SAVE $400: The Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 5000H robot lawn mower is on sale at Amazon for $2,899, down from the list price at Mammotion of $3,299. That's a 22% discount and the lowest we've seen at Amazon.

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Credit: Mammotion

Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 5000H robot lawn mower

$2,899 at Amazon
$3,299 Save $400

 

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By now, the lawn is rejoicing. It made it through the winter chill and it's flourishing with mild spring temperatures, occasional rain, and plenty of sun. That's all great until it comes time to mow the grass. If you're not in the mood to deal with another household chore, consider offloading the task to a robot lawn mower. There's a powerful model on sale at Amazon today.

As of May 12, the Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 5000H robot lawn mower is on sale at Amazon for $2,899, down from the list price at Mammotion of $3,299. That's a 22% discount that takes $400 off the normal price. It's also the lowest we've seen at Amazon.

With the ability to cut 1.25 acres, the Mammotion has durable, all-terrain wheels that'll have no issues with uneven lawns, slight bumps, or when cutting over stepping stones. Today's sale price applies to the high version which is capable of cutting grass down to between 4 and 2.2 inches. You'll be able to se the preferred heigh and mowing scheudle with the Mammotion.

The rechargeable battery can keep the robot mower powered on for up to 215 minutes of grass-cutting action. It's also designed with obstacle avoidance for over 300 things that might be on the lawn like a potted plant, picnic table, fire fit, and plenty more.

Before the busy summer schedule kicks into high-gear, get the help of the Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 5000H robot lawn mower. It's on sale at Amazon for under $2,900 which marks a new record-low price.

A BRAND NEW PRICE: As of May 11, My Best Buy Plus memberships are now just $29.99 per year instead of $49.99 per year. That's a $20 permanent price drop. Meanwhile, My Best Buy Total memberships are jumping to $199.99 per year starting June 4, a $20 increase from their previous cost.

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Credit: Best Buy

My Best Buy Plus membership

$29.99 per year

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It's pretty rare in 2026 to see something get cheaper, particularly a subscription. While other subscriptions are steadily hiking costs, Best Buy quietly just dropped the price of its My Best Buy Plus membership permanently.

The tech retail giant announced a reward points system for its paid subscribers last week along with a new pricing structure for its Plus and Total subscriptions. Typically $49.99 per year, the more affordable Plus membership is now just $29.99. The permanent $20 price drop appears to already be reflected on the Best Buy website, so new subscribers will only pay $29.99 and existing subscribers will see the new pricing go into effect on their next bill. That's only a mere $2.50 per month when you do the math.

Plus subscriptions include free two-day shipping, early access to sales, events, and products, an extended 60-day return window, exclusive member pricing, and now 1% back in rewards on eligible purchases (6% with the My Best Buy Credit Card). For instance, Plus and Total members can take an extra $100 off the LG 77-inch B5 OLED 4K TV or get two free months of Apple TV and LinkedIn Premium.

My Best Buy Total subscriptions, on the other hand, are getting a $20 price hike. Currently $179.99 per year, prices will jump to $199.99 per year starting June 4. If you were thinking about signing up, we recommend locking in your membership before June 4 to save $20.

Total subscriptions include the same perks as Plus subscriptions, as well as protection plans like AppleCare+, free in-store and remote computer and tablet services, 24/7 tech support, VIP member support and priority access to Best Buy’s expert services, and 20% off repairs.

The rewards points system, which can now be tracked in a new digital membership hub on BestBuy.com and the Best Buy app, will also go into effect starting June 4.

Euphoria really wants audiences to think Rue Bennett (Zendaya) is dead.

Season 3, episode 5 ends with a cliffhanger that certainly suggests she's a goner. Once Alamo Brown (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) suspects that Rue is a snitch, he sends her on a ride to dig her own grave. She seems quite oblivious to her impending death, even as Alamo's henchmen Bishop (Darrell Britt-Gibson), G (Marshawn Lynch), and Kidd (Asante Blackk) begin burying her up to her neck.

The alarm bells don't fully set in for Rue until the episode's final seconds, when Alamo barrels towards her on horseback, ready to club her head off with a mean polo swing. (Has he taken lessons on how to kill off HBO leads from The Last of Us' golf club-wielding Abby?)

The episode cuts to black before we see what could be Rue's grisly fate, but don't worry: There's no way Euphoria just killed off its Emmy-winning lead.

Why do some think Rue will die on Euphoria?

There are several signs that suggest Rue is really dead.

For one, no footage of her is in the episode 6 trailer. Plus, it forebodingly begins with the sound of a bell tolling as if for a funeral. Notably, Rue's counterpart character in the original Israeli Euphoria miniseries does die, and that show reveals she's been narrating from beyond the grave.

While that could be the case with Rue in Euphoria, as fans have theorized, the Israeli Rue character dies from an overdose, not from a mix-up with a malicious, sex-trafficking cowboy. So, that parallel doesn't quite work here.

Also, that series — also called Euphoria — lasted one season. And the two have diverged greatly, so take any comparisons with several grains of salt.

Here's why Rue isn't dead in Euphoria.

There is incontrovertible proof that Rue survives her Alamo encounter, and it comes from a Season 3 trailer, released on March 30. There, we see a dust-covered Rue making her way back to Laurie's (Martha Kelly) farm, where she tells her, "Alamo tried to kill me, and he's gonna do the same to you."

The murder attempt Rue is referring to must be the one at the end of episode 5. Plus, her nose in the trailer scene is bloody, suggesting something struck it. Something like a polo mallet, perhaps?

The Season 3 trailer also reveals several other Rue scenes that have yet to appear, including a frank conversation with Ali (Colman Domingo) and a sequence in which Rue stares at a burning tree, likely a reference to Moses and the burning bush, in keeping with the season's Biblical allusions.

Simply put, this previously released trailer footage proves that Rue isn't dead yet.

Just how she gets out of this scrape remains to be seen. Maybe it was all an elaborate scare tactic from Alamo, just like him threatening to stab Kidd over a pair of shorter pants earlier in episode 5. Or maybe she just has a superhumanly thick skull. Either way, Rue – and Zendaya — are sticking around for longer.

New episodes of Euphoria Season 3 premiere Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

If you've been keeping an eye on the Steam Machine, here's a reason to pay closer attention. New details have emerged suggesting that Valve is preparing a reservation queue system for the device ahead of launch.

This could be a direct response to the chaos that followed the Steam Controller's release, which sold out almost immediately and landed largely in the hands of scalpers.

According to Wccftech, users digging through a recent Steam update uncovered code pointing to four distinct Steam Machine packages and two Steam Frame packages, alongside existing entries for the Steam Controller and Steam Deck. The four-package breakdown strongly implies multiple models will be available at launch.

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Two are already known — a 512GB and a 2TB storage configuration — but the nature of the remaining two is still unconfirmed. The reservation queue itself mirrors the system Valve introduced for the Steam Controller, designed to give actual buyers a fair shot before scalpers can clean out launch inventory.

As for when any of this actually happens — that's still the big question. Earlier this year, Valve acknowledged in a blog post that soaring memory and storage costs had forced the company to reassess its pricing and shipping timeline, particularly for the Steam Machine and Steam Frame.

The company has since struck a more confident tone, updating its Steam Year in Review to confirm that all three products — the Steam Machine, Steam Frame VR headset, and Steam Controller — will ship this year.

No price or launch date has been confirmed. But four packages and a scalper-prevention system quietly appearing in a Steam update suggest the pieces are falling into place faster than Valve is letting on.

Back in July 2025, when The Late Show was unceremoniously canceled, the end of an era of television that started in 1993 with David Letterman still seemed a long way away.

But now, quite suddenly, the time has come. The Late Show ends this month. Stephen Colbert will no longer be a daily late night staple, and — aside from co-writing a new Lord of the Rings movie — we don't yet know what the host plans to do next.

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So when exactly does The Late Show finish, and how much do we know about what the final episodes have in store?

When is Stephen Colbert's last Late Show?

The final episode of The Late Show will air on Thursday, May 21, Colbert confirmed to fellow late night show host Seth Meyers earlier this year. At the time of writing, that means we have just two weeks of shows left.

It's worth noting that this isn't just a case of Colbert himself leaving and being replaced, either — the entire Late Show is coming to an end.

How to watch the final Late Show episode?

The final episode will air at the usual time of 11:35 p.m. EST live on CBS. As always, for anyone who doesn't have CBS, videos from the show will be available on the official Late Show YouTube channel.

Which guests will be appearing?

We don't yet know which guests will be appearing in the final week of The Late Show (we'll update this article when we know more), but the lineup for the penultimate week has been revealed in a press release sent to Mashable. We've shared the full guest list below:

Monday, May 11

• The hosts of Strike Force Five – Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver

• A special Broadway performance featuring Annaleigh Ashford, Christopher Jackson, Bernadette Peters, Ben Platt, and Patrick Wilson

Tuesday, May 12

• Julia Louis-Dreyfus

• Pedro Pascal

Wednesday, May 13

• President Barack Obama takes “The Colbert Questionert”

• Tom Hanks

Thursday, May 14

• David Letterman

• Performance by The Strokes

Why is The Late Show being canceled again?

During an episode of The Late Show in July 2025, Stephen Colbert announced the show's cancelation, to a shocked reaction from the studio audience. Given that Colbert had just called out his own network for paying a $16 million settlement to Donald Trump, calling it a "big fat bribe", the timing seemed suspicious. But in a statement, CBS claimed the show was being axed for financial reasons.

"This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night," CBS executives wrote. "It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content, or other matters happening at Paramount."

Needless to say, many — including some of Colbert's fellow late night hosts — didn't buy it, with critics pointing to the fact that CBS' parent company Paramount needed the Trump administration's approval for a proposed merger with Skydance at the time — and the U.S. president openly hates late night hosts who criticize him.

SAVE UP TO $25.01: A Parade of Horribles: Dungeon Crawler Carl book 8 by Matt Dinniman is on sale at Amazon for $6.99 in the Kindle version and $23 in the hardback version. The book releases tomorrow, May 12.

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Credit: Ace

'A Parade of Horribles: Dungeon Crawler Carl' book 8

$6.99 at Amazon
$32 Save $25.01

 

Pre-order Here

We've missed Princess Donut, Mongo, calling for Zev, and reading about Carl's bare feet. But that's all coming back to us tomorrow when A Parade of Horribles, the 8th book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series launches. If you can't wait to dive in, check out these pre-order discounts at Amazon.

As of May 11, the Kindle version of A Parade of Horribles by Matt Dinniman is on sale at Amazon for $6.99, down from the standard price of $32. The hardback version is on sale for $23, also down from $32. The book launches tomorrow, May 12.

In a time when everything seems weird and worrying in the real world, Matt Dinniman is giving us 766 pages of adventure fiction. What snippy things will get Donut say to get in trouble this time? What trickery will Carl come up with just when we think he'll surely die? We cannot wait to find out. A Paraded of Horribles marks the 8th book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series.

If you're not in a hurry to snag a physical copy of the book, you can order a signed hardback copy from an independent bookstore in Dinniman's home town of Gig Harbor, Wash. Invitation Bookshop notes that signed copies are delayed but will be on their way as soon as Dinniman can sign them. My plan is to read the Kindle version when it releases tomorrow and wait for the signed physical version to arrive for my bookshelf. The signed copy is selling for the standard hardcover retail price of $32.

Get back into the wonderful, deranged, and lovable journey with Carl, Donut, Mongo, and the others when A Parade of Horribles releases on May 12. It's a terrific escape from our current terrors and it's on a major sale at Amazon.

Save 44%: The Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds are on sale for just $99.99 as a Best Buy deal of the day. That means come May 12, this $80 markdown on the usually $179.99 earbuds is over.

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Credit: Soundcore

Soundcore Sleep A20

$99.99 at Best Buy
$179.99 Save $80.00

 

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I do not play about my sleep, which is one of the reasons why as a headphones reviewer, I have put all the most popular sleep earbuds to the test.

After a few rounds of testing, the Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds remain some of the best I've tried, and as of May 11, they're on sale for one of their lowest prices ever. Thanks to a Best Buy deal of the day, they dropped down to $99.99, making them $80 cheaper than their usual $179.99. As a deal of the day, however, these savings will be gone come tomorrow, so if you're interested, you'll want to act sooner rather than later.

Though I consider the Soundcore Sleep A30 Special earbuds the best option for sleep earbuds overall due to their combination of comfort and active noise cancellation, if you can live without ANC, the Sleep A20 are a much more cost effective option, especially at this sale price. (At the time of writing the Sleep A30 Special earbuds are only available for their full price of $199.99). I trust their efficacy so much that I picked them up on sale last Black Friday as a Christmas present for my dad, who was formerly using his AirPods to help him fall asleep while managing his tinnitus.

With the Sleep A20 earbuds, you'll get 14 hours of battery life per charge with a case that can hold 80 hours of charge, a robust sleep sound library and the ability to stream your own audio with timers for falling asleep, and sleep tracking data. Even without ANC, they offer an impressively good amount of passive noise cancellation — especially if you're streaming audio. For noisy nights or travel (reminder: Memorial Day Weekend is just two weeks away), these earbuds can change the game in offering you reliably soundproofed sleep.

I have been plotting and planning to adopt a dog for years, and at the end of 2025, it finally happened. Now our sweet pitbull beagle mix, Milly, has come home and joined the family. While I grew up with dogs, this is my first time owning a dog as an adult, which meant starting from scratch and dropping a lot of money on everything I needed — or thought I needed.

The Lesure dog bed, might just be Milly's favorite spot in the house. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Luckily, with six months of dog ownership under my belt, I've figured out the absolute essentials — things we use every day. With Amazon Pet Week running from May 11 through 15, I wanted to share my dog essentials. These are the things I would buy over and over again that both Milly and I love.

Lesure Donut Dog Bed

Lesure Donut Dog Bed

$45.99 at Amazon

 

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This wasn't the first dog bed we got for Milly, but the Lesure dog bed is absolutely her favorite — she tried to lie on it before it was even fully put together. The outside of the bed is so soft, but the donut shape makes it extremely cozy. It has a sort of ingenius two part design with two cushions that are inserted into the cover to make that donut shape. That also makes it exceptionally easy to clean. Once it starts to smell a little...doggy, I can just toss it in the wash to get it feeling fresh again.

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MidWest Homes 36-inch Double Door Dog Crate

MidWest Homes 36-inch Double Door Dog Crate

$61.93 at Amazon
$65.99 Save $4.06

 

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Luckily, Milly came to us crate-trained. This girl loves her crate and sleeps easily through the night in it. During Black Friday, I picked up the MidWest Homes 36-inch Double Door Dog Crate, and it's great. It was so easy to set up and can fold down easily if we want to travel with it. I love the double doors situation that allows us to angle it however we need.

Max and Neo Dog Collar

Max and Neo Martingale Collar

$17.99 at Amazon

 

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As a first-time dog owner, it's safe to say I have a little bit of new parent anxiety. Luckily, Milly's foster sent us home with a Max and Neo Martingale collar, which I would purchase with my own money if I had to do it again. A martingale collar has a special mechanism that tightens it when your dog pulls, so it's less likely that your dog can slip out of the collar. Plus, I love that it has a lock on the buckle for extra security.

AirTag and collar holder

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Credit: Apple

Apple AirTag

$29 at Amazon

 

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Credit: Goody Products

Goody Products AirTag Holder

$14.96 at Amazon

 

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If the worst were to happen and we got lost from Milly, we wanted some way to track her. We decided to get an AirTag as it was an affordable, easy-to-use option. Since we live in a city, the AirTag is fairly accurate and reliable, though if we lived in the suburbs or country, we might consider a GPS collar. The AirTag has been great so far, and we keep it attached to Milly's collar with an AirTag holder.

The Buddy System Dog Leash

The Buddy System Hands Free Dog Leash

$24.99 at Amazon

 

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When adopting Milly, we were recommended to get a runner's belt. We tried a few options, but our favorite is from The Buddy System, which has inclusive sizing and easily converts to a handheld leash. My favorite feature is the tab to clip our treat pouch and poop bag holder.

Earth Rated Dog Poop Bags

Earth Rated Poop Bags

$24.69 at Amazon
$28.24 Save $3.55

 

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I know it is not glamorous or the most exciting thing to buy during a sale, but without fail, the thing you will use every day as a dog owner is poop bags. There are a ton out there, but Earth Rated seems to be the most popular (245K+ reviews on Amazon) for good reason. I like them because they come in a pack of 600, so I don't have to think about buying them for months at a time.

Upsky No Spill Water Bowl

Upsky No Spill Water Bowl

$15.99 at Amazon
$19.99 Save $4.00

 

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We bought the Upsky No Spill Water Bowl after dog sitting for our friends who had one. It is awesome for messy drinkers as the disk on top keeps just a little water exposed. The unexpected upside? Our cats love drinking from it, too.

Woof Pupsicle

Woof Pupsicle

$23.99 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $6

 

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If you have an active dog with high enrichment needs, you need a Woof Pupsicle. The inside frozen treat keeps dogs active for at least 15 minutes, plus, you can make your own treat with the included mold. Milly loves her so much that we give her one at every meal.

Pawz Rubber Boots

Pawz Rubber Boots

$21.49 at Amazon

 

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I never thought I'd be someone who puts little boots on their dog, but then winter came, and Milly was limping from all the salt on her paws. While the Pawz rubber boots aren't the fanciest booties you can find online, they're cheap and easy to put on. Plus, I find they give much better paw mobility. They're not just for winter either, as they can protect paws against hot pavement.

Zuke's Mini Treats

Zuke's Mini Treats

$13.89 at Amazon
$16.99 Save $3.10

 

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My family has been buying Zuke's for almost two decades, so when I got a dog of my own, they were the first treats I bought. They're tiny, so you can fit a lot of them in a treat pouch, low-calorie, and based on my dog's reaction to them, very tasty. The only downside is they do tend to dry out fast.

Whimzees Dental Treats

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Credit: Wellness

Whimzees Natural Dental Treats

$43.80 at Amazon

 

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After our daily walk, Milly goes straight to the treat cabinet for her dental treat. We get the Whimzees natural dog treats, which she loves. The variety box is the best value, especially since we give them to her daily. Plus, we've genuinely noticed a difference in her breath, which, to put it kindly, was exceptionally stinky.

Earth Rated Dog Shampoo

Earth Rated Dog Shampoo

$16.14 at Amazon
$16.99 Save $0.85

 

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Speaking of stinky, the transition from winter to fall is better known as mud season where I live, and Milly made the most of it. This resulted in her least favorite activity, the bath. Earth Rated 3-in-1 dog shampoo has worked extremely well for us. I love the white tea and basil scent, plus its easy squeeze bottle design is clutch for easy dispensing. It rinses easily and actually deodorizes when Milly starts to smell like dog.

Earth Rated Pet Wipes

Earth Rated Pet Wipes

$29.92 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $5.07

 

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For both mine and Milly's sanity, a bath can't happen every day, so for the in-between days, pet wipes come in handy. They do a great job cleaning paws and eyes, but they even get off mud or slush after a big walk outside.

The best deals in Saatva's Memorial Day Sale 2026:

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Best budget pick

Saatva Classic Mattress (Queen)

$1,529 (save $650)

Get Deal

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Best bundle deal

Saatva Classic Bundle (Queen)

$2,148 (save $680)

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Best for back pain

Saatva Rx Mattress (Queen)

$2,799 (save $650)

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Buying a new mattress is a hassle. There are so many options, and if you're not already in love with your current mattress (and just looking for a replacement), finding one that's just right can feel overwhelming — especially if there isn't a brick-and-mortar store nearby. Plus, mattresses are expensive. I mean, spending thousands on a mattress in this economy? Hard pass.

Fortunately, I've already found the perfect mattress brand for you. Enter: Saatva. Yes, I know they're known for luxe mattresses, but don't let that deter you. (I used to exclusively buy from Purple until I tried a Saatva, and now I'm never going back.) The brand's throwing an early Memorial Day Sale, and the deals are unbeatable for what you're getting.

Right now, Saatva is giving customers $650 off any order of $1,500 or more. There aren't any promo codes or hoops to jump through; the discount is just applied at checkout.

If you're ready to replace your old mattress, here are the best deals to shop during Saatva's early Memorial Day Sale:

Best budget pick

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Credit: Saatva

Saatva Classic Mattress (Queen)

$1,529 at Saatva
$2,179 Save $650

 

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Why we like it

Saatva isn't a "budget" brand by any means, but the most affordable option in the sale is the Saatva Classic. This mattress is listed on the site as "America's best-selling online luxury innerspring." It's also won countless awards and, according to Saatva, is the "official mattress and restorative sleep provider of Team USA." (If it's good enough for an Olympian to sleep on, it's definitely good enough for me.)

Best bundle deal

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Credit: Saatva

Saatva Classic Bundle (Queen)

$2,148 at Saatva
$2,828 Save $680

 

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Why we like it

If you need a "whole package deal" (e.g., a mattress, mattress pad, and frame), the Classic Bundle is the way to go. It comes with a Saatva Classic Mattress (the pick above), one foundation, one universal frame, and one signature mattress pad — and you can get it all for less than $3,000.

Best for back pain

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Credit: Saatva

Saatva Rx Mattress (Queen)

$2,799 at Saatva
$3,449 Save $650

 

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Why we like it

If you suffer from chronic back pain (hi, it's me), then you need the Saatva Rx. As a person with endometriosis, I have severe back pain that keeps me awake throughout the night, so what I sleep on really matters. I recently got this mattress (just this week, actually), and I couldn't be more impressed. It's the first mattress specially designed for people with chronic back pain and joint conditions, and so far, I have zero complaints.

Save up to 36% on the Hisense U6 Pro:

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55-inch

Hisense 55-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV

$648.99 (save $201)

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65-inch

Hisense 65-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV

$748.99 (save $351)

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75-inch

Hisense 75-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV

$898.99 (save $501)

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85-inch

Hisense U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV

$1,299.99 (save $700)

Get Deal

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100-inch

Hisense 100-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV

$2,498.99 (save $1,001)

Get Deal

You've got exactly a month to prepare for the 23rd edition of the prestigious FIFA World Cup. So if you need to upgrade your TV, now's a great time. Not only are brand new 2026 TV models officially on shelves, but some are even on sale already — including Hisense's U6 Pro. As of May 11, every size of the U6 Pro is on sale for up to 36% off.

Fittingly, Hisense is the official TV sponsor of the 2026 World Cup, and the U6 Pro is one of the core models surrounding the famous competition. The U6 Pro is "engineered to help fans, families and friends experience every moment together with greater clarity, scale and immersion at a budget that fits their needs," Hisense writes in a press release.

