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'Quordle' today: Here are the answers and hints for May 1

'Quordle' today: Here are the answers and hints for May 1

A woman's hands holding a mobile phone playing 'Quordle'

If Quordle is a little too challenging today, you've come to the right place for hints. There aren't just hints here, but the whole Quordle solution. Scroll to the bottom of this page, and there it is. But are you sure you need all four answers? Maybe you just need a strategy guide. Either way, scroll down, and you'll get what you need.

What is Quordle?

Quordle is a five-letter word guessing game similar to Wordle, except each guess applies letters to four words at the same time. You get nine guesses instead of six to correctly guess all four words. It looks like playing four Wordle games at the same time, and that is essentially what it is. But it's not nearly as intimidating as it sounds.

Is Quordle harder than Wordle?

Yes, though not diabolically so.

Where did Quordle come from?

Amid the Wordle boom of late 2021 and early 2022, when everyone was learning to love free, in-browser, once-a-day word guessing games, creator Freddie Meyer says he took inspiration from one of the first big Wordle variations, Dordle — the one where you essentially play two Wordles at once. He took things up a notch, and released Quordle on January 30. Meyer's creation was covered in The Guardian six days later, and now, according to Meyer, it attracts millions of daily users. Today, Meyer earns modest revenue from Patreon, where dedicated Quordle fans can donate to keep their favorite puzzle game running. 

How is Quordle pronounced?

“Kwordle.” It should rhyme with “Wordle,” and definitely should not be pronounced exactly like "curdle.”

Is Quordle strategy different from Wordle?

Yes and no.

Your starting strategy should be the same as with Wordle. In fact, if you have a favorite Wordle opening word, there’s no reason to change that here. We suggest something rich in vowels, featuring common letters like C, R, and N. But you do you.

After your first guess, however, you’ll notice things getting out of control if you play Quordle exactly like Wordle.

What should I do in Quordle that I don’t do in Wordle?

Solving a Wordle puzzle can famously come down to a series of single letter-change variations. If you’ve narrowed it down to “-IGHT,” you could guess “MIGHT” “NIGHT” “LIGHT” and “SIGHT” and one of those will probably be the solution — though this is also a famous way to end up losing in Wordle, particularly if you play on “hard mode.” In Quordle, however, this sort of single-letter winnowing is a deadly trap, and it hints at the important strategic difference between Wordle and Quordle: In Quordle, you can't afford to waste guesses unless you're eliminating as many letters as possible at all times. 

Guessing a completely random word that you already know isn't the solution, just to eliminate three or four possible letters you haven’t tried yet, is thought of as a desperate, latch-ditch move in Wordle. In Quordle, however, it's a normal part of the player's strategic toolset.

Is there a way to get the answer faster?

In my experience Quordle can be a slow game, sometimes dragging out longer than it would take to play Wordle four times. But a sort of blunt-force guessing approach can speed things up. The following strategy also works with Wordle if you only want the solution, and don’t care about having the fewest possible guesses:

Try starting with a series of words that puts all the vowels (including Y) on the board, along with some other common letters. We've had good luck with the three words: “NOTES,” “ACRID,” and “LUMPY.” YouTuber DougMansLand suggests four words: “CANOE,” “SKIRT,” “PLUMB,” and “FUDGY.”

Most of the alphabet is now eliminated, and you’ll only have the ability to make one or two wrong guesses if you use this strategy. But in most cases you’ll have all the information you need to guess the remaining words without any wrong guesses.

If strategy isn't helping, and you're still stumped, here are some hints:

Are there any double or triple letters in today’s Quordle words?

No.

Are any rare letters being used in today’s Quordle like Q or Z?

No.

What do today’s Quordle words start with?

E, A, B, and S.

What are the answers for today’s Quordle?

Are you sure you want to know?

There’s still time to turn back.

OK, you asked for it. The answers are:

  1. ETHIC

  2. ALIKE

  3. BIRTH

  4. SLAIN


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'Succession' Season 4, episode 6: What the hell is Living+?

'Succession' Season 4, episode 6: What the hell is Living+?

A man wearing a black cap and jacket sits on a chair.

If you watched Succession's recent episode and found yourself wondering what the hell Living+ is and why Kendall (Jeremy Strong) is promising everyone they can live forever, you're not alone. 

Episode 6 of Succession is largely concerned with the Roys announcing this new product at their annual investor meeting, with Kendall in charge of the official introduction. This, of course, entails the typical amount of Kendall bloviating, as well as indecipherable phrases like "integrated everyday character IP life enhancement."

Putting Kendall's convoluted monologue aside, the easiest way to understand Living+ is to compare it to a production studio trying to get into real estate. Living+ is basically if Disney decided to create its own branded, gated communities, which — shocker — it already has. 

What is Living+? 

A concept that Logan (Brian Cox) concocted and was working on up until his death, Living+ is Waystar's real estate brand that aims to bring their cruise ship experience onto land. It would mean that Waystar would start building gated communities that are all about the Waystar Studios (and ATN) experience. We understand from Kendall's speech that Living+ communities prioritize security and fun to create a safe haven for their residents. 

But what does all of that look like? Well, you can expect a Living+ community to have beautiful homes, plus built-in security systems, with its residents always a second away from enjoying everything Waystar. Living+ members would also have the luxury of interacting with Waystar's finest movie and TV characters, not to mention advanced screenings for Waystar films and shows. Plus, Waystar's parks would be right around the corner. 

To visualize this, we can compare Living+ to Disney's Golden Oak, a residential community located within Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, or Storyliving by Disney. At Golden Oak, the Disney-obsessed get to live in large, affluent communities with park access, a shopping center, and unmatched Disney benefits.  

You might not see Mickey in the Living+ neighborhood park, but you would see Waystar's puppy mascot that Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun) threw up in in Succession's pilot episode (you know the one). 

