Good morning! Let’s play Connections, the NYT’s clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you’ve finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I’ve also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc’s Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

Amazon’s month-end MacBook Pro deals deliver up to $650 in discounts on M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max 14-inch and 16-inch configurations.

Amazon’s month-end MacBook Pro sale offers deals from $1,649.99, which after Apple raised prices on June 25, provides up to $650 in savings on M5, M5 Pro, and M5 Max 14-inch and 16-inch models.

Save up to $650 on MacBook Pros

The M5 Max deals are especially enticing at $550 to $650 off, but please note, inventory levels may be constrained as ship dates are starting to slip on select models.

Top 14-inch MacBook Pro discounts

• 14″ MacBook Pro M5 (10C CPU, 10C GPU, 16GB, 1TB, Standard Display): $1,649.99 ($350 off)
• 14″ MacBook Pro M5 Pro (15C CPU, 16C GPU, 24GB, 1TB, Standard Display): $2,149.99 ($350 off)
• 14″ MacBook Pro M5 Pro (15C CPU, 16C GPU, 24GB, 2TB, Standard Display): $2,549.99 ($450 off)
• 14″ MacBook Pro M5 Max (18C CPU, 32C GPU, 36GB, 2TB, Standard Display): $3,549.99 ($550 off)

Best 16-inch MacBook Pro sales

• 16″ MacBook Pro M5 Pro (18C CPU, 20C GPU, 24GB, 1TB, Standard Display, Space Black): $2,649.99 ($350 off)
• 16″ MacBook Pro M5 Max (18C CPU, 32C GPU, 36GB, 2TB, Standard Display): $3,849.99 ($550 off)
• 16″ MacBook Pro M5 Max (18C CPU, 40C GPU, 48GB, 2TB, Standard Display): $4,349.99 ($650 off)

For even more deals and easy price comparison across retail and CTO models, be sure to check out our MacBook Pro Price Guide.

Apple’s Mac Studio may not be getting a fresh new look anytime soon, but it could be getting a meaningful upgrade where it matters most. According to Mark Gurman in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Apple is preparing an M5 Ultra-powered Mac Studio as early as this year, while an even more powerful M7 Ultra version is already on the company’s roadmap for 2028. Interestingly, the report also claims Apple is redesigning one component most users will never see: the heat sink.

More power is coming, and Apple wants to keep it cool

Gurman reports that the upcoming M5 Ultra Mac Studio won’t receive a major external redesign. Instead, Apple is reportedly focusing on internal improvements, including a redesigned heat sink, to better manage the additional power of its next-generation Ultra chip.

That makes plenty of sense. As Apple’s silicon continues to evolve, professional workloads such as 8K video editing, 3D rendering, software development, and on-device AI models are becoming increasingly demanding. Better thermal management could allow the Mac Studio to sustain peak performance for longer without throttling under heavy loads.

The roadmap doesn’t stop there. Gurman also says Apple is already planning an M7 Ultra Mac Studio for 2028, suggesting the company is thinking multiple generations ahead for its flagship desktop workstation.

If it isn’t broken, don’t redesign it

If you were hoping for a radical redesign, though, you may have to wait. According to Gurman, Apple appears happy sticking with the current Mac Studio chassis, choosing to refine what’s inside rather than reinvent the hardware itself.

Honestly, that’s probably the right call. The Mac Studio’s compact aluminum design has held up remarkably well since its debut, and professionals shopping for one are far more interested in sustained performance than cosmetic changes. If Apple can deliver a faster Ultra chip with better cooling while keeping the same footprint, it could end up being exactly the kind of upgrade Mac Studio users have been waiting for.

For some people, the ice in a beverage is almost as important as the drink itself. That’s the audience Govee had in mind when designing its latest ice maker, the GoveeLife Smart Nugget Ice Maker Pro. This $500 premium smart home gadget is aimed at those who crave what’s called “the good ice,” the soft, chewable nugget ice often found in fast food or restaurant drinks. 

Govee says that the modern-design gadget delivers nugget ice in as little as six minutes. That’s a claim that proved true in my testing. It can make up to 60 pounds of ice per day, and has a 3.5-pound ice basket that automatically refills as you scoop out ice.

The hefty price tag means it’s not for people who are perfectly happy with refrigerator ice and don’t know what “good ice” even means. Instead, it’s for self-proclaimed ice enthusiasts willing to splurge on a fun, luxury gadget that makes everyday drinks a little more enjoyable. 

It’s simple to use, as you just need to fill the tank with water and press start on the screen. You can also control the ice maker with the GoveeHome app, which lets you start ice production from your phone or schedule it so ice is ready when you need it, such as before your morning coffee. 

The app control is quite convenient. I could start ice production from my phone while working at my desk, and by the time I wanted an iced latte, there was fresh nugget ice ready to go without ever having to walk to the kitchen to turn the machine on. The app also shows ice production in real time and how much is currently in the ice bin, which is useful for wanting to stop production when you just want a certain amount. 

The ice maker also supports voice commands with Alexa and Google Assistant, which means a quick ““Hey Google, start the ice maker,” leads to fresh ice. 

The ice maker uses what Govee calls AI NoiseGuard technology to keep operating noise low, too. Designed to operate at around 40 dB, the system can automatically trigger defrosting cycles to minimize noise and help ensure a steady supply of ice. The machine does produce a steady hum while making ice, but I didn’t find the noise distracting or overtly loud. 

