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Almost every ESP32 device has Wi-Fi; it’s one of the things that makes the microcontroller so versatile. You can use this functionality to power a variety of wireless projects, from penetration testing to expanding the range of your home network.

Just in time for Mother's Day, Blair Underwood has written a new book, A Soldier's Wife: My Mother, the Marvelous Mrs. Marilyn A. Underwood, which pulls from his mother's writings and diaries to tell the story of her life. In addition to collaborating with Ylonda Gault on the book itself, he also teamed with his sister Marlo Underwood to perform the audiobook.

To celebrate the book's release and his mom, Underwood visited with Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko at the Say More studio in New York. Together they discussed Marilyn's life, her struggle with multiple sclerosis, her faith, and her deep love of fashion. Beyond that, Underwood shared how he found his mother's voice, and if he'd ever consider AI for such a job.

In their last conversation, Underwood had also spoken about how Sidney Poitier was a mentor to him as a young Black actor in Hollywood, and how Michael B. Jordan's Oscar speech for Sinners' tapped into Poitier's legacy.

For more of this interview and other Say More videos, be sure to check out Mashable's YouTube channel.

A Soldier's Wife: My Mother, the Marvelous Mrs. Marilyn A. Underwood is now available in bookstores and on Audible.

Do you find that devices keep dropping off your Zigbee network or are slow to respond? The problem may not be your Zigbee network at all; it may be your Wi-Fi network. Both Zigbee and 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi share the same frequency band, and they can get in each other’s way.

There isn't a ton of new stuff landing on Paramount+ this week/weekend, but that doesn't mean there isn't anything great to watch—especially if you want to binge something that you can finish in about a weekend. Paramount+ has a massive library of newer and classic shows for U.S. subscribers to choose from, if you're willing to scroll through and find. Luckily, we love doing just that.

Few genres thrive online quite like slow-burn romance. The anticipation, the yearning — it's the kind of storytelling that naturally fuels fandom spaces and fan fiction archives. And on WEBTOON, The Mafia Nanny understands that dynamic better than most. The hit webcomic has spent nearly 100 chapters carefully building tension between its leads, Davina and Gabriel, while cultivating an intensely invested fandom in the process.

As The Mafia Nanny enters its third season on May 11, writer Violet Matter is thinking about a lot more than just romance. What started as a slow-burn about a fiercely competent nanny protecting the son of a handsome mafia boss has grown into something much bigger. Following the long-awaited payoff of chapter 98 (yes, that kiss), season 3 finds Davina stepping fully onto the offensive as the story digs deeper into the Angelini family and the dangerous world surrounding them. And while fans can expect a whole lot of action and espionage this season, they can also expect more skinship and stolen glances, too.

SEE ALSO: 'Critical Role' fans, here's your first look at 'The Mighty Nein Origins' on WEBTOON

We talked to Matter about balancing romance with weekly serialized storytelling, how her fan-fiction roots continue to shape how she thinks about fandom and online community, and why the emotional heart of The Mafia Nanny always comes back to Mikey. Mashable has an exclusive first look at season 3's premiere chapter, "Episode 100."

It feels like season 3 marks a major turning point for the story. What feels most different about how you're approaching it now compared to earlier seasons?

Violet Matter: My understanding of the side characters has changed a lot. At first, they were more part of the fun-and-games aspect of the story. But over the first two seasons, they each developed their own goals and backstories.

So now, in season 3, it's been really interesting to think about the stakes for everyone, not just Davina and Gabriel, and what the implications are for how the rest of the story unfolds. Because you're right: This is a turning point. Davina is going on the offensive, and she's going to… upset some marbles, I guess.

A mysterious package arrives for Mikey in "Episode 100." Credit: Courtesy of WEBTOON I love Davina because even though The Mafia Nanny is a romance, she's also genuinely badass. With her going on the offensive this season, how do you see her place in this world evolving?

From the very start, Davina defined her own role. They had an idea of what they were getting when they hired her, but from day one, she stepped in and said, "This is how I'm going to do this job, and I won’t compromise on that."

So we're definitely bringing that energy to its natural conclusion. There are a lot of easy ways out that could've been taken that won't be. There's this deep sense in Davina that she needs to dot every "i" and tie up every loose end before this is all said and done.

She won't be satisfied with an ending where Mikey is just sort of safe or mostly safe. It's going to be all or nothing.

Protecting the charge is still the number one rule.

Yes, but she'll also have to reconcile how some of the other rules she's broken in order to preserve this rule, and how that plays out. She's been having her cake and eating it, too, for a while. I think we'll see some of those consequences as well.

Davina's past continues to haunt her in season 3. Credit: Courtesy of WEBTOON You mentioned how your understanding of the side characters has evolved as the story’s gone on. Are there any other things that feel really new or exciting to you as a storyteller this season?

We get to see a lot more of the Angelini family itself. We've spent a lot of time expanding the world, especially in season 2, but now we’re going to see a lot more of the Don, and we're going to learn more about his endgame.

