The learning experience is fundamentally different for kids now than it was even for today’s 20-somethings — especially for elementary and middle schools. A lot of that change can be attributed to laptops.

The Covid-induced school closures that spanned 2020 cemented the cruciality of a kid having easy access to a laptop at home. While the classroom may be all-important once more, it’s still convenient to have a laptop at hand for your kids to use. The importance of access to email and virtual learning platforms like Blackboard, while a kid’s not at school, can’t be understated (and for a lot of kids, it’s far less intimidating than talking to a teacher IRL).

Digital accessibility to school materials and other resources can also cultivate a sense of autonomy and responsibility in students: The Speak Up Research Project for Digital Learning found that high schoolers who were assigned a laptop were more likely to take notes in class, do internet research, collaborate with peers on projects, check their grades, and get reminders about due dates or tests.

Are first graders going to be taking notes or keeping track of their own test scores? Probably not. But as children move from elementary to middle to high school, computers are made a more integral part of the curriculum and assignments. Young kids can stay ahead of the curve by practicing those skills at home — it’s like practicing reading with your preschooler or letting your 15-year-old practice driving in a parking lot. Easing them into the responsibility of keeping a device charged can work as preparation for a cell phone as well.

Laptops for younger kids versus older kids

Some criteria make sense for all ages. Young kids need something sturdy that can handle drops or bumps, and older kids need something that can handle being lugged in a backpack alongside heavy books. Long battery life makes everyone’s life easier, too.

Processing power and storage will likely be your main deciding factors, and it all depends on what the kid will be doing on the laptop. Younger kids may do some light schoolwork, play games, or watch a movie, but there’s no reason to pay for RAM over 4 GB to run a few apps for school or a fancy screen to play Unravel Two. Faster RAM and increased screen resolution will be important for high school or college students who need a device that can multitask with power-sucking apps like PhotoShop or software for a statistics course. Ample storage space is a must to house things like schoolwork and downloaded textbooks.

Here are the best laptops for kids in 2023:

TL;DR: As of July 30, get this Apple Watch wireless charger keychain for just $38.99 — that’s 60% off.

Having an Apple Watch is great if you’re always on the go, hitting the gym, or working remotely. But anytime you’re away from home and see that red lightning bolt on your watch, you risk losing all of that convenience to a dead battery. You likely have a portable power bank for your phone, so why not get one for your watch, too?

This Apple Watch wireless charger keychain is small enough to fit in your pocket, bag, or attach to your backpack. And, for a limited time, you can get a pack of two for only $38.99, normally $99.90.

Newfound charging convenience 

While you could carry around your normal Apple Watch cord, you may not always be able to find a wall outlet to plug into. Instead, you could just pop your Apple Watch onto this keychain and load it with some extra juice to get you through the day.

A 950mAh battery holds enough power to charge all models of the Apple Watch around three times, depending on a few factors. Keeping a fully charged keychain with you when you’re running errands, commuting to and from the office, or on vacations might really come in handy. Check its current battery level anytime with four LED indicator lights.

If you ever catch yourself with a dead keychain, you can plug the keychain into a power bank or wall outlet and still use it to charge up your watch. This could be especially useful when going on vacation, so you can just pack the keychain and leave your other charger back home.

Portable Apple Watch charger

It’s powerful, it’s pocket-sized, and it might be your new favorite way to keep your Apple Watch juiced up just about anywhere you go. Grab a two-pack of the Apple Watch wireless charger keychain for only $38.99 (reg. $99.90) for a limited time.

Prices subject to change.

TL;DR: As of July 30, you can get the Stamina X Magnetic Rower for only $223.99 instead of $449.99 — that’s a savings of 50%.

Smart technology can be interesting, but it probably doesn’t have to be in everything. If you want to get in on the trend of “dumbing down” your unnecessarily smart products, start with your home workout equipment. Instead of paying monthly for a subscription service attached to your workout equipment, you could just get the workout equipment and decide how you use it. This could be a great option for college kids going back to school who want to work out with their roommates and even split the cost.

The Stamina X Magnetic Rower may have a screen, but it’s tiny and just shows you your exercise metrics. This affordable magnetic rower comes with access to a digital coach for 500+ minutes a month, though it’s up to you whether you use it. The whole package is only $223.99. 