It wouldn’t be a Govee product if it didn’t offer customizable ambient lighting. The smart ice maker has a light that illuminates the ice basket and adds a fun visual element to the appliance. Through the app, you can choose from a variety of presets or create your own custom lighting effects. You can choose how bright you want the lights to be or turn them off altogether. 

I mostly kept it on a light pink setting, but occasionally switched to the “cyberpunk” mode, which casts a changing purple and red glow that felt fun and futuristic when I had people over. 

Measuring 17.28 inches deep, 13.98 inches wide, and 17.01 inches tall, the ice maker takes up a lot of counter space and weighs a hefty 50 pounds. If you have a small kitchen, it can appear bulky, especially because its sleek design doesn’t exactly resemble an ice maker from afar.

As for setup, it was pretty straightforward, but afterwards I definitely needed my husband’s help to place it in our kitchen, and then again when I needed to move it around when it came to descaling and cleaning the machine. 

Overall, the nugget ice elevated my iced drinks, giving them a coffee shop feel at home and making my morning routine more enjoyable. I also observed that the ice melted more slowly than my fridge ice, so my drinks stayed colder for longer without getting watered down as quickly.

Another big plus was its speed. It made ice much faster than my refrigerator, so I always had enough on hand when hosting friends and family. The ice maker itself was something guests noticed when they came over, not just because of its size and beaming lights, but because the nugget ice was a hit with the other self-proclaimed ice connoisseurs in my life (some even threatened to steal it). 

Whether or not the GoveeLife Smart Nugget Ice Maker Pro is for you really comes down to how much you care about having nugget ice on demand and how often you’ll actually use it. If you aren’t much into ice, you obviously don’t need a fairly niche appliance.

But if you’re someone who regularly drinks iced beverages and loves “the good ice,” this ice maker could be the gadget you never knew you needed.

Forgetting the recovery phrase to a crypto wallet can be stressful enough. Unfortunately, that’s exactly the moment scammers are waiting for. A new warning highlights a growing scam in which cybercriminals disguise malware as cryptocurrency recovery software, tricking desperate users into handing over far more than just access to their wallets.

The fake recovery tool that’s actually malware

According to The Guardian, the scam begins when users search online for a way to recover a forgotten 12- or 24-word seed phrase, the recovery key that unlocks a cryptocurrency wallet. Fake websites then promote seemingly legitimate recovery tools with reassuring names like “Lost Crypto Wallets Finder”, claiming they can help recover lost wallets. The website hosting the malicious software has since been taken offline, but security experts warn that similar scams are likely to reappear under different names.

Instead of recovering anything, the downloaded software quietly installs malware. Researchers at HP Security Lab say it can harvest browser passwords, personal documents, photos, and other sensitive files before packaging everything into an archive that’s sent back to the attackers. Even though this particular website is no longer active, experts caution that cybercriminals often launch near-identical sites just as quickly, making the underlying scam far from over.

Security experts recommend taking a step back before downloading any recovery software. Legitimate recovery services do exist, but users should thoroughly research them, read independent reviews, and avoid downloading tools from unfamiliar websites. If malware has already been installed, experts advise removing it with reputable security software and immediately changing passwords, starting with banking and email accounts.

Crypto isn’t the target. Your panic is.

The funny thing is that this scam doesn’t rely on sophisticated hacking. It relies on human psychology. Losing access to a wallet that could contain thousands of dollars is enough to make almost anyone rush into downloading the first “solution” they find. That’s exactly the reaction scammers are banking on.

It’s also part of a broader trend. From fake Ledger letters and QR code scams to AI-powered phishing campaigns, cybercriminals are increasingly targeting crypto users through social engineering rather than breaking encryption. The lesson is surprisingly simple: if someone promises to magically recover a lost seed phrase with a free download, they’re probably trying to recover something else instead. And this time, that “something” is your personal data.

If you were hoping the memory crisis was about to ease up, I have some bad news for you. It comes directly from Wall Street.

Your next smartphone, laptop, or tablet could cost even more, regardless of whether it has recently been subject to a price hike.

So how bad is it actually going to get?

Investment bank Jefferies has laid out the clearest and ugliest forecast yet. 

Memory prices are expected to jump by 40-50% in the third quarter of 2026 compared with the current quarter. While it would have been great if they had stopped there, prices could rise by another 30-40% in the fourth quarter of the year. 

For all of 2027, Jefferies projects a 40-45% year-on-year increase. Based on those sequential estimates, we’re looking at a compounded price increase of roughly 150-205% between today and the end of 2027. If I were in the market for a new smartphone or laptop, I’d be worried.

The only real relief comes in 2028, when roughly 15-20% of new manufacturing capacity is expected to come online. Even then, demand for AI and computing will continue to grow simultaneously. In other words, the new supply may not stretch as far (via Wccftech).

What does this mean for the price of your next phone or laptop?

Research firm Gartner had separately predicted that combined DRAM and SSD prices could surge 130% by the end of 2026, pushing average PC prices up 17% and smartphone prices up 13% compared to 2025 levels. 

That 13%, when you do the math, on a $1,000 phone, amounts to an additional $130 on your bill. Gartner also warned that the entry-level PC segment, devices costing less than $500, could effectively disappear by 2028, simply because companies might not be able to recoup their component costs, let alone earn a healthy margin.

Making things worse, 50% of total memory capacity is already locked into long-term contracts with major tech firms, a figure that could increase even further to 70%, leaving even less supply for consumer devices (via CNBC). 

Strands is the NYT’s latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it’s great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc’s Wordle today page for the original viral word game.