We know some of the things he’s done in the past that brought us to this point in the story, but we don't know all of them yet. So there’s going to be a lot more insight into his actions, both in the past and in the present, as the season unfolds.

Are we finally going to find out the origin story behind his obsession with olives?

That started as a really minor joke in the script, just a little quirk to keep the bad guy interesting. And it's evolved into something that honestly deserves its own backstory. So yes, there has to be a dark reason for all of this.

After 98 chapters, Davina and Gabriel finally kissed at the end of season 2. Did crossing that line change the way you approach their relationship?

We've had to walk a tricky line in season three because there’s still so much plot left to unfold. It's tempting to make every episode just Davina and Gabriel finally getting all their skinship and quality time together. But I do have to give the other characters screen time.

Their dynamic is only going to get stronger, especially as Davina finally starts to let down some of the last walls between them.

The family that bakes together, stays together? A sweet moment in "Episode 100." Credit: Courtesy of WEBTOON I love the word "skinship."

It's important visually, especially in comics. In prose, you can have intimate moments that don’t rely on physicality, but in a visual medium, the physicality is right there on the screen. So even something really minor can feel like a huge moment.

You've said before that you didn't necessarily feel confident writing romance. How do you approach those scenes now?

It's still very difficult for me. I feel like I could write fantasy or humor all day long, but when I get to romance scenes, I stop and overthink everything. I have to outline even really simple interactions because it feels like there’s so much politics at play between two people. There are so many things you can get right and so many things you can get wrong.

Everyone’s experience of love is so specific and unique. What works in real life for my husband and me is such a narrow experience compared to the whole spectrum of love, so figuring out how to portray romance in a way that feels emotionally accessible to a broad audience can feel intimidating.

So I think all you can really do is focus on what these characters need emotionally and where those needs meet in the middle.

You also come from a fan fiction background. How did that experience shape the way you think about character and romance?

It definitely influences the way I approach romance because I sometimes hesitate to commit too hard to romantic content. There’s always a little voice in the back of my head going, "The fans will write that part."

The fan fiction writer in me is always thinking: "Create a cool world and let other people play in it."

Sometimes I worry that if I make something too canon, I’m cutting off avenues for fans to imagine other possibilities. But the reality is, if fans don’t like something, they’ll just remix it anyway, and that’s beautiful.

Exactly. They’ll just write a "fix it" fic. Do you feel like writing fan fiction made you better at writing serial storytelling?

Absolutely. It made me comfortable writing serially and just starting without being afraid. With my first project, Forever After, we really didn't have a solid plan. They basically let me run wild with the plot.

The Mafia Nanny was more structured because crime and action stories need tighter plotting. We approached it with a more deliberate system for weaving threads back together and making the pacing feel really tight. But at the end of the day, it's still serial storytelling. I almost never follow my outline.

How far ahead do you outline?

We have kind of a vague mountaintop in the distance that we think we’re heading toward, but usually, I only have the next chapter or two outlined. After that, the characters kind of do what they want.

I was so happy to see Mikey get such a beautiful emotional moment in chapter 100, especially with his mom. I think it's easy to forget sometimes that he's still just a little boy who lost his mother. So how do you approach writing grief through a child’s perspective?

It was really important to me from the beginning not to villainize Mikey’s mother. It would've been easy to make her cold or awful because that’s often the first thing stories reach for in this kind of setup. But I didn't want to make commentary about her character beyond the fact that she was Mikey's mom and he loved her.

From Mikey's point of view, she was a great mom. And losing her is devastating, regardless of who she was. When I write him processing grief, I think about my own toddler and the way children narrate situations to themselves. They often get details wrong or invent explanations that help them make emotional sense of something.

Mikey has a little bit of that happening. And for him, it really hasn't been that long. The whole story takes place in less than a year.

Mikey remembers his late mother Emmaline in "Epside 100." Credit: Courtesy of WEBTOON A tender scene between father and son in "Episode 100." Credit: Courtesy of WEBTOON How does Mikey's journey this season shape the decisions Davina and Gabriel make together?

One of the major themes this season is family. Hopefully, the story centers on the family these characters are building together, even with all the action and intrigue happening around them. Mikey is absolutely the heart of that family. He's symbolic in some ways because all of these characters are working toward a better future, and children naturally represent that. But he’s also incredibly specific in what he needs to feel safe and happy.

This season is really about the family staying together and realizing their potential.

Are there any other major themes this season besides family?

Probably compromise. A lot of the characters are going to have to make decisions that are less than perfect. I don't think the ending of this story is going to go completely one way or another. It'll probably end in an imperfect compromise.

The Don's influence looms large over season 3 in this first look at "Episode 101." Credit: Courtesy of WEBTOON The Mafia Nanny is built for vertical scroll, which is such a unique reading experience. How does writing for that format shape the way you build tension or emotional payoff?

The artists are much better at using the medium than I am. I try to leave space in the script for them to take advantage of the format because they constantly come up with visual ideas I never could. But it has been fun to experiment with things like pacing panels vertically and thinking about how tension evolves as you scroll.

