Olivia Carville / Bloomberg:
How Maynard v. Snapchat, a 2016 lawsuit linked to a car crash involving Snapchat's speed filter, sparked social media's legal reckoning over user safety  —  The rain had only just let up when the night shift ended at the Bay Breeze Seafood Restaurant in Lovejoy, Georgia.

Witchbrook finally has a solid release date. A decade after developer Chucklefish first teased the cosy witch life sim, it and co-developer Robotality have now announced the game will launch on Jan. 28 next year. That's only three more months of waiting.

First teased in 2016 under the working title Spellbound, Witchbrook has become one of the most highly anticipated upcoming cosy games, competing with ConcernedApe's Haunted Chocolatier. According to SteamDB, Witchbrook is currently the ninth most wishlisted game on Steam. Players take on the role of a student at Witchbrook College, a magic school for witches in training.

Witchbrook's developers had initially planned to release the game in Winter 2025, announcing the launch window in March that year. This was eventually pushed back to 2026, allowing them to bring Witchbrook to more platforms and add support for additional languages. This Wednesday's release date announcement has now delayed it just a little bit further until 2027.

"We have poured detail and care into every pixel, to create a truly handcrafted experience," Chucklefish and Robotality said in their release date announcement. "Thank you for all of your support and patience, especially within the last year, while we took the additional time to make a game we’re truly proud of."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

In Witchbrook, there are classes to attend, assignments to complete, and exams to pass, with subjects such as Potions, Astrology, Demon Hunting, and Tarot. However, you won't be spending all your time on your studies. You can also start a business, creating goods and delivering them via broom, as well as partake in extracurricular activities such as cooking, gardening, decorating your home, and exploring the seaside town of Mossport.

Like many good cosy games set in friendly villages, Witchbrook is a social RPG as well, with an attractive cast of local residents and classmates to befriend — or even date. If none of them take your fancy, you can spend time with your real-life friends instead, as Witchbook supports up to four players in online multiplayer.

While the 10-year wait has caused the hype to die down for some, many eager gamers have still reacted to the news of Witchbrook's launch date with joy. Several have even likened the excitement and anticipation for the game to that surrounding Grand Theft Auto VI's launch. Despite the additional delay to cap it off, many fans are just happy that Witchbrook is finally arriving, and has a definite date they can mark in their calendars.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Witchbrook will launch Jan. 28, 2027 for $24.99 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

A 25-year-old German photographer won the 2026 Nikon Small World competition with a microscopic image freezing ink droplets in midair as an inkjet printer deposits them onto paper. Ars Technica reports that Ole Bielfeldt "beat out 1,802 other entries hailing from 69 different countries." From the report: Bielfeldt became interested in photomicrography during the COVID-19 lockdown after discovering an old microscope in his parents' attic. He figured out how to build an adaptor out of a tube and some wood to connect the microscope to his father's camera and taught himself the art through trial and error, building custom tools as needed. He documents how he captures transformative images of everyday objects with behind-the-scenes videos posted to macrofying, his photography and videography brand. It was Bielfeldt's curiosity about the inner workings of inkjet printers that inspired his winning entry, but capturing the action of ink drops being deposited on paper was a challenge, given that the process happens so quickly. The droplets, for instance, moved faster than the camera's shutter speed. Bielfeldt's solution was to deconstruct the printer so that the paper moved under a stationary (rather than moving) printhead, and then take the image in a dark room, using a flash to serve as the shutter, thereby freezing the ink drops mid-air. There was no need for pricey equipment. Bielfeldt does not use AI in his images, preferring to rely on traditional techniques. "Ole Bielfeldt's winning image embodies what makes Nikon Small World so powerful: the intersection of microscope imaging, ingenuity, and artistry," said Eric Flem, a spokesperson for Nikon Instruments. "By using a microscope objective in a different way, he transformed a familiar object into something altogether new and previously unseen. It is a reminder that the microscope is not only a scientific tool but also a creative one, capable of expanding how we see and imagine the world around us." The full list of winners can be found here.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Reuters:
STMicro reports Q3 revenue up 17.9% YoY to $3.76B, operating income up 98% YoY to $429M, vs. $400.5M est., and forecasts $4.15B in Q4 revenue, vs. $4.10B est.  —  STMicroelectronics (STMPA.PA) reported a third-quarter operating profit above market expectations on Thursday …

Bloomberg:
A profile of Tencent Cloud CEO Dowson Tong, who is shifting Tencent's AI focus toward businesses and betting on its Claude Cowork-style assistant WorkBuddy  —  When Pony Ma called Tencent Holdings Ltd.'s AI endeavor “a leaky ship” this summer, the billionaire founder sent ripples through …

Wired:
Bluesky blocks links to a leaked archive containing personal data of 41,000+ DHS employees and contractors, saying it was “shared without their authorization”  —  Bluesky tells WIRED it blocked links to a leaked archive of information on 41,000 ICE, CBP, and other DHS workers …