Living+ dips into Black Mirror territory thanks to Kendall. 

While Logan's original vision for Living+ is already pretty dystopian, Kendall amps it up by tenfold when he pitches "Living+ Support." 

Using Waystar's links to advanced tech and pharmaceutical industries, Kendall promises to offer Living+ residents with "privileged access to life enhancement therapies." Meaning that anyone living in a Living+ community would get unmatched access to the best doctors, therapists, dermatologists — you name it. They'd also have a more affordable access to medicine, with deliveries for anything they'd need showing up right at their doorstep.

Through Living+ Support, Kendall promises that all residents living in a Living+ community can live longer and add years to their lifespan thanks to Waystar. The entire idea of Living+ and Living+ Support sounds like something we'd see in a Black Mirror episode, if we haven't already, and is essentially a community where everyone can bond over their love for Waystar, ATN, Logan Roy, and healthcare. 

Would you want to live in Living+? 

Season 4 of Succession is now streaming on HBO Max. 


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Behold, 20 of the funniest YouTube videos ever

Behold, 20 of the funniest YouTube videos ever

A screenshot from the

Reddit remains the internet's best dumping ground for some of the funniest content out there. While Reddit has produced some great original material, users on the site equally love to pay tribute to amazing content on other sites.

This happened when Redditor u/sporite went onto to the Ask Reddit subreddit to get a general idea of what videos — viral or not — always manage to make Reddit users laugh hysterically. The result was a thread that contained a buffet of the best YouTube videos that are absolutely hilarious.

Animals, Vines (RIP), and plenty of fails are just a few of the highlights of the entire 1000+ comment thread. While there were a ton of suggestions, we've selected the crème de la crème of the bunch.

So please, enjoy 20 of the funniest YouTube videos Reddit has deemed to be worthy of internet gold.

1. Nice, Ron

Ron really just finds a way to screw something up somehow, and the person filming the video makes sure he knows this.

Posted by u/coverack.

2. White Bear on Ice

During the filming for a White Bear Mitsubishi ad, a polar bear just can't seem to get his balance. The last fall is definitely the best one though.

Posted by u/Emmaleigh3341.

3. Guy Falls Asleep Playing EVE Online

Words cannot describe the noises that are coming from Tim when he fell asleep playing EVE Online with his friends. Give the video a watch and please explain how this can be considered "snoring."

Posted by u/Scunner132.

4. Dog Imitating a Siren

This video is both hilarious and precious. You need to absolutely check out how impeccable this doggo's impression of an emergency siren is.

Posted by u/asd090316.

5. Cat Jump Fail

This viral video tells such a compelling narrative whose complexity is further conveyed through the solid music choice that accompanies it. Give this video a watch to see this cat jump where no cat has jumped before.

Posted by u/PacSan300.

6. How is prangent formed

Yahoo! Answers was a beautiful dumping ground for the strangest questions, and the most ridiculous spelling mistakes. This amazing video tackles the topic of pregnancy, and the internet's inability to even spell the word.

Posted by u/HippoFalcon_.

7. Chris Pratt's Blooper Reel from Parks & Rec

What a gem. Chris Pratt on Parks & Rec is a gift that keeps on giving. And if you aren't convinced, then just take a look the series' blooper reels.

Unfortunately the original blooper video that Reddit users held in high regard has since been taken down. Fortunately, there's no shortage of Parks & Rec blooper compilations on YouTube.

Posted by u/PenguinWITTaSunburn.

8. Liam Neeson Doing Improv

Liam Neeson's stern and cold delivery of every line in this sketch is absolutely hilarious. He takes his role of a hypochondriac to a whole other level that will remain forever untouched by actors for years to come.

Posted by u/furrrsurre.

9. My Waffle Wedded Wife

This YouTube video is really sweet. When a bride and a groom are at the altar exchanging vows, the bride's husband-to-be accidentally says, "My waffl-y wedded wife," instead of "lawfully wedded wife." They crack up, the minister makes more jokes, and the entire audience also joins in on the laugh. Definitely a solid sign of a long and happy marriage.

Posted by u/IveGotAnElasticHeart.

10. You Wanna Play a Little Game?

I'm not going to spoil what happens in this video, but there's a reason why Reddit loves it. Jigsaw would be proud, maybe.

Posted by u/Stevepac9.

11. She's a Wolf in Mouse Clothing

Animals screaming seems to be a recurring theme in the videos that Reddit users seem to enjoy. These dubbed over mice screaming into the void is both hilarious and relatable.

Posted by u/Skyeborne.

12. Funniest Game Show Answers of All Time

Sometimes coming up with answers on the spot can be a little daunting, but this compilation video proves otherwise. Some of these just really GO for it you know? My favorite one is the person who is asked about a vegetable you marinate and he replies with "grapes." Iconic.

Posted by u/powerspyin1.

13. "A Child" Vine

RIP Vine, we hardly knew ye. This iconic five-second clip of someone clearly not getting the point is a staple among those on Reddit. It's dark humor at its finest.

Posted by u/_Bereavement.

14. Hilarious Jack Russell Goes Crazy with Excitement

This doggo was so excited to compete in the Agility Test at Crufts 2017. He was speedy, but he didn't necessarily keep his eyes on the prize, or his owner for that matter.

Posted by u/doubleohnicole.

15. Hi, I'm Ed Asner

This video starts innocently enough with Ed Asner introducing himself, but then he takes a freaking knife out of nowhere? I need an explanation, but I'm also OK knowing Asner isn't here to mess around, I guess.

Posted by u/Starman926.

16. Sulfur Hexafluoride Blooper

Helium needs to move aside because sulfur hexafluoride is here to snatch the crown for the best gas-induced funny voice. This old blooper shows a man inhaling this gas which makes his voice incredibly deep. This rule apparently applies to burps as well considering this man lets out an inhuman belch that will shake you to your core.