There was a really cool moment in season 2 where the producers figured out how to embed a GIF effect into the comic. As you scrolled, the words moved while the image stayed still. I still don't know how they did it.

There are so many possibilities in this format that I don't think anyone has fully unlocked them yet.

You've said before that you read the comments, and Webtoon readers are obviously very engaged online. How do you navigate that feedback loop while still protecting the story you want to tell?

It's a delicate balance. I love reading the comments, but it can be tempting to engage too directly. Because I came from fan fiction spaces, I learned early on that fan communities are sacred. Even though the fan in me wants to participate, I think there needs to be some distance. I never want fans to feel like the writer is invading their space or pulling ideas directly from them in a way that feels murky.

So I mostly just read comments, enjoy them, and occasionally like particularly clever ones.

It's really cool that you've publicly embraced your fan fiction roots instead of distancing yourself from them.

I can't really walk away from them because fan fiction is literally why I have this job. A producer read my fic and reached out asking if I'd ever considered writing comics. I genuinely thought the message was spam.

Fan fiction is such a powerful way to find community and practice storytelling. It's not the writing I'm most proud of, but I'll always proudly claim it because I loved writing it. And honestly, fan fiction just gives me so much joy.

Davina is going on the offensive in season 3. Credit: Courtesy of WEBTOON I was trying to explain to a friend recently why I love fan fiction, and I realized there’s almost no logical explanation besides: why wouldn't you?

If you approach it as a form of creative transformation, then anyone can understand that. Why is SNL so popular? They're taking stuff in culture that's real, and they're giving it a new spin, a new lens. That's all of humor. That's a ton of fairy tales and fantasy, the things we come back to again and again.

The Mafia Nanny really works as a slow-burn romance. Did you ever feel pressure to speed things up?

There's definitely pressure from readers who want the kiss immediately, preferably in episode 1, and then every episode after that.

But honestly, I think that pressure is a good sign because it means readers are emotionally invested. Slow burn storytelling is difficult in a serial format because the biggest danger is that readers get bored week to week. You don't want it to feel like constant teasing without payoff. So if the characters aren't together yet, there has to be a believable emotional reason why.

Personally, I love the yearning.

Me too. Sometimes, if characters get together too quickly, the tension disappears.

What are you most excited for fans to see in season 3?

There are a lot of really fun things coming up. Season 3 leans more into an espionage vibe because there are now so many characters with conflicting motivations who are all lying to each other. I'm excited to see readers theorize about which characters are secretly aligned and which ones are working against each other. There's going to be a lot of intrigue.

I love seeing different characters take center stage at different points. It creates opportunities for so many subplots and emotional dynamics.

If you've ever found yourself rewriting the same Excel logic in different places, or building long formulas just to reuse parts of them, you're not alone. As spreadsheets grow, formulas tend to get more complex and harder to manage. Excel's LAMBDA function changes that by letting you define logic once and reuse it wherever you need it.

Netflix has some excellent new TV series arriving in the month of May, including a few that are already lighting up Rotten Tomatoes and the Top 10, like Man on Fire and Unchosen. But there's still plenty to come on the streaming service, including what's in store for U.S. subscribers this weekend.

"I did not come here to poke at your trauma," is not a thing I, Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko, expected to say to anyone, much less Scottish action star Gerard Butler. When we sat down to celebrate the release of Greenland 2: Migration with a game of "Slash or Pass," I'd prepped to talk about disaster movies, having no idea how many actual disaster scenarios Butler has faced off-screen.

"My life is a disaster," he laughed while playing the game. But you should watch for yourself to see Butler coolly explain all the stressful scenarios he's survived. Then you too will know that, when in danger, we should look for Gerard Butler.

In our round-up of disaster movies, we touched on Titanic, Airplane!, Geostorm, Twister, The Happening, and of course, Greenland and Greenland 2: Migration. The sequel sees Butler reprise the role of engineer/family man John Garrity, who successfully got his wife and son to safety as the world-threatening comet Clarke barreled to Earth. This time, he'll face natural disasters and man-made menace to get his loved ones to a new "green land," a place of peace, clean air, and the promise of a better tomorrow.

Greenland 2: Migration is now streaming on HBO Max.

In case this week hasn't stressed you out enough, Greenland 2: Migration has arrived to kick your cortisol levels into overdrive.

Incredibly, this sequel to Greenland imagines an even worse-case scenario to the first film's premise. Sure, the 2020 disaster movie featured a massive comet called Clarke that was barreling toward the Earth so fast and furious it was sure to destroy most of the world's population and life as we know it. But what if, five years later, the survivors have a new series of Herculean obstacles to face before they can find any kind of peace? 

SEE ALSO: 2026 movie preview: All the films you need to know about right now

Greenland 2: Migration throws earthquakes, tsunamis, and radiation storms with vicious lightning at the Garrity family — and that's all in the first 20 minutes. From there, the story takes them on a dangerous trek to find a "promised land" where they can live happily ever after. But beneath all this action and disaster, this sly sequel is about the challenge of being a good dad as Gerard Butler's family man, John Garrity, gives everything he has to save his family at every turn. 

