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Quordle today – hints and answers for Wednesday, April 3 (game #800)

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Quordle needs to be approached in a different way to Wordle. With four puzzles to solve in nine guesses, you can’t blindly throw letters at it and expect to win – you’ll stand a far better chance if you think strategically.

That’s the case in Wordle too, of course, but it’s even more important in Quordle.

There are two key things to remember. 

1. Use several starting words

Firstly, you won’t want just a single starting word, but almost certainly two or three starting words. 

The first of these should probably be one of the best Wordle starting words, because the same things that make them work well will apply here too. But after that, you should select another word or possibly two that use up lots more of the most common consonants and that include any remaining vowels.

For instance, I currently use STARE > DOILY > PUNCH. Between them, these three words use 15 of the 26 letters in the alphabet including all five vowels, Y, and nine of the most common consonants (S, T, R, D, L, P, N, C and H). There are plenty of other options – you might want to get an M, B, F or G in there instead of the H, maybe – but something like that should do the trick.

If all goes well, that will give you a good lead on what one or sometimes two of the answers might be. If not, well good luck!

2. Narrow things down

Secondly, if you’re faced with a word where the answer might easily be one of several options – for instance -ATCH, where it could be MATCH, BATCH, LATCH, CATCH, WATCH, HATCH or PATCH – you’ll definitely want to guess a word that would narrow down those options. 

In Wordle, you can instead try several of those in succession and hope one is right, assuming you have enough guesses left. It’s risky, but will sometimes work. Plus, it’s the only option in Hard mode. But in Quordle, this will almost certainly result in a failure – you simply don’t have enough guesses.

In the scenario above, CLAMP would be a great guess, as it could point the way to four of the seven words in one go.

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Meta is cutting off support for the original Quest headset at the end of April

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Support for the original Oculus Quest headset will soon end as Meta has sent out emails to developers informing them of the company’s future plans for the device. Forbes managed to get their hands on the details, and according to their report, the tech giant is going to be strict. They really do not want the headset to stick around.

Developers have until April 30 to roll out any “app updates for the Quest 1 to the Meta Quest store.” Past that date, nothing will be allowed to be released even if dev teams want to continue catering to users of the older model. Meta will outright block the patch. 

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Xbox’s April Game Pass titles include Lego 2K Drive, Shadow of the Tomb Raider and Harold Halibut

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April’s new Xbox Game Pass arrivals give you Lego racing, Lara Croft and a Lil Gator. Subscribers can play the Mario Kart-like Lego 2K Drive starting on Wednesday, the trilogy-wrapping Shadow of the Tomb Raider on April 11 and the charming stop-motion adventure game Harold Halibut on April 16.

Lego 2K Drive, launched in May 2023, lets developer Vision Concepts (known for the NBA 2K and WWE 2K series) take the reins from Travelers’ Tales to create its first Lego game. We were quickly pulled in by its charming vehicle transformations and quirky fun in a game that draws equally from Mario Kart and Forza Horizon 5.

Our gripes (no quick way to restart races and a suspicious nudge toward microtransactions) will be easier to see past when you can download it for free with your Game Pass subscription. Lego 2K Drive will be available to Game Pass members on April 3 for cloud and Xbox consoles.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition wraps up Lara Croft’s Survivor Trilogy origin story, which rebooted the series as an Uncharted-esque cinematic epic. Help Croft traverse jungles, caverns and ruins (with tombs!) as she battles the mysterious and all-powerful organization Trinity and completes her transformation into the character known and loved from previous iterations. You can play it on April 11 on cloud, Xbox consoles and PCs.

Still from the game Harold Halibut. The protagonist, unkempt in a dirty white shirt and pants, stands in a profile view in a grimy and cluttered room inside an underwater spaceship.Still from the game Harold Halibut. The protagonist, unkempt in a dirty white shirt and pants, stands in a profile view in a grimy and cluttered room inside an underwater spaceship.

Slow Bros.

Harold Halibut is a quirky adventure game made in the spirit of old-school Sierra or LucasArts games — with a unique visual twist. Harold works as a lab assistant in a sunken spaceship trapped underwater 250 years after fleeing a doomed Earth. But the game’s stop-motion digital animation steals the show, appropriately illustrating the story’s captivatingly gloomy sci-fi premise.

Developer Slow Bros. created handmade characters, environments and objects, which were scanned and animated digitally, leading to a stand-out old-school motif. Harold Halibut will be available on April 16 on cloud, PC and Xbox Series X/S.

