Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Big stick
Green: Florida mascots
Blue: Darts
Purple: MVP baseball players
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Used to Hit a Ball
Green: A South Florida Athlete
Blue: Darts Terms
Purple: Angels to Win MVP
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #335 is...
Used to Hit a Ball - BAT, CLUB, PADDLE, RACKET
A South Florida Athlete - BUCCANEER, DOLPHIN, MARLIN, PANTHER
Darts Terms - BIG FISH, BULL'S-EYE, NINE-DARTER, OCHE
Angels to Win MVP - BAYLOR, GUERRERO, OHTANI, TROUT
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 24, 2025Connections is a New York Times word game that's all about finding the "common threads between words." How to solve the puzzle.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Drinking containers
Green: Slashed
Blue: Types of reptiles
Purple: To ring
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Wine vessels
Green: Ripped
Blue: Kinds of snakes
Purple: ___ Call
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections #806 is...
Wine vessels: BOTTLE, CARAFE, DECANTER, GLASS
Ripped: CLEFT, RENT, SPLIT, TORN
Kinds of snakes: CORAL, GARTER, KING, RATTLE
___ Call: BOOTY, CLOSE, COLD, CURTAIN
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands?
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
NYT Strands hints, answers for August 24, 2025The NYT Strands hints and answers you need to make the most of your puzzling experience.
If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.
Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferrined pace.
The words are volume-related.
These words are types of loud noises.
Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
Today's spangram is Hubbub.
Blasting
Loud
Boisterous
Hubbub
Noisy
Strident
Booming
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.
Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 24, 2025Here's the answer for "Wordle" #1527 on August 24 as well as a few hints, tips, and clues to help you solve it yourself.
Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
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.
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be 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.
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
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.
A seed.
There are no recurring letters.
Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.
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 today's Wordle is...
SPORE.
Don't feel down 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.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.
NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 23, 2025Connections: Sports Edition is a New York Times word game about finding common sports threads between words. How to solve the puzzle.
Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Lost really badly
Green: Euro locations
Blue: NFL wideouts
Purple: College Campuses
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Decisive Victory
Green: Countries in Six Nations Rugby
Blue: Names of NFL WRs
Purple: Big 12 School Locations
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #334 is...
Decisive Victory - BLOWOUT, LANDSLIDE, ROMP, RUNAWAY
Countries in Six Nations Rugby - ENGLAND, FRANCE, IRELAND, WALES
Names of NFL WRs - CEEDEE, LADD, PUKA, ROME
Big 12 School Locations - AMES, LAWRENCE, MANHATTAN, MORGANTOWN
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.
Chipotle drone delivery: Zipotle rolling out flying burritosChipotle rolled out drone deliveries that should be able to drop your burrito to you out of the sky.
Chipotle is rolling out drone delivery. That means your next burrito could come zipping down out of the sky...for...whatever reason.
The fast casual chain announced this week it was rolling out what it's calling "Zipotle" to a small number of customers. Zipotle is a reference to Zipline, an autonomous drone delivery company, which will do the dropping off for Chipotle.
Right now, Zipotle will be available online in Rowlette, Texas, a Dallas suburb. How it works is pretty simple: Customers order on the Zipline app, a local Chipotle prepares the order, and then the drone flies to the address, hovers at about 300 feet, and drops the order down via a carrier.
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While delivering burritos via drone feels a little silly, Chipotle has sold the program as an environmentally friendly delivery option.
"Zipotle is a quick and convenient source of delivery that lets guests enjoy our real food from places that are traditionally challenging to serve, including backyards and public parks," said Curt Garner, president, chief strategy and technology officer at Chipotle, in a statement. "Zipline's commitment to building an efficient, environmentally friendly delivery experience is synonymous with our mission to Cultivate a Better World."
Bluesky blocked in Mississippi over age verification lawsBluesky noted the exceptional burden of following Mississippi's new law.
People in Mississippi no longer have access to Bluesky — one of the primary alternatives to Elon Musk's X — because of burdensome age verification laws.
A new law in Mississippi requires age verification to access social media sites. This landmark piece of legislation goes even further than other laws that require age verification for sites featuring explicit content. Bluesky announced on Friday that it would stop operating in the state because of the law, noting concerns over the cost burden and privacy of its users.
"Mississippi's approach would fundamentally change how users access Bluesky. The Supreme Court’s recent decision leaves us facing a hard reality: comply with Mississippi’s age assurance law—and make every Mississippi Bluesky user hand over sensitive personal information and undergo age checks to access the site—or risk massive fines. The law would also require us to identify and track which users are children, unlike our approach in other regions. We think this law creates challenges that go beyond its child safety goals, and creates significant barriers that limit free speech and disproportionately harm smaller platforms and emerging technologies.
Unlike tech giants with vast resources, we’re a small team focused on building decentralized social technology that puts users in control. Age verification systems require substantial infrastructure and developer time investments, complex privacy protections, and ongoing compliance monitoring — costs that can easily overwhelm smaller providers. This dynamic entrenches existing big tech platforms while stifling the innovation and competition that benefits users."
Bluesky pointed out that Mississippi's law was particularly burdensome and was worrying in terms of its privacy implications. The company noted, for instance, that it follows the U.K.'s Online Safety Act, which does not require tracking which users are children and only requires age checks for certain material.
Mashable's Anna Iovine covered the effects of age verification on the internet in depth. But what certain lawmakers have claimed is aimed at protecting children has already had widespread consequences. These laws, in general, make the internet a less open place and a space that requires sacrificing privacy for access.
The best headphones for students: Our top 4 picks for back-to-school seasonFor back-to-school season, Mashable put together the four best noise-cancelling headphones and earbuds for students that won't break the bank.
With all the choices for headphones out there, it's not the easiest device to shop. Factor in a student's budget, needs, and the fact that most "best of" lists (present company included) have $400+ options as their top pick, and somehow, finding the right pair of headphones can get even more stressful. With school being stressful enough as it is, allow us to add some ease to this one area.
First things first: The best headphones for students aren't necessarily the best headphones on the market. Sure, the active noise cancellation on the Sony WH-1000XM6s or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones would probably be incredible for studying — but so would cheaper options that don't sacrifice quality in areas where it really matters most. In the same way that most students don't need the power of an iPad Pro for taking notes and reading research papers, most won't need the most feature-rich flagship headphones to ensure they have headphones that are great for studying or relaxing.
Take, for instance, the regular Bose QuietComfort headphones, our pick of the best over-ear headphones for students. They're still an investment at $359, but regularly go on sale for under $300, dropping as low as $229 at their best price ever (as I was writing this guide, they dropped down to this price). They offer the major perks of a more premium option in their all-day comfort, good sound quality, and some of the best noise cancellation out there — you'll just miss out on fancy spatial audio features, which, for most students, likely isn't a dealbreaker.
On our list below, we provided four options for your back-to-school headphone shopping: two over-ear headphones and two earbuds, each with a budget and premium option, with an overall skew for lower price points. These selections are the result of the extensive headphones testing from multiple Mashable staffers and contributors. As one of Mashable's main reporters on the headphones beat, I've gone back through our pool of favorites to handpick the four best headphones for college students (or even high school students).
Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 headphones beat Sony XM6 in one key wayBowers & Wilkins has a reputation for premium sound. Are the slick-looking Px7 S3 headphones worth it?
British audio icon, Bowers & Wilkins (B&W), has always had its rabid fans, especially in the world of loudspeakers, where its combo of sound quality and design has earned it a lot of admiration. However, I’ve never felt that the company’s wireless noise-canceling headphones quite live up to this sterling reputation — until now.
Bowers & Wilkins headphones have traditionally been more expensive than their rivals, even as the sound and features lagged behind. I was expecting the same from the brand's latest effort, the Px7 S3 over-ear headphones.
But moments after popping them on my head, I was ready to change my tune. And not only do they sound great, but they're a serious upgrade over the all-plastic design of the Sony XM6 headphones.
So, let's dive into my full Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 headphones review.
Let's start with the basics:
Microphones: 8
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 (aptX Adaptive/Lossless support)
Battery: 30 hours with ANC
Charge time: ~3.5 hours
Noise cancellation: Active noise cancellation
Spatial audio: Planned (future software update required)
Colors: Anthracite Black, Canvas White, and Indigo Blue
Inputs: USB-C
Quick charge: 7 hours in 15 minutes
Materials: Fabric, aluminum, and synthetic leather
The Px7 S3 has a variety of updates from the S2 and S2e, including a sleeker, lower-profile shape, a redesigned headband, repositioned controls, support for aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless codecs, more microphones, improved ANC and transparency, and revised driver design.
B&W has also made a few changes in its Bowers & Wilkins Music companion app, like the availability of a five-band equalizer.
The company plans to issue a future software update to enable spatial audio. This has become a standard feature in other flagship headphones, so it's disappointing not to find it here, especially since they have the same price as the new Sony XM6 noise-cancelling headphones.
Battery life remains unchanged at 30 hours (plus a 7-hour quick charge after 15 minutes), it still comes with a zippered (though slightly slimmer) hard case and a USB-C and 3.5mm analog cable. Lossless, hi-res audio at up to 24-bit/96kHz is supported via the USB-C cable.
Looks are (obviously) subjective, but I think the Px7 S3 are in a class by themselves.
The combination of materials (fabric, aluminum, and synthetic leather) and B&W’s sleek, understated styling makes these cans a joy to behold and a pleasure to wear. Compared to the all-plastic construction of Sony’s 1000X series or the giant aluminum shells of Apple’s AirPods Max or Dyson OnTrac, the Px7 S3 are the rare headphones that look as good on your head as sitting on your desk.
Don’t like the Anthracite Black color pictured here? They’re also available in Indigo Blue and Canvas White.
For the Px7 S3, B&W has increased the width of the headband from the Px7 S2, and the earcushions are more generously padded. This takes an already comfortable design and makes it even better for long-term use.
The single-sided yokes are now more rounded, yet they still let you position the earcups up or down when worn around the neck.
My only nitpick: the included USB-C cable is just too thick and inflexible to be used comfortably when listening to USB Audio (more on that feature in a moment).
Keen-eyed observers will note that the control buttons now sit on the beveled outer edge of the earcups, instead of on the flat rear edge. At first, I was concerned that this would make them harder to use, but in some ways, they’re now easier to reach — I don’t mind it at all.
Strangely, B&W has made the volume buttons larger and the multifunction button smaller than on the Px7 S2. Maybe it’s just me — I tend to play/pause and skip tracks more than I change volume — but I’d prefer they have the opposite proportions.
The ANC button, located on the left earcup, provides nearly instant mode changes, but for the life of me, I still don’t know why B&W insists on forcing us to cycle through all three (ANC > Transparency > Off), instead of letting us skip the Off mode entirely.
Another head-scratcher: You can control ANC with this button, or summon your voice assistant, but you can’t have both.
One of my favorite features of the S2 is the wear sensors, and thankfully, they’re just as good on the S3. Removing either earcup — even just a little ways — instantly pauses your tunes, while replacing them resumes playback just as quickly.
The Px7 S3 have a larger array of mics than their predecessors — eight vs. six — which should, in theory, help to improve active noise cancellation (ANC) and transparency mode. ANC is indeed better, though only moderately so.
It can reduce the most annoying background sounds, but you’ll still get better ANC results from the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones and the Sony WH-1000XM6, particularly when flying or while trying to shut out droning machinery sounds. Transparency mode on the Px7 S3, however, is a significant step up from the S2 model. You notice it immediately, thanks to the clarity of your voice.
It’s still not as mesmerizingly perfect as Apple’s AirPods Max, but honestly, it’s more than good enough for phone calls and casual conversations.
On B&W’s spec sheet for the Px7 S3, it lists “40mm bio-cellulose drivers” — the same description used for the Px7 S2. But this is an oversimplification. In reality, the S3’s drivers use a redesigned and improved chassis, voice coil, suspension, and magnet, and they make a huge difference to the sound.
Clarity, definition, soundstage, and precision are all enhanced. These are the first Bowers & Wilkins Px7 series headphones that finally sound as good as they look.
I could spend a lot of time encouraging you to take advantage of the S3’s aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless codecs on a compatible phone. And, you should absolutely use their hi-res, USB audio connection when a wire won’t get in your way (a feature you won’t find on Bose or Sony’s flagships).
But frankly, you can hear and appreciate the S3’s improved audio quality even over a standard SBC or AAC Bluetooth connection (good news for iPhone owners). Setting aside all of the S3’s other improvements, I would happily pay the extra $50 over the price of the S2 just for the sound.
B&W’s excellent factory tuning, with its careful balance of frequencies, is now known as True Sound; this is the EQ setting you get by default in the Bowers & Wilkins Music app. What’s new is the ability to fine-tune this balance using a five-band equalizer, instead of the simplified bass and treble sliders the app shows to S2 owners.
After trying a few adjustments, however, I returned to the True Sound setting and never looked back. To my ear, it’s just about perfect.
Bass has plenty of authority without ever getting boomy or overbearing, and the mids are clear and distinct. Curiously, in the upper-mids and highs, the S3 are something of a return to form. I noted in my Px7 S2 review that the PX7’s high-energy sound signature had been taken down a notch or two. For the S3, B&W seems to have split the difference, and it’s a balance that I think a lot of folks will like. It’s very close to Sony’s tuning on the WH-1000XM6.
Those extra mics help the S3 achieve better call quality than its predecessor. The biggest difference is the number of times your callers will hear background sounds -- they’re almost entirely eradicated. When they’re particularly loud, the algorithm still struggles to keep your voice from being distorted, but most of the time, they’ll have no idea you’re not at your desk.
Transparency mode is perfect for reducing the fatigue associated with having your voice muffled by the earcups.
It’s B&W’s belief that most folks will always keep ANC on while using the Px7 S3. As such, it only quotes one number for battery life: 30 hours. That should be more than enough to get you through even the longest flight, but keep in mind that if you listen louder than 50% volume, or if you’re in an especially noisy environment, that number will be lower -- perhaps as much as 15-20% lower.
It’s also worth noting that when the company releases its spatial audio upgrade, it’s a good bet that this will also impact battery life. On Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, for instance, the Immersive Audio feature can reduce playtime by up to 25%.
If you’re worried about stamina, you can always disable ANC, and if that’s still not enough, the Px7 S3 have a very impressive quick-charge time of an extra 7 hours for just 15 minutes of charging.
It’s clear that B&W has tried to future-proof the Px7 S3 by including both hi-res audio (via aptX Adaptive and USB Audio) and the potential for spatial audio down the road. Which is why I’m a bit baffled by the lack of support for Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast.
Auracast, which lets compatible wireless headphones tune in to publicly available Bluetooth broadcasts, has just started making its way into our lives. But it will soon be ubiquitous in places like airports, museums, movie theaters, gyms, sports arenas, and even at home via our TVs.
Sennheiser, Sony, JBL, and others have already jumped on the Auracast bandwagon with their latest flagship headphones, making this a missed opportunity for B&W to keep the Px7 S3 as a leading option in the coming years.
B&W headphones are usually more expensive than the competition, but that's no longer the case. As Mashable's tech editor noted in his Sony XM6 review, $449 is the new standard price of admission for premium headphones.
So, are they worth $449? I say yes, especially if you care about design. The Sony XM6 headphones may have advantages like superior ANC and spatial audio, but they also have an all-plastic construction, whereas the slick-looking Px7 S3 are made from fabric, aluminum, and synthetic leather. With killer sound and a cool aesthetic, they're a solid contender in a very competitive market.
Despite the enthusiasm of actors in Swiffer commercials, few people are smiling when the time comes to mop their hardwood and tile floors. So if you're already considering buying a robot vacuum because it'll take one major chore off your to-do list, then you can probably see why the best robot vacuum and mop would be doubly worth it.
I'm not saying that you can expect every robot vacuum that mops to scrub your kitchen grout with the same tenacity as you could by hand with a toothbrush. But the best mopping robot vacuums have gotten much better over the past few years. Many have smart mopping settings that unleash deeper scrubbing on specified spills or stains, and some even use AI sensors to assess whether a mess has been sufficiently cleaned. You can also set your robot vacuum to take multiple passes over dirty floors in the app's settings — one of my go-to tips for making your vacuum work better.
Hybrid robot vacuums' self-emptying docks are also getting far more advanced. The best robot mop combos will also automatically wash and dry their mopping pads, self-dispense cleaning liquid, and then refill themselves with clean water from the dock. In theory, mopping pad maintenance should be nearly as automated as the cleaning itself.
I've personally tested more than 25 robot vacuum and mop combos in my own apartment, and I've narrowed your options down to just five robovacs.
So if you want to walk around barefoot, make pet hair disappear, and keep hardwood floors shiny and clean, then these are the best robot vacuum and mop combos to buy in 2025.
I've tested several other robot vacuum hybrids that didn't make the cut. Some, like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, Roborock Qrevo Master, Narwal Freo X Ultra were top picks in this list at one point, but were merely upstaged in power and price tag value by newer models.
I've also tested some 2025 robot vacuum releases that were OK, but weren't contenders for this list. The Dreame X50 Ultra grabbed attention during its CES 2025 debut for its ability to "climb," though the fine print is that it can't scale thresholds taller than 6 millimeters (about 2.36 inches). The Roborock Saros 10 and 10R were able to hoist over the few thick doorway thresholds in my apartment just as well as the X50 Ultra. Its mopping and vacuuming capabilities are better than most mid-range robot vacuums, of course, but they weren't impressive enough for me to suggest the X50 Ultra in this list over either Saros model.
I'm also in the process of testing the new fleet of 2025 Roombas. The Roomba Combo 205 DustCompactor wouldn't be a bad pick if you absolutely can't spare floor space for a self-empty dock. But for being one of iRobot's newest vacuums, I expected it to be a much smoother, smarter navigator.
As a Dyson stan, I wouldnt tell anyone to buy the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuumDyson says that its 360 Vis Nav is the most powerful robot vacuum on the market. Could this robot vacuum that doesn't mop or self-empty possibly be worth $1,000?
I'll be the first person to tell someone to just grow up and buy a nice Dyson rather than settle for a cheaper cordless vacuum. Yes, the Dyson purchase probably requires extra saving up, and yes, I acknowledge that a vacuum costing the same (or more) than a month's rent puts it in the "overpriced" category. But if you can swing it, I think a Dyson stick vacuum is worth it.
And this is simply because my Dyson with a laser does such a good job that it makes me prefer doing the chore manually. If a robot vacuum does a crappy job of cleaning a hard floor, my Dyson V12 Detect Slim will snitch immediately, using its green laser to highlight any leftover hairs or specks that a robot vacuum missed. It's still clutch to be able to rely on a robot vacuum for surface-level jobs in a pinch, but for better or for worse, my ultimate test for my army of robot vacuums is how they stand up against my Dyson stick vacuum.
So what better robot vacuum to compete with my beloved Dyson stick vacuum than a Dyson robot vacuum? I went into my experience with Dyson's 360 Vis Nav with high expectations, despite already knowing about Dyson's odd choice to omit crucial robot vacuum features like mopping and self-emptying. Here's my Dyson robot vacuum review.
The 360 Vis Nav initially sold out at Dyson's website within hours of release on March 19, 2024. Stock subsequently dwindled completely at other retailers like Amazon and Best Buy within the following days. That's not surprising — demand for a Dyson robot vacuum has been bubbling since 2016, which is the last time Dyson released a robot vacuum in the U.S. And it was a flop.
Nearly a decade later, the premise of a Dyson robot vacuum felt much more auspicious. Dyson has perfected its cyclonic suction power in the realm of cordless stick vacuums, so it should have no problem converting that expertise to robot form, right?
The 360 Vis Nav came out with the promise of being the world's most powerful robot vacuum, aided by a flat edge and a genius extending side duct for better corner cleaning than what a round robot vacuum can manage. A D-shaped robot vacuum is unique, but isn't something we've never seen before. And it's definitely not the most... interesting choice Dyson made with this physical design. Let's start there.
You can tell a Dyson vacuum is a Dyson vacuum just by looking at it. The metallic gray bodies, bold pops of color, and chunky industrial details are pretty recognizable to anyone who has shopped for a vacuum before.
And I've never minded that boldness. My V12 Detect Slim, which is gray with a weird orange tentacle-looking piece on the dust bin and a purple filter cap, is a flex mounted on the wall in my kitchen. When guests come over, they immediately recognize and respect that this is a Dyson household.
That being said, Dyson should have reined in its signature design with the 360 Vis Nav, because it's kind of an eyesore. Rather than sticking to graphite, the entire body is bright indigo. That is topped off with an exterior circular dustbin that was probably meant to give cool exposed gear vibes, but more so resembles a curled-up centipede.
I guess the polarizing design choice might be appealing to ultra-modern maximalists, but given my guests' puzzled reactions when they see the 360 Vis Nav in my living room, the lack of curb appeal feels pretty palpable.
Despite the fact that robot vacuums are becoming increasingly common, they can still feel a bit out of place in many homes — way too tech-y to mesh in an otherwise cozy room. Other brands have caught onto the consumer's preference for chicness and subtlety, like the dapper, all-white or all-black bodies of the Roborock Saros 10 and Saros 10R (two of my favorite robot vacuums of 2025).
So the dust bin isn't concealed on the underside or back like it traditionally is on standalone robot vacuums. Yes, this means that the wad of gray dust will be facing outward until it's time to empty. You'd be off the hook from that for weeks and weeks had Dyson made its robot vacuum able to empty itself like so many others do. But at least the 360 Vis Nav's 0.15-gallon dust bin is larger than most non-self-emptiers, I guess.
And granted, if a robot vacuum is going to require manual emptying, Dyson's system is definitely the mildest pain in the ass. Just pull up the handle and un-click the bin while the vac is charging, hold it over a trash can, and push the red button. The door swings open downward, and everything falls directly into the trash.
But then, the fact that it can't empty itself still has me circling back to the fact that it's just not an attractive appliance — the manual emptying requires easy access to the dust bin, and that means you can't just store the robot vacuum under a piece of furniture and call it a day. For example, the 3i G10+ robot vacuum that I tested isn't a cute robot vacuum, either. But it has a cool dust compacting system that essentially acts like a self-emptying dock, minus the actual dock that takes up space. It can subtly be stored just about anywhere — the G10+ simply lived under my TV stand during testing, its bulky design kept out of sight in my carefully-decorated living room.
Speaking of questionable design choices, not even the religious RuPaul's Drag Race stan in me can justify the black and white checkered flags stuck to the 360 Vis Nav's dock. This thin panel needs to be attached in order for the vac to map correctly and find its way back. Without it, the 360 Vis Nav looks like me trying to parallel park. No other robot vacuums I've tested require obnoxious stickers to drive themselves back to the dock.
A small LCD touchscreen and a small transparent sphere known as the Eye sit atop the 360 Vis Nav. You use the touchscreen during setup when connecting to the WiFi, and I appreciate that all of the steps are laid out in very simple terms. You can also use the touchscreen to select from four cleaning modes (which you can also do on the app): auto, boost, quiet, and quick. They're pretty self-explanatory.
The other piece of tech on top, the Dyson Eye, replaces the circular LiDAR tower that is seen on a lot of competing robot vacuums. The Eye has a 360-degree view of its surroundings and, with the help of 26 different sensors, is said to analyze up to 10,000 data points a second, allowing it to remember your home's layout and navigate around large obstacles like furniture and walls.
The 360 Vis Nav's mapping run proved to be quite accurate the first time around, at least when assessing the general perimeter of the floor plan. (Dividing rooms in the app wasn't as seamless.) After each cleaning session, the MyDyson app offers what looks like a heat map version of its smart map, showing where it found the most dust. It'll work harder in those areas the next time you start a full home cleaning.
Navigation-wise, the 360 Vis Nav is nimble when dealing with tricky furniture. It never got stuck once in my apartment, and was able to carve tightly around our acorn-shaped coffee table. I'm not over the lack of small obstacle avoidance technology, though. And I elaborate on these gripes in the downsides section of this review.
When it first came out, Dyson insisted that the 360 Vis Nav had double the suction power of any robot vacuum. At first, it was nearly impossible to prove or disprove that — Dyson historically measured vacuum suction power in Air Watts (AW) instead of the more common measurement of Pascals (Pa). At some point since its spring 2024 release, Dyson quietly updated the 360 Vis Nav's online description with "22,000 Pa of suction power." That's a great number and all, but it confirms that the 360 Vis Nav doubling the suction power of any other robot vacuum is just not true. Several flagship Roborock robot vacuums clean with 20,000 to 22,000 Pa, and new Dreame robot vacuums coming in fall 2025 are said to dish out 30,000 Pa.
But how well does the Dyson robot vacuum clean in practice? Success stories first: The Dyson 360 Vis Nav is a solid robot vacuum for carpet and rugs. It aced any debris test I threw at it, audibly boosting suction (in auto mode) when it came across a mess. These three piles of crushed tortilla chips, soil, and cat fur were totally cleared before the 360 Vis Nav went back to its dock, even when I was skeptical after it missed some pieces on the first pass.
The effectiveness is probably a combination of sheer suction power and the triple-action brush roll. It's basically a spitting image of the one on Dyson's Digital Motorbar cleaning head for its cordless vacuums, combining soft nylon, stiff bristles, and anti-static carbon fiber strands that dig into carpet pile, attract debris like velcro, and suck it out.
In terms of battery life, Dyson alleges that the 360 Vis Nav can run for 65 minutes. I was able to send the Dyson out to cover two rooms that took just under half an hour each, and it had enough juice for both on one charge. However, I can see this run time dwindling significantly if more of the floor is carpet or needs to be cleaned in boost mode. Plus, while an hour of juice is fine for a full clean of a small space like my apartment, a larger home would probably require double that battery life.
Hard floors were more of a struggle than carpet, which is surprising because it's usually the other way around for robot vacuums.
My bathroom is one place where I need a robot vacuum to reliably clean on a daily basis. It's where one of my cats' litter boxes is, and it's where my hair sheds the most — and is the only place in the apartment where I always walk barefoot. So tell me why, on multiple occasions, I walked in there after a 360 Vis Nav run to see the back third of the floor still scattered with kitty litter and long hairs. Either the 360 Vis Nav's suction did virtually nothing, or it didn't attempt to go back there at all. Considering a $299 Shark robot vacuum successfully came to the rescue afterwards, neither of those excuses will fly.
Similarly, the laser on my Dyson V12 Detect Slim showed a decent amount of dust still remaining in front of the litter box in the kitchen after the 360 Vis Nav cleaned there.
Aside from rocking a flat edge to scoot into 90-degree angles better than a round vacuum, the 360 Vis Nav is equipped with side ducts that extend when cleaning along a wall. These target suction power to the side of the vacuum that the wall is on, replacing the traditional flimsy spinning side brushes that operate on mere hope. This was going to be huge if true: Robot vacuums universally struggle to grab the dust bunnies that blew into the corner behind the couch or the crumbs pushed up against cabinets or appliances.
Unfortunately, the 360 Vis Nav fell short of edge-pectations. During my spill-rice-on-purpose challenge, the vac did an OK (just OK) job at clearing the middle of the floor, but hardly grabbed any of the rice hanging out under the lip of the cabinets. Debris being left behind around the outskirts of a room was a recurring theme. A quick skim of my Roborock Saros 10R review and you'd know that it actually is possible for a robot vacuum to be good at cleaning corners.
My list of cons of the 360 Vis Nav will be pretty straightforward — not because Dyson got very few things wrong, but because there's actually not a ton of features to evaluate. No self-emptying, no mopping, no small obstacle avoidance. I'll cover those in the section exploring the competition, but first, I want to touch on the features that are present, but disappointing.
There's a lot of misplaced innovation going on here. Rather than ensuring some basic features that every high-end robot vacuum should have, Dyson put its energy into things like a touchscreen. That would have been cool if you could do anything more proactive than select the cleaning mode through it.
Similarly, I've already gone off about how the 360 Vis Nav doesn't even reliably clean edges — the one thing it was supposed to excel at.
Spot cleaning is another huge miss. Sometimes, scheduling a cleaning for one room in particular isn't specific enough. Sometimes, you just need to directly tackle the few feet surrounding the kitchen counter, or the front door, or the litter box. If the ability to physically pick the vacuum up, plop it in the spot that needs attention, and press a button on the top to make it go isn't an option, I'll settle for drawing a zone in the app.
The MyDyson app doesn't differentiate between rooms and zones, despite referring to the entire room-labeling process as "zoning." The most intuitive robot vacuum apps allow you to drag a rectangle onto whatever area of the map you desire for a one-time cleaning, no questions asked.
But if you want to spot clean with the 360 Vis Nav, you have to put dividers up just like you would when separating a bedroom from the hallway. That'd be fine if the dividers were easy to set up with your finger. But they barely respond to pinching or dragging, and then get mad at you for not being arranged correctly. This once again had me sending a $299 robot vacuum to cover those spontaneous spots.
Dyson's choice to simply omit features like self-emptying and mopping is unforgivable at this price point. These "advanced" autonomy features may have been considered premium in 2020, but have become accessible at any price point in the past two years. You can easily score a reliable robot vacuum and mop combo that also empties itself for less than $500 even without a sale.
Other robot vacuums out there hovering at the same $1,000 price point are way more autonomous than the 360 Vis Nav. A ton of premium robot vacs are equipped with small obstacle avoidance technology to avoid run-ins with common household items like charging cords, laundry, or pet waste. One of the more fun features becoming more common is a roving livestream pet camera that shows a POV of what the vacuum sees while it's cleaning.
Not only do these premium hybrid robot vacuums mop, but they are also fully self-sufficient through automatic mopping pad washing and drying, and self-refilling clean water tanks.
It's also impossible not to compare the 360 Vis Nav to Dyson's own stick vacuum lineup, especially when the 360 Vis Nav costs more than the most expensive cordless Dyson, the $1,049 Gen5 Outsize. That vac more than doubles the suction power and dustbin capacity of the 360 Vis Nav, plus it can be trusted to get into corners. Yes, you'll be the one doing the work, but it's actually fun when you're guided by a game-changing laser that highlights exactly where dust and debris are. You already know I back the V12 Detect Slim, which can often be snagged for less than $500.
Nope. And that's not an "unless you have the budget to spend $1,000 on a robot vacuum" nope. It's just a hard nope. I don't think I was alone in my skepticism about this Dyson's value — Dyson permanently dropped the 360 Vis Nav Price from its original $1,199.99 to $999.99 in 2025, if that's any indication of its public perception. Even now, it's still ridiculously overpriced.
Similarly-priced competitors empty themselves, mop, wash and dry their own mopping pads, and can detect small obstacles like cords, pet waste, and socks. The 360 Vis Nav doesn't do any of that, and doesn't even ace edges, the main thing it claimed to be good at.
And even if the 360 Vis Nav wasn't drowning in competition from other robot vacuums, it would still lose to its number one enemy: its own cordless stick vacuums.
We don't know about you, but we're so glad that College football is back. Things kick off with Week 0 action before the first proper round of games in Week 1. The pick of the bunch is almost definitely the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, but don't sleep on Hawai'i vs. Stanford.
We're honestly not sure what to expect from this matchup, and that makes it all the more exciting. The Hawaii Rainbow Warriors are close favorites, but Stanford Cardinal will do everything they can to make a positive start to this new campaign.
If you want to watch Hawai'i vs. Stanford for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
Hawai'i vs. Stanford takes place at 7:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 23. This game takes place at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex.
Hawai'i vs. Stanford is broadcast on CBS. Fans can live stream this game on a wide range of recommended services, some of which include free trials so you can follow the action without actually spending anything.
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NBCSN, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, and The CW
FuboTV offers you more than 250 channels of live TV and provides the opportunity to watch on 10 screens at once, if that's your thing. You can try FuboTV with a seven-day free trial period.
Fubo takes sports seriously, and that's something we appreciate. With the Pro subscription, you get access to most college football broadcasts. But hardcore fans may want to consider upgrading to the Elite plan, which unlocks access to ESPNU, SEC Network, Pac-12 Network, and ACC Network. Either way, we suggest you test the waters for seven days before you make any sort of commitment.