Brace yourself, because Greenland 2: Migration will have you gasping and crying before those credits roll. 

Greenland 2: Migration imagines a brave new world of horror and hope.  Credit: Lionsgate

Set five years after Clarke first pitched the Garrity family into a frantic flight to a high-security bunker in Greenland, this sequel shows a world transformed by the comet's impact. The globe is pockmarked with impact craters and death. In voiceover, John (Butler) explains that at least 75% of the world's population has been wiped out. Those who survived struggle against radiation that makes it dangerous to be outside without a special mask.

In their bunker, the Garritys' new community shares resources and debates what the future can look like. Rations are running low and tremors shake the bunker, threatening to shatter it. But scientists theorize that the crater where the biggest chunk of Clarke hit could become a new cradle of life. It's said the air and water there is pure, the land rich and ready to be cultivated. Plus, the furious natural disasters that plague this bunker don't get past the new mountains formed by the crater's impact. 

Featured Video For You Gerard Butler reveals the real-life disasters he's survived with 'Slash or Pass'

Determined to give his 15-year-old son Nathan (Roman Griffin Davis) and his wife Allison (Morena Baccarin) the best life this world can offer, John asks them to pack up and trek from Greenland to this promised green land in the South of France. But getting there won't be easy. 

It's not just that nature is ruthlessly indifferent to the remnants of humanity. What resources and terrain that remains is being fought over. Marauders make the roads dangerous, while what's left of London is a scene of riots. As in Greenland, the Garrity family will see the best and worst of humanity, finding vicious foes and earnest friends. And through it all, John doggedly pushes his family forward. 

Greenland 2: Migration has a grimmer tone.  Credit: Lionsgate

The experience of watching Greenland was similar to a panic attack. One sequence after another made things harder for the Garritys, the plot playing out like the escalating worst-case scenarios that anxiety can trigger. And on top of that, the ticking clock of Clarke's impact made for chest-tightening tension. There was an incredibly prolonged sense of scramble to the first film, which separated John and Allison, forcing them to fight not only to survive but to find each other, all while keeping their young son — who has diabetes that requires insulin — safe.

In Greenland 2: Migration, there's less excitement and more sadness. The frenzy of being chased out of their spacious and pristine suburban home is swapped for a speedy fleeing of a crumbling bunker, where all they own can be shoved into a backpack or two. Inexplicably, the only mention of Nathan's diabetes is that he should grab as much insulin as he can before they leave the bunker. Shouldn't insulin be refrigerated? Wouldn't he run out eventually? Shhhh, this movie doesn't have time for your petty logic.

In the first film, the Garritys were everyday folks. Now, they are trauma-hardened refugees, alert and scared, but not as panicked as they were on day one. This shifts the feeling of the movie from fearful to a world-weariness that weighs heaviest on John, because he knows something the others don't. In the first act, it's hinted that John's scavenging trips to recover resources from the radiation-rich outside world have irrevocably hurt his health. His ragged cough becomes its own ticking clock: Can he get his family to safety before his time is up? 

Gerard Butler is riveting in Greenland 2: Migration.  Gerard Butler stars in "Greenland 2: Migration." Credit: Lionsgate

Butler's long been a solid choice as an action lead. Here, his broad shoulders stand strong against a sea of physical assaults from water, fire, stone, and man-made violence. His signature growl roars to boost the morale of his family as they face nauseating challenges, like traversing a rope bridge during an earthquake. But it also purrs low and alluringly to offer comfort to his loved ones. This is a man not only looking to make it to tomorrow, but all too aware that he's paving the path for his son's future one hard-won step at a time. There's a throbbing heartbreak to that.

The existence of the whole world was under threat in the first film. Here, the stakes are more immediate, personal, and devastating; mortality takes on a new meaning for an aging father who's increasingly aware he'll never see his boy become a man. 

Screenwriters Mitchell LaFortune and Chris Sparling neatly knit this emotional thread into the barrage of action set pieces. Director Ric Roman Waugh (Greenland) brings disaster-rich pages to vivid life, reimagining major cities and natural landmarks as wastelands or life-or-death obstacle courses. There's plenty of nightmare fuel in what the Garrity family faces. Yet Greenland 2: Migration doesn't quite hit the way the first one did. 

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I'm not sure if that's the movie's fault or mine. This sequel does have a more elegiac tone, and understandably so. Outside of John's declining health, what he's seen in the last five years is that even the end of the world as we know it does not guarantee that mankind will get our shit together and embrace community and kindness. Even as he's taking down a bad guy with a gun, there's a look of sorrow in his eyes, because this struggle just won't end. But am I projecting? On my way to see this film and on the way home afterwards, I couldn't help but doomscroll through horrifying news headlines about violence, war, and cold-blooded murder. I'm aware that this hopelessness might be my own. I might have brought it into my understanding of the film. Or this sequel is reflecting a fear that's in the zeitgeist right now.

