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Good headphones, earbuds and speakers are an excellent way to improve the way you listen to music and podcasts. Whether you like to bop along on your commute, at the gym, while at work or just while chilling out at home, better audio means a better time. Bose makes some of the best earbuds and best headphones on the market, according to our expert audio reviewers, meaning the chance to take up to 32% off Bose earbuds, headphones and speakers on Amazon isn’t one to be missed. Select prices are also matched at Best Buy.

One of the best deals applies to the excellent Bose QuietComfort headphones, a pair of cans that would normally sell for just shy of $350 but can now be picked up in one of four different colors for just $249. You’ll get great noise canceling technology as well as up to 24 hours of battery life per charge. The top-of-the-line Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are also on sale, discounted back down to their best price of $379, a $50 saving. These are our overall favorite headphones in 2024 with CNET headphone specialist David Carnoy putting them above Sony’s WH-1000XM5s and Apple’s AirPods Max.

One deal that’s not included in those main deal pages but is very much worth paying attention to, is a new all-time low price on the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2, which knocks 32% off the full price. At $189, you’re getting Bose-level noise cancelation and sound quality, plus a comfortable fit and solid battery life.

If you don’t like sticking things in or on your ears, you can also grab up to 20% off Bose portable speakers, with the SoundLink Flex returning to its best-ever price at $119. It’s one of our favorite Bluetooth speakers offering “arguably the best-sounding wireless speaker for its compact size.” The Bose SoundLink Micro is also on sale, falling to $99. These speakers make for great options in kitchens, outdoors on trips or at parties. The mix of deals here makes for some of the best deals on earbuds and headphones you’re likely to find today, so don’t miss out.

I recently took a vacation where I wanted to fire up Paramount Plus to watch a few competitive reality shows with friends, but I really didn’t want to log in to the app on our Airbnb’s television. I didn’t want to deal with plodding in my login details using a remote, nor did I want to risk accidentally staying logged in for the vacation home’s next guests. Luckily, my phone had the streaming service ready for viewing on the go, and we figured out how to connect my iPhone to the TV and used AirPlay.

While we fortunately had access to a television with an Apple TV box, that’s not strictly necessary anymore. Many TVs now ship with built-in support for AirPlay, Chromecast or Miracast, all of which let you wirelessly connect your phone to a television. The trickiest part isn’t whether you can connect your phone to your TV, because you probably can. Instead, you’ll need to know which wireless casting connection your phone supports, and make sure the TV you want to connect to also supports it.

We’ll divide out how this works, based on whether you’re using an iPhone or an Android phone. We’ll also point out when you’ll be using AirPlay, Chromecast or Miracast to make the connection, depending on what device you have.

iPhone supports AirPlay and Chromecast

Apple’s iPhone devices have two ways of connecting wirelessly to a television. On a system level, an iPhone can use AirPlay to cast media from video and music apps to any device that also supports AirPlay. This originally was exclusive to the Apple TV, but AirPlay now supports many televisions made by Samsung, LG, TCL and Vizio, along with Roku’s streaming devices. Odds are if your device supports the Apple TV app, somewhere in its settings is also support for AirPlay.

You can access AirPlay in one of two ways. If you’re using a supported app like Paramount Plus, you’ll want to tap the AirPlay icon represented by a TV with a triangle. You can also access AirPlay from your phone’s Control Center by tapping the icon represented by two rectangles, and then picking the device you’re casting to. Using the latter option, you can also mirror your phone’s screen to your TV to display apps like Instagram or TikTok that don’t include AirPlay from within.

The biggest exception to this Apple TV rule for finding AirPlay are Google’s Chromecast devices and televisions that run the Google TV operating system, but the iPhone also supports Chromecast. Similar to using AirPlay from a media app, you’ll tap the Chromecast icon represented by a rectangle with three wavy lines. You’ll then tap the device you want to cast to. The biggest difference between how AirPlay works on the iPhone and Chromecast is that you won’t be able to mirror your iPhone’s display over Chromecast.

