Month: August 2024
Can Barbie help beat teen smartphone addiction?
Manufacturer HMD says it is trying to help people who want less ‘digital impact’ in their lives.
Manufacturer HMD says it is trying to help people who want less ‘digital impact’ in their lives.
NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Wednesday, August 28 (game #178)
Looking for NYT Strands answers and hints? Here’s all you need to know to solve today’s game, including the spangram.
Strands is the NYT’s latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it’s great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
NYT Strands today (game #178) – hint #1 – today’s theme
What is the theme of today’s NYT Strands?
• Today’s NYT Strands theme is… Commuter benefits
NYT Strands today (game #178) – hint #2 – clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
FRAILABRUPTSWABSTUBSCANTTEEN
NYT Strands today (game #178) – hint #3 – spangram
What is a hint for today’s spangram?
• Mass transit
NYT Strands today (game #178) – hint #4 – spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today’s spangram touches?
First: left, 6th row
Last: right, 5th row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #178) – the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today’s Strands, game #178, are…
FERRYTRAINSTREETCARMONORAILSUBWAYSPANGRAM: PUBLICTRANSPORT
My rating: EasyMy score: Perfect
This is an incredibly straightforward and very easy Strands puzzle, with no real complications at all. The theme clue of ‘Commuter benefits’ pretty much gives the game away, and once you found the likes of FERRY or TRAIN you’ll have known exactly what you needed to do here.
That said, there was one minor complication – namely that the spangram was very long and potentially hard to find. I spotted TRANSPORT early on, and figured it was part of the spangram, but it didn’t turn yellow and I knew it wouldn’t do, because it didn’t touch two sides of the board. It was only relatively late on that I realized it had the word PUBLIC in front of it, at which point everything clicked into place.
How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.
Yesterday’s NYT Strands answers (Tuesday 27 August, game #177)
PEPPERSZUCCHINIEGGPLANTTOMATOESONIONSSPANGRAM: RATATOUILLE
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT’s new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It’s now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT’s games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I’ve got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you’re struggling to beat it each day.
Quordle today – hints and answers for Wednesday, August 28 (game #947)
Looking for Quordle clues? We can help. Plus get the answers to Quordle today and past solutions.
Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now nearly 1,000 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.
Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
Quordle today (game #947) – hint #1 – Vowels
How many different vowels are in Quordle today?
• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.
* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).
Quordle today (game #947) – hint #2 – repeated letters
Do any of today’s Quordle answers contain repeated letters?
• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.
Quordle today (game #947) – hint #3 – uncommon letters
Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?
• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today’s Quordle answers.
Quordle today (game #947) – hint #4 – starting letters (1)
Do any of today’s Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?
• The number of today’s Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.
If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you’re not ready yet then here’s one more clue to make things a lot easier:
Quordle today (game #947) – hint #5 – starting letters (2)
What letters do today’s Quordle answers start with?
• V
• G
• C
• S
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
Quordle today (game #947) – the answers
(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)
The answers to today’s Quordle, game #947, are…
VIOLAGONERCAVILSHARE
Hands up if you know what CAVIL means? Not me, but it’s apparently “to raise trivial and frivolous objection”. However, it has appeared in Quordle before, I think, so was familiar enough to me that I was able to spot its presence in today’s puzzle. Others among you may not have been so lucky, and even if you were, you may instead have been tripped up by VIOLA or the rather informal GONER. Either way, there was plenty to beware of here.
How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.