To be fair, Greenland 2: Migration does offer sparks of hope, both in compassionate people met along the way and a climax that strives for heart-warming. And it is soul-lifting to see Butler as the dad who won't ever give up. Waugh's message with the movie seems to be a recognition that the evils and violence of the world can be overwhelming, even for the strongest among us. But there's still value in fighting for a better tomorrow. Still, after all the horrors seen on screen and off, this sequel is less entertaining than it is a determined reminder of how much cruelty in the world is not caused by an act of God, but acts of man. 

Greenland 2: Migration is now streaming on HBO Max.

TL;DR: Amazon has the Magic: The Gathering The Hobbit Play Booster Box available for preorder at $209.70 ahead of its Aug. 14 release. TCGplayer’s market price is $226.05, making Amazon’s listing $16.35 cheaper. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box $209.70 at Amazon
Pre-order Here

Any Magic: The Gathering collector who’s worried about climbing prices for the upcoming Hobbit expansion can quickly grab a whole display box of 30 booster packs for well under market value. 

As of May 8, you can preorder the Magic: The Gathering The Hobbit Play Booster Box for $209.70 with free shipping — with a delivery date of Aug. 17, after the expansion’s release date of Aug. 14.

TCGplayer is currently higher for the same Play Booster Display. Its market price is $226.05, while the lowest listing is $225.80 with shipping included, and the listed median is $225.92. That makes Amazon more than $15 below market price right now.

Buyers will get 30 Magic: The Gathering The Hobbit Play Boosters and one traditional foil Middle-earth Box Topper card. Each Play Booster includes 14 Magic cards, with one to three cards of rare or higher rarity, three to five uncommons, seven to nine commons, one land card, and one traditional foil card of any rarity. 

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There’s also a shot at special alt-art and alt-border cards, with foil borderless rare or mythic rare cards appearing in less than 1% of boosters. 

For Lord of the Rings fans who are just getting into Magic, Play Boosters are made for drafting with friends, building decks, chasing Booster Fun, or just opening packs because the art rules. 

Featuring beloved characters of Middle-Earth, the set follows Bilbo, Gandalf, and the Dwarves from The Shire to the Lonely Mountain, with Smaug, Erebor, treasure, and plenty of second-breakfast energy along the way. 

For expansions you can buy right now, the 30-pack MTG Edge of Eternities Play Booster Box is on sale for only $129 — its lowest-ever price on Amazon. The Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box is also $17 off. 

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

Like a lot of people working in tech, I've found AI creeping into more and more of my day. I'm summarizing long articles, cleaning up drafts, pulling key points out of research, and sanity-checking ideas before I move forward. The problem is, I kept using the same prompts over and over. Not just similar ones, the exact same instructions with small tweaks depending on the situation.

We all want to treat our moms to the best, but sometimes the budget doesn't quite line up with the best of intentions. That's where freebies, voucher codes, and limited-time exclusives from popular restaurants come to the rescue.

You can find some really great food offers from the likes of Denny’s, Pizza Hut, Dunkin', and more popular names on Mother's Day this year. We've checked out everything on offer to bring you the very best, so you can treat her right this weekend.

Aroma Joe’s

Moms can get a free 24-ounce iced drink (any flavor) on Mother's Day.

Baskin-Robbins

Reward members get a BOGO free scoop on May 9. You might need to think of something else to do on Mother's Day, but it's still a nice early treat.

Denny's

Score $10 off online orders of $30+ when you get breakfast for delivery or pickup with the code MOMDAY. This offer is live from May 9-11.

Dunkin'

From May 9-10, Dunkin' is offering 3x points when you order either a 6- or 12-count donut box or 20- or 50-count of Munchkins.

Friendly’s

Moms can get a free medium sundae with any adult entrée purchase.

Morton's The Steakhouse

From May 7-10, Morton's The Steakhouse is dropping an exclusive Mother's Day menu that starts from $79 per person.

Outback Steakhouse

Outback Steakhouse is dropping a limited-time “Mum’s Day Menu” with filet mignon and lobster tail combinations. Looking to go all-out this Mother's Day? This could seriously impress.

Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut is serving up its famous Heart Shaped Pizza for Mother's Day. This limited-edition pizza is available at select locations nationwide through May 10.

Raising Cane’s

Caniac Club members get a BOGO Free Box Combo on May 10-11.

Ruth's Chris Steak House

Ruth's Chris Steak House is offering a Mother's Day brunch on May 9-10, starting at $49 per person.

Shake Shack

Get a free single burger with any $10 purchase using the app code for National Burger Month. OK, that's not a Mother's Day deal. But does she like burgers? If she does, it's a perfect Mother's Day deal.

TCBY

TCBY is giving moms a 6-ounce treat for free. This offer is only valid on May 10, but your mom can choose between a small cup or cone.

White Castle

White Castle is celebrating moms with a BOGO deal on combo meals. Plus, you can score 20% off any order this weekend by using the code WCMOM.

Mother's Day is coming up this weekend, and Donald Trump decided to celebrate with a predictably rambling and odd speech.

"Trump marked the occasion with an event honoring military moms, or as he calls them, military MILFs," jokes Daily Show host Desi Lydic in the clip above. "And I assume he showed them the love and respect they deserve."