While it is technically one of the brand's mid-range TVs, there's not much that's "mid" about it. It "represents Hisense’s performance-to-value sweet spot," according to the brand. The U6 Pro is illuminated by Mini-LED backlighting and features a native refresh rate of 144Hz, quantum-dot color, AI-driven processing, 2.1-channel Dolby Atmos audio, extensive gaming support including Freesync Premium Pro, and a peak brightness of 1,200 nits.

Screens run from 55 to 100 inches, each of which is on sale, ensuring there's a size that'll fit your space. You'll score the biggest discount on the 65-inch and 75-inch models, which we find are often the sweet spot for most shoppers. But if you choose to go as big as 100 inches, you'll still score some serious savings.

• Hisense 55-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV — $648.99 $849.99 (save $201)

• Hisense 65-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV — $748.99 $1,099.99 (save $351)

• Hisense 75-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV — $898.99 $1,399.99 (save $501)

• Hisense 85-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV — $1,299.99 $1,999.99 (save $700)

• Hisense 100-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED Hi-QLED 4K TV — $2,498.99 $3,499.99 (save $1,001)

Whether you're hosting a World Cup watch party or simply need a new TV to upgrade your own viewing experience, you won't be disappointed in the U6 Pro.

SAVE $100.01: The Bluetti Elite 300 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $1,098.99, down from the list price of $1,199 at Bluetti. This sale price matches the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon.

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Credit: Bluetti

Bluetti Elite 300

$1,098.99 at Amazon
$1,199 Save $100.01

 

Get Deal

We're in optimal camping weather in much of the country. It's no longer dipping into freezing temps at night, but it's also not reaching scorching temps during the day. If you're taking advantage of the weather and heading out on camping and RV trips, there's a portable power station worth packing along. To make the situation even more appealing, the station is on sale today.

As of May 11, the Bluetti Elite 300 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $1,098.99, marked down from the list price of $1,199 at Bluetti. This sale price matches the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon.

In case you haven't experienced the magic of a portable power station, make this the summer of staying powered up while off-grid. The Bluetti Elite 300 is a larger model, coming with about 3,000Wh of capacity and a 2,400W output. But despite its beefy output, it has a relatively small body, measuring about 14 inches wide, 12 inches tall, and 12 inches in depth. Keep in mind it weighs nearly 60 pounds, so it's probably not the right model for camping in remote locations with hike-in access.

For RV trips, you can make use of the TT-30 port. The battery capacity will recharge a 60W laptop 33 times or a 10W phone over 90 times. If there's a power outage at home, you can keep the WiFi router going for over 85 hours.

Before another ideal camping weekend slips by, upgrade with the Bluetti Elite 300 portable power station. Since it's back at a record-low price, there's never been a better time to buy.

When Until Dawn was released all the way back in 2015, it was a rather inventive interactive horror drama that propelled itself into mainstream gaming culture on the strength of how gloriously camp it was. With its myriad of choices and gruesome deaths, Until Dawn had a replayability and a level of enjoyment — especially for YouTubers — that made it a standout in a year already dominated by heavyweights like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Fallout 4, Bloodborne, and Undertale.

Supermassive's formula was unique at the time, heavily inspired by the adventure genre and FMV (full-motion video) games of old. But now, a decade and seven games later, that formula is starting to show its age. The latest entry is Directive 8020, the fifth instalment in the Dark Pictures Anthology, set far into the future aboard the starship Cassiopeia.

Like the other entries in the series, Supermassive knows how to make you feel genuinely terrible about a decision in Directive 8020. Unlike those earlier games, though — Man of Medan, House of Ashes, and the rest — you can now rewind your previous choices, making it easier than ever to get the full scope of the narrative without committing to any one path. Does that meaningfully change how the story is presented? Not really. But it is a significant improvement in quality of life for anyone who wants to see how the story branches without having to restart the whole thing just to make the most myopic dialogue and character decisions possible.

All that to say: from my time with the game — with a code provided by Supermassive — Directive 8020 is both a blast story-wise and an absolute drag gameplay-wise. And in the eight full hours I logged, playing through the main story and messing around with the rewind feature to hunt collectibles and explore extra choices, I can confidently say I still had some fun with Supermassive's latest.

Directive 8020 draws heavily from The Thing and Alien

Lashana Lynch plays the 'Directive 8020' protagonist: pilot Brianna Young. Credit: Supermassive Games

Directive 8020 welcomes you aboard the colony ship Cassiopeia. You play as the crew of scientists on an eight-year survey mission to the exoplanet Tau Ceti, tasked with determining whether it's fit for human life. The problem is that an alien organism has found its way onto the ship — one that's not only hunting the crew down but can also mimic them, turning what was supposed to be a routine survey mission into a paranoia-soaked trip into hell.

If that basic plot synopsis sounds like a spoiler, it really isn't in the grand scheme of things. It's the game's central marketing hook, and it carries with it a dramatic irony that will always color your decision-making, especially on a first playthrough. Like other games in the series, the playable cast is filled with up-and-coming and lesser-known actors, this time with Lashana Lynch (The Woman King, The Day of the Jackal) in one of the lead roles. And not to go off on a tangent, but the quietly impressive awards pedigree of this franchise is always worth noting — both Rami Malek and Jesse Buckley landed Best Actor wins in the years following their respective Supermassive appearances in Until Dawn and The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me. Fingers crossed for Lynch, then.

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Without getting too deep into the plot, Lynch's character — Cassiopeia pilot Brianna Young — awakens from a four-year slumber to find one of the sleep technicians missing (they're assigned to stay awake for the full journey to watch over the crew and ship) and the other acting really, really strange. From there, the crew must deal with a series of disturbances that derail the mission, one meant to lay the groundwork for the colonists of Andromeda to eventually arrive on their new home planet.

The story is fairly straightforward, drawing heavily on The Thing and Alien — the sentimental body-snatcher and space-horror classics, respectively. Alongside Young, who is trying to follow in her famous pilot father's footsteps, the other playable characters include Commander Nolan Stafford, ship designer Laure Eisele, engineer Josef Cernan, and Dr. Amanda Cooper. They're fine, which has always been a quiet problem with Supermassive games — the people we're supposed to want to protect until the very end tend to be fairly one-note. Eisele is rational to the point of being robotic; Cernan is grappling with the meaning of life after losing his husband; and Cooper is still processing the trauma of being the sole survivor of a mass casualty event. Bog standard motivations that don't carry much weight in the grand scheme of the plot, at least in my experience.

There are three additional characters aboard the ship who aren't playable; their primary narrative function is as potential mimic targets who may or may not still be themselves by the time the story picks up steam. That setup also doubles as the structural backbone for Directive 8020's five-player co-op movie night mode.

Directive 8020 gives the illusion of choice and consequences

Be aware of the illusion of choice. Credit: Supermassive Games

If the story is Directive 8020's strongest hand, the gameplay is where it overplays it. While the interactive QTE (quick time event) drama formula is getting stale, nobody picks up a Supermassive game expecting God of War. But there's a difference between "light on gameplay" and "actively repetitive," and Directive 8020 spends an uncomfortable amount of time on the wrong side of that line.

Supermassive has always built its games around the illusion of meaningful decisions, and Directive 8020 is no different. One of the things the developer gets right is the Turning Points system, which lets you rewind decisions and explore different branches of the story without having to blow up your entire playthrough. That's a genuine quality-of-life win for a game built around consequence. Except some of these choices are so deceptively mundane that the consequences feel less like earned drama and more like gotcha moments.

Early on, you're asked to reroute power from either the Cassiopeia's landing gear or fire suppression system. Seems straightforward enough on the surface, except that picking either option comes with fatal consequences. Here's the thing, though: this is a horror game set on a spaceship. Of course, you're keeping the fire suppression on. Something is always going to end up on fire. Calling that a meaningful choice is generous.

And no matter what happens in any given chapter, it's pretty clear that the story is engineered to hit its predetermined endpoints regardless of what you do. The prologue is a good example — it ends with one of the sleep technicians getting mimicked by the alien, which then chases the other to their death. Except you can also accidentally kill that technician yourself earlier in the chapter if you botch a QTE. Doesn't matter. The mimic version of the tech you just killed shows up anyway and the chase plays out exactly the same. The destination was never in question. There are several instances of this across the game's eight chapters, and each one is a small reminder that the illusion of consequence only stretches so far before the seams start to show.

Ugh, a stealth section. Credit: Supermassive Games

Some secondary features are neat, like being able to text the crew during exploratory sections of the game. It serves as light character building and a way to update traits for the playable characters. Upgrading one of two traits for each character will affect their endings, so it is important to stay on top of that or at least be consistent in your dialogue choices. That's all it's really there for.

But nothing — and I mean nothing — Directive 8020 has to offer is worse than its stealth sections. And there are so, so many of them. So many, in fact, that I stopped being scared of this game entirely somewhere around the third or fourth time I was crouching behind a crate looking for a battery to power a door. The score does nothing to conjure dread when you know the only time you'll meaningfully interact with an enemy is during these mandatory gauntlets. They are boring in the most specific way possible — think the stealth sections in Marvel's Spider-Man and Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, except stretched across an entire game. I genuinely do not have the vocabulary to fully articulate all the ways in which these sections do not work. You sneak around an enemy, get to a door, realize the door has no power, find a battery, power the door, go through the door, and then do it again. And again. And again. This looped effect on the story's pacing is catastrophic.

That's probably the harshest I'll be about the game, but with this genre, it's increasingly hard to ignore the law of diminishing returns on the gameplay side. I still remember House of Ashes giving you full camera control and thinking that was a genuinely interesting evolution for the series. Directive 8020 does not feel like an evolution. Its big gameplay change is marketed as "real-time alien threats," and all it is is f***ing stealth sections.

If you don't like these kinds of games, this one will not be the one that converts you.

Directive 8020 runs like a charm

Credit: Supermassive Games

What Directive 8020 does have going for it, even without a Sony-sized budget, is that it still looks genuinely good. A little stiff, a little uncanny valley in places, but never enough to actually pull you out of the experience. And in terms of performance, I have almost nothing to complain about — which, in my experience covering games on the PlayStation 5 for Mashable, is not something I take for granted. The most recent reminder of that was Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss, and pun very much intended, the performance on that game was abysmal.

Directive 8020 is the opposite. Navigating the game is a breeze, which, frankly, it should be — Supermassive has been doing this exact type of game on a loop since Until Dawn, and anything less would be embarrassing at this point. There is one minor recurring annoyance: the Secrets tab in the menu has a bug where it'll just stop mid-scroll while you're trying to track down undiscovered items. It's a small thing, but the kind that gets irritating fast. Beyond that, the weird eyes and slightly robotic movement have long since stopped bothering me. Considering how much is being rendered at any given moment, I'm willing to extend some grace.

And to Supermassive's credit, when the game wants to look genuinely unsettling, it delivers. The alien-infested sections of the Cassiopeia are a highlight — ship corridors that were once clean and clinical are now swallowed by thick, glistening biological matter, all wet sinew and dark organic sprawl creeping across the walls like the ship itself is being consumed from the inside out.

The contrast between the cold industrial infrastructure of the vessel — the pipes, the paneling, the terminals — and the grotesque living mass overtaking it does exactly what good sci-fi horror set design is supposed to do. It's gross in the right way. Unsettling in the right way. The kind of environmental storytelling that doesn't need a single line of dialogue to tell you that whatever happened here, it was bad, and it happened fast. It's a shame the stealth sections ask you to spend so much time in these corridors, because the repetition eventually dulls what should be a consistently unnerving atmosphere.

Is Directive 8020 worth it?

Directive 8020 is a hard game to give a clean recommendation on, because how much you get out of it depends almost entirely on what you're coming in looking for. If you're a Supermassive faithful who has logged time with Man of Medan, House of Ashes, and the rest of the Dark Pictures catalog, there's enough here to justify the trip — a genuinely compelling mimic-driven paranoia story, a solid central performance from Lynch, and a rewind feature that finally makes exploring the full breadth of the narrative feel less like homework. On that front, it delivers.

But if you were hoping that a decade into this formula, Supermassive might have cracked the code on making the gameplay half of the equation actually interesting, Directive 8020 is not that game. The stealth sections are a slog, the choices occasionally mistake obviousness for subtlety, and the story's habit of hitting its marks regardless of what you do makes the whole thing feel more theme park ride than interactive drama. You're on the track whether you like it or not.

At $49.99, it's not an unreasonable ask, especially if you have four friends willing to do a movie night co-op run — that's genuinely the best way to play something like this and probably the version of the game Supermassive intended. Solo, it's a breezy eight hours that's more fun to think about afterward than it is to actually play through in the moment.

Directive 8020 is not Supermassive's best work, but it's not their worst either. It sits comfortably in the middle of a catalog that has always been more interesting in concept than in execution. Which is worth a play, but maybe wait for a sale.

TikTok users in the UK are getting a way to get rid of ads, but it will cost them.

On Monday, the social media platform introduced TikTok Ad-Free, a subscription-based version of the service that completely banishes ads.

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It's a very simple affair: Pay £3.99 per month, and you will see no ads. If you don't want to pay, you can continue to use TikTok with ads. The Ad-Free tier does not come with any additional benefits.

From the company's FAQ on the matter: "Whether someone chooses the ad-free subscription or continues with the free ad-supported version, their core TikTok experience remains the same. All users will continue to have access to the same features, creators, and content."

There's another benefit to subscribing to TikTok Ad-Free; if you do so, your data will not be used for advertising purposes. Regular users will see ads personalized to their interests, but that means TikTok will collect some of their data to be able to serve those ads.

According to TikTok, the Ad-Free option is rolling out "over the coming months" to UK users aged 18 or over.

TikTok is not the first social media site to offer this option. For example, Meta lets users in the UK and Europe pay for an ad-free experience on Facebook and Instagram.

Trying to decide which device to wear on your wrist? Take it from someone who's worn a Garmin watch for almost 10 years: The incredible battery life makes tracking your health and fitness super easy. However, the Apple Watch is not without serious benefits. Which one is right for you?

I was a lost puppy in my early days on Grindr, especially as I tried to ditch the juvenile online abbreviations I’d been using for years. Gone were the days of “ur”. As a wide-eyed, new college freshman, I was more “literate” than ever. These were the times of spelling the whole word out: “you’re.” 

After my first Grindr download, I realized acronyms like gh, gen, ff, ws, poz, and pnp were being thrown around everywhere, but I didn't think it was necessary to learn them. Let me be clear: it was, and it still is. It took a few weeks until someone asked me if I wanted to “parTy”. A spelling error, I had assumed. My iPhone keyboard sometimes does that, too. But, I was an eighteen-year-old first-year college student living on my own for the first time. What a stupid fucking question. Hell yes, I like to party!

It took one Google search to realize that I was right, I do like to party… but I absolutely do not like to parTy (which is a reference to drug use). That’s when it hit me. To stay safe, I actually needed to understand these terms, something I’d been innocently ignoring since I first joined the app. Knowing them is how you avoid ending up in a situation you don’t want to be in.

But, why are people using acronyms and terms on Grindr to begin with? The short answer: speed. Acronyms and terms are quick. They get the point across efficiently, even with the learning curve. It minimizes the need for longer, direct conversations. I think it’s safe to say that the vast majority of people using these terms aren’t looking to beat around the bush. They want to meet up right now

Acronyms and terms are also used on Grindr for discretion, which exists for two reasons: safety and plausible deniability. 

Using an acronym for safety might include why a trans person would use a term such as “ftm” (female to male), “mtf” (male to female), or “t4t” (trans for trans). These acronyms enhance safety for trans people meeting strangers online by providing a shorthand for identity and intent.

Plausible deniability, on the other hand, is where things get a little more illicit. Acronyms are often used to bypass moderation for topics that would otherwise result in a ban, including the use of illegal drugs. Codewords allow users to discuss illegal activities with enough ambiguity to claim they were talking about something else entirely. It’s ridiculously problematic, but it is rather foolproof.

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Grindr’s most-used acronyms and terms in 2026

As language shifts, so does the coded shorthand used on Grindr. Some terminology seen on the app ten years ago might not have much pertinence anymore. Whether you’re new to Grindr in 2026 or just need a little bit of a cheat sheet to hold onto, here are the most common acronyms and terms you'll encounter and what they signify.

• anon: anonymous; interest in anonymous sex

• bb: bareback; raw sex without condom-use

• bear: bear; a subculture of gay men with typically larger, hairier bodies

• bttm: bottom; one who prefers to be on the receiving end of anal sex

• cd: crossdresser; a man who dresses up as a woman during (and occasionally not during) sexual acts

• discreet: discreet; someone not publicly out as gay/trans/etc. looking to partake in sexual acts and conversation on a secretive level

• dl: down low; essentially means the exact same thing as above

• dp: double penetration; exactly what you think it is

• ff: fisting; someone either into fisting/wanting to be fisted (you can ask more about who’s taking which side in the DMs)

• ftm: female to male; a person who was assigned female at birth, who now identifies as male 

• fwb: friends with benefits; a friend you can f*ck

• gen: generous; someone looking a financial arrangement, typically involving payment for a sexual encounter

• gh: gloryhole; a typically anonymous encounter involving oral and/or anal sex through a hole in a wall or sheet

• host: host; A user who has their own place and can accommodate guests for a hookup

• into: into; a quicker way to ask someone, “what are you into sexually?”, meaning the person asking does not care that you like to hike and play ultimate frisbee

• jo: jerking off; someone interest in mutual masturbation with a partner

• jock: jock; a man with a muscular/athletic body who is typically into fitness

• ltr: long-term relationship; someone with interest in pursuing a romantic connection

• mtf: male to female;  assigned male at birth, now identifying as female 

• npnc: no pic, no chat; someone with no interest in chatting with someone who is unable to provide a photo of their face

• nsa: no strings attached; a sexual/physical connection with no romantic connection

• otter: otter; a hairier gay man with a slim, lean, or more athletic build

• parTy: chemsex; refers to sex involving drug use, specifically "tina" (crystal meth), with the capitalized "T" serving as a coded signal for the substance

• pnp: party and play; broader term that can include various substances to enhance sexual experiences

• poz: HIV+; a term to signify an HIV+ person

• rn: right now; interest in meeting up for sex as soon as possible

• side: side; a user with preference to sexual encounters that don't involve penetration

• t4t: trans for trans; a trans person looking for encounters with another trans person

• top: top; one who prefers to be on the giving end of anal sex

• twink: twink; a hairless, leaner, younger gay man

• twunk: twunk; a hairless, more athletically-built gay man

• uc: uncut; someone with an uncircumcised penis

• u=u: undetectable = untransmittable; medically proven status meaning those on sustained antiretroviral therapy (ART) with an undetectable HIV viral load cannot sexually transmit the virus to someone without HIV

• vers: versatile; someone who enjoys being both on the receiving and giving end during anal sex

• ws: watersports; interest in urine-play during sexual experiences

• wya: where you at; used to quickly determine a person’s location before or during a meetup

Should I be using acronyms and terms on Grindr?

Grindr may be built for fast connections, but navigating the app effectively requires understanding the specific acronyms and terms users rely on. So, do you need to use them? Technically, no, you don’t, but you should absolutely be familiar with what most of these mean when using the app. If you ever encounter an unfamiliar term or request, a quick Google search is a perfectly normal way to stay informed. And trust me, knowing the lingo will help you steer clear of some very uncomfortable situations.

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2018 was a weird year. I was 22 and just graduated college with an art degree that I still haven’t used to this day. I was planning to be the next Ryan McGinley, taking photos of handsome twinks around New York City. But I was still naive and living with my parents, working with my dad over the summer to make quick cash while I applied to photography internships around Manhattan. All unpaid.

I was flat broke, so I got my very first credit card, which funded a much-needed new mattress and a ticket to Firefly Music Festival with some of my besties. But I realized I needed more money.

I made an account on Seeking Arrangements, banking on being young and broke being enough, but to no avail. I went on Omegle with the tag “sugar daddy” so I could find someone who would let me bully them for incremental payments. That didn’t work either. I gave up on my sugar baby fantasy. 

Until I got to Firefly.

It was a hot weekend. Low 80s. No rain. I saw SZA and Kendrick and Eminem and Arctic Monkeys and MGMT. I was spending a lot of money on food inside the festival grounds. And I was horny. A little horny. Nothing crazy, but I was 22. If you’ve ever been 22, you know.

On the first night, we got back from the festival late. Past midnight. There were four of us in the tent and we were all sharing a Jackery power bank, rationing it so it would last the weekend. My friends were all asleep but I was still awake, phone charging, scrolling Grindr. Tons of profiles. Hot guys from Maine and Ohio and Michigan and Pennsylvania and even the United Kingdom flocking to me and me to them, all under 500 feet from me. Then, a message from a blank profile a little over 2,000 feet away.

“Hey,” he said. I didn’t reply. No pic, no chat.

A few minutes roll by.

“Can I give you some money? You don’t have to do anything.”

My eyes widened.

If I received a message like this now, almost 10 years later in 2026, that would be an easy ignore. Grindr is packed to the brim with bots pretending to be real people offering money, fake sugar daddy arrangements, or claiming they want to use your photos for an art project. It’s weird and these bots don't do a great job of hiding it. In 2018, this wasn’t the case. If someone was offering you money, yes, they could be a scammer, but it was less likely.

“I don’t have to do anything?” I replied.

“Nothing. Just send me your email for PayPal and I’ll give you money,” he answers.

Too good to be true. I google, “can someone hack your PayPal if you give them your email?” and got a clear answer. No, they can’t. Unless they have your password.

“Why do you want to give me money? What do you get out of this?”

“Being used financially turns me on,” he tells me.

Whatever. Sure. I told him to keep the payment light because I felt bad. I told him to send me $30. A minute later, I got a notification from PayPal, saying someone sent me $30. A first and a last name. Let’s call him S.J. (not his real initials). I look him up on Facebook and he’s real and he lives in Maryland and he’s an uncle and he works at a bank or something. He’s sort of handsome.

“Can I pay you throughout the weekend?” he asks.

“Sure,” I say. I fall asleep.

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The next morning, I didn't tell my friends. I don’t want them to think I’m going to pay for their drinks or anything. That $30 is for me. I bought Arancini Bros and Island Noodles. There’s not much cell service inside of the festival. It’s better at the campgrounds. So, the whole day, I’m practically off the grid. When I get back, I have another notification from PayPal. The guy sent me $70. So, I have $100 total. I go back on Grindr to thank him and his profile is no longer there, meaning he either deleted or blocked me. Bummer. But, now I have $70 more to spend. I’ll live.