Also available for Game Pass members in April are the time-slowing action-puzzler Superhot: Mind Control Delete (available Tuesday for cloud, console and PC), the innocently family-friendly open-world adventure Lil Gator Game (April 4: cloud / console / PC), EA Sports PGA Tour (April 4: cloud / PC / Xbox Series X/S) and surreal detective game Kona (April 9: cloud / console).

Leaving Xbox Game Pass this month are Amnesia Collection, Amnesia: Rebirth, Back 4 Blood, Phantom Abyss, Research and Destroy and Soma. They’re available until April 15.

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Here’s the new batch of classic movies on Apple TV+ in April

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Here’s the new batch of classic movies on Apple TV+ in April
Apple TV+ has dozens of classic films for subscribers to watch. And it just added to the collection.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ subscribers can enjoy a collection classic movies, with over two dozen that were just added in April. The list includes three John Wick films, the original Ghostbusters, a pair of Transformers movies and more.

There were already a selection classic movies on the streaming service, plus all the content Apple TV+ itself produced.

Timeless entertainment for you to enjoy

Almost every film or TV show that appears on Apple TV+ was created just for the streaming service. But it’s not 100% Apple original programs — the service also makes additions of classic movies. It’s at least a partial answer to criticism that TV+ has a smaller library than most of its rivals. (Small but top quality.)

Recently, a new slate of movies has appeared on Apple TV+ at the beginning of each month. And if there’s one on the list you’d like to watch, don’t dawdle: they are individually labeled as staying on the series through the end of April or May.

But there are sometimes holdovers. That’s true for a collection of 27 that was already on the service that includes three Star Trek movies, Mad Max: Fury Road, 200 and Minority Report.

All the classic movies added to Apple TV+ in April:

  • 42
  • Anchorman: the Legend of Ron Burgundy
  • Armageddon
  • Arrival
  • Bridesmaids
  • Bridge of Spies
  • Clueless
  • Contagion
  • Crazy Rich Asians
  • Crazy Stupid Love
  • Dunkirk
  • Forrest Gump
  • Free State of Jones
  • Ghostbusters
  • Inception
  • John Wick
  • John Wick Chapter 2
  • John Wick 3
  • Mission Impossible: 4
  • Sherlock Holmes
  • Taken
  • The Departed
  • The Godfather
  • The Godfather Part II
  • The Heat
  • The Italian Job
  • The Town
  • Transformers
  • Transformers: Dark of the Moon
All the classic movies added to Apple TV+ in April 2024
There were 29 classic movies added to Apple TV+ in April 2024.
Screenshot: Apple TV+

Watch these films now on Apple TV+

Watching any of these classic films comes with a subscription to Apple TV+. The service is $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial. You can also get it via any tier of the Apple One subscription bundle.

And Apple’s streaming video service also includes much more, of course. Apple produces an array of generally highly rated movies and series of its own.  There are comedies, musicals, children’s shows, nature documentaries, etc.

Want more tips on what to watch on Apple TV+? Read our guide to the 15 best shows on Apple TV+.



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This is no April Fools prank: the Asus ROG Ally is now under $300 at Best Buy

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The Asus ROG Ally is a PC gaming handheld, one of many that launched after the Steam Deck took the portable market by storm. And, unlike other variants, the ROG Ally is an immediate standout thanks to its gorgeous white and light chassis that lets you hold it up for hours.

Right now the Asus ROG Ally is on sale for $299 if you get it open box and $399 for a new version at Best Buy. Even the new model is cheaper than Amazon‘s current pricing of $499, which means you should take advantage now.

Compared to other PC gaming handhelds like the Lenovo Legion Go and even Steam Deck, this discount places its price lower than that. It beats out the lowest price on Amazon by at least $100 and up to $200, which is an incredible that you need to take advantage of now while it lasts.

Today’s best Asus ROG Ally deal

The Asus ROG Ally is equipped with some excellent components including the AMD Ryzen Z1 APU with Radeon RDNA 3 graphics, which allows it to handle the best PC games with ease. 

The version on sale is the baseline Ryzen Z1, which has six cores compared to the Ryzen Z1 Extreme’s eight cores. There are also plenty of other performance and component differences that resulted in a massive decrease in pricing for the base model, a full $300 off the MSRP.

Follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings, and hot deals!

More Asus ROG Ally deals



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Quordle today – hints and answers for Tuesday, April 2 (game #799)

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Quordle needs to be approached in a different way to Wordle. With four puzzles to solve in nine guesses, you can’t blindly throw letters at it and expect to win – you’ll stand a far better chance if you think strategically.

That’s the case in Wordle too, of course, but it’s even more important in Quordle.

There are two key things to remember. 

1. Use several starting words

Firstly, you won’t want just a single starting word, but almost certainly two or three starting words. 