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creators today

Cue a clip of the U.S. president talking about Melody Wolfe, the mother of National Guard staff sergeant Andy Wolfe, who was recently shot and injured near the White House. Trump went on a complete tangent during his speech, talking about how autocorrect often changes wife Melania's name to "Melody" in Truth Social posts; he then made strange noises with his tongue to illustrate how fast he apparently types these posts.

"Well, now I know what I'm not getting for Mother's Day," says Lydic. "Horny again, ever."

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Today's Connections: Sports Edition will require some baseball knowledge.

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. The sports 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 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 before 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: Following along

• Green: Fielding components

• Blue: Player-focused

• Purple: It's all in the name

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Ways to consume a sporting event

• Green: Parts of a baseball glove

• Blue: Associated with Victor Wembanyama

• Purple: Teams with Wolf/Wolves nicknames

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 #592 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Ways to consume a sporting event: IN PERSON, RADIO, STREAMING, TELEVISION

• Parts of a baseball glove: FINGERS, HEEL, POCKET, WEBBING

• Associated with Victor Wembanyama: 1, FRANCE, SPURS, THE ALIEN

• Teams with Wolf/Wolves nicknames: NC STATE, NEVADA, TIMBERWOLVES, WOLVES

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 yesterday's Connections.

John Krasinski joined Stephen Colbert on The Late Show on Thursday, and the interview ricocheted through some wild pivots.

Having been a bit of a regular on Colbert's show, the Jack Ryan: Ghost War star managed to squeeze in expensive bourbon shots and debates about whether or not A Quiet Place is a Christmas movie, as well as a cheeky spot of leg wrestling.

Beating each other to a pulp seems to be a trend with these two. And with next week the last week ever for The Late Show, watching Colbert and Krasinski pilfering the desk bar and flipping each other on the red carpet seems an excellent way to honour their friendship. It's a two-parter, with one half above, the other on YouTube.

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 8, 2026

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for May 8, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 8 Pips

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-4, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically; 2-2, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 6-4, placed vertically; 0-4, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 8 Pips

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 0-2, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 5-4, placed horizontally.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 8 Pips

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-4, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed vertically; 2-0, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 5-4, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 2-0, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically.

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

SAVE $300: As of May 8, the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 is on sale for $499 at Amazon. That's a 38% discount off the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 $499 at Amazon
$799 Save $300   Get Deal

The Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 is back on sale at Amazon, and this time it's $300 off. That brings the price down from $799 to $499. This price is for the unit only, but there are various upgrade options on sale, including carrying bags, solar panels, and extra units bundled together.

This portable power station has a 1,070Wh capacity, a 1,500W AC output, and a 3,000W surge peak. This means it's capable of powering all kinds of devices, from bigger units like fridges to personal items like your laptop. It weighs 23.8 pounds and includes a foldable handle, so it's also a great choice to take with you for camping trips.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

The unit can be charged from 0% to 100% in around one hour using emergency charging via the Jackery app, or in 1.7 hours in default mode using ChargeShield 2.0 technology, so you don't need to spend hours prepping it for use.

The power station includes two USB-C ports, one USB-A port, one DC car port, and three AC outlets with pure sine wave output, along with LED lighting.

Head to Amazon to secure this Jackery deal.

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: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, May 8, 2026:

AcrossSquash

• The answer is Smush.

Monopoly card with a question mark on one side

• The answer is Chance.

"Help! Help!"

• The answer is Mayday.

Path around the sun

• The answer is Orbit.

Pressing desires

• The answer is Needs.

DownSocial media button with an arrow

• The answer is Share.

Answer between "yes" and "no"

• The answer is Maybe.

Took back

• The answer is Undid.

Ad-libs in jazz singing

• The answer is Scats.

"Yo!"

• The answer is Hey.

"Dude!"

• The answer is C'mon.

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

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

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

SAVE $90: As of May 8, Beats Solo 4 are on sale for $109.95 at Amazon. That's a 45% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Solo 4 $109.95 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $90.00   Get Deal

If you're looking to upgrade to a decent pair of headphones, Beats is usually a safe bet.

The brand is beloved for its loud, bass-heavy sound and a range that covers everything from earbuds to speakers. And as of May 8, there's a great deal live on Beats Solo 4 headphones. Right now, you can make these yours for just $109.95. That's a $90 discount, and the best price for this model since August 2025. The only catch is this price is only available in two colors: black and gold and metallic pink. For $20 more, you'll get cloud pink, matte black, and slate blue.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

The sound quality for these headphones is truly impressive thanks to features like the custom acoustic architecture and updated drivers, and personalized spatial audio with dynamic head tracking.

They're comfortable for hours of wear due to the flex-grip headband, ergonomically angled adjustable ear cups, and UltraPlush ear cushions. And the battery life lasts fir hours, keeping you going for up to 50 hours. When you run out, Fast Fuel charging gives you up to five hours of playback from a 10-minute charge.

Get this Beats deal now at Amazon.