The weekend continues. I spend his money. The weekend ends. I go back home to New Jersey, working the same job with my dad at the courthouse. It’s around two weeks later and I remember how much the money sucks, and then I remember S.J. I look back at the PayPal receipts. Full name. I find him on Instagram. I send him a message. I don’t follow him.

“Hey man, how’s it been?”

He replies immediately. He doesn’t follow me either.

“Good, man, how about you?”

“Good, missing Firefly. I spent so much money that weekend,” I say.

“You’re telling me,” he replies.

“Speaking of, I’m wondering if you can send me more? I’m just out of college and really struggling with bills right now.” I’m trying to make him feel bad.

“Yeah, I can only send $50 right now, that ok?”

“Yeah.”

He sends me $50. I say thank you. He asks if I want to start a payment plan and I tell him yes and we agree on a number. $250/week, but he can’t start until the following week. I tell him that’s fine. I’m excited. Easy money. For f*cking nothing. No conversation. No nudes. No nothing. Just money for the sake of money.

I wait a week and receive nothing. I message him. Hey. No reply. A few days go by and I message him again. Nothing. Again. Nothing. Again. Nothing. I send him around 50 heys with no reply for the rest of the summer. 

He replies one night at 3 a.m.

“Hey.”

Sh*t. I missed it. 50 more heys. No reply ever again. I forget about him.

I get a new job. One that pays like sh*t, too, but with potential to grow. I’m saving money to move to Brooklyn the following June and I’m doing an excellent job. It’s October 2 of the same year and I get an email from PayPal. 

The email says S.J. was charging back $50 to dispute his second payment. Why? He claims I did not provide the service I was supposed to perform. I look back at his payments. The first and third were sent as gifts from family and friends. The second he sent as a payment for services rendered. Services that never existed. I was just receiving money because he wanted to give it to me.

I call PayPal. I tell the guy on the other line exactly what happened. He sounds young and polished and it makes me trust everything he has to say. But he gives me information I don't love. What I did was a sex act, technically classified as financial domination, which their terms of service did not permit. PayPal's current terms state that it does not permit "services whose purpose is to facilitate meetings for sexually oriented activities." I'd never heard of financial domination (also known as findom). I tell him I didn't do anything sexual. He knows, he says, but given the circumstances, that's what was happening. This could suspend my account entirely, but he's leaving me with a warning. They're taking the $50. And another $20 for dispute charges.

Damn. This f*cking guy. I send S.J. a strongly worded email. I curse him out. I call him a loser. I call him pathetic. I call him a thief. I just lost $70. $70 I did nothing for, but still $70. $70 I spent already. I send the email. I’m fuming.

He replies minutes later.

“That was so hot.” 

I reply. I’m still heated, but I try one last time.

“Yeah? You think so, you worthless loser? Send me $50, you filthy piece of trash.” 

Returned to sender.

I look up his Instagram. It’s gone. I look up his Facebook page. It’s gone. I type his name into Google. I find no way of contacting him at all.

I never hear from him again.

And, S.J. if you ever see this, my contact information remains the same. I could still use that $50.

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I want to tell you that Is God Is is an electrifying feature directorial debut from playwright-turned-filmmaker Aleshea Harris. And it is. But I worry that the qualifier "feature directorial debut" will imply an asterisk, suggesting that the film is impressive for a debut rather than exceptional on its own merits. So, let me speak plainly.

Is God Is delivers filmmaking that is so mythic, mesmerizing, and menacing that it's easily one of the best movies of 2026.

There. That's clear, right?

A road trip movie with a Southern-fried edge, Harris' thriller weaves inspiration from Greek mythology, Black culture, and the films of Quentin Tarantino to create something reverential yet stirringly fresh. Bolstering Harris' bold vision are producers Tessa Thompson (Hedda) and Janicza Bravo (Zola), along with a riveting ensemble cast that includes Kara Young, Mallori Johnson, Janelle Monáe, Erika Alexander, Vivica A. Fox, and Sterling K. Brown.

But what's it all about? Let's get into it.

Is God Is is a play adaptation in the best way.

Erika Alexander plays Divine in "Is God Is." Credit: Tahajah Samuels / Amazon MGM Studios

Sometimes when watching a movie based on a play, you can feel the original script's hold on the characters, as if they're inexplicably stuck in one location. Incredibly, Is God Is never suffers from such stuckness. Considering it's a road movie, I'm left instead to marvel at how this would have worked on a stage, as I missed the show's 2018 run in New York City.

Still, there are hints that this movie began as a play. Chief among them, the dialogue between Is God Is' heroes and villains is rich with attitude and influence. The monologues, diatribes, and banter reflect a distinct voice that blends AAVE with a heightened theatrical sensibility, pairing a sense of spiritual spectacle to every speech. Beyond that, the relationship between the film's paired protagonists feels rooted and fully realized, alluding to the workshopping of a script and the understanding of how every bit of it plays before a crowd.

Written by Harris, Is God Is centers on a pair of Black twin girls, Racine the Rough One (Young) and Anaia the Quiet One (Johnson), who've both been scarred physically and psychologically by a domestic violence incident in their childhood. Racine's scars crawl up her arm, while Anaia's cover her face and neck. Their physical difference makes others uncomfortable. For Anaia in particular, this means being on the receiving end of sneers and insults that she's "ugly." While she is a peaceful person and will demure from such nastiness, Racine runs toward it with a baseball bat in hand for some retributive violence.

Leaning on each other for their whole lives — especially once they were handed over to a string of fearsome foster parents — the twins have developed an intimacy so intense that they can speak telepathically. Harris invites the audience to listen in on this twin-speak, with subtitles that pop up over sharp glances. This is how they argue within a bond that cannot be broken, and as such, can be confining.

After years of believing their mother had died in the fire that scarred them, the twins learn she's alive and wants to meet them. Ruby (Fox) is God to her daughters, and Harris' presentation of her reflect this power and prestige. Fox appears covered in four hours' worth of prosthetic burn makeup, made elegant with bandages of lace and edged by pearls. Her crown is attended to by three silent and focused Black women, all braiding expertly as the girls meet their maker. She is a vision of female wrath and resilience. And she asks for one thing: Make your daddy dead.

Is God Is takes audiences on a wild ride.

Mykelti Williamson as Chuck Hall the Lawyer in "Is God Is." Credit: Tahajah Samuels / Amazon MGM Studios

The twins are torn on this directive. Racine is eager not only to devote herself to God/Ruby, but also to go on an epic quest and make the man (Brown) who wounded her and her sister pay. Anaia, on the other hand, is hesitant to uproot the life they've built for a mission that could land them in jail or the morgue. But her devotion is to her sister, so she goes along as the two follow the man's messy escape route.

From one deity to another, they find a homespun house of worship, where Divine (Alexander) holds court. She is dynamic in her preacher patter, and radiant in a white gown. But the twins soon discover there's something off in her faith. Next, they'll unearth the sketchy lawyer (Mykelti Williamson), who helped their father escape prosecution. In him, there's a sense of an oracle or a horror movie "half-man," meaning a person whose awareness of the greater forces and evils is unlocked because of his near-deadly brush with them.

With each chapter of this journey, the twins are faced with a moral quandary. What lines will they cross to reach their damned daddy? Who will they become if they demand blood for burns?

Their quest takes them from the cluttered but cozy confines of their tiny apartment to the sweltering South, with blossoming flowers and festering rage. A soundtrack of funky percussion, flute, and guitar plays as they find trouble in a humble church and on a deserted highway. Decay fills the frame of a fight scene to reflect the life-or-death stakes and grubby reality of their quest, and the blood it demands. Then, finally, they arrive at a remote, modern, and stony location for a showdown with daddy.

Sterling K. Brown is terrifying as Is God Is' Big Bad.

Janelle Monáe as Angie, the new wife, in "Is God Is." Credit: Tahajah Samuels / Amazon MGM Studios

Harris was brilliant in pulling her cast together. Young and Johnson are less storied than their co-stars, but both are sublime. As Racine, Young exudes a ruthless unapologetic rage, something women — and especially Black women — are urged by society to repress. It's cathartic to see her explode with a blunt object in hand, even as we worry for what wrath could come her way because of it.

As Racine's foil, Johnson is more stoic, hemmed in by the facial scar prosthetics. But she's not lost under them. Her eyes and her sturdy but careful physicality speak of the hurt Anaia's endured, but also the resilience that's helped her survive.

More impressive, these two can match the screen presence of their co-stars. Fox is spellbinding as the wounded God. Alexander is beguiling as a hopeful preacher. Williamson brings dark humor as the haggard lawyer, while Monáe offers attitude and depth to a small but pivotal role in act three. Together, these performers weave a tapestry of trauma that is horrid and beautiful, like this family's scars. But Harris keeps the best for last, turning Sterling K. Brown into a terror.

The dashing leading man appears throughout Is God Is. But for most of his screen time, he's shown only in extreme close-ups. A pair of grasping hands. A set of fleeing feet. A smile, big, white, and menacing. This lends to the mythic attitude with which Racine and Anaia approach their mission. Though credited as "Man," Brown's character is larger than life, a demon that must be slain. And even in these close-ups, his wickedness is clear and goose-bump-inducing.

By the time he's revealed in full, the twins and we, their audience, know full well what hell he can wreak. So, he doesn't need to bellow or snarl. Instead, he'll make a sandwich and speak in a soft voice. And this choice makes the climax even more harrowing. Harris has built an epic road movie about family, trauma, love, and abuse. She's sculpted characters complicated and compelling, peopling a world of wonder and terror. And in this final act, I held my breath, wondering what would become of these twins.

I won't spoil the ending. I will say Harris had me by the jugular as I watched, entranced by her story's passion, style, and dynamics. When the film ended, I sat elated and shuddering, shaking off the tension that burns from that first edict, "Make your daddy dead." As days have gone by, my mind floats back to this film and its twins. Their story feels contemporary and yet timeless. I yearn to see Is God Is again, hungering for what the thrill of its story, the sumptuousness of Harris' visual storytelling, and the acting ensemble who feasts in every frame.

Simply put, Is God Is is a scorching thriller that feels like a cinematic miracle.

Is God Is opens in theaters on May 15.

TL;DR: Live stream Napoli vs. Bologna in Serie A for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Napoli missed out on the Serie A title this season. Inter proved too strong throughout this campaign, but there's still work to do. Napoli are currently second in the standings but need to finish strong to fight off competition from Juventus, Milan, and Roma. Next they face 10th place Bologna at home.

If you want to watch Napoli vs. Bologna in Serie A for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Napoli vs. Bologna?

Napoli vs. Bologna in Serie A kicks off at 2:45 p.m. ET on May 11. This fixture takes place at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

How to watch Napoli vs. Bologna for free

Napoli vs. Bologna in Serie A 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 Napoli vs. Bologna for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Live stream Napoli vs. Bologna for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

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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 Napoli vs. Bologna 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 Serie A before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

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 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% 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 $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Napoli vs. Bologna in Serie A for free with ExpressVPN.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you love a good mashup.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, 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 preferred pace.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: A nice medley

The words are related to mixtures.

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Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe a combination of things.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Odds and Ends.

NYT Strands word list for May 11

• Hodgepodge

• Variety

• Ragbag

• Odds and Ends

• Mishmash

• Jumble

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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you love a good mystery.

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.

What is Connections?

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.

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: On the prowl

• Green: A plot

• Blue: Solving crimes

• Purple: Anatomy

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Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Move stealthily, with "In"

• Green: Kinds of schemes

• Blue: Detective movies

• Purple: Body parts surrounded by two letters

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 #1065 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Move stealthily, with "In": CREEP, SLIP, SNEAK, STEAL

• Kinds of schemes: COLOR, PONZI, PYRAMID, RHYME

• Detective movies: CHINATOWN, KNIVES OUT, SEVEN, VERTIGO

• Body parts surrounded by two letters: ELEGY, KARMA, KEYED, SHANDY

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? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's 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.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you just got married.

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.

Where did Wordle come from?

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.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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.

Is Wordle getting harder?

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.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Fresh.

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Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter N.

The Wordle answer today is...

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...

NEWLY

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.

TL;DR: Mashable readers who register with Nomad can score 30% off select Nomad eSIM plans with code MASH30.

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Credit: Nomad

Nomad eSIM: 30% off with code MASH30

 

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Summertime is just around the corner, and you know what that means: it's time to travel.

If you're planning some fun vacations in the coming months, or maybe you're someone who has to travel frequently for work, international data is the last thing you want to be worrying about. That's where Nomad comes in handy with its helpful eSIM data plans, and Mashable readers can score a deal on select plans right now.

Registered Nomad users can score 30% off Nomad eSIM data plans when using the code MASH30 at checkout. With over 200 locations worldwide to choose from, making use of this offer is an excellent way to save some cash ahead of your next trip. There are a few things to keep in mind, though: This offer only applies to registered users and does not apply to Day Plans or plans that cost less than $5. It's also not eligible for add-on data.

The beauty of using a Nomad data plan is there's no need to worry about a complicated setup. For starters, eSIMs are a digital version of a physical SIM card, which already takes some hassle out of its setup. Nomad also makes activation simple and easy through their app. As someone who has used Nomad, their app offers a quick step-by-step guide for activation once you've landed. It gets you started right away with your chosen plan for your destination, so you can text friends and family immediately.

Plus, if you're worried you may have gone over your selected amount of data, Nomad's app even shows you how much you have left on your chosen plan. This is a great way to keep an eye on where you're at over the course of your trip. And by using a Nomad eSIM rather than your regular carrier, you can avoid hefty international roaming charges.

Before you jump on the Nomad bandwagon with one of its discounted plans, it's worth confirming that your device will work with them. Make sure to check out Nomad's page on eSIM-compatible devices before taking advantage of this offer.

If it is compatible, why wait? Don't miss out on this chance to get 30% off Nomad eSIM data plans with code MASH30.

SAVE $200: As of May 11, the ASUS ROG Swift is on sale for $999 at Amazon. That's a 17% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Asus

ASUS ROG Swift 27-Inch

$999 at Amazon
$1,199 Save $200

 

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Good gaming equipment can completely change how your setup feels and performs, and if you’ve been thinking about upgrading yours with a new monitor, there's a great new deal at Amazon you won't want to miss.

As of May 11, the ASUS ROG Swift has dropped to its best-ever price, now just $999 instead of $1,199.

This is a 26.5-inch, 4K QD-OLED gaming monitor with a resolution of 3,840 x 2,160, a 240Hz refresh rate, and a 0.03ms response time. It uses 4th-generation QD-OLED technology for a better image quality and improved text clarity, along with a longer lifespan compared to earlier OLEDs.

It features Asus OLED Care Pro with a Neo Proximity Sensor that can tell when you step away from the monitor and switches to a black screen to help reduce burn-in risk. It also has various connectivity options including DisplayPort 2.1a UHBR20 with up to 80Gbps bandwidth, USB-C with 90W power delivery, HDMI 2.1, and a tripod socket.

It also has OLED Anti-Flicker 2.0 technology, which uses a new luminance compensation system to reduce screen flicker, making it much easier on your eyes and a more comfortable viewing experience for long sessions.

You can find this monitor deal at Amazon right now.

SAVE OVER $20: As of May 11, the Kindle Paperwhite 16GB is on sale for $134.99 at Amazon. This is $25 off its list price of $159.99.

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Credit: Amazon

Kindle Paperwhite 16GB

$134.99 at Amazon
$159.99 Save $25

 

Get Deal

If you've had your eye on the Kindle Paperwhite 16GB, time is running out to score a $25 discount at Amazon. It's on sale for $134.99 at Amazon, but this offer only lasts through May 11.

The Kindle Paperwhite 16GB is usually listed for $159.99. It's a Kindle model we think very highly of — landing on our list of the best Kindles as the best overall pick — so it's well worth the investment (especially at this new low price)

And what is it about the Kindle Paperwhite that made it stand out as the best overall pick? Mashable's Samantha Mangino says in our roundup of the best Kindles that it "turns pages without stuttering, never slowing down when you’re in the thick of the action." On top of that, "The screen's front light is vibrant and has adjustable brightness, meaning it can adjust when transitioning from reading in the sun or shade."

The Kindle Paperwhite is also, "Lightweight and fits comfortably in small crossbody bags. Plus, it’s waterproof, keeping it safe against poolside vacations and spilled water bottles in bags." Not to mention, it has a beefy battery life that can last up to 12 weeks. That's perfect for bookworms hoping to cruise through their digital library this summer.

Again, this deal ends after today. Be quick to make a move on this offer on the Kindle Paperwhite 16GB at Amazon before the deal is done for good.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

Charli XCX has released a new song that's only available on Instagram and vinyl, in a very internet move from the brat artist.

Days after releasing her latest single "Rock Music," Charli XCX released another new track, a B-side called "I Keep On Thinking Bout You Every Single Day and Night." The artist posted the song on her secondary Instagram account b.sides, with a video shot in Kyoto, Japan, by The Moment director Aidan Zamiri.

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"i went to kyoto for six weeks to shoot a film. while we were there, i made this video with aidan," she captioned the post, noting the track is only available on Instagram and the "Rock Music" 7" vinyl, "so rip the audio if you want it xx."

The very idea of ripping audio from an artist's page seems a) shocking and b) like some '00s Limewire Y2K energy to me, which, yeah, is extremely Charli XCX. It's also giving "secret single" from the age of CDs (those who know Hanson's Middle of Nowhere didn't end with "With You in Your Dreams" know what I'm talking about).

As well as a very internet way to connect the song with fans, it's also a clever marketing move by Atlantic Records encouraging physical sales, as "I Keep On Thinking Bout You Every Single Day and Night" is also only available on the "Rock Music" vinyl. Charli XCX's success with physical media is long proven; her sixth album, the now-iconic brat, debuted at number one on the Billboard Vinyl Albums Chart, and her Wuthering Heights soundtrack followed a similar path.

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TL;DR: Amazon has the Magic: The Gathering Secrets of Strixhaven Play Booster Box on sale for $139.85, down from its $164.70 list price. That saves you $24.85 on a 30-pack box and marks a new low for Amazon.

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Credit: Magic: The Gathering

Magic: The Gathering Secrets of Strixhaven Play Booster Box

$139.85 at Amazon
$164.70 Save $24.85

Get Deal

It’s not been long since Magic: The Gathering’s Secrets of Strixhaven expansion launched, but you can already grab it for a heavily discounted rate.

As of May 11, the 30-pack box is listed at $139.85 at Amazon, down from its $164.70 list price. That brings it down to Amazon’s best-ever price (as confirmed with price tracker camelcamelcamel). Better still, the Amazon listing is shipped and sold by Amazon, with free delivery as early as May 16 — or May 13 for Prime members. 

TCGplayer has unopened listings starting at $133.99 with shipping included, while its market price is sitting at $132.96 and the listed median is $148. Walmart has the same box listed from $137.95, with other sellers starting at $139.95. So Amazon isn’t technically the cheapest place to buy, but it’s still the ideal go-to if the retailer is your preferred place to stock up on the latest sets. 

Inside the box, you’re getting 30 Secrets of Strixhaven Play Boosters, with each pack containing 14 Magic cards. Every booster includes one to five rares or higher, three to six uncommons, five to eight commons, and one land card. You’ll also get at least one Traditional Foil card in each pack, while 20% of packs replace the land with a Traditional Foil Land. 

There’s also a Mystical Archive card in every pack, giving you one instant or sorcery spell with special art and a showcase frame. 

For more TCG deals, you can still preorder Magic: The Gathering’s The Hobbit Play Booster Box for way under market price at $209.70. Elsewhere, the Magic: The Gathering Edge of Eternities Play Booster Box has also hit a record-low price at Amazon. 

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

SAVE $250: As of May 11, the EcoFlow Delta 2 is on sale for $449 at Amazon. That's a 36% discount on the list price.

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Credit: EcoFlow

EcoFlow Delta 2

$449 at Amazon
$699 Save $250

 

Get Deal

Looking for a reliable power station that can keep your whole home powered in the case of outages? Meet the EcoFlow Delta 2. It has fast charging, an expandable battery capacity, and enough output to run a wide range of household electronics. And as of May 11, it's on sale for $250 off.

The EcoFlow Delta 2 has a 1kWh capacity that can be expanded up to 3kWh using additional batteries (sold separately). It supports AC charging which sees it reach 80% in just 50 minutes and 100% in 80 minutes. The unit provides 1,800W output and includes 15 outlets for powering a range of appliances. There's also support for up to 500W of solar input for off-grid or outdoor charging, which you can purchase separately.

It uses an LFP LiFePO4 battery, so you know it's got longevity. In fact, it has a rated lifespan of more than 3,000 charge cycles, meaning it will last years. It also includes a battery management system designed to monitor performance and safety. With the unit, you'll get an AC charging cable, a user manual, and a five-year customer service plan.

Find this portable power station deal at Amazon now.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 Giro d’Italia for free on SBS on Demand. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There is something incredibly special about watching the best cyclists in the world compete in the Grand Tours. The scenery is often incredible, the fans are always passionate, and of course, the racing is electric. You quickly become aware that you're watching something special. These athletes are simply not normal, and we're blessed to be able to watch these stars compete over three weeks of gruelling competition.

The Giro d'Italia is the first Grand Tour of 2026. This year's event features the likes of Jonas Vingegaard, Giulio Pellizzari, and Felix Gall. There are a number of talented riders very much in the running for the pink jersey this year.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 Giro d'Italia for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Giro d’Italia?

The Giro d'Italia is an annual multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in Italy. The Giro d'Italia is one of cycling's most prestigious three-week-long Grand Tours (alongside the Tour de France and Vuelta a España).

When is the 2026 Giro d’Italia?

The 2026 Giro d'Italia is the 109th edition of the famous race. This year's race will start on May 8 in Bulgaria and will finish on May 31 in Rome.

How to watch the 2026 Giro d’Italia for free

The 2026 Giro d'Italia is available to live stream for free on SBS on Demand.

SBS on Demand is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can unblock this free streaming platform with a VPN. These powerful tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can access SBS on Demand from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Giro d'Italia for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit SBS on Demand

5. Watch the 2026 Giro d’Italia for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

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 without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the 2026 Giro d’Italia before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for SBS on Demand?

ExpressVPN is the best service for live streaming top sporting events from around the world, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• 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 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% 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 $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2026 Giro d’Italia for free with ExpressVPN.

Apple's macOS Tahoe came with a new, Liquid Glass-infused design when it launched last September, but not all of it worked as well as it does on the iPhone and iPad.

Now, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claims Apple is about to make some design changes in the upcoming macOS 27 to address some of the most glaring issues.

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The new macOS 27 won't be a complete overhaul of Tahoe; internally, Gurman's sources are talking about a "slight redesign," and the Liquid Glass design language will remain a big part of the new OS.