Certain apps like YouTube will blend these casting options together for convenience. When tapping Google’s Chromecast button, a submenu will let you choose between using AirPlay, Chromecast or linking directly to your TV’s YouTube app using a code.

And if you want to connect your iPhone to your television using an HDMI cable, Apple also sells a Lightning-to-HDMI adapter that allows for screen mirroring without using AirPlay.

Android always supports Chromecast, sometimes supports Miracast

Android phones don’t support AirPlay, but they sometimes support two wireless casting options that connect to nearly any television.

First, all Android phones include Chromecast support. So if your TV has Chromecast built-in or has a Chromecast streaming player attached, you’ll be able to connect your phone by tapping the Cast icon from an app or screen mirror using the Google Home app. You can also set up a Screen Cast shortcut in the quick settings drop-down panel, which will provide an even faster way to quickly cast to your TV. CNET’s Nelson Aguilar has put together a guide for this, which you can check out here.

And while it’s not supported on every Android phone, Samsung and Motorola both make Android phones that support Miracast for screen mirroring. These features are labeled as “Smart View” and “Ready For” respectively, and will let you connect your phone to televisions or displays that support a setting that’s often labeled “Screen Mirroring.” What’s unique about Miracast is that many Windows PCs also support this style of casting, and during my recent trip that came in handy in order to play some Jackbox games.

An additional note about Samsung’s Smart View and Motorola’s Ready For is that both support connecting your phone to a television using a USB-C to HDMI cable, should you have one on hand. This could be particularly helpful if you’re trying to do a more data-intensive activity on your phone, such as connecting to your TV in order to use your phone more like a computer.

More tips about wirelessly connecting your phone to a TV

Even though many televisions and streaming devices support one or more of these methods, it’s still entirely possible that when traveling you won’t have a perfect match. For instance you might have an Android phone, but the TV in your hotel room only supports AirPlay or blocks access to the HDMI port. But for home use, now that many televisions support multiple connection options, there’s a good chance you can set up a method that works for day-to-day viewing.

You’ll also want to keep in mind that much like with video streaming, your network could also affect how effective a wireless connection will be to your TV. Where possible, you will want to have your phone as close to a router as possible, which will help with the connection. If your video quality degrades while streaming, you may also want to turn casting off and on again to reset the connection.

But as long as your phone and television can connect with one of the above methods, you should otherwise be free to stream any movies or music from your phone onto your TV.

Google’s line of Pixel phones includes some of the best Android phones you’re likely to find thanks to the way they offer a tight integration between hardware and software. Right now, Best Buy has a number of discounts across the entire Pixel lineup, with savings of up to $200 off regular prices. Models on sale include the entry-level Pixel 7A, the midrange Pixel 8 and the high-end flagship model, the Pixel 8 Pro. That means that there should be a new phone for all budgets here, but act soon — the Google Store listings state the end the sale ends May 4. Prefer to get your new phone from Amazon? That’s an option, too.

The best phone for a lot of people will be the midrange option. The Pixel 8 is discounted right now, with a massive $150 off. That means you’ll pay just $549 rather than $699. The deal is close to its best-ever discount, making it one not to be ignored. And at the top of the range, we have the biggest of the bunch, the Pixel 8 Pro, with its own $200 discount. There are multiple storage configurations on offer, but the cheapest is now just $799 instead of the normal $999. That’s an impressive model, sharing the same Tensor G3 chip as the Pixel 8 but adding a new, larger display that runs to 6.7 inches. Other big features include the screen’s 120Hz variable refresh rate for ultra-smooth motion and no fewer than four pro-level cameras.

Read more: Save Hundreds on Google Pixel and OnePlus Phones in Woot’s Latest Sale

However, if you’re searching for the cheapest of the phones on offer, you may want to grab the Pixel 7A, which costs just $349 (a $150 savings) if you order at one of the above retailers today — though you can actually nab one for $9 less via Woot right now. Either way, it’s a low price for a phone that has many of the Pixel mainstay features without any of the high prices you’d pay for the Pixel 8 lineup.