UPDATE: May. 8, 2026, 5:00 a.m. EDT I first wrote about my first impressions of the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai in March 2026 after a week of using it daily at home. This review was updated after three more weeks of testing.

Dyson had nowhere to go but up after its last robot vacuum. You don't even need to test the new Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai to already know that it dunks on the 2024 Dyson 360 Vis Nav any way you dice it.

Still, as the third Dyson robot vacuum attempt after two flop releases, there's a lot riding on the Spot+Scrub Ai's success. If it sells well, that means the 360 Vis Nav truly was just a fluke. But if the Spot+Scrub Ai can't compete with the best robot vacuums of 2026 from other brands, perhaps it's time to accept that we don't always need to force the "stick vacuum brand to robot vacuum brand" pipeline.

I tried the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai at home against top flagship Dreame, Roborock, Eufy, and Shark robot vacuums. (There were seven robot vacuums in my apartment at one point in winter 2026.) Does Dyson's stick vacuum prowess finally translate to robovacs? Let's discuss. Use the table of contents to skip to the results of specific testing categories.

What's special about the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai? Dyson's iconic green laser makes cleaning so satisfying to watch. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I had been manifesting a robot vacuum with a laser since trying my first Dyson stick vacuum with a laser in 2022, so the dust-illuminating green light is easily the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai's biggest talking point. The green light works together with AI to help the Spot+Scrub Ai find hidden stains and microscopic debris, decipher between wet and dry messes, and then adjust cleaning accordingly. Unlike many other robot vacuums, which just make a set number of passes in the specified zone or room, the Spot+Scrub Ai double-checks each spot before moving on and goes back again if necessary.

SEE ALSO: 'Why does my robot vacuum suck now?' Well, when's the last time you cleaned it?

The rest of the Spot+Scrub Ai's upgrades seem huge compared to the 360 Vis Nav, but were long overdue compared to the rest of the robot vacuum market. The Spot+Scrub Ai isn't just Dyson's first roller mop robot vacuum — it's the first Dyson robot vacuum that mops at all. In classic roller mop robot vacuum fashion, the roller gets rinsed in real time to ensure that every inch of floor is being scrubbed with a clean pad. It's much less common to find a robot vacuum and mop combo that actually mops with warm water for more efficient stain breakdown, but the Spot+Scrub Ai does. (Most only wash the mop with hot water, but clean with room temperature.)

It wouldn't be a Dyson without a bright color scheme. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The whole dock setup is bulkier than most. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Spot+Scrub Ai also finally adds a self-emptying dock (those have been ubiquitous for half a decade), and washes and dries the roller mop. An AI-powered HD camera brings small obstacle avoidance technology to the Spot+Scrub Ai's resume, but it doesn't send or record images (so no livestream pet camera).

For general vibe and decor purposes, I can't say that I'm thrilled with the look of the dock. The three canister situation is bulky (just like the robovac itself) and unnecessarily industrial. But if you think this design is loud, just wait until you hear the self-emptying noise. FWIW, I do appreciate the built-in detergent tank and bagless dustbin.

Despite so many new features, Dyson surprisingly didn't hike the price from the 360 Vis Nav. The Spot+Scrub Ai costs $1,199.99, matching the debut price of the 360 Vis Nav when it came out in 2024. I'm glad that Dyson realized that the 360 Vis Nav was comically overpriced, which is probably why it's not hard to find it on sale for more than 60 percent off.

Is the Spot+Scrub Ai as smart as it sounds?

The Spot+Scrub Ai started out by acing several of my standard litter box cleaning tests for all robot vacuums. I have an uncovered self-emptying litter box (crystal litter) in the bathroom and a Litter-Robot Evo (clumping grass seed litter) in the kitchen. Both areas get pretty covered in tracked litter after even a day, but I pour extra on the floor for the initial test. The Spot+Scrub Ai finished with about 98 percent debris and dust pickup of each litter type, spinning around to use the laser to check for lingering particles before officially marking the area as complete.

Though the Spot+Scrub Ai is round (not D-shaped like 360 Vis Nav), the roller mop doesn't shy away from wall edges. I watched it scoot right up against baseboards, the open laundry closet door, and the washing machine. It even hugged the toilet as well as I could hope for in such a tight area.

The roller mop extended to scrub closely around walls, doors, and the oven. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The first wet spill obstacle course included splatters of chunky salsa and a red wine spill on hardwood. The Spot+Scrub Ai bodied the salsa, picking up a surprising amount on the first pass. It turned around and came back the other way to grab the few chunks that were flicked out of the way at first. Overall, the Spot+Scrub Ai+ had to have made about five passes over the same spot of hardwood floor after I assume it noticed that some salsa, a piece of dry cat food, or a speck of litter was left behind. In the app, you can follow along on the map to see where a stain has been detected. That part had me cheering out loud... for a second.

When it's thorough, it's thorough. But when it's not...

But that level of precision was missing when the botvac approached the spilled red wine. It wasn't the actual roller mop that blundered this spill, but the two spinning side brushes that are typically associated with dry debris.