Mostly, these will be small tweaks that make certain parts of the user interface more legible and less confusing. The report doesn't offer many details about what, exactly, is about to change, but it does mention the legibility issues in Tahoe's Control Center, Finder, as well as apps with sidebars and dense lists.

Furthermore, the advent of MacBooks with OLED displays (current Macs all have LCD displays) should further improve the look of the Liquid Glass interfaces in macOS. Apple is expected to launch several MacBooks with OLED displays over the next year or so.

Gurman also said that macOS 27 should bring bug fixes, battery life upgrades, and performance improvements, as well as more AI features, mostly reflected in Apple's smart assistant Siri.

Apple is expected to unveil macOS 27 during its WWDC conference, which kicks off on June 8 this year.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips 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 on to 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.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, 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.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 11 Pips

Less Than (10): Everything in this space must be less than 10. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 0-4, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 11 Pips

Number (4): Everything in this purple space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this red space must add up to 4. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this light blue space must add up to 4. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed vertically.

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to 4. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically; 3-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 2-0, placed horizontally.

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 11 Pips

Equal (3): Everything in this purple space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 1-3, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 1-2, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this yellow space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 3-4, placed vertically; 5-4, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this dark blue space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed horizontally; 5-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed horizontally

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed horizontally; 6-1, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally; 0-6, placed vertically; 5-3, 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.

SAVE $50: As of May 11, the Garmin vívoactive 6 is on sale for $249.99 at Amazon. That marks a return to its lowest-ever price at the retailer.

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Credit: Garmin

Garmin vívoactive 6

$249.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $50

 

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For those with an athletic lifestyle, a fitness tracker is worth having on your wrist to keep a close eye on your progress towards your goals. If you've been thinking about dropping some cash, why pay full price? Amazon has some great deals available on a variety of options at the moment. The Garmin vívoactive 6 is one of them, with $50 slashed off its full price tag.

As of May 11, this discount has dropped the price of every color of the Garmin vívoactive 6 from $299.99 to $249.99. This marks a return to its lowest-ever price at the retailer. No better time to snag it, then.

The Garmin vívoactive 6 is a tracker that can help you with everything from exercise stats to keeping a closer eye on your day-to-day health. When it comes to the latter, it offers a wide variety of features including wrist-based heart rate, stress tracking, a sleep score, fitness age, and more. It even has a Body Battery energy monitoring feature, which shows you how rested your body is for the day.

In terms of fitness, it's packed with over 80 sports apps and even has advanced features that show you how a workout affects your body.

If this is a fitness tracker that's caught your eye, now is a great time to save on the Garmin vívoactive 6 at Amazon.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

When my wife and I rescued our dog, Milly, this winter, we registered her microchip right away, but we wanted another level of protection. From the rescue, we knew Milly was a runner, which meant taking extra precautions, like double-leashing and working with a dog trainer right away. But I'd also scooped up a four-pack of AirTags when they were at an all-time low during Black Friday so that I could attach one to Milly's collar.

But was an AirTag really the best solution? It's certainly affordable, but since owning a dog, I'm inundated with targeted ads for GPS dog collars. While GPS collars are the more expensive option, they promise greater reliability. Since I'm still fairly new to dog ownership, I turned to experts to find out whether there's a clear choice between an AirTag and a GPS tracker for a dog.

While AirTags are gaining popularity among pet owners, that doesn't mean they're the best option. "AirTags are flying off the shelves for dogs, and there is a big market for collars and harnesses that house them. Unfortunately, they are misunderstood and are providing a false sense of security," says Chris Edge, founder of K9 Edge Dog Training.

"For a working dog handler or trainer, the question isn't really AirTag vs. GPS collar — it's passive location vs. active monitoring. One tells you where your dog was. The other tells you where your dog currently is," says Jonathan Bensamoun, the founder and CEO of Fi, a company that makes GPS dog collars. But which is which? Here's what you need to know about AirTags versus GPS dog collars.

How do AirTags and GPS collars work for dogs?

Is a GPS collar more effect than an AirTag? That depends. Credit: Halo / Awoo

AirTags, commonly used to track keys, wallets, and luggage, are not necessarily made for moving objects, like a dog. They work via a Bluetooth signal detected by iOS devices on the Find My network. AirTags feature a lost mode, so when a lost object is detected, you'll get a notification. Plus, NFC-capable iPhones can tap the AirTag to receive your information. But the key piece of information here is that AirTags require proximity to other Bluetooth devices to locate. Bensamoun says, "Your dog's location only updates when another Apple device passes nearby. In a suburban neighborhood, that might mean a delay of minutes. In a park, a trail, or a rural area, it could be hours — or never."

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A GPS collar works differently as it provides real-time info. These collars typically let you draw GPS maps in their apps so you can create boundaries for your dogs and receive notifications if they cross them. They provide real-time tracking, regardless of proximity to other smartphones, so you can still see live tracking information even in rural, sparsely populated areas.

AirTags vs. GPS trackers — it depends on where you live

The decision between an AirTag and a GPS tracker comes down to where you live. As a city dweller, an AirTag is a pretty good option, considering the more densely populated the area, the more likely an iPhone will be nearby. For those living in the suburbs or rural areas, though, it means a runaway dog will be less likely to encounter people; therefore, the AirTag won't be effective. Even if you live in a city, if you're frequently going on hikes or traveling into isolated areas, an AirTag won't be effective then either.

But a GPS tracker will work anywhere, regardless of cell service availability. So if you're considering which is best for you, I like to think of it this way. If your dog escapes the house, are there nearby woods or a bustling main street they're going to run to?

AirTags vs. GPS trackers for dogs: Which is cheaper?

AirTags are extremely popular and accessible. An AirTag four-pack puts the individual trackers at $24.75. Plus, you need something to attach it to a collar, which will run you less than $20. So all in all, the investment is under $50.

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Credit: Apple

Apple AirTag

$29 at Amazon

 

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Credit: Awoo

Awoo AirTag Holder, 2-pack

$16 at Chewy

 

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A GPS collar is much more expensive. A collar itself starts at around $99. Fi's payment structure is similar to that of the fitness tracker, Whoop, where, rather than purchasing the collar outright, you pay for the membership. While another GPS collar, Halo, costs $599 outright — and you also need to pay a monthly membership fee.

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Credit: Fi

Fi Series 3+

$99 at Fi

Memberships start at $99

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Credit: Halo

Halo Collar 5

$598.97 at Halo

 

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Credit: Tractive

Tractive smart dog tracker

$55.30 at Tractive
$79 Save $23.70

Plans start at $5 per month

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Credit: PetPace

PetPace 3.0

$299.99 at Amazon

Plans start at $25 per month

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AirTags vs. GPS trackers for dogs: Does battery life matter?

Edge presents a potential downside to GPS trackers: "GPS collars provide real-time info, but the battery is a real issue as it must be recharged almost daily." The more usage the GPS collars get, the more battery power they require. Halo collars last up to two days, and Fi collars technically have a longer battery life of up to three months. However, when in Lost Mode, which provides live tracking, the battery life lasts about two days.

AirTags on the other end, which require a CR2032 coin battery, last about one year. Battery life varies depending on usage and movement, so for a dog that moves more frequently, it could be just six months.

AirTag vs. GPS trackers for dogs: Which is better?

There's no definitive answer to whether an AirTag or a GPS tracker is better for a dog — it really depends on what you need and where you live. As a city dweller, I still feel comfortable using an AirTag for my dog. However, for trips into the woods, I'd consider getting a GPS collar to use then.

But if you live in a sparsely populated area or are hiking in the woods with your dog, then a GPS collar could be an actual lifesaver. But Edge says, regardless of which you choose, behavioral training is just as important: "Ultimately, both can be useful if used within their capacity. All dogs should be microchipped as a fail-safe, and of course, coming from a dog trainer, the real answer is a very solid recall."

SAVE $699.01: As of May 11, the Anker Solix C2000 is on sale for $799.99 at Amazon. That's a 47% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Anker

Anker Solix C2000

$799.99 at Amazon
$1,499 Save $699.01

 

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The Anker Solix C2000 has gone down in price once again at Amazon, and this time you can save almost 50%. As of May 11, the price has dropped from $1,499 to $799.99, saving you just shy of $700.

The C2000 Gen 2 is a reliable portable power station to have on hand. It has a 2,400W rated output and a 4,000W peak output, so it's made to run multiple appliances at once, including some window and RV air conditioners. It uses 9W on standby and can power a dual-door fridge for up to 32 hours. The unit supports six charging methods and can recharge from 0% to 100% in only 58 minutes using AC and solar charging combined.

It also supports 800W alternator charging through a vehicle. With this helpful feature, it can reach full charge in around three hours.

And it really is a portable option, weighing just 41.7 pounds. It much lighter than comparable models. So if you plan to take it on a road trip or a camping vacation, it won't stand in your way.

Find this portable power station deal online at Amazon right now.

SAVE $40: As of May 6, the Fitbit Charge 6 is on sale for $119.95 at Amazon. That's a 25% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Fitbit

Fitbit Charge 6

$119.95 at Amazon
$159.95 Save $40.00

 

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The Fitbit Charge 6 has dropped in price again at Amazon. If you're looking for a budget-friendly fitness tracker, it's the perfect choice.

As of May 11, the Fitbit Charge 6 has dropped from $159.95 to $119.95, saving you $40. And all three colorways are discounted, so you can choose from black, red, or white.

This watch does a bit of everything. It has built-in GPS for accurately tracking pace, distance, routes, and steps, and you won't need a phone nearby to access the data. It also features 24/7 heart rate monitoring through Fitbit’s PurePulse 2.0 sensor, giving you data like resting heart rate, workout heart rate zones, and notifications for unusually high or low readings. During workouts you'll also get a breakdown of calories burned and Active Zone Minutes.

The tracker also supports overnight SpO2 monitoring to estimate blood oxygen levels during sleep, alongside advanced sleep tracking that records light, deep, and REM sleep stages, and restlessness during the night. It also gives you a daily sleep score out of 100 that helps you understand how well you really slept.

You can find this Fitbit deal at Amazon right now.

TL;DR: Get the Samsung T9 4TB Portable SSD and get fast, durable storage for large projects and backups, on sale for $999.99 (reg. $1,144.99).

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung T9 4TB Portable SSD (Black)

$999.99
$1,144.99 Save $145

 

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Running out of storage in the middle of a large project is frustrating enough. Waiting forever for files to transfer makes it worse. If you regularly work with high-resolution video, massive photo libraries, or demanding creative workflows, the Samsung T9 4TB Portable SSD could help speed things up while giving you more room to work.

Right now, you can get the Samsung T9 4TB Portable SSD while it’s on sale for $999.99 (reg. $1,144.99).

Tailored for creators, professionals, and power users, the T9 delivers read and write speeds up to 2,000 MB/s — twice as fast as Samsung’s T7 portable SSD. That speed can chip off valuable minutes from big project transfers, backups, or even editing straight from the drive.

The T9 also leans into portability without feeling flimsy. Compared to the slimmer T7, it has a slightly larger, more rugged build that’s better suited for travel, mobile setups, and on-the-go production work. Samsung says the drive offers drop resistance up to 3.2-feet, which could provide some peace of mind if your gear spends a lot of time in backpacks or camera bags.

Storage is another plus. With 4TB on board, the T9 keeps sprawling media libraries, high-res footage, game installs, and chunky backups in one place. It’s compatible with USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 and connects seamlessly across desktops, cameras, consoles, and supported mobiles.

Samsung also includes features aimed at long-term performance, such as Dynamic Thermal Guard technology to help prevent overheating during extended sessions, and access to Samsung Magician Software for firmware updates, encryption settings, and drive health monitoring.

If you’ve been looking for a fast external drive that can handle demanding workloads without being overly fragile, the Samsung T9 4TB Portable SSD is currently $145 off for a limited time, making its final price $999.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free on IIHF.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

We're still buzzing from the international hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics, but there's more to come. We know the focus of the ice hockey world is firmly fixed on the resolution of the NHL season right now, but the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is here to offer something to fans without a vested interest in the Stanley Cup.

This tournament doesn't have quite the same prestige as the Winter Olympics, but the 2024 World Championship was the most successful in terms of overall attendance. We're expecting this tournament in Switzerland to be just as popular as the USA, Canada, Czechia, Sweden, Finland, and other top sides battle it out on the ice.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is the Ice Hockey World Championships?

The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation. 16 teams are divided into two groups for the Preliminary Round played in a single round robin format. The top-four ranked teams of each group advance to the knockout rounds.

The defending champions are Czechia.

When is the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships?

The 2026 IIHF World Championship will take place from May 15-31. This year's tournament will be hosted by Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland.

How to watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free

The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is available to live stream for free on IIHF.TV.

IIHF.TV is not available in some locations due to regional broadcasting restrictions (blocked locations listed here), 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 a location with access, meaning you can stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Connect to IIHF.TV

5. Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream the tournament before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the Ice Hockey World Championships?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, 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

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% 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 $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Amazon has the Perfect Order New Single Pokémon Booster Pack on sale for $8.70, down from its $9.95 list price. That’s its lowest Amazon price in 30 days, with free delivery available from a third-party seller. 

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Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG Perfect Order Booster Pack

$8.70 at Amazon
$9.95 Save $1.25

 

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Perfect Order has secured its position in the Pokémon TCG as the most affordable modern expansion in the market.

As of May 11, Amazon has the Perfect Order New Single Pokémon Booster Pack listed at $8.70, a 13% drop from its $9.95 list price. The listing is showing as Amazon’s lowest price in 30 days, with free delivery currently estimated for May 15-19. What’s more, that’s the lowest price we’ve seen for Perfect Order Booster Packs on Amazon, as confirmed via price tracker camelcamelcamel.

If you’re looking for the lowest price altogether rather than sticking with Amazon, the retailer is currently in the middle ground compared to those available elsewhere. While Walmart’s Perfect Order Booster Packs are more expensive at $11.99 each, TCGplayer’s third-party listings are as low as $5.81 each, with the next selling for $6 with shipping included.

As is the case with boosters from other Pokémon TCG expansions, each Perfect Order Booster Pack contains 10 random cards, and the set continues the Pokémon TCG’s Mega Evolution era with Mega Zygarde ex keeping the city in order. The expansion also features Pokémon with Special Illustration Rare chase cards like Mega Clefable ex, Mega Starmie ex, and Meowth ex.  

To grab even more packs at low prices, you can also buy the Pokémon TCG’s Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box for just under $80. Meanwhile, to have a TCG-ready deck from the get-go, you can also grab the Perfect Order Build and Battle Box for around $40 at Amazon.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

TL;DR: Amazon has the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Bundle listed for $49.99. That puts it just above TCGplayer’s current $41.49 market price. Walmart has it for $42.95.

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Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Bundle

$49.99 at Amazon

 

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The Perfect Order expansion has been fluctuating in price since it launched, so we've been keeping close tabs on any sort of price drop.

As of May 11, Amazon has the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Bundle listed for $49.99. TCGplayer’s current market price sits at $41.49, so Amazon is only just over market while still giving shoppers the familiar checkout, delivery, and return setup. With over 20,000 sold in the past month alone, it’s safe to say plenty of fans are prioritizing that convenience.

That said, this isn’t the cheapest listing right now. Walmart has the same Booster Bundle for $42.95, while TCGplayer has unopened listings starting at $40.48, plus $2.49 shipping. That brings the cheapest TCGplayer option to $42.97 delivered, which is basically tied with Walmart. 

On a per-pack basis, Amazon comes out to about $7.91 per booster pack before tax. Walmart lands at roughly $7.16 per pack, while TCGplayer’s lowest shipped listing works out to about $7.16 as well. 

As is usually the case with Pokémon TCG boxes like these, the Perfect Order Booster Bundle includes six booster packs from the expansion. Each pack comes with 10 cards, one Basic Energy, and one Pokémon TCG Live code card.  

Booster Bundles from other modern expansions are costing well over $60 on average, including White Flare, Black Bolt, Surging Sparks, and Chaos Rising. That makes Perfect Order the perfect choice for protecting your trading card budget. 

To score even more Pokémon TCG booster packs at a saving, you can also grab the Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box for just under $80. As for the upcoming expansion, you can still preorder single Chaos Rising Booster Packs for $12.99 at Amazon. 

SNL UK's latest cold open is a literal window into the future, bringing us to a 2046 where Reform leader Nigel Farage is UK prime minister and Donald Trump is apparently "king".

In the clip above Farage (a guest appearance from actor Peter Serafinowicz) downs a pint in Number 10 before his deputy and former Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch (played by Ayoade Bamgboye) brings him his morning briefing.

"One last thing: King Trump assures us he's almost negotiated a ceasefire over the Strait of Hormuz!" Badenoch says.

"Phew," says Farage. "For a minute there it felt like we were on the brink of World War IV."

SAVE OVER $500: The DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $1,089 at Amazon. That's over $500 off the list price of $1,599.

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Credit: DJI

DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo

$1,089 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $510

 

Get Deal

Due to legislative pressure on DJI imports in the U.S., there is an expectation that we're going to see stock issues at some point. We have been saying that for some time though. We're not seeing any indications of low stock just yet. In fact, we're seeing strong discounts on popular models at Amazon.

The DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $1,089 at Amazon. That's over $500 off this content creator favorite and close to the record-low price at Amazon.

The DJI Mini 5 Pro is a content creator’s dream, pairing a high-end 1-inch sensor with the ability to shoot 4K at 120fps for cinematic, high-contrast results. It’s also an incredibly safe mini-drone, using LiDAR-powered sensing to see obstacles like thin wires or buildings even when you're flying blind. It's good to know that you're expensive investment isn't going to smash into the nearest obstacle as soon as you lose sight.

There are so many useful features with this popular drone, but perhaps the biggest quality-of-life upgrade is the 42GB of internal memory. That's enough to house your entire 4K shoot locally so you should never be sidelined by lack of storage space.

Save over $500 on the DJI Mini 5 Pro this weekend.

TL;DR: Get the iPhone 17 for free with T-Mobile. To qualify, simply switch and bring your number on an Experience Beyond or Better Value plan.

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Credit: Apple

T-Mobile: Apple iPhone 17 for free

 

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There's a battle going on between leading mobile carriers to offer you the most tempting offers. We've seen really impressive deals dropped by the likes of Verizon and AT&T recently, but T-Mobile is leading the charge with a free iPhone offer that doesn't require a trade-in.

For a limited time, anyone can claim the Apple Phone 17 for free when switching to T-Mobile and bringing their number on an Experience Beyond or Better Value plan. The iPhone 17e is also available for free with just about any T-Mobile plan. What sets these offers apart from much of the competition is that neither requires a trade-in. You do need to pay taxes and a $35 device connection fee, but that's a small price to pay for a free iPhone.

The iPhone 17 is built to handle Apple’s most advanced AI features. In Mashable's review, Stan Schroeder said it's an "excellent phone that matches the iPhone Pro models in many ways that matter." According to Stan Schroeder, the camera is "almost as good as the one on the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max."

How will T-Mobile's rivals respond? Only time will tell, but right now T-Mobile is offering one of the most tempting packages for anyone interesting in making the switch.

Score the Apple iPhone 17 for free from T-Mobile.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will require some sports and pop culture knowledge.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a 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.

What is Connections: Sports Edition?

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. The sports 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 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 before 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.

Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Isolated muscles

• Green: Smart teams

• Blue: Famous Jonathans

• Purple: How to start

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Muscles, Informally

• Green: Ivy League Team Nicknames

• Blue: Jonathans

• Purple: ___Start

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 #595 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Muscles, Informally: AB, PEC, QUAD, TRAP

• Ivy League Team Nicknames: BIG GREEN, CRIMSON, LIONS, QUAKERS

• Jonathans: KUMINGA, QUICK, TAYLOR, VILMA

• ___Start: FALSE, KICK, QUALITY, SPOT

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports 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.

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 Monday, May 11, 2026:

Across

Itty-bitty insect

• The answer is Gnat.

"Excellent job!"

• The answer is Bravo.

Bird that "croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan," in "Macbeth"

• The answer is Raven.

Each and ___

• The answer is Every.

Swollen mark

• The answer is Welt.

Down

Deathly serious

• The answer is Grave.

Belly button

• The answer is Navel.

Prevent, as a crisis

• The answer is Avert.

___ the Tiger, mascot of Frosted Flakes

• The answer is Tony.

Beer, informally

• The answer is Brew.

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 yesterday's Mini Crossword.

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.

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If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

Hurdle Word 1 hint

He is ___.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

RISEN

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Solver.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

FIXER

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Hurdle Word 3 hint

Topic.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

THEME

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Troubleshoot.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

DEBUG

Final Hurdle hint

Pungent.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

ACRID

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

The Moon is losing visibility each night as we approach the New Moon. With just a few nights left before it's total darkness, keep reading to find out what you might be able to see tonight.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Monday, May 11, the Moon phase is Waning Crescent. Tonight, 36% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

Without any visual aids, tonight you can see the Kepler Crater and the Aristarchus Plateau. If you have binoculars or a telescope, these should help you see the Gassendi Crater, Clavius Crater, and Mare Humorum.

When is the next Full Moon?

There are two Full Moons in May, with the next due to take place on May 31.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon takes around 29.5 days to complete a full orbit around Earth, passing through eight different phases along the way. Even though we always see the same side of the Moon, the way sunlight falls on it changes as it moves, which is what creates the familiar full, half, and crescent shapes. In total, there are eight main phases in the lunar 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. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last 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.

A two-year legal battle between General Motors and California prosecutors, led by Attorney General Rob Bonta, over the alleged misuse of customer driving data has concluded, with GM agreeing to pay $12.75 million in penalties. 

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In a press release announcing the settlement, the AG alleges that GM sold "the names, contact information, geolocation data, and driving behavior data of hundreds of thousands of Californians" to data brokers, including Verisk Analytics and LexisNexis Risk Solutions. And, as the statement points out, "If you know the precise location of a person’s car, then you know an enormous amount of personal, sensitive information about that person — their home, work, children’s school, place of worship."

The original facts of the case were uncovered by The New York Times back in 2024, where the focus was on whether insurance companies were using this driving data to charge some customers higher insurance rates. But the attorney general's investigation concluded that "California drivers were not directly impacted by GM’s sales of data," because under California's strict insurance laws, "insurers are prohibited from using driving data to set insurance rates." 

In addition to the $12.75 million settlement, GM has agreed to stop selling driving data to any consumer reporting agencies for five years, delete any current driving data within 180 days (unless expressly permitted to keep the data by the driver), and develop and maintain its own privacy program to assess its data collection practices and mitigate the risks of a data breach.