Daily Sequence today (game #947) – the answers
(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)
The answers to today’s Quordle Daily Sequence, game #947, are…
FLUMEPOISEQUACKPULPY
Quordle answers: The past 20
Quordle #946, Tuesday 27 August: ABYSS, DAILY, AGONY, MUSKYQuordle #945, Monday 26 August: NEVER, CHUNK, AUNTY, CROUPQuordle #944, Sunday 25 August: APTLY, LEVER, STORK, WIDOWQuordle #943, Saturday 24 August: EVENT, APNEA, SWATH, IRONYQuordle #942, Friday 23 August: LAUGH, SATYR, CACHE, CLONEQuordle #941, Thursday 22 August: BEARD, PAYER, BROWN, TRUCKQuordle #940, Wednesday 21 August: ALOFT, SNUCK, LAPSE, COMICQuordle #939, Tuesday 20 August: CHIEF, SNORT, OUNCE, MILKYQuordle #938, Monday 19 August: GIVEN, STIFF, STOOL, ANTICQuordle #937, Sunday 18 August: DEPTH, JUICY, GAWKY, INLAYQuordle #936, Saturday 17 August: HUMUS, FRONT, FUNNY, DRYLYQuordle #935, Friday 16 August: BRICK, CABLE, INBOX, FLOSSQuordle #934, Thursday 15 August: STINT, TRAIL, DECAL, BRAINQuordle #933, Wednesday 14 August: TENOR, CLEFT, USHER, CREEPQuordle #932, Tuesday 13 August: LIMIT, AMBLE, ALBUM, BULLYQuordle #931, Monday 12 August: CHEER, FUNKY, TRITE, THUMPQuordle #930, Sunday 11 August: COURT, LOAMY, TOAST, OCCURQuordle #929, Saturday 10 August: MOLAR, FLIER, HEFTY, JAZZYQuordle #928, Friday 9 August: WEARY, SWILL, CUMIN, COBRAQuordle #927, Thursday 8 August: GUSTO, SPRIG, SOLID, SWORE
NYT Connections today — hints and answers for Wednesday, August 28 (game #444)
Looking for NYT Connections answers and hints? Here’s all you need to know to solve today’s game, plus my commentary on the puzzles.
Good morning! Let’s play Connections, the NYT’s clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need clues.
What should you do once you’ve finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I’ve also got daily Wordle hints and answers, Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don’t read on if you don’t want to know the answers.
NYT Connections today (game #444) – today’s words
(Image credit: New York Times)
Today’s NYT Connections words are…
MARTINITEETHHUMORPENDULUMSTEPSTEA BAGMONKEY BARSTETHERBALLTEETOTALERSLIDEBOOMERDESERTSWINGSYO-YOTEETER-TOTTERBLUES
NYT Connections today (game #444) – hint #1 – group hints
What are some clues for today’s NYT Connections groups?
Yellow: Have fun, kidsGreen: Just hanging!Blue: Not wetPurple: [word for young child] blank
Need more clues?
We’re firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today’s NYT Connections puzzles…
NYT Connections today (game #444) – hint #2 – group answers
What are the answers for today’s NYT Connections groups?
YELLOW: PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENTGREEN: FOUND AT THE END OF A STRING/CORDBLUE: DESCRIBED AS DRYPURPLE: BABY ___
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #444) – the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today’s Connections, game #444, are…
YELLOW: PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT MONKEY BARS, SLIDE, SWINGS, TEETER-TOTTERGREEN: FOUND AT THE END OF A STRING/CORD PENDULUM, TEA BAG, TETHERBALL, YO-YOBLUE: DESCRIBED AS DRY DESERT, HUMOR, MARTINI, TEETOTALERPURPLE: BABY ___ BLUES, BOOMER, STEPS, TEETH
My rating: ModerateMy score: 1 mistake
Blank-style Connections are often the ones that defeat me. In hindsight, the one included today – BABY [BLANK] – should have been easy. After all, Baby boomer, baby steps, baby blues and baby teeth are all established phrases. But in the heat of Connections battle, those links simply didn’t occur to me.
Still, it didn’t hurt me today. Yellow – playground equipment – was an easy one, and both green and blue were comfortable solves after a bit of thought.
How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.
Yesterday’s NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, 27 August, game #443)
YELLOW: EXPLOSIVE SOUND BOOM, CRASH, ROAR, THUNDERGREEN: CHILI PEPPER QUALITY FIRE, HEAT, KICK, SPICEBLUE: CLASSIC BARBERSHOP SUPPLIES BRUSH, CAPE, CLIPPERS, GELPURPLE: KINDS OF CARDS BASEBALL, MAGIC, SET, TAROT
What is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you don’t technically need to solve the final one, as you’ll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What’s more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.
It’s a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.
It’s playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
The retro Barbie flip phone arrives in October, only 15 months after the movie
HMD’s Barbie Phone, the novelty device for Y2K-nostalgic hot pink aficionados, finally has pricing and release info. The Mattel-sanctioned champion of tardy movie tie-ins launches in October — only 15 months after Greta Gerwig’s movie hit theaters! — for $129.