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network
Sling is a comprehensive sporting service that offers a whole host of benefits, but you do need to be careful when selecting a plan. The Orange and Blue packages give you access to FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and more in local markets, but for access to ACC Network, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, and more, you'll need the Sports Extra package. We recommend checking your local market to ensure you get access to the channels you actually need.
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, and The CW
Hulu + Live TV is not exactly cheap, but it does offer good bang for your buck. You need to cough up $76.99 per month (after a three-day trial), but you get access to over 95 live TV channels, plus Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ (all with ads). The included access to ESPN+ provides bonus access to even more college football games on top of live TV networks like ABC, FOX, ESPN, The CW, ACC Network, and more. Now that's value.
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NBCSN, SEC Network, and The CW
YouTube TV provides access to over 100 live channels. Newsflash: that's a lot. This huge list includes most of the channels you actually need to watch live college football, including NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and ESPN, plus networks like FS1 and SEC Network. YouTube TV also offers that all-important free trial so you can watch select games without spending anything.
If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to unblock your favorite streaming service. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can unblock live streams of college football from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Hawai'i vs. Stanford from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.
Sign in to your favorite streaming service
Watch Hawai'i vs. Stanford from anywhere in the world
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the U.S.
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).
The wait is over. College football is back. And the first weekend of games provides some real intrigue.
The Kansas Jayhawks take on the Fresno State Bulldogs in the Week 0 college football schedule in non-conference action. It's probably not quite as big as the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, but it's not too far behind. It's easily one of the most interesting matchups with weekend, as both sides look to bounce back after disappointing campaigns in 2024.
If you want to watch Kansas vs. Fresno State for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
Kansas vs. Fresno State takes place at 6:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 23. This game takes place at the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
Kansas vs. Fresno State is broadcast on FOX. Fans can live stream this game on a wide range of recommended services, some of which include free trials so you can follow the action without actually spending anything.
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NBCSN, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, and The CW
FuboTV offers you more than 250 channels of live TV and provides the opportunity to watch on 10 screens at once, if that's your thing. You can try FuboTV with a seven-day free trial period.
Fubo takes sports seriously, and that's something we appreciate. With the Pro subscription, you get access to most college football broadcasts. But hardcore fans may want to consider upgrading to the Elite plan, which unlocks access to ESPNU, SEC Network, Pac-12 Network, and ACC Network. Either way, we suggest you test the waters for seven days before you make any sort of commitment.
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network
Sling is a comprehensive sporting service that offers a whole host of benefits, but you do need to be careful when selecting a plan. The Orange and Blue packages give you access to FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and more in local markets, but for access to ACC Network, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, and more, you'll need the Sports Extra package. We recommend checking your local market to ensure you get access to the channels you actually need.
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, and The CW
Hulu + Live TV is not exactly cheap, but it does offer good bang for your buck. You need to cough up $76.99 per month (after a three-day trial), but you get access to over 95 live TV channels, plus Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ (all with ads). The included access to ESPN+ provides bonus access to even more college football games on top of live TV networks like ABC, FOX, ESPN, The CW, ACC Network, and more. Now that's value.
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NBCSN, SEC Network, and The CW
YouTube TV provides access to over 100 live channels. Newsflash: that's a lot. This huge list includes most of the channels you actually need to watch live college football, including NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and ESPN, plus networks like FS1 and SEC Network. YouTube TV also offers that all-important free trial so you can watch select games without spending anything.
If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to unblock your favorite streaming service. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can unblock live streams of college football from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Kansas vs. Fresno State from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.
Sign in to your favorite streaming service
Watch Kansas vs. Fresno State from anywhere in the world
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the U.S.
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).
GET UP TO 30% OFF: Casper's Labor Day sale is running until Sept. 9. Get up to 30% off mattresses for a limited time.
A few Labor Day sales have kicked off early, and if you've been hoping to grab a new mattress during this busy shopping period, you're in luck. Several popular retailers have already launched their Labor Day sales, including Casper — score up to 30% off mattresses for a limited time.
Take your pick from a wide range of discounted mattresses right now at in the Casper Labor Day sale. Casper's The One mattress is currently 20% off, from $749 to $599. The Dream mattress is 30% off, from $1,495 to $1,045. Whatever level of luxury you're looking for, Casper has something for you this Labor Day.
Casper also has a variety of bundles on sale alongside 30% off adjustable bed frames, up to 30% off their Cooling Collection, and 10% off bedroom essentials like a mattress topper, nightlight, or a sheet set. If you've been looking to refresh your bedroom ahead of Fall, there's no better time than now to do it.
This sale comes to an end on Sept. 9, so act fast to grab the items that catch your eye. Check out Casper's full Labor Day sale here, but to get you started, we've lined up a selection of standout offers.
The One Casper Premium Foam Mattress — $599 $749 (20% off)
The Dream Casper Hybrid Mattress — $1,045 $1,495 (30% off)
The Snow Casper Cooling Hybrid Mattress — $1,395 $1,995 (30% off)
The Dream Max Casper Hybrid Mattress — $1,815 $2,595 (30% off)
The Snow Max Casper Cooling Hybrid Mattress — $2,270 $3,245 (30% off)
SAVE 25%: Helix is offering 25% off sitewide for Labor Day.
If you're looking for a new bed frame or mattress, or both, you're in luck. Some sleep retailers are treating us to some early Labor Day sales, and that includes Helix.
Helix is offering 25% off sitewide with the code LDW25. So whether you need a new bed frame, mattress, or even some fancy new bedding, you can get it all for significantly less than list price. The discount is applied across the full range, so if you're looking for something luxurious or keeping it basic, there should be something for you.
Labor Day has slowly become one of the biggest shopping events of the year, especially when it comes to home and furniture. And with this early access sale, you don't need to stress over snagging last-minute deals. Instead, you can peruse your options and secure a saving ahead of the big day.
Helix Midnight Luxe — $1,799 $2,398.66
Sunset Luxe — $1,799 $2,399
Dawn Luxe — $1,799 $2,399
Helix Birch Luxe Natural — $1,968 $2,624
Head to Helix to shop the best deals from the Labor Day sale, and don't forget to add the code LDW25 at the checkout to save.
Flagship fight: Google Pixel 10 Pro vs. Samsung Galaxy S25 UltraLet's compare Google and Samsung's major flagships. The Pixel 10 comes with new AI features, but the S25 Ultra is a category leader.
In the market for a new, premium Android smartphone? Luckily, there are some heavy-hitting options for you.
Namely, the Google Pixel 10 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. The former just hit the scene thanks to the big Made by Google event, while the latter's been on store shelves since January. Rather than sitting here and establishing more context, though, let's just jump right into the comparison so you can figure out which flagship appeals to you more.
Many of the differences between these two phones will come down to personal preference and will contain a decent amount of nuance. Price is not one of them.
The Google Pixel 10 Pro starts at $999 while the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra starts at $1,299. Perhaps the rest of this article will help you understand why Samsung's handset is more expensive, but the fact of the matter is that going with Google will save a bit of money.
Ultimately, these are both smartphones, meaning they both look like smartphones. There's only so much that can be done within that framework, in terms of physical design. That said, both Samsung and Google have their own unique design languages that are worth talking about here.
The Galaxy S25 Ultra made a huge improvement over its predecessor by including rounded edges on the phone's frame, though they are notably still more angular than the Pixel 10 Pro. The arrangement of the rear camera modules accounts for the biggest design change between these two phones, of course. Samsung lets its triple-lens array float freely without any kind of housing or camera bump, instead opting to just let the three lenses sit on top of one another. Google, on the other hand, still uses the same horizontal camera bar for its three lenses, which makes the phone look kinda like Cyclops from X-Men.
Samsung will pretty much always "win" when it comes to color options, too, just because it usually offers a lot more to choose from. The Galaxy S25 comes in seven colors: Titanium Jadegreen, Titanium Jetblack, Titanium Pinkgold, Titanium Black, Titanium Gray, Titanium Silverblue, and Titanium Whitesilver. It should be noted that the first three colors in that list are only available online.
Meanwhile, the Pixel 10 Pro comes in four hues: Moonstone, Jade, Porcelain, and Obsidian.
Phones are for using and not for looking at, so let's talk specs. Here are the basic specs for the Pixel 10 Pro:
6.3-inch display with 1280x2856 resolution and 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate
Google Tensor G5 chip
16GB RAM
128GB/256GB/512GB/1TB storage
4,870mAh battery
And here are the equivalent specs for Galaxy S25 Ultra:
6.9-inch display with 3120x1440 resolution
Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chip
12GB RAM
256GB/512GB/1TB storage
5,000mAh battery
There are obviously a few things to discuss here. The S25 Ultra is a much bigger phone than the Pixel 10 Pro, with a higher resolution display and a bigger battery. It's actually closer to the $1,199 Pixel 10 Pro XL in these respects, perhaps making that phone a more directly comparable device. Having said that, it's a clear advantage for Google that a smaller, cheaper version of its Pro phone exists at all.
That allows Google to offer a 128GB storage option for those who want it, but it also means the display and battery are smaller. Life is all about compromises. Interestingly, Google's phone has more RAM, regardless of size. There are no benchmarks out there yet for the Tensor G5 chip, though if previous years are any indication, it will probably not score as well as the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip. That doesn't mean the Pixel 10 Pro will have markedly worse performance, though. In my experience, they're usually pretty comparable.
Samsung actually has one major advantage in this department: an included stylus. The S Pen accessory comes with the S25 Ultra, and the phone has a built-in slot for it. You may or may not be the type of person who wants to use a stylus, but that's objectively added value over the Pixel 10 Pro.
Now that we're a few years into the whole "every phone has AI features" trend, the differences between devices are starting to get a little more blurry. Both of these handsets are marketed as "AI smartphones."
To succinctly sum up these two phones in particular, the Pixel 10 Pro's biggest new AI features are meant to play catch-up with Samsung and other competitors. That's not hard for Google, which has a full suite of AI tools powered by Gemini. And since the Pixel 10 Pro comes with a free year of Google AI Pro (if you purchase at the Pixel store, at least), Google may have the edge.
Namely, the Pixel 10 Pro has live language translation during phone calls, theoretically enabling seamless vocal communication across language barriers (we're still testing the Pixel 10 series). The Galaxy S25 Ultra could already do this in January, though Google samples your voice for a more natural conversation and performs the translation on your device for privacy. Google also added Daily Hub, a new one-stop-shop for your daily schedule, weather forecast, to-do list, and relevant news. Samsung, believe it or not, also had that earlier this year.
Google does have some advantages in terms of AI photo editing. Pixel 10 Pro can edit photos based on text prompts, in case your ability to describe things is stronger than your editing finger. Camera Coach is also an intriguing new feature that can potentially teach you how to properly compose photos. Aside from that, many of the AI editing features across both of these phones are pretty similar.
We also have to mention Google's new Magic Cue tool. It's an AI assistant that finds information from apps like Gmail, Calendar, Screenshots, and Messages so it can automatically make recommendations. Texting someone about a dinner reservation? Magic Cue will pull up the booking and add a link to the text for you.
Which flagship is better for photography? We can't render a verdict just yet.
At Made by Google, the company claimed the Pixel 10 Pro has the best camera on any phone in the world. While the S25 Ultra offers a way higher megapixel count on its main rear camera, the Pixel 10 Pro supposedly closes the gap with strong AI zoom, high-quality nighttime photography, and motion stabilization for video.
The Pixel 10 Pro's camera specs are as follows:
Rear cameras: 50MP wide, 48MP ultrawide, 48MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom
Front camera: 42MP
And here's what you get with Galaxy S25 Ultra:
Rear cameras: 200MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom
Front camera: 12MP
It's also worth mentioning that both phones now offer up to 100x digital zoom, though it remains to be seen how well it works on Pixel 10 Pro. On Galaxy S25 Ultra, it's pretty obvious that the phone is doing some digital trickery to fill in the blanks.
Regardless, 200MP vs. 50MP for the main rear lens is a pretty stark difference, although we need to do detailed testing to see if it manifests in a meaningful way. The Pixel 10 Pro might make up for that with a 42MP selfie cam, depending on how much you like taking selfies.
At the end of the day, you're probably going to be able to take pretty good pictures of your pets and/or meals for Instagram, no matter which phone you choose.
TL;DR: Stop paying monthly for your favorite apps — get a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows for just $49.97.
If you’ve been putting off buying Microsoft Office because you don’t want another subscription to manage, here’s the refresh your Windows PC has been waiting for: a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2021 is currently just $49.97 (reg. $219.99). Pay once, and you’ll never see another renewal notice again.
There’s a reason Office is still the productivity standard. Whether you’re playing with numbers in Excel, prepping presentations in PowerPoint, writing all your things in Word, or keeping your inbox under control in Outlook, you know everything you create will open seamlessly for colleagues, teachers, or clients. No more awkward “can you resend that in a different format?” moments.
This one-time purchase includes lifetime access to:
Word
Excel
PowerPoint
Outlook
Teams (free version)
OneNote
Publisher
Access
What makes Office 2021 Pro stand out is its balance of familiarity and upgrades. The refreshed ribbon interface makes finding tools easier than ever, and you can customize formatting, layouts, and fonts to your style. It’s straightforward enough for daily emails and documents, but powerful enough for designers, analysts, and anyone juggling big projects.
And yes, this is a permanent license. It installs on one Windows PC and stays connected to your device. You’ll get instant delivery with your license keys, fast download links, and customer support if you need it.
Don’t miss this lifetime license to all the best MS Office apps for just $49.97 (reg. $219.99).
StackSocial prices subject to change.
This Babbel lifetime subscription deal is an exclusive, and its beautifulBabbel is a practical language learning tool with lifetime access on sale now.
TL;DR: Get lifetime access to lessons in 14 different languages with Babbel, now only $159.
Learning a new language isn’t easy, but it also might not be as hard as some apps make it seem. If memorizing vocab lists isn’t working for you, check out Babbel. They take a more practical approach to teaching, and there’s even an AI conversation partner who can help you practice your pronunciation.
Normally, a Babbel lifetime subscription would cost $599, but right now it’s on sale for $159. Check out what that gets you.
Babbel gives you lifetime access to courses in 14 different languages, and the format is designed to fit into real life. Each lesson takes around 10 to 15 minutes, so you can actually stick with it whether you’re commuting, traveling, or just squeezing in some study time between meetings.
Here are a few of the included languages
Spanish
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Swedish
And that’s just the beginning.
Unlike other apps that focus heavily on word games or repetitive matching drills, Babbel centers its content around practical conversation topics. You’ll get lessons on travel, shopping, business, culture, and more, all developed by expert linguists and backed by academic research. Speech recognition helps fine-tune your pronunciation, while the new AI-powered conversation partner lets you practice speaking in real time.
Lessons sync across devices, so you can start on your computer and finish on your phone. There’s also an offline mode if you want to download lessons ahead of time. You can move at your own pace, revisit review sessions, and jump between beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels based on your comfort.
Use code LEARN by Aug. 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT to get a Babbel lifetime subscription for only $159.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
People with disabilities are eating the cost of tariffsTrump's tariff plan has hit the tech industry hard, and companies building products for people with disabilities and older Americans may suffer.
It's a tough time to open up your wallet.
Global tariffs, a priority for the Trump administration, are hitting certain consumer products harder than others, including electronic gadgets that are reliant on imported product parts. Laptop base prices are seeing three-figure bumps. Items like gaming consoles, vehicles, and even sexual intimacy products have seen prices fluctuating up and down as the government ebbs on its tariff promises. And less obvious industries, like Hollywood, face similar uncertainty.
Meanwhile, founders and investors are closely monitoring industry headwinds as the Trump administration's Big Beautiful Bill introduces more regulatory uncertainty for those trying to stay afloat in competitive markets.
Organizations like the Consumer Tech Association (CTA), which facilitates a cohort of accessibility-based consumer tech companies and provides foundation grants to programs that serve seniors and people with disabilities, have been outspoken about the unintended consequences of the government's economic plan.
"Make no mistake: American consumers, families, and workers will feel real pain," said CTA CEO and Vice Chair Gary Shapiro.
Amid a churning pricing storm, smaller companies dedicated to creating accessible tech are feeling the squeeze, already navigating a byzantine economic and regulatory reality. The plight of these companies is especially notable, since they serve one of the largest consumer populations — even people who aren't disabled in their younger years often utilize visual, hearing, or breathing aids as they age.
Predominantly grouped under the medtech umbrella, companies in the accessibility space are vying for medical and scientific credibility, in addition to garnering enough consumer demand for products like adaptive mobility aids, braille technologies, and other novel tools for people with disabilities.
Adaptive products — often "one of a kind" tech — are considered niche, despite their necessity for swaths of people globally. At large, assistive technologies can be in a regulatory limbo for years before they get into the hands of medical professionals and then in the hands of consumers, and insurance companies have more say than many would like. That makes succeeding in this industry more complicated and higher-risk than other tech sectors, explains Sarah Thomas, founder and CEO of accessibility consulting firm Delight x Design and an advisor in age tech — the new term for human-centered technologies designed to serve and adapt an aging population.
Compared to new laptops and gaming consoles, accessibility tools are "a need to have, not a nice to have," said Thomas. Even in a world without additional economic constraints, accessibility tools and assistive technologies are already shockingly high-priced. Power wheelchairs, for example, can range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars. Hearing aids run between $1,000 and $4,000, on average. New technologies are even steeper, and financial assistance or insurance reimbursement is never assured.
Tim Balz is a former SpaceX engineer and founder of smart seating company Kalogon. Balz has been working in the wheelchair space for 15 years and is credited as building the world's "first smart wheelchair." Kalogon is now a leader in AI-powered pressure control and adaptive and reactive seating, meant to diminish the harm of pressure injuries for wheelchair users.
Balz, who now invests in start-ups himself, explained that companies often raise product MSRPs to stay competitive to insurance companies, but in doing so price out individuals who may have been able to pay out-of-pocket for a device.
With beginnings as a nonprofit, Kalogon has chosen to rethink how to use capitalism as an engine for good. "The leading cushion was invented 50 years ago and hasn't really been changed. We built a product that was entirely focused on solving the customer's needs," Balz said, "by trying to do what was right and not what was easy."
Neal Weinstock is the founder and CEO of Soliddd, developing AR- and VR-powered smart glasses that can support individuals with macular degeneration and other forms of vision loss. Weinstock explains that after 15 years of testing and a successful debut at CES this year, the company is only now opening up a path for users to get prequalified and test the glasses via a collaboration with the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary at Mount Sinai.
"We really, really care about our scientific and medical credibility," Weinstock said. "There's [200] million people in the world who absolutely need the first product that we can bring out, and we can only make a few thousand."
Medtech founders like Weinstock and Balz start their businesses already battling pricing and access. Many are now encumbered by staggering import fees, as well. Thomas spoke of a startup specializing in dementia support products that's currently paying out a $30,000 tariff bill just to order more inventory — without having made any sales. Other tech companies in Weinstock's circle have faced million-dollar tariff bills as their stock is held at the country's shipping ports, despite desperately attempting to shift manufacturing domestically. Similarly, a manufacturing colleague of Balz had to lay off staff to afford seven-figure costs related to shipping containers.
Populations are aging, and the number of people who use assistive technology is only growing, and so there's a market there.
Incurring even more additional costs from tariffs means these companies must choose between "eating" the differences or alienating even more consumers with higher unit prices. That can sink a startup quickly.
"We have no idea just how much our costs are going to be because of the tariffs," said Weinstock. Soliddd's product is partially manufactured in the United States, but they also use Qualcomm chips from third party manufacturers, and proprietary pieces that are imported from other countries, like Japan. "I've had a long career doing hardware, and I see that hardware has just gone away in the United States," he said.
Other federal changes — new fee processes under the U.S. Patent Office, antiquated Medicare codes, and the Big Beautiful Bill — may add unforeseen costs. But investing in accessible design (and a better insurance reimbursement structure) could actually save the government money, too. According to Balz, the average pressure injury costs Medicare around $44,000, a steep price tag that could be slashed with preventative mobility aids.
More often than not, people with disabilities are bearing the cost of these solutions. A 2020 study from the National Disability Institute found that individuals with disabilities required 28 percent more income (about $17,690 annually) to achieve the same standard of living as non-disabled households. Out-of-pocket costs for these individuals are more than twice the average of someone without a disability. Acquiring assistive devices often requires a complicated formula of partial health insurance coverage, personal costs, and even loans — many have turned to crowdfunding to get around the staggering prices.
"How do you pass off some of the tariff impact without pricing yourself out of the market or overdoing a price shift to make it not accessible?" asked Thomas. "Affordability is also accessibility."
The problem goes both ways. Most companies in this industry are not raking in a profit — they rely on low volume manufacturing and higher prices to subsist. "Existing Low Vision Products sell for a lot of money per unit," explained Weinstock. "They don't sell too many, but we can charge a lot for the glasses — more than I would like to charge."
Companies like Kalogon have benefited from applying their assistive technologies to other industries early on, circumventing the complicated medical environment until they've got a firm financial foundation. In the case of the company's smart, pressure-sensing seats, Kalogon earned a contract with the U.S. Air Force and the Department of Defense before it fully went to market for people with disabilities, seeing an opportunity for the smart seats to reduce discomfort for military aircrews. That money in turn bolstered their internal R&D and a connected chain of domestic manufacturing.
Kalagon is an outlier, though. Others fail before they can even get to those in need, facing notoriously high barriers to entry that include operating at deficits and trying to get their products through complicated reimbursement systems. Balz says he heard a common refrain while pitching his product: "There's a lot of tombstones there."
This is a market that requires a lot of empathy to be able to innovate.
Getting that cash flow becomes a crucial first step for these businesses. But these founders don't often describe their work as driven by profit. "You're trying to understand your consumer needs. You're trying to understand what the market needs. You're trying to meet those needs and not just build a product and hope someone likes it, but fit the needs of the individuals and society and make an impact," said Thomas. "These are often very passionate founders that come into this space who have a personal story or have some emotional connection to a need — that's wonderful." Add on harrowing tariff costs, and businesses are already seeing the cash flow dwindle, Thomas explained.
Weinstock ties cash flow woes to the U.S.'s shift away from domestic manufacturing, which incentivizes less and less hardware in-country. "It's hard enough to get investment into a company making consumer hardware in this country," said Weinstock. "It just accelerates the trend towards only having software and services. You know, you got to be crazy to start a hardware company. I guess I'm crazy."
"What's impacting sales right now is more a slowdown because of the uncertainty," said Thomas. There's uncertainty among investors, founders, and consumers, who are waiting to see who will be saddled with the costs and how the industry will fare. But there's also a sense of nervousness among distributors and manufacturers, who must now make careful decisions about the international business they conduct — and which contracts are worth keeping.
But "it's a growth category that is under appreciated by investors," Weinstock said. "Populations are aging, and the number of people who use assistive technology is only growing, and so there's a market there. Medical tech in general is only going to grow. And assistive technologies, to use the term broadly, are only going to grow."
Disability, in a sense, is universal — from temporary illnesses to declining eyesight, or cognitive and mobility issues exacerbated with age, everyone will at one point in their life benefit from assistive and medical technologies designed for people with disabilities. Take Kalgon, for example, which, as Balz explains, inadvertently solved a problem that had a non-disabled commercial need. "In a lot of ways, you see innovation for people with disabilities heavily lag the rest of the world," explained Balz. "And in other ways, you actually see solving problems for people with disabilities being ahead of the curve, and then really benefiting everyone — the curb cut effect, elevators, even glasses are an assistive device."
If the tech world is all about progress, about finding the next big thing that proves the human capacity to innovate, then its failure to nurture assistive tech companies may be one of its biggest contradictions.
"The history of innovation is that it doesn't usually come from inside big companies," Weinstock said. "It may get created somewhere within them, and then just doesn't emerge," as for-profit businesses make tough calls about market profitability. Balz agrees that assistive tech leaders offer a unique perspective often missed by Big Tech's loudest voices. "This is a market that requires a lot of empathy to be able to innovate," said Balz. "If there's one thing Fortune 500 companies are bad at, it's having empathy with their customers."
Corporate America is good at stepping in once a concept is proven, though. Many adaptive technologies, designed initially for a small market, are later reinvented and resold to larger ones — the concepts that power them may be picked up by corporations and used for a wider set of applications. Thomas helped pilot an early version of Liftware, technically impressive counterbalancing spoons and forks that help people with tremors. The startup was later acquired by Google, and became a viral sensation over night.
As veterans of the industry, investors like Thomas and founders like Balz and Weinstock have observed a cycle of companies rise and fall under economic pressure and a lack of investment. Weinstock spent the 1980s in Mexico, at the height of the country's protectionist import tariffs. He described witnessing the sharp decline in domestically manufactured products, like cheap cutlery that, instead of steadying a trembling hand, just snapped in half — this, he notes, was a failure to look ahead.
"We should be doing things that encourage the next generations of technology," said Weinstock. "With tariffs, you're just going to get forks that break."
How to watch Kansas State vs. Iowa State online for freeHow to watch college football for free. Live stream Kansas State vs. Iowa State in 2025 without cable.
College football is back, baby. And the new season is starting with an absolutely huge game, the Aer Lingus College Football Classic.
The action takes places in Dublin as No. 22 Iowa State Cyclones take on the No. 17 Kansas State Wildcats at the Aviva Stadium. We're expecting a fiery matchup between two talented teams, with all eyes on the battle between Avery Johnson and Rocco Becht.
If you want to watch Kansas State vs. Iowa State for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
Kansas State vs. Iowa State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic takes place at 12 p.m. ET on Aug. 23. This game takes place at the Aviva Stadium.
Kansas State vs. Iowa State will be broadcast on ESPN. Fans can live stream this game on a wide range of recommended services, some of which include free trials so you can follow the action without actually spending anything.
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NBCSN, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network, and The CW
FuboTV offers you more than 250 channels of live TV and provides the opportunity to watch on 10 screens at once, if that's your thing. You can try FuboTV with a seven-day free trial period.
Fubo takes sports seriously, and that's something we appreciate. With the Pro subscription, you get access to most college football broadcasts. But hardcore fans may want to consider upgrading to the Elite plan, which unlocks access to ESPNU, SEC Network, Pac-12 Network, and ACC Network. Either way, we suggest you test the waters for seven days before you make any sort of commitment.
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network
Sling is a comprehensive sporting service that offers a whole host of benefits, but you do need to be careful when selecting a plan. The Orange and Blue packages give you access to FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and more in local markets, but for access to ACC Network, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, and more, you'll need the Sports Extra package. We recommend checking your local market to ensure you get access to the channels you actually need.
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, and The CW
Hulu + Live TV is not exactly cheap, but it does offer good bang for your buck. You need to cough up $76.99 per month (after a three-day trial), but you get access to over 95 live TV channels, plus Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+ (all with ads). The included access to ESPN+ provides bonus access to even more college football games on top of live TV networks like ABC, FOX, ESPN, The CW, ACC Network, and more. Now that's value.
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NBCSN, SEC Network, and The CW
YouTube TV provides access to over 100 live channels. Newsflash: that's a lot. This huge list includes most of the channels you actually need to watch live college football, including NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and ESPN, plus networks like FS1 and SEC Network. YouTube TV also offers that all-important free trial so you can watch select games without spending anything.
If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to unblock your favorite streaming service. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can unblock live streams of college football from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Kansas State vs. Iowa State from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.
Sign in to your favorite streaming service
Watch Kansas State vs. Iowa State from anywhere in the world
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the U.S.
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).
TL;DR: Get Internext’s 100TB of encrypted cloud storage for life — on sale for $1,349.97 (reg: $9,900) through Sept. 7.
We all know the biggest struggles of the digital age: our phone’s storage fills up way too fast, your laptop nags you about “other system data,” and you’ve probably got more memes than you’ll ever admit to anyone.
Internxt Cloud Storage’s 100TB Lifetime Plan is a massive, private, and fully encrypted storage solution that lets you keep literally everything without worrying about monthly fees. It’s currently on sale for the one-time payment of $1,349.97 (reg. $9,900)
Internxt isn’t just about space (although there’s plenty of that) — it’s also about security and privacy. Files are encrypted end-to-end and split into smaller pieces, making them unreadable to anyone but you. Unlike most cloud services, it’s zero-knowledge storage, meaning even Internxt can’t peek at your stuff.
Add GDPR compliance, post-quantum encryption, and an open-source platform, and you’ve got one of the most trustworthy storage services around.
And yes, 100TB is a lot. That’s many millions of photos, thousands of hours of video, or every single digital receipt you’ve been meaning to organize. You can access everything seamlessly from desktop, mobile, or web, whether you’re on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, or Android.
Don’t wait until you’re out of cloud storage to amp up your storage space.
Get 100TB of Internxt’s Cloud Storage while it’s on sale for $1,349.97 (reg. $9,900) through Sept. 7 only.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
2025 fall movie preview: Every upcoming film you ought to know aboutJordan Peele, Leonardo DiCaprio, Guillermo del Toro, Kathryn Bigelow, and more! Here are the highlights of fall movie season in theaters and on streaming.
School is starting up. Summer is drawing to a close. And you know what that means? Fall movie season is upon us!
'Tis the season for film festivals to channel their very best into theaters nationwide, for studios to unfurl their flashiest movies ahead of the holidays, and for hidden gems to shine independently!
Below, Mashable's entertainment team has highlighted the must-see movies, the star-studded spectacles, the enticing sequels, the festival favorites, and the most intriguing new films that should be on your radar. Have your calendar ready as we preview the most exciting movies this fall (and winter) have to offer.
Whether in theaters, on demand, or streaming, these movies promise side-splitting laughs, pulse-pounding thrills, heart-breaking drama, and much, much more.
Together, Denzel Washington and Spike Lee have made Mo' Better Blues, Malcolm X, He Got Game, Inside Man, and now Highest 2 Lowest. And that sentence alone doesn't have you hyped, check out my review, where I proclaim, "Highest 2 Lowest is Lee and Washington, reunited and good as ever."
A remake of Akira Kurosawa's High and Low, Highest 2 Lowest stars Washington as a record mogul whose world is thrown into spin when his son is kidnapped for a hefty ransom. Transporting this story to the streets of New York, Lee makes it his own, while Washington lays down a performance that's alive and exhilarating. Plus, A$AP Rocky delivers a star-making turn as street-smart rapper who takes a big swing. Whether you see it in theaters or stream it, don't miss Highest 2 Lowest.
Starring: Denzel Washington, Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, and A$AP Rocky
How to watch: Highest 2 Lowest is now in theaters; it comes to Apple TV+ on Sept. 5.
Is it too soon to call this one of my favorite movies of the year? Because nothing in 2025 has made me laugh like The Baltimorons. (Though The Naked Gun came close!)
Written by director Jay Duplass and star Michael Strassner, The Baltimorons centers on the unlikely friendship that blooms between two screw-ups on Christmas Eve in Baltimore. Cliff Cashen (Strassner) is a improv comic who's trying to settle down with a serious job and serious girlfriend. But on his way to her family's house, he breaks a tooth and requires emergency dental attention... on Christmas Eve. Lucky for him, Dr. Didi Dahl (Liz Larsen) saw her plans for the night go up in smoke, so she can come to the rescue, even if she grumbles about it. From this odd premise, hilarity ensues.
In my review out of SXSW, I cheered, "The Baltimorons is a celebration of those moments when — despite all the reasons to shield ourselves from a cruel world — we open up to a new friend. It's about the magic in being vulnerable, not out of naiveté but out of hope." Seek it out!
Starring: Michael Strassner, Liz Larsen, and Olivia Luccardi
How to watch: The Baltimorons opens in limited release on Sept. 5 before expanding nationwide Sept. 12.
One of the most buzzed-about movies out of Sundance 2025, Twinless is a tale of love, grief, and obsession.
Writer/director James Sweeney stars as Dennis, a young man who makes a new friend in a support group for those mourning the death of their twin. But Dennis craves more, and what he'll do to get that is outrageous.