The Spot+Scrub Ai's whole ethos is using artificial intelligence to clean on its toes, right? There's been so much hype surrounding the joint slay of the AI camera and green light to make tweaks to cleaning in the moment — to the point that they straight up included it in the title of the vacuum. So I feel like it's valid to assume that the Spot+Scrub Ai is smart enough to not make a mess worse. If it sees a puddle in the path ahead, wouldn't it make sense to pause the spinning dry brushes so that they don't further slosh the spill around?

The original wine puddle was pretty far away from the rug. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The Spot+Scrub Ai+ managed to smear the wine around the rug flap (and ignore the powder). Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Instead, I witnessed the Spot+Scrub Ai drive right over the spill with side brushes spinning full speed ahead, spattering wine in the vicinity on the floor as well as all over the underside of the vacuum. (Liquid seeping into the interior parts is a recipe for your robot vacuum to stop working.) Those side brushes, now soaked in wine and salsa, don't get washed in the dock like the actual roller mop does.

You can imagine my surprise when I heard the "cleaning complete" announcement, just to look down and see the abandoned puddle smeared to the corner of my kitchen Ruggable, plus a pile of spilled protein powder on the rug completely ignored. Dyson claims that the Spot+Scrub Ai relies on photographic evidence of mess removal before heading back to the dock. How was this missed? And what if the rug wasn't machine washable?

Factors to keep in mind

Several red flags popped up during my first week with the Spot+Scrub Ai. Since Dyson baked so many fancy and customizable settings into the Spot+Scrub Ai's app, I was open to the possibility of cleaning and navigation getting better over time. (That's AI's whole thing, after all.) Unfortunately, those initial concerns didn't sort themselves out over the next few weeks of testing.

Not-so-nimble navigation

Mopping fail aside, the Spot+Scrub Ai struggled to maneuver around my apartment without issue on a regular basis. While I've accepted that roller mop robot vacuums are the tallest type of robot vacuum mop combo, the Spot+Scrub Ai is so thick and cumbersome that it limits the reach of its AI mess detection features. It doesn't fit under the Litter-Robot step where a ton of litter gathers, or under the table legs in the hallway, where cat fur tumbleweeds and leaves batted off the dried arrangement on the table gather.

SEE ALSO: Shark's new scrubbing-centric robot vacuum finds stains with a UV light. I tested it against other top robot mops.

But it's more unforgivable that the Spot+Scrub Ai is too tall to fit under my kitchen counters — even other roller mop robot vacuums like the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow had no problem scooting underneath. Then, the Spot+Scrub Ai never failed to get stuck after half wedging itself under the cabinets, battling with the bottom drawer for a minute straight every single time. Similarly, the Spot+Scrub Ai ended up scraping some gross brown gunk off the bottom of the dishwasher because the squeeze was that tight. You could drop a keep-out zone for tight areas like this in the MyDyson app, but that's kind of a crucial area for a robot vacuum to simply skip. Under-cabinet crumb duty is a non-negotiable in my book.

Unreliable carpet and rug cleaning

The Spot+Scrub Ai displayed consistently mediocre rug and carpet performance. It did a satisfactory job with cat hair in the medium pile living room rug, but left behind more than a few sprinkles and tortilla chip crumbs on the same rug. The Spot+Scrub Ai also had a pretty poor showing during the high pile test that I give to every robot vacuum.

It's hard to see here, but little pieces were left strewn across the whole rug. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I sprinkle small debris like dry quinoa or rice on a faux fur Tumble rug to really challenge the lifting capabilities on plush carpet — the Spot+Scrub Ai's pickup rate was only about 75 or 80 percent, leaving pieces behind in and laying on top of the fibers. Some were visible to the naked eye, some I only discovered after they got stuck to my bare feet.

The 18,000 Pa suction power is a tad low for a $1,199.99 robovac, considering the much-cheaper Eufy C28's 15,000 Pa did a better job on rugs in my testing.

Not cute

Perhaps the Spot+Scrub Ai's obnoxious industrial design would have grown on me had the cleaning experience itself been a breeze. But I had to rescue the Spot+Scrub Ai from being lost or stuck multiple times — just to carry it back to a dock that was the ugly duckling of the Dreame, Roborock, and Shark robot vacuum docks that I was testing at the same time.

Must we publicly showcase dirt to guests? Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The transparent bagless dustbin advertises every particle that's been sucked off of your floor. The transparent water tank resembles a plastic water bottle that was left in a hot car for a week. I realize that these design choices were supposed to help us keep track of what needed to be emptied or filled when, but at what aesthetic cost?

Is the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai worth it?

No, the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai requires way too much babysitting to be worth its price tag. There are far better robot vacuum and mop combos that cost the same or less — this applies even if the Spot+Scrub Ai goes on sale. If you want a roller mop robot vacuum with reliable AI-powered cleaning, buy the Narwal Flow 2. If you really just want a Dyson, buy the Dyson V12 Detect Slim or the Dyson PencilVac.

Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai robot vacuum $1,199.95 at Amazon
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