Posted by u/greenagemutantninja.

17. Rammstein vs Cookie Monster

Cookie Monster apparently has an affinity for German industrial metal music. Watch this amazing collab between Rammstein and Cookie Monster that Reddit apparently hails as the world's most iconic duo.

Posted by u/DammitPantera.

18. Head Smashes Board

A motivational speech about believing in yourself takes an odd turn when this man tries to break a "bored" using just his head. This does not turn out the way he expected it to. Perhaps if he believed in himself a little harder, this viral video would have a different ending.

Posted by u/TagProNoah.

19. Look at this Graph

You'd be doing yourself a major disservice if you didn't listen to this amazing, uncut edition of "Photograph" by Nickelback.

Posted by u/PacSan300.

20. The Brakes

Who would've thought that Tina driving a car in Bob's Burgers would translate so well in real life? While in this particular case there's a massive ship, its pretty likely the captain was experiencing the same feelings of anxiety as Tina did in this amazing dubbed-over video.

Posted by u/silverhydra.


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ARM registers for US initial public offering

ARM registers for US initial public offering

ARM has registered for a US stock market listing. In a press release published Saturday, the mobile chip company said it recently confidentially submitted a draft F-1 form to the Securities and Exchange Commission. According to Reuters, ARM hopes to raise between $8 billion and $10 billion dollars when it holds the initial public offering later this year, though over the weekend the company said it had yet to determine the size and price range of the proposed IPO.

ARM parent company SoftBank has been eyeing a public listing ever since NVIDIA’s $40 billion bid to buy the chip maker fell through at the start of last year due to regulatory resistance from the US Federal Trade Commission and other antitrust watchdogs. In March, SoftBank said it would list ARM on the US stock market after rebuffing a push for a London listing from the United Kingdom government. ARM designs the processor components used in almost every mobile device, including models from Apple and Samsung. Its licensing model means nearly every tech company depends on ARM designs. According to a recent Financial Times report, the company recently began work on a prototype chip that is “more advanced” than any semiconductor produced in the past.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://ift.tt/hqIQtTJ
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Brazilian court lifts nationwide Telegram ban put in place over data demand

Brazilian court lifts nationwide Telegram ban put in place over data demand

A federal appeals court in Brazil on Saturday lifted the country-wide ban that had been put in place against Telegram earlier this week. Per Reuters, judge Flávio Lucas ruled a complete suspension of the messaging app was “not reasonable” given that thousands of people in Brazil who rely on the platform for their communication needs. At the same time, he upheld the daily $200,000 fine on Telegram for failing to provide local authorities with the data they requested.

The original ban came on Wednesday after a federal court instructed Apple and Google to temporarily remove the service from their domestic app stores. Brazilian authorities sought the suspension after Telegram failed to hand over a full set of data on a pair of neo-Nazi groups on the app accused of inciting violence against schools.

According to The New York Times, a teenager accused of committing two school shootings in November, which left three dead and 13 people injured, was involved with the two groups. Authorities say they saw Nazi content, violent videos and bomb-making instructions shared in those group chats. When it didn’t comply with the initial court order, Telegram reportedly said the two groups had been deleted and that it couldn’t recover the requested information. Telegram did not immediately respond to Engadget’s comment request.

This isn’t the first time Telegram has been briefly banned in Brazil. In 2022, the country’s highest court suspended the app for failing to freeze accounts accused of spreading disinformation ahead of the country’s recent presidential election. Similarly, that ban was lifted just days later.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://ift.tt/vcMSINj
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Twitter users are uploading the entire 'Super Mario Bros. Movie'

Twitter users are uploading the entire 'Super Mario Bros. Movie'

Mario characters race down Rainbow Road in go-karts.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is the biggest film in the world right now, having just crossed $1 billion at the global box office. But for a few days, you could watch the adventures of Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt) and Luigi (voiced by Charlie Day) right from the comfort of your Twitter account.

As first reported by The Verge, the entire Super Mario Bros. Movie keeps being uploaded to Twitter. One version of the video was uploaded on April 28. Two days and over 9 million views later, Twitter removed the video due to copyright and suspended the user's account.

However, the upload of The Super Mario Bros. Movie adds another wrinkle to Twitter's copyright woes. Longer Twitter videos are one of the perks of subscribing to Twitter Blue. Starting in December of 2022, subscribers became able to upload videos up to 60 minutes long on the Twitter website, or videos up to 10 minutes long on iOS and Android.

Instead of being uploaded in two-minute long chunks, The Super Mario Bros. Movie was posted in two parts: one being precisely an hour long, and the other lasting the remaining half hour. According to The Verge's report, Avatar: The Way of Water — a three-hour-long movie! — was also uploaded to Twitter in a similar fashion.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is far from the first film to be uploaded to Twitter. In November 2022, movies like The Fast and the Furious: Toyko Drift, Hackers, and Avatar were all posted to Twitter two minutes at a time, resulting in long threads where you could watch the movies in full. Despite being clear violations of Twitter's copyright policy, the movies were left up for enough time for the threads to go viral. The same is true for copies of The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

In all these cases, the extended time between upload and account suspension likely has to do with Twitter's majorly decreased workforce, courtesy of layoffs from Elon Musk and resignations. Because that kind of piracy risk is exactly the kind of problem you want to invite when working with a skeleton crew.


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'Wordle' today: Here's the answer, hints for April 30

'Wordle' today: Here's the answer, hints for April 30

A close-up of a person playing Wordle on a smartphone.

You made it! It's Sunday, and you're just about ready to unwind with a game of Wordle. We're here as always to help guide the way with our expert Wordle advice and the solution.