Out of Sundance, Sweeney won praise for the movie's titillating and twisted turns, while Dylan O'Brien won praise for playing two very different twins. One is a debonair gay man who oozes confidence, while the other is his straight and emotionally shut-down brother who's struggling to understand a world without his other half. Devilishly deranged, sexy, and funny, Twinless will be sure to have tongues wagging this fall.
Starring: James Sweeney, Dylan O’Brien, Lauren Graham, Aisling Franciosi, Chris Perfetti, and Tasha Smith
How to watch: Twinless opens in theaters on Sept. 5.
Being a pro athlete is the dream. But what if it turns into a nightmare?
Jordan Peele, who brought us the mind-bending nightmares of Get Out, Us, and Nope, produced Him, directed by Justin Tipping. Grounded in the world of professional football, this sports thriller follows rising star Cameron Cade (former college wide receiver Tyriq Withers) who seems to have the world at his fingertips, when a legendary quarterback (Marlon Wayans) invites him to a remote training facility to become his protege. But a bizarre act of violence throws Cade's future in the NFL into question. What is he willing to sacrifice? We bet the answer will rattle our nerves.
Starring: Marlon Wayans, Tyriq Withers, Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker, and Jim Jefferies
How to watch: Him opens in theaters on Sept. 19.
One of our favorites out of SXSW 2025, American Sweatshop is a "cyberthriller for the doomscrolling age," as I declared in my review.
Riverdale's Lili Reinhart stars as a young woman who makes rent by working as a content moderator at a video site. There, she and her co-workers are subjected to truly heinous footage of violence and depravity, which director Uta Briesewitz shrewdly keeps offscreen, so your imagination fills in the terrible gaps.
Haunted by a seeming snuff film, Reinhart's righteous heroine seeks some sort of real-world justice for the mysterious victim. Along the way, American Sweatshop builds dark thrills alongside even darker jokes. As I wrote in our review, "[It] gets under your skin, creeping up your spine to bend your brain. Like the internet videos that are its grim inspiration, it's not easy to shake off the chills American Sweatshop triggers."
Starring: Lili Reinhart, Daniela Melchior, Jeremy Ang Jones, Josh Whitehouse, and Joel Fry
How to watch: American Sweatshop opens in theaters Sept. 19.
Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio join forces for an action-thriller that looks to be one wild ride — with some solid punchlines!
Written and directed by Anderson, One Battle After Another stars DiCaprio as a former revolutionary who has to jump back into the fray when an old enemy surfaces and abducts his daughter. While that might seem like a pretty stone-faced action premise, the trailers for Anderson's latest reveal an earnest heart in their depictions of the father-daughter relationship. Plus, they brandish an all-star cast that includes Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, and Teyana Taylor.
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti
How to watch: One Battle After Another opens in theaters Sept. 26.
You might recognize his voice. But heavy prosthetics on his face means you may not clock Dwayne Johnson in the lead role of this biopic from writer/director Benny Safdie.
Johnson brings his acting chops and WWE expertise together to star as UFC fighter Mark Kerr. Inside the arena, he is a terrifying titan. Outside, he's a gentle man, but one with demons to battle. Emily Blunt co-stars as Mark's wife, Dawn Staples. Together, they reveal the battles beyond the ring. Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival ahead of its theatrical debut, The Smashing Machine could pave the path to Oscar gold as the Academy loves a drama about a pro fighter. (See The Fighter, The Wrestler, Raging Bull...) Could it be a contender?
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk
How to watch: The Smashing Machine opens in theaters on Oct. 3.
Another favorite out of SXSW, Good Boy has a wickedly perfect premise: A dog is trapped in haunted house, while his owner is oblivious to the ghostly evils there.
Co-writer/director Ben Leonberg cast his own family dog Indy, described in the press notes as "a middle-aged, 35-pound retriever who has no idea that he’s a movie star." The riveting retriever carries this lean and tense movie on his furry shoulders, chasing shadows, barking in warning, and generally being the goodest of boys.
As I cheered in my rave review, "Good Boy is a deceptively simple horror movie that hits hard. You'll gasp. You'll scream. You'll pull your hands over your eyes and hope desperately for the best. It's a ruthless blast."
Starring: Indy the dog, Larry Fessenden, and Arielle Friedman
How to watch: Good Boy opens in theaters on Oct. 3.
Imagine if Keanu Reeves were your guardian angel? Sounds like a dream right? Well, in the new comedy written, directed, and starring Aziz Ansari, it's more a wacky misadventure.
Reeves stars as Gabriel, a well-meaning but inept guardian angel who's trying to make a big difference in the life of a struggling gig worker named Arj (Ansari). So, he pulls a Trading Places, swapping Arj's circumstances with a wealthy tech bro, played by Seth Rogen.
Keanu Reeves as a (hot) angel. Comedy titans team up with stunning funny ladies Keke Palmer and Sandra Oh, and an eat-the-rich edge? Dear God, we're ready.
Starring: Seth Rogen, Aziz Ansari, Keke Palmer, Sandra Oh, and Keanu Reeves
How to watch: Good Fortune opens in theaters on Oct. 17.
Academy Award–winning director of The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow returns with a fresh political thriller, A House of Dynamite.
For now, Netflix is keeping their secrets close to their chest in regards to this movie. But we do know it centers on the fallout when a single, unattributed missile is fired at the United States. Who did it? How will the U.S. respond? From Zero Day writer Noah Oppenheim, A House of Dynamite promises political intrigue and a star-stuffed cast. But hey, you had us at Bigelow.
Starring: Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Anthony Ramos, Moses Ingram, Jonah Hauer-King, Greta Lee, and Jason Clarke
How to watch: A House of Dynamite debuts on Netflix on Oct. 24.
Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos are cinema collaborators who refuse to play it safe. First, they teamed up in The Favourite, where Stone played a character who went from being covered in feces to the right hand of the queen. Then, Poor Things delved into kinky sex and reincarnated corpses, winning critics' praise and several Academy Awards. Now, on the heels of the more polarizing and more provocative Kinds of Kindness, comes Bugonia.
Based on the South Korean sci-fi comedy Save the Green Planet!, Bugonia stars Stone as a pharmaceutical CEO who is kidnapped by a conspiracy theorist (Kinds of Kindness' Jesse Plemons), who believes she's an alien. Look, in many a movie premise, the kooky kidnapper would be wrong. But we know better than to assume we can guess what Lanthimos has in store.
Starring: Jesse Plemons, Emma Stone, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, and Alicia Silverstone
How to watch: Bugonia opens in theaters on Oct. 24.
Director Simon McQuoid and company are back with a sequel to 2021's Mortal Kombat. And like the video game that inspired both movies, this martial arts fantasy film is so violent that Warner Bros. already released a red-band trailer. So, buckle up.
Going for some fish-out-of-water comedy, Mortal Kombat II focuses on washed-up American action hero Johnny Cage (Karl Urban), who goes from swatting away intrusive fan boys to training for the titular to-the-death showdown. Surrounded by fearsome warriors like Kitana, Lord Raiden, and Scorpion, how could a guy whose biggest flex is his handsomeness possibly stand a chance? We are game to find out.
Starring: Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman, Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano, Joe Taslim, Hiroyuki Sanada, Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph, and Tati Gabrielle
How to watch: Mortal Kombat II opens in theaters on Oct. 24.
Between Prey, Predator: Killer of Killers, and the upcoming Predator: Badlands, director Dan Trachtenberg has become the captain of this alien hunter franchise, taking big swings with each new movie. In Predator: Badlands, the screenplay co-written by Trachtenberg and Patrick Aison turns the tables by making the predator the story's protagonist instead of antagonist.
Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi stars as Dek, a runt of a Predator litter. Outcast from his clan on a remote planet, he makes an unusual alliance with Thia (Elle Fanning), an android made by the Weyland-Yutani company. (Hey there, continued Aliens/Predator crossover!) Between this and Alien: Earth, fans of sci-fi action are thriving this fall.
Starring: Elle Fanning and Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi
How to watch: Predator: Badlands opens in theaters on Nov. 7.
Osgood Perkins has been chiseling out his name in horror, directing films like I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House, Longlegs, and The Monkey. So what does he have in store for Keeper? Something sinister for sure.
The Monkey's Tatiana Maslany reunites with Perkins to play a woman whose romantic anniversary getaway to a secluded cabin goes horrifically sideways. How so? Well, Perkins is laying breadcrumbs in the film's trailers. What's your best guess?
Starring: Tatiana Maslany, Rossif Sutherland, Birkett Turton, Erin Boyes, and Tess Degenstein
How to watch: Keeper opens in theaters on Nov. 14.
In 2013, Now You See Me introduced audiences to a gang of roguish Vegas magicians known as The Four Horsemen. Over two films, they went on wild heists with mind-bending reveals. Now, they're back — and with some fresh blood in the crew.
Directed by Ruben Fleischer (Venom, Zombieland), Now You See Me: Now You Don't has Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg) and his crew going after "the most valuable jewel in history." To get it, they'll need to outsmart a massively wealthy, glamorous, and powerful arms dealer (Rosamund Pike). So, now it's not just a heist, it's a bit of vigilante hero work to bring the crime family down. Go big or don't sequel, right?
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Morgan Freeman, Justice Smith, Dominic Sessa, Ariana Greenblatt, and Rosamund Pike
How to watch: Now You See Me: Now You Don't opens in theaters on Nov. 14.
Last year, Wicked was a smashing success, thrilling audiences and snagging Academy Award nominations for its stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande — as well as a Best Picture nod. Its sequel (or Part 2) is easily one of the most anticipated movies of 2025, delivering the smashing finale of the epic Broadway musical.
While theater kids can recite the songs it'll offer from memory, it's harder to say what director Jon M. Chu will have in mind for his big climax. However, the first trailer gives a look at what's become of Elphaba, Glinda, Fiyero, Madame Morrible, and The Wizard of Oz. Plus, we get a peek at Dorothy and her Yellow Brick Road buddies. Are you ready to fly (back to theaters)?
Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum
How to watch: Wicked: For Good opens in theaters Nov. 21.
Officer Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and her newly minted partner Office Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) are having a hard time coming together. But when Chief Bogo (voiced by Idris Elba) orders them to locate a venomous snake in the eponymous metropolis, they better pull it together or they'll be split up.
Good news, the snake in question is voiced by Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan. And from the looks of this trailer, the sequel to Zootopia will be bringing big buddy-cop energy, new kooky corners to this wild world, and fresh — and fuzzy — fun.
Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Ke Huy Quan, Jenny Slate, Nate Torrence, Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake, Tommy Chong, Octavia Spencer, Alan Tudyk, and Shakira
How to watch: Zootopia 2 opens in theaters Nov. 26.
Guillermo del Toro has made his name in monster movies featuring all kinds of monsters: From the superhero beasts of Blade II and Hellboy to the folklore creatures in Pan's Labyrinth, the kaiju of Pacific Rim, the ghastly ghosts of Crimson Peak, and the Oscar–winning wonder of The Shape of Water. Now, he brings us the father (or mother?) of monster movies: Frankenstein.
Adapted from Mary Shelley's landmark 1818 novel, Frankenstein stars Oscar Isaac as an arrogant genius of a scientist named Victor Frankenstein, who dreams of reignited life in a cobbled-together corpse. Who will play this iconic monster? Jacob Elordi. Look, the way del Toro boldly blends the beautiful and the beastly, I have no questions, no notes. My body is ready.
Starring: Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Felix Kammerer, Lars Mikkelsen, David Bradley, Charles Dance, and Christoph Waltz
How to watch: Frankenstein will come to Netflix this November.
After the booming box office success of Five Nights at Freddy's, director Emma Tammi is back at the helm for the sequel. Based on Scott Cawthon's popular video game series, Five Nights at Freddy's 2 picks up with Mike Schmidt (Josh Hutcherson), who managed to survive his night gig at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, a haunted arcade, where the souls of murdered children power rotting animatronic animals!
A year after the events of the first movie, Mike and his girlfriend Vanessa (Elizabeth Lail) are trying to piece together a normal life. But when Mike's little sister Abby (Piper Rubio) reconnects through a creepy radio with her ghostly buddies, the game is on. Big spooky vibes — just in time for the holidays?
Starring: Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, Matthew Lillard, Skeet Ulrich, Wayne Knight, Mckenna Grace, and Teo Briones
How to watch: Five Nights at Freddy's 2 opens in theaters Dec. 5.
Knives Out. The Glass Onion. Now, mystery-weaver Rian Johnson brings Wake Up Dead Man, the third installment of Benoit Blanc whodunnits.
Ahead of the film's world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, the details on Wake Up Dead Man are scarce. What we do know is the setting is a small town's local church, where the legendary sleuth encounters a deadly crime as well as a pair of priests played by Josh O'Connor and Josh Brolin. Like its predecessors, this sequel boasts a jaw-dropping array of stars. But what murder and mischief they'll get up to is a mystery for now!
Starring: Josh O'Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church
How to watch: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery debuts on Netflix on Dec. 12.
James Cameron returns near Christmas for the latest chapter of his eye-popping Avatar saga.
Human marine turned Na'vi advocate Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), his warrior wife Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), and their children are seeking safety from the vicious Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang). In their search, they discover new corners of Pandora, and with them, new tribes like the Ash People, led by the dynamic Varang (Oona Chaplin).
Cameron and his army of animators, actors, and visual effects artists will bring new wonders to the big screen. Do you dare dive in?
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Stephen Lang, Sigourney Weaver, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Giovanni Ribisi, Dileep Rao, Matt Gerald, Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Jemaine Clement, Britain Dalton, Trinity Jo-Li Bliss, Jack Champion, Bailey Bass, Filip Geljo, and Duane Evans Jr.
How to watch: Avatar: Fire and Ash opens in theaters Dec. 19.
Last winter, Timothée Chalamet was playing rock icon Bob Dylan. This winter, he's bringing his drive to the story of a much less evidently cool historical figure. But take a look at this trailer — Marty's got swagger.
Inspired by professional table tennis player Marty Reisman, Josh Safdie and his writing partner Ronald Bronstein created a sports dramedy called Marty Supreme. Chalamet stars as Marty Mauser, who may play with small balls but takes big swings. This is not a biopic, but from the trailer, it carries the bravado Chalamet's brought to such endeavors. We can't wait to see how this plays out.
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A'zion, Kevin O'Leary, Tyler Okonma, Abel Ferrara, and Fran Drescher
How to watch: Marty Supreme opens in theaters Dec. 25.
If you're hankering for great music, big stars, and a story sure to give your heart a workout, consider Song Sung Blue.
Focus Features has revealed the first look at Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson in the lead roles, giving their all to an unheard song. Directed by Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow, Dolemite Is My Name), Song Sung Blue isn't about Neil Diamond, the prolific American singer-songwriter who wrote and performed the titular song. Instead, it's the incredible true story of Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning & Thunder.
Jackman plays Mike "Lightning" Sardina, while Hudson plays his onscreen wife, Claire "Thunder" Sardina. Together, they raised the roofs of Milwaukee by covering an array of Diamond songs. But their story is one that's beautiful, bittersweet, and incredible. Don't google it. Let Song Sung Blue play it for you.
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson, Michael Imperioli, Fisher Stevens, Jim Belushi, Ella Anderson, and King Princess
How to watch: Song Sung Blue opens in theaters Dec. 25.
Cuffing season is coming: Best dating apps for serious relationshipsThe best dating apps for people looking for something serious.
Dating in 2025 isn't easy, according to daters that Mashable spoke to earlier this year. Dating app exhaustion is realer than ever, and while people want to branch out and meet in person, they're finding it difficult.
One reason is that dating apps are a legitimate way to find a partner, and not just a short-term one. Nearly 44 percent of adults say they use dating apps to find a long-term partner rather than just casual dating or hookups, according to the Pew Research Center. One in 10 partnered adults met their current partner through a dating app, and for younger adults and LGBTQ people, that number rises.
Despite the fatigue, dating apps aren't going away. And it is possible to make them work for you if you want to find your special someone.
Even using the "right" app for you may still bring moments of uncertainty and frustration (you're dating, after all), but finding the app with the features that most align with your style of dating and the type of partnership you're looking for can absolutely still make online dating worth it.
If you've been using apps for a while and are experiencing serious burnout, it's always fair to take some time off and come back to them when you feel ready. Our guide will be here for you! Even the best app can feel exceptionally tedious when you simply don't have the energy.
There are so many dating apps, but not all of them are created equal when it comes to finding a serious, committed relationship.
Some free dating apps are better suited for casual flings or hookups (e.g., Tinder, Grindr, etc.), while others have matching algorithms and profile features specifically designed to help users find meaningful connections (e.g., eharmony, OkCupid, Hinge, and Coffee Meets Bagel).
The good news is that we've done the research (and hands-on testing) to figure out which apps work best for long-term relationships, and Match Group isn't the only player in the game. Plus, all of these platforms are available via Google Play and the App Store, so having an Android or iPhone won't limit your options. Some of the old-school dating sites still maintain a desktop version as well.
To find your match, here are the best dating apps for serious relationships in 2025:
Black Moon in August: What it is, what it isnt, and how to ‘see’ itA Black Moon is not an astronomical event, but the internet begs to differ. Here's why professional astronomers love this lunar phase.
There's a Black Moon on the rise, but if that phrase conjures a similar Creedence Clearwater Revival lyric in your head, relax: This one isn't bound to take your life.
A so-called Black Moon isn't an astronomical term, but it is a mysterious nickname that, confusingly, could refer to a couple different lunar scenarios.
The buzz right now centers on an event (or non-event, depending on how you think of it) happening Aug. 23. When an astronomical season, which is about three months long, includes four "new moons" rather than three, the third one is sometimes called a Black Moon. This happens about once every 33 months.
Before you reach into the back of your closet to dust off a telescope or binoculars, know that there's really nothing to see here: The moon will seem to vanish into the night. The true benefit of a Black Moon is perhaps the accessibility of everything else in space you might have been missing.
"Being able to see the Milky Way is your best bet," said Jeff Rich, an astronomy outreach coordinator for Carnegie Science. "When the moon is up, it's causing light pollution in the same way that we cause light pollution (in urban areas). So it just makes it harder to see things that are faint."
Here's what to know about the Black Moon.
As a reminder, when it comes to lunar phases, a new moon is the opposite of a full moon. It's when the far side of the moon — the side that doesn't face Earth — is lit by the sun, making it completely dark from our vantage point.
"Sometimes the entire face of the moon glows brightly," according to NASA. "Other times we see only a thin crescent of light. Sometimes the moon seems to disappear."
The sequence unfolds in this order: new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, third quarter, and waning crescent. Each cycle lasts about 29.5 days.
Just like Earth, the moon has a day side and a night side, which changes as the moon spins. How much of the moon's face people are able to see changes as it travels through its orbit. The new moon is also positioned near the sun in the sky, so it rises and sets with the sun, and therefore, is not visible at night.
Each astronomical season usually has three of these new moons, but occasionally, because the moon's cycle doesn't align with the calendar, an additional new moon gets wedged in.
How this extra new moon earned a special moniker, or when it originated, isn't clear. To make matters more confusing, this isn't the only lunar event that carries the nickname Black Moon. Sometimes when a calendar month has two new moons, the second of the two is dubbed Black Moon, similar to how people call the second full moon in a month a Blue Moon. This type of Black Moon event happens slightly more often than the season Black Moon, about once every 29 months.
Given that Black Moons are invisible lunar events, you might be wondering why people are talking about it. Go ask the internet.
In the meantime, you might want to take advantage of this new moon to get one of the best stargazing opportunities nature has to offer. Some celestial objects that are usually rather fuzzy or dim — meteors, galaxies, and nebulas — may suddenly pop into focus. If you're not sure where the best lookout points are in your area, Rich recommends contacting your local astronomy club, which will likely have a wealth of information, including what telescopes and other gear to get.
"For astronomers, new moons are great for being able to see faint stuff," he said. "That's the best time to look at the night sky."
How to watch the 2025 MotoGP World Championship online for freeLive stream the 2025 MotoGP World Championship for free from anywhere in the world.
TL;DR: Watch the 2025 MotoGP World Championship for free on ServusTV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Are you looking for thrilling and unpredictable racing? No we're not talking about F1, unless you like regular pit stops, safety cars, and the same driver winning almost every week. We're talking about a form of two-wheel racing where anything could happen.
MotoGP is where the real action can be found. Every week you see the best riders in the world go wheel to wheel with their rivals, throwing their bikes into corners with absolutely no sense of self preservation. It's an awesome spectacle, and it doesn't need to cost you anything to watch.
Want to watch the 2025 MotoGP World Championship for free from anywhere in the world? We have all the information you need.
MotoGP is the oldest established motorsport world championship, with the inaugural season taking place in 1949. Races last approximately 45 minutes, without pitting for fuel or fresh tires.
The likes of Ducati, Honda, and Yamaha do battle for the constructors' championship. Jorge Martín is the defending champion.
The 2025 MotoGP World Championship features 22 races held all over the world between March and November:
Thai MotoGP — March 2
Argentine MotoGP — March 16
Americas MotoGP — March 30
Qatar MotoGP — April 13
Spanish MotoGP — April 27
French MotoGP — May 11
British MotoGP — May 25
Aragon MotoGP — June 8
Italian MotoGP — June 22
Dutch MotoGP — June 29
German MotoGP — July 13
Czech MotoGP — July 20
Austrian MotoGP — Aug. 17
Hungarian MotoGP — Aug. 24
Catalunya MotoGP — Sept. 7
San Marino MotoGP — Sept. 14
Japanese MotoGP — Sept. 28
Indonesian MotoGP — Oct. 5
Australian MotoGP — Oct. 19
Malaysian MotoGP — Oct. 26
Portuguese MotoGP — Nov. 9
Valencia MotoGP — Nov. 16
The good news for fans is that it's possible to live stream the MotoGP World Championship for free in 2025.
You can stream the 2025 MotoGP World Championship for free on ServusTV.
ServusTV is geo-restricted to Austria, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Austria, meaning you can access ServusTV from anywhere in the world.
Unblock ServusTV by following this quick and easy process:
Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Austria
Visit ServusTV
Watch MotoGP races for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees. By using these money-back guarantees, you can watch MotoGP live streams without fully committing with your cash. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select races without actually spending anything.
ExpressVPN is tough to beat when it comes to streaming live sport, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Austria
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Impressive streaming speeds without buffering
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Live stream the 2025 MotoGP World Championship for free with ExpressVPN.
NYT Pips hints, answers for August 23The New York Times' latest game, Pips, brings domino fun to your desktop. How to play Pips as well as hints in case you get stuck.
Pips is the newest game in the New York Times catalogue. Released in August 2025, the new game puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.
If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. Like dominoes, the tiles are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.
The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:
Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed vertically.
Equal (3): The domino halves in this space must be 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed vertically.
Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.
Less than (2): Everything in this space must add up to less than 2. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally.
Equal (5): The domino halves in this space must be 5. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed horizontally.
Number (12): The domino halves in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically; 12-4, placed horizontally.
Equal (4): The domino halves in this yellow space must be 4. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed horizontally; 4-1, placed vertically.
Number (4): The domino halves in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed vertically.
Equal (1): The domino halves in this red space must be 1. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically; 1-1, placed vertically; 1-6, placed vertically.
Number (6): The domino halves in this red space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically.
Number (6): The domino halves in this blue space must add up to 6. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically.
Greater than (2): The domino halves in this space must add up to more than 2. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally.
Number (6): The domino halves in this purple space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally.
Number (6): The domino halves in this light blue space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-0, placed horizontally.
Less than (6): Everything in this space must add up to less than 6. The answer is 1-4, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed vertically.
Number (3): The domino halves in this light blue space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Beat a potential ban with this limited-time offer on the DJI Mini 4K drone at AmazonWhere to buy DJI drones online. The DJI Mini 4K drone is on sale for $249 on Amazon.
TL;DR: As of Aug. 23, the DJI Mini 4K drone is on sale for $249 at Amazon. That's $50 off the list price.
DJI drones have been causing a lot of fuss recently, and it comes down to uncertainty over their availability. These drones are favorites with TikTokers, YouTubers, and filmmakers, so stock issues could upset a lot of creators. And we don't want that.
President Donald Trump has signed two executive orders aimed at helping the U.S. drone industry and shoring up protections against malicious drone activity. Is this a ban? Not just yet, but the prospect of stock disturbances has been circulating for some time. And that has been driving a massive uptick in sales.
If you're looking to beat a potential ban and pick up a DJI drone online, we have some good news: The DJI Mini 4K drone is on sale for $249 right now at Amazon. That's $50 off for Prime members.
We should flag that this drone is being sold by AeroTech Hubs. We don't really recommend third-party sellers, but AeroTech Hubs actually has a pretty great track record with customers. So with stock running low, we feel comfortable making this recommendation to buy.
Get the DJI Mini 4K drone for under $250 at Amazon.
How to watch the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Hungary online for freeHow to watch MotoGP for free. Live stream the 2025 Grand Prix of Hungary for free from anywhere in the world.
TL;DR: Live stream the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Hungary for free on ServusTV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Marc Márquez has opened up a handsome lead at the top of the 2025 MotoGP standings. There's still a lot of racing left this season, but it's looking highly unlikely that anyone can actually challenge Márquez. Still, fans will be watching because top positions are very much up for grabs as we enter the latter stages of this electric campaign.
If you're interested in watching the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Hungary for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.
The MotoGP Grand Prix of Hungary takes place at Balaton Park. The 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Hungary race starts at 8 a.m. ET on Aug. 24.
The MotoGP Grand Prix of Hungary is available to live stream for free on ServusTV.
ServusTV is geo-restricted to Austria, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Austria, meaning you can bypass geo-restrictions to access ServusTV from anywhere in the world.
Unblock ServusTV by following this simple process:
Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Austria
Connect to ServusTV
Watch MotoGP for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access MotoGP live streams without fully committing with your cash. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Hungary before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live streaming is on sale for a limited time.
ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking ServusTV, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Austria
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is protected
Fast streaming speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).
Watch the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Hungary for free with ExpressVPN.
Moon phase today: What the moon will look like on August 23, 2025See the moon phase expected for August 23, 2025 as well as when the next full moon is expected.
The moon is out of sight tonight, which can only mean we're on day zero of the lunar cycle.
The lunar cycle is a series of eight unique phases of the moon's visibility. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days, according to NASA, and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth.
So let's see what's happening with the moon tonight, Aug. 23.
As of Saturday, Aug. 23, the moon phase is New Moon, and 0% will be lit up to us on Earth, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.
Unsurprisingly, with 0% visibility, there's nothing for us to see on the moon's surface tonight.
The next full moon will be on Sept. 7. The last full moon was on Aug. 9.
According to NASA, moon phases are caused by the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, which changes the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much of it is lit up by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle:
New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).
Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.
Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side.
Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
Hurdle hints and answers for August 23, 2025Hints and answers to today's Hurdle all in one place.
If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.
There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.
An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.
If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.
Tall and thin
LANKY
Short.
BRIEF
Excessive.
UNDUE
A Russian prison.
GULAG
Muck.
SLUSH
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for August 23, 2025Answers to each clue for the August 23, 2025 edition of NYT's The Mini crossword puzzle.
The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.
With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.
So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.
Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Saturday, August 23, 2025:
The answer is Mop top.
The answer is Killin It.
The answer is And Scene.
The answer is Tis.
The answer is Sin.
The answer is Zoom lens.
The answer is Nutmeg.
The answer is Land.
The answer is Minion.
The answer is Old Soul
The answer is Pls.
The answer is Tic.
The answer is One Seed.
The answer is Pining.
The answer is Katz.
The answer is Tens.
The answer is MTA.
The answer is LMN.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Mini Crossword.
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 23, 2025Connections is a New York Times word game that's all about finding the "common threads between words." How to solve the puzzle.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Automobile fluids
Green: An event venue
Blue: Trickery
Purple: Recent creations
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Liquids you put into cars
Green: Arena
Blue: Skulduggery
Purple: Modern inventions
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections #805 is...
Liquids you put into cars: BRAKE FLUID, COOLANT, FUEL, OIL
Arena: BOWL, COLISEUM, HIPPODROME, STADIUM
Skulduggery: CHICANERY, DECEIT, LEGERDEMAIN, SUBTERFUGE
Modern inventions: CRYPTO, PODCAST, SMARTWATCH, VAPE
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands?
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.
NYT Strands hints, answers for August 23, 2025The NYT Strands hints and answers you need to make the most of your puzzling experience.
If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.
Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferrined pace.
The words are skincare-related.
These words are ways to hydrate the skin.
Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
Today's spangram is Moisturizers.
Balm
Cream
Butter
Moisturizers
Salve
Serum
Jelly
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.
Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 23, 2025Here's the answer for "Wordle" #1526 on August 23 as well as a few hints, tips, and clues to help you solve it yourself.
Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
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.
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be 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.
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
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.
A merger.
The letter N appears twice.
Today's Wordle starts with the letter U.
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 today's Wordle is...
UNION.
Don't feel down 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.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.
Meta will license Midjourneys AI tech to bring better slop to your feedMeta's new AI wunderkind Alexandr Wang just announced a partnership with Midjourney, which he says will bring "beauty to billions."
Alexandr Wang, the new Chief AI Officer at Meta, announced on Friday afternoon that Meta will license Midjourney's "aesthetic technology" for future Meta products and models. Midjourney is best known as an AI image generator, though it can also create short videos.
Wang announced the news in a series of posts on X.
"Today we’re proud to announce a partnership with @midjourney, to license their aesthetic technology for our future models and products, bringing beauty to billions," Wang wrote. "This technical collaboration between our research teams is part of our effort to team up with the best companies in the industry whose work and expertise complements our own. We are incredibly impressed by Midjourney. They have accomplished true feats of technical and aesthetic excellence, and we are thrilled to be working more closely with them."
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Wang is the new leader of Meta's AI efforts. The 28-year-old wunderkind is the founder of Scale AI, which Meta recently acquired in a $14.3 billion deal, per CNBC. The acquisition was part of a billion-dollar AI talent spending spree, as Zuckerberg poached engineers, researchers, and executives from rivals like ChatGPT-maker OpenAI.
More recently, Meta announced a hiring freeze, part of an internal restructuring of the company's AI efforts, which Zuckerberg has said will deliver superintelligence to the world — a bold promise.
The partnership with Midjourney is one of Wang's first big public moves as the company's first-ever Chief AI Officer.
So far, Meta's AI image and video generation tools have lagged behind competitors. Like Grok Imagine from xAI, a simple scroll through the Meta AI app will show images and videos that look like the kind of output generated by old models like DALL-E two or three years ago.
In comparison, Midjourney has far more advanced image and video models, which is likely the "aesthetic technology" mentioned in Wang's statement on X.
The Meta AI app allows users to share images and videos with the world, and it's full of generic AI slop and apparent intellectual property violations. Midjourney's feed looks much cleaner and more sophisticated, though the company was recently sued by Disney and Universal for IP infringement, with the suit calling Midjourney a "bottomless pit of plagiarism."
Earlier this year, Midjourney introduced a new AI video tool, which allows users to easily turn images into short video clips.
By leveraging Midjourney's latest tools and models, Meta will be able to catch up to rivals like Gemini and ChatGPT.
The partnership is another reminder that Meta's internal AI technology has a long way to go to achieve the superintelligence predicted by Zuckerberg.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
Ron Howard on why people want to go off the gridDirector Ron Howard and writer Noah Pink on how their new historical-fiction film "Eden" relates to today's culture of modern technology and people's desires to go "off the grid."
Eden is the cinematic re-imagining of the real accounts of several survivors who formed an impromptu commune in the Galápagos Islands. The film is set on Floreana Island, which was uninhabited until 1929, when Dr. Friedrich Ritter (Jude Law) and his partner Dore Strauch (Vanessa Kirby) arrived from Berlin. Their goal was to live together in isolation while creating the manifesto intended to shepherd humanity into its next stage of evolution.
The film is set several years into their residency on Floreana, when a family of three arrives on the island: Heinz Wittmer (Daniel Brühl), Margaret Wittmer (Sydney Sweeney) and Heinz's son Harry (Jonathan Tittel). They had read about Ritter and Strauch and were looking to start their lives anew, away from the modern civilization they felt had abandoned them. Tensions arise once it becomes clear that Ritter has no desire to share the island with others. Tensions explode once a third, more chaotic group arrives lead by the Baroness, Eloise Bosquet de Wagner Wehrhorn (Ana de Armas). Tensions turns to violence as food supplies begin to dwindle. What once was an island of possibilities turns into a hell of survival.