The first of these should probably be one of the best Wordle starting words, because the same things that make them work well will apply here too. But after that, you should select another word or possibly two that use up lots more of the most common consonants and that include any remaining vowels.

For instance, I currently use STARE > DOILY > PUNCH. Between them, these three words use 15 of the 26 letters in the alphabet including all five vowels, Y, and nine of the most common consonants (S, T, R, D, L, P, N, C and H). There are plenty of other options – you might want to get an M, B, F or G in there instead of the H, maybe – but something like that should do the trick.

If all goes well, that will give you a good lead on what one or sometimes two of the answers might be. If not, well good luck!

2. Narrow things down

Secondly, if you’re faced with a word where the answer might easily be one of several options – for instance -ATCH, where it could be MATCH, BATCH, LATCH, CATCH, WATCH, HATCH or PATCH – you’ll definitely want to guess a word that would narrow down those options. 

In Wordle, you can instead try several of those in succession and hope one is right, assuming you have enough guesses left. It’s risky, but will sometimes work. Plus, it’s the only option in Hard mode. But in Quordle, this will almost certainly result in a failure – you simply don’t have enough guesses.

In the scenario above, CLAMP would be a great guess, as it could point the way to four of the seven words in one go.

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Google Podcast shuts down on April 2 – and here’s what you can do about it

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Tools and requirements

● Google Podcasts account
● A smartphone
● YouTube Music installed
● Or third-party podcast platform installed
● Internet connection

On April 2, Google Podcasts will officially shut down for good in the United States, forcing its millions users to look for a new platform. This day has been a long time coming as the tech giant made the initial announcement of the shutdown back in September 2023. 

YouTube Music will take its place, and the company has rolled out multiple updates turning it into Google’s main platform for audio content. A ‘podcast’ section was added, along with thumbnails, timestamps, and playlists. Other features include UI changes to help in the discovery of shows on the site, plus the ability to switch between audio podcasts and video seamlessly.

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How to watch (and record) the 2024 solar eclipse on April 8

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The great North American solar eclipse will darken the US, Canada and Mexico on April 8th, as you’ve no doubt heard. It’s a significant astronomical event, the first since August 21, 2017 and the last one that will be visible on the continent until 2044.

Parts of all three countries will experience “totality” or a full blocking of the sun by the moon. Those lucky folks may even see the sun’s corona and a “diamond ring” — both rare and dramatic sights. Other regions will experience partial eclipses, with the level depending on how close you are to totality. Watching the moon eat into the sun, even a bit, is still a spectacular sight.

So, which cities and regions will experience totality? When will it happen? What’s the weather forecast in those areas? And if you do have a clear view, how can you safely watch and record the event? Read on to find out more.

Where in the US will you experience the solar eclipse totality, and when?

How to watch (and record) the solar eclipseHow to watch (and record) the solar eclipse

The good news is that many major centers are in the 100-mile-wide band of totality, so millions of people will be able to see a full solar eclipse. It follows a northeast path, so Mexico’s Pacific coast will get the first views in Mazatlan starting at around 10:57 AM PDT (total eclipse starting at 12:07 PDT), followed by the city of Torreón (all times local).

The total eclipse moves into the United states at 12:10 PM CDT (Eagle Pass, Texas), then hits Austin, Fort Worth and Dallas — three out of five of the most populous Texas cities. From there, it moves into Little Rock, Arkansas, followed by select parts of Missouri, Illinois and Indiana (including Indianapolis).

How to watch (and record) the solar eclipseHow to watch (and record) the solar eclipse

NASA

Ohio cities Dayton, Toledo and Cleveland get the full show, followed by Erie, Pennsylvania, then Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse in New York along with Maine. Canada is in on the fun too, with parts of southern Ontario (Hamilton, Niagara Falls) and Quebec (Montreal) getting the totality, along with New Brunswick, PEI and finally, Bonavista, Labrador at 4:03 PM NDT (Newfoundland Time).

If you’re elsewhere on the continent and can’t travel, know that the closer you are to the band of totality, the more the sun will be obscured by the moon (this map shows how much of the eclipse you’ll get depending where you are on the continent).

An impressive list of major centers are within 200 miles of totality, so they’ll get a 90 percent or better eclipse (Houston, St. Louis, Memphis, Nashville, Chicago, Cincinnati, Detroit, Toronto, New York, Boston).

Anyone in the US south, midwest and northeast should get a decent spectacle, as will folks in Canada’s southeast and Atlantic coast. Even if you’re not in those regions, you might still see (and can capture) a mini eclipse.

How long with the 2024 solar eclipse last?