If you prefer to just be told the answer, you can scroll to the end of this article for April 30's Wordle word to be revealed. But if you'd rather work through 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 have even sprung 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.

Not the day you're after? Here's the Wordle answer for April 29.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that brings joy to your heart. But if what brings you joy is strategy, 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 used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

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.

Why are there two different Wordle answers some days?

Though usually Wordle will only accept one correct solution per day, occasionally it will rebel against the norm and deem two different answers acceptable. This is due to changes the New York Times made to Wordle after it acquired the puzzle game.

The Times has since added its own updated word list, so this should happen even less frequently than before. To avoid any confusion, it's a good idea to refresh your browser before getting stuck into a new puzzle.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

It can be both a place and a famous actor's surname.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

It does! It's a tricky one too, so watch out.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter P.

What's the answer to Wordle today?

We're finally about to reveal the answer to today's Wordle, so get your guesses in now!

Are you ready?

The solution to Wordle #680 is...

PLAZA.

Don't feel discouraged if you didn't get it this time. The beauty of Wordle is that there's always a new one to try the next day, and we'll be here again with more helpful clues and hints.


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Elon Musk says Twitter will introduce per-article charging in May

Elon Musk says Twitter will introduce per-article charging in May

Twitter might provide publishers with a new way to earn from their content outside of the typical recurring subscription option. According to company chief Elon Musk, Twitter will allow media publishers to charge users for access to individual articles they post on the website as as soon as next month. Users will end up paying a higher per-article price than what the cost of access to every article would amount to if they had a subscription instead. But Musk said it's for those who want to read the occasional story from a specific outlet, so each article probably wouldn't cost as much as a monthly subscription. 

At this point in time, though, details about the upcoming feature remain vague. Musk only said that it will start rolling out next month — it's unclear what kinds of accounts and media outlets will be able to offer per-article charging. In addition, Twitter's owner didn't say how much the website would be taking as commission. When the company officially replaced Super Follows with Subscriptions, Musk announced that it won't be taking any money from creators for the next 12 months. After the year is up, Twitter will be taking a 10 percent cut on subscriptions. 

Engadget has reached out to the website for clarification, but it doesn't have a press team anymore. We'll have to wait for more information to know if Twitter will implement the same rule for per-article payments. Ultimately, the company will be taking a cut — Twitter, under Musk, has been introducing more and more paid features to boost revenue. It's pretty common knowledge at this point that its verification badge now comes as a perk for its $8-a-month Blue subscription. Twitter also shut down its free API to launch a new one that users would have to pay for. It would cost enterprise customers almost $50,000 a month to access the new API, so some organizations and companies such as NYC's transport authority had chosen to end Twitter integration or to leave the website instead. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://ift.tt/cvRyKg4
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Apple drops lawsuit against former exec who accused company of spying

Apple drops lawsuit against former exec who accused company of spying

After more than three years of litigation, Apple has quietly dropped its lawsuit against Gerard Williams III, the former chip executive the company accused of poaching employees. Williams spent nearly a decade working for Apple, leading development on some of its most important chips – including the A7, the first 64-bit processor for mobile devices.

In 2019, Williams left Apple to co-found Nuvia, a chip design firm later acquired by Qualcomm in 2021. When the tech giant first sued Williams, it accused him of “secretly” starting Nuvia and recruiting talent for his startup while he was still an Apple employee. Williams disputed Apple’s claims and accused the company of spying on his text messages.

As reported by Bloomberg, Apple filed a request to dismiss the suit against Williams earlier this week. The document does not state the company’s reason for dropping the case. However, it does say Apple did so “with prejudice,” meaning it cannot file the same claim against Williams again. It also suggests the two sides came to a settlement. Apple did not immediately respond to Engadget’s comment request.

In the weeks leading up to Wednesday’s dismissal request, court documents show Apple sought the recusal of Judge Sunil Kulkarni. Around March 17th, 2023, the company added two lawyers from the legal firm Morrison and Foerster to the team litigating its case against Williams. On March 28th, Judge Sunil Kulkarni filed a brief disclosing that he had worked at Morrison and Foerster for approximately 13 years and had kept in contact “over the years” with Bryan Wilson and Ken Kuwayti, the two “MoFo” attorneys Apple hired on as counsel earlier in the month.

“I have occasional social interactions with them (e.g., bimonthly lunches, seeing them at parties of mutual friends, and so on),” Judge Kulkarni wrote. “I believe I have recused myself from past cases involving Mr. Wilson and/or Mr. Kuwayti, but solely as a prophylactic measure.” After learning of the involvement of his former colleagues, Judge Kulkarni held an “informal” meeting with the two sides where he said he was “leaning toward recusal” if Apple retained the counsel of either Wilson or Kuwayti. In that same meeting, Kulkarni says he told Apple and Williams his recusal from the case would likely mean a delay in the case going to trial. Before the meeting, the case was scheduled to go to trial on October 2nd, 2023.

In a brief filed on April 6th, Williams and his legal team came out strongly against the idea of Judge Kulkarni removing himself from the case, arguing Apple’s position on the subject “should not matter” and that the move had the potential to be “prejudicial” against the former exec.

“Given that this case has been pending for over three years – with a fast-approaching discovery deadline and trial date – and given the Court’s familiarity with the parties, the case history, and the applicable law, the Court’s recusal decision has the potential to be prejudicial and disruptive,” the brief states. It then argues it was Apple that introduced a potential conflict of interest to the case.

“Even if a conflict existed that might warrant recusal, the procedure imposed by the Court – allowing the party that introduced the ‘conflict’ and would theoretically stand to benefit from it – to decide whether to waive it is inconsistent with basic rules of fairness and due process,” the brief concludes. “Such a procedure would set a dangerous precedent for judge shopping in the middle of a case: any part, at any time, could recruit former colleagues of a sitting judge and then force his or her recusal.”