Ron Howard calls Eden "a cautionary tale. One of the most searched phrases on the internet is 'off the grid.' And I think that fantasy of just getting the hell out and leaving it behind and just getting back to something simple, it's very relatable. And that's what these characters did. So here's a case study... It's a thriller born out of the answer to the question of, well, what would it actually be like to take that sort of leap and leave the romance behind? And, oh, here's some people who did it. Well, have a look, see how well that went."
Your guide to watching college football without cable this seasonHere's your full guide on how to watch college football games without cable in 2025, including the best streaming deals.
The 2025 college football season kicks off Aug. 23 with a matchup between Iowa State and Kansas State in Dublin for Week 0. Thankfully, there are no sweeping conference changes or shake-ups this year, which is a relief after the scrambling that happened prior to last season. The 12-team playoff format is still in place, but the seeding of the teams will differ from last year. There are also some minor rule changes to combat the faking of injuries and to timeouts in overtime. No biggies, though. The most complicated thing about the 2025-2026 NCAA football season is figuring out how to watch your favorite team.
Don't worry; we've got you covered. Keep scrolling to learn how to watch college football without cable in 2025, which channels you're going to need, and the best ways to get them.
Yes, you can watch every college football game without cable. The only problem is that you may need a patchwork of streaming apps, depending on which teams and how many games you want to watch. The 2025 college football season will be broadcast across an array of local channels, specialty sports networks, and even a couple of streaming services.
Newly launched streaming services from ESPN and Fox are really changing the game this season. ESPN's direct-to-consumer subscription now encompasses the full suite of ESPN networks and services for $29.99 per month, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+, and ACCNX. Meanwhile, Fox One is a one-stop shop for the entirety of the Fox TV portfolio. It costs $19.99 per month and includes access to Fox News, Fox Sports, Fox Weather, FS1, FS2, Fox Business, Fox Deportes, Big Ten Network (B1G), local Fox stations, and Fox Network. These two apps alone will give you access to the majority of college football games this season, and as of Oct. 2, you'll be able to bundle them together for a discounted rate.
A live TV streaming service or cable replacement will give you the most comprehensive channel selection overall, but will also cost you the most money (i.e., YouTube TV or Fubo). You can also subscribe to a standalone service like Peacock or Paramount+ if you just want to casually tune into a few games throughout the season. As the cheapest option, it's also the most limited.
TL;DR: You get what you pay for.
Before you decide on which live TV service or streaming app you need to watch NCAA college football games, you need to know which networks your team(s) plays on. Check the conference list below to see which channels and streamers will air games for each conference in 2025. Not sure which conference your team is in? Check out the list over at ESPN.com.
American Athletic Conference (AAC) — ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U, ESPN+
Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) — ABC, ACC Network, ACC Network Extra, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U, ESPN+, The CW
Big 12 — ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U, ESPN+, Fox, Fox Sports 1, TNT
Big Ten — Big Ten Network, CBS, Fox, Fox Sports 1, NBC, Peacock
Conference USA — CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U, ESPN+
FBS independents — CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN+, NBC, Peacock
Mid-American Conference (MAC) — CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U, ESPN+
Mountain West Conference (MW) — CBS, CBS Sports Network, Fox, Fox Sports 1, truTV
Pac-12 Conference — CBS, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U, ESPN+, The CW
Southeastern Conference (SEC) — ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U, ESPN+, SEC Network, SEC+
Sun Belt Conference — ABC, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN U, ESPN+
As I mentioned above, the best streaming service for college football depends on your team and budget. The best streaming apps for live sports run the gamut of pricing — from eight bucks per month to a monstrous $100 per month. The more you pay, the wider selection of games you'll have access to.
The best live TV cable alternatives include YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, and Sling. Sling is the most affordable of the bunch, but gives you access to a more limited live channel selection, while YouTube TV, Hulu, and Fubo offer hundreds of channels but cost a bit more. ESPN and Fox One offer a wide selection of games at a mid-range price point, making us more inclined to recommend these services for most people. We haven't had the opportunity to test these new streaming services out yet, but they certainly sound promising. You can also watch limited live games on Peacock, Paramount+, and HBO Max — some of which will exclusively host games this season.
It's a bit confusing, but at least it's not as difficult as figuring out how to watch every NFL game this season. To help with your decision, we've rounded up the best streaming deals for college football fans. You can also check out the complete broadcast schedule on the NCAA website.
Channels: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, ACC Network, ESPN on ABC, ESPN+, ESPN3, SECN+, and ACCNX
ESPN's newly launched Unlimited plan gives you access to the entirety of ESPN's suite of networks and services. For college football, you'll have live access to games on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN+, SEC Network, SECN+, ACC Network, and ABC. That's a pretty big chunk — nearly 50 percent — of the channels you'll need to tune into games this season. The Unlimited plan on its own costs $29.99 per month, but for the first year, new subscribers can get the Unlimited plan bundled with Disney+ and Hulu for the same cost. That ultimately gives you Hulu and Disney+ for free for a year.
Come Oct. 2, you'll also be able to bundle ESPN and Fox One together for just $39.99 per month ($9.98 cheaper than paying for both services separately).
Channels: Fox, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network
Fox conveniently launched its first streaming service the same day as ESPN's new Unlimited plan. It also offers a direct-to-consumer streaming model, giving subscribers access to live broadcasts on Fox, Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, and Big Ten Network throughout the college football season. It costs $19.99 per month, but you can save $40 by opting for the annual plan for $199.99 instead. Also, as noted above, you'll be able to bundle Fox One with ESPN come October for the ultimate sports streaming deal.
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, NBCSN, SEC Network, and The CW
The best value for a live TV cable alternative, YouTube TV gives you access to over 100 live channels. Those include most of the ones you need to watch college football games live — NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, and ESPN, as well as specialty networks like Fox Sports 1, and SEC Network. For a limited time, YouTube TV is offering new users a discount on their first three months of service. Plus, you can kick things off with a 10-day free trial. The base plan usually costs $82.99 per month, but you'll pay just $49.99 per month (save $99) for your first three months.
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPN 3, ESPNews, ESPN U, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, Pac-12 Network, SEC Network
By prepaying for five months of Sling Orange, Blue, and Sports Extra in the Sling Season Pass, you can save about $51. The Orange and Blue packages give you access to FOX, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and more in local markets, while the Sports Extra package unlocks access to ACC Network, SEC Network, Big Ten Network, and more. It'll cost you $329 for five months of Sling Season Pass, which is significantly cheaper than any other live TV streaming service (about $66 per month). Just be sure to check your local market to ensure you'll have access to the channels you need.
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPNU, ESPN Deportes, SEC Network, SECN+, ACC Network, ESPN+, Fox, FS1, FS2, NBC, and The CW
While other live TV streamers might cost a little less, Hulu's live TV service definitely offers the most bang for your buck. You'll pay $82.99 per month (after a three-day trial) and get access to over 95 live TV channels, plus Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN Unlimited (all with ads). For comparison, YouTube TV is also $82.99 per month and only includes the live channels. With ESPN's new Unlimited plan, you'll unlock access to even more college football games on top of live TV networks like ABC, FOX, ESPN, The CW, ACC Network, and more.
Channels: ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN 2, ESPNews, Fox, FS1, FS2, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NBCSN, SEC Network, and The CW
Fubo isn't our first choice for a live TV streaming service, but we do like that it takes sports seriously. With a Pro subscription (the most affordable tier), you'll get access to most college football broadcasts for $84.99 per month. You can also upgrade to 4K with the Elite plan, but it'll cost $104.99 per month. Either way, you can test the waters for seven days before you pay and, for a limited time, take $30 off your first month.
Channels: CBS
If your team is in the Big Ten or plays on CBS and you're only a casual college football fan, a subscription to Paramount+ Premium is probably the best option. Paramount+ Premium allows you to tune into live CBS broadcasts of nearly two dozen Big Ten games, including a weekly, Saturday afternoon Big Ten game, starting Saturday, Aug. 30. It's regularly $12.99 per month, but you can save 17% by paying for a year upfront. That knocks the monthly cost down to just $9.99.
Channels: NBC, Peacock
Similar to Paramount+, Peacock offers simulcasts of games airing on NBC throughout the 2025 season. Plus, Peacock offers exclusive broadcasts as well. In order to watch live games, you'll need at least the Premium plan, which starts at $10.99 per month. You can save about 17%, however, by paying for a year upfront. That knocks the monthly price down to about $9 per month.
More Peacock deals:
SAVE $37: As of Aug. 22, the Kindle Paperwhite (refurbished) is on sale for $106.99 at Amazon. That's the best-ever price for this like-new model.
Just because something has been pre-owned doesn't make it any less beautiful, OK? Shame on you for judging refurbished products so harshly. Everything deserves a second chance, including Kindles.
As of Aug. 22, the like-new Kindle Paperwhite is on sale for $106.99 at Amazon. That's the lowest-ever price for this refubished model according to camelcamelcamel. So if you've been staring at that list of books you'd like to read, this deal could provide the push you need to start making some progress through the pile.
So can you trust a refurb? According to Amazon, this Kindle is "refurbished, tested, and certified to look and work like new and comes with the same limited warranty as a new device." Do you really need something brand-new when you've got assurances like that? Get over yourself.
The new Kindle Paperwhite is Amazon's fastest Kindle yet. It has an ultra-thin, glare-free design, and a single charge can last for up to 12 weeks. Plus, it's waterproof. So you don't need to worry when reading in the tub, pool, beach, or whatever watering hole you find yourself in this summer.
Get the best-ever price on the Kindle Paperwhite from Amazon.
Theres still time to score AirPods Pro 2 for $169 — save $80 on AmazonAs of Aug. 22, AirPods Pro 2 are still on sale at Amazon for $169. That's 32% off their list price of $249.
SAVE $80: As of Aug. 22, Apple AirPods Pro 2 are still down to $169 at Amazon. This is 32% off their list price of $249, saving you $80.
Who needs a big sale event to save on AirPods? Quite a few of Apple's earbuds have been sitting at low prices lately, including AirPods Pro 2. If you've been looking to pick up these earbuds at a reduced rate, you can score them for $169 right now at Amazon.
This is a 32% discount on their list price of $249, saving you $80. This deal price on the AirPods Pro 2 is also only $20 away from the best price we saw for the AirPods Pro 2 over Prime Day, so it's still a decent pickup at this price. And who knows how much longer this deal will stay live, so act fast to pick them up at this low price.
AirPods Pro 2 offer great sound quality thanks to the H2 chip, alongside noise-canceling features to help you keep any outside noises from interrupting your listening. Active Noise Cancellation completely blocks out sounds, Transparency mode lets some sounds in, and Adaptive Audio works as a combination of the two to give you the best listening experience no matter the environment.
We consider the AirPods Pro 2 to be the best earbuds for Apple users in our roundup of the best earbuds to buy in 2025. So why wait to pick them up? Don't miss out on the AirPods Pro 2 down to $169 at Amazon.
Ultrahuman sues Oura over patent infringement in the battle of the smart ringsSmart ring battle, round two. First, Oura sued Ultrahuman; now, Ultrahuman is suing Oura, alleging patent infringement.
After being sued by Oura, smart ring maker Ultrahuman is suing right back, alleging a similar violation.
Ultrahuman, which has similar health and fitness tracking capabilities as its competitor, filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Finland-based Oura in India's Delhi High Court on Thursday.
"Oura has blatantly copied Ultrahuman’s advanced intellectual property including women’s health features, circadian health tools, and glucose monitoring platform thereby benefiting from Ultrahuman’s investment in public health without a license to do so," Ultrahuman alleged in a press release announcing the lawsuit.
It's the latest salvo in the legal battle of the smart rings.
Oura sued Ultrahuman and RingConn for patent infringement in the U.S., saying the rivals copied key features such as its curved battery to fit the ring shape and advanced sensors. Oura claims its competitors purchased Oura rings to reverse engineer them and study their inner workings. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) initially ruled in favor of Oura's infringement claims, but a final decision is still to come.
In response to the new suit in India, an Oura spokesperson said in a statement to Mashable, "Ultrahuman’s lawsuit in India has no merit and is a blatant attempt to distract from their decisive U.S. defeat. The International Trade Commission ruled unequivocally that Ultrahuman infringed on ŌURA’s intellectual property, blocking all of their smart rings—and components—from the U.S. market through exclusion and cease-and-desist orders."
Earlier this year, Ultrahuman argued that certain components of its smart ring have actually been around for years, and Oura only recently secured the patent to take on competitors. "This isn’t a dispute over years of secret R&D," Ultrahuman said in a blog post about the lawsuit. "It’s about a very recent patent purchase now being wielded to limit the choices ring-wearers like you have..."
Ultrahuman's lawsuit against Oura centers around a patent granted by the India Patent Office that the company says protects the unique smart ring architecture of its Ring AIR smart ring. It alleges that Oura's Ring 4 infringes on this patent by copying these protected elements and further profiting from this with a subscription-based service.
"Companies that replicate Ultrahuman’s breakthroughs only to lock them behind mandatory subscriptions are anti-innovation and anti-consumer," the press release continued.
UPDATE: Aug. 22, 2025, 2:06 p.m. EDT This story has been updated with a statement from Oura.
Bring your music wherever you go with $40 off the Sonos Roam 2As of Aug. 22, get the Sonos Roam 2 for $40 off at Amazon.
SAVE $40: As of Aug. 22, get the Sonos Roam 2 for $139 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $179. That's a discount of 22%.
If you're the type of person who likes to take music on the go, a good portable speaker is a must-have. You can enjoy all your favorite songs or podcasts wherever you roam, turn anywhere into an instant party, and set the vibe in a matter of minutes. But while they might seem a bit pricey to invest in, there are some that are actually quite affordable. The Sonos Roam 2 speaker is one of them, and it also delivers in the quality department.
As of Aug. 22, get the Sonos Roam 2 for $139 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $179. That's $40 off and a discount of 22%.
You can take the Sonos Roam 2 with you anywhere you go. It's small, lightweight, and waterproof, which makes it one of the better options if you decide to travel with it. It's also dustproof, so you can head to the beach, the dunes, or wherever life takes you without having to worry about whether your speaker will get damaged. It's good to go with that IP67 rating, so the party can come along with you.
It has a rechargeable battery that can get you up to 10 hours of listening time per charge, as well as Sonos Voice Control and Alexa support. That means you can change songs or mix tracks up without having to use the app or on-device controls. And the speaker itself is nice and loud, so sound can carry and the dancing doesn't have to stop.
There's still some summer left, so you can take this speaker to the beach with you for one last hurrah, then put it on a shelf for listening at home. It's versatile enough to make it a good year-round buy, especially when it's discounted like this.
Upgrade your TV sound setup: 3 Bose soundbar deals for every budgetFind the best Bose soundbar deal for your budget, with up to 41% off the TV Speaker, Smart Soundbar, and Smart Ultra Soundbar.
Built-in TV speakers are hardly something to write home about. If your TV's sound system doesn't quite live up to its picture quality, we highly recommend adding a soundbar. With football season around the corner, boosting your sound system ensures you won't miss a single call on the field (even when you kind of wish you did). Beyond sports, a soundbar can also help you actually hear the dialogue in those quieter scenes of your favorite shows and movies. It's a worthy addition to your entertainment setup, whether you spend 100 bucks or close to $1,000.
One of our favorite audio brands, Bose, offers options for every budget — and as of Aug. 22, they're all on sale. We've broken down the deals below to help you make the right choice. One of these options even tops our list of the best soundbars from any brand.
A solid introductory option, the Bose TV Speaker adds some serious sound in a small, but mighty package. It delivers balanced and natural-sounding spatial audio while enhancing dialogue for clarity. The simple plug-and-play design allows you to get it up and running in no time. Connect up to three devices through the inputs, or even pair your phone and use it as an external Bluetooth speaker. As of Aug. 22, the budget soundbar is down to only $163.45 instead of $279. That's its lowest price on record at 41% off.
Check out our full review of the Bose Smart Soundbar.
"For most users, I think this soundbar hits the sweet spot in terms of features, sound, and value for the dollar," wrote Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth in his review of the Bose Smart Soundbar. The mid-range option tops our list of the best soundbars, thanks to its powerful sound, AI Dialogue Mode, pronounced bass, wide connectivity options, smart assistant support, and compact design. AI Dialogue Mode detects speech in audio streams to make it clearer amongst background noise, which our reviewer said "offers hope to anyone who's become a little more reliant than they would like on closed captions." Usually $499, you can save $100 on this immersive soundbar as of Aug. 22.
For those looking to splurge on high-quality sound, we suggest the Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar, which is the next step up in Bose's range. We haven't had the opportunity to test it for ourselves, but our sister site PCMag (also owned by publisher Ziff Davis) spent some time with it and called it "a powerful one-piece soundbar that delivers big sound with plenty of spatial audio detail, and ample audio streaming features." It earned their coveted Editors' Choice award and a glowing 4.5 out of 5 stars. It looks just as sleek and simple as the more budget-friendly options, but is packed with features like AdaptiQ, which allows the soundbar to measure your room's acoustics and adjust the balance for optimal sound and spatial imaging based on where you sit. It also packs nine total speakers — including two upward-firing — compared to the Smart Soundbar's five.
As of Aug. 22, you can grab the top-of-the-line Bose Smart Ultra Soundbar for $699 instead of $899. That's 22% off. While the white colorway has been cheaper before, this is the lowest-ever price on record for the black option.
Save $200 on a DJI Portable Power Station at Amazon and gain peace of mindRight now, grab the DJI Power 2000 Portable Power Station for $200 off at Amazon and have an electric generator for your next camping or road trip.
SAVE $200: As of Aug. 22, get the DJI Power 2000 Portable Power Station for $1,099. That saves you $200 for 15% off.
Don't have a standby generator? That's not a problem — usually. But when a storm comes through and takes out the power, it can leave you hanging in an emergency situation. If investing in a standby generator is out of reach, then a portable power station is a more attainable option. DJI, the brand behind our favorite drones and vlogging camera, also makes portable power stations that keep your lights on in a pinch.
As of Aug. 22, the DJI Power 2000 Portable Power Station, is $200 off at Amazon. Normally $1,299, it's down to $1,099, bringing the price down 15%.
The DJI Power 2000 Portable Power Station has 3000W of power and can even provide power to multiple appliances at once. It includes four AC outlets, four USB-C ports, four USB-A ports, and two SDC ports. It comes to 80% charge in 55 minutes when connected to grip power, but it can also charge to 100% in 75 minutes with solar power. While it can be a crucial source of back-up power in an emergency, it's also great to bring camping or on an RV road trip.
Get the DJI Power 2000 Portable Power Station for $1,099 at Amazon now and save $200 off.
Trump Mobile shares T1 model, but something doesnt look rightTrump Mobile shared a picture of the T1 phone it's supposedly making, and it sure looks a lot like a Samsung phone.
President Donald Trump's smartphone company, Trump Mobile, is engaging in some apparent tomfoolery on X.
Trump Mobile initially announced plans to release a "made in America" smartphone called the T1, before quietly removing that language from its website in June.
On Thursday, Aug. 19, Trump Mobile shared a new promo for the phone on X, telling customers to "Preorder today & be among the first to experience it." The post states the phone has a "gold finish" and "big power," and is accompanied by a photo of the phone. Well, a phone, anyway.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Android users quickly realized the T1 was actually just a photoshopped image of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. X users also pointed out that the so-called gold finish is clearly a phone case made by the accessory brand Spigen.
A Community Notes fact-check of the post states: "The phone in the image is a photoshopped Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra in a case by the accessory company Spigen, it is not the 'T1 Phone'. The Spigen logo is still visible under the digitally added American Flag."
Strangely, the Trump Mobile website actually does have a photo of the alleged phone that looks completely different from this new image. In the photo on the website, the T1 has three diagonally arranged rear camera modules like a Pro-level iPhone, rather than the vertically arranged stack you'd find on a Samsung device.
The T1 was announced earlier this year as a $499 Android device with a 6.25-inch AMOLED display, 256GB of storage, and a 5,000mAh battery. Despite promises that the T1 would be made in America (President Trump has famously pushed Apple to move iPhone manufacturing to the U.S.), the country actually lacks the manufacturing infrastructure to create some of the phone's key components. Internet sleuths also discovered that the smartphone's promised specs are nearly identical to a cheap smartphone made in China.
At this point, it's not clear what the promised T1 smartphone will look like, or to what extent it will be built or assembled in the United States. So, unless you had your heart set on a budget phone with gold plating and Trump branding, you might want to look elsewhere for a budget Android handset.
Apple TV+ just got more expensive. Again.Apple TV+ is the latest streaming service to increase prices. Subscribers will now pay $12.99 for the service per month.
Another day, another streaming service inflating its costs. Last month, it was Peacock. This time around, Apple TV+ is bumping up its price by 30 percent.
Effective immediately for new U.S. subscribers, Apple is increasing the monthly price of its streaming service from $9.99 to $12.99. Existing Apple TV+ subscribers will see the higher prices reflected on their bill within 30 days of their next renewal date.
Apple TV+ cost only $4.99 per month when it first launched in 2019. Those days are long gone. In 2022, the streamer announced its first price hike to $6.99 per month. A year later, the price jumped to $9.99 per month, effectively making it double the price it was at launch. Now, at $12.99 per month, it's almost three times the original price.
The news comes after a report earlier this year concluded that not only is Apple TV+ the only Apple subscription that isn't genrating a profit, but it's actually losing over $1 billion each year. It's hardly surprising, though, knowing that the streamer features virtually an all-original lineup filled with Emmy-winners like Ted Lasso and The Morning Show and Oscar-winners and nominees like CODA and Killers of the Flower Moon. The price hike also mirrors other recent increases from services like Peacock and Netflix.
It's not all bad news, though. The price of annual Apple TV+ subscriptions will remain the same at $99. Likewise, the price hike won't affect the Apple One bundles, which start at $19.95 per month. New and returning subscribers can still score a free trial to the service. Plus, there are a few ways you can sign up for a discounted rate (maybe even free).
With the annual cost of Apple TV+ remaining the same, you'll save about 36% on your subscription. You'll have to pay the $99 subscription fee up front, but that ultimately breaks down to just $8.25 per month instead of $12.99. That's totally worth it in our opinion. To switch to an annual plan, go to Settings > [your Apple account name] > Subscriptions > Apple TV+ > See All Plans. From there, select the $99 per year plan and save about $56 total.
SAVE $700.02: As of Aug. 22, get the Bluetti Solar Generator AC200L at Amazon for $898.98, down from its usual price of $1,599. That's a discount of 44% and the lowest price we've seen.
When you find yourself in a situation where you could use some backup electricity, a power station is always a good thing to have lying around — especially if it's powerful enough to keep you juiced up for a lengthy amount of time. You can get a great one right now for off-grid travel or emergency usage thanks to today's great deal at Amazon.
As of Aug. 22, get the Bluetti Solar Generator AC200L for $898.98 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,599. That's $700.02 off and a discount of 44%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.
This power station is built for long-term performance. It features a 2400W output with up to 3600W with its Power Lifting feature, which can power your microwave, keep your food cold in your fridge, and charge up phones, laptops, tablets, and much more. It comes with a 2048Wh LiFePO₄ battery as well, so It's ready to roll without needing a top-up.
It can charge devices with 11 total ports, including four AC outlets, a 30A RV port, 48V DC, and fast-charging USB-C options. It can also accept additional batteries to extend its battery life if need be, with a quick 45-minute recharge feature that takes it from 0 to 80% in case you're in a pinch.
This is a hardy power station that works well at what it does, so if you want to be prepared for just about any electricity eventuality, this is a model to watch.
Elon Musk’s X nears a settlement in $500 million severance pay lawsuitA $500 million class action lawsuit accusing X of not paying severance to laid-off workers is nearing a settlement agreement, a court filing shows.
Former X employees who were affected by the infamous mass layoffs that occurred after Elon Musk's Twitter takeover might finally get their severance pay. Some laid-off employees joined a class-action lawsuit against X (which was then called Twitter), claiming they never received the severance pay owed to them.
According to a court document filed earlier this week, the parties are nearing a settlement agreement in the $500 million class action lawsuit. Both parties filed a joint motion to postpone upcoming oral arguments "pending the finalization and administration of an imminent class-wide settlement agreement. The filing further states that the settlement will "include a proposed distribution of funds to the members of the settlements class(es).
In October 2022, Elon Musk officially took over X and moved quickly to lay off over 70 percent of the workforce. Former staffers subsequently filed a lawsuit claiming they received only a month of severance pay or, in some cases, no severance at all.
The lawsuit accused X of violating its severance policy, which offered two months of base pay and an additional week for every year they'd worked at the company. More recently, the court dismissed the case, but gave the plaintiffs a chance to amend their complaint and appeal the ruling. Now, the parties have come to a tentative agreement.
Exactly how much money the plaintiffs could receive is unclear. But the initial lawsuit claimed the former employees were collectively owed $500 million in severance pay.
"If the district court approves this proposed distribution," the filing said, "the agreement will resolve the litigation in its entirety and moot this appeal."
Soundcores already affordable Space One Pro headphones are down to their lowest price everGet the Soundcore Space One Pro headphones for just $149.99 at Amazon. Buy now to save $50 off the headphones with ANC.
SAVE $50: As of Aug. 22, save $50 on the Soundcore Space One Pro headphones. Normally $199.99, you can get the headphones for 25% off at Amazon.
Back-to-school season is here and as you get ready to decorate your dorm, don't forget about your gear too. A solid pair of headphones is going to be just as crucial as a laptop for the school year. You need a pair of headphones with active noise cancellation that will help you focus in the library, tune out a noisy roommate, or just jam out as you walk across campus. But ANC headphones usually means have to spend a pretty penny, but Soundcore makes affordable headphones with exceptional sound.
As of Aug. 22, you can find the Soundcore Space One Pro headphones for just $149.99. According to CamelCamelCamel, that's the lowest price ever on the headphones. Normally $199.99, the Space One Pro headphones are now $50 off, saving 25% off.
One of the best thing about the Soundcore Space One Pro headphones is their price. In addition to ANC they offer lossless audio and 60 hours of battery life, features you'd find in high end models. However, the Soundcore Space One Pros have a list price of $199.99, which is less than half the price of the top models from Apple, Sony, and Bose. While still affordable, the headphones deliver clear sound thanks to 40mm dynamic drivers.
Get the Soundcore Space One Pro headphones for $149.99 at Amazon now and save 25% off.
Ankers SOLIX portable power station is $1,400 off at Amazon right nowAs of Aug. 22, you can get the Anker SOLIX F3800 portable power station for $2,599, down from $3,999. That's a 35% discount .
SAVE 35%: As of Aug. 22, you can get the Anker SOLIX F3800 portable power station for $2,599, down from $3,999. That's a 35% discount and a $1,400 savings.
With Hurricane Erin churning in the Atlantic, it’s a good time to consider investing in a reliable backup power solution. Hurricane season is far from over, and the last thing anyone wants is to be left in the dark during a power outage, scrambling for flashlights and watching their phone battery drain into oblivion. And right now, Amazon has a ton of options on sale.
As of Aug. 22, you can get the Anker SOLIX F3800 portable power station for $2,599, down from $3,999. That's a 35% discount and a $1,400 savings. Amazon’s marked this as a “limited-time deal,” so we’re not sure how long it’ll stay at this price.
The Anker SOLIX F3800 has a powerful 6,000W AC output with dual-voltage 120V/240V capability, so it can run heavy-duty appliances like washers and dryers. Its 3,840Wh capacity is enough to power your home for one day. If you need more, you can expand its capacity to 26.9kWh by connecting up to six battery packs. For extreme situations, you can add a second F3800 unit and 12 battery packs for enough power to last two weeks.
This portable power station is great for camping, too. It's solar-powered and comes with the necessary charging connectors, so you can recharge it while off the grid. It can also directly power an RV or charge your EV via its built-in ports. The unit is designed to last for 10 years, even with everyday use, and comes with a five-year warranty.
Andrew Tate is suing TikTok and Meta for $100 million for deplatforming himRight-wing misogynists Andrew and Tristan Tate are suing Meta and TikTok for banning them in 2022.
Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan Tate — far-right influencers, former kickboxing champions, self-described misogynists, and men who are facing multiple charges of rape, human trafficking, and sexual assault — are suing Meta and TikTok for banning their social media accounts in 2022.
Andrew Tate was originally banned from Meta for violating its policies "on dangerous organizations and individuals," the company told the Guardian by email in 2022. TikTok and other social media platforms banned him for similar reasons.
"Misogyny is a hateful ideology that is not tolerated on TikTok," a TikTok spokesperson told NPR at the time. "Our investigation into this content is ongoing, as we continue to remove violative accounts and videos, and pursue measures to strengthen our enforcement, including our detection models, against this type of content."
The brothers were also banned from X but were later reinstated after Elon Musk acquired the company. Andrew Tate currently has 10.7 million followers on the platform, while Tristan has 3.4 million.
Before the bans in 2022, they had millions of followers on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram as well.
Last week, they filed two lawsuits in the Los Angeles County Superior Court accusing TikTok and Meta of defaming and unlawfully "deplatforming" them, according to NBC News. The Hill reported that the suit alleges a "coordinated campaign to suppress, silence, and destroy the reputations and livelihoods" of the brothers. They're seeking more than $50 million in damages from both companies, NBC News reported.
"This campaign was carried out not merely by private actors, but in concert with government officials, media operatives, and ideological pressure groups — thus transforming Meta into a state actor for purposes of constitutional liability," the filing stated, according to The Hill. Their suit against TikTok used similar language.
Meta and TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Mashable.
The lawsuits don't mention YouTube, but the brothers were also banned there in 2022.
Level up your streaming setup with $40 off the Amazon Fire TV CubeAs of Aug. 22, save $40 on the Amazon Fire TV Cube at Amazon.
SAVE $40: As of Aug. 22, get the Amazon Fire TV Cube for $99.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $139.99. That's a discount of 29%.
Looking for a new way to stream all the shows and movies you watch on the regular? You don't need to do anything complicated, not when Amazon makes it super easy for you to choose one of its Fire TV devices, set it up in just minutes, and go. If you're on the fence about which one you might want to pick up right now to enjoy all the perks of simple streaming, you might want to snatch up the Fire TV Cube, which is $40 off right now at the retailer.
As of Aug. 22, get the Amazon Fire TV Cube for $99.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $139.99. That's $40 off and discount of 29%.
This compact, cube-shaped streaming box has an octa-core 2.0 GHz processor and supports WiFi 6E, so right out of the box, it's primed and ready to help you access all of your favorite content. It offers smooth, lag-free viewing with a variety of different apps and features, as well as 4K Ultra HD resolution, Dolby Vision and HDR, and Dolby Atmos.
Amazon claims that it's the company's fastest-ever streaming player, and it's two times as powerful as their Fire TV Stick 4K Max. It offers hands-free Alexa so you can control everything with just your voice, as well as easy navigation between devices that are connected, like your cable box and consoles.
If you want to invest in a streaming box that you can rely on, this is a great pick, especially with $40 off the regular price tag. Grab one while they're hot.
Teslas top Cybertruck just got even more expensiveTesla is now bundling its top Cybertruck with a bunch of extras, and a large price hike.
Tesla is now bundling its top Cybertruck with a bunch of extras, but those come with a large price hike that cannot be avoided.
Tesla calls this the "Luxe Package," and it's only available for the Cyberbeast, which is the Cybertruck's top trim. It includes Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) package, four-year premium service, free, unlimited supercharging, and premium connectivity.
The problem with Luxe Package, however, is that it's not optional: It's included with every Cyberbeast, which now costs $114,990, which is a $15,000 hike compared to yesterday's pricing.