From the beginning when the moon first starts to cover the sun (partial eclipse) until the end when the two bodies part ways is a good long time – up to two hours and forty minutes in Dallas, and 2:18 in Caribou, Maine.

However, totality itself is brief, with the duration dependent on how close you are to the center of the totality band and the time of day. It’s at just under four minutes in Dallas, less than three minutes in Presque Island, Maine and a mere minute and 12 seconds in Montreal. As such, you’ll need to be ready and hope that the skies are clear during that brief window.

What’s the weather forecast in my area?

It’s still early for an accurate forecast, but a week is enough to get a general idea by region. Suffice to say, April isn’t the ideal month for clear skies. That said, an eclipse can still be visible through light cloud cover, and even if it’s thick, the sky will grow dramatically dark.

Unfortunately, the odds of precipitation are indeed above average across most of the band of the eclipse. Forecasts predict that the chances for clear skies are better the farther northeast you live, the opposite of historical trends.

To wit, Dallas has showers forecast throughout the day (58 percent), which would mean continuous cloud cover and no clear view if that holds. That improves a bit when you get to Indianapolis (partly cloudy, 24 percent chance of rain), with things better still in Buffalo, New York (partly cloudy, 11 percent).

Things are looking good right now in Montreal, though, with mostly sunny skies and only a 9 percent chance of rain, and the same goes for Fredericton, New Brunswick.

Niagara Falls also figures to have decent weather during the eclipse (mostly sunny, 18 percent) and is in the path of totality, which has led to the city declaring a state of emergency out of caution. Officials estimate that a million people could pour into the area, creating potentially dangerous crowds.

How can I watch the solar eclipse at home?

Staring at the sun is obviously dangerous for your vision, and doing so during an eclipse can be just as harmful. Even though you may not feel discomfort immediately, you may damage your eyes via an affliction called solar retinopathy. That can lead to serious consequences like eye pain, blind spots, blurred vision and more.

How to watch (and record) the solar eclipseHow to watch (and record) the solar eclipse

American Astronomical Society

To view it safely, you must purchase a pair of approved solar eclipse glasses based on an international safety standard called ISO 12312-2 (regular sunglasses won’t do). That dictates the maximum luminous transmittance, along with the range of permissible wavelength transmittance (UVA, UVB and infrared).

There’s certainly still time to grab a pair if you don’t have them already. The American Astronomical Society (AAS) has many recommendations for manufacturers and vendors, both online and at retail chains.

Warby Parker, for one, is offering free glasses (limit two per person while supplies last). You can also find them at Staples, Lowes and Walmart, or online at B&H and multiple science and astronomy stores.

The AAS advises against searching for the lowest price on Amazon or eBay, however, in case you get a bad knock off. “Before you buy a solar viewer or filter online, we recommend that you make sure that (1) the seller is identified on the site and (2) the seller is listed on this page,” it says on its Solar Eclipse Across America site.

How to watch the solar eclipse safely without glasses

How to watch (and record) the solar eclipseHow to watch (and record) the solar eclipse

Canadian Space Agency

It’s possible to view an eclipse without glasses via indirect means, as well. The simplest way is by punching a small round hole in a piece of thick paper or cardboard, then positioning it so the sun shines through the hole onto the ground or a flat surface (you can also attach a piece of foil with a hole, as NASA shows here). That will project an image of the Sun’s disc, letting you see the eclipse in real time.

The same pinhole principle would let you use anything with perforated holes, like a colander, projecting dozens of tiny eclipses on a surface. Trees can do the same thing, casting weird leaf shadows with little solar eclipse chunks out of them.

How to watch (and record) the solar eclipseHow to watch (and record) the solar eclipse

Benjamin Seigh/Wikimedia

For a bit better experience, you can build a crude box projector. With that, the sun shines through a hole in tin foil onto a white card, and you can look through a larger hole at the card, with the sun behind you. The Canadian Space Agency explains exactly how to make that.

Never, ever view an eclipse directly through a pair of binoculars or a telescope, as that’s a guaranteed way to damage your eyes. That said, you can use a pair of binoculars or a telescope to project the sun onto a piece of paper, as shown in this video.

How to take photos or video of the solar eclipse

Unfortunately, you can’t just point your smartphone or camera at the sun to record the eclipse, as the brightness will overwhelm the sensor and ruin the image (and possibly damage the sensor). Luckily, you can shield your camera just as you do your eyes.

The cheapest way to do that is to buy an extra set of eclipse glasses, then cut out an eyepiece from one and tape it over the smartphone (or other camera) lens. That will reduce the light levels enough to see detail in the sun throughout the partial eclipse and totality.