While the settlement is definitely a win for consumer privacy, you shouldn't feel too bad for GM just yet. According to the attorney general's own calculations, GM earned roughly $20 million for the sale of its OnStar data, so even with the hefty settlement, they're still turning a nice profit. 

Good news for owners of foreign-made drones and routers: the Federal Communications Commission has amended its original deadline that would have banned firmware updates to these devices after March 1, 2027. 

In an announcement posted on May 8, 2026, the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) updated its previous guidance to allow new software and firmware updates to foreign-made drones and routers until January 1, 2029, adding nearly two years to the initial cut-off date.

The main concerns cited by the American government are espionage, unauthorized surveillance, and data exfiltration, all of which can be enabled by backdoor exploits built directly into both drones and routers. The most famous example of such a cyberattack is the ongoing Volt Typhoon "advanced persistent threat" (APT), which attempts to leverage compromised hardware, including routers, to steal data and establish "command and control" channels over American cyber infrastructure. 

And though drones are newer than routers, they have been used in corporate espionage since at least 2022, when drones were used to infiltrate the wireless networks of a major American financial firm. 

From a numbers perspective alone, the size of the vulnerability is frightening: around 60% of America's routers are manufactured in China, according to Reuters, while more than 80% of the drones operational in the United States were designed and built in China, according to the Wall Street Journal. 

But put yourself in the shoes of someone who just shelled out serious money for a drone or router, only to learn, after the fact, that the government had made your purchase illegal. The Consumer Technology Association, advocating on behalf of precisely those American consumers, issued an open letter to the FTC just last month, urging legislators to exercise leniency, as well as to better clarify which products might be affected by the ban. 

Their efforts are probably responsible for this two-year extension, but expect supply lines and manufacturers to re-localize in the coming years as the full scope of the cybersecurity threat becomes clearer.

Sick and tired of having your day disrupted by robocalls? You're not alone, and the FCC is taking notice. In press releases from the past month, the FCC said that preventing illegal spam calls has become its "top consumer protection priority," while FCC chairman Brendan Carr vowed to "bring meaningful robocall relief to consumers." 

Unfortunately, their approach might be so broad, so badly focused, that it will create new privacy concerns, destroy so-called "burner" phones, and place an extra burden on consumers. Or in the words of Gizmodo's Mike Pearl, "the FCC's cure might be worse than the disease."

One proposed change, known as the "Know Your Customer" rules, would require businesses to collect a government ID, a physical address, and the customer's full legal name, instead of just their phone number, to initiate phone contact. This proposed change might serve to stop robocalls, but it would also effectively end the concept of consumer privacy. In the words of civil liberties advocates Reclaim the Net: "The result would be an identity-verification regime covering one of the last semi-anonymous communication tools available to ordinary Americans." 

Worse still, the FCC's proposed "red flags" that would heighten scrutiny are broad enough to encompass the lawful behaviors of millions of Americans. Proposed red flags include using a virtual office, making payments in cryptocurrency, using a "suspicious" email address, or operating a phone number not tied to a residential address. 

While all of these activities are likely indicative of robocall spammer behavior, they are also common practices among law-abiding citizens, who often operate out of virtual offices or use so-called "burner" or pre-paid phones. Worse still, the people who rely on prepaid phones often do so because of the anonymity they afford — think about refugees fleeing conflict zones or victims of domestic abuse attempting to keep a low profile. 

Finally, the FCC is looking to place the burden of enforcement on telecom providers, threatening them rather than individual spam callers with up to $2,500 in fines per call. While this approach is no doubt easier than searching out every individual robocall operator, and certainly motivates the companies to take enforcement seriously, it also creates a bad incentive in which telecom operators have to scrutinize each individual customer and their behavior at the expense of consumer privacy. 

Ultimately, spam calls might prove to be the price we pay for enjoying a modicum of privacy in the digital age.

We all want to treat our moms to the best, but sometimes the budget doesn't quite line up with the best of intentions. That's where freebies, voucher codes, and limited-time exclusives from popular restaurants come to the rescue.

You can find some really great food offers from the likes of Denny’s, Pizza Hut, Dunkin', and more popular names on Mother's Day this year. We've checked out everything on offer to bring you the very best, so you can treat her right this weekend.

Aroma Joe’s

Moms can get a free 24-ounce iced drink (any flavor) on Mother's Day.

Baskin-Robbins

Reward members get a BOGO free scoop on May 9. You might need to think of something else to do on Mother's Day, but it's still a nice early treat.

Denny's

Score $10 off online orders of $30+ when you get breakfast for delivery or pickup with the code MOMDAY. This offer is live from May 9-11.

Dunkin'

From May 9-10, Dunkin' is offering 3x points when you order either a 6- or 12-count donut box or 20- or 50-count of Munchkins.

Friendly’s

Moms can get a free medium sundae with any adult entrée purchase.

Morton's The Steakhouse

From May 7-10, Morton's The Steakhouse is dropping an exclusive Mother's Day menu that starts from $79 per person.

Outback Steakhouse

Outback Steakhouse is dropping a limited-time “Mum’s Day Menu” with filet mignon and lobster tail combinations. Looking to go all-out this Mother's Day? This could seriously impress.

Pizza Hut

Pizza Hut is serving up its famous Heart Shaped Pizza for Mother's Day. This limited-edition pizza is available at select locations nationwide through May 10.

Raising Cane’s

Caniac Club members get a BOGO Free Box Combo on May 10-11.

Ruth's Chris Steak House

Ruth's Chris Steak House is offering a Mother's Day brunch on May 9-10, starting at $49 per person.

Shake Shack

Get a free single burger with any $10 purchase using the app code for National Burger Month. OK, that's not a Mother's Day deal. But does she like burgers? If she does, it's a perfect Mother's Day deal.

TCBY

TCBY is giving moms a 6-ounce treat for free. This offer is only valid on May 10, but your mom can choose between a small cup or cone.

White Castle

White Castle is celebrating moms with a BOGO deal on combo meals. Plus, you can score 20% off any order this weekend by using the code WCMOM.

Depending on who you ask, the last people you'd want to stand next to at your neighborhood bar are the man who started the Iran war and the man who helped end abortion (their words, not ours). That's the premise of SNL's latest Cold Open, where Colin Jost's Pete Hegseth sulks into a barstool lamenting that nobody left in the Trump Administration can keep up with him drink-for-drink. That is, until Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh comes stumbling in, played by this weekend's host Matt Damon.

The two spend much of the sketch bonding over everything they've managed to accomplish — or inflict, depending on your perspective — since taking office. Hegseth is beside himself at the prospect of the Iran conflict actually ending and leaving him without a reason to exist, while Kavanaugh is in full waterworks mode over the "male loneliness epidemic." Rough night for powerful men.

Things do take a turn for the chaotic, however, when Aziz Ansari returns as FBI Director Kash Patel, instantly shifting the energy from sad-drunk to dangerous-drunk. Before long, the trio is floating the idea of a Trump third term.

TL;DR: A lifetime license for Microsoft Windows 11 Pro is on sale for $9.97 (reg. $199).

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Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft Windows 11 Pro

$9.97
$199 Save $189.03

 

Get Deal

If you’re still running Windows 10, here’s the deal – Microsoft pulled the plug on support back in October of 2025, meaning no more security updates. If you’ve been putting off the upgrade, you can switch to Windows 11 Pro right now while it’s on sale for just $9.97 (was $199).

Windows 11 Pro brings a noticeably cleaner interface along with improved multitasking tools like snap layouts and virtual desktops, both of which are great tools if you regularly juggle multiple windows or work on several projects at once.

On the security side, you’re getting biometric login, Smart App Control, and BitLocker encryption, which is a huge step up from an OS that isn’t getting security updates at all. These enhanced security tools add an extra layer of security when you’re logging into your computer, block untrusted or dangerous apps, and lock down your information if anyone gets their hands on your device. They’re a must for anyone handling sensitive files or working remotely.

Think about what’s actually changed since Windows 10 launched over a decade ago. The way we work, the security threats we’re up against, and the tools we rely on daily have all evolved. Windows 11 Pro is built with consideration for these changes. Whether you’re working from home, managing files, or just tired of your OS feeling dated, this upgrade brings day-to-day improvements that people truly notice. At $9.97 for a lifetime license, it’s an easy call if you’re still on Windows 10.

Protect your PC and upgrade to Windows 11 Pro for $9.97.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get lifetime access to ChatGPT, Gemini, and more with 1min.AI, today only for $74.97 (reg. $540).

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Credit: 1minAI

1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime Subscription

$79.97
$540 Save $460.03

 

Get Deal

If you’re juggling multiple AI subscriptions just to cover all your bases, there’s a smarter way to do it. 1min.AI pulls ChatGPT, Gemini, Mistral, and dozens of other top AI tools into one browser-based platform — and right now, a lifetime subscription is just $74.97 (reg. $540).

So what can you do about it? A lot, honestly. 1min.AI is built for the kind of work that usually requires four or five different tabs open at once. Draft blog posts, rewrite and tighten copy, generate social content, research keywords, and keep your brand voice consistent across every project. Need to crunch documents? You can summarize, translate, or chat directly with multiple PDFs at the same time. There are also tools to build slide decks, generate images from text prompts, upscale low-res photos, remove backgrounds, extend edges, and turn rough sketches into polished visuals.

Here’s just a few of the AI models:

• GPT

• Claude 3 Opus and Claude 3 Sonnet

• Gemini Pro 1.5

• Llama 3

• Mistral models

The plan comes loaded with 4,000,000 credits per month, and you can earn up to 450,000 additional credits through daily logins and small tasks. Credits work across writing, images, audio, and video — so you can shift your usage as the month demands. Unused credits roll over, so a slower month doesn’t mean wasted money.

The plan also supports up to 20 team members, with shared workspaces, an unlimited prompt library, unlimited storage, and unlimited brand voices. It’s a serious toolkit whether you’re a solo creator or managing a small team.

Lifetime access to 1min.AI’s Advanced Business Plan is $74.97 right now, but this offer expires May 10 at 11:59 p.m. PT. After that, it’s gone.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

New York City, with the largest public school district in the country, was breaking ground on a novel, AI-themed high school when district leadership abruptly pulled the plug last month. They cited mounting parental concern and nationwide backlash to what has been labeled rapid, unsafe adoption of AI. 

Because there has been a rapid adoption of AI among students across the country. Used properly, the tech could transform learning, many argue, and fill gaps in an overburdened education system. But others worry it'll be a generational misstep that could worsen learning development.

Mashable spoke with a dozen stakeholders — parents, child safety advocates, AI literacy experts, tech leaders, and a state representative proposing stronger EdTech regulation — to lay out what is at stake when you add AI to the equation. 

AI moratoriums: Safe choice or miscalculation?

Dylan Arena, chief data science and AI officer for education solutions giant McGraw Hill, told Mashable that the history of EdTech is cyclical. First there was the introduction of the internet and computers wholesale. Then, there was the push for 1:1 devices (personal laptops, Chromebooks, tablets). Now, it's AI. 

He described similar hype cycles around personalized or "adaptive" learning (you'll hear this term surrounding AI, as well). Arena sees AI adoption as less an evolution and more a "pendulum swing or a wobbly spiral." AI, for what it's worth, is much older than our current LLM obsession will lead you to believe, and it's already been in classrooms. McGraw Hill's web-based AI assessment tool, ALEKS, was designed 25 years ago. 

"Early on, the conversation was about access: devices, connectivity, and digital materials. Now the conversation has to be about impact," said Melissa Loble, chief academic officer at EdTech giant Instructure. Instructure, which offers popular learning management system Canvas, announced partnerships with OpenAI and Anthropic in 2025. "The benefits are real when technology is used with a clear purpose. We are not trying to add AI simply because it is new."

AI developers and tech proponents advocate for gated, human-administered AI experiences in the classroom, as well as administrative applications for teachers and staff, that will reduce workloads, enhance learning, and ease the friction of modern classrooms. They argue that future workforces will be defined by their ability to detect and leverage AI. Whether or not a student or educator intends to use it, they should at least know how AI operates.  

"On one hand, the demand for generative AI in schools has grown at an extraordinary pace. On the other, that pace has understandably raised important questions about safety and the long-term impact on learning," said Naria Santa Lucia, general manager of the Microsoft Elevate initiative. "Ideally, every school adopts AI with a clear plan that includes guidelines co-developed with educators, strong privacy protections, and dedicated time for teacher training to ensure students and teachers are best prepared for the future AI economy."

"Our priority in education is to ensure AI works to the benefit of learning and students," Leah Belsky, vice president of education at OpenAI, told Mashable. "To do so, we partner with teachers, institutions, and students to advance our tool and research outcomes. We launched ChatGPT for teachers to help teachers build deep fluency with AI so that they can play a key role in guiding students in how to use AI well."

Many agree that the tech's adoption shouldn't be rushed, and that popular generative AI tools don't yet have their place in K-12. OpenAI and Anthropic, for example, only offer their classroom products for higher education. 

"Our learning tools on Chromebooks are built with educators, giving them the control to decide what’s best for their students," said Google spokesperson Maggie Shiels.

The company reiterated that Gemini for Education, NotebookLM, and other Google AI products are compliant with child privacy laws, a leading concern in the debate. Students' chats aren't used for AI training and Gemini in Workspace isn't available to students under 18.

Most EdTech leaders Mashable spoke to share concerns about an overabundance of screen time among youth. Several acknowledged a concerning lack of long-term research on AI's impact on cognition and learning outcomes.

"The answer is not hype, and it is not fear," said Loble. "It is evidence, governance, and learning."

Those tools could be a genuine solution to public education's dilemmas, proponents say. "There is a real difference between purpose-built systems, systems built for educational outcomes, and general purpose AI," Ashish Bansal, founder of AI math tutor StarSpark.AI told Mashable. 

Bansal says that generative AI tools can address inequities between students with access to support at home and those without. Multimodal technologies, like live translation, can make school easier for second language learners. He argues for classrooms built on collaboration, social interaction, and group problem solving, with generative AI offering support for individual learning.

Several EdTech makers Mashable interviewed are of the camp that smaller AI solutions can address societal issues posed by Big Tech's universal models, but they require time and investment. Moratoriums or bans would render that near impossible.

AI moratoriums could also pose risks themselves, Santa Lucia and others warn.

"I understand the instinct, everyone wants to be sure we get this right, and we share that caution. But we believe the real opportunity is not to stop progress, but to shape it," she said. "The more constructive path in my view is to meet that moment with intentional design."

"In our judgement, there shouldn't be any AI-facing instruction for children in elementary schools," said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).

Vocally opposed to teacher replacement, AFT's stance is that educators should have the opportunity to learn about and deploy generative AI should they see fit, empowering them to make the choice instead of Big Tech. AFT partnered with Microsoft, OpenAI, and Anthropic last year to launch the country's first National Academy for AI Instruction serving its 1.8 million members.

"AI is probably the most pronounced industrial revolution, certainly in my lifetime, but maybe in civilization," said Weingartern. "Every societal change shows up in teachers' classrooms." 

AI education is not a green light for adoption, or even advocacy, argues Amanda Bickerstaff, CEO of AI for Education, an AI literacy organization that partners with educational institutions and advises districts on ethical AI deployment. 

"We are living in an inflection point. When people think about generative AI, they often think of it like an app or device that can be turned off. But generative AI is more similar to the internet and electricity in that it's the power underneath the applications," she said. "[AI] is the fastest growing consumer technology. It cannot be contained."

The case for an AI pause

On April 16, a group of 250 organizations and experts convened by child safety nonprofit Fairplay penned a letter to schools across the U.S. and Canada calling for a five-year moratorium on classroom AI. It wasn’t the first. 

A few months prior, a group of concerned parents, teachers, and climate activists in New York City issued their own call for a two-year moratorium. The group was formed in the wake of an August Daily News op-ed written by NYC parent and public school teacher Liat Olenick. 

“It's really insidious,” Olenick said of Big Tech's presence in schools. "Our kids are not the client, they're the product." In Olenick's experience, both parents and educators are being thrown into the world of AI with little transparency or communication from districts. In addition to fears about AI's impact on the environment, she says the deployment of AI learning chatbots like Amira and Magic School AI in NYC elementary schools tipped her to do something. Investing in the future of our children and planet, Olenick argues, does not mean investing in AI.

A moratorium, however, is a common sense option to get districts to slow down, proponents say. 

Those pushing AI moratoriums argue that schools are jumping into a technology without fully knowing its ramifications. They cite the potential misuse of student data, as well as institutional security risks. Cyberattacks on K-12 schools have greatly increased in recent years, including a recent Instructure breach. 

But the biggest concern of people like Olenick is the effect of AI on young learners' brains. Recent, limited scale studies on chatbots have indicated overuse leads to poorer critical thinking and other developmental effects. 

Every pro-moratorium source Mashable spoke to expressed worry that more technology will worsen screen addictions, increase cognitive fatigue, and devalue the importance of human teaching and social interactions. Josh Golin, executive director of Fairplay, told Mashable that AI is supercharging existing problems across all of EdTech. 

Many sources called it a "Wild West" situation, and feared children were being used as guinea pigs in a nationwide AI experiment. They believe the argument that AI is ubiquitous, and that it will remain that way, is built on a faulty premise — that generative AI is good, effective, and in demand. The most concerned see a push for more AI as a thinly veiled attempt to solve understaffing with AI, not more funding.

Legislators, like Vermont House Representative Angela Arsenault, suggest pauses give time for regulation to catch up. "We fell so far behind with social media, and now we have fallen almost as far behind with EdTech in general. We are very quickly losing any opportunity we have to try to keep pace with AI." Arsenault and a growing number of bipartisan lawmakers have introduced a number of bills aimed at governing EdTech. 

"It's time for everyone to pause and ask what kind of society we want to see," said Anya Meksin, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) parent and deputy director of Schools Beyond Screens, one of the signatories of Fairplay's moratorium letter and co-authors of LAUSD's screen time limits resolution. In the last year, Schools Beyond Screens has grown to 2,000 members and 100 national chapters, advocating for reduced screen time in schools and a return to pencil and paper learning.

The urgency to adopt AI is manufactured, it's opponents argue. With mounting pressure from investors, companies must present a world where tech adoption is a need, not a want, one in which their billion-dollar evaluations are justified. School districts are just falling in line, having been "wined and dined" to spend tens of billions of dollars on tech over the last 20 years, said Golin.

"They're not nonprofits," said Meksin. "These are for profit companies going after public dollars. They're going after our tax money, our district money, that is extremely precious and in short supply."

In this framing, turning to smaller EduTech companies isn't a solution, either. Many still build on top of Big Tech's core models, they note, including OpenAI's GPTs. Most still want some form of tech in classrooms. 

"The notion that an AI is going to be able to differentiate instruction and personalize a lesson better than I can is Orwellian," said Joe Clement, a Virginia public school teacher and co-author of Screen Schooled, a 2017 book detailing the overuse of technology in U.S. classrooms. Clement describes an "enmeshment" of student technology and AI, making it challenging to avoid in education. He argues it's overburdening children and making it harder to build engaged, critical learners. 

While some believe AI is an equity gap filler, others believe it will exacerbate existing problems rampant across under-resourced schools. Many, like Clement, pointed to well-funded private schools pivoting away from 1:1 devices and technology in favor of hands-on human tutoring, leaving AI to the underfunded.

A ship without a rudder 

The lack of a unified voice, and little federal intervention, is further fragmenting the debate, sources explained. "The Federal Department of Education has really abdicated its responsibility of being a clearing house on best practices," said Weingarten. "In fact, they are doing the opposite. They're doing the bidding of Big Tech, as opposed to listening to the people." 

The Department of Education issued AI guidelines in 2025, but, to Weingarten's point, have ceded AI's ethical implementation to schools themselves. AI policies across the country are still being penned or are nonexistent. Rapid initial adoption has made it even more difficult to retroactively scale it back and reset. 

Confusion reigns and parents, teachers, districts, even students themselves, are trying to regain some semblance of control.

As Bickerstaff, the AI for Education CEO, puts it: "This is one of the noisiest things that's ever happened in education."

After spending a few months with them, I think the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 wireless headphones are the best headphones money can buy in 2026. That is — if you can afford them, which you probably can't.

That's not a knock on your earning capacity, but I'm making an educated guess that the average person can't afford to drop $799 on a pair of headphones, no matter how good they are.

And they're really good.

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 is a true luxury product

The PX8 S2 uses Nappa leather and aluminum. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

I have to admit — my favorite thing about the PX8 S2 may just be the design. I'm a sucker for headphones with metal and leather components, and I've often criticized Sony for its all-plastic approach to headphone design.

Like other B&W products, these headphones use a combination of die-cast aluminum and Nappa leather, which his known for its subtle grain and ultra-soft feel. Most headphones feature "vegan leather," which is just a tricky way of saying synthetic leather, which is usually a petroleum and plastic-based product. (Side note: Rebranding a plastic product as vegan is one of the crueler marketing tricks in the consumer world.)

The controls on the PX8 S2 are simple and intuitive. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

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I love the design of the PX8 S2. The aluminum frame slides smoothly in and out of the leather-covered headband, and an exposed braided cable connects the earcups to the body. The metal touch controls are finely etched, and even the Bowers & Wilkins engraved on the earcups appears almost pixelated upon close examination. Every little detail is elegant and finely considered.

These headphones look similar to some other Bowers & Wilkins products like the Px7 S3 headphones, but with some nice upgrades. I will say, the headphones don't look quite as good on you as they do on their own, and I have to give it up to the Apple AirPods Max 2 for overall cool factor.

But as I said when these headphones first came out, I still think they're the best-designed headphones for sale right now.

How does the PX8 S2 sound? Really damn good.

These headphones are well designed down to the tiniest details. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

For its newest flagship headphones, Bowers & Wilkins engineered a reference-quality pair of headphones, and while I'm not an audio engineer, I think they succeeded. These headphones produce a rich, balanced sound that sounds vivid and clear across the audio spectrum.

I don't hear any sacrifices in bass, mids, or treble when listening to Radiohead's Kid A, one of my go-to albums for testing headphone quality. The chaotic instrumentals of "National Anthem" have never sounded clearer to me, and that holds true whether I'm listening to Radiohead, Florence + The Machine, or Vivaldi.

To produce such deep sound, B&W uses custom-designed 40mm Carbon Cone drivers, which the brand promises deliver "our best sound quality ever."

Now, let's get technical. Unlike the new Apple AirPods Max 2, these headphones support high-resolution lossless audio over Bluetooth, not just via a USB-C connection. The headphones support aptX Lossless, AAC, and SBC codecs. They deliver 24-bit digital signal processing for the highest resolution audio.

If you consider yourself an audiophile, these luxury headphones won't disappoint you.