Not into Google’s own hardware? Be sure to check out our roundup of the best phone deals for more options.

For years, I was a nuisance to anyone with an iPhone. While I proudly toted my Samsung Galaxy devices, my friends would deplore the havoc I’d wreak on any text or group chat by “turning everything green.” There’s apparently nothing worse to an iMessage user than an Android user who crashes their precious blue bubble party.

I’ve since given up the fight and switched to the iPhone, and now reap the many benefits of iMessage, including sending high-resolution photos and videos, seeing typing indicators and sharing reactions. These perks are limited to messaging fellow iPhone users. I’m now the one who, much to my chagrin, laments getting green texts from anyone on the “outside.” Exclusivity brings out the worst in us.

Read more: Best iPhone to Buy in 2024

Now that Apple has said it’ll adopt Rich Communication Services messaging, things should get better. RCS is a protocol that replaces SMS (Short Message Service) and has a lot of the same features as iMessage, including typing indicators, high-resolution media sharing and end-to-end encryption. It’s already available across Android devices and, after years of pressure from iPhone users, competitors and lawmakers alike, Apple has said it’ll adopt RCS on iPhones too.

This update might arrive with iOS 18, which Apple is expected to debut during its Worldwide Developers Conference on June 10. And it’s also possible that, in light of a recent Department of Justice antitrust suit against Apple, the iPhone maker will use the event to tout its efforts to bridge the divide between its devices and Android phones.

Here’s everything to know about how Apple’s adoption of RCS could improve messaging.

RCS will replace SMS texting on iPhone

When RCS arrives on iPhones, it should transform basic messaging with Android users into a more modern, sophisticated experience by replacing SMS and MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service).

Instead of getting small, grainy photos and videos from Android friends, you’ll see high-quality photos and videos. RCS could also bring perks like read receipts and typing indicators, and will improve group messaging.

But there’s a big caveat: adopting RCS won’t solve the blue-bubble-green-bubble issue. iMessage will continue to be available only to Apple’s customers, meaning texting anyone who doesn’t have an iPhone will still be a separate (but hopefully more comparable) experience.

Some features will remain exclusive to iMessage or Google’s Messages app. For instance, while you can edit or unsend texts in iMessage, you probably won’t be able to do so for messages sent via RCS. And Google Messages-exclusive features like drafting texts using the Gemini AI model likely won’t transfer across devices either. It’s also not clear yet whether messages sent across Android phones and iPhones will be end-to-end encrypted.

Still, this update should make messaging across Android phones and iPhones feel less archaic.

When will RCS become available on iPhones?

That’s still unclear, though the update is likely to arrive in the fall. In fact, Google seems to have accidentally leaked RCS’s arrival on iPhone in a new landing page for Google Messages.

According to 9to5Google, the search giant noted the new messaging protocol is “coming soon on iOS” and that “Apple has announced it will be adopting RCS in the fall of 2024.” This mention has since been removed, but it’s as if Google can hardly contain its excitement.

Either way, it’s possible we’ll get RCS-related updates during Apple’s WWDC on June 10.

Will the DOJ’s antitrust suit open up iMessage?

In its sweeping complaint against Apple, the DOJ accuses the iPhone maker of hindering competition, delving into a range of practices it sees as monopolistic. This includes allegations that Apple “undermines cross-platform messaging” by not extending its iMessage service to Android.

Apple has maintained that keeping iMessage exclusive to its own devices is in the interest of user privacy and security, noting it wouldn’t be able to ensure that encryption and authentication measures on third-party devices meet its standards. It’s also pointed to the company’s ongoing work to support RCS, which it says will allow for an improved messaging experience with non-iPhone users.