You can also purchase dedicated smartphone solar filters like the VisiSolar Photo Filter, which are designed for cameras and not direct viewing. Another choice is the Solar Snap Eclipse App Kit, which also offers an app that aids in photographing the eclipsed sun. It’s advisable to also wear solar glasses when setting up your smartphone or camera to protect your eyes.

If you’re shooting the eclipse with a dedicated mirrorless or DSLR camera, you’ll need either a mylar, 16-stop ND (neutral density) or hydrogen alpha solar filter. Again, do not look directly into a DSLR’s optical viewfinder at the sun if the lens doesn’t have one of those filters attached (the electronic viewfinder on a mirrorless camera is safe).

To photograph the eclipse with a smartphone, turn the flash off and put the camera into ultrawide or wide mode so it stays in frame. Do NOT look directly at the sun to line up your camera if you’re not wearing solar eclipse glasses.

Don’t use the digital zoom to try to make the eclipse bigger, as you’ll lose resolution (you can zoom in later in your photo editing app). Once focus is set on the sun, use your smartphone’s focus lock feature so that it doesn’t “hunt” for focus and blur the eclipse.

During totality, the “diamond ring” effect only lasts a split second, so use the burst mode of your camera or you’ll likely miss the shot. And try to capture RAW (rather than JPEG) images to keep the maximum detail possible for later editing. Some iPhone and Android smartphones have RAW capability built-in, if not, you can use a third-party app.

If you decide to capture video, you’ll need a filter as well, of course. But you should also use a tripod, as shooting handheld will induce blur and result in a shaky video. Even a cheap tripod will do the trick, along with a simple smartphone holder. Capture the highest resolution you can (4K or even 8K) at the highest quality possible. You’ll also capture any cheering, shouting, etc. — a precious souvenir you can look back on again and again.

More resources

There are plenty of government and private sites with more information about the eclipse, starting with the AAS’s eclipse site, detailing things like eye safety, imaging, resources and even a totality app — an “interactive map that shows what you’ll see at any location in North America for the total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024.”

NASA also offers a dedicated site for the North American Eclipse, as does the National Weather Service and National Solar Observatory. A private site called Great American Eclipse is largely commercial, but does have a very useful map showing the band of totality and how much of the eclipse you’ll see depending on location, along with a comprehensive list of eclipse times and durations by city.

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Apple Card Savings Account: How the 4.5% Rate Compares in April 2024

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The calendar has turned to April, so we have updated our chart comparing the Apple Card savings account’s annual percentage yield (APY) to some other popular high-yield savings accounts (HYSAs) available to U.S. residents.

apple card savings account feature
With a 4.5% APY, Apple’s savings account remains a middle-of-the-pack HYSA, but balance minimums and other requirements vary by financial institution.

Provider Maximum APY*
Ally 4.25%
Discover 4.25%
American Express 4.35%
Barclays 4.35%
Capital One 4.35%
Citizens Bank 4.5%
Apple (Goldman Sachs) 4.5%
Marcus (Goldman Sachs) 4.5%
SoFi 4.6%
PNC Bank 4.65%
Betterment 4.75%
Synchrony 4.75%
Wealthfront 5%
CIT Bank 5.05%
UFB Direct 5.25%

* Advertised APYs as of April 1, 2024, excluding promotional and affiliate rates. APYs are subject to change at any time. This list is not comprehensive.

Apple launched its savings account in April 2023, in partnership with Goldman Sachs. The account can be opened and managed in the Wallet app on the iPhone, and it has no fees, no minimum deposits, and no minimum balance requirements. You must have an Apple Card, be a U.S. resident, and be at least 18 years old to open an account.

The account allows Apple Card holders to earn interest on their Daily Cash cashback balance, and on funds deposited via a linked bank account or an Apple Cash balance. The maximum balance allowed is now $1,000,000, up from a previous limit of $250,000.

To open a savings account in the Wallet app, tap on your Apple Card, tap on the circle with three dots at the top of the screen, tap Daily Cash, and select Set Up Savings.

Goldman Sachs reportedly plans to end its consumer lending partnership with Apple, but it is unclear how this might impact Apple Card holders.

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4 Oscar-winning movies coming to Max in April 2024

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April 2024 is looking to be an exciting month for streaming – especially if you’re a Max subscriber. Not only is Max one of the best streaming services, but it’s a movie buff’s best friend, and these four Oscar winners are essentially to every watch list. 

We’ve selected four movies coming to Max in April 2024 with Oscar wins to their names, including a rom-com set in Tokyo, a Darren Aronofsky thriller, a biopic from the mind of David Fincher, and an A24 drama that made a big impression on movie fans this year.

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