Putting together what happened after that point is more difficult. However, after the 6th, the court in Santa Clara held multiple hearings where no one from either side appeared. Apple then filed to dismiss the case on April 26th. Qualcomm, Williams' current employer, did not immediately respond to Engadget's request for comment. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://ift.tt/T32hFiW
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'Quordle' today: Here are the answers and hints for April 30

'Quordle' today: Here are the answers and hints for April 30

A woman's hands holding a mobile phone playing 'Quordle'

If Quordle is a little too challenging today, you've come to the right place for hints. There aren't just hints here, but the whole Quordle solution. Scroll to the bottom of this page, and there it is. But are you sure you need all four answers? Maybe you just need a strategy guide. Either way, scroll down, and you'll get what you need.

What is Quordle?

Quordle is a five-letter word guessing game similar to Wordle, except each guess applies letters to four words at the same time. You get nine guesses instead of six to correctly guess all four words. It looks like playing four Wordle games at the same time, and that is essentially what it is. But it's not nearly as intimidating as it sounds.

Is Quordle harder than Wordle?

Yes, though not diabolically so.

Where did Quordle come from?

Amid the Wordle boom of late 2021 and early 2022, when everyone was learning to love free, in-browser, once-a-day word guessing games, creator Freddie Meyer says he took inspiration from one of the first big Wordle variations, Dordle — the one where you essentially play two Wordles at once. He took things up a notch, and released Quordle on January 30. Meyer's creation was covered in The Guardian six days later, and now, according to Meyer, it attracts millions of daily users. Today, Meyer earns modest revenue from Patreon, where dedicated Quordle fans can donate to keep their favorite puzzle game running. 

How is Quordle pronounced?

“Kwordle.” It should rhyme with “Wordle,” and definitely should not be pronounced exactly like "curdle.”

Is Quordle strategy different from Wordle?

Yes and no.

Your starting strategy should be the same as with Wordle. In fact, if you have a favorite Wordle opening word, there’s no reason to change that here. We suggest something rich in vowels, featuring common letters like C, R, and N. But you do you.

After your first guess, however, you’ll notice things getting out of control if you play Quordle exactly like Wordle.

What should I do in Quordle that I don’t do in Wordle?

Solving a Wordle puzzle can famously come down to a series of single letter-change variations. If you’ve narrowed it down to “-IGHT,” you could guess “MIGHT” “NIGHT” “LIGHT” and “SIGHT” and one of those will probably be the solution — though this is also a famous way to end up losing in Wordle, particularly if you play on “hard mode.” In Quordle, however, this sort of single-letter winnowing is a deadly trap, and it hints at the important strategic difference between Wordle and Quordle: In Quordle, you can't afford to waste guesses unless you're eliminating as many letters as possible at all times. 

Guessing a completely random word that you already know isn't the solution, just to eliminate three or four possible letters you haven’t tried yet, is thought of as a desperate, latch-ditch move in Wordle. In Quordle, however, it's a normal part of the player's strategic toolset.

Is there a way to get the answer faster?

In my experience Quordle can be a slow game, sometimes dragging out longer than it would take to play Wordle four times. But a sort of blunt-force guessing approach can speed things up. The following strategy also works with Wordle if you only want the solution, and don’t care about having the fewest possible guesses:

Try starting with a series of words that puts all the vowels (including Y) on the board, along with some other common letters. We've had good luck with the three words: “NOTES,” “ACRID,” and “LUMPY.” YouTuber DougMansLand suggests four words: “CANOE,” “SKIRT,” “PLUMB,” and “FUDGY.”

Most of the alphabet is now eliminated, and you’ll only have the ability to make one or two wrong guesses if you use this strategy. But in most cases you’ll have all the information you need to guess the remaining words without any wrong guesses.

If strategy isn't helping, and you're still stumped, here are some hints:

Are there any double or triple letters in today’s Quordle words?

Two words have twice-occurring letters.

Are any rare letters being used in today’s Quordle like Q or Z?

No.

What do today’s Quordle words start with?

S, G, R, and R.

What are the answers for today’s Quordle?

Are you sure you want to know?

There’s still time to turn back.

OK, you asked for it. The answers are:

  1. STOUT

  2. GROUT

  3. RALPH

  4. RIGOR


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What to know before signing up for Bluesky

What to know before signing up for Bluesky

A screenshot of the Bluesky app store page bulled up on a mobile phone.

If you're on Twitter, you've probably seen people flocking to Bluesky, a social platform hailed as a promising alternative to the now-ailing bird app. It looks nearly identical to Twitter, was initially funded by Twitter, and calls itself a "social network for microblogging" which, huh, is funny because that's exactly what Twitter is. Anyway! Before you go running for Bluesky's greener pastures, it’s important to know what you’re agreeing to when you sign up for the platform.

Bluesky currently owns everything you post

On Thursday Apr. 27, Twitter user Ashley Gjøvik tweeted about Bluesky's disconcertingly broad terms of service. She tweeted several screenshots of the terns, including a snippet that reads "If you post any content to the Bluesky Web Services, you hereby grant Bluesky and its licensees a worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive right and license to use, reproduce, publicly display, publicly perform, modify, sublicense, and distribute the content, on or in connection with the Bluesky Web Services."

In plain English that means: we own everything you post.

Rose Wang, who works in Strategy and Operations at Bluesky according to her LinkedIn profile, replied to Gjøvik's screenshots with an explanation of how Bluesky's team intends to interpret the terms: "In order for us to operate, we need to be able to promote the app," wrote Wang.

"That means, we will take screenshots of Bluesky, which will include your users’ content. That said, we have explicitly told our community that if we are using your content in a way you disapprove of, please email us... and we’ll do our best to honor your wishes. Bluesky was created so that users own their data, devs will never be locked out of the ecosystem, and creators can always own the relationship with their users... Thus, we are doing our best as [a] team to honor our ethos... Soon, our ToS will spell out use cases to mitigate confusion."