The Luxe Package could still, theoretically, be good value. Unfortunately, in this case it's mediocre at best. Tesla's FSD package costs $8,000 on other trims, and – despite Elon Musk's constant promises of massive progress – it currently isn't all that useful. The other big perk the buyers will get, free Supercharging, will take a while before it pays off. Fortunately, you can still get the two cheaper Cybertruck trims, without the Luxe Package, for $62,490 and $72,490, respectively.
The move is even more puzzling when you consider how poorly the Cybertruck's been selling. Tesla doesn't share exact numbers, but estimates say the company sold just 6,406 Cybertrucks in the first quarter of 2025.
Tesla's Model S and Model X haven't been selling that great recently, either, but Tesla did a similar thing to them last week, adding the Luxe Package and $10,000 to the price of these models' top trims.
Save up to 23% on Pokémon TCG Destined Rivals boxes when you skip Amazon’s inflated pricesAs of Aug. 22, Pokémon TCG Destined Rivals products are up to 23% cheaper at TCGPlayer compared to Amazon’s prices.
TL;DR: As of Aug. 22, Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet Black Bolt and White Flare sealed products are up to 29% cheaper on TCGPlayer vs. Amazon.
Destined Rivals is the newest expansion in the Scarlet and Violet era, and it brings together fan favorite characters like Cynthia, Team Rocket, and more. The standout product is the Elite Trainer Box, which comes with nine booster packs, a full art Wobbuffet promo, and all the accessories you need to keep your cards organized. At $85.99 on TCGPlayer instead of nearly $108 on Amazon, it is the best entry point for players and collectors who want the complete experience.
Destined Rivals Elite Trainer Box — $85.99 at TCGPlayer vs. $107.94 at Amazon (save $21.95, or 20%)
Cynthia’s Garchomp ex Premium Collection — $49.42 at TCGPlayer vs. $59.90 at Amazon (save $10.48, or 17%)
Destined Rivals Booster Bundle — $46.49 at TCGPlayer vs. $49.90 at Amazon (save $3.41, or 7%)
Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex Box — $33.40 at TCGPlayer vs. $42.94 at Amazon (save $9.54, or 23%)
Destined Rivals Three Booster Blister Pack — $27 at TCGPlayer vs. $29.99 at Amazon (save $2.99, or 10%)
Cynthia’s Garchomp ex Premium Collection is another highlight. It includes promo cards of Garchomp ex, Gible, and Gabite along with acrylic standees, a display backdrop, stickers, and six booster packs. At just over $49 on TCGPlayer compared to $60 on Amazon, it is the most affordable way to grab the Sinnoh Champion’s dragon in a sealed product.
If you are mainly looking for booster packs, the Destined Rivals Booster Bundle gets you six packs without the extras. At $46.49 on TCGPlayer vs. $49.90 on Amazon, it is not the biggest discount, but it is still the smarter buy if you only care about ripping packs.
For fans of Team Rocket, the Mewtwo ex Box is a standout. It comes with a Mewtwo ex promo, Giovanni and Meowth foil cards, an oversize card, a sticker, and four boosters. At $33.40 on TCGPlayer compared to $42.94 on Amazon, it is a great pickup for Unova era nostalgia and collectors who love villain decks.
Finally, the Destined Rivals Three Booster Blister Pack is perfect if you want a quick hit of new cards without committing to a bigger product. At $27 on TCGPlayer compared to $29.99 on Amazon, it is a small but real saving that adds up if you buy more than one.
Across the board, TCGPlayer is offering better prices on every single Destined Rivals product. Regardless of being here for the promos, the packs, or the display pieces, it makes sense to skip Amazon’s markup and grab your sealed product where it is cheaper.
Here are the most valuable cards you can pull in Destined Rivals right now. Don't want to leave it to chance? You can just buy them for the best price on TCGPlayer right now:
Team Rocket’s Mewtwo ex – 231/182 – Destined Rivals
Near Mint Holofoil: $314.50
Market price: $345.72
Value at launch: $333.52
Cynthia’s Garchomp ex – 232/182 – Destined Rivals
Near Mint Holofoil: $200.28
Market price: $209.31
Value at launch: $333.52
Ethan’s Ho-Oh ex – 230/182 – Destined Rivals
Near Mint Holofoil: $151.92
Market price: $153.74
Value at launch: $189.98
Team Rocket’s Moltres ex – 229/182 – Destined Rivals
Near Mint Holofoil: $129.69
Market price: $149.85
Value at launch: $148.91
Team Rocket’s Nidoking ex – 233/182 – Destined Rivals
Near Mint Holofoil: $119.98
Market price: $103.04
Value at launch: $90.80
TL;DR: Live stream England vs. USA in 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The Women's Rugby World Cup is finally here, and the hosts and favorites are getting things underway. England face off against USA in the opening game of the tournament, with fans expecting a confident win from the Red Roses. The odds are in England's favor, but USA and Ilona Maher will be looking to cause an upset at the Stadium of Light.
If you want to watch England vs. USA in 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
England vs. USA in 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup starts at 7:30 p.m. BST on Aug. 22. This fixture takes place at the Stadium of Light.
England vs. USA in 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.
BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.
Live stream England vs. USA for free by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Visit BBC iPlayer
Live stream England vs. USA for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch England vs. USA without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream select fixtures from the Women's Rugby World Cup before recovering your investment.
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the UK
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream England vs. USA in 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.
Black Bolt and White Flare Pokémon TCG boxes are under $90 at TCGPlayer — save up to 29% vs. AmazonAs of Aug. 22, Pokémon TCG Black Bolt and White Flare sealed boxes are up to 29% cheaper on TCGPlayer than Amazon.
TL;DR: As of Aug. 22, Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet Black Bolt and White Flare sealed products are up to 29% cheaper on TCGPlayer vs. Amazon.
Black Bolt and White Flare expansions are packed with value, and the best way to experience them is through their sealed products. At TCGPlayer, you can find every box in this wave for less than Amazon, which makes now the perfect time to stock up before prices climb.
Black Bolt Elite Trainer Box — $85 at TCGPlayer vs. $112.67 at Amazon (save $27.67, or 24%)
White Flare Elite Trainer Box — $80 at TCGPlayer vs. $107.39 at Amazon (save $27.39, or 25%)
White Flare Booster Bundle Set — $46.98 at TCGPlayer vs. $55.01 at Amazon (save $8.03, or 15%)
Unova Victini Illustration Collection — $37.23 at TCGPlayer vs. $49.99 at Amazon (save $12.76, or 26%)
Unova Poster Box — $31.99 at TCGPlayer vs. $39.98 at Amazon (save $7.99, or 20%)
Black Bolt and White Flare Elite Trainer Boxes are the clear stars. Each one features nine booster packs, a unique promo card, and all the accessories that players and collectors expect. Black Bolt comes with a full art Thundurus, while White Flare includes Tornadus. Both promos are exclusive to their boxes, and with prices sitting at $85 and $80 on TCGPlayer instead of over $100 on Amazon, they are an easy recommendation for anyone who wants the complete experience.
If you are more interested in cracking packs, the White Flare Booster Bundle offers six boosters without all the extras. It is one of the most efficient ways to add to your collection, and at $46.98 on TCGPlayer compared to $55 on Amazon, it feels like a much better deal.
For fans of Unova, the Victini Illustration Collection is a highlight. This box comes with a full art Victini, a parallel foil, and an oversize card, along with four boosters split between Black Bolt and White Flare. At just over $37 on TCGPlayer compared to $49.99 on Amazon, it is a fun pickup for both promo hunters and players looking for a variety of packs.
Across the board, these Black Bolt and White Flare products are more affordable on TCGPlayer than Amazon, often by double digit percentages. If you want to grab promo cards, crack open packs, or display sealed boxes, buying now ensures you are paying fair prices before the market tightens.
Here are the most valuable cards you can pull in Black Bolt and White Flare right now. Don't want to leave it to chance? You can just buy them for the best price on TCGPlayer right now:
Victini – 172/086 – SV: White Flare
Near Mint Holofoil: $450
Market price: $474.25
Value at launch: $500
Reshiram ex – 173/086 – SV: White Flare
Near Mint Holofoil: $420
Market price: $445.20
Value at launch: $488.50
Zekrom ex – 172/086 – SV: Black Bolt
Near Mint Holofoil: $400
Market price: $406.80
Value at launch: $499.50
Victini – 171/086 – SV: Black Bolt
Near Mint Holofoil: $430
Market price: $430
Value at launch: $440
Zekrom ex – 166/086 – SV: Black Bolt
Near Mint Holofoil: $203
Market price: $208.05
Value at launch: $210.56
Reshiram ex – 166/086 – SV: White Flare
Near Mint Holofoil: $190
Market price: $203.13
Value at launch: $210.56
SAVE UP TO $1,000: Score the Google Pixel 10 for free or take $800 off the Pixel 10 Pro at T-Mobile — with no trade-in required.
For those after a shiny modern smartphone upgrade but dreading the four-figure price tag that usually comes with it, T-Mobile’s latest Pixel promotion is about as good as it gets.
The carrier is offering the freshly announced Google Pixel 10 completely free, or $800 off the Google Pixel 10 Pro, when you add a line on a qualifying plan. What makes this even better is that there’s no trade-in required — you just need to stick with T-Mobile and enrol in AutoPay.
The savings are spread out as 24 monthly bill credits, so as long as you keep your account in good standing, you’ll end up paying next to nothing for one of the most hyped smartphones of the year.
The Pixel 10 is powered by Google’s new Tensor G5 chip, designed to boost multitasking and battery efficiency. That translates to up to 30 hours of use on a single charge, which is a nice step up from last year’s Pixel 9. You’re also getting the built-in Gemini AI, which can handle tasks like text-to-speech, summarising info, and web searches natively on the device.
Its 6.3-inch 1080p display is also sharp enough for everything from TikTok scrolling to Netflix binges.
If you want the bells and whistles, the Pixel 10 Pro cranks things up with a 2856 x 1280 display, AI-assisted photo and video editing, and support for Pixelsnap wireless charging. Plus, with eSIM technology, you can juggle multiple phone numbers on one device.
That makes it perfect if you need both a personal and a work line without carrying two phones.
T-Mobile says you can snag up to four devices per family, making it a no-brainer if you’re looking to upgrade everyone’s phone at once before the school year kicks into gear. Just remember that you’ll still owe taxes and fees upfront, and if you bail on your plan before the 24 months are up, you’re on the hook for the remaining balance (which is up to $1,000).
There’s no firm end date for this promotion, which means it could vanish once preorder demand spikes or Google caps supply. If a free Pixel (or an $800 discount on the Pro) sounds tempting, lock it in.
If you’re still weighing up your options, take a browse of our list of the best smartphones of 2025 so far — including the Google Pixel 9a, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and iPhone 16e. For anyone still looking to splash a bit less cash, we have a roundup of the five best budget smartphones in 2025 as well — including the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G and OnePlus 13R.
The Studio cast rewatching the finale together is a fun timeThe cast of "The Studio" sit down to rewatch the show's finale in a new clip from Apple TV+.
Watching the cast of The Studio watch The Studio isn't quite as fun as watching The Studio itself, but it's certainly an enjoyable way to kill a couple of minutes.
In the clip above Seth Rogen, co-creator Evan Goldberg, Catherine O’Hara, Ike Barinholtz, Chase Sui Wonders, Dewayne Perkins, Keyla Monterroso Mejia, and Bryan Cranston sit in a theatre watching back the show's finale, offering commentary on what it was like to film the big presentation scene ("We look so stupid," says Wonders, before Barinholtz chips in with "Morons, all morons.")
Stupid or not, though, the end result certainly worked.
Hurry! The TCL 55-Inch QM7K QD-Mini LED 4K TV is down to its best-ever price at AmazonAs of Aug. 22, the TCL 55-Inch QM7K QD-Mini LED 4K TV is on sale at Amazon for $597.99, 15% off its list price of $699.99.
SAVE OVER $100: As of Aug. 22, the TCL 55-Inch QM7K QD-Mini LED 4K TV is on sale for $597.99 at Amazon. This marks a return to its best-ever price.
If you've been hoping to invest in a new TV, Amazon has had some great deals available lately. This discount on a TCL 55-Inch QM7K QD-Mini LED 4K TV is a standout choice, as it's currently marked back down to its lowest-ever price at the retailer.
The TCL 55-Inch QM7K QD-Mini LED 4K TV is usually listed for $699.99, but it's on sale right now for $597.99. This marks a 15% discount from its list price, saving you $102 on list price. More importantly, this is its best-ever price, so there's no better time than now to scoop it up for less.
This 55-inch TCL TV boasts a QD-Mini LED display and 4K resolution so you can enjoy all of the latest shows and films on streaming in their best quality. And with audio by Bang & Olufsen, your ears are in for a treat with excellent sound quality to help you fully absorb whatever you're watching. On top of that, you can have all of your favorite streaming apps right at your fingertips.
It's currently listed as a limited-time deal, so act fast to score the TCL 55-Inch QM7K QD-Mini LED 4K TV at its best-ever price at Amazon. And if you're on the hunt for an even bigger TV, check out this great discount on the 98-inch Hisense QD5 QLED TV over at Amazon as well.
How to watch Bayern Munich vs. RB Leipzig online for freeHow to watch Bundesliga for free. Watch Bayern Munich vs. RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga for free from anywhere in the world.
TL;DR: Live stream Bayern Munich vs. RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
A summer without domestic football is always a struggle, but the return is oh so sweet. The Premier League got underway last week, but Bundesliga fans have had to remain patient.
Well we have some good news for fans of German football. Not only is the Bundesliga back, but you can watch the opening game of the new season without spending anything. And it's not just any game, it's the defending champions taking on the talented RB Leipzig. Can Bayern Munich kickstart their title defence with a win? Home fans will be expecting big performances from the likes of Harry Kane and Michael Olise.
If you want to watch Bayern Munich vs. RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
Bayern Munich vs. RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga kicks off at 7:30 p.m. BST on Aug. 22. This fixture takes place at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern Munich vs. RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.
BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Bayern Munich vs. RB Leipzig for free by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Visit BBC iPlayer
Live stream Bayern Munich vs. RB Leipzig for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Bayern Munich vs. RB Leipzig without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream select fixtures from the Bundesliga before recovering your investment.
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the UK
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream Bayern Munich vs. RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga for free with ExpressVPN.
Stephen King weighs in on Gavin Newsom trolling TrumpStephen King has shared his thoughts on Gavin Newsom's official X account posting in the style of Trump.
Stephen King took some time out from posting movie reviews on Thursday to get back to one of his other favorite topics: Trump.
Specifically in this case, he wanted to share his thoughts on the ongoing trolling of Trump by California Governor Gavin Newsom, which has unfolded on the Governor's official X press account in recent weeks in the form of many shouty, all-caps posts parodying the president himself.
The horror master's verdict? "Gavin Newsom's tweets are awesome. Thank you for your attention to this matter."
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If you haven't seen Newsom's posts yet, here are a few examples.
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The posts have been going so viral that both Trump and J.D. Vance have now responded — but it doesn't appear that Newsom's team will be stopping anytime soon.
NYT Strands hints, answers for August 22, 2025The NYT Strands hints and answers you need to make the most of your puzzling experience.
If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.
Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferrined pace.
The words are crime-related.
These words are kinds of typical suspects.
Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.
Today's spangram is Its a Mystery.
Spouse
Heir
Lover
Its a Mystery
Stranger
Detective
Rival
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.
Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 22, 2025Here's the answer for "Wordle" #1525 on August 22 as well as a few hints, tips, and clues to help you solve it yourself.
Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
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.
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be 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.
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
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.
Annoyed.
The letter T appears twice.
Today's Wordle starts with the letter R.
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 today's Wordle is...
RATTY.
Don't feel down 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.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.
NYT Pips hints, answers for August 22The New York Times' latest game, Pips, brings domino fun to your desktop. How to play Pips as well as hints in case you get stuck.
Pips is the newest game in the New York Times catalogue. Released in August 2025, the new game puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.
If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. Like dominoes, the tiles are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.
The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:
Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically.
Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 6-0, placed horizontally.
Number (1): Everything in this blue space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally.
Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed vertically.
Equal (1): The domino halves in this space must be 1. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally.
Number (3): The domino halves in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically.
Equal (5): The domino halves in this space must be 5. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically.
Number (5): The domino halves in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-6, placed horizontally.
Equal (6): The domino halves in this yellow space must be 6. The answer is 5-6, placed horizontally; 6-4, placed horizontally.
Number (6): The domino halves in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed vertically.
Number (18): The domino halves in this space must add up to 18. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed vertically.
Number (0): The domino halves in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically; 0-1, placed vertically; 0-0, placed vertically; 0-2, placed horizontally
Equal (2): The domino halves in this red space must be 2. The answer is 2-2, placed vertically; 0-2, placed horizontally.
Number (1): The domino halves in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically.
Equal (4): The domino halves in this blue space must be 4. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 4-3, placed horizontally.
Equal (3): The domino halves in this purple space must be 3. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally; 2-3, placed vertically.
Number (2): The domino halves in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
How to play Pips, the newest NYT gameHow to play the domino-based game Pips, the latest offering from the New York Times.
The New York Times has launched Pips, the latest entry in its daily habit-forming catalogue of games that includes Wordle, Connections, and Strands.
Released in August 2025, Pips is dominoes with a twist. You don't have to be good at dominoes to be good at Pips, which is designed to be a single-player experience.
If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a solid foundation for Pips. Like dominoes, the tiles are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The key difference for Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. Unlike dominoes, touching tiles don't have to match.
The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
There are three difficulty levels: Easy, Medium, and Hard. The more difficult the setting, the more tiles to place and the more conditions that must be met.
Here are common examples you'll run into across difficulty levels:
Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
If you get stuck, check out our hints for today's Pips puzzle.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 22, 2025Connections: Sports Edition is a New York Times word game about finding common sports threads between words. How to solve the puzzle.
Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: See
Green: Regionally specific
Blue: Regionally specific team abbreviations
Purple: Same first word
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Recognize
Green: A Chicago athlete
Blue: ACC teams, familiarly
Purple: Front ___
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #333 is...
Recognize - AWARD, CORONATE, CROWN, HONOR
A Chicago athlete - BEAR, BLACKHAWK, BULL, CUB
ACC teams, familiarly - CAL, CUSE, PITT, WAKE
Front ___ - COURT, OFFICE, ROW, RUNNER
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.
Pamela Adlon reacts to Bobby Hill TikTok videos"That's my purse! I don't know you!" Pamela Adlon from "King of the Hill" star reacts to Bobby Hill TikTok videos and shares what it's like to see her character all grown up.
Since King of the Hill first premiered in 1997, Pamela Adlon has been the voice of the lovable Bobby Hill. As a boy, he "just ain't right," but in Season 14 of the recently resurrected cartoon series, Bobby is a 21-year-old man who's got a lot going for him, including his own fusion restaurant.
What's it been like for Adlon to return to the role of Bobby Hill and see him all grown up? The accomplished writer/director/actor sat down with Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko for a Say More interview, where they touched on all that and more. They also chatted about how Adlon feels about the Oscar win of her Better Things co-star Mikey Madison, her upcoming auction of TV memorabilia to help her colleagues in the entertainment industry, and her thoughts on BobbyTok — TikTok videos centered on Bobby Hill, and particularly his very popular proclamation: "That's my purse! I don't know you!"
In the clip above, Adlon recounts how voicing Bobby over years on King of the Hill led to her feeling a deep connection with him. "I love Bobby so much. He's my favorite character, so much so that when I see a picture of Bobby I think I'm looking at myself, because it's me. It's an extension of me. He's one of my kids as well."
As proud as Adlon is of Bobby, she had no idea how big he'd become on TikTok, where his self-defense class proclamation became a trending sound, inspiring lots of videos — many about standing up for yourself — and even a purse.
She asked us to show her some of these videos, and we obliged. "Oh my God!" Adlon shouted. "That's amazing!" She then asked her publicist to download TikTok so they could look at more later.
King of the Hill Season 14 is now streaming on Hulu.
How to download EPUB files on your KindleWant the freedom to read any EPUB files on your Kindle? Here's how to get EPUB files on your Kindle.
Choosing the best e-reader for you is one thing, but building your digital library is a whole other endeavor. For thrifty readers, Libby and Stuff Your Kindle Day are two routes that don't involve spending a dime but still give you the freedom to read nearly anything you'd like. However, if you already have an impressive EPUB library to upload to your new Kindle e-reader, that makes things even easier.
Kindles used to only support limited file types, but as of 2022, they officially started supporting EPUB files. Now you can get the universal format on your Kindle, and there are two routes to do so. We break down each method for how to get EPUBs on Kindles, one using the Send to Kindle feature and the other using the software Calibre. Rest assured, both are extremely user-friendly; it's just a matter of personal preference.
Step 1: Register your Kindle to Amazon
To use Send to Kindle, your Kindle device needs to be registered to your Amazon account.
Step 2: Navigate to Amazon's Send to Kindle page
Visit the Send to Kindle page on Amazon's website.
Step 3: Choose your file
Drag and drop your file or click the "Select files from device" button to choose your epub files to upload. The file will go directly to your Kindle device.
One thing to note about this feature is that it takes about five minutes to upload and send, so if you're doing a mass upload it might be a long process. Plus, there are some folks who want a Kindle but want to avoid ties to Amazon otherwise. If that's the case and you don't register your Kindle e-reader to an Amazon account, then you'll have to upload your EPUB files another way.
An alternative way to get EPUB files onto your Kindle is to use an application that stores them and also serves as an intermediary to upload those files to your e-reader. The best program to do so is Calibre, and it's totally free to use. The e-book management system allows you to upload e-book files to read or convert them.
Step 1: Download Calibre
Visit Calibre's website to download the platform for your device.
Step 2: Convert book
The convert feature provides a list of formats to choose from, so if an e-reader only supports certain file types, you can make the file compatible. Choose which format you'd like to convert your EPUB file to and hit convert.
Step 3: Plug e-reader into device
Once you have your files uploaded and converted, plug your e-reader into your computer. A new icon will populate on Calibre called "device," where you can access all of your e-reader's files.
Step 4: Drag book into device library.
Once the device is attached, just drag your EPUB file to the device icon and drop it in. The file will upload in seconds and be ready to use. To verify the upload was successful, click on the device icon and make sure the file now appears in the device library.
Step 5: Optional: Auto-convert
If you forget to convert your EPUB files before upload, Calibre is a thorough program and will prompt you to auto-convert when you add your file to your device.
While Calibre has the unique advantage of being able to convert files to be compatible with most e-readers, there is one thing it can't do — remove encryption on DRM (Digital Rights Management) files. One extremely obnoxious thing e-reader brands have done is encrypt their books so that they can't be read on other devices. This means if you buy a book on a Kindle but later get a Kobo, the books you purchased in the Kindle store can't be converted over. While there are some services that advertise decoding these files, we have yet to find success with one. So for the time being, these processes of uploading EPUB files only work with unencrypted files.
The Nectar Labor Day sale has arrived early — save up to 50% on the new mattress you deserveThe Nectar Labor Day sale is live. Save 50% at Nectar this Labor Day.
SAVE 50%: The Nectar Labor Day sale is live — save up to 50% on Nectar mattresses and get up to 66% off with bundles.
Labor Day sales are officially underway, with a wide range of retailers offering up early access deals. And if you're in the market for a new mattress or bed frame, the Nectar Labor Day sale is the place to be.
This is one of Nectar's largest Labor Day promotions yet, with savings of up to 50% on mattresses and 66% off bundles. That means you can save big not just on beds, but on a complete sleep setup. Think mattresses paired with top-quality bed frames, bedding, and accessories. The discounts cover Nectar’s full lineup, from the Classic to the more advanced Premier, Luxe, and Ultra models, available in both foam and hybrid versions.
We're tracking all of the best Labor Day deals from Nectar. To get you started, we've lined up a selection of standout options for a better night's sleep:
Nectar Classic Memory Foam Mattress — $649 $1,490
Nectar Premier — $949 $2,282
Nectar Luxe — $1,249 $3,299
Adjustable Comfort Premier Bundle — $1,398 $3,054
Bamboo Bed and Mattress Bundle — $1,548 $3,204
Head to Nectar to score these early Labor Day deals.
We reviewed the best gay dating apps, including one too risqué for the app storeWhether you're looking for a relationship on Archer or a hookup on Grindr, these are the best gay dating apps for men in 2025.
Online dating as a gay man is a rite of passage, from the Craigslist m4m era to today's endless scroll. But for all the high rewards, it comes with a unique set of challenges that can sour the experience: ghosting, catfishing, straight guys who shouldn't be in your feed, and even some not-so-subtle fetishization. It's a lot to take in when you're just trying to find a genuine connection.
Yet, despite the BS, the best gay dating apps are still one of the main ways to meet new people, especially if you're a gay or bisexual man. Pew Research found that about one in four LGBTQ+ adults met their partner online, a much higher rate than for straight people.
Of course, we can't talk about gay dating without talking about Grindr. It's the undisputed king of gay dating apps, but between the bugs, the features moving behind paywalls, and its well-deserved reputation as one of the top hookup apps, it's not always the best option for finding a real connection.
"Grindr is a tried and true app that many queer men gravitate toward to find partners or for relationships that require lesser commitment, so it’s easy to point to it as the No. 1 app," Michelle Herzog, LMFT, AASECT-certified sex therapist, tells Mashable. "However, like Tinder, it’s gained a reputation as a hookup app — but that doesn’t mean there still aren’t men looking for long-term commitments, either."
The good news is that the dating app landscape is bigger and more diverse than ever. Mainstream apps like Hinge and OkCupid have made huge strides in inclusivity, while niche apps like Scruff and Feeld cater to specific communities, kinks, and desires. The key is figuring out which one is actually worth your time.
So, here's our guide to the best dating apps for gay men in 2025.
I tested 10+ budget robot vacuums. I found 3 that really work.After testing 10+ affordable robot vacuums in my apartment, these Roborock, Eufy, and iRobot models proved to be high quality, low price.
Budget-friendly robot vacuums are way smarter than they used to be. Even without all of the fancy features, the best cheap robot vacuum can absolutely shave some time off of your chore routine — if it works the way it's supposed to.
But many of the super-inexpensive robot vacuums cut corners too close to the sun, quickly going from helpers around the house to agents of chaos. Let's say that their low price stems from basic bumper car navigation instead of smart mapping, or from outdated obstacle sensors that get confused by table legs. Your chances of coming home to a vacuum stuck under the couch are higher than the chance of coming home to a fully-swept floor plan.
It's also more likely than not that any old cheap robot vacuum caps suction power at 3,000 or 4,000 Pa. And that's simply not enough to challenge any remotely stubborn crumbs, dust, or pet hair baked into carpet. That mediocrity extends to many robot vacuum and mop combo models, which often don't "scrub" so much as feebly glide a damp cloth around. A few steps in your bare feet, and you're all but guaranteed to step on debris the vacuum left behind.
Long story short: Buying a robot vacuum just because it's cheap puts that glorious hands-off cleaning experience in jeopardy. But not all budget robot vacuums are disappointing. Compared to five years ago, the affordable end of the robot vacuum spectrum has experienced just as much of a glow-up as the premium end. Smart mapping and self-emptying docks are both common and affordable in 2025, especially when deals on robot vacuums happen year-round. All of the vacuums in this guide regularly go on sale for under $500.
While I do have some good tips on how to make any robot vacuum work better, how do you ensure a cheap vacuum doesn't suck? By taking a recommendation from someone who's tested them personally. I'm regularly testing budget robot vacuums in my own apartment, actively keeping the "bang for your buck" mentality in mind. So, here are my picks for the best budget robot vacuum to buy in 2025.
I have tested several other inexpensive robot vacuums in the past that didn't make the most recent cut for this list. These include older models like the Eufy L60, Roomba 694, the Roomba Combo Essential 2, and Shark Matrix RV2300, which have simply been overshadowed by other (often newer) vacuums that offer more suction power and smarter features in the same budget price range.
One comparison that sticks out is the Roomba 205 DustCompactor versus the 3i G10+, which both "self-empty" without a self-emptying dock. However, I wasn't psyched on my experience with the Roomba 205 — it got stuck on rug corners and got lost too often. Plus, the 3i G10+ offers more advanced features like small obstacle and pet waste avoidance and a livestream pet camera, whereas the Roomba 205 doesn't.
The massive Masterclass Labor Day sale is live — get 50% off all courses right nowThe best Labor Day deals at Masterclass. Save 50% on Masterclass courses this Labor Day.
SAVE 50%: Masterclass is offering 50% off all courses for Labor Day. This MasterClass Labor Day discount ends on Sept. 1.
If you're looking to take up a new skill or hone in on a hobby from years gone by, it's time to check out Masterclass.
MasterClass is an online learning platform where well-known experts and public figures offer video courses on their areas of expertise. It covers a wide range of subjects, like cooking, filmmaking, writing, business, music, sports, and more. For example, you can take a cooking class with Gordon Ramsay or pick up tennis tips from Serena Williams. It doesn't get much better than that.
For Labor Day 2025, MasterClass has announced an incredible 50% off promotion. Instead of paying for individual classes, you get access to the entire library of more than 200 courses, and you can dip into as many lessons as you like during your membership. And until Sept. 1, all three membership models are half-price.
Choose from Standard, Plus, and Premium memberships, now priced at $5, $7, and $10 respectively. No matter what membership level you choose, you'll have unlimited access to a wide range of classes. Take your pick.
Save 50% on learning this Labor Day with Masterclass.
NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for August 22, 2025Answers to each clue for the August 22, 2025 edition of NYT's The Mini crossword puzzle.
The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.
With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.
So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.
Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, August 22, 2025:
The answer is Sheds.
The answer is Wax.
The answer is Alien.
The answer is Lag.
The answer is Piers.
The answer is Twang.
The answer is Yam.
The answer is Primo.
The answer is Sod.
The answer is Ashes.
The answer is Swamp.
The answer is Hal.
The answer is Exile.
The answer is Songs.
The answer is Ear.
The answer is Type A.
The answer is War.
The answer is Amish.
The answer is Goods.
The answer is Moe.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Mini Crossword.
How to identify AI-generated videos onlineWe now live in a world where AI deepfakes and AI-generated images look almost as good as the real thing. Here's how to build your AI literacy and what to look for when debunking AI-generated videos.
Sorry to disappoint, but if you're looking for a quick list of foolproof ways for detecting AI-generated videos, you're not going to find it here. Gone are the days of AI Will Smith grotesquely eating spaghetti. Yes, there are some tells, but AI video makers are getting better all the time, and the latest tools can create convincing, photorealistic videos with a few clicks.
Right now, AI-generated videos are still a relatively nascent modality compared to AI-generated text, images, and audio, because getting all the details right is a challenge that requires a lot of high-quality data. "But there's no fundamental obstacle to getting higher quality data," only labor-intensive work, said Siwei Lyu, a professor of computer science and engineering at University at Buffalo SUNY.
In the past six months, AI video generators have become so good at creating realistic videos that they often dupe the casual scroller. Telltale artifacts that used to give the game away, such as morphing faces and shape-shifting objects, are seen far less frequently. There's not much fakery in evidence in the viral AI-generated videos of the emotional support kangaroo, bunnies on a trampoline, or street interviews made with Google's Veo 3 model (which can generate sound with videos).
The key to identifying AI-generated videos, as with any AI modality, lies in AI literacy. "Understanding that [AI technologies] are growing and having that core idea of 'something I'm seeing could be generated by AI,' is more important than, say, individual cues," said Lyu, who is the director of UB's Media Forensic Lab.
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Navigating the AI slop-infested web requires using your online savvy and good judgment to recognize when something might be off. It's your best defense against being duped by AI deepfakes, disinformation, or just low-quality junk. It's a hard skill to develop, because every aspect of the online world fights against it in a bid for your attention. But the good news is, it's possible to fine-tune your AI detection instincts.
"By studying [AI-generated images], we think people can improve their AI literacy," said Negar Kamali, an AI research scientist at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, who co-authored a guide to identifying AI-generated images. "Even if I don't see any artifacts [indicating AI-generation], my brain immediately thinks, 'Oh, something is off,'" added Kamali, who has studied thousands of AI-generated images. "Even if I don't find the artifact, I cannot say for sure that it's real, and that's what we want."