And if that’s not enough to make people happy, Apple noted the range of other messaging platforms people can use to communicate across devices, including WhatsApp, Messenger and Snapchat. But, depending on where you live, it might be more intuitive to reach for the native text app on your phone, whether that’s Apple’s iMessage or Google Messages.

Whether the DOJ’s complaint will force Apple to open up its walled garden remains to be seen. The European Union has also been applying pressure on Apple and other tech giants as part of its Digital Markets Act, which is designed to promote fair and open competition in the tech sector. Last month, the EU determined Apple’s messaging platform doesn’t qualify as a “gatekeeper” service, meaning it won’t have to connect directly with other chat apps. (Meanwhile, Meta’s WhatsApp and Messenger apps do fall under the EU’s gatekeeper label and will therefore have to allow for conversations across other services.) Time — years, perhaps — will tell how Apple fares in the face of the DOJ’s allegations, and whether or not changes are in store for iMessage.

In the meantime, iPhone and Android users alike can find reprieve in Apple’s imminent adoption of RCS, which should hopefully make talking to your friends on different devices less painful. And even if the texts stay green, hopefully the grass on the other side looks a little less so.

Today’s Wordle is a pretty common word with pretty common letters. But read on if you need help.

Every day, we’ll post hints and then the answer for the current day’s Wordle, just in case you need it.

Today’s Wordle hints

Warning: If you keep reading, you’ll see the Wordle answer for Monday, April 29, puzzle No. 1045. That could be a devastating spoiler for some players. But if you just need the answer — maybe you’re on your last guess and just don’t want to see an 800-game streak go poof — keep reading.

Wordle hint No. 1: Vowels

There’s only one vowel in today’s Wordle answer.

Wordle hint No. 2: No repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.

Wordle hint No. 3: Starting letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with C.

Wordle hint No. 4: Part of speech

The word can be used as a noun or a verb.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

One meaning of today’s Wordle answer is an activity or occupation that requires artistic skill or manual dexterity.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Here comes the spoiler: Today’s Wordle answer is CRAFT, as in a skilled activity such as woodworking or embroidery. It can also be used as a verb meaning to make something.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s answer, No. 1044, April 28, was PRUNE.

Past Wordle answers

April 24, No. 1040: OVERT

April 25, No. 1041: INTRO

April 26, No. 1042: VAPID

April 27, No. 1043: GLEAM

Everyday Wordle tips

I’ve written a lot about Wordle — from covering its 1,000th word to my list of the best starter words to a helpful two-step strategy to news about controversial word changes. I’ve even rounded up what I learned playing the hit online word puzzle for a full year. So if you’re rethinking your need for the actual answer, you might try tips from one of those stories.

Still need a starter word? One person told me they just look around and choose a five-letter object that they’ve spotted to use as their starter word — such as COUCH or CHAIR. I tend to stick to starter words that have the most popular letters used in English words. I like TRAIN as a starter, though I have a friend who uses TRAIL. I’ve read that people use the financial term ROATE, but I like to use words I actually know.

What is Wordle?

If you read this far, you know how to play. You have six chances to guess a five-letter word, and the game gives you feedback as to whether the letters you’ve guessed are in the puzzle or not, and if they’re in the same spot where you guessed they are. The New York Times bought the game from creator Josh Wardle for seven figures in 2022. Wardle famously created the game for his partner, and let her narrow down the 12,000 five-letter words in the English language to just 2,500, creating the database of answers. It was convenient, too, that he has a name that plays off “word.”

A Times spokesperson told me it lists the very first Wordle as appearing on June 19, 2021, and the paper celebrated the game’s 1000th word on March 15. Spoiler: That 1000th word was ERUPT. As in, “Dad will erupt if the Wordle is so tough he loses his streak.”

There are other fun games in the Times Games stable. My latest addiction is Connections, which I think is trickier than Wordle. This is the game where you look at a grid of 16 words and try to put them into four groups of related words. Sometimes the relationships between the words are pretty out there — like the time when it was four words that all began with rock bands, such as “Rushmore” and “journeyman.” (Connections got a little sassy on April Fools’ Day with an all-emoji puzzle. Some gamers did NOT find that funny.)