That all sounds nice. But Terms of Service agreements amount to a binding contract, and tweets claiming a company is "doing [its] best" to use your content a certain way do not.

These terms are harsh, even compared to Facebook

Let's take a look at Facebook's terms of service, which are much more nuanced in their explanation of user rights. "You retain ownership of the intellectual property rights," the terms page reads. "Nothing in these Terms takes away the rights you have to your own content... However, to provide our services we need you to give us some legal permissions (known as a 'license') to use this content."

The Facebook terms document then outlines what is covered by the license, and notes that it only applies "specifically when you share, post, or upload content that is covered by intellectual property rights on or in connection with our Products." The document also provides a helpful example: if you post a photo, you grant Facebook certain necessary permissions, allowing Facebook's parent company Meta to duplicate it, store it, and share it with others in ways "consistent with your settings." Reassuringly, it notes that the license you grant "will end when your content is deleted from our systems."

Bluesky may just be protecting itself because it's new

In comparison to Facebook's terms, Bluesky's read like a first draft put in place to satisfy a legal team, probably so the platform could start onboarding users and, for her part, the CEO has claimed this is essentially what happened. You know what they say in tech: move fast, break things, and claim ownership of your users' content!

Wang's replies point to another sticky subject: copyright. "We must protect ourselves," she wrote. Journalists, according to Wang, have been "taking screenshots of the app and putting it into their publications," and the terms need to make it possible to "transfer rights to license content to them." In the case of moderation, Wang said, copyright once again comes into play. Bluesky must be able to legally transfer content to moderators "so that they can scan through content" and sift out objectionable material.

These terms might have downsides for Bluesky itself

But owning user content, and being able to transfer rights to that content, may mean BlueSky is not protected by the "safe harbor" provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Under the DMCA, safe harbor protection goes away if a company has the "right and ability to control" copyright-infringing content and can potentially profit off of it. That means these terms leave Bluesky vulnerable to costly copyright infringement litigation, which would sap the fledgling app's potential.

For all its promise, Bluesky is still very much a work in progress. And while it's never fun to read the fine print, it's worth taking a quick look before handing over your content to Bluesky.

Mashable has reached out to Bluesky's CEO for comment, and will update if we hear back.


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Leaked Google Pixel Fold images show a sleek, nearly gapless hinge

Leaked Google Pixel Fold images show a sleek, nearly gapless hinge

With Google I/O less than two weeks away, the Pixel leaks are starting to come hard and fast. On Friday, leaker (and former Engadget editor) Evan Blass shared (via The Verge) two 4K renders of the Pixel Fold. The images almost certainly originally came from Google, so they offer our best look at the device yet.

Unfortunately, Blass didn’t post an image of the front of the foldable, so, for at least the time being, we can’t compare the renders against the alleged video of the Pixel Fold that leaker Kuba Wojciechowski uploaded on April 21st. What’s more, the one render of the Fold’s back cover doesn’t give a sense of how pronounced the camera bump is. However, they do show a device that looks sleeker than the one we’ve seen leak before.

The front of the Pixel Fold and the back of the Pixel 7a in coral.
Evan Blass

The Pixel Fold will reportedly cost $1,700 when it arrives later this year. According to a recent CNBC report, the device will feature a 7.6-inch foldable display and a 5.8-inch external screen. It will also supposedly sport the “most durable hinge” on any foldable device to date. Judging from the images Blass shared, there may be some merit to that claim. 

Separately, Blass shared an image of the Pixel 7a in a striking coral colorway. Google is expected to offer its next midrange device in three other colors — blue, black and white — and the device could cost $50 more than its predecessor. With Google I/O set for May 10th, expect to learn more about the Pixel Fold and Pixel 7a soon.  

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://ift.tt/rzeaO3f
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The internet goes wild over a bonkers NFL Draft Round 1

The internet goes wild over a bonkers NFL Draft Round 1

will levis at nfl draft with screenshot of tweet joking about him drinking coffee with mayo

The first round of the NFL draft was a wild ride on Thursday night.

The Houston Texans got to wheelin' and dealin', in the end making the second and third overall picks for quarterback C.J. Stroud and edge rusher Will Anderson, respectively. Kentucky QB Will Levis — a pre-draft consensus high pick — waited, waited, and waited, only to not get selected at all in the first round. The Philadelphia Eagles kept up their strategy of just...drafting national championship-winning Georgie Bulldogs.

The internet, predictably went wild for such a fun draft.

There were jokes and observations about Levis' long wait and the weird (wrong) Reddit rumor that he was going to be drafted first overall. Oh, and some of his odd food choices.

Then there were the posts about first overall pick Bryce Young, who is...vertically challenged...for an NFL QB.

There were jokes about the Eagles drafting two Georgia players after doing the same thing in recent drafts.

And then there were just lots of other good posts and jokes.

The lower rounds of the draft continue through Friday and Saturday. Hopefully your favorite team makes good picks but, worst comes to worst, at the least the jokes and memes will be good.


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'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' review: Remember when these movies were fun? James Gunn doesn't.

'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' review: Remember when these movies were fun? James Gunn doesn't.

Pom Klementieff as Mantis, Groot (voiced by Vin Diesel), Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star-Lord, Dave Bautista as Drax, Karen Gillan as Nebula in Marvel Studios'

I regret to inform you that the Guardians of the Galaxy as you know them are dead. What remains in Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 are flickering remnants of fun times, but mostly maudlin bullshit.