Before we get into identifying AI-generated videos, let's distinguish the different types. AI-generated videos are generally divided into two different categories: Imposter videos and videos generated by a text-to-image diffusion model.
Imposter videos are AI-edited videos that consist of face swapping — where a person's entire face is swapped out for someone else's (usually a celebrity or politician) and made to say something fake — and lip syncing — where a person's mouth is subtly manipulated and replaced with different audio.
Imposter videos are generally pretty convincing; the technology has been around longer, and they build off of existing footage instead of generating something from scratch. Remember those Tom Cruise deepfake videos from a few years ago that went viral for being so convincing? They worked because the creator, Chris Ume, looked a lot like Tom Cruise, worked with a professional Tom Cruise impersonator, and did lots of minute editing, according to an interview with Ume, via The Verge.
These days, there are an abundance of apps out there that accomplish the same thing and can even — terrifyingly — include audio from a short sound bite that the creator finds online.
That said, there are some things to look for if you suspect an AI video deepfake. First of all, look at the format of the video. AI video deepfakes are typically "shot" in a talking-head format, where you can just see the heads and shoulders of the speaker, with their arms out of view (more on that in a minute).
To identify face swaps, look for flaws or artifacts around the boundaries of the face. "You typically see artifacts when the head moves obliquely to camera," said digital forensics expert and UC Berkeley Professor of Computer Science Hany Farid. As for the arms and hands, "If the hand moves, or something occludes the face, [the image] will glitch a little bit," Farid continued. And watch the arms and body for natural movements. "If all you're seeing is this," — on our Zoom call, Farid keeps his arms stiff and by his sides — "and the person's not moving at all, it's fake."
If you suspect a lip sync, focus your attention on the subject's mouth — especially the teeth. With fakes, "We have seen people who have irregularly shaped teeth," or the number of teeth change throughout the video, said Lyu. Another strange sign to look out for is "wobbling of the lower half" of the face, said Lyu. "There's a technical procedure where you have to exactly match that person's face," he said. "As I'm talking, I'm moving my face a lot, and that alignment, if you got just a little bit of imprecision there, human eyes are able to tell." This gives the bottom half of the face a more liquid, rubbery effect.
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When it comes to AI deepfakes, Aruna Sankaranarayanan, a Research Assistant at MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, says her biggest concern isn't deepfakes of the most famous politicians in the world like Donald Trump or Joe Biden, but of important figures who may not be as well known. "Fabrication coming from them, distorting certain facts, when you don't know what they look like or sound like most of the time, that's really hard to disprove," said Sankaranarayanan, whose work focuses on political deepfakes. Again, this is when AI literacy comes into play; videos like these require some research to verify or debunk.
In April 2025, Congress passed the Take It Down Act, making it a federal crime or post or share nonconsensual intimate imagery. Another bill called the NO FAKES Act is making its way through the Senate; this aims to provide legal protections against AI-generated replicas.
While regulators are cracking down on imposter videos, text-to-image generators have exploded in popularity. You can now generate AI videos directly within ChatGPT and Google Gemini. And Luma, Kling, and Freepik are just a few of the other alternatives of easy-access video generators that have proliferated online.
With a short text description, you can generate any kind of video your imagination dreams up. The majority of AI-generated videos shared online fall into the category of, "Hey, look what I can do with this cool new technology." This can range from the absurd, like a cat jumping off an Olympic diving board, to the downright misleading, like fake videos of hurricane damage. But all of it contributes to a confusing, dystopian experience, where it's harder and harder to separate AI-generated fiction from reality.
What's more, many accounts circulating AI-generated videos are profiting from the clickbait by deliberately deceiving users. On TikTok, it's practically impossible to know whether that creator selling you the latest skincare product is AI-generated or not. AI-generated videos made with TikTok's tools are automatically disclosed, but that doesn't stop users from uploading AI-generated or edited videos made with tools outside of the platform.
You can try looking for context clues, the experts say. Farid said to look out for "temporal inconsistencies," such as "the building added a story, or the car changed colors, things that are physically not possible," he said. "And often it's away from the center of attention that where that's happening." So, hone in on the background details. You might see unnaturally smooth or warped objects, or a person's size change as they walk around a building, said Lyu.
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Kamali says to look for "sociocultural implausibilities" or context clues where the reality of the situation doesn't seem plausible. "You don't immediately see the telltales, but you feel that something is off — like an image of Biden and Obama wearing pink suits," or the Pope in a Balenciaga puffer jacket.
But relying too much on certain cues to verify whether a video is AI-generated could get you into trouble.
Lyu's 2018 paper about detecting AI-generated videos because the subjects didn't blink properly was widely publicized in the AI community. As a result, people started looking for eye-blinking defects, but as the technology progressed, so did more natural blinks. "People started to think if there's a good eye blinking, it must not be a deepfake and that's the danger," said Lyu. "We actually want to raise awareness but not latch on particular artifacts, because the artifacts are going to be amended."
Building the awareness that something might be AI-generated will "trigger a whole sequence of action," said Lyu. "Check, who's sharing this? Is this person reliable? Are there any other sources correlating on the same story, and has this been verified by some other means? I think those are the things the most effective counter measures for deepfakes."
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For Farid, identifying AI-generated videos and misleading deepfakes starts with where you source your information. Take the AI-generated images that circulated on social media in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. Most of them were pretty obviously fake, but they still had an emotional affect on people. "Even when these things are not very good, it doesn't mean that they don't penetrate, it doesn't mean that it doesn't sort of impact the way people absorb information," he said.
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Be cautious about getting your news from social media. "If the image feels like clickbait, it is clickbait," said Farid before adding it all comes down to media literacy. Think about who posted the video and why it was created. "You can't just look at something on Twitter and being like, 'Oh, that must be true, let me share it.'"
If you're suspicious about AI-generated content, check other sources to see if they're also sharing it, and if it all looks the same. As Lyu says, "a deepfake only looks real from one angle." Search for other angles of the instance in question. Farid recommends sites like Snopes and Politifact, which debunk misinformation and disinformation. As we all continue to navigate the rapidly changing AI landscape, it's going to be crucial to do the work — and trust your gut.
Some AI companies, including Google and OpenAI, have ways of labeling their AI-generated videos as such. With every video generated by Veo, Google has embedded an invisible watermark called SynthID. After the launch of Veo 3 caused a wave of concern, the company also added a visible watermark labeling it as AI-generated.
OpenAI, Adobe, and other companies label their AI-generated videos and images with invisible watermarks using a technical standard developed by the nonprofit Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA).
While visible watermarks may seem like an obvious solution, they can also be easily removed. And there's the question of whether they even matter. A study from Stanford University's Institute for Human-Centered AI (HAI) recently found visible labels indicating AI-generated content "may not change its persuasiveness." After all, we're used to all sorts of meaningless logos on viral videos; it's easy to visually tune them out.
Invisible watermarks, on the other hand, are baked into the metadata. This makes them harder to remove and easier to track.
Standards like C2PA are a step in the right direction, but right now, it's up to the companies to voluntarily adhere to these standards. Perhaps one day, those standards will be enforced by regulators. In the meantime, our best bets are still sound judgement and strong media literacy.
NASA telescopes image of a creepy cosmic object just got strangerScientists still don't fully understand a mysterious nebula, formed by a pulsar's interaction with its surrounding supernova remnant.
A new study has returned to a popular Milky Way attraction, formed by a fast-spinning dead star core that scientists say is one of the most powerful electromagnetic generators in the galaxy.
At the heart of this colorful nebula is a so-called pulsar, a type of neutron star that blasts streams of high-energy particles through space as it revolves like a lighthouse beacon. This thing is what remains of a massive star that suffered a supernova explosion.
By adding radio data to NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory image, astronomers can now see that some of the features don't match up at different light wavelengths, suggesting scientists still don't fully understand how the pulsar wind interacts with the leftover supernova debris.
Researchers hope that by further probing the mysterious object, MSH 15-52, they can learn how this type of event creates high-energy particles, some of which may become cosmic rays that could eventually reach Earth.
The Chandra observatory took an image of the nebula more than 15 years ago. Recently, scientists used the Australia Telescope Compact Array to make detailed radio maps of this region in space, then combined them with the X-ray data. The findings from that work are published in The Astrophysical Journal.
At about 1,700 years old, MSH 15-52, sometimes called the "cosmic hand" or "hand of God" for its unusual shape, is one of the youngest-known nebulas formed by pulsar wind. Located about 17,000 light-years away in the constellation Circinus, it's also quite large, dwarfing the famous Crab Nebula. The hand stretches about 150 light-years.
That's hard to imagine, given that the pulsar itself — the thing responsible for this scene — is only about 12 miles wide. But, make no mistake, it's fast and powerful. The pulsar spins seven times per second. For the millennials out there, that's about as fast as a CD revolves in a Discman. And the pulsar's magnetic field is about 30 million times stronger than the most powerful steady magnet ever built on Earth.
In the new composite image, gold represents hydrogen gas in visible light, red represents radio waves, and blue, orange, and yellow represent X-rays. The "fingers" look purple where radio and X-rays overlap.
Particles from the pulsar form a bubble of glowing gas. The system is also linked to the surrounding supernova debris, RCW 89, the remains of the massive star explosion that created the pulsar. The new radio data reveals threadlike filaments that could result from the collision of the pulsar's wind with the supernova's debris.
Some bright X-ray features, like the pulsar's jet and fingerlike shapes, don't show up in radio waves. This means the particles that produce them are a higher-energy source.
"Highly energetic particles are leaking out from a shock wave — similar to a supersonic plane's sonic boom — near the pulsar," according to the Chandra X-ray Observatory, "and moving along magnetic field lines to create the fingers."
For the supernova remnant, the radio waves match up with bright knots seen in X-rays and visible light. But surprisingly, that radio glow extends much farther, leaving the researchers somewhat baffled.
To get to the bottom of the mystery, scientists will likely need more detailed computer models.
Pornhub copies TikTok with a feature fit for goonscrollingPornhub Shorties is still in beta, but the short-form feature has the potential to change the way we watch adult content.
In ye olde days of the early internet, porn was genuinely hard to come by. The rise of ASCII porn in the '80s (seriously, look it up, if you dare) gave way to early peer-to-peer networks, sharing grainy imagery. Then, the World Wide Web helped early cyber-pornstars mint a fortune with their own web pages — but you had to get to grips with modems first.
When broadband got faster, tube sites like Pornhub, YouPorn, and RedTube began to spit out free (often pirated) content in the mid-'00s, before smartphones saw people switch to the smaller screen. OnlyFans, launched in 2016, changed the game by removing the barrier to entry of making adult content and popularizing the subscription-based model.
Still, Pornhub dominates in terms of traffic, with over a billion site visits last month compared to around 280 million for OnlyFans, according to Similarweb. Now, the floodgates for explicit content will open even further with Pornhub Shorties, a brand-spanking-new feature that's still being tested.
Pornhub Shorties is a lot like Instagram Reels, but for porn: fast, dynamic videos presented in a vertical, scrollable format. Think cutdowns of longer videos, snappy jerk-off instructions, and instant money shots. It's something that users on Reddit have been predicting for the last few years (and, as many have lamented, it should really have been called "Quickies," right?).
It quietly launched in beta in March 2024 and has been gradually appearing on users' and creators' devices since. While Pornhub is hush-hush about a hard launch date, it's likely coming soon, considering the feature is already accessible.
Shorties' launch is no big surprise. After all, vertical content is now king. People hold their phones vertically 94 percent of the time, and the vast majority of all Pornhub traffic worldwide comes from mobile devices, so ensuring it's optimised for phone viewing is obvious stuff.
Plus, for years, Pornhub's content has been lagging behind; many of its videos are uploaded in landscape format, meaning you have to turn your phone around (and, crucially, use two very precious hands) if you want to watch in full screen.
More portrait porn, then, is clearly the way forward. "Porn reflects and shapes the media environment. It makes sense that Pornhub would have its own TikTok dupe of vertically filmed videos that are easy to view on your phone," says Hallie Lieberman, a sex historian and journalist. Especially, when it uses a scrolling mechanism that we've been so accustomed — and addicted — to. "Scrolling allows us to titrate for potency and novelty. The result is a state of hypnotic lassitude that is hard to break free from," says psychiatrist and Dopamine Nation author Anna Lembke. Doomscrolling is now firmly ingrained in our collective consciousness.
Ironically, all this vertical content encroaches on our horizontal time. According to a recent YouGov survey, 87 percent of Britons look at their phone or tablet within an hour of going to sleep. With many of us spending time thumbing away in the bedroom — and porn frequently consumed at night — it makes sense that Shorties is now vying for our increasingly atrophied attention and tapping into our desire to keep scrolling.
But what's the payoff? Well, for creators, it's supposedly just that. With Shorties being increasingly promoted, engaging with the platform could reward people with better reach and revenue (also like Reels). But Pornhub's track history in the industry isn't rosy; the tube site laid the groundwork for the porn "gig economy" that OnlyFans and others foster. And, as of February this year, the average amount earned per 1,000 streams is just $0.69.
Lola May, a 23-year-old adult content creator who also goes by the alias Saint Bunnie, has seen some early (dollar) signs of success. "I first came across Shorties a few months ago when one of my vertical videos had the option in the upload screen and I thought I'd give it a try," she says. Her Shorties portfolio, so far, features short blowjob scenes and stripteases. "Based on the views on my videos comparatively, I can't really tell how much the algorithm is pushing them, but I feel like they're definitely doing better than just uploading as a normal video in the vertical format."
The bonus, she says, is that they offer a platform for "low-pressure" vertical videos and "additional cell phone footage" that might not usually perform well. But to make money via ad revenue, you really need a money shot. "I think the key to Shorties is: action, action, action. I've tried teasing style videos, but it's Pornhub, so they never do as well as straight action."
This instant excitement is part of the attraction for viewers. Shorties promises tailored, quick-fix content that can be shuffled through without the need to hit up the search bar. Unlike a self-curated Pornhub Playlist, there is no end to Shorties; it's an unlimited buffet of all-you-can-view porn. A quick flick through Shorties, on a newly-registered account, reveals a focus on the most popular porn categories: Milf, Amateur, and, unnervingly, a lot of Teen. Size matters, too: "Big Ass" tags and "big tiddy" captions abound. And as expected, it's all about in media res action; until, that is, my scroll is briefly interrupted by a full-size ad for AI porn.
The traction for vertical seems, so far, surprisingly slow. According to Pornhub's Year in Review 2024, Vertical was the shortest-watched category, with the average view time clocking in at four minutes and 14 seconds. "They pop in to get the job done and they're out, no time for browsing!" chirps the report. However, it seems to be chiming with younger viewers. Pornhub's statisticians found that 18-24 year olds were the most likely (+392 percent than other age groups, apparently) to view Vertical videos.
A spokesperson for Pornhub shared more positive thinking: "Our new vertical platform, Shorties, is currently in beta, but early feedback from both users and creators has been very positive. We are excited about the creativity and engagement it is already generating, and we look forward to sharing more information when it officially launches later this year."
The spokesperson didn't answer a follow-up question asking to clarify the positive feedback. But if it is hooking in viewers, could their growing engagement turn into indulgence?
Pornhub will likely be banking on Shorties to make its website even stickier thanks to the power of short-form video. As Lembke explains, short-form "activates our brain's reward pathway, providing 24/7 access to potent, frictionless pleasure with minimal up-front work."
There's a chance that Shorties will also feed into another growing phenomenon: gooning. To goon is neither a bag of wine nor a synonym for "idiot" in this case. Instead, it means spending an extended amount of time masturbating, sometimes without climax. It's edging on steroids (or, Viagra, maybe). Online, gooning has become an entire subculture, where proponents try to enter a meditative "goon state" and share experiences, a little like Erowid if you swapped trips for death grips.
Could goonscrolling become a thing, combining two pathways to compulsive behaviour?
Lembke thinks so, and that it could exacerbate issues for people who can't stop watching porn. "Pornhub is copying the same short-form video format that has been so successful for other digital platforms. The experiment has already been done...the short form videos adapted to pornography will only increase the potency and risk of addiction."
The anti-masturbation NoFap community is similarly concerned. "This is sad. They're attacking us with all the powers they have in them. We're truly cooked," reads one top comment on a Reddit thread about Shorties.
May, the Pornhub creator, is also anxious. "I definitely think that Shorties can have some negative effects on those who already struggle to moderate their porn intake. Porn addiction is beginning to become a huge issue, especially for young people, and it can lead to some pretty serious problems in relationships," she says.
"I would like to see some kind of moderation on the length of time spent on Shorties in a future update." She pointed out TikTok's pop-up if a user has spent a "concerning" amount of time scrolling, and believes it would benefit Pornhub to add something similar.
"It's easy to get lost in doomscrolling, and it can be even easier to get lost doomscrolling porn," May says.
Porn addiction, though, isn't a medically accepted diagnosis. Many scientists believe that moral incongruence surrounding porn use (in other words, feeling guilty) is the best indicator of self-diagnosed issues surrounding porn use. Lieberman agrees with this thesis, and she also doesn't think the new feature will lead to wild, unadulterated masturbation sessions. "I'm not afraid that Shorties will transform America into a country of gooners with an endless stream of porn," she says.
It's easy to get lost in doomscrolling, and it can be even easier to get lost doomscrolling porn.
And there's no certainty that Shorties will even be able to harness the mindless scrolling of other social media platforms. "I'm not sure if people will end up being sucked into Shorties in the same way they are sucked into Instagram Reels and TikTok," Lieberman continues. After all, even the horniest of us are unlikely to start scrolling through quickfire bukkake while simultaneously "watching" telly.
Perhaps the fate of Shorties lies in the power of its secret algorithm. Again, Lieberman isn't too worried. "If it's a choice between algorithms driving people to masturbate more versus algorithms driving people to crazy conspiracy theories, I'd choose the masturbation."
But there is already widespread concern surrounding other platforms' shadowy algorithms and how they serve provocative content to keep users hooked. Earlier this year, for example, Meta had to apologise after Instagram users were suddenly flooded with extraordinarily graphic Reels. It's unclear whether the same could happen with Shorties.
Or maybe Shorties will prove to be a damp squib due to deeply-embedded porn habits and go the way of that freaky ASCII stuff: straight into the deleted history of the internet.
5 takeaways from KPop Demon Hunters sing-along experienceFrom how to get tickets, to who should come, and what to expect, Mashable gives a rundown of the "KPop Demon Hunters" sing-along experience based on their NYC press preview.
KPop Demon Hunters is a phenomenon that's only growing.
The Netflix release focuses on a trio of K-pop idols called HUNTR/X who not only lay down devastatingly catching songs but also battle deadly demons, including the dastardly alluring boy band called Saja Boys.
The combination of enthralling action, swoon-worthy romance, total squad goals, and a banging soundtrack has made the film massively popular on the streaming service. Since its June debut, KPop Demon Hunters has become Netflix's most-watched animated movie ever, and is currently the second most-watched Netflix movie of all time. (Watch out, Red Notice; HUNTR/X is on your tail!)
Meanwhile, the soundtrack for KPop Demon Hunters debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 chart. And as I write this, "Golden," a HUNTR/X track from the film, is currently number two on the Hot 100 Chart, while Saja Boys' "Your Idol" is at number four and "Soda Pop" is at number 10.
There's no escaping KPop Demon Hunters, and this is the perfect weekend to give in, because the movie that's got Netflix users hooked is coming to theaters for a special series of sing-along screenings.
To get a feel for what this experience would bring to KPop Demon Hunters fans, I attended a press preview of the sing-along screening in New York City, at the Netflix-owned Paris Theater. Here are my five takeaways from the experience:
Watching this movie at home is a joy, sure. But in a theater with advanced surround sound, the soundtrack just hits different. The opening battle scene, where Rumi, Mira, and Zoey kick off "How It's Done" while pummeling demons and skydiving from a destroyed plane into their arena show below? It's epic on the big screen.
It's the feeling of being at a real concert. The music is marvelous and enveloping. The audience around you is geeking out with you, dancing in their seats (or out of them) and singing along with their full chest. In this way, KPop Demon Hunters brings together the sublime community vibes of concerts and moviegoing with the cost of one ticket.
Yes, we know people love pulling out their phones in theaters. But the expectation of this controversial behavior is higher when the audience is offered a chance to perform too.
Personally, I was a bit shocked to see at a press screening how many attendees were pulling out their phones. From my seat, I could see several filming the screen (weird, when the movie is already online?). Some filmed their party singing along, and one guy appeared to film his own reactions to watching the movie.
Arden Cho, who voices Rumi, shared her own footage from her preview screening on TikTok, which includes viewers dancing and singing along excitedly. This is reminiscent of footage from theaters that showed Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé and Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.
However, if you don't want the distraction of other people's phones, you might want to favor an Alamo Drafthouse screening. Famously, the Alamo doesn't put up with talking or texting in their theaters. But Mashable wondered if the rules might be bent for a sing-along.
A rep for Alamo Drafthouse answered our inquiry with:
"Policy will remain and phones will not be allowed at these screenings. Lyrics will be on the screen for audience to sing along."
Alamo also has party screenings, which come with some sweet KPop Demon Hunters merch. However, you can also buy your own merch online at Netflix's shop.
Ahead of the movie, the Paris Theater piped in the soundtrack as people took their seats. Already, the excited fans — many of whom were young girls — were singing along. They were beyond ready, knowing the words by heart.
When the movie played with lyrics subtitled on the screen, the level of enthusiasm and volume from the audience boomed — even over the sections of songs that are in Korean. Then, when some snippets of song — like Rumi struggling to get through "Golden" on a solo moment on a rooftop — are not offering the lyrics onscreen, these fans sang with her, every word, without a missed beat.
If you're a Rujinu shipper, scandalized that Rumi and Jinu do not kiss in the film, you're not alone. And you'll likely learn that if you go to the sing-alongs.
In my screening, every time the hot demon and the heart-struck huntress came remotely close to kissing, a girl or several girls would cry out, "KISS!"
Sure, we know their kisses got cut from the film. But there's something deeply heartwarming about being a part of a crowd willing this romance to take that next step.
Girlhood is alive and well.
Look, this audience will be mostly fans who are already deep into loving the soundtrack, swooning over their favorite Saja Boy or HUNTR/X girl, and manifesting the announcement of a sequel. However, those new to the movie are totally welcome too.
This was clear in the moment of a major revelation from Jinu. IYKYK. And if you don't know, you'll be like the woman behind me who gasped hard and loud in genuine surprise. In response, the crowd around her laughed and cheered, realizing they had a new member to their ranks.
That's all you need to know, outside of how to get tickets: KPop Demon Hunters sing-along is a limited theatrical event, which occurs on Aug. 23 and Aug. 24. across the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the UK.
To view the full list of theaters and showtimes in your area, and to download tickets, check out the following links: U.S. and Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
Kpop Demon Hunters is now streaming on Netflix.
Who is actually using Threads?Threads has reached 400 million monthly users, surpassing X. Why does the Meta app thrive on community despite its muted cultural presence?
This month, Threads announced that it reached 400 million monthly active users — nearly as many as X (née Twitter). That’s almost half a billion people.
Threads is the Big Bang Theory of social media. Bland, boring, largely unoffensive, and somehow, it was the most popular show on television for years. Game of Thrones got the cultural and critical attention, but Old Sheldon retained a steady audience of nearly the same size. At any given time, "Twitter" and "X" are searched somewhere between 12 and 30 times more than "Threads" on Google, according to the search engine's Trends data. Threads is a popular platform without much of an identity. And maybe that's a good thing: X's cultural relevance is inseparable from the constant churn of Elon Musk drama — just like how Game of Thrones' cultural legacy is forever tied to its spectacularly bad final season.
Meanwhile, Big Bang Theory delivered consistency: viewers' expectations were met each week, even if those expectations didn't reach the heights of what a television show can, or should, be. Threads, likewise, is consistently good at one thing users really want from a social media platform: for their posts to be seen and engaged with. Threads might be boring in comparison to its competitors, but its users say it might be the only place on the internet right now where they don't feel they are screaming into the void.
And despite Threads' connection to Meta's universe of social media platforms, it is a relatively new app — and after speaking with a few Threads power users, I'm convinced its newness and ever-slow rollout of features is where its success lies. This is far from X, which is in a constant state of change and seems to be hemorrhaging users.
Meecham Whitson Meriweather, a 38-year-old writer in Brooklyn, decided to join Threads when it launched in 2023. He posted on both X and Threads for a while before, in February of this year, he was kicked off of X entirely. He's not entirely sure why he was suspended from the social media platform — he was an active user with 58,000 followers at the time — but has a suspicion it was tied to a post he made about X's owner Musk needing to be "locked up."
He's not the only person who left X — by choice or not — after Elon Musk took over the site in 2022. Like other users who fled the platform, he considered alternatives like Mastodon and tried out Bluesky but found his home in Threads, largely because of Meta's interconnected ecosystem.
"It also just felt more authentic as a text-based app because they already had everything that they needed," Whitson Meriweather told Mashable. "That was the main draw for me. I'm already seeing people I know here. I can already talk about what I feel like talking about. There's no weird balance in the feed."
Not only are all your Threads followers connected to your Instagram or Facebook accounts, but Threads is integrated with ActivityPub, a decentralized protocol that also powers Mastodon, which pushes the platform into federated, open social networking.
He's since started an on-platform interview series he calls "Loose Threads," where he interviews people — including Martha Stewart and Pam Anderson — on the app.
Whitson Meriweather, who writes a Substack newsletter and has published work in Vulture, GQ, and New York Magazine and has 41,500 followers on Threads. But one reason users seem to appreciate Threads is that, much like TikTok, you don't actually have to have thousands of followers to find decent engagement on the app.
One user, commenting in a Reddit forum questioning who actually uses the app, said they "find it worthwhile" because "you can just say stuff on there under a tag and people will find it and respond."
"Engagement on [Threads] is really good, and it doesn't feel like screaming into a void," the user wrote.
"Screaming into a void" is often a complaint for social media users without significant followings. David "YoRush" Rushing, a 37-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina, didn't have much of a social media presence before coming to Threads. He was on X, but found it to be "toxic" and none of his posts really made an impact. When Meta launched Threads, he was one of the first adopters — and one of his first posts immediately took off.
It was opening night for the NBA, and Threads was new and lacked key features — for instance, a way to search for posts about opening night for the NBA. So he posted asking if there were any NBA Threads users, and it "took off."
"A lot of conversations jumped off" as a result of that post, he told Mashable. "I was being really intentional about [creating community]. If someone engaged with me, I engaged back."
After a few weeks, he noticed that it was still really difficult for users to find each other on Threads with its limited features. "So I made a really big community-oriented post and was just like, 'Hey, this is our opportunity for a fresh start for NBA Threads. These are all the people I've met this week who are really into the NBA."
Now, with more than 87,400 followers, he's one of the most influential voices in the NBA Threads community.
"NBA Threads is [a] really special [community]," he said. "It's seen a couple of different iterations because that's just normal with these platforms. As time goes on, things change. But I really do think it's still a very unique place where you can go, and you can be the passionate sports fan you are. You're not constantly facing a barrage of toxicity when you share your opinions or when you jump into a conversation that's happening."
According to consumer research company GWI, while users signed up for Threads because of its integration with Instagram, they're staying because Threads users are "community-focused," noting there's a strong overlap between Discord users and Threads users. That's why Whitson Meriweather loves it for pop culture; Rushing loves it for sports; and Tina Mars, a 36-year-old book marketer and author in California, loves it for the book community.
"Threads is very community-driven," Mars told Mashable. She really enjoyed Instagram — Bookstagram is a huge community on that platform — but never felt particularly drawn to text-forward platforms like X or Bluesky. She checked out Threads because of its integration with Instagram and immediately found her people. After a year on Threads, Book Threads was one of the top three micro communities on the app.
Book Threads "has its own drama, as these kinds of platforms do, but I do feel like it's very much community-driven. It's very chill," she told Mashable. "[It's] easy to share your authentic thoughts. It doesn't have to be curated; it doesn't even have to be well said. It can be very much in the moment, unplanned, and I think a lot of people really love a space to do that. And a lot of people also were finding a lot more interaction and connection on there than on other platforms as well."
Meta is a beast. Threads, while relatively quiet, should have been the expected winner of the X replacement battle all along.
It just doesn't have the same flair as X or Twitter, which could be because Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, went out of his way to ensure politics was downplayed when Threads first launched. (Meta has since backtracked slightly by phasing "civic content" back into Threads "with a more personalized approach.") The vibe was calmer, and the site was kind of easy to forget. Unless, of course, you logged into your Facebook or Instagram account.
It's easy to see why Threads picked up so many users in the beginning. Meta has mastered the art of baiting people onto Threads. On Instagram, you're met with the most viral Threads posts, but the last few words will almost always be cut off, convincing you to click through, and there you have it — an account on Threads, and with that one click, you're one of the 400 million monthly users of the site. But that was two years ago, and users not only stayed, but more have joined, all while the distance between our cultural obsession with an app and the reality of its use seems vast
Threads is still in its adolescence. It lacks the media ecosystem that made Twitter indispensable for journalists, politicians, and celebrities. But it has something else: sheer scale and Meta’s backing. With Instagram’s 2 billion users as a feeder system, Meta can keep funneling people toward Threads whether they like it or not. And with ActivityPub integration, it has the potential to tap into the wider fediverse, giving it a future that even Twitter never had.
There are still plenty of things users want from Threads, and the Meta team promises they're working on solutions. But Threads isn't the X killer. X is the X killer — Threads is just the replacement.
All of the creators I spoke to said since community is so important on the app, they wish there was a way to zone in on it tighter — with something like Circles on X or Close Friends on Instagram. Threads is developing group DMs for this, which isn't quite the same thing. In all, there's a lot that creators want from the platform.
"The Threads community, especially the book community, is generating these vibrant, engaging, real conversations," Mars said, adding that, while she'd love a new Circles-like feature, she's been elated to see what the Threads community has already built. "I've seen this community get a lot of cool opportunities from just posting on Threads. I think it is amazing."
UPDATE: Aug. 22, 2025, 11:35 a.m. EDT This story has been updated to accurately reflect the timing and number of followers Meecham Whitson Meriweather had when he was suspended from X. We have also clarified Threads' current approach to political content.
Get Windows 11 Pro before Microsoft ends support for Windows 10Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10, but you can still get improved security and usability with Windows 11 Pro
TL;DR: Get Windows 11 Pro for $15 before Microsoft cuts support for Windows 10.
With Microsoft preparing to end support for Windows 10, millions of users will soon face a choice. Stick with an outdated system that no longer receives security patches, or upgrade to Windows 11 Pro and keep your computer protected.
For now, you can make that upgrade for only $14.97, far below the regular $199 price.
Yes.
Windows 11 Pro has improvements across the board, from gaming to basic things like navigating tabs. The interface is cleaner, with a simplified taskbar and updated design that feels more modern. Features like Snap Layouts let you organize multiple windows quickly, and virtual desktops help separate work, personal projects, and entertainment into different spaces. These tools make multitasking less of a hassle and keep everything within easy reach.
Performance is another reason to consider upgrading. Windows 11 Pro is optimized to handle multiple apps at once while using system resources more efficiently. The result is faster response times and a system that feels less bogged down, even if you keep a lot open at once.
Security has also been improved. BitLocker encryption keeps your data safe, while Smart App Control reduces the risk of downloading harmful software. Support for biometric login, such as facial recognition and fingerprint scanning, adds another layer of protection.
For advanced users, Windows 11 Pro includes DirectX 12 Ultimate for gaming, Hyper-V for running virtual machines, and Windows Sandbox for testing software in a secure environment.
The system also introduces Microsoft Copilot, an AI-powered assistant built directly into Windows. Copilot can help with writing, editing, and navigating your computer, making everyday tasks faster without the need for extra subscriptions.
This upgrade is a one-time purchase that provides a lifetime license for your device. You will continue to receive updates and security improvements for as long as the hardware is supported.