The handset is the creation of Human Mobile Devices (HMD), which currently owns the branding rights to Nokia phones. Rather than a smartphone replacement, the Barbie Phone is a retro-styled flip phone (positively Nokida-esque) with a T9 keyboard and no third-party apps in sight. The company pitches it as “the perfect tool to live your best life and take a vacation from your smartphone.”
You won’t find any social media apps, but the phone still makes calls and sends texts. When powering the handset up, you’ll be greeted by a “Hi Barbie” voice before you fire up Malibu Snake for a tribute to OG mobile gaming. Its keypad (in “Barbie pink,” of course) has hidden designs like palm trees, hearts and flamingos that light up in the dark. Because why the hell not?!
HMD
The Barbie Phone has a 5MP camera with a flash that “delivers authentic Y2K style images.” It ships with two alternate covers in addition to the standard one. The two plates include one honoring “the brightly colored swirls of the 1992’s iconic Totally Hair Barbie doll” and another with a shooting-heart design.
Also in the box is a pastel-beaded phone strap that you can adorn with charms like a tiny roller skate or a “Barbie doll-sized ice cream.” You’ll also get sparkly stick-on gems and retro vintage Barbie stickers (including flowers, flamingos and rainbows) to decorate the phone to your heart’s content. It even has a pink USB-C charger.
Naturally, the phone has a Barbie-themed user interface (described as “achingly easy to navigate”), themed wallpapers and app icons. Since HMD is branding the handset as a vacation from smartphone hell, it even includes a digital well-being app.
The Barbie Phone will be available on October 1 for $129. It will ship unlocked and ready to activate on AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon networks. You can pre-order it from HMD’s website beginning on September 23.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/the-retro-barbie-flip-phone-arrives-in-october-only-15-months-after-the-movie-230136984.html?src=rss
HMD’s Barbie Phone, the novelty device for Y2K-nostalgic hot pink aficionados, finally has pricing and release info. The Mattel-sanctioned champion of tardy movie tie-ins launches in October — only 15 months after Greta Gerwig’s movie hit theaters! — for $129.
The handset is the creation of Human Mobile Devices (HMD), which currently owns the branding rights to Nokia phones. Rather than a smartphone replacement, the Barbie Phone is a retro-styled flip phone (positively Nokida-esque) with a T9 keyboard and no third-party apps in sight. The company pitches it as “the perfect tool to live your best life and take a vacation from your smartphone.”
You won’t find any social media apps, but the phone still makes calls and sends texts. When powering the handset up, you’ll be greeted by a “Hi Barbie” voice before you fire up Malibu Snake for a tribute to OG mobile gaming. Its keypad (in “Barbie pink,” of course) has hidden designs like palm trees, hearts and flamingos that light up in the dark. Because why the hell not?!
The Barbie Phone has a 5MP camera with a flash that “delivers authentic Y2K style images.” It ships with two alternate covers in addition to the standard one. The two plates include one honoring “the brightly colored swirls of the 1992’s iconic Totally Hair Barbie doll” and another with a shooting-heart design.
Also in the box is a pastel-beaded phone strap that you can adorn with charms like a tiny roller skate or a “Barbie doll-sized ice cream.” You’ll also get sparkly stick-on gems and retro vintage Barbie stickers (including flowers, flamingos and rainbows) to decorate the phone to your heart’s content. It even has a pink USB-C charger.
Naturally, the phone has a Barbie-themed user interface (described as “achingly easy to navigate”), themed wallpapers and app icons. Since HMD is branding the handset as a vacation from smartphone hell, it even includes a digital well-being app.
The Barbie Phone will be available on October 1 for $129. It will ship unlocked and ready to activate on AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon networks. You can pre-order it from HMD’s website beginning on September 23.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/the-retro-barbie-flip-phone-arrives-in-october-only-15-months-after-the-movie-230136984.html?src=rss
The Shokz Openrun Pro 2 have sprinted into view, and they look like the best bone conduction headphones yet
Shokz debuts the OpenRun Pro 2, promising big audio changes and longer battery life.
Shokz has announced the Shokz OpenRun Pro 2, a new contender for the best bone conduction headphones designed for runners, and the best running headphones. With audio upgrades promising deeper bass, and a longer battery life than the original OpenRun Pro, they look set to be Shokz’ best headphones yet.