Exercise equipment that doesn’t require a subscription

Pelotons are legendary workout bikes, but a few models made waves because they required a monthly subscription to function at all. The Stamina X Magnetic Rower takes things back a few years, to when workout subscriptions were separate from the equipment itself. 

Set this rower up on a five-foot flat surface — a common room could certainly do the trick — and give yourself a full body workout you might need a massage to recover from. The Stamina X has straps to hold your feet in place, pivoting footplates for a comfortable range of motion, and a rowing handle covered in soft foam. The Stamina X has floor protectors on the bottom and wheels to help you slide it away after you’re done. The seat is mounted on ball-bearing rollers that slide along aluminum channels for quiet, smooth exercise. It has eight levels of magnetic resistance controlled by the knob on the front. There’s a cup holder. None of these features require a microtransaction. 

Your purchase does give you access to müüv, which is an audio coaching system, but it’s up to you how and when you use it. You can follow along to exercise guides for 500+ minutes a month, or just find your own workout plan online. 

Workout at home for a manageable price 

Customize your home workout without worrying about subscription fees, and even take it back to school with you this fall to help you stay in shape.

Get the Stamina X Magnetic Rower for $223.99 for a limited time. 

Prices subject to change.

TL;DR: As of July 30, you can get the Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License and online business course bundle for only $39.97 instead of $419.99 — a savings of 90%.

As students around the nation prepare for another year of classes, you may feel a push to learn something new or work toward a goal you’ve always had. If your dream is to own a business but you don’t have a clue where to start, this bundle might be for you.

Get tools, like classic Microsoft Office apps, and resources, like this online business course, to take the first step. As part of this back-to-school savings event, you can get both for life for only $39.97, normally $419.99, through August 13.

Your toolkit: Microsoft Office 

When starting and running your own business, you’ll need tools that assist you with day-to-day tasks and larger projects. Microsoft Office Pro 2021 packs in some of the most well-known apps in the game: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, Publisher, Access, and even Skype for Business. 

Microsoft Office Professional 2021 is unlike Microsoft 365 because you just pay once to get access for life, on one computer. If you need Microsoft Office on more devices, you’ll have to purchase additional licenses. The only other stipulation is that your computer needs to be running on Windows 10 or Windows 11 to be compatible with this latest version of Microsoft Office.

Your guide: an online course all about business

The second half of the bundle is this online course about business taught by expert instructor Chris Haroun. He’s a venture capitalist, MBA graduate from Columbia University, and former Goldman Sachs employee dedicated to teaching you foundational business topics.

While these courses do not award you an actual MBA degree, they may teach you tips on starting a company and making it public, creating financial models, understanding investment banking, and analyzing financials. These materials may equip you with the knowledge you need to finally get your business idea off the ground.

Use this Back-to-School sale to start a business with the Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License and online business course, now only $39.97 (reg. $419.99) until August 13 at 11:59 p.m. PT, no coupon needed.

Prices subject to change.

TL;DR: As of July 30, you can get a Koofr Cloud Storage 1TB Lifetime Subscription for only $119.97 when you use code KOOFR (reg. $810) — that’s a savings of 85%.

Between all the apps, assignments, and essential games and distractions saved locally, some college students might not have enough space to keep all their classwork on their computer. If you need a bit more room, here’s your chance to get a 1TB of cloud storage for life. Koofr connects to an unlimited number of devices and all your files are fully encrypted, and it’s only $119.97 when you use code KOOFR during the Back-to-School sale ending August 13. 

More room to save the essentials 

Koofr gives students one convenient place where they can store all their lecture notes, eBooks, projects, and more without taking up any space on your hard drive. Connect to Koofr from an unlimited number of devices and upload almost any file with no size limit. You can even rename multiple files at once. If you already use other cloud storage services, you use Koofr to organize them. Access integrated cloud accounts like Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon, and Onedrive.

Finished the semester and want to clean off your computer? Upload everything from one class, then label it all in one go so you can find it later. If you’re uploading large folders, try out the duplicate finder to see if you’re doubling up on any files. All files are encrypted in rest and in transfer, so you’re the only one who knows what you’ve uploaded. 

No more lost homework

College students can take advantage of cloud storage they can have through graduation and beyond.

Until August 13 at 11:59 p.m. PT, get Koofr Cloud Storage 1TB Lifetime Subscription for $119.97 when you use code KOOFR.

Prices subject to change.