Elizabeth Rembert / Bloomberg:
National Student Clearinghouse: US computer science enrollment fell 12%+ for undergrads and 10%+ for grad students this fall, as AI reduces coding jobs  —  Computer and information science departments at US colleges saw an exodus of students this fall, with enrollment declining more than 12% …

Lauren Forristal / TechCrunch:
Google announces the expansion of ads in AI Mode into international markets, as growth in its core search advertising business slows  —  Google is bringing ads in its AI-powered Search experiences to international markets, betting that generative AI can open up new revenue opportunities …

Bloomberg:
Samsung shares fall as much as 6.6% as a lack of a new shareholder return plan, higher capex, and its chip unit's profit miss weigh on investor sentiment  —  Samsung Electronics Co. shares reversed earlier gains to slide as much as 6.6% as the lack of a new shareholder return plan in its earnings disappointed investors.

The Acer Predator Atlas 8 is finally coming to US buyers after its unveiling at Computex...

The post Acer Predator Atlas 8 Goes on Sale in the US for $1,299: What to Expect appeared first on Fossbytes.

ASUS India has confirmed November 5, 2026, as the release date for its new laptop, the...

The post ASUS Zenbook 14 Is Coming to India With Snapdragon, AMD, and Intel Processor Options appeared first on Fossbytes.

Apple’s fully loaded M5 Ultra Mac Studio with 512GB of RAM is finally up for pre-order, and at $29,799, it costs more than a brand-new Chevy Bolt EV.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier for fans of abbreviations.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight, and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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.

Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Southeastern Conference

• Green: Football stats

• Blue: Nicknames

• Purple: Parts of a hockey team

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: SEC Schools, Abbreviated

• Green: QB Stats, Abbreviated

• Blue: Nicknames of NBA Stars

• Purple: Hockey Positions, Abbreviated

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #765 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• SEC Schools, Abbreviated: LSU, OU, UGA, UK

• QB Stats, Abbreviated: INT, QBR, TD, YDS

• Nicknames of NBA Stars: AD, KD, PG-13, SGA

• Hockey Positions, Abbreviated: C, G, LW, RW

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to play Pips

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Easy difficulty hints, answers for October 29 Pips

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

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

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed vertically.

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for October 29 Pips

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically; 0-2, placed vertically.

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

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically.

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally; 4-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically.

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically.

Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for October 29 Pips

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

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed horizontally; 0-6, placed horizontally.

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

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally.

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

Greater Than (7): Everything in this space must be greater than 7. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed vertically; 6-3, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 5-0, placed vertically.

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

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed vertically.

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

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

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Cover story.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

ALIBI

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A prank.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

CAPER

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Protrusion.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

BULGE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Serious.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

STERN

Final Hurdle hint

Sorcery.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

MAGIC

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

Bloomberg:
Samsung expects capex to rise ~60% to ~$63B this year, with HBM capacity sold out through 2027 and 10 long-term supply deals secured with key customers  —  Samsung Electronics Co. plans to hike spending more than 60% this year after selling out of high-end chips for 2027 …

Simon Sharwood / The Register:
Google's search revenue rose 12% YoY to $63.25B in Q3 2026, down from 14.5% in Q3 2025, with Google attributing the slowdown to “lower monetization” in AI Mode  —  Shares in Google's parent company Alphabet dived by almost ten percent on Wednesday, after the web giant admitted …

Ville Heiskanen / Bloomberg:
DoorDash moves its Q3 earnings release from November 4 to before the market opens on October 29, amid reports of an imminent ~$17B deal to acquire Instacart  —  DoorDash Inc., the food delivery provider in talks to take over Instacart, moved its earnings release date forward by almost a week.

Chris Metinko / Axios:
Fragment, which uses AI to resolve purchasing and payment issues across manufacturing datasets, emerges from stealth with $56M from 8VC and others  —  Procurement startup Fragment is exiting stealth with $56 million raised, CEO Pranav Mulgund tells Axios Pro exclusively.

Although once little more than an academic endeavor, the RISC-V architecture is slowly supplanting applications that would have normally gone to ARM. Even a few microcontrollers have chips running this open-source instruction set now, and we expect it to grow in the future since it doesn’t require the licensing of an ARM or x86 chip. [M_Jagadeesh97] is getting ahead of the curve with this retro gaming system built on a custom-designed RISC-V system.

Most of us, presumably including [M_Jagadeesh97], don’t have access to chip fabrication tools, but what we can get is any of various FPGAs. This RISC-V CPU is built on a Terasic DE0-Nano board with 32 MB of RAM available to it, and boots to a launcher with 32 games available. There are a few limitations with this low-power system which was largely solved by limiting the display to 64×32, which lets it maintain the same aspect ratio as the original DOOM as well as the same aspect ratio for many of the older games, while still maintaining 45 FPS.

The project writeup goes deep into the design of a system like this, from the bare metal, the CPU design, the timing of the video signals, and how to implement a Wolfenstein-like raycaster. After adding a small display it looks to be fairly portable as well and is an excellent demonstration of how powerful inexpensive boards like this  FPGA can be with the proper amount of effort.