Right now, it’s only $14.97 to get Windows 11 Pro, but it’s not going to stay that way.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
You’ll never run out of documentaries with this streaming service — and you only have to pay once for lifeGet lifetime access to Curiosity Stream for $199.99 (reg. $399.99). One payment, no subscriptions—just thousands of documentaries to stream anytime.
TL;DR: Score a lifetime subscription to Curiosity Stream for $199.99 (reg. $399.99). That’s 50% off for unlimited access to thousands of documentaries and nonfiction shows — no subscriptions, no strings.
In a world where even your heated car seats now come with a monthly fee, it’s rare to find a streaming deal that doesn’t nickel-and-dime you. Enter Curiosity Stream — a nonfiction streaming service that trades true crime fluff for deep dives into science, tech, nature, and history. And right now, you can lock in lifetime access for $199.99 (reg. $399.99).
That means no subscriptions. No annual renewals. No fine print. Just documentaries, docu-series, and brain-boosting content you can stream forever.
Whether you geek out on particle physics or just want something smarter to stream while you eat lunch, Curiosity Stream has your back. Explore titles like:
Stephen Hawking’s Favorite Places
Polar Bears
The History of Home
Deep Time History
Into the Jungle
With new content added regularly, your “what to watch” problem just turned into a “what to watch first” situation. Who knows? You might just never wonder what to stream, and you may find yourself eager to learn something new every time you watch TV.
You’ll get high-definition streaming across all devices, download options for offline viewing (which is perfect if you’re planning to travel), and a clean, user-friendly interface. Think Netflix, but for documentaries… and without the revolving door of fees, logins, or content vanishing overnight.
This is the rare kind of streaming deal that actually gets better with time — because you only pay once, but the content keeps coming.
Curiosity Stream’s lifetime plan is $199.99 (reg. $399.99) for a limited time, and this price isn’t available anywhere else. No code is needed, just a one-time payment for a lifetime of knowledge.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Deeper Connect Mini is the worlds first and only DPN and firewall hardware — save 21% right nowKeep hackers out and privacy in with the Deeper Connect Mini DPN and firewall for $179.99 (reg. $229).
TL;DR: The Deeper Connect Mini is a plug-and-play decentralized VPN and firewall on sale for just $179.99 (reg. $229) with free shipping through Sept. 7.
When most people think about enterprise-level cybersecurity, they imagine bulky equipment, complicated installs, and maybe even monthly subscription fees. The Deeper Connect Mini throws all that out the window.
At just 0.8-inches high and less than half a pound, this sleek little box packs a seven-layer enterprise-grade firewall, decentralized VPN, ad-blocker, parental controls, and even a way to earn passive income by sharing bandwidth — all in a plug-and-play design.
Unlike traditional VPNs, the Deeper Connect Mini uses decentralized VPN (DPN) technology. That means no central servers watching your traffic, no single point of failure, and complete control over your encrypted data. It quietly runs in the background, giving you unrestricted access to the internet while shielding you from malware, phishing, and trackers.
Want fewer distractions? It blocks ads across all browsers (even YouTube). Need to protect your kids? One-click parental controls let you instantly filter dangerous content. And if you’re into the blockchain side of things, it can even mine a little passive income while you surf.
The best part is that there are no subscriptions. You pay once, plug it in, and enjoy worry-free browsing on up to all your home and travel devices.
Get the Deeper Connect Mini for $179.99 (reg. $229) with free shipping through Sept. 7 at 11:59 p.m. PT while you can.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Why Paul Simons The Obvious Child is key to Netflixs Long Story Short"Long Story Short" takes a deep dive into Paul Simon's song "The Obvious Child." Here's why.
If you've ever jammed out to Paul Simon's "The Obvious Child," then Netflix's Long Story Short is for you.
Mere minutes into the show's first episode, Avi Schwooper (voiced by Ben Feldman), consummate music nerd and eldest Schwooper sibling, plays "The Obvious Child" for his girlfriend Jen (voiced by Angelique Cabral).
"There. Did you hear it?" he asks her while listening along.
The section of "The Obvious Child" that has Avi so excited is one line in particular, where Simon sings, "We had a little son and we thought we'd call him Sonny / Sonny gets married and moves away."
That line break blows Avi's mind.
"'Sonny gets married and moves away'? He was just born! How did he... It's because that's time, right?" Avi explains. "Like, one moment, you're young, you're free. Next thing you know, 'Sonny gets married and moves away.'"
Avi's analysis doesn't just apply to "The Obvious Child." It's also true of Long Story Short itself, a show that, like "The Obvious Child," is greatly concerned with aging and the passage of time.
Each episode of Long Story Short hops around through time, usually kicking off with a vignette from the Schwooper siblings' childhood before jumping into the future. The show's sweet title sequence serves as the divider between the two, acting in a similar way to the line break Avi loves so much in "The Obvious Child." Both collapse years and years of time into just a moment. Sonny goes from being a baby to growing up and getting married. The Schwoopers go from children to adults with families of their own.
In both cases, Simon and Long Story Short allow listeners or viewers to fill in the blanks between point A and point B. Simon doesn't have to say "Sonny met someone he loves" — that's something we can infer from the mention of marriage. Likewise, in Long Story Short, the series doesn't have to spell out everything that's happened to the Schwoopers between the past and the present. Through just a few meaningful lines of dialogue, we're able to pick up on years' worth of story, including major life events like divorces and deaths.
While Avi doesn't dive further into the lyrics of "The Obvious Child," the rest of the song is just as relevant to Long Story Short as those earlier lines. Later in the song, an older Sonny reminisces on his youth as he looks through his high school yearbook, not unlike how Avi, Shira (voiced by Abbi Jacobson), and Yoshi (voiced by Max Greenfield) often reminisce on their own childhoods as they grow up.
Long Story Short's connection to "The Obvious Child" reaches its emotional peak at the end of the show's first episode. In 2004, Avi and Jen cuddle on the plane ride home from Yoshi's chaotic bar mitzvah. The drums of "The Obvious Child" kick in, and the show cuts to 2022. Avi, 18 years older now, sits alone in his car, gazing thoughtfully out the window, perhaps remembering that airplane conversation with Jen. What happened to the two of them in those 18 years?
Long Story Short reveals the answer piece by piece throughout its first season, but just that first image of Avi by himself is enough to clue you into his and Jen's separation. Paired so closely with their younger, loving selves, the reveal of Avi alone is an emotional gut punch, and a perfectly melancholy teaser of what else Long Story Short has in store.
That's time, right?
Long Story Short is now streaming on Netflix.
Ne Zha II review: A24s animated fantasy epic is a must-see, but a warning...The highest-grossing animated film of all time, A24's "Ne Zha II" is now coming to the U,S. Review.
You've never seen a movie quite like Ne Zha II before. More accurately, you've seen dozens of movies that might remind you of Ne Zha II, but each in a different way.
The sequel to China's 2019 smash hit Ne Zha is many, many, many things — including the highest-grossing animated film of all time, thanks to its box office success abroad earlier this year. While its predecessor blended action, fantasy, and comedy, this sequel takes all that to a mind-blowing new level.
Ne Zha II is an action movie, a fantasy epic, a martial-arts comedy, a coming-of-age drama, and an animated marvel, all in one. Prepare to be knocked out of your seat, because this sequel delivers more than you could imagine — and that includes some truly horrifying elements that keep this from being totally kid-friendly.
To the credit of writer/director Jiao Zi, who helmed both films, the sequel does begin with a recap of the key events of Ne Zha. However, that's a lot of key events. I'd wager that unless you're already familiar with the Chinese mythology on which these films are based, the opening voiceover won't be enough for you to navigate the film's first hour. For instant, you might be bewildered when a pig turns into a set of flaming wheels, with no one blinking an eye.
Good news: Ne Zha is currently streaming on Peacock and Kanopy.
Broad strokes background: Ne Zha centers on a young boy who was supposed to be blessed with the powers of the heavenly Spirit Pearl. However, treachery leads to Ne Zha being born instead with the powers of the Spirit Pearl's counterpart, the Demon Orb. This means the boy born to a respectable family has demon powers, which they feel compelled to hide so he'll not be ostracized.
Meanwhile, the Spirit Pearl was bound to Ao Bing, the son of the Dragon King, whose family is kept chained up by a powerful army of sky-high immortals. The first film is about these two sons fighting monsters, becoming friends, and finding their inner heroes despite what the world expects of them because of their secret Demon Orbs or cursed family backgrounds. For a Western comparison, think The Iron Giant or this year's Superman.
Ne Zha II picks up moments after the climax of the first film, in which Ne Zha and Ao Bing have used their combined powers heroically, which results in both becoming disembodied spirits in need of new bodies. And the themes of the first film only cut deeper.
Rare magic is required to create proper corporal forms for both boys to resume their lives. So, their parents become unlikely allies in a quest that requires Ne Zha, who is in a fragile body, to not only let Ao Bing share the form — so he won't disappear — but also to complete a series of trials to achieve a magical serum that would restore the flower that would build back Ao Bing's body. Got all that? Basically, their closeness is tested when they have to actually share Ne Zha's body, meaning this becomes a sort of body-swap comedy for certain actions scenes. (Freaky Friday meets Shaolin Soccer?)
But that's not all.
There's also a brewing war between the grinning head of the immortals and the dragons long tired of being trapped in lava pits. But once more, at its core, Ne Zha II is about two boys from different worlds who are the greatest of friends. And in Ne Zha II they're dealing with bigger personal issues, like guilt and grief.
There are elements here that will seem familiar to Western audiences. For one, Ne Zha's mentor Master Taiyi, who is plump and silly, has shades of Po from Kung Fu Panda. He even has some shenanigans with a side-eying pig companion. Moreover, Ne Zha, full of demon energy that is more Dennis the Menace than The Omen, is a terrific comedic character, whether he's joshing his affable mentor or accidentally using a sacred fountain as a urinal.
There are actually a lot of gross-out gags in this sequel. Alongside a rousing story of fate and faith, Ne Zha II features gag-worthy jokes about urine, vomit, and more vomit. Kung Fu Panda could never.
When it comes to action, Jiao Zi and his army of animators have crafted a dizzying array of battles. Some are hand-to-hand fights, but ones which involve martial arts warriors who sling magic and shapeshift. Then there are the dragons. A relatively smaller part of the first film, now Ao Bing's scaly father, uncles, and aunt are flexing in their full glory, and each dragon warrior is a visual wonder. And there's more. The trials Ne Zha must endure mean a barrage of showdowns, ranging from a comedic melee with a mischief of talking rodents, a tense battle with a menacing master to a chaotic brawl with a vain rock giant. And then there's the climax.
In a word: Wow. Ne Zha II puts superhero movies to shame, delivering a climax that not only has major twists but also big character moments and even bigger battles. I struggle to think of another animated movie that offers such a epic war scene. Truly, legions of monsters versus white-robed immortals clash, looking like swarms of warring birds, beautiful and terrifying. Then, as the movie pushes into individual battles, the physicality, humor, and pathos of these heroes and villains facing off is so electrifying that I was literally gasping for air. But be warned, Ne Zha II hits hard.
Within the film, a village is destroyed by lava, leaving the ruins to look like Pompeii. Not only are the streets and buildings charred and ashen, but so too are the people. In particular, there is a haunting trio: a mother, curved protectively — but futilely — around her two children, all of them now burnt charcoal. Death is not a vague vanishing in Ne Zha II. So, if you're thinking of taking kids, consider if they're ready for such stark realities.
Not only are minor characters' corpses shown, but major characters must grapple with mortality, as the climactic battle takes a heavy toll. Death doesn't just happened, it is dreaded and lingered on. Action will resume, but not until after the loss sinks in.
Thus, the cheery, chaotic child hero Ne Zha must face that death — even in his world of immortals — is something he can't just fireball away. Here's where the coming-of-age of it all comes into play. Ne Zha is forced to cope with grief, rocketing through stages like denial, bargaining, and anger. But more than that, he and Ao Bing's quest make them realize the world isn't what their parents told them, or even believed. Reflecting their own journeys, they begin to realize that who is labeled good and bad is not always a matter of character, but politics. And here, Ne Zha II becomes a ferociously fascinating tale, alive with color, energy, passion, and rebellion.
With so much in one movie, the film does feel disjointed. Some might even say overstuffed. However, I felt this major shift in tone, from goofy kid-friendly prat falls to jaw-droppingly alarming life-or-death battles, to be purposeful and powerful. Jiao Zi captures the feeling of chaos that is growing up. Some days get to be silliness and joy; some days are tragedy and trauma. Some days are both in a dizzying swirl. And as you get older, it doesn't let up, does it? So, in a way, this movie about monsters, demon seeds, magic serums, dragons, and shapeshifters is more real about human experience than a lot of live-action offerings.
Simply put, Ne Zha II is a righteous and riotous epic that's equal parts hilarious, heartfelt, and thrilling. See it on as big a screen as you can. You won't regret it.
Ne Zha II opens in U.S. theaters nationwide on Aug. 22.
Honey Dont! review: Chris Evans, Margaret Qualley, and Aubrey Plaza get wild in lusty crime comedyFrom Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke, the makers of "Drive-Away Dolls," comes "Honey Don't!," a new dark comedy about sex, faith, and murder. Review.
Want something sexy, silly, and scandalous? Then you'll treasure Honey Don't!, the latest collaboration between married filmmakers Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke. The pair, who've been collaborating since the 1990 Coen Bros movie Miller's Crossing, brought audiences the madcap mayhem of Drive-Away Dolls just last year. Now they're back, with another tale of lesbians caught up in a curious crime.
Drive-Away Dolls star Margaret Qualley reunites with Coen and Cooke, playing a title character once more. Honey O'Donahue is a small-town private eye who keeps her cards close to her chest. When a new client turns up dead in a suspicious car crash, she quips to the crumpled police detective on the scene (Charlie Day, perfectly cast as an affable dope), but won't give up a single observation. Unspoken, this is her mystery to solve.
Over the course of this murder investigation, she'll cross paths with a moped-riding femme fatale (Lera Abova), a surly sapphic cop (Aubrey Plaza), and an ultra-vain cult leader (Chris Evans). It's a wild ride with twists, sex, and murder!
While this is the second offering in Coen and Cooke's proposed lesbian trilogy, Honey Don't! doesn't share the same broad-comedy energy as its peppy predecessor, Drive-Away Dolls. The key to both films is Qualley, who sets the tone.
In the first film, she was a chaotically comical masc with a Southern accent as thick as molasses and a libido as powerful as the sun. The movie followed her frenzied energy through pacing and plotting, taking wild turns with madcap energy.
In Honey Don't!, Qualley shakes off the loony looseness of her limbs. Her stride is confident but no-nonsense, like the fast-talking dames of '30s screwball comedies and '40s film noir. Her look — click-clacking heels, pencil skirts or tailored flowing slacks with tidy but never bland dress shirts — reflects these old-school inspirations. So does her frankness; she carries a Katharine Hepburn attitude without the Mid-Atlantic accent. So when the aforementioned police detective flirts with her, she says, smooth as butter, "I like girls." (To which Day replies with a cheery bemusement, "You always say that!")
Whether playing the cool gay aunt to a small army of nieces and nephews, uncovering a kinky clue, or hooking up with a one-night stand, Honey is suave and sharp, but also warm. This temperament sets her apart from the fleets of male detectives who've come before her, all swagger and steely glares. Plus, her attitude reflects the atmosphere of Honey Don't!'s setting: Bakersfield, California, a sunny place with a dark appetite.
The screenplay by Coen and Cooke is committed to dark humor, offering gleeful jokes about kinky sex, gruesome death, and the general idiocy of crooks and con men.
As Coen directs Honey Don't!, it's tempting to look for comparisons in his shared filmography with his brother, Joel. Is Honey Don't! more Raising Arizona or The Big Lebowski? Burn After Reading or No Country for Old Men? But engaging in this debate risks overlooking the exciting exploration of crime stories that Coen and Cooke are building with their trilogy. Her stamp is clear and important here as the film's co-writer, producer, and editor.
Yes, Honey Don't! pulls from film noir inspirations, as do several previous Coen Bros movies… and hundreds of other movies before that. But this crusty California setting gives fresh air to tropes like the femme fatale or the double cross. Where Drive-Away Dolls dug into the rich Americana and queer culture to be found in road trip attractions and lesbian bars, Honey Don't! embraces a less-familiar clutch of gnarly characters, sunbaked and deranged.
Thank goodness that Chris Evans' MCU era has ended. Now the actor who has proven to be a sensational bastard in Knives Out can cut loose with characters who aren't remotely role models.
In Honey Don't!, he plays Reverend Drew, a preacher who leads a congregation of dedicated minions who will grant any wish of sex or violence his twisted heart desires. Honey Don't! offers an array of beloved character actors, like Plaza, Day, Billy Eichner, and acclaimed theater performer Gabby Beans. And they are all game for whatever damned thing Cooke and Coen throw their way. Where Qualley plays the straight man to this cluster of kooky clowns, Evans is a ringmaster of his own circus.
From the moment he flashes a comically insincere smile, there's a thrill of excitement. Playing punchlines with a gleeful obliviousness, Evans creates a sharp satire of a certain brand of religious leader who believes too much in his own bullshit. His physicality is suitably absurd. Whether he's barking orders in the nude or giving the most hysterical delivery of the word "oui" ever committed to screen, he moves like a cartoon caricature of an arrogant buffoon. Props to Evans for finding a new and fantastic way to continue being America's ass.
What's most thrilling about Honey Don't! is perhaps also what's most frustrating about it. Coen and Cooke set up a mystery with a form that seems vaguely familiar at the start. But as Honey chases down the suspects and confounding clues, this story is anything but what you'd expect. And that comes down to the finale, which is sure to divide critics and audiences.
Personally, I relished the final surprise of the film, as it suggests this story is bigger than one movie and maybe even one setting can contain. Instead of closure, Honey Don't! offers a taste of something sweet and wild, with the potential for more. And I'm not mad at that.
"Honey Don't!" is now playing in theaters nationwide.
UPDATE: Aug. 21, 2025, 5:12 p.m. EDT "Honey Don't!" was reviewed out of the Cannes Film Festival in this article, originally published on May 23, 2025. It has been updated to include current viewing information.
Eden review: Ron Howards island drama is numbingly dull, and ugly as sinReview of "Eden," Ron Howard's island drama about a commune in the Galápagos, starring Jude Law and Ana de Armas.
Ron Howard is on something of a survival thriller kick. After returning to his Apollo 13 roots with In the Heart of the Sea in 2015, and the more recent Thirteen Lives, his newest film is Eden, a story in a similar vein also based on real events. Unfortunately, the fourth time isn't a charm, and only proves the Howard haters correct in their assertion that the Solo: A Star Wars Story helmer is largely a journeyman, with little style (or substance) of his own.
The star-studded drama is a dud. It has little by way of theme or rigorous meaning, and is told with one of the most offensively dull color palettes digital cinema has to offer. The cast certainly gives it their all, making commendable strides toward fleshing out Noah Pink's screenplay (from a story by Howard and Pink), but too much visual and emotional detail is lost at every turn, making Eden something of a curio. It's hard not to wonder how it ended up being presented in its final state.
Based on the accounts of several survivors who formed an impromptu commune in the Galápagos, the film is set on the (in)famous Floreana Island, and adapts the broad strokes of real events — the who’s who, and who died and survived — but adds dramatic speculation to exactly how everything went down. Floreana was uninhabited until 1929, when the pompous Dr. Friedrich Ritter (Jude Law) and his partner Dore Strauch (Vanessa Kirby) arrived from Berlin to set up camp on the tiny volcanic landmass. World War I, the ensuing economic crash, and Germany's resurgent fascism had sent Ritter looking for not just a new place to live, but an isolated stronghold where he could write a manifesto to guide humanity toward a harmonious new beginning. The film also hints that Strauch's multiple sclerosis may have been a reason she accompanied him, perhaps in the hopes of recovery, but her needs are secondary to the desires of her narcissistic beau.
The film is set several years into their residency on Floreana, when a family of three — having read, in various newspapers, the letters Ritter sent back to mainland Europe — arrives in hope of a similar escape. Daniel Brühl plays Heinz Wittmer; Sydney Sweeney plays his pregnant, younger wife, Margaret; and Jonathan Tittel plays Heinz's teenage son (and Margaret's stepson), Harry. The Wittmers are curious and well-meaning, though Ritter — an isolationist, despite his egalitarian principles — wants nothing to do with them, so they set up camp several miles away. Minor tensions start to simmer between the two houses, but these don't fully explode until a third, more chaotic group arrives and begins sowing seeds of dissent between Ritter and the Wittmers.
Led by the self-proclaimed heiress Eloise Bosquet de Wagner Wehrhorn (Ana de Armas), with her two helpers and lovers in tow (Toby Wallace and Felix Kammerer), this hedonistic trio plans to set up an island resort on Floreana, where they hope to welcome wealthy guests. Their intrusion on Ritter and the Wittmers' (admittedly uneasy) paradise is ripe for allegory concerning the way wealthy classes historically extract resources at the cost of peace, but this is just one of the movie's many hints that go practically nowhere.
As rivalries ensue and factions form, Eloise proves a master manipulator, and becomes the movie's most (and perhaps only) entertaining character, courtesy of de Armas' bravura. She feels like a typhoon whose only purpose is to shatter the existing status quo. However, that status quo is seldom interesting on its own. The closest it comes to intrigue is when Howard's camera zeroes in on Ritter's attempts to write in isolation. Law's temperament betrays a fidgety impatience, but his posture always is regal, creating a magnetic pull-and-push about his character.
Unfortunately, few characters in the story are either drawn to or repelled by him, let alone in the same breath. He simply exists as a temperamental figure whom everyone accepts from a distance as he makes grandiose claims about fixing the world. Eloise is his counterpart in a sense — equally, if not more, fraudulent — but rare are the moments in which Eden takes advantage of this thematic twinning. For the most part, the film treats survival in the most technical, linear, and literal fashion, despite a setting that is functionally purgatory (the film's Biblical title invites such reading, too).
Survival, for the likes of Heinz and Margaret, is about collecting food and water, and getting through pregnancy intact, but it's never about any underlying questions that test their beliefs or their resolve. And unlike the great island stories of modern culture — The Lord of the Flies and Lost first spring to mind — the characters' (and society's) larger problems don't travel to Floreana, leaving only Eloise's individual quirks as sources of incitement. Had the movie's setting been radically different (a train, a cruise ship, perhaps a hotel), it's unlikely things would have played out much differently.
The struggles in Eden stem not from mistrust or inner folly, but the question of how best to grow vegetables, or how to most efficiently ward off wild dogs, and yet the film isn't particularly invested in the process of survival, either. Instead, it maintains an air — a pretense — of greater significance, when no such thing exists. Part of this disconnect is also owed to how Howard and cinematographer Mathias Herndl capture the island itself, and the characters and their world at large, which makes the movie especially tough to watch.
Eden is a ugly film, though not in a way a survival saga ought to be. There’s a visual unseemliness that suits such a story, the kind that emphasizes the murky, the solemn, the dangerous — like in Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan. Here, it's not the ugliness of oppressive surroundings that defines Floreana, but the ugliness of the texture itself, and its noncommittal nature.
The film's gloomy desaturation works at times, though it’s applied as a constant filter from start to finish, and never evolves alongside the characters' perspectives on the island — even when they first see the place as a heavenly abode, rich in resources. When the characters eventually turn on one another, there’s little sense that their surroundings have contributed to this in any way.
Even taken at its word, as the depiction of a theoretically omniscient and dramatically ironic viewpoint, the movie's aesthetic issues don't end there.
Perhaps a greater problem than the amount of color in each frame is the amount of contrast, or the sheer lack thereof. Characters' faces constantly fall into muddy grays, rendering anything resembling the drama of shadows completely null. Every tint begins to look and feel the same, from tree barks to human flesh (with not so much as a hint of how people might become one with their environments). It's ghastly to look at, and swallows up any sense of detail.
For instance, a stray line about Ritter's teeth early on gestures toward an element of his character. Heinz makes mention of the doctor having yanked out his own teeth for medical reasons, leaving one to assume the extent of this procedure; perhaps it’s a molar or two, in the back of his mouth. However, when he’s seen putting on metal dentures well into the runtime, it turns out that all of Ritter’s teeth are missing. This is the first time any real attention is drawn to his mouth, but the film isn’t trying to hide this fact, or present it as a major reveal. It’s simply one of the many dramatic details (and character idiosyncrasies) obscured by the movie’s haphazard color-timing approach.
Similarly, scenes that should be flooded with intensity are instead awash in blandness. Nothing about the human face and the human eyes, and thus human soul, can be fully hidden or properly accentuated when every part of the frame looks equally dull, and feels equally lifeless and bloodless in the process.
To add to this, the movie goes on well beyond its natural endpoint: a moment of mistrust made manifest, which seems to push several characters beyond their brink, and makes them wrestle with their moral spines. But in its need to capture real events as they happened (albeit with its own spin on some of them), Eden far overstays its welcome, like an unwanted, unpleasant houseguest who just won't take the hint. Ironically, that's as close as the movie gets to embodying any of its characters' points of view.
Eden is now playing in theaters nationwide.
UPDATE: Aug. 21, 2025, 5:26 p.m. EDT Eden was reviewed out of its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival. This article, originally published on Sept. 18, 2024, has been updated to include the film's theatrical release.
Amazon’s enormous $1 flash sale is live — prices slashed on 100+ of everyday essentialsAmazon’s $1 flash deals are live now, with everything from homeware and stationery to fashion and pet supplies marked down to just $1. Stock is limited, so don’t wait.
SAVE BIG: Amazon’s $1 flash deals are live right now — limit 3 per customer, with hundreds of products across categories including fashion, home, pets, stationery, and more.
Amazon is no stranger to flash sales, but this latest bombardment of huge bargains on practical buys or fun little extras makes this the most tempting sale yet. For a limited time, you can snap up a wide variety of products — all marked down to a single dollar each.
The sheer spread of categories doesn’t include high-profile items like iPads or Nintendo Switch 2s, but you’ll find an endless amount of handy impulse buys for yourself or your home. In pet care, for instance, you’ll find everything from cat collars and cooling mats for dogs to quirky bearded dragon harnesses. If you’re more of a home organiser, there’s a treasure trove of handy buys like under-cabinet lighting strips, silicone grip tape, storage binders, and spiral notebooks.
Crafters are spoilt for choice too, with diamond art stickers, tracing paper, colourful splash stationery, and googly eyes all sitting pretty in carts by the hundreds.
Fashion finds are also in the mix, ranging from women’s tank tops and shapewear to men’s t-shirts and swim shorts. And if you’d rather treat yourself to a practical kitchen upgrade, you can nab things like espresso tampers, glass droppers, and reusable dinner napkins. There’s even a touch of novelty with items like “I Suck at Golf” notebooks, battle cat towels, and birthday blankets.
The catch is that stock is moving rather fast, and Amazon is capping the deal at three items per customer. Judging by the thousands of carts filling up already, you won’t want to hang about.
Whether you’re topping up your craft drawer, adding convenience to your home, or simply chasing that dopamine hit of bagging a bargain, these $1 flash deals are an easy win. Just be quick — they won’t hang around for long.
If you’ve got a bit more in the budget but still want to save, check out our list of the best cheap 4K TVs you can get in 2025. There are also some great wallet-friendly Apple deals that we’ve found this week that are still going at the moment — including $799 MacBooks and $299 iPads.
Lego is giving away free Crayons models — here’s how to get yoursGet free Lego on Aug. 24. Build a Crayons model at participating stores and take it home with you for free.
FREE LEGO: On Aug. 24, build a Lego Crayons model at participating stores and take it home with you for free. Find participating stores here.
Lego make and take events are back, and the latest edition is timed perfectly with the back-to-school season.
Following on from popular events like the Steering Wheel, Valentine's Day Heart, Mother's Day Bouquet, and Grogu giveaways, you can now build a Lego Crayons model at participating stores and take it home with you for free. Free Lego? In this economy?
Visitors to select Lego Stores on Aug. 24 (from 12-2 p.m.) can take part in this special event. The giveaway is intended for participants aged 6+ years, and the model will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis while supplies last. You can check participating stores in the U.S. and Canada here. Don't head out to your nearest store without proper planning. We don't want you to be disappointed.
This Crayons model is not available for purchase, so by taking part, you're getting your hands on an exclusive item for absolutely nothing. The only catch is that you can't stock up. You are limited to one build per participant, but we don't think you can argue with that. This is free Lego — don't get greedy.
This is your chance to build and take home an exclusive Lego Crayons model for free on Aug. 24. Don't miss out.
How to watch MLB live streams online for freeHow to watch MLB for free. Live stream MLB in 2025 for free from anywhere in the world.
TL;DR: Live stream MLB for free on MLB.TV and The Roku Channel. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
It's difficult to compete for airtime in the increasingly congested world of sports. How are dedicated followers of sport supposed to keep up with the NBA, NFL, MLB, and everything in-between? You make time, of course.
Following MLB takes a lot of dedication, but that's of no concern to fans. This greedy bunch just want more, and that's where we can help. If you are interested in watching MLB for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and one in Canada). Each team plays 162 games per regular season. Six teams in each league advance to a four-round postseason tournament in October, culminating in the World Series between the two league champions (National League and American League).
The defending champions are the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The MLB regular season runs from March 27 to Sept. 28.
MLB is available to live stream for free on MLB.TV and The Roku Channel.
MLB.TV live streams one game every day for free for anyone with a free or paid account. The Roku Channel broadcasts one Sunday afternoon game every week. These free live streams are geo-restricted and subject to local blackout restrictions, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location, meaning you can access free live streams of MLB from anywhere in the world.
Live stream MLB for free by following these simple steps:
Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access
Visit MLB.TV or The Roku Channel
Watch MLB for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch MLB live streams without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams to watch MLB, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).
Watch MLB for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Long Story Short review: BoJack Horseman creators family comedy delights and devastates"BoJack Horseman" creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg returns to Netflix with "Long Story Short," a family comedy that will make you sob.
Long Story Short creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg is an expert at pairing a belly laugh with a gut punch. Look no further than his work on the critically acclaimed comedy BoJack Horseman, which combined ridiculous gags with poignant examinations of depression, addiction, and trauma.
Now, Bob-Waksberg serves up a similar cocktail of hilarity and heady topics in Long Story Short. The series, which Netflix has already renewed for Season 2, centers on a Jewish family in Northern California. The Schwooper siblings — a hybrid of their parents' last names, Schwartz and Cooper — burst onto the screen as a fully fledged, instantly lovable crew. But it's Long Story Short's nonlinear structure that truly takes it over the edge, crafting a tender look at all the ways our families can help or hinder us over the span of our lives.
Meeting the Schwoopers is like being wrapped in a hug that goes on just a tad too long: It's warm and fuzzy, but a lot all at the same time.
That's because Bob-Waksberg throws us into the Schwoopers' dynamic headfirst, hitting us with a barrage of fast-paced dialogue, inside jokes, and a complex web of interpersonal relationships that feel lived-in from the jump. After just a few moments with the Schwoopers, you'll think you've known them for years. (By the end of Season 1, you will have known them for years, as the series spans decades.)
The eldest of the Schwooper siblings is Avi (voiced by Ben Feldman), the nerdiest of the crew and the child who eventually becomes the most distant from the family's Jewish faith. Middle child Shira (voiced by Abbi Jacobson) navigates the chaos of being the only Schwooper daughter, all while hoping her negative experiences with her own family don't influence the family she plans to start with her partner Kendra (voiced by Nicole Byer). Youngest Schwooper Yoshi (voiced by Max Greenfield) is the black sheep of the family, misunderstood by his parents and still trying to find himself out, be it through new work ventures or religious shifts.
Presiding over it all are parents Naomi Schwartz (voiced by Lisa Edelstein) and Elliot Cooper (voiced by Paul Reiser). The two couldn't be more different. Naomi is overbearing as can be, and always ready to guilt-trip her children over the smallest perceived wrong. The kind, yet deferent Elliot often fades to the background by comparison.
