Entertainment
Apple launching its first water-resistant iPad soon
For years, iPhones have had various levels of water resistance. However, if you’ve previously submerged your iPad in water, you’ll know that Apple’s tablets, however, are not water-resistant.
That will soon change.
Apple’s first water-resistant iPad is currently planned to launch by the end of this year, according to a new report. The water-resistant model is expected to be the new, redesigned iPad mini.
The report says that Apple’s approach to water resistance in the iPad differs from the iPhone. According to the report, Apple designed a “vibration-based speaker system,” where sound transmits from the surface of the tablet’s chassis. This means that the new iPad mini will not need physical speaker holes, which will greatly limit points of entry for water, dust, and other unwanted particles.
MacRumors points out that Apple described such a technology in a 2014 patent, which means the company has been working on this for some time.
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The new iPad mini’s IP rating, which measures a device’s resistance to dust and liquids like water, is currently unknown. The iPhone 17 has an IP68 rating, which means it could be submerged in a maximum depth of 6 meters for up to 30 minutes.
The iPad mini line last had a refresh when it received the A17 Pro chipset in 2024. However, other than that, the device remained the same. The iPad mini was last redesigned in 2021.
Bloomberg‘s Apple insider Mark Gurman has previously reported that the iPad mini was set to get some big upgrades, including an OLED display, which would be a first for the device.
A release before this summer’s beach trips and pool parties would’ve certainly been ideal. But you could always start planning for next summer. The new iPad mini is expected to launch by October.
Apple currently sells the base model iPad mini for $599 after the company hiked prices across its products earlier this year. However, according to Gurman, the addition of an OLED display could result in even higher prices for the new iPad mini.
Entertainment
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for July 28, 2026
The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you love fruit.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that’s captured the public’s attention. The game is all about finding the “common threads between words.” And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we’ve served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today’s puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today’s Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
What is Connections?
The NYT‘s latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications’ Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there’s only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
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Here’s a hint for today’s Connections categories
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
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Here are today’s Connections categories
Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:
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Yellow: Command
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Green: How do you like them apples
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Blue: Shoe brands starting with “C”
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Purple: Starting with palindromic names
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 #1143 is…
What is the answer to Connections today
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Command: CAPTAIN, DIRECT, HEAD, LEAD
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How do you like them apples: EMPIRE, FUJI, GALA, HONEYCRISP
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Shoe brands starting with “C”: CAMPER, CLARKS, CONVERSE, CROCS
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Starting with palindromic names: ANNAPOLIS, BOBSLED, EVEREST, OTTOMAN
Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today’s puzzle.
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.
Entertainment
NYT Strands hints, answers for July 28, 2026
Today’s NYT Strands hints are easy if you’re complete.
Strands, the New York Times‘ elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There’s always a theme linking every solution, along with the “spangram,” a special, word or phrase that sums up that day’s theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you’re feeling stuck or just don’t have 10 or more minutes to figure out today’s puzzle, we’ve got all the NYT Strands hints for today’s puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.
NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Leave nothing out
The words are related to amounts.
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Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained
These words describe wholeness.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?
Today’s NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
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NYT Strands spangram answer today
Today’s spangram is Its All There.
NYT Strands word list for July 28
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Complete
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Entire
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Its All There
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Undivided
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Total
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Whole Full
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable’s Games page has more hints, and 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 Strands.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for July 28, 2026
Today’s Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you’re a good listener.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Sound navigation.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
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Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter S.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
SONAR
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
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 Wordle.
Nashville SC acquire Senegalese M Famara Camara
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for July 28, 2026