The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 retain the same look and feel of their predecessors, the original Shokz OpenRun Pro (and this goes right back to older models, when the brand was called Aftershokz), comprising a high-strength band with a silicone covering and transducer pads designed to fit around the temples.
This standard bone conduction design leaves your ears free to hear the world around you – great for staying aware of potential hazards during runs – while transmitting audio through your temples towards your eardrum.
The OpenRun Pro 2 are sporting several small changes here, featuring both bone conduction drivers and air conduction speakers. The bone conduction driver is said to offer a “new dual reed and coil innovative design stabilizes the vibration system, producing a purer vocal sound”, while the air conduction speaker is pitched lower for “booming, deep bass”. It sounds like our test runs for these will be well soundtracked.
The OpenRun Pro 2 also offer a longer battery life (12 hours, compared to the original’s 10), multipoint pairing to two devices, and a 2.5 hour listening time on just five minutes of charge time. They’re available now, priced at $179.95 / £169 / AU$299.
Analysis: If it ain’t broke…
(Image credit: Shokz)
Bone conduction headphones haven’t changed much in design since the days of the Aftershokz Aeropex (although we do also have the best open-ear headphones now), and with the OpenRun Pro 2 Shokz isn’t messing with this tried-and-tested formula.
It’s just improving what’s already there, with better audio quality and longer life. To be honest, that’s all it had to do, and I’m certainly in the camp of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.
I’m a keen user of the original Shokz OpenRun, so the prospect of having amazing sound quality and 2.5 hours of playback on a five-minute charge is an exciting prospect. Watch this space for a full review soon.
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Barbie Phone Reveal: A Vision in Pink, Complete With Mirror and Malibu Snake
Accessorize, personalize and live out all of your pinkest dreams with this nostalgic flip phone.
Accessorize, personalize and live out all of your pinkest dreams with this nostalgic flip phone.
HMD’s Barbie flip phone goes extremely hard
Hi, Barbie! | Image: HMD
HMD’s Barbie-branded flip phone arrives a little too late to catch the Hot Foldable Summer wave, but it’s definitely not short on charm. Preannounced at Mobile World Congress earlier this year, the HMD Barbie Phone is now official and goes on sale for $129 in October.
The Barbie phone is a true feature phone; no apps, just connectivity for calls and texts. HMD is pitching it as a device for a digital detox so you can “take a vacation from your smartphone.” That’s fine since you probably wouldn’t want to do much more on its small 2.8-inch inner screen, but bear in mind that typing out T9 texts is worse than you remember. There’s a 5-megapixel camera with a built-in flash, which, as HMD points out, is perfect for that early digital camera look that’s so hot right now.
The phone itself may be basic, but the vibe is not. The Barbie Phone comes with extra theme-appropriate battery covers, a beaded wrist strap, and stick-on gems to customize the look. Even the classic Snake game gets a Barbie treatment. I love a gadget that goes all in on a concept, and this one goes hard.
The HMD Barbie Phone will work on all three major US wireless networks. It’ll be available for preorder on September 23rd and will ship on October 1st.
Hi, Barbie! | Image: HMD
HMD’s Barbie-branded flip phone arrives a little too late to catch the Hot Foldable Summer wave, but it’s definitely not short on charm. Preannounced at Mobile World Congress earlier this year, the HMD Barbie Phone is now official and goes on sale for $129 in October.
The Barbie phone is a true feature phone; no apps, just connectivity for calls and texts. HMD is pitching it as a device for a digital detox so you can “take a vacation from your smartphone.” That’s fine since you probably wouldn’t want to do much more on its small 2.8-inch inner screen, but bear in mind that typing out T9 texts is worse than you remember. There’s a 5-megapixel camera with a built-in flash, which, as HMD points out, is perfect for that early digital camera look that’s so hot right now.
The phone itself may be basic, but the vibe is not. The Barbie Phone comes with extra theme-appropriate battery covers, a beaded wrist strap, and stick-on gems to customize the look. Even the classic Snake game gets a Barbie treatment. I love a gadget that goes all in on a concept, and this one goes hard.
The HMD Barbie Phone will work on all three major US wireless networks. It’ll be available for preorder on September 23rd and will ship on October 1st.