Spelling Bee is a popular Times game too. And there’s a new game that’s still in beta, Strands, which I’m trying to master.

Need the answer for the April 29 New York Times Connections puzzle? To me, Wordle is more of a vocabulary test, but Connections is more of a brain tester. You’re given 16 words and asked to put them into four groups that are somehow connected. Sometimes they’re obvious, but game editor Wyna Liu knows how to trick you by using words that can fit into more than one group.

How to play Connections

Playing is easy, winning is hard. Look at the 16 words and mentally assign them to related groups of four. Click on the four words you think go together. The groups are coded by color, though you don’t know what goes where until you see the answers. The yellow group is the easiest, then green, then blue, and purple is the toughest. Look at the words carefully, and think about related terms. Sometimes the connection has to do with just a part of the word. Once, four words were grouped because each started with the name of a rock band — including “Rushmore” and “Journeyman.”

Read more: NYT Connections Could Be the New Wordle: Our Hints and Tips

Hint for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest, yellow group to the toughest (and sometimes bizarre), purple group.

Yellow group hint: Think about your daily workout.

Green group hint: Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

Blue group hint: Globally famous award.

Purple group hint: Don’t get stung.

Answer for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Exercises.

Green group: Featured in Westerns.

Blue group: Leaders who received the Nobel Peace Prize.

Purple group: ____ bee.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is exercises. The four words are bridge, crunch, dip and squat.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is things featured in Westerns. The four words are bounty, cowboy, duel and saloon.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is leaders who received the Nobel Peace Prize. The four words are Carter, Gore, King and Tutu.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ____bee. The four words are busy, honey, queen and spelling.

The weekend is coming to an end, and Amazon wants to help you beat the Monday blues with some retail therapy. Right now, Amazon is offering deals and discounts across all categories, including tech, home goods, skin care and everyday essentials. If you’ve been thinking about indulging in some retail therapy for yourself, or maybe you just need a few things for the house, now’s the time to strike. Many of these deals are limited-time offers, so make sure you keep that in mind.

We’ve collected some of our favorite deals below, but be sure to also check out CNET’s gift guides for more great bargains and gifts for every occasion.

Best Amazon deals to shop right now

More Amazon deals worth checking out:

• Google Pixel 7A: $349 (save $150)

• Jabra Speak 510 UC wireless bluetooth speakerphone: $75 (save $89)

• Evergreen mosquito and insect repellent bracelet: $20 (save $7)

• 20% off Dermora wedding-themed eye mask with code CHEERSDERM20

• Otis classic swing top glass bottles: $19 (save $11)

• 50% off Wise Owl Outfitters waterproof dry backpacks

• Angry Orange carpet and upholstery cleaner: $17 (save $3 with code 15AOCARPET)

• Pop n’ Go baby playpen: $110 (save $20 with code 15PLAYPEN)

• Miss Mouth’s Messy Eater stain treater spray: $17 (save $3 with code 15APRILCLEAN)

• Brimma fruit infuser water bottle: $15 (save $2)

• Coway Airmega air purifier: $286 (save $89)

• 45% off LA Active nonslip grip socks

• Anker nylon USB-C to USB-C cable: $8 (save $2)

• Chom Chom roller pet hair remover: $24 (save $4 with code 15CHOMAPRIL)

• Blink video doorbell and Outdoor 4 smart security camera bundle: $192 (save $128)

• Apple AirPods (2nd gen): $89 (save $40)

• Glidez multi-purpose storage organizer: $63 (save $97)

• CosRx snail mucin: $13 (save $12)

• Jackery solar generator: $999 (save $650)

• Eudele shower caddy: $30 (save $40)

What deals can I find at Amazon?

Amazon sells products in pretty much every category, so no matter what you’re looking to buy, you can probably get it on Amazon. Better yet, the retailer offers new deals every day so there’s a good chance you can save on your next purchase too, especially if you use these money-saving tips.