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2: ANC is great, but not elite

The sound quality is superb, but noise cancellation is outshined by Bose and Sony. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

These headphones offer decent passive noise cancellation and high-quality active noise cancellation. On a commute, on a plane, or in a crowded office, they deliver more than enough noise cancellation for my needs.

That being said, if you're looking for the best possible ANC, then the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Gen 2) headphones still offer superior noise cancellation. At launch, these headphones were also missing the kind of spatial audio you'll find on most flagship headphones. This has since been made available in an over-the-air update (look for the "True Immersion" setting in the app), but, once again, it's not quite on the level of Apple, Sony, or Bose.

Likewise, while Sony and Apple both support Dolby Atmos, B&W doesn't. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing. As a Bowers & Wilkins representative told me, most music isn't produced for spatial audio. So, if you're chasing true high-fidelity, reference-quality sound, immersive audio features can actually compromise the audio.

B&W PX8 S2: Battery and call quality

The PX8 S2 headphones have up to 30 hours of battery life with ANC on. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The PX8 S2 offers 30 hours of battery life with ANC engaged, which is exactly on par with the Sony XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2. (Apple AirPods Max 2 have only 20 hours, in comparison.) You can also get seven hours of playback with a 15-minute quick charge. So, pretty much in line with what you'd expect.

That said, there are some outliers. The Dyson OnTrac headphones offered 55 hours of ANC listening all the way back in 2024. More recently, the Soundcore Space 2 and Sennheiser Momentum 4 also offer 50+ hours.

Lastly, I've been happy with the call quality (and the noise cancellation on call quality) with the PX8 S2. They have eight microphones total, which is four fewer than the Sony XM6, but I haven't had any problems here.

How comfortable are these headphones?

Even the carrying case looks good. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Mashable puts a big premium on comfortable headphones that can be worn for many hours without interruption. In recent years, the Bose QuietComfort line has been completely unmatched in this regard, and that remains true.

Because of the metal components, these headphones are heavier than some competitors. Notably, at 310 grams, the PX8 S2 do weigh less than Apple AirPods Max 2 headphones, which weigh 386.2 grams. However, the latest flagship QuietComfort Ultra headphones are lighter at 264 grams.

If you're wearing headphones all day at work, you will notice the difference. That said, I haven't found these headphones to be uncomfortable, even when wearing my glasses. You'll have to decide if comfort or premium design is more important to you. Ultimately, you may prefer the lightweight feel of the Sony XM6 (254 grams).

The $799 question: Are the PX8 S2 worth it?

This question is really hard to answer unless I know how much you would miss that $799 in your bank account. For people who'd barely notice, these headphones are absolutely worth it, IMO. I've been using them for six months, and I've been unable to switch back to my Sony XM6.

I also think these headphones are durable and fairly futureproofed, so they shouldn't need replacement anytime soon. I'm all for spending more for a longer-lasting, higher-quality product.

And yet... $799 is a big ask, and these headphones would probably be wasted on the average Spotify listener. But for audiophiles and people in the premium market, I don't think you'll be disappointed.

One last note: If you're waiting on these headphones to go on sale, don't hold your breath. Virtually all gadgets are getting more expensive in 2026, and these headphones almost never go on sale. When they do, they typically get a measly $10 discount. So, womp, womp.

Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2 noise-cancelling headphones

$799 at Amazon

 

Shop Now at Amazon

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.

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If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Design.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

DECOR

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Vertebrae.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SPINE

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Hurdle Word 3 hint

Goal.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

GRAIL

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Not the most.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

LEAST

Final Hurdle hint

"Copy".

Hurdle Word 5 answer

DITTO

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

The Moon is now in its Waning Crescent phase, which means we're getting closer to the New Moon and a start of a new lunar cycle. Over the coming nights, visibility will reduce significantly. But for now, there's still some features to be seen, so keep reading to find out what you can see on the Moon tonight.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Sunday, May 10, the Moon phase is Waning Crescent. Tonight, 46% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

Without any visual aids, tonight you can see the Kepler Crater and the Aristarchus Plateau. If you have binoculars, pull them out to catch a glimpse of the Gassendi Crater, Clavius Crater, and Mare Humorum. Finally, if you have access to a telescope, enjoy gazing at the Apollo 14 landing spot and the Schiller Crater.

When is the next Full Moon?

There are two Full Moons in May, with the next due to take place on May 31.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon takes around 29.5 days to complete a full orbit around Earth, passing through eight different phases along the way. Even though we always see the same side of the Moon, the way sunlight falls on it changes as it moves, which is what creates the familiar full, half, and crescent shapes. In total, there are eight main phases in the lunar 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. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last 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.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips 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 on to 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.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, 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.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 10 Pips

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 6-2, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically; 2-1, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 2-1, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 10 Pips

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed horizontally; 6-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 10 Pips

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 4-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically; 4-1, placed vertically; 1-2, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 1-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically; 2-2, placed vertically.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-6, 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.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will require some sports and pop culture knowledge.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a 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.

What is Connections: Sports Edition?

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. The sports 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 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 before 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.

Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Stats

• Green: Speedy

• Blue: GOAT runners

• Purple: Sounds like an NHL team

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Baseball Stats

• Green: Moves Fast

• Blue: Hall of Fame Running Backs

• Purple: NHL Teams, Minus the First Letter

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 #594 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Baseball Stats: ERRORS, HITS, RUNS, WALKS

• Moves Fast: BOLTS, RACES, SCOOTS, SPRINTS

• Hall of Fame Running Backs: JAMES, RIGGINS, SANDERS, SAYERS

• NHL Teams, Minus the First Letter: ANGERS, RUINS, SLANDERS, TARS

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports 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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you believe in fate.

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.

What is Connections?

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.

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.

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Found on Spotify

• Green: Meant to be

• Blue: Cocktail terms

• Purple: Time of renewal

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Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Music player buttons

• Green: Destined

• Blue: Verbs in making a mojito

• Purple: What "Spring" might refer to

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 #1064 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Music player buttons: PLAY, REPEAT, SHUFFLE, SKIP

• Destined: BOUND, CERTAIN, FATED, SURE

• Verbs in making a mojito: GARNISH, MUDDLE, POUR, STIR

• What "Spring" might refer to: COIL, FOUNTAIN, LEAP, SEASON

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? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's 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.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you have good eyes.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, 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 preferred pace.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: We all saw it

The words are related to clarity.

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Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe lucidity.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Clear Cut.

NYT Strands word list for May 10

• Overt

• Obvious

• Blatant

• Clear Cut

• Flagrant

• Brazen

• Glaring

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.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love coziness.

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.

Where did Wordle come from?

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.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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.

Is Wordle getting harder?

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.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A hooded jacket.

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Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter A appears twice

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter P.

The Wordle answer today is...

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...

PARKA

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.

Regardless of whether or not anyone wanted such a thing, Prime Video is turning into TikTok.

Amazon announced in a press release on Friday that the Prime Video mobile app has a new feed for Clips, which are short, shareable video clips taken from Prime Video content. This feature was first created with NBA games broadcast on Prime Video in mind, but this new development expands it to presumably include shows like The Boys and other Prime originals. Users can access the Clips feed by scrolling down on the home page to the Clips carousel and tapping any Clip.

From there, Clips can be shared with other users by copying and pasting a link. Users can also like Clips or use them as a gateway to access whatever show or movie is on display in said Clip. Right now, the feature is available to "select customers" in the United States on Android, iOS, and Fire Tablet devices. It'll become available to more people over the summer.

“As a first-stop entertainment destination, Prime Video offers customers a vast selection of premium content, and we want to make it as easy and seamless as possible for them to discover what's most relevant," Prime Video executive Brian Griffin said. "Clips gives customers a whole new way to browse with short, personalized snippets tailored to their interests. Whether they have a few minutes to scroll or are looking for something to watch when they have more time, entertainment is just a tap away.”

The TikTok comparison is obvious, though it should be noted that it doesn't sound like users can create their own Clips, at least at this time. In other words, this is mostly just another way for Amazon to market Prime Video content to users. React accordingly.

Resident Evil: Requiem already had plenty of meat on the bone, between a decently sized campaign and plenty of post-game goodies to chew on. Now, a couple of months after launch, it's gotten some pretty fun-sounding free DLC.

Capcom released a surprise update this week that included an action-packed new mode called Leon Must Die Forever. Unlocked after you finish the main story, Leon Must Die Forever is a gauntlet of high-octane action challenges starring everyone's favorite former rookie cop, Leon S. Kennedy. Capcom's official description makes it sound pretty straightforward: kill more difficult-than-usual enemies within a time limit, fight bosses, unlock enhancements, and try not to die, despite the mode's name.

"Fight your way through areas you’ve visited previously throughout the game and defeat the final boss, all with stronger enemy variants, five increasingly difficulty ranks, and a race against the clock! Fill your enhancement gauge by defeating enemies in order to unlock Leon’s “enhancer abilities” exclusive to this game mode," Capcom's press release said.

Capcom has always had a habit of adding cool, stripped-down action-based modes to Resident Evil games that are meant to be played after finishing the story. Traditionally, they're usually called some variant of "Mercenaries," but the company went with the infinitely more fun Leon Must Die Forever for this one. If you're like me and you're still itching to roundhouse kick zombies and mutilate them with a hand axe despite having finished the story, maybe check this one out.

Late in the week, an Amazon Web Services outage affected a range of websites. In the wake of that outage, which lasted from Thursday into Friday, Amazon has revealed what happened.

In an update on the official AWS status website, Amazon revealed that the outage was caused by a "thermal event resulting in a loss of power" at a single data center in northern Virginia. In other words, some tech overheated. This prompted Amazon to shift traffic away from that data center's "Availability Zone" during the late afternoon on Thursday. By early afternoon on Friday, Amazon had managed to restore its cooling systems, which kick-started the process of getting everything back online.

"Our main effort during the event mitigation strategy was to bring back our cooling systems capacity. By May 8 1:50 PM, we were able to stabilize cooling system capacity to pre-event levels, which helped us to restore the majority of the impaired EC2 instances and EBS volumes," Amazon said. "A small number of instances and EBS volumes remain impaired, and we continue to work to recover all affected remaining resources."

The outage affected some popular apps, like FanDuel and Coinbase. Users were unable to bet or trade as they normally would on those apps for a while, likely leading to some consternation on Thursday and Friday. However, the issue seems to be mostly resolved at this point, so you can probably get your NBA playoff prop bets in now, if you so desire.

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What's different about an art TV?

Any old smart TV can play a 10-hour-long YouTube slideshow of famous paintings. True art TVs have a few unique characteristics that separate them from the average flatscreen:

1. A flush mount: Art TVs come with a special mount that allows them to hang flat against the wall, just like a framed photo or print. From the side, you won't see any metal arms holding the TV up.

2. A matte display: The original versions of the world's famous paintings aren't displayed behind traditional shiny glass — if they were, you'd be able to see your own reflection better than the artwork. The Frame brought elite glare-free displays to the TV category to better replicate the authentic museum experience. The best art TVs use anti-glare coating so you can enjoy TV, games, and artwork even in bright sunlight.

3. Interchangeable bezels: The decorative picture frame-esque border is the other half of the "not a TV" illusion. Different art TVs use different frame colors, but all have the option to swap the traditional black outline for a white or wood-like finish.

So while the Hisense Déco TV that I tested and loved has a pretty curved white frame, it doesn't meet any of the above criteria — it's more of an artsy TV than an art TV by the books, though you may still want to consider it as an alternative to The Frame. If you're looking for a small bedroom TV that won't clash with your decor, I highly recommend the QLED Déco TV. We'll call it an honorable mention for this list.

LG and TCL are dropping new art TVs soon

Competition between the best frame TVs is about to stiffen up in the second half of 2026. Preorders opened for the pricey OLED LG W6 Wallpaper TV and the full-array mini-LED LG Gallery TV with Frame at the end of April, so release dates should be coming any time now. TCL has also confirmed that a pro version of the NXTVISION TV is on the way. I'll update this guide accordingly as each model becomes available for purchase.

On Gemini 7's second lap around Earth, as the spacecraft glided over the Caribbean Sea, astronaut Frank Borman glanced outside and radioed a deadpan report: "We have a bogey at 10 o'clock high."

That moment in 1965 passed, folded into NASA's growing pile of strange-yet-seemingly-innocuous space oddities. But President Donald Trump's new UFO files suggest it never really left the government's imagination.

The release, published May 8 through a new government archive for unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAPs, pulls together records from NASA, the FBI, and several intelligence agencies. UAP is Washington's new catch-all for UFOs and other odd events that officials can't immediately explain. The administration says more files will arrive in rolling batches on a new website over the coming weeks. Its white-on-black typeset and grainy military photos add a nostalgic X-Files flair.

Astronauts have always carried unusual weight in UFO lore. They are trained observers, steeped in checklists and telemetry, but also symbols of humanity's push into the unknown. So when astronauts reported strange lights, drifting objects, or puzzling events in orbit, those accounts tended to stick — even when later investigations pointed to equipment glitches, space junk, or natural occurrences.

The newly released records don't prove extraterrestrial life exists, and officials repeatedly caution that many cases remain unresolved simply because investigators never collected enough data to reach a firm conclusion. 

"I applaud President Trump's whole-of-government effort to bring greater transparency to the American people on unidentified anomalous phenomena," NASA administrator Jared Isaacman said in a statement. "We will remain candid about what we know to be true, what we have yet to understand, and all that remains to be discovered. Exploration and the pursuit of knowledge are core to NASA's mission as we endeavor to unlock the secrets of the universe." 

NASA astronauts repeatedly reported strange sights during missions to the moon and aboard the United States' first space station, according to newly highlighted material in the files. The records include astronaut transcripts, crew debriefings, an audio recording, and annotated photographs, spanning missions from Gemini 7 in 1965 through Skylab in the 1970s.  

Gemini 7 astronauts reported a 'bogey' in orbit

During the Gemini 7 mission in 1965, astronaut Frank Borman radioed mission control to report what he called a "bogey," a military term for an unidentified aircraft. Borman and astronaut Jim Lovell also described a cloud of particles drifting near their spacecraft. Lovell later described a bright object that he saw against the darkness of space. Handwritten notes attached to the transcript labeled the event a "UFO sighting by Borman."  

Apollo 11 crew spotted lights on the way to the moon

Apollo 11 astronauts described several unusual observations during the first human moon landing mission in 1969. 

Buzz Aldrin told debriefers the crew saw a large object while en route to the moon and examined it with a monocular. The astronauts speculated it may have been part of the Saturn V rocket. Aldrin also described repeated flashes of light inside the spacecraft cabin. He later reported seeing a bright light the crew tentatively identified as a laser during their return to Earth.  

An area of interest above the lunar horizon is highlighted in this view from the 1969 landing site of the Apollo 12 mission. Credit: NASA / Department of Defense

Apollo 12 astronauts watched drifting glowing particles

Apollo 12 astronauts reported multiple unexplained sightings during their 1969 mission. 

Alan Bean described seeing particles and flashes of light "sailing off in space" while using the spacecraft's optical telescope. Commander Pete Conrad later described illuminated debris floating outside the lunar module before the light source suddenly disappeared. 

The archive also includes several Apollo 12 photographs marked with highlighted "areas of interest" above the lunar horizon.  

A smattering of five areas of interest are highlighted in this image taken from the Apollo 12 landing site on the moon. Credit: NASA / Department of Defense

Apollo 17 crew described mysterious objects

Back in 1972, Apollo 17 astronauts reported some of the most detailed observations in the archive. 

Ronald Evans described bright particles tumbling near the spacecraft, while Harrison Schmitt compared the scene to "the Fourth of July." Commander Eugene Cernan later reported intense flashing lights that appeared bright enough to resemble a train headlight. Schmitt also reported seeing a flash on the lunar surface near Grimaldi crater. 

Another Apollo 17 image in the archive shows three unexplained dots in a triangular formation. Government analysts have reopened the case and obtained the original film for further study, according to the file.  

Skylab crews repeatedly saw flashes

Astronauts aboard Skylab, America's first space station, documented unexplained sightings in 1973 and 1974.

One crew saw frequent light flashes while trying to sleep. Another tracked a bright reddish object for several minutes, eventually concluding it moved in an orbit similar to Skylab's. A later crew reported flashing lights outside the station moving independently of the spacecraft, though astronauts suspected the objects may have been debris or satellites. 

SAVE $20: As of May 9, the Echo Show 5 is on sale for $69.99 at Amazon. That's a 22% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Amazon

Echo Show 5

$69.99 at Amazon
$89.99 Save $20

 

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Smart home hubs can make your life a whole lot easier. Nowadays, robot vacuums and mowers, voice activated speakers, and so much more are smart. And a great way to manage all these devices is with a dedicated hub, like the Echo Show 5. And this model is on sale this weekend. As of May 9, this Amazon smart home hub is down from $89.99 to $69.99.

The Echo Show 5 is a smart display with a 5.5-inch screen that is perfect for displaying information like weather reports, news, and playlists. It supports music streaming from top providers like Amazon Music, Spotify, as well as video options from Prime Video.

It even includes a built-in 2 MP camera, so you can use it for video calls or home monitoring. When not in use, you can change the display to show rotating photo slideshows, and Prime members also receive unlimited cloud photo storage.

And if sustainability is on your mind when purchasing, the fabric on this device is made from 100% post-consumer recycled polyester yarn, the aluminium uses 100% recycled aluminium, and the packaging is fully recyclable.

Find this Echo Show deal at Amazon now. It's a limited-time deal, so don't miss out.

TL;DR: This refurbished 2020 Apple MacBook Pro is price-dropped to $429.97 (reg. $1999), featuring 16GB RAM and a 1TB SSD for work, multitasking, and daily use.

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Apple MacBook Pro 2020 (Refurbished)

$399.99
$1,580 Save $1,180.01

 

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If you’ve been comparing MacBooks, you know just how fast the price rises as you opt for higher storage tiers and other vital features. Right now, you can get a refurbished Apple MacBook Pro (2020) for $429.97 (reg. $1999), making it an appealing option for anyone who needs extra space without putting a huge dent in their bank account. Get it on sale for 78% off until May 10 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

This model comes with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD — a combination that’s well-suited for multitasking, larger files, and more demanding workflows. Whether you’re working on multiple tabs, editing media, or managing larger projects, the added storage helps reduce the need for constant file management.

Regarding performance capabilities, it’s powered by a 2GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz, which keeps everyday tasks running smoothly. The 13.3-inch Retina display with True Tone also makes a difference if you spend long hours on your screen, adjusting brightness and color to your environment.

You’ll find the familiar MacBook Pro perks: a tactile Magic Keyboard, intuitive Touch Bar controls, and Touch ID for quick, secure logins. With up to 10 hours of battery life and four Thunderbolt 3 ports, this laptop is ready for a full day’s work … no scrambling for adapters or outlets required.

As a Grade A refurbished model, this MacBook Pro is expected to arrive in near-mint condition, with minimal signs of wear — a big part of why the price is so compelling.

This practical deal delivers generous storage without the high cost, making it a standout among current MacBook offers. Get this Apple MacBook Pro (2020) today, for $429.97 through May 10 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Upgrade your PC for just $29.97 (reg. $219.99) with this Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license, on sale through May 18 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License

$29.97
$219.99 Save $190.02

 

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Want to get a deal on something you’ll use every single day? This lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows gives your PC eight new tools to improve your workflow, and right now, you can snag them all for just $29.97 until May 18.

Whether you’ve been paying for Microsoft Office apps or trying to go without them, this lifetime license lets you pay once and enjoy them forever. There’s no cloud connectivity required — just download the apps to your device and work offline as needed.

Curious what this license includes? You’ll have all the old classics, like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, which can help you create documents, build spreadsheets, design presentations, and manage emails.

You’ll also get newer favorites, too. Stay connected with friends, family, and coworkers on Teams, and manage large databases with Access. OneNote upgrades how you take notes, and Publisher rounds out the suite by helping you create professional documents.

This edition may hail from 2021, but these apps have all been redesigned. They also include a ribbon-based user interface that provides easy access to features, tools, and customizations.

Before purchasing, make sure your device is running Windows 10 or 11 to be compatible.

Score major savings this month with this Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license for just $29.97 (reg. $219.99) now through May 18 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business for Mac or PC for just $89.97 (reg. $249.99) now through May 17.

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Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business for Mac or PC Lifetime License

$89.97
$249.99 Save $160.02

 

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There aren’t many things you can pay for once and enjoy for life, but this lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac or PC is one of them. This suite of five essential apps gives you tools to tackle both personal and professional tasks, and right now you can get them all for only $89.97 until May 17.

If you’re tired of paying month after month for your go-to apps, you’ll appreciate this Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business deal. It’s a lifetime license, so you pay once and download the apps right to your device for permanent access.

This edition works on both Macs and PCs, so no matter your device, you can take advantage of these five Microsoft staples. You’ll get access to Word for creating documents, Excel for building spreadsheets, and Outlook for managing email.

PowerPoint is included so you can create presentations, and OneNote will upgrade the way you take notes.

This edition hails from 2024, but don’t worry. These apps feature AI enhancements that provide text, formatting, and design suggestions as you go. You can also let AI summarize text, translate content, and extract key info from your documents for you.

If you’re working in Excel, let AI-powered tools analyze your data, identify trends, and improve your charts and graphics. Need to get things done in Word? There’s also a new Focus Mode available so you can concentrate on your work and get more done.

Upgrade your computer with a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business for Mac or PC for just $89.97 now.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The world will stop this summer for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

16 cities across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada will welcome the best international sides from around the world as they compete for arguably the biggest prize in sport. Huge names like Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Lamine Yamal are likely to steal the spotlight, but new stars always shine brightly in this prestigious competition.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is the FIFA World Cup?

The World Cup is an international football competition between senior men's national teams. The 2026 World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams, split into 12 groups of four teams. The top two teams in each group and the eight best third-placed teams progress to the knockouts rounds.

The defending champions are Argentina. They won their third title at the 2022 World Cup after defeating France in the final.

When is the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

The 2026 World Cup is the 23rd edition of this famous competition. This year's tournament takes place from June 11 to July 19 in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.

