Entertainment
The Plantaform smart indoor garden uses NASA tech to grow plants with fog
I promise that headline isn’t a Mad Libs.
The Canadian company Plantaform introduced its eponymous smart indoor garden powered by “fogponics” at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, marking its hard launch in the U.S. CEO Alberto Aguilar plugs it as a “Nespresso for your vegetables” that uses an ultra-fine vapor to hydrate plants, resulting in faster growth and 30 to 50 percent less water usage compared to standard hydroponic systems.
The Mashable team caught the Plantaform at CES’ Pepcom media showcase Monday night, and it’s easily one of the neatest smart home gadgets I’ve seen here all week. The Consumer Technology, the trade show’s organizer, shares my enthusiasm: It’s a 2025 CES Innovation Awards Best of Innovation winner in the Food and AgTech category.
Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable
Not too shabby for NASA leftovers, mind you. Aguilar told me that the Plantaform’s fog-based watering technology was originally developed (then ditched) by the administration as a way to grow plants in space.
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Design-wise, the Plantaform is a 26-inch-tall egg-shaped vessel (available in midnight black or frost white) with removable windows, full-spectrum LED lights, and a central column filled with chambers for up to 15 individual soil-free seed pods. The Plantaform tends to the plants throughout their entire growth cycles using an algorithm-determined combination of water, light, and nutrients, per the company’s website.
The fog in question hits the plants right at their roots from inside the Plantaform’s pod hub. Some of it inevitably leaks out and floats among their leaves, humidifiying the system’s immediate surroundings while looking cool as hell.
Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable
As far as maintenance goes, users need to do little more than make sure the Plantaform is topped off with water dosed with fertilizer every two to three weeks. Its companion mobile app offers setup guidance and care reminders.
The word “disruptor” is thrown around a lot at CES, but the Plantaform really does feel like one in the indoor garden space. Not only does it clean itself — eliminating a tedious between-cycle chore — but it’ll also support users’ own seeds by the end of the year, Aguilar said. No need to keep buying pods in perpetuity, as required by other indoor gardens like the popular hydroponic Gardyn.
Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable
The Plantaform, while not exactly cheap, is also competitively priced: You can order one now for $499.99. Plant pod packs are $29.99 each and available in mixes of lettuces, cherry tomatoes, and cocktail herbs.
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for 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:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
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…
TRIPE.
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.
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