After bouncing to the DC Extended Universe for the chaotic sequel The Suicide Squad, writer/director James Gunn is back with the superhero film series that brought fresh life to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. By 2014, a string of suspenseful but oh-so-serious superhero movies (your Iron Mans, Thors, Captain Americas) had made this franchise a tense and tearful space. The Guardians of the Galaxy blazed into the MCU as rock-loving roughnecks, who were unapologetically coarse and goofy. But subsequent sequels and Avengers tie-ins haven't just killed Gamora, they've killed the chaotic charm that made this motley Marvel crew such a blast.

What's Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 about? 

Guardians running in colorful spacesuits
Credit: Marvel

With Gamora offed in Avengers: Infinity War, the surviving Guardians are holding up in their headquarters in Knowhere, where a mourning Peter "Star-Lord" Quill (Chris Pratt) is throwing himself a pity party, complete with drunkenness and a miserable soundtrack. Forget the bouncy mixtapes of '60s, '70s, and '80s pop that have defined his rascal appeal. Radiohead's "Creep" is what opens this Guardians movie, along with a sequence of animal abuse. And there'll be plenty more of that particularly traumatizing element throughout the movie. 

Penned by Gunn, Dan Abnett, and Andy Lanning, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 pitches Peter and his crew on a quest to rescue Rocket Raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper) from the mad scientist who created him, The High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji).

After a kidnapping attempt from High Evolutionary minion Adam Warlock (Will Poulter), Rocket is left mortally wounded. Despite Peter's pissy attitude, the Guardians must band together to pull off a series of heists to recover the McGuffin that can save Rocket's life. Along the way, they'll run into familiar friends and foes, including the Gamora (Zoe Saldana) from another timeline, who has no history with Peter and the Guardians, and so thinks of him as a pathetic sex pest that keeps trauma dumping on her at every opportunity. (Fair!)

Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 ruins its fun formula. 

Zoe Saldana as Gamora in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3."
Credit: Marvel

Where the first film had a fun push and pull between boisterous Peter and sneering Gamora, the third has a Peter who is justifiably but annoyingly mopey. Who could blame this Gamora for cringing every time he's near?

Meanwhile, most of the other Guardians are forced into caretaker mode, constantly catering to Peter in a way that spills out more and more mournful dialogue about loss. Of course, post-Snap we've seen a lot of the Avengers and their acolytes struggle with grief. But for how many movies (and TV shows) does Marvel expect us to endure this? At some point, it's just drudgery. And that point is here, where not only is Peter a glum chump, but Rocket, the wicked-tongued comic relief, is comatose for most of the movie. When he's not, he's experiencing flashbacks of a traumatic childhood that is aggressively violent and so joltingly tragic that parents might think twice before taking their kiddos to this one. 

With Rocket sidelined, his best scene partner, Groot (Vin Diesel), is adrift with the schtick of saying, "I am Groot," over and over. And the joke has gotten stale. Meanwhile, Nebula (Karen Gillan) is saddled with being the nagging mother figure, dragging dumb and dumber duo, Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff), into some form of a plan. While this leaves Gillan little to do but scowl, Bautista and Klementieff are terrific, bringing the most humor and heart to this trudging superhero movie. 

While Peter and Mantis are siblings (exposition dropped as often as how Gamora is back in their lives), Mantis and Drax have big Sibling Vibes. They squabble like children, passionate and irrationally. And it's the lightest this movie dares to get. Even in their wide-eyed reactions, they are delightful, like when new Gamora derisively calls them, "Bug and Doofus." Where every other Guardian is bogged down by Snap-related trauma, Mantis and Drax find the light enough to actually make this movie feel less of a drag. Thankfully, they are not alone in this. 

Chukwudi Iwuji and Maria Bakalova bring verve to Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3. 

Dog in a spacesuit in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3."
Credit: Marvel

Some of the newer faces in the MCU are welcome additions. For one, Maria Bakalova, who broke out as Borat's daughter in Borat Subsequent Movie Film, lends her voice to Cosmo the Spacedog. A labrador-retriever mix in a CCCP spacesuit, she was launched on a test rocket never to return to Earth. But since then, Cosmo's acquired tech to help her speak English (with a thick Russian accent) and telekinetic powers that prove pretty pivotal. But her greatest contribution is a sweet and silly running gag about her desire to be recognized as a "good dog." It's simple, silly, and sublime.

Elsewhere, Will Poulter is deliciously wacky as a himbo in the vein of early Thor, and is a great balance to Elizabeth Debicki's returning and frazzled Ayesha. The Suicide Squad's Daniela Melchior brings a sharp wit to a small role, as does Nathan Fillion, who starred in Gunn's gross-out horror movie Slither. But Chukwudi Iwuji stands out from the pack of newcomers giving us a villain who feels Disney in a good way. (As opposed to...)

The High Evolutionary's deal feels tiresomely reminiscent of Thanos and Kang: yadda yadda perfecting the world by making it in his vision. In this case, he's a bioengineer who's been making mammals into mech-monstrosities, resulting in a scene that feels very Toy Story, when Woody and Buzz end up in Sid's workshop of misfit toys. The premise of this villain and his look (which the movie calls out as a blatant ripoff of RoboCop) are meh. But Iwuji brings a volatile bravado that feels vintage Disney villain. Think Jafar, Ursula, or Scar. At any moment, he might burst into violence or a song! So whether he's rhapsodizing about eugenics or casually deciding on genocide, he's electrifying to behold.

Speaking of the genocide and eugenics of it all — again, parents might want to preview before taking offspring to this PG-13 Disney movie. 

Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 is more slog than romp. 