How to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free

A number of free streaming platforms are offering coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup:

• Australia — SBS

• Austria — ORF and ServusTV

• Belgium — RTBF and VRT

• France — M6

• Germany — ARD and ZDF

• Ireland — RTÉ

• Italy — RAI

• Norway — NRK

• Netherlands — NOS

• Spain — RTVE

• UK — BBC iPlayer and ITVX (recommended)

These streaming services are geo-restricted, but anyone can 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 live stream the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer or ITVX (recommended)

5. Watch 2026 FIFA World Cup for free from anywhere in the world

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ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this tournament before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the FIFA World Cup?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for accessing live sport on free streaming platforms, 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

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% 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 $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

In the 21st century, flirting is no longer just something you do at a bar or club after a few drinks to build up your confidence. In fact, more often than not, it's a text- or photo-based exchange conducted between smartphones, with fingers doing the flirting that tongues used to manage. Getting exact data on how many people are digitizing their flirtations isn't easy, but for one example, consider the DirtySnapchat subreddit: it boasts over one million members and nearly 130,000 weekly visitors.

Of course, as sexting became more popular, we gained exponentially more ways to engage in it, from naughty websites to flirty dating apps to clever in-between options, where a suggestive text message or a racy photo are all part of the fun. It's also becoming increasingly common for services to offer a hybrid feature set, so that what begins as a fun text-based conversation and escalates to photo exchanges might finish off with a live video chat. 

Today we're comparing two of the most popular options for sexting: AdultFriendFinder and Snapchat. Both platforms offer a bevy of fun features to help you get your flirt on through texts, photos and videos, and both have some clever, built-in features to help you do it safely and discreetly.

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Credit: AdultFriendFinder

AdultFriendFinder

 

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Credit: Snapchat

Snapchat

 

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The benefits of AdultFriendFinder for sexting

Finding a partner

The big benefit of AdultFriendFinder is that it has a built-in community of like-minded people all looking for text-based flirtation. Unlike with Snapchat, which is a much more general, multi-purpose platform, AFF users have signed up with the express intent of having some "adult" fun, and their profiles usually reflect this, with wild photos and very explicit lists of kinks, turn-ons and interests. 

In addition to the individual profiles, AFF also hosts communities and groups, often based around specific kinks or a love of erotic storytelling, and these public-facing communities are easy to find and engage with. 

If your sexting journey is a solo one to start off, AFF will help you find a partner in no time, whereas finding a like-minded chat partner through Snapchat alone is no easy task. 

Identity verification

A major strength of AdultFriendFinder is that it offers a robust identity verification service called ConfirmID, and while it isn't mandatory, you can opt not to talk to anyone who hasn't undergone the process. To get verified, users have to offer both a scan of a piece of government-issued identification and agree to have their face scanned via webcam to confirm that the person doing the scan is the same person featured in the ID document. 

Once you're verified, a blue checkmark will appear on your profile photo, ensuring others know you're verified. If you want to only talk to other verified users, stick to profiles that feature that bleu checkmark and you're golden.

On Snapchat, by contrast, verification is as simple as confirming that the email associated with the account really belongs to you, which might be an effective deterrent against bots but doesn't do anything against catfishing scams. 

Sex Academy

What if you're new to sexting and want to pick up some tips or learn some of the lingo before you dive in? An often-overlooked aspect of the AdultFriendFinder universe is what is known as their "sex academy," the constellation of resources, including learning materials and erotic stories, that can help you acquaint yourself with the ins and outs of sexting before you ever speak to a real partner. 

This is an unbelievably useful tool because, over time, sexters evolved their own shorthand language — not to mention suggestive emoji use! — to get their points across faster and not break the sexual tension with long, delayed texting. 

The benefits of Snapchat for sexting

Free to use

Snapchat is free to download and free to use, and although there is a premium subscription option (Snapchat+), it's not really necessary or even particularly beneficial when it comes to sexting. Contrast this with AdultFriendFinder, which restricts one-on-one conversations to paying members, and you can easily see why Snapchat gets the edge here. 

Because it's free to use, it's also much more widely adopted than AFF, which means it's extremely common for people to exchange their Snapchat IDs, or even for singles to include their Snapchat IDs in their dating profiles.

Disappearing messages

Another huge benefit of Snapchat is that, by design, all messages sent through the service are time-restricted. Everything you write or send will eventually disappear, not only from the chat history but from Snapchat's servers.

But some caveats do need to be mentioned here:

• “Disappearing” does not mean “never stored.”

• Anything sent digitally can potentially persist through screenshots, screen recording, device backups, or hacked accounts.

• Even if Snapchat deletes its copy, the recipient may still have one.

So from a privacy perspective, the safest assumption is: if you send a nude on any platform, there is always some possibility it could continue to exist somewhere beyond your control.

That means if you're shy, or concerned about your privacy, or just feel more comfortable being naughty when you have the peace of mind of knowing there won't be a (digital) paper trail, Snapchat is probably the most secure option out there. 

That having been said, Snapchat's official Community Guidelines take a strong stand against "sharing, promoting, or distributing sexually explicit content and conduct," so while such behaviors are actively encouraged on AdultFriendFinder, they are actively discouraged on Snapchat. The truth, though, is that, in practice, private consensual exchanges between adults are extremely common on the app and are generally not proactively policed unless:

• Someone reports it.

• AI moderation flags it.

• It appears exploitative/commercial.

• It involves minors/non-consensual content.

Screenshot protection

One of the perils of sexting, especially if you're doing it with strangers or people you've only recently met, is that exchanging nude photos or videos can be risky — bad actors can save or share your photos without your consent, or even use them to blackmail you, a practice known as "sextortion."

But if you're concerned about someone secretly screenshotting or even using a screen recording tool to record your naughty sessions, Snapchat offers a robust notification software that will alert you right away if someone takes a screenshot or starts a screen recording, and it's comprehensive enough to even pick up on many third-party tools that can do these things. 

It isn't perfect, so you do still need to exercise caution when you're being frisky with people you don't fully know or trust. At a minimum, you should verify that the person you're chatting with is who they claim to be, preferably over a video call, and you should never share sexually explicit content with someone you don't know and trust, especially if those images or videos can be used to identify you.

The bottom line? Both AFF and Snapchat offer fun platforms for engaging in some sexy texting, but the former is probably a more attractive option if you don't already have a sexting partner and the latter is a fantastic platform for getting more intimate with someone you already know.

TL;DR: Watch the 2026 French Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The world of tennis is firmly focused on clay courts right now. Top players have already sharpened up in the Barcelona Open and Madrid Open, and now it's the turn of the main event: Roland-Garros.

Two-time champion Carlos Alcaraz will not defend his title, but this year's tournament is not short of star names. Expect the likes of Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka, and Iga Świątek to be battling it out in the latter stages. It's always a special tournament, and we're expecting top-level competition from the best of the best in this edition.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 French Open from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is the French Open?

The French Open, also known as Roland-Garros, is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France. It's the only Grand Slam tournament held on a clay surface, and is the second of the four annual Grand Slam tournaments.

The current singles champions are Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff.

When is the 2026 French Open?

The 2026 French Open is the 131th edition of the competition. This year's event takes place from May 18 to June 7.

How to watch the 2026 French Open for free

The 2026 French Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, 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 Australia, meaning you can stream the 2026 French Open for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 French Open for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Connect to 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 French Open for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Roland-Garros without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream the 2026 French Open before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the French Open?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, 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

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% 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 $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2026 French Open for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream the UFC on Paramount+. Access these live streams for free with a 30-day trial for Walmart+.

Some of the biggest names in sport became famous with the UFC. We're talking about the likes of Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Brock Lesnar, and Georges St-Pierre. All of these household names earned their stripes in the Octagon, and now the next wave of UFC superstars are primed and ready to take things to the next level.

And millions of fans from around the world will be watching every moment. Fortunately for this dedicated group of followers, it has never been easier to watch the biggest fight nights without spending anything.

If you want to watch the UFC for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the UFC?

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. The UFC has over 578 fighters contracted that fight across 11 weight divisions. The organization produces events worldwide — the UFC has held over 750 events going into 2026.

How to watch the UFC for free

The UFC is available to live stream on Paramount+. New subscribers can get Paramount+ for $8.99 per month with access to all UFC events.

Alternatively, you can sign up for a 30-day trial for Walmart+ to gain access to Paramount+ for free. Paramount+ is included as a perk of Walmart+, so with a free trial of Walmart+, you can live stream the UFC without spending anything. It's a sneaky trick, but it works.

If you're outside the U.S. for the next fight, you might need to use a VPN to unblock the UFC on Paramount+. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., allowing you to unblock live streams of the UFC from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the UFC from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

4. Visit Paramount+

5. Watch the UFC from anywhere in the world

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ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

Get Deal

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 without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the next fight before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the UFC?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, 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 always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% 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 $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch the UFC from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The best wireless earbuds range anywhere from $10 to $1,000, especially if you're going for professional-grade studio earphones. And if you care about active noise cancellation, you can easily spend $300 — that's the price of peace and quiet. You can also get hyperspecialized models like sleep earbuds, bone-conduction earbuds for working out, and open earbuds for transparency.

In 2026, our top picks for earbuds are the Sony WF-1000XM6, Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd gen), and Panasonic Technics AZ100s, which provide outstanding sound quality and ANC. But keep in mind that these models will run you $299 to $329. While we stand by the value of everything on this list, we know that spending over $300 on a pair of earbuds is a lot to stomach. That's why we've also included more budget-friendly wireless earbuds under $100 that still deliver excellent performance.

Ready to start shopping now? Here are our favorite wireless and noise-cancelling earbuds as of May 2026.

Types of earbuds

There are two types of earbuds: wireless and wired. While those descriptors are self-explanatory, let's get into the specifics of both.

Wireless

Wireless earbuds connect to devices via Bluetooth for cordless usage. These earbuds range from $20 budget models to high-end models with active noise cancellation. While they don't require a wire to connect to a device, some wireless earbuds still have a wire that might go around the back of the neck to connect the buds.

While earbuds traditionally don't provide the passive noise cancellation of over-the-ear headphones, wireless models often feature ANC, which electronically blocks out background noise. With wireless headphones, you need to consider the battery life. Most models should have an eight-hour or more battery life before they need to be recharged.

Wired

Wired earbuds are the original model: two buds connected by a wire to your audio source. While they once felt high tech, they're pretty basic now. Wired earbuds with active noise cancellation are basically non-existent, and you won't find any on our list.

The biggest positive to wired headphones is that they don't need to be charged. They're a great backup option to keep in your bag in case your usual wireless headphones or earbuds run out of charge.

New additions to this guide

After extensive testing, Mashable Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard rounded up the best sleep earbuds. You can read her full guide, but as of February 2026, we've added the Anker Soundcore Sleep A30 Special to this guide, which Allard says are the best sleep earbuds for most people. Also in February 2026, we added the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds as our top pick for the best overall earbud, and removed the previous generation, the WF-1000XM5, as the best Sony earbud.

As of August 2025, we also updated the best earbuds for working out to the Powerbeats Pro 2 and added the Shokz OpenDots One as the best open earbuds.

What are the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds?

If you're just looking for a pair of everyday wireless earbuds, all but one of the models in this guide will check that box. (We formerly included the Marshall Mode earbuds for folks who preferred a wired option, but have since removed them from our guide as the version we tested is difficult to find in stock these days.)

If you're looking for the highest quality wireless earbuds, you can't go wrong with the Sony WF-1000XM6, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, Apple AirPods Pro 3, and Panasonic Technics EAH-AZ100 earbuds, our most recent recommendation in 2026. Both of these wireless earbuds feature elite noise-cancellation, stellar sound, long battery life, and a comfortable fit for extended wear.

Still, this guide includes several other earbuds we stand behind. Apple users may prefer the AirPods Pro, while shoppers on a budget may prefer buds from Marshall or Anker Soundcore. If you need help picking the perfect pair, read on.

Slippers, whiskies, and socks. Sure, these might sound like classic man gifts, but they're far from unique. The special guys in your life deserve something with a little more thought. We all know of course that it isn't that simple. Finding unique gifts for men can be a head-scratching exercise — particularly when you're catering for more eclectic, off-the-beaten-path tastes.

To find the perfect present for these types of guys — whether you're buying for your dad, brother, best friend, boyfriend , or husband — you’ll need to do some creative thinking. The trick is to get something they would haven't even thought of buying themselves. These are our picks for the most unique and interesting gift ideas for your favorite man — for Father's Day, birthday gifts, Valentine's Day, Christmas anniversaries, or just to say, "Thanks, my guy."

Based on my extensive hands-on testing and expert input, I’ve picked the best sexting apps to keep your flirtiest, dirtiest chats truly private — whether you're messaging a partner, a hookup, or a verified creator.

Because sometimes the anticipation of a hookup is even hotter than the main event. In my experience, sexting is the ultimate form of digital foreplay. It’s the glue that keeps long-distance relationships from falling apart, the spark that stops long-term couples from feeling like roommates, and — for all you singles out there — the safest way to test sexual chemistry before you ever meet up in person.

If it feels like everyone is sending spicy texts these days, you're not wrong. Some studies show that up to 88 percent of American adults have engaged in sexting at some point in their lives. For many, it's become an essential means of connection, and research shows that sharing intimate pictures can evoke, demonstrate, and reinforce trust.

You've heard of safe sex. But what about safe sexting?

Remember: You can't (and shouldn't!) trust your most intimate moments to just any app. As fun as the buildup is, the sad truth is that no one ever knows for sure if their private photos will stay private once they hit send on standard messaging platforms. Sliding into the DMs on a standard social media app might feel like spontaneous fun, but in 2026, your digital footprint is forever. Plus, with Meta cracking down hard this April (wiping out Instagram accounts and posts just for hinting at sexual expression), it's obvious that mainstream platforms are becoming hostile territory for your spicy chats. If you're going to share that side of yourself, you need to know it stays between you and the recipient.

As one of Mashable's dating app experts, I've spent the last three years testing dozens of platforms to find the best and most discreet apps for the job. My highest priority is always user safety. I also spoke with security expert Gary Orenstein with Bitwarden, who stressed that for sharing intimate content, "privacy features cannot be optional — they’re essential." He recommends looking for apps with three key features: end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages, and screenshot detection.

After all, if you believe in safe sex, you should practice safe sexting, too. So, for all your NSFW messaging needs, these are the sexting apps I trust to get the job done without compromising your privacy.

Recent updates to this guide:

• Confide: I’ve moved this back to the #1 spot. Its privacy tools (like screenshot-proofing) just give it the edge over everything else right now.

• Lovense Remote: I added this as the winner for "Group Sexting." It's also the best way for couples (and polyamorous folks) to sync Bluetooth toys for long-distance play.

• FetLife: Added as "Best for Kink." It’s less of a standard app and more of a social network, but it remains the go-to place for finding niche communities.

What about other sexting sites?

You've probably seen other "best of" lists recommending apps I've left off. That's intentional. My goal is to recommend platforms where you can make connections, not just burn cash.

Here's why a few popular names didn't make the cut:

• A note on "paid operator" sites: Many sites marketed for sexting (like InstaBang, Arousr, and SextLocal) don't primarily connect you with other real users. Instead, they often use "chat operators" to keep you talking and paying. While there's nothing wrong with a paid fantasy, I don't consider that mutual sexting. My list focuses on apps for real, user-to-user interaction (with the exception of SextPanther, which connects you with verified adult performers).

• Couple's apps: You also won't find apps like Between on this list. While it's a private messenger for couples, it lacks the specific features that make sexting fun. If you want to level up your digital intimacy, my picks (like We-Vibe and Lovense) are much more interactive.

Many of us are trying to cut down on screentime. We’re Bricking our phones and re-learning how to be present, instead of mindlessly scrolling. But for most of us, streaming a classic movie, diving into a documentary, or rewatching a comfort show is not part of the digital detox. For that reason, we’re still (heavily) relying on a TV. But these days, you’re not tethered to a rectangular screen mounted to the wall. We have excellent projectors that offer awe-inducing displays. Most projectors also come with the benefit of being portable or at least easier to move with or pack along to a friend’s house. 

Hisense makes some of the best TVs for those who are looking for an ideal combination of quality at an affordable price. The brand’s lineup of projectors has grown in both numbers and impressive stats in the last handful of years. I’ll admit, after testing the Hisense M2 Pro 4K projector, I don’t think I can go back to a non-laser projector, let alone a TV. The display quality, portability, gigantic 200-inch display, and brightness in daylight have me smitten. Of course, it’s not perfect, but I’ll be hosting movie nights from now on because no one I know has the tech to replicate this experience.

Highlights on the Hisense M2 Pro 4K projector

When shopping for a projector, you’ll notice two options: laser and non-laser. The non-laser versions tend to be cheaper and modern models use LED technology. But if you’re seeking the sharpest display and the best color brightness, a laser projector is the way to go. The Hisense M2 Pro has a 4K display with a triple-laser RGB (red, green, blue) light source.

It's pretty cute for its power. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

I tested the Hisense M2 Pro projector for months, in conjunction with a 100-inch Elite Screens manual pull-down projector screen. And yes, I did feel like a school teacher starting a lesson every time I unfurled it. However, if you don’t have a projector screen or a white sheet, Hisense says you’re still in good shape. The projector is designed to adapt to the projection surface, make color corrections, and still be able to produce accurate color reproductions. You might even be able to simply use your living room wall instead of messing around with a screen.

For those who like deeper details, here are some noteworthy specs of the Hisense M2 Pro 4K projector:

Specs:

• Size: 7.6 in.  x 8.6 in. x 9.1 in.

• Weight: 8.6 pounds

• Rated brightness: 1,300 ANSI lumens

• Light source: R+G+B triple laser

• Laser life: 25,000 hours

• Warranty: 1 year limited warranty

A gaming-worthy projector

Have you ever raced on Mario Kart’s Rainbow Road on a 200-inch display? I hadn’t either until testing the Hisense M2 Pro. Let me tell you about how much fun it is to have a Friday night four-person Mario party at 200 inches.

Reaching a 240Hz refresh rate and a low input lag of 12 milliseconds, gaming is awesome on the Hisense M2 Pro projector. For reference, you want at least a 120Hz refresh rate for a gaming-worthy TV, so the Hisense M2 Pro’s 240Hz is well above that threshold. 

The Hisense M2 Pro is not afraid of daylight

A common disadvantage of a projector over a TV is that projectors can struggle to produce a display that’s bright enough to view in daylight. Some projectors require you to draw the shades, pull blackout curtains over the windows, and turn off the lights. The Hisense M2 Pro is not one of those models. In testing, I was easily able to watch shows at 2 p.m. when I definitely should have been doing something more productive. 

The back-lit remote with quick access to focus is clutch. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

The M2 Pro has a brightness rating of 1,300 ANSI lumens, and while there are brighter models on the market, I was never let down by the M2 Pro during daytime viewing. However, since my testing took place primarily in the winter months, it might not be the best picture for bright summer days, especially if watching something fast-paced like a soccer game.

You (and your projector) can get an invite to every movie night and binge session

The Hisense M2 Pro has a major focus on versatility that makes it suitable for tons of situations. It weighs a bit under nine pounds, so it’s no problem to carry it from room to room. It also comes packed into a cute little carrying case with a handle. Even when I was moving the projector from the basement up the stairs to the living room, I packed it into the carrying case, which not only adds to convenience but also adds protection. I’ve fallen walking up those stairs enough times to not find it wise to carry an unprotected projector in my hands. The lightweight nature paired with a case makes the Hisense M2 Pro an ideal model for taking over to a friend's house, packing along for the summer cottage trip, or taking outside for a movie night.

All packed up and ready to go. Credit: Lauren Allain

The power brick, remote, and projector all nestle into their respective areas for safer transportation. Credit: Lauren Allain

The projector comes with Hisense’s Smart TV system, Vidaa OS, already installed, so your apps are nicely organized. If you don’t like that option, you could connect a Google Streamer or Fire TV Stick to the HDMI port. There’s also a USB-A port, should you have movies or shows on a thumb drive.

The only small non-travel-friendly element I found when testing the Hisense M2 Pro is its power supply. Instead of using a standard USB-C cable for charging, it uses a power brick with a 19V power supply. You’ll have to pack that along for powering up the projector since there’s no built-in battery on the Hisense M2 Pro.

Oboard sound is impressive for a portable projector

Like many TVs, sound quality has been an issue with portable projectors. It often leads to a mismatched viewing experience where the display is massive in size and impressive in quality, while the onboard sound is pretty terrible. In my testing experience, I’ve almost always connected a projector to a secondary sound source, mostly my beloved Fender x Teufel Rockster Cross. But that wasn’t totally necessary with the Hisense M2 Pro. Its built-in dual 10-watt speakers have support for Dolby Digital and DTS Virtual:X, and the overall sound is not bad at all.

Port options include an HDMI, USB-A, and DC in. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

You can also use the M2 Pro in Music Sharing mode, which essentially turns the projector into a Bluetooth speaker, pairing with a device to pump out the tunes. It’s not the best Bluetooth speaker I’ve ever heard, but it gets the job done without complaints.

Is the Hisense M2 Pro projector worth it?

I’d recommend the Hisense M2 Pro projector for anyone looking to break it off with a standard TV and go with a projector. The 4K triple laser display is excellent, the built-in stand is convenient, and the onboard speaker is decent enough that you’re not forced to connect to an external sound system.

It takes a bit to get used to the auto-focus and keystoning process, but that’s a minor adjustment. The tradeoff of gaining the ability to have a 65-inch display in a bedroom or a 200-inch display in the backyard is well worth it. Plus, the $1,300 price tag is competitive for a laser 4K projector. However, this isn’t the right model if you don’t have space to project a display of at least 65 inches. Any smaller and you’ll end up with a blurred display.

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It's a new lunar phase tonight, the Third Quarter. This means around 50% of the Moon is illuminated and we're even closer to the New Moon.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Saturday, May 9, the Moon phase is Third Quarter. Tonight, 56% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

If you look up with you no visual aids tonight you'll be able to spot the Mare Imbrium, Tycho Crater and the Oceanus Procellarum.

If you have binoculars, you'll be able to see the Mare Humorum, Alphonsus Crater, and Alps Mountains are just a few. And that's not all, if you have a telescope you'll see all this and the Fra Mauro Highlands and Caucasus Mountains.

When is the next Full Moon?

There are two Full Moons in May, with the next due to take place on May 31.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon takes around 29.5 days to complete a full orbit around Earth, passing through eight different phases along the way. Even though we always see the same side of the Moon, the way sunlight falls on it changes as it moves, which is what creates the familiar full, half, and crescent shapes. In total, there are eight main phases in the lunar 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. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last 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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you knit or crochet.

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.

What is Connections?

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.

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Parts of a show

• Green: Accessories

• Blue: Weaving

• Purple: An essay

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Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Units of TV programs

• Green: Things worn around the neck

• Blue: Strings tied in knots

• Purple: ___ Piece

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 #1063 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Units of TV programs: EPISODE, FRANCHISE, SEASON, SERIES

• Things worn around the neck: BOA, CHAIN, LANYARD, TIE

• Strings tied in knots: FRIENDSHIP BRACELET, MACRAMÉ, QUIPI. SHOELACES

• ___ Piece: CONVERSATION, PERIOD, PUFF, THINK

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? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's 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.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you have a green thumb.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, 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 preferred pace.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Garden varieties

The words are related to plants.