Ah, Sunday at last! Time to celebrate with a brand new, totally unsolved Wordle. As always, we’re here with some tips and tricks to help you figure out the solution.

If you just want to be told the answer, you can jump to the end of this article for July 30’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you want to solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

Not the day you’re after? Here’s the Wordle answer for July 29.

What’s the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you like being strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles 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:

You’ll need water.

Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?

Not today!

Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…

Today’s Wordle starts with the letter B.

What’s the answer to Wordle today?

Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to Wordle #771 is…

BATHE.

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

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?

S, W, A, and D.

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. SHAWL

2. WRITE

3. ALONG

4. DEMON

Elon Musk’s X — the social media site formerly known (and still kind of called) Twitter — officially launched its ad revenue sharing program for creators this week.

Certain people posting on the site can now, in theory, make money off of their posts. But don’t get too excited just yet — most people aren’t going to be raking in the cash. There are three main factors for becoming eligible, laid out by X. And they are:

• Be subscribed to Blue or Verified Organizations.

• Have at least 15M impressions on your cumulative posts within the last 3 months.

• Have at least 500 followers.

From there, the person or organization can set-up payouts through a Stripe account and the monetization section of the X app. The user should then get payouts at a regular pace, so long as they generate at least $50.

“We want the process to be as simple as possible, so all eligible X Blue and Verified Organizations subscribers are entitled to revenue share so long as they meet the eligibility criteria and join,” the company wrote on its site.

Musk has long promised that creators would make money on the site. Back when the site was still called Twitter, it began paying out a select few users earlier this month. As Matt Binder wrote for Mashable at the time, the folks who did get paid out were largely right-wing influencers, gimmicky accounts, or other creators with whom Musk is buddies. Some of those folks posted screenshots claiming to make tens of thousands of dollars.

Now Musk’s X is saying it will bring the ability to make posts to anyone willing to meet its requirements. My new X account, Elon Musk Is Cool And Not Lame And You’re Just Jealous, will soon pay for my retirement.

It’s summertime, which means road trips, long nights with friends, and family vacations. Thankfully, TikTok’s latest trend was seemingly designed for those types of gatherings.

TikTok has started a singalong trend that feels like the sort of thing siblings would invent in a car ride down to the shore. In fact the meme/game/whatever you want to call it does seem to have been invented and popularized by creator Maddie Grace Jepson and their sister.

Late last month, Jepson posted a TikTok with the text: “POV: I just made this game up on holiday and I’m forcing my lil sis to play it with me and sing the jingle every time xxx.”

In the TikTok, Jepson starts the game with a lilting musical announcement: “When…you know… the words to the song… sing a-long…sing a-long.”

When. You know. The words to the song. Sing a-long.
Credit: Screenshots: TikTok / @mazier.p / @maddiegracejepson / @maddiegracejepson

The game from there is simple. A person typically sings just one word of a song. If the other person/people recognize the song, they sing it. If they cannot guess, the first person adds another word or words. The game keeps going until the guess is correct. Sometimes people, clearly with shared interests, are able to guess the song hilariously quickly

Post Jepson’s original post, the trend has taken off. Lots of versions of the game have racked up thousands upon thousands of likes. And it is entertaining to see how well some friends and family know one another’s taste. People often make the jingle goofy and ramp of the difficulty of the guessing — either by using just one word or hardly trying to match the original sound of the song.

So there you have it, TikTok has provided the perfect game the next time you’re gathered around a campfire or struggling to make it through the drive to the beach.

If you want to download Elon Musk’s X app onto your iPhone, well, then you have to download Twitter.

Apple’s App Store still lists the app under the name Twitter because it requires all apps to be listed with at least two characters, the site Bleeping Computer noticed.

I tried searching for X, X app, and Twitter in the App Store on my iPhone and, sure enough, Twitter remained. If you search X, then you get results like Xbox and a VPN service. An X app search, meanwhile, does pull up Twitter as a result. The app’s landing page has the big X logo…and the name Twitter.

Notice the search bar.
Credit: Screenshots: Apple App Store

Musk pulled the trigger on his long-planned rebrand of Twitter into X this week and it has been, to put it kindly, a mess. The branding is still a mix of Twitter and the generic X and nothing really works together. The App Store is really just the latest blow.

Twitter now does show up as X in the Google play store, however, and you have to imagine things will eventually get figured out with Apple. Until then, however, Twitter remains. At least in the App Store.