The Guardians all march in a line away from a burning structure.
Credit: Marvel

Gunn's movies are typically known for madcap humor, exciting action, and a slight edge that feels rebellious within Disney's MCU machine. But here, much of the humor and edge is dulled by the depressing onslaught of death and torture. The violence is alarmingly intense for this brand. Characters are mauled, set ablaze, or have bones snapped, and a head is decapitated to presumably comedic effect. Maybe this mayhem would play better if the movie were funnier or at least less solemn. But as it is, it's shocking and off-putting to see such graphic violence in a movie that presumably was meant for kids and parents to enjoy together. Essentially, it feels like Gunn is reaching for maturity through moping and shock value, and the result is gross, not engrossing. (Does this bode well for the future of DC movies?)

Likewise, the needle drops that once had a theater rocking along with Peter's superb playlist now feel haphazard and torturously too long, be they used for reflection or celebration. At two hours and 30 minutes, Gunn's latest is achingly indulgent, engaging in slow-motion sentimentality with more enthusiasm than the action sequences, which are so frenetically cut that they are efficient but not effecting.

In short, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3 is a major disappointment. While some of its stars manage to shine despite a screenplay that is a black hole of sadness, the underwhelming action, convoluted plotline, and confounding score add dead weight instead of elevation. In the end, the credits come as a blessing, not a bummer. 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 opens in theaters May 5.


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‘Vampire Survivors’ is getting an animated television series

‘Vampire Survivors’ is getting an animated television series

Vampire Survivors, the addictively casual indie game, is getting an animated television series. Known for its rich and cinematic backstory to the same degree as narrative-driven classics Space Invaders, BurgerTime and Dig Dug, Vampire Survivors is a pick-up-and-play casual game with simple 2D character sprites. Media company Story Kitchen will partner with the game’s creator, Luca Galante (founder of developer poncle), to make the series.

Galante said in a (hopefully) cheeky tone, “The most important thing in Vampire Survivors is the story, so it’s a dream come true to see what started as a little indie game I made on my weekends come to life as an animated TV show! It’s also great to be partnering up with such experienced and talented people to make the show. I do wonder if they’ve realized that there isn’t a single vampire in Vampire Survivors, though.” If the announcement sets the stage for the series, we may be in store for a show brimming with self-aware and tongue-in-cheek humor.

The game’s backstory is no more complex than the blurb, “The year 2021, Rural Italy, there lived an evil person named Bisconte Draculó, whose many evil magics created a bad world filled with famine and suffering. It’s now up to the members of the Belpaese family to end his reign of terror and return good food to the table.” Vampire Survivor’s gameplay revolves around controlling an auto-firing character’s movement and loadout as they blast away increasingly daunting hordes of enemies. It borrows elements from roguelike games and tower defense (with Castlevania-esque characters). Once you settle into the action, it can almost become a meditative experience. The title has consistently been one of the most-played Steam Deck games since its launch and is available on PC, Mac, Xbox, Android and iOS.

Story Kitchen is headed by Dmitri Johnson, who co-produced the Sonic the Hedgehog movie series. It also includes John Wick creator and writer Derek Kolstad, former Agency of the Performing Arts (APA) agent, and partner Mike Goldberg. Deadlinereports that the series creators are currently searching for a writer. Hopefully, the eventual scribe won’t find their ideas too constrained by the game’s sprawling and complex lore.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://ift.tt/YOjeG30
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'Victim/Suspect' trailer: How the criminal justice system fails victims of assault

'Victim/Suspect' trailer: How the criminal justice system fails victims of assault

Two women stare at a computer screen while sitting in an office.

The upcoming documentary Victim/Suspect follows journalist Rae de Leon as she investigates a disturbing pattern across sexual assault cases nationwide — survivors who go to the police to report their assaults are often treated as suspects.

In de Leon's research, which includes recordings from police interrogations, interviews with victims, and accounts from legal experts, we learn that survivors reporting their assault are sometimes charged with or even arrested for filing a false report. Victim/Suspect offers a painful look into a criminal justice system that fails its victims and emboldens a hostile environment that threatens those who speak up. This is the latest documentary from filmmaker Nancy Schwartzman, whose harrowing investigation Roll Red Roll was nominated for a Peabody.

Victim/Suspect premieres on Netflix May 23. 


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'Forza Motorsport' will feature audio cues to help players with visual impairments drive

Forza Motorsport developer Turn 10 Studios has previewed some of the game's accessibility features. First and foremost, the studio is hoping to make it easier for blind and low-vision players to enjoy the racing sim with the help of audio cues.

Turn 10 spent two years building Blind Driving Assists with the help of accessibility consultant Brandon Cole (who is blind) and other blind and low-vision players. The feature offers supplemental audio cues to help players navigate. They'll receive audible information on things like track position and orientation, and their approach and progress during turns. Players will also learn details about the car, including the level of deceleration needed and when to shift gears if they're using manual transmission.

In a video that shows off the feature and details its development, Cole notes that the steering guide option pans the engine noise and tire sounds to the left or right, depending on the direction players should turn. Beeping sounds will tell players when they're nearing the edge of the track. Cole says that, with the help of the cues, he was able to win a race against a bunch of AI-driven cars.

Blind and low-vision players can preview the audio cues in the accessibility menu. They'll hear in-depth descriptions of what each cue means, thanks to the inclusion of a customizable screen narrator. Players can individually switch each set of cues on and off, and they'll be able to tweak the pitch and volume of them. Although it will likely take a while for players to get used to the cues, they could be immensely useful for blind and low-vision folks who want to play Forza Motorsport.

Along with more common accessibility features such as full controller remapping, colorblindness filters and customizable subtitles, there's another called One Touch Driving. This enables players to customize braking, steering and throttle assists to minimize the number of simultaneous inputs needed. They can enable as many of the assists as they like. Turn 10 worked with players who have mobility and stamina disabilities to create One Touch Driving, which is intended for those who may find it difficult to hold down buttons or press several buttons at the same time.

Forza Motorsport is slated to arrive later this year. It will be available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox Cloud Gaming and PC via the Microsoft Store and Steam.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://ift.tt/XVu7QPd
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