Tech
Shop the REI Anniversary Sale to get 30% off summer outdoor essentials

REI Base Camp 4 Tent
(save $142.21)

Bote Wulf Aero inflatable paddle board
(save $83.91)

Memorial Day is just a few days away, which means it's time to think about every amazing outdoor adventure you have planned for summer of 2025. If last year's gear got put away wet and dirty, it's time to consider some upgrades. Instead of doing this the Thursday night before leaving for a weekend adventure on Friday, spend Memorial Day weekend sorting through your gear and deciding what needs a refresh.
Coincidentally, the REI Anniversary Sale is on now through May 26 and has thousands of deals that take up to 30% off outdoor gear. Snag a new paddle board, replace the cooler, finally keep in touch with a Garmin inReach, or get a cozier sleeping bag.
Plus, if you happen to be an REI member and you see something that's not on sale, use code ANNIV2025 to take 20% off. A lifetime membership to the REI Co-op costs just $30 which means joining to apply to 20% coupon could mean the membership has already paid for itself.
In terms of what's on sale during the REI Anniversary Sale expect to see 30% off tons of REI Co-op brand gear, 20% off REI bicycles, and up to 25% off tons of camping gear from Nemo, Kelty, Therm-a-Rest and more. Below are some of our favorite deals or you can spend hours browsing the entire sale selection.
Best camping deal
Why we like it
The outdoors is a wonderful place to spend sunny weekends but it's no time to skip out on sleeping. You'll want to head out with a cozy sleeping set-up which relies on a functional tent, and that's where the REI Base Camp 4 Tent comes into play. It's part of the brand's Anniversary Sale which means you'll be saving 30% on the tent, scoring it for $331.79 instead of the normal price of $474.
In terms of function, the Base Camp 4 Tent is ready to sleep you and three friends with its durable materials that are also water repellent. The wide two door means no sleeper is trapped inside and everyone will have easy access for that inevitable 1 a.m. latrine trip. Of course, the pockets and hang loops make camp organization much easier.
More camping deals
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Sea to Summit Ultra-Sil Dry Bag (3 pack) — $52.39 $69.95 (save $17.56)
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GSI Outdoors Glacier Stainless Base Camper Cookset — $67.39 $89.95 (save $22.56)
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Kelty Low Loveseat — $97.39 $129.95 (save $32.56)
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Helinox Chair Zero — $104.89 $139.95 (save $35.06)
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Rumpl Original Puffy Blanket (two person) — $149.19 $199 (save $49.81)
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Sea to Summit Traveller 45F Down Sleeping Bag — $149.19 $199 (save $49.81)
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Coleman Cascade 222 2-Burner Camp Stove — $164.99 $220 (save $55.01)
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NEMO Dagger OSMO 2P Tent — $374.89 $499.95 (save $125.06)
Best water sports deal
Why we like it
You've tried out the paddle boards from the local rental shop and decided it's a great way to get out on the water, but have you tried your own? Bote makes some impressively designed paddle boards and the Bote Wulf Aero is on sale during the REI Anniversary Sale for $475.09, down from the usual price of $559. At 10 feet 4 inches in length, the Bote Wulf means you can spend the day out on the water instead of on the crowded shoreline and the included travel bag means everything is so much easier to carry to the lake. You'll also get a three-piece adjustable SUP paddle, a hand pump, a coiled leash, and a removeable Aero center fin, and an Aero repair kit.
More outdoor gear sales at REI
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NRS Ninja PFD — $119.89 $149.95(save $30.06)
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Garmin inReach Mini 2 — $299.99 $400 (save $100.01)
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Cannondale Topstone 3 Bike — $1,119.93 $1,400 (save $280.07)
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Salsa Journeyer Sora 700c Bike — $1,169.09 $1,299 (save $129.91)
Tech
The best-selling $169 AirPods Pro deal is back — grab em while you can

SAVE $80: As of Aug. 9, the Apple AirPods Pro 2 are on sale for $169 at Amazon. That's 32% off their list price of $249.
The battle of the best earbuds is a pretty tough race, but the AirPods Pro are still a huge standout — especially now that they feature USB-C charging. And we love them even more when they're on sale.
As of Aug. 9, the AirPods Pro 2 are down to just $169 at Amazon instead of the usual $249. That's a savings of 32% and just $20 shy of their best-ever price from Prime Day. The Apple earbuds do fall to $169 pretty regularly, but that doesn't mean this isn't a solid deal. That's only $40 more than the AirPods 4 at full price, which don't even offer noise cancellation.
We particularly love the rich and well-balanced sound of the AirPods Pro, although we wish they offered customizable EQ. They also offer best-in-class noise cancellation, decent battery life (up to six hours per charge, 30 hours with case), and seamless Apple ecosystem integration. The Pros regularly top our lists of the best headphones, and our readers seem to love them just as much. "For portability, active noise cancellation, and balanced sound, your search ends with the AirPods Pro," our reviewer writes.
Tech
NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 9, 2025

Connections: Sports Edition is a new 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. 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.
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: Ways to throw a baseball
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Green: Hockey fouls
-
Blue: Women's hockey
-
Purple: Roll Tide QBs
Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
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Yellow: Baseball Pitching Arm Slots
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Green: Hockey Penalties
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Blue: PWHL Teams
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Purple: Former Alabama QBs
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 #320 is…
What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today
-
Baseball Pitching Arm Slots – OVERHAND, SIDEARM, SUBMARINE, THREE-QUARTERS
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Hockey Penalties – BOARDING, CROSS-CHECKING, HOOKING, INTERFERENCE
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PWHL Teams – CHARGE, FLEET, FROST, SIRENS
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Former Alabama QBs – NAMATH, STABLER, STARR, YOUNG
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new 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 the latest Connections.
Tech
Microsoft is shutting down its Lens PDF scanner app
Microsoft is quietly winding down its Lens scanning app for iOS and Android, the company confirmed in a support document.
Formerly known as Office Lens, the app lets users convert images into PDFs, PowerPoint slides, and Excel files, handling both handwritten and printed documents with ease. It was simple, reliable, and widely used — but it’s now on the chopping block. Microsoft plans to officially retire the app on Sept. 15, 2025.
Support will end on Nov. 15, 2025, when Lens will be pulled from both the App Store and Google Play. Users will still be able to create scans until Dec. 15, 2025, but after that, the feature will be disabled. Existing scans will remain accessible as long as the app stays installed on the device.
The move marks the end of an app that’s seen more than 50 million downloads on Google Play and nearly 136,000 ratings on Apple’s App Store.
Microsoft is pointing users toward Microsoft 365 Copilot, which carries over most of Lens’s scanning capabilities. However, Copilot lacks some of Lens’s biggest perks, including direct saving to Microsoft Suite apps and accessibility features like read-aloud support and Immersive Reader integration.
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