Raine's death, he was exchanging more than 650 messages per day with ChatGPT. While the chatbot occasionally shared the number for a crisis hotline, it didn't shut the conversations down and always continued to engage. It even proposed writing a suicide note for Raine, his parents claim.

The amended complaint against OpenAI now alleges that the company engaged in intentional misconduct instead of reckless indifference.

Mashable contacted OpenAI for comment about the amended complaint, but didn't receive a response prior to publication.

Earlier this year, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged that its 4o model was overly sycophantic. A spokesperson for the company told the New York Times it was "deeply saddened" by Raine's death, and that its safeguards may degrade in long interactions with the chatbot.

Though OpenAI has announced new safety measures aimed at preventing similar tragedies, many are not yet part of ChatGPT. Common Sense Media has rated ChatGPT as "high risk" for teens, specifically recommending that they not use it for mental health or emotional support.

Last week, Altman said on X that the company had made ChatGPT "pretty restrictive" to be "careful with mental health issues." He declared, with no additional detail, that the company had been "able to mitigate the serious mental health issues" and that it would soon relax its restrictions. In the same post, Altman announced that OpenAI would roll out "erotica for verified adults."

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OpenAI last published a model spec in September, with no significant changes to its mental health or suicide prevention directives, according to Eli Wade-Scott, partner at Edelson PC and a lawyer representing the Raines.

"It was a remarkable moment for Sam Altman to declare 'Mission Accomplished' on mental health while simultaneously saying that he intended to start allowing erotic content on ChatGPT — a change that plainly has the intended effect of further drawing users into dependent, emotional relationships with ChatGPT," Wade-Scott told Mashable.

If you're feeling suicidal or experiencing a mental health crisis, please talk to somebody. You can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. You can reach the Trans Lifeline by calling 877-565-8860 or the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. Text "START" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET, or email info@nami.org. If you don't like the phone, consider using the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Chat. Here is a list of international resources.

ntfy.sh lets you send notifications to your devices from your own scripts, home lab, or automation projects. It's free and does all the work of delivering notifications to multiple platforms. All you need to do is know how to call it.

I have just about every type of display device in my house other than a projector (for now!), but I've rarely used any of my TVs for computer monitor duty.

TP-Link is one of the best-known Wi-Fi router makers for a reason. It was one of the first companies to go all-in on Wi-Fi 7, and now, it's launching a new router as part of its gaming router range.

Do you even have good taste in music if you can't share it online?

If you're a Spotify user, of course, that's not really a concern: It's become a yearly tradition to share your music taste with Spotify Wrapped. As we inch toward the end of October, Wrapped should be coming soon. That means you'll be able to share your taste, top songs, favorite albums, and most beloved artists with all of your friends, whether they want to see it or not.

To be clear, the 2025 version of Wrapped hasn't been released yet, but the wait shouldn't be too long. Here's what we know.

When will Spotify Wrapped be released?

The short answer is: We don't know, exactly. The slightly longer answer is: We don't know, but we have an educated guess when it will be.

Last year, Wrapped dropped on Wednesday, Dec. 4. That was the first Wednesday after Thanksgiving. In 2023, it was released on Wednesday, Nov. 29. That was — you guessed it — the first Wednesday after Thanksgiving.

Should the pattern hold, that means 2025 Spotify Wrapped would be released on Wednesday, Dec. 3. That's not a guarantee, by any means, but you can likely expect Wrapped to drop around that time, at the very least.

SEE ALSO: Why artists are leaving Spotify — and how you can, too How to view Spotify Wrapped

It shouldn't be difficult to find your Wrapped on the day it releases.

You'll likely get a notification letting you know it's ready. The Spotify app, typically speaking, also places a banner or section within your homepage that is hard to miss. Should all that fail, you can also head to the Wrapped section on Spotify's website.

The internet will certainly love the day Wrapped drops, but for now, we're still left waiting.

Spotify Free and Premium users across the globe are constantly seeing changes to their app: from new and updated buttons to experimental features that aim to customize your listening experience on the music streaming platform.

Microsoft has just revealed a new expressive avatar for Copilot, and it's called Mico. This is a digital helper that finally replaces the spirit of the well-loved Clippy in a way we never saw Cortana take on. This new pet admittedly makes Copilot much more approachable, and it's hard not to like it.