Tech
The best Nintendo Switch 2 power banks weve found on sale this week
Anker Nano Power Bank
(save $4)
VEEKTOMX Mini Power Bank
(save $6)
INIU Portable Charger
(save $5.24)
If you were lucky enough to get your hands on the brand-new Nintendo Switch 2 (it’s out of stock at most retailers), you’ve probably realized that the handheld battery life isn’t exactly the greatest. (Though, this wasn’t a surprise, as Mashable’s Alex Perry puts it, “more horsepower and a better display also mean more drain on battery.”)
Nintendo Switch 2 restock tracker (June 13): Walmart has the console in stock, but there's a catch
Through testing, we’ve found that you can get around three hours of battery life at best, which isn’t ideal if you’re traveling or don’t have a wall socket nearby. The good news is that the Switch 2 can be powered via a USB-C charger, so just about any standard power bank should, in theory, work.
Of course, we’re expecting some Nintendo-specific chargers to hit the market soon, but in the meantime, we thought we’d save you some time and effort by rounding up some of the best Nintendo Switch 2-compatible power banks we’ve found on sale this week.
Best deal overall
Why we like it
The Anker Nano Power Bank has a built-in USB-C cable, so if you forget to bring one, you can still charge your Switch 2 without having to scrounge for a spare. At 10,000mAh, you should be able to get at least one full charge out of it, which is pretty great considering how small and compact it is (4.09 × 2.06 × 1.02 inches).
It has bidirectional charging, meaning you can charge your devices from the power bank and charge the power bank itself from a separate power source at the same time. According to the manufacturer, you can get it to 50 percent in just 45 minutes.
The case is made from 80 percent post-consumer recycled plastic, and it comes in multiple color options, (most power banks do not). It also has a 24-month “worry-free” warranty.
Get it now for $35.99, down from $39.99, at Amazon. That's a 10% discount and $4 off.
Best high capacity deal
Why we like it
The INIU Portable Charger has a 20,000mAh battery, meaning it can fully charge a Switch 2 at least two times. But, keep in mind, that at 22.5W, it will be noticeably slower than the Anker Nano, especially if you're playing a more demanding game.
It has one USB-C port and two USB-A ports, so you can charge multiple devices at once, and it features a three-mode LED flashlight, which could come in handy in a pinch. You’ll also get a three-year warranty with this one.
Get it now for $26.97, down from $32.21, at Amazon. That's a 16% discount and a $5.24 savings.
Best for portability
Why we like it
If you’re looking for something that’s a little more compact, the VEEKTOMX Mini Power Bank is one option. (It weighs 5.8 ounces.)
It has a 10,000mAh battery and features one 20W USB-C port, one 22.5W USB-A port, and one 18W micro input port. It also has a little LED display that shows how much battery is left.
This portable charger doesn’t charge up as quickly as the Anker Nano Power Bank (you’ll get a full recharge in about 2.5 to 3 hours), but it is smaller and more lightweight, making it a better option for portability.
Get it now for $26.97, down from $29.99, at Amazon. That's a 20% discount and $6 in savings.
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.
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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.
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:
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Yellow: Ways to throw a baseball
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Green: Hockey fouls
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Blue: Women's hockey
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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
-
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.
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.
The best-selling $169 AirPods Pro deal is back — grab em while you can
NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 9, 2025
Microsoft is shutting down its Lens PDF scanner app
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