NYT Connections today — hints and answers for Thursday, September 26 (game #473)

Leah Barlow, a liberal studies professor at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, launched a TikTok account to teach her Intro to African American Studies class, sparking the creation of Hillmantok University, an online platform offering classes in various subjects led by Black educators and content creators. With concerns over potential education policy changes under a second Trump administration, Hillmantok aims to provide accessible and accurate information to counter misinformation. The movement, inspired by...

ZDNET discusses the importance of prioritizing security in the age of digital malice, particularly in the context of data collection by browsers like Chrome. The article suggests alternative Chrome-based browsers that prioritize security, such as Brave Browser, Ungoogled Chromium Browser, Mullvad Browser, Opera, and Vivaldi, each offering unique features like built-in VPNs, Tor network access, privacy mode, and customizable settings for tracking prevention. These browsers aim to provide users with increased privacy and security while...

AMD reported strong Q4 results, with revenue up 24% to $7.66 billion, driven by a thriving data center business fueled by AI workloads. Despite this growth, the stock dropped nearly 5% in after-hours trading. The company's data center segment revenue surged 69% to $3.9 billion, while client CPU revenue increased by 58%, although gaming revenue declined by 58% due to aging console chip sales. Full Article

The upcoming Google Pixel 9a is set to offer free trials of YouTube Premium, Fitbit Premium, and Google One, similar to the Pixel 8a. However, access to Gemini Advanced may require an additional payment. Pre-orders for the Pixel 9a are expected to start on March 19, with buyers receiving a six-month subscription to Fitbit Premium, a three-month subscription to YouTube Premium, and a three-month subscription to the 100GB tier of Google One. Full Article

Ireland's new minister for AI oversight, Niamh Smyth, admitted to not using ChatGPT or DeepSeek, but is committed to learning fast for her new role at the Department of Enterprise, Trade, and Employment. Smyth is concerned about high-school students using AI for homework and aims to support businesses and educate on AI benefits. This mirrors the 2018 incident in Japan, where a cyber-security minister, Yoshitaka Sakurada, resigned after admitting to never using a computer, raising...

Getting quality sleep is crucial for a healthy lifestyle. White noise machines can help by blocking out environmental sounds and replacing them with calming white noise. The best overall white noise machine is the Homedics Sound Spa, which is affordable and portable, with various soothing sound options. The LectroFan is another excellent choice, offering 20 white noise and fan sounds for those who prefer simplicity. The Sound+Sleep SE from Sound of Sleep is a more...