Read more: Take Advantage of Amazon Discounts Year Round With This Trick

When is the next Amazon sale?

Amazon held the Big Spring Sale in March — a new sale on the calendar — so the next major Amazon sale will be Amazon Prime Day, likely in July. That sale requires an Amazon Prime subscription, so be sure to sign up or start your free trial just before it kicks off to get in on the savings.

Read more: Get Amazon Prime Perks Without Paying for a Subscription. Find Out How

President Joe Biden on Wednesday signed a bill that could ban TikTok in the US. The bill’s passage is the latest event in the years-long fight between the popular Chinese app and the US government. US lawmakers grilled TikTok CEO Shou Chew in March 2023 and in January 2024 over concerns that TikTok could be used to gather intelligence from Americans and spread misinformation. Chew has denied those accusations and criticized the new bill, claiming that it is “a ban on… [users’] voice.”

If you’re one of the nearly 150 million Americans who actively use TikTok, you may be wondering when the ban will take effect and where else you can find your fix of short-form content. Rest assured, TikTok won’t be going anywhere anytime soon: the ban, if it happens, will not begin until January 2025 at the earliest.

In the meantime, here are some other short-video creation apps you can check out.

Want to stream The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes? The odds are ever in your favor.

In mid-May, the Hunger Games prequel will be available on the Starz streaming service. The film, based on Suzanne Collins’ 2020 book of the same name, follows 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth), who’s not yet the tyrannical president seen in past films but rather “the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol,” per an official synopsis. Young Snow must mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), a tribute from District 12. The movie depicts the 10th annual Hunger Games — Katniss Everdeen, for reference, volunteered for the 74th.

The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes will arrive on Starz roughly six months after its debut in theaters, where it earned more than $330 million at the worldwide box office. The film also stars Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, Jason Schwartzman and Viola Davis. Here’s when you can stream the dystopian tale on the Starz app, and how a VPN could potentially enhance the experience.

When you can watch The Hunger Games prequel on Starz

Viewers in the US can access The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes on Starz on May 14 at 12:01 a.m. ET (May 13 at 9:01 p.m. PT).

The ad-free streaming service costs $10 a month. If you can’t wait to see what happens at the 10th Hunger Games, you can also rent The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes digitally from services like Amazon and Fandango at Home (formerly Vudu) for $6.

Netflix is streaming the four prior Hunger Games films: The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay – Part 1 and Mockingjay – Part 2.

How to watch the Hunger Games prequel from anywhere with a VPN

Perhaps you’re traveling abroad and want to stream Starz while away from home. With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the movie from anywhere in the world. There are other good reasons to use a VPN for streaming too.

A VPN is the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds by encrypting your traffic. Using a VPN is also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins. Streaming TV can be a bit smoother with a reliable, quality VPN that’s passed our tests and security standards.

You can use a VPN to stream content legally as long as VPNs are allowed in your country and you have a valid subscription to the streaming service you’re using. The US and Canada are among the countries where VPNs are legal, but we advise against streaming or downloading content on illegal torrent sites. We recommend ExpressVPN, but you may opt for another provider from our best list, such as Surfshark or NordVPN.

Follow the VPN provider’s instructions for installation and choose a country where The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes will be streaming on Starz. Before you open the streaming app, make sure you are connected to your VPN using your selected region. If you want to stream the Hunger Games prequel on more than one device, it’s possible you’ll need to configure each one to ensure you are signed in. Go to settings and check your network connections to verify you’re logged in and connected to your VPN account. Now you’re ready to open Starz to stream.

If you run into issues with streaming, first make sure your VPN is up and running on its encrypted IP address. Double-check that you’ve followed installation instructions correctly and you’ve picked the right geographical area for viewing. If you still encounter connection problems, you may need to reboot your device. Close all apps and windows, restart your device and connect to your VPN first. Note that some streaming services have restrictions on VPN access.