With these five pieces, Long Story Short builds out a TV family that manages to be both grounded and the right amount of absurd. Each backseat sibling scuffle or chaotic family dinner feels pulled from real life, albeit heightened for comedic effect. Even if your experiences don't mirror the Schwoopers' one-to-one, chances are you'll still see grains of your own family in theirs.
On top of cementing the Schwoopers' distinct characters and familial ties right from the jump, Long Story Short also crafts a rich shared history for the family that unfurls in revelatory fashion from episode to episode.
Long Story Short's episodes don't play out sequentially. Instead, each episode presents two vignettes from the Schwoopers' lives. The first serves as a cold open, often taking place in the Schwoopers' childhoods in the '90s and early 2000s. Then, once the show's charming scrapbook title sequence wraps up, Long Story Short rockets us into the future for the main focus of the episode. These range from key life events like bar mitzvahs to character-centric deep dives.
Years may have passed between vignettes, but Long Story Short's magic trick is gradually revealing how the events of the cold open have stayed with the Schwoopers for their entire lives, and how they continue to impact their adulthoods.
For example, Long Story Short's second episode opens with a family beach trip. As kids, Avi and Shira playact lifeguard rescues. However, when it's Shira's turn to be "saved," Avi decides to run off and play with their older cousins instead. His abandonment and unreliability in that moment is why, many years later, Shira struggles to ask him to be a sperm donor for her and Kendra.
That's just one of the many ways in which Long Story Short resurfaces old family wounds. Each episode collapses the past into the present, until the Schwoopers' adult and child selves may as well be co-existing on screen. (In some poignant sequences, they actually do.)
Hopping between the past and present isn't a new tactic in TV. In fact, I wish some shows would rely less on it less! However, in Bob-Waksberg and his team's hands, Long Story Short's non-linear chronology becomes a gutting weapon, one that explores how small moments from our childhood — even those that anyone else might find inconsequential — can have a long-lasting, sometimes traumatizing impact.
Long Story Short surrounds its portrayal of a deeply dysfunctional family with enough absurdity to keep things on the lighter end. Wolves invade a school campus, and no one bats an eye. Yoshi gets roped into selling mattresses that come in tubes. Each storyline is ridiculous, but ultimately winds up revealing a deeper truth about the Schwoopers.
Further adding to the lightness is Long Story Short's animation style, whose vibrant colors and hand-drawn look recall illustrated storybooks, or even family drawings that would earn pride of place on any family refrigerator.
Of course, in Long Story Short's case, these drawings also come with their fair share of family trauma and thorny parental relationships. But that's family, the show seems to say: You're going to have a lot of wonderful, supportive experiences, and you're also going to get pretty messed up. And somehow, Long Story Short manages to roll that contradiction into one beautiful, heart-wrenching show.
Long Story Short is now streaming on Netflix.
The Thursday Murder Club review: Only Murders fans, brace for your new cozy crime fixationNetflix's "The Thursday Murder Club" will be your new cozy crime fixation. Review.
Imagine Golden Girls meets Murder, She Wrote, and you'll have a sense of the immaculate energy that exudes from The Thursday Murder Club.
Now, I realize those comparisons might sound dated. But I challenge you to find a modern, massively popular franchise that allows retirees to be seen as smart, lively, and cool without apology. Yes, Only Murders in the Building has some of that — but suffused with New York neuroses and self-deprecation. The Thursday Murder Club is steeped instead in dry English wit, and with comparable star power.
Based on the popular book series by Richard Osman, The Thursday Murder Club stars Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley, and Celia Imrie as four pensioners who might be retired, but who don't count their best years behind them. Instead, using the skills they've acquired over a lifetime as a spy, union leader, psychiatrist, and nurse, this curious quartet investigates cold cases. Or — in the footsteps of Jessica Fletcher — they explore the source of fresh blood that turns up on their own doorstep.
Ready for something you and your folks can watch together? Buckle up.
Osman's quartet of novels is new, with the first publishing in 2020, but they have a timeless feel. Set in a charming retirement village of Cooper's Chase — depicted here like a Downton Abbey-style estate — The Thursday Murder Club presents its seniors with a cozy scene and a vitality that is exhilarating. Rejecting ageist stereotypes, screenwriters Katy Brand and Suzanne Heathcote paint them not as dotty grandmothers or cantankerous grandpas. They're not out of touch or stagnant. They are intellectual, emotionally intelligent, and alive. Best of all, the Thursday Murder Club uses the ageist expectations of those who'd underestimate them against them, essentially masquerading as fretful, frail old biddies when it'll get them what they need (like access to a particular police officer, played by the splendid Naomi Ackie of Blink Twice).
Meet Elizabeth Best (Mirren), who is collected, chic, and no-nonsense as she casually interrogates cops and criminals alike. With a silver-fox beard and a flair for rowdiness, Ron Ritchie (Brosnan) is the rabble-rouser of the group, spurred into booming speeches whenever the need arises. By contrast, Ibrahim Arif (Kingsley) is more reserved, a deep thinker who takes great pride in his rigorous wellness routine. And new to the crew is Joyce Meadowcroft (Imrie), a recent widow who is fresh to Cooper's Chase and eager to make friends with her brilliant baking — and her capable assessment of crime scene photos.
Together, they — like Sophia, Dorothy, Blanche, and Rose — are a clashing collection of personalities who exude attitude, wit, and love. Across four books to date, they've become more than funny detectives to me. They're real and wonderful. And The Thursday Murder Club carries that torch by bringing them to the screen in bursts of charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent.
To condense Osman's first novel into a single movie, some of the more salacious plotlines are tamed (like Jason Ritchie's background) or dropped altogether (the priest got off light!). Likewise, some of the characters who certainly came off gruffer in the novel get a Hollywood makeover here; for example, tattooed tough guy Bogdan is played by the muscular but vaguely dapper Henry Lloyd-Hughes. Still, I have no major qualms with these changes because of what The Thursday Murder Club gets right: its heroes. They are heroes, brilliant and aspirational.
A moment of confession: I began reading these books not long after I lost my grandmother. She wasn't a detective, a spy, a shrink, or a nurse. She was, however, one of the smartest and most compassionate people I knew. Which meant that in her eighties , she was prone to hollering at her loved ones (me included) about what she believed was right. She fought for the world she wanted to see, one argument at a time. And often, I saw others shrug, as if she didn't know what she was talking about — perhaps because her world had seemed to shrink as her mobility issues rose. But in this modern world, being informed is at your fingertips, and she was ruthlessly informed, opinionated, and not afraid to let you know about it. I miss her, and this energy every day.
Watching The Thursday Night Murder Club, I cackled with glee as Elizabeth and Joyce went on a covert mission, or Ibrahim and Ron manipulated a cop by playing into misplaced pity. I cheered for their victories, gasped for their setbacks, and laughed at their jokes — but never at them. Sure, in Osman's novels, he addresses a certain fish-out-of-water element of being a senior in a world where technology moves like a flash flood. (Joyce joining social media proves very amusing in the books.) But his empathy for their experiences is deep and inviting. His respect for his characters is reflected in the casting.
By bringing together three world-famous, highly acclaimed movie stars to play Elizabeth, Ron, and Ibrahim, the initial trio is instantly granted gravitas from their first frame. When Joyce joins the crew, she's almost starstruck, and that also makes sense. Imrie, who has a long, long career in the UK and the comic timing to prove it, is pitch-perfect as their eager newbie. Mirren's confidence, Brosnan's boldness, Kingsley's sophistication, and Imrie's enthusiasm make for a perfect balance. And it's not that any of them remind me specifically of my gram, but they — like her — are wondrously alive, passionate, and dedicated to service in whatever way they can. And man, while I laughed watching this movie, I could almost hear my gram laughing with me.
The Thursday Murder Club is a sensationally funny, warm, and smart crime-comedy with a crackling ensemble. If you're hankering for a new season of Only Murders in the Building, pining for the days of Golden Girls and Murder, She Wrote, or you just miss the radiant senior in your life, this is a gift, a treat, and a delight — on par, I'd imagine with Joyce's Bake-Off-worthy pastries.
The Thursday Murder Club debuts on Netflix on Aug. 28.
Moon phase today: What the moon will look like on August 22, 2025See the moon phase expected for August 22, 2025 as well as when the next full moon is expected.
The moon is almost completely dark tonight, thanks to where we are in the lunar cycle.
The lunar cycle is a series of eight unique phases of the moon's visibility. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days, according to NASA, and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth.
So let's see what's happening with the moon tonight, Aug. 22.
As of Friday, Aug. 22, the moon phase is Waning Crescent, and only 1% will be lit up to us on Earth, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.
We're on day 29 of the lunar cycle, and with so little of the moon lit up, we won't be able to spot anything tonight.
The next full moon will be on Sept. 7. The last full moon was on Aug. 9.
According to NASA, moon phases are caused by the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, which changes the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much of it is lit up by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle:
New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).
Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.
Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side.
Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
Hurdle hints and answers for August 22, 2025Hints and answers to today's Hurdle all in one place.
If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.
There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.
An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.
If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.
A show-off.
POSER
The devil.
DEMON
Courage.
NERVE
To sing.
TRILL
A rabbit.
BUNNY
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
How to watch the 2025 Womens Rugby World Cup online for freeHow to watch the Women's Rugby World Cup for free. Live stream the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup for free.
TL;DR: Watch the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The best international teams in the world of women's rugby are heading to England to compete over the next few weeks in the Women's Rugby World Cup. We're expecting a fascinating tournament with plenty of electric performances from the sport's most exciting stars.
England are favorites to become world champions, but the likes of New Zealand, Canada, and France will be hoping to overturn the odds. And the good news for fans is that it's possible to follow all the action without spending anything.
If you want to watch the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
The Women's Rugby World Cup is the rugby union world championship organised by World Rugby. 16 international teams are organized into four pools, followed by knockout rounds and the final scheduled to be held at Twickenham Stadium.
New Zealand are the defending champions. New Zealand have also won the most titles (six).
The 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup is the 10th edition of the competition. This year's tournament takes place from Aug. 22 to Sept. 27 in England.
The 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.
BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to England, but anyone from around the world can access this site with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in England, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.
Access free live streams of the 2025 Rugby Championship by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in England
Visit BBC iPlayer
Watch the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams of the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch most games before recovering your investment.
ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport for free, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including England
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure
Fast connection speeds
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 22, 2025Connections is a New York Times word game that's all about finding the "common threads between words." How to solve the puzzle.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Leaders of the Free World
Green: Famous film stars
Blue: Card games
Purple: Rounded things
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: U.S. presidents
Green: Actors whose last names are also verbs
Blue: Kinds of poker
Purple: Proper nouns after gerunds in '90s movie titles
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections #804 is...
U.S. presidents: ADAMS, FORD, GRANT, WASHINGTON
Actors whose last names are also verbs: CHEVY CHASE, CHRISTOPH WALTZ, GEOFFREY RUSH, TOM CRUISE
Kinds of poker: DRAW, OMAHA, STRIP, STUD
Proper nouns after gerunds in '90s movie titles: AMY, JOHN MALKOVICH, LAS VEGAS, PRIVATE RYAN
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands?
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.
My favorite headphones, Sonys top-tier XM4s, are $150 off at Best BuyThe Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones are down to just $199.99 at Best Buy — a $150 saving on one of the best wireless noise-canceling pairs you can own.
SAVE $150: As of Aug. 21, you can grab the Sony XM4 headphones for just $199.99 at Best Buy. That's down from the regular $349.99 list price.
Everyone waiting to finally grab a pair of Sony’s XM4 headphones at an affordable price can celebrate at least.
As of Aug. 21, Best Buy has slashed the price of the Sony XM4 headphones to just $199.99. That’s a massive $150 saving on the usual $349.99 list price, and one of the sharpest deals we’ve seen on Sony’s old favorites.
The XM4s are renowned for their class-leading noise cancelation, powered by Dual Noise Sensor technology that adapts to your surroundings and shuts out distractions. Coupled with 30 hours of battery life (plus a quick charge mode that gives you five hours of playback from a 10-minute top-up), these headphones are built for travellers, commuters, and marathon work sessions alike.
Sony hasn’t just focused on silence, though; the sound profile is equally impressive. Thanks to DSEE Extreme upscaling (co-developed with Sony Music Studios Tokyo), compressed tracks are lifted closer to studio quality in real time. Touch sensor controls on the earcups let you skip tracks, adjust volume, or summon Alexa or Google Assistant with a tap.
A raft of clever extras adds to the appeal. Speak-to-Chat pauses playback automatically when you start talking. Adaptive Sound Control adjusts noise-cancelling depending on whether you’re walking, waiting, or flying. A wearing detection sensor pauses audio when you take the headphones off, while multipoint Bluetooth means you can stay connected to two devices simultaneously.
Designed for comfort as well as performance, the XM4s come with a slim carry case, USB-C charging cable, wired connection lead, and even an in-flight adapter. What’s more, these are built to last as well.
I’ve owned my own Sony XM4s for almost four years now, and they’ve not only remained my go-to headphones for walks, travelling, and the gym, but have stood the test of time; including knocks, bumps, and a handful of drops; and still work perfectly.
At just under $200, these headphones tick the boxes for anyone after superb audio, intuitive smart features, and all-day comfort — without paying full price.
If you want to keep shopping around before pulling the trigger, be sure to also check out the top 10 headphones of 2025 we personally put to the test. For the ideal soundware just for blocking out external noise, we’ve also put together a list of the best noise-cancelling headphones we use and love from brands like Bose, Sony, and Apple.
Google Pixel 10 vs. Samsung Galaxy S25: Which smartphone is right for you?Find out how Google's newest Pixel and Samsung's latest flagship compare to each other.
The wait is over. We now know everything we need to know about the Google Pixel 10, which means it's time to do some comparin'.
Google bared all during its Made by Google event, giving us a look at specs and features for its latest batch of flagship smartphones. Of course, this comes several months after Samsung did the same thing with the Galaxy S25 line. I bet you know what's coming next.
That's right — we're putting these base models head to head. Keep in mind we've just begun testing the new Pixel 10 series, so we'll have more insights to share soon.
How do these two Android titans stack up to one another?
Our first category is probably going to be the shortest and easiest one to litigate. Both of these phones start at $799.
See? That was easy. Let's move on.
As far as design is concerned, both of these phones...basically just look like smartphones. However, Google and Samsung do have somewhat distinct visual languages for their phones, and both the Pixel 10 and Galaxy S25 carry forward what each brand had been doing in years prior.
In other words, their rear camera arrays look different. Samsung's is vertically oriented, with all three lenses stacked on top of one another, free from any kind of boxed in camera bump. Google's is the total opposite; three lenses housed in a horizontally oriented camera bar that prevents the phone from sitting flush on a flat surface. This is ultimately a matter of personal preference, though admittedly the Google camera bar looks more futuristic, if that's your thing.
As for colors, Samsung has more options than Google. The Galaxy S25 comes in seven colors: Navy, Mint, Icy Blue, Silver Shadow, Blueblack, Coralred, and Pinkgold. It should be noted that the latter three options are online exclusives. As for Pixel 10, you just get four choices: Indigo, Frost, Lemongrass, and Obsidian.
Here are how the basic specs for the Google Pixel 10 look:
6.3-inch display with 1080x2424 resolution and adaptive 60-120Hz refresh rate
Google Tensor G5 chip
4,970mAh battery promising 30+ hours of life
12GB RAM
128GB/256GB storage
And here are the equivalent specs on Galaxy S25:
6.2-inch display with 1080x2340 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate
Snapdragon 8 Elite chip
4,000mAh battery
12GB RAM
128GB/256GB/512GB storage
To put that into layman's terms, both phones come with very similar displays and the same amount of RAM. However, things diverge from there. The two phones use entirely different processors, but until the Pixel 10 is actually out there in public (we've just begun our internal testing process), it's hard to say which one is better right now, both in terms of everyday performance and benchmark scores. In the past, Snapdragon chips have had better benchmarks than Tensor, but the actual day-to-day usability has been similar enough to more or less negate that.
Samsung's phone also has a 512GB storage option if you're willing to spend more money. Google does not offer that much storage on Pixel 10, though Google has its own cloud storage service. Battery life is also going to be something to watch as the Pixel 10 rolls out publicly, as Google's phone has a significantly larger cell inside of it than Samsung's handset. Whether or not that translates into substantially better battery life is unclear at this point, but it's definitely worth keeping an eye on.
It would take forever to outline every single little AI feature that both of these phones have, but put simply, Google's newest handset did a lot to catch up to Samsung.
For starters, Samsung already had live language translation during phone calls, as well as a personalized daily hub featuring your schedule, any tasks you need to complete during that day, the weather forecast, and news you can use. Pixel 10 introduced very similar (or basically exactly the same) features, but with different names. Both phones are also compatible with Gemini Live, if you like talking to your phone as if it's a person. We should note that Google's live translation feature samples your voice, something other mobile translation tools can't yet do.
There are also suites of photo editing and image generation software to mess around with on both devices. For what it's worth, Google's seem a bit more comprehensive. Both phones have the ability to generatively edit photos by highlighting objects and moving them around to the user's liking, or even adding things that didn't exist to the photos. You can tune out unwanted audio in videos on both devices, too.
Pixel 10 introduces text-based photo editing, in case your ability to describe what you want is better than your ability to actually make the edits yourself. Pixel 10's Camera Coach also uses AI to help users compose better photographs, though it remains to be seen how well this works. As far as I can tell, Samsung's phone doesn't have equivalent features to these just yet.
On balance, Google gets the edge in terms of AI, which shouldn't be a surprise, as Google has its own AI models. If you opt for the Pixel 10 Pro, Pro XL, or Pro Fold, you'll also get a free year of Google's AI Pro plan, which is not available with the base Pixel 10. So, if you really care about AI, you may be happier with the Pixel 10 Pro anyway.
As for cameras, this is an area where Samsung would've had a big advantage, had Google not made one major change to the base Pixel 10 this year. Here are the Pixel 10's camera specs:
Rear cameras: 48MP wide, 13MP ultrawide, 10.8MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom and Super Res Zoom up to 20x
Front camera: 10.5MP
And here's how the Galaxy S25 compares:
Rear cameras: 50MP wide, 10MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom and digital zoom up to 30x
Front camera: 12MP
While there are minor differences to consider in terms of megapixel counts, these are two pretty similar camera arrays on the surface. The big advantage Samsung would have had prior to this year is the presence of a third telephoto lens on the back. Unfortunately for Samsung, Google added one this year and its optical zoom is better on paper. In the past, I've had much better luck with zoom lenses on Pixel phones than Samsung phones, for whatever that's worth.
Pixel phones in general tend to be excellent for photography, in my experience. Or, at least the kind of photography that people like me who aren't good at taking photos like to do, such as snapping pics of random cats I meet on the street.
Google Search's AI Mode can now help you book restaurant reservations, or at least get you to the booking page.
On Thursday, the tech giant announced that its AI Mode has new "new agentic capabilities," including helping users book restaurant reservations, with more to come. AI mode is already available in the U.S., the UK, and India, and Google said it's now expanding to more than 180 countries and territories, though only in English, for now.
While some outlets have reported that "Google Search’s new AI Mode can now book reservations for you," that's not quite true yet.
When you're in AI Mode on Google Search, you can describe the kind of dinner reservation you're looking for, including party size, dietary restrictions, date, time, cuisine, etc., and Google's underlying AI models will fan out across the internet and create a list of restaurants with available reservations that fit your criteria. When you've found a reservation that works, AI Mode will take you to the booking page.
The ability to streamline reservations in AI Mode soft-launched in Labs, Google's testing ground for new AI features, and it's only available to AI Ultra subscribers in the U.S. However, it's a sign that Google is working on launching more widespread agentic features soon. The announcement said users will soon be able to book event tickets and make local service appointments. Google is working with partners like OpenTable, Resy, Tock, Ticketmaster, StubHub, SeatGeek, and Booksy to help curate these recommendations.
The agentic part of this new feature, meaning the part of the feature that uses advanced AI models to take action on your behalf, is the research element. The feature still won't do the actual booking for you. Users will have to manually confirm the booking in a third-party tool like Resy.
Of course, you could just go to Resy or OpenTable and search for reservations that way, but this feature searches across all different platforms and the entire web, and pulls up the reservation times.
The advent of the agentic web promises to automate tedious tasks and research, offloading it to our personalized AI assistants. If AI tools can deliver on this promise, the technology could restructure how we interact with the internet. This is an early glimmer of how agentic AI is taking shape online.
If you're a Google AI Ultra subscriber for $250 a month, you can try agentic reservation booking in Search Labs by clicking on "Agentic capabilities in AI Mode."
How to watch out-of-market NFL games: Do you need NFL Sunday Ticket?Here's how to watch out-of-market games this NFL season, including which streaming service you'll need, price breakdowns, and more.
Figuring out how to watch the entire NFL season in 2025 is complicated. But it gets really frustrating when you live in a different region than your favorite team. Watching out-of-market games for any sport is no walk in the park, but for the NFL, it's an excruciating battle — particularly for your wallet.
Before you pull the trigger on any pay TV provider or streaming service, you may want to check to see what games are considered in-market and out-of-market for your region. You don't want to drop $60 on an annual Paramount+ plan or splurge on the new $199 Fox One streaming platform only to find out the games you want to watch are blacked out.
In-market games are basically your home team broadcasts, or the games geographically closest to you. These are the games you'll regularly find on CBS and Fox on Sunday afternoons. Out-of-market games are those only available outside of the designated broadcast region you are in. These games are blacked out (unless they are national broadcasts) in favor of in-market games. For instance, I am a Baltimore Ravens fan living in Nashville, Tenn. The Tennessee Titans are my local team, which means their games are in-market for me on Sundays. If both the Titans and Ravens are playing in the 1:00 p.m. time slot on Sunday, I will only be able to watch the Titans. The Ravens will be blacked out, as they are considered out-of-market.
To find out which games are in your local market each week, check out 506sports.com.
So, you live in a different region than the team(s) you want to watch. That means the usual streaming services that broadcast NFL games — ESPN, Paramount+, YouTube TV, etc. — aren't going to work for you. With those, you'll only be able to watch in-market teams and national broadcasts. Womp womp.
In this case, the only legal way you can watch out-of-market games is via NFL Sunday Ticket. Sure, there are plenty of bootleg broadcasts floating around the internet, but we can't in good conscience recommend those. NFL Sunday Ticket is the league's own premium sports package that broadcasts NFL regular season games that are unavailable on your local channels. It carries regional Sunday afternoon games on Fox and CBS, specifically. You can get NFL Sunday Ticket as an individual channel on YouTube or as an add-on to YouTube TV.
I won't sugarcoat it for you: NFL Sunday ticket is outrageously expensive unless you're brand new to the service. Through Aug. 31, newbies can score NFL Sunday Ticket as an individual channel on YouTube or as a YouTube TV add-on for $276 total for the regular season (8 payments of $34.50 per month). For returning customers, it'll cost $480 total as an individual channel (8 payments of $60 per month) or $378 total as a YouTube TV add-on (8 payments of $47.25 per month). Students, military personnel, first responders, medical professionals, and teachers can all get discounted rates (see below).
Starting in September, there will also be month-to-month plans available. For new users, it'll cost $85 per month on the monthly plan, while returning customers will pay $115 per month for the YouTube TV add-on and $145 per month for the individual channel.
Here's a breakdown for you:
Season pass (8-month subscription)
$276 for new users ($34.50/month)
$376 for returning users bundled with YouTube TV
$480 for returning users without YouTube TV
$119 for students who can verify their eligibility
$198 for Military & Veterans, First Responders, Medical Community, and Teachers
Month-to-month
$85 per month for new users
$115 per month for returning users bundled with YouTube TV
$145 per month for returning users without YouTube TV
To get NFL Sunday Ticket, head over to YouTube.com/NFL and a prompt will pop up with the details to sign up. If you don't see the prompt, just click on "get NFL Sunday Ticket" to the right of the NFL logo. You'll see options to sign up for both YouTube TV and NFL Sunday Ticket, NFL Sunday Ticket only, or the Student Plan. If you want to sign up for the military, first responder, medical professional, or teacher rate, you'll have to go through id.me.
The Home Depot Labor Day Sale is live: Shop the best deals on tools, grills, and outdoor equipmentThe Home Depot Labor Day sale runs through Sept. 4. Here are the best deals on power tools, outdoor equipment, grills, and more.
Labor Day is still a couple of weekends away, but some sales just couldn't wait. Home Depot's Labor Day sale is already live, offering up to 40% off select power tools, grills, outdoor equipment, appliances, and even Halloween decorations. Whether you want to clean up your yard for fall festivities or try your hands at a home improvement project, the goods you need are likely discounted.
The sale lasts until Sept. 4, but some of these deals are only offered for a limited time. In other words, if you see something you want, grab it ASAP. We've rounded up some of the best deals we've spotted during the Home Depot Labor Day sale below, highlighting grills and tools in particular.
When it comes to grills, it's hard to beat a Weber. Their high quality builds can get pretty expensive, but for Labor Day, several models — including the Genesis collection, the brand's premium gas grills — have price drops up to $100. The Genesis E-315 is usually $899, but you can grab it for $799 during the sale. It features a 513 square-inch cooking space, PureBlu burners, and a 12-year warranty.
Weber Spirit E-210 2-Burner Propane Gas Grill — $399 $449 (save $50)
Weber Traveler Portable Propane Gas Grill — $399 $449 (save $50)
Traeger Pro Series 22-Pellet Grill and Smoker — $449 $549 (save $100)
Weber Spirit E-325 3-Burner Propane Gas Grill — $499 $549 (save $50)
Traeger Pro Series 34-Pellet Grill and Smoker — $599 $729.99 (save $130.99)
Weber Spirit SB-E-425 4-Burner Propane Gas Grill — $629 $699 (save $70)
Traeger Woodridge Wi-Fi Pellet Grill and Smoker — $799 $899 (save $100)
Weber Genesis E-315 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill — $799 $899 (save $100)
Weber Genesis E-325 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill — $849 $949 (save $100)
This seven-tool DeWalt kit is one of the best values we've found during the Home Depot Labor Day sale. It includes one 1/2-inch drill/driver, 1/4-inch impact driver, oscillating multi-tool, one-handed reciprocating saw, 6.5-inch circular saw, LED work light, one 20V Max 5Ah battery, one 20V Max 2Ah compact battery, a charger, and a contractor bag. The sheer amount of stuff in this kit adds up to nearly a $1,000 value, but you can save 37% ahead of Labor Day and grab it for just $599.
RYOBI ONE+ 18V Lithium-Ion Starter Kit — $79 $205 (save $126)
DeWalt 20V MAX Cordless Drill/Impact 2 Tool Combo Kit — $179 $239 (save $60)
Milwaukee M12 FUEL 12-Volt Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Hammer Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit — $199 $369 (save $170)
DeWalt 20V MAX XR Hammer Drill and ATOMIC Impact Driver 2 Tool Cordless Combo Kit — $259 $349 (save $90)
Milwaukee M18 18-Volt Lithium-Ion REDLITHIUM FORGE Starter Kit — $279 $299 (save $20) + get free battery
Milwaukee M18 FUEL 18- V Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Hammer Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit — $399 $558 (save $159)
DeWalt 15 Amp Corded 12 in. Double Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw — $499 $868 (save $369)
DeWalt 20-Volt MAX Lithium-Ion Cordless 7-Tool Combo Kit — $599 $949 (save $350)
Milwaukee M18 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Combo Kit — $599 $1,099 (save $500)
RYOBI ONE+ 18V Cordless 12-Tool Combo Kit — $649 $799 (save $150)
The Milwaukee M18 Fuel Hatchet is a compact, lightweight pruning saw that can get into those hard-to-reach spots and still deliver enough power to cut through hardwoods. It's also relatively quiet, easy to maneuver, and requires no fuel. Instead, it comes with the M18 RedLithium high-output XC6.0 battery pack and the multi-voltage charger. The battery is compatible with other M18 tools as well. During the Labor Day sale, the kit is down to only $249. That's less than half the cost of buying all three pieces separately.
RYOBI Expand-It Brush-Cutter Trimmer Attachment — $79 $99 (save $20)
Milwaukee M18 FUEL Cordless Handheld Blower — $149 $199 (save $50)
DeWalt 20V MAX 22 in. Cordless Battery Powered Hedge Trimmer — $149 $179 (save $30)
RYOBI Cordless Electric Chainsaw — $159 $199 (save $40)
RYOBI Whisper Series Cordless Leaf Blower with 2 batteries — $199 $329 (save $130)
DeWalt Cold Water Electric Pressure Washer — $229 $399 (save $170)
RYOBI Cordless Battery Walk Behind Push Lawn Mower — $299 $329 (save $30)
In the mood for a visual treat to brighten your day? Then look no further than the teaser trailer for the upcoming animated film Arco, from French director Ugo Bienvenu and distributor Neon.
The teaser is just one minute long, but it's packed with lush forests, towering sci-fi landscapes, and surreal space imagery, not to mention its fair share of dazzling rainbows.
That's because rainbows are key to Arco. The film's 10-year-old protagonist Arco uses one to accidentally time travel from his peaceful, distant future to the year 2075. There, he discovers a world in peril, but he also meets a young girl named Iris. The two form a fast friendship and, with the help of Iris' robot caretaker Mikki, they set out on a quest to save the world and get Arco home.
Arco is set to play at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, but it's already had a busy festival year. It had its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, then went on to win the Cristal for Best Feature Film at the 2025 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Could we be looking at a contender for the Oscar for Best Animated Feature?
The film is originally in French, with a voice cast including Little Women's Louis Garrel and Anatomy of a Fall's Swann Arlaud. The English dub features a strong voice cast in its own right, including Will Ferrell, America Ferrera, Flea, Natalie Portman, Mark Ruffalo, and Andy Samberg. Portman also produced the film.
Arco hits select theaters Nov. 14.
Pre-order from the new Google Pixel 10 lineup at Best Buy and save up to $760As of Aug. 21, buy a new Google Pixel 10 at Best Buy, save up to $760, *and* get a gift card worth up to $350.
SAVE UP TO $760 + GET A FREE GIFT CARD: As of Aug. 21, buy a new Google Pixel 10 or other eligible new Pixel device and save up to $760 with eligible trade-in and preorder at Best Buy. Plus, get a free gift card worth up to $350 with purchase.
It's official: the Google Pixel 10 is finally here. Unveiled during Aug. 20's Made by Google event alongside the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Google's newest flagship smartphone is up for grabs now. And even though this is a brand-new phone we're talking about, there's already a way you can save a significant amount of money if it's time for a smartphone upgrade.
Best Buy is currently offering a deal that can save you some serious cash when you have a qualifying trade-in phone and pre-order (the official release date is Aug. 28) a phone from the new Pixel 10 lineup. This promotion can save you up to $600 on the Pixel 10 ($799), Pixel 10 Pro ($999), or Pixel 10 Pro XL ($1,199), and up to $760 off the Pixel 10 Pro Fold ($1,799).
From today through Sep. 4, you can claim this deal by heading to Best Buy and selecting which Google Pixel device you'd like to purchase. You'll need to opt in for a trade-in offer, which is only available if you have a phone that's still in good condition, without cracks. It also needs to come with a power source. You can only trade in phones that you own as well, so if you're still paying on one, that isn't an option for this deal.
You can get up to $760 in maximum trade-in savings based on the value of the device you turn over, and Best Buy's offer for the Pixel 9 Pro XL or Pixel 9 Pro Fold will be based on what's available. Once you trade the device in, Best Buy will give you the value of your device toward your Pixel 10 phone (any of the aforementioned models). Look for the "Trade in and save" option beneath the device's price in bold on the right side of the screen. You'll also see the amount of the gift card you'll receive with purchase right above it.
When you complete the purchase, you'll be provided with a eGift Card from Best Buy worth $100 to $350, depending on the value of your trade-in.
If you've been thinking about giving a new phone a shot but needed a push to do so, this is a great deal that's still going to be running for a while, so you've got time to say your goodbyes to the old one. If you're already using a carrier or just want something new, this might be the best way of bringing home the new Pixel hotness, though.