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Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe garden crops.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Spring Veggie.

NYT Strands word list for May 9

• Asparagus

• Artichoke

• Onion

• Lettuce

• Radish

• Spring Veggie

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.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you have great style.

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.

Where did Wordle come from?

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.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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.

Is Wordle getting harder?

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.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A soft fabric.

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Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

The Wordle answer today is...

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...

SATIN

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.

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.

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If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Bubbly.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

PERKY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To accumulate.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

AMASS

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Hurdle Word 3 hint

A kink.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

CRICK

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A beer.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

LAGER

Final Hurdle hint

Harmony.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

AMITY

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

TL;DR: A lifetime subscription to ChatPlayground AI’s Unlimited Plan is on sale for $74.97 (reg. $619) — 87% off.

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If you’ve ever typed the same prompt into ChatGPT, and then Gemini, and then Claude just to see which one gives you the best answer, ChatPlayground AI was basically built for you. This new AI platform lets you send prompts to multiple models at the same time, and a lifetime subscription is on sale now for $74.97 (reg. $619).

ChatPlayground AI lets you run any prompt across 20+ AI models at once, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity. Instead of toggling between tabs and losing your train of thought, you get side-by-side comparisons in the same tab you’re working from, so you can quickly grab the best response and keep it pushing.

Beyond chat features, ChatPlayground lets you generate images and PDFs, as well as upload existing images for context-aware answers. You can also streamline any task with prompt engineering tools and saved conversation history. Whether you’re writing, coding, or brainstorming, having everything in one place cuts down on the back-and-forth. Priority customer support is included, too, so you’re not left guessing how to troubleshoot on your own if anything goes sideways.

If you’re paying for multiple AI subscriptions month to month, those costs add up fast. This lifetime deal is worth doing the math on. Right now, the Unlimited Plan is on sale for $74.97 — down from $619. That’s a one-time payment for permanent access to all the models you’re already using, no renewals required.

Stop paying monthly with a ChatPlayground AI Unlimited Plan lifetime subscription for $74.97.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Whoop, a screen-free fitness wearable with more than 2.5 million users, announced that it's bringing on-demand video consultations with health professionals to its subscriber base.

According to Whoop's announcement on Friday, live consultations with licensed clinicians will be offered to users in the U.S. starting this summer. Whoop is touting the fact that clinicians will have access to an array of biometric data collected in the app, and how that will aid experts in interpreting a user's health information.

Of course, it's probably not a coincidence that Whoop's announcement comes just one day after Google and Fitbit released their Whoop competitor, powered by Google Gemini.

To support users' fitness goals, Whoop is also partnering with the health records company HealthEx to provide Electronic Health Record (EHR) syncing. Under this partnership, Whoop users can keep track of their health history, including diagnoses, medications, and procedures, from right within the app.

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"Unlike traditional healthcare experiences that rely on brief, episodic snapshots, these consultations begin with a comprehensive understanding of the member’s health, powered by months of continuous data and, when available, bloodwork and medical history," Whoop says in its announcement.

While many of Whoop's newly announced features will be included in its paid membership, live video consultations will require an additional cost for users, which has yet to be announced.

“WHOOP is a membership, and we take that seriously,” said Whoop Chief Product Officer Ed Baker in a press release. “We’re always asking how we can deliver more value to our members, and these upcoming features are some of the most meaningful we’ve ever built, from bringing clinician support directly into the app to advancing our AI coaching to be more personal and actionable than ever.”

In a statement to CNBC, Whoop stated that the live consultation feature is not meant to replace a primary doctor or emergency visit.

Along with these live on-demand video consultations with health professionals, Whoop is also adding an assortment of new AI features, such as AI-powered personalized coaching.

Speaking of personalized coaching, this will be accessible under one of Whoop's new AI features called My Memory, which will serve as a centralized location to view, manage, and train Whoop's AI. In addition, Whoop is also a Proactive Check-Ins feature, which will provide personalized recommendations to users, such as when to sleep ahead of a big event or reconfiguring a training regimen based on a user's travel plans.

Since May 7, an Amazon Web Services outage has caused ripple effects across the internet.

As the AWS outage entered its second day on Friday, Amazon reported recovery efforts were underway.

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In its most recent update, posted at 12:29 p.m. PT, Amazon acknowledged that recovery "efforts are slower than we had previously anticipated," and that "Full recovery is still expected to take several hours."

DownDetector, a platform where internet users can submit error reports, showed a spike in problems with AWS starting around 8 p.m. ET on Thursday. User error reports slowed into Friday, then spiked again around 4 p.m. ET.

(Disclosure: DownDetector and Mashable are both owned by the same parent company, Ziff Davis.)

DownDetector reports ongoing problems at AWS. Credit: DownDetector

The outage centered on the US-EAST-1 Region, and CNBC reports it temporarily shut down trading on the popular apps FanDuel and Coinbase. The popular web analytics company Chartbeat also experienced issues, which it attributed to AWS outages.

A May 7 update on the Coinbase status page stated: "Coinbase experienced service disruptions due to increased temperatures in the affected AWS service. Our team is working to implement a fix and will continue to provide updates. Your funds are safe."

The last major AWS outage affecting the US-EAST-1 Region occurred in October 2025. As Mashable reported at the time, a wide range of apps were seemingly impacted then, including Amazon, Roblox, HBO Max, Venmo, Lyft, Signal, and AT&T.

Internet outages have occurred regularly over the past 12 months. Because AWS provides cloud hosting and other internet services, problems with AWS can cause widespread issues across the web.

This is a developing story...

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Tesla's Cybertruck was already careening down the proverbial road to sales hell. Now, it seems some actual IRL roads could make the wheels come off this thing — literally.

Two years after the Cybertruck recall that made Tesla's angular EV a popular joke (remember the unnecessary foot pad that could slip off, because soap, and jam the accelerator?), the automaker is recalling all the models with 18-inch steel wheels it sold during that time. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that cracks can form in wheel rotors, eventually separating them from the hub, especially when driving over "higher severity road perturbations."

Add rough roads to the things that Musk's "apocalypse-ready" vehicle may not have been best equipped to handle at launch — a list that definitely includes soap and glue, and may, some owners report, include car washes. Our comprehensive list of Cybertruck recall reasons is here, but the TL;DR of faulty parts include windshield wipers, inverters, tire pressure monitoring systems, the backup camera, and steel panels that could also fall off.

Neither the NTSB nor Tesla knows of the wheels actually coming off in any consumer's Cybertruck. But what's got to sting Tesla is that this may have something to do with the small number on the roads, rough or otherwise. Only 173 Cybertrucks with 18-inch steel wheels have been sold between 2024 and 2026, the national recall has revealed. They include the cheaper $71,000 rear-wheel drive Cybertruck, announced in April 2025 and quietly discontinued in Sep. 2025.

That's not the total number of Cybertrucks sold, but it's also not as far off as you might think. We're a long way from Musk's claim that Tesla was going to sell a million Cybertrucks a year, or Tesla's official expectation of 250,000 sales in 2024. Just ask the Kelley Blue Book, which estimates 38,965 Cybertrucks sold in 2024. That slipped to 20,237 in 2025, marking a record-breaking decline in the EV world.

And that decline came despite Musk goosing sales through a significant amount of self-dealing. As the Los Angeles Times points out, more than 1,300 of the 7,100 Cybertrucks registered in the U.S. in the last quarter of 2025 were owned by Musk's other companies, including SpaceX.

And now? In the first quarter of 2026, the Blue Book says, the Cybertruck sales nosedive has continued at roughly the same rate we saw between 2024 and 2025. That is, a 48 percent decline year on year. Curiously, that's the same overall decline seen across all Tesla vehicles in Germany in 2025, after Musk threw his support behind the extreme right AfD party. (There's still no sign that Tesla will ever sell the Cybertruck in Europe.)

In short, Musk's politics aren't helping him with left-wing or moderate consumers in Europe or the U.S., and his pricey, problematic truck isn't helping him find buyers in conservative U.S. red states either. What's left? Tesla, increasingly reliant for its valuation on the unproven future prospect of Optimus robots that may fall over and self-driving taxis that only just began production, will have to answer that question sooner or later.

Disney is apparently looking to create the only app Disney fans will ever need for the rest of their lives.

Bloomberg reported that new Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro wants to create a sort of "super app" that would blend the streaming functionality of Disney+ with other apps meant for real-life experiences, like Disney Cruise Line Navigator. The idea would be to put Disney's very important theme park, resort, and cruise line businesses in front of more eyeballs than usual, though at this stage, it's not entirely clear if this would mostly manifest as advertisements or a deeper layer of app functionality.

“Disney+ becomes the primary relationship between Disney and its fans, the place where everything comes together,” D'Amaro said in an earnings call this week.

There are pros and cons to this, just like anything else.

On one hand, if you're a real Disney-head, it would probably be more convenient to use the same app to watch The Mandalorian and book a trip to Orlando than the way things currently work. On the other hand, there are probably a lot of people (myself included) who like to occasionally watch things on Disney+, but don't have any real interest in Disney's cruise line or theme parks. For that audience, this could get a little annoying or unwieldy.

At any rate, it sounds like this is still a very early plan, so it might take a while to happen, or it might not happen at all. Maybe by the time it comes around, the vibe around cruise ships will be better than it is right now.

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SAVE 20 CENTS PER GALLON: Amazon Prime members can save up to 20 cents a gallon at BP and Amoco on Fridays. Here’s how to claim your fuel discount.

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Save up to 20 cents a gallon at BP and Amoco on Fridays

 

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It's easy to forget all the benefits you get with Amazon Prime. Like, I somehow always forget that prescription and gas discounts are included with a membership. And, as the proud owner of a V-8 GMC Sierra, that's the kind of information I need to keep in the "relevant" file. I've literally seen regular gas (not even premium) as high as $4.30 per gallon in North Carolina, which is ridiculous. So, whenever there's a way to make filling up this truck even slightly cheaper, I'm all over it.

If you have Amazon Prime and you aren't using its fuel discount yet, you're basically throwing money away. By linking your Prime account to BP's "earnify" app (which is completely free to set up), you get a flat 10 cents off per gallon every single time you fill up at a participating BP, Amoco, ampm, or Thorntons location. There's no cap on how many gallons you can buy, and it works on all fuel grades. You don't even have to open the app at the pump — you just punch in your phone number, and it automatically applies the discount. (One less app to deal with, hallelujah.)

Even better, Amazon's running a "Fuel Up Friday" promo right now through May 29 that doubles the savings. If you time your fill-ups for Fridays, you get 20 cents off per gallon (valid once every Friday during the promo window).

ShinyHunters apparently isn't done with edutech giant Instructure.

The now-infamous hacking and extortion collective known as ShinyHunters has once again breached Instructure, the education technology company best known for its popular Learning Management System (LMS) application Canvas. ShinyHunters originally breached Instructure's systems just over a week ago, stealing data connected with nearly 9,000 schools worldwide.

According to a report from TechCrunch, this week, ShinyHunters hackers defaced Canvas login pages for several schools that use the coursework and messaging platform.

TechCrunch says that it saw at least three school login pages compromised with a message via an injected HTML file from ShinyHunters threatening to publicly release stolen data on May 12 unless Instructure agrees to “negotiate a settlement."

Instructure confirmed that it had been breached by the same bad actors responsible for the previously reported breach into the company. This marks a second breach into Instructure, though into a different part of its infrastructure this time.

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Instructure took Canvas offline temporarily while it investigated the second breach. The company says that it found that the hackers "exploited an issue related to our Free-For-Teacher accounts." The company has since temporarily shut down these accounts and restored Canvas access for its users.

Earlier this month, ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for a breach that Instructure later confirmed. According to ShinyHunters, the stolen data linked to the original breach is associated with 275 million Instructure users and affects 8,809 schools worldwide. The stolen data belongs to students, teachers, and school staff who use Instructure's products and contains users' names, email addresses, student IDs, and private messages exchanged on the Canvas platform.

The request from ShinyHunters to "negotiate a settlement" has become par the course for the group, which actively seeks to profit from its excursions.

Over the past year, ShinyHunters have claimed responsibility for data breaches at companies such as Panera Bread, Crunchyroll, Bumble, ADT, and Rockstar Games, among others.

The best TV deals to shop this weekend:

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Best Hisense deal

Hisense 65-inch U7 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV (2026 model)

$998.99 (save $501)

Get Deal

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Best TCL deal

TCL 85-inch QM8K Mini-LED QLED 4K TV (2025 model)

$1,709.99 (save $990 with on-page coupon)

Get Deal

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Best Amazon deal

Amazon Ember 55-inch Mini-LED QLED 4K TV (2024 model)

$559.99 (save $260)

Get Deal

Springtime is one of the best times to upgrade your TV. When new models hit shelves in March and April, older models get the deal treatment. It's like clockwork.

If you've recently realized your TV kind of sucks, now's as good of a time as any to make the investment in something better. With the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs underway and a boat load of new series and movies making their way to streaming, you'll be glad you upgraded.

We've rounded up the best TV deals to shop this weekend from top brands like Hisense, TCL, and Amazon so you can weigh your options.

Best Hisense TV deal

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Credit: Hisense

Hisense 65-inch U7 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV (2026 model)

$998.99 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $501

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

It's fairly common to see 2025 TV models drop in price once the latest make their debut. But to see a brand-new 2026 model on sale for over 30% off is rare. You can get the 2026 Hisense 65-inch U7 Mini-LED TV for under $1,000 for the first time since its launch last month. Of course, if you want to save even more, you can certainly do worse than the 2025 model of the same TV (which is currently at a record-low $696.97).

The 2026 model is an iterative upgrade with an improved anti-glare coating and enhanced AI processor. Both models offer a 165Hz refresh rate, 2.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos sound system, up to 3,000 nits peak brightness, and the Google operating system.

Best TCL TV deal

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Credit: TCL

TCL 85-inch QM8K Mini-LED QLED 4K TV (2025 model)

$1,709.99 at Amazon
$2,699.99 Save $990.00

with on-page coupon

Get Deal

Why we like it

"A premium Mini-LED TV with a price to match," as our friends at PCMag (also owned by Ziff Davis) put it, we'd only recommend grabbing the TCL QM8K when it's on sale. And lucky for you, the 85-inch model is down to a record-low $1,709.99 at Amazon with the help of an on-page coupon.

As far as specs go, the QM8K is pretty impressive, with up to HDR5000 brightness, 3,800 local dimming zones, a 2.2.2-channel Bang & Olufsen-designed speaker array with Dolby Atmos spatial audio, a 144Hz native refresh rate, and hands-free Google voice commands. Essentially, it checks all the most important boxes when buying a new TV: excellent Mini-LED picture quality, good sound, and plenty of smart features.

Best Amazon TV deal

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Credit: Amazon

Amazon Ember 55-inch Mini-LED QLED 4K TV (2024 model)

$559.99 at Amazon
$819.99 Save $260

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

One of the most advanced TVs in Amazon's Ember lineup (recently rebranded from Fire TV), the Mini-LED is loaded with specs. It packs hands-free Alexa, Interactive Art Mode, a 144Hz refresh rate, and Intelligent Picture technology, which can fine-tune the details of whatever you're watching.

Our friends at PCMag (also owned by Ziff Davis) tested it last year and were pleasantly surprised. "With the Fire TV Omni Mini-LED, Amazon finally offers a Fire TV-based television that gets adequately bright," their reviewer writes. Its 4K QLED Mini-LED display features Dolby Vision IQ, HDR10+ Adaptive, up to 1,400 nits of peak brightness, and 768 dimming zones. Typically an already affordable $820, the 55-inch model is now down to only $559.99 — its lowest price ever.

More TV deals worth grabbing this weekend

Amazon

• Amazon 55-inch Ember 4-Series 4K TV — $379.99 $459.99 (save $80)

• Amazon 65-inch Ember QLED 4K TV — $749.99 $849.99 (save $100)

Hisense

• Hisense 75-inch E6 Cinema QLED 4K TV — $499.99 $799.99 (save $300)

• Hisense 55-inch S7N Canvas QLED 4K TV — $647.99 $999.99 (save $352)

• Hisense 50-inch S7 Canvas Hi-QLED 4K TV — $798.99 $1,299.99 (save $501)

• Hisense 65-inch U8 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV — $999.99 $2,199.99 (save $1,200)

LG

• LG 48-inch C5 OLED 4K TV — $896.99 $1,396.99 (save $500)

Samsung

• Samsung 65-inch Q7F QLED 4K TV — $427.99 $629.99 (save $202)

• Samsung 65-inch Q8F QLED 4K TV — $599.99 $899.99 (save $300)

• Samsung 65-inch The Frame LS03F QLED 4K TV — $997.99 $1,497.99 (save $500)

TCL

• TCL 75-inch T7 QLED 4K TV — $629.99 $899.99 (save $270)

• TCL 75-inch QM8L SQD-Mini-LED QLED — $1,999.99 $2,999.99 (save 1,000)

SAVE 20%: As of May 8, you can get the Nex Playground for $239 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount or $60.99 in savings.

Nex Playground Camera Controller-Free Gaming Console (5 Games Included)

$239 at Amazon
$299 Save $60

 

Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Best Buy

I'm not a gamer per se; I play old-school games like Tomb Raider and Crash Bandicoot on the PS5, but when I first tried the Nex Playground at my sister's house last Christmas, I was hooked. But every store I went to was out of stock. Nowhere had one! Eventually, I had to just accept my fate and have it shipped from Best Buy (I think it took two weeks).

Fortunately for you, Nex Playground is back in stock and on sale (for the first time in a long time) at multiple retailers. As of May 8, the Nex Playground is on sale at Amazon for $239. (You can also find it for $239.99 at Target, Walmart, and Best Buy.)

If you haven't seen a Nex Playground in person, it's essentially a plug-and-play console that uses an AI-powered wide-angle camera to track your natural body movements. Like Nintendo Wii, but without the hand controls. It's great for families, but I love using it to get a quick workout in between shifts.

It comes with five interactive games built in (including Fruit Ninja and Whac-a-Mole), but a Play Pass subscription (which is only $89 for the year or $49 for three months) will give you full access to the Nex Playground library.

Instagram has officially pulled end-to-end encryption (e2ee) for direct messages.

The privacy feature, which prevents messages from being intercepted and read in transit between users, was previously an opt-in setting for Instagram users. Now, all chats will be under standard encryption. Under the latter, service or network providers can potentially access messages.

Meta announced an investment in end-to-end encryption in 2019, with plans to roll out the feature as a default chat setting across its platforms, including Messenger and Instagram. But the company has since reversed its course under wider industry pressure.

The platform quietly announced the feature would be retired in March, with a spokesperson explaining that the decision was spurred by low usage. Privacy groups have raised alarm about tech giants turning over private user communications to law enforcement and for use in AI training — Meta has said it does not use private messages to train its AI models.

Other online safety groups have welcomed greater transparency to improve platform moderation, including those fighting against the proliferation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and child predator networks.

I had end-to-end encryption on. What do I do now?

For those who still want the privacy of end-to-end encryption, the company has recommended users turn to WhatsApp or Meta's standalone Messenger app, which still offers the feature.

Meta also said it notified users who had end-to-end encryption turned on in chats with friends, prompting them to download their chat histories and media. Users may need the latest app update to archive their encrypted chats, the company noted.

While Amazon might have the most popular e-reader with Kindles, the company is falling behind on supporting accessories. On May 8, Boox launched the Tappy remote, a wireless device that lets users turn the page on an e-book, scroll through articles, and hit play on an audiobook. The remote connects easily to Boox e-readers for seamless reading.

The Boox Tappy remote comes with two spare key caps so you can customize the remote. Credit: Boox

Remotes for e-readers are the hottest accessory at the moment. The trendy devices blew up on BookTok, of course, with e-reader users showing off their cozy reading nook setups that include an e-reader stand paired with a remote. Most of these remotes are off-brand models, but Kobo became the first e-reader brand to launch a native remote to its e-readers. Boox is now joining the party with its Tappy remote.

The Tappy retails for $25.99 and will be available on Amazon and Boox. Currently, the device is sold out of its US warehouse, but is available from its Hong Kong warehouse. At the time of writing, the Boox Tappy's Amazon listing is not live. It comes in two shades, sage (Amazon exclusive) and citrus (Boox exclusive).

The Boox Tappy features three modes: reading, browsing, and multimedia. Credit: Boox

The remote comes with three different modes:

• Reading Mode: Best suited for page-by-page reading, you can flip through stories in most reading apps with a simple click.

• Browsing Mode: This mode allows you to scroll up and down through vertical content, great for browsing news or long-form articles.

• Multimedia Mode: For audiobooks or music, Tappy functions as a remote to skip to the previous or next track.

According to the brand, on Boox e-readers running Firmware V4.2 or later, you can customize button functions to suit your preference. So, a double-tap or long hold can execute different actions.

It connects to Boox devices via Bluetooth and, according to the press release, will work with other devices. TBD if that means it's also compatible with Kindles, which are Bluetooth compatible. This would be a huge boon for Kindle users, as it seems like Amazon is the last e-reader brand to make its own remote.

Once we get our hands on the Boox Tappy, we'll be trying it ourselves to see if it works with more than just Boox e-readers.

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Credit: Boox

Boox Tappy Remote

$25.99 at Boox

 

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Gemini is already in your search results, your Gmail, your calendar, and your Android phone. At Google I/O on May 19, Google is going further. Faster AI, an assistant that actually acts for you, smart glasses built with real fashion brands, and a new laptop OS. Iyaz Akhtar is here to break down what to expect from Google I/O 2026.

After less than a year on the market, the Nintendo Switch 2 is going up in price.

The company announced in a press release on its website that the device is getting a price increase in every major region, including the United States. Customers in the U.S. will pay $50 more for the console, as its price is going from $449 to $499. Nintendo did not delve into specifics in the press release, citing only "changes in market conditions," but this is almost certainly a response to the global memory shortage driven by high demand for AI data center construction.

That same memory shortage was the culprit behind recent price hikes on PlayStation 5 consoles and Motorola phones, among other tech products. Even if the reasoning is understandable, it must be stated that video game consoles rarely rise in price over time in a normal economic environment. The opposite usually occurs, typically after at least a few years on the market. Nintendo having to hike the Switch 2's price less than a year after its June 2025 launch is fairly unprecedented, at least in recent memory.

Nintendo said the changes go into effect on Sept. 1 of this year, so if you want a Switch 2, that's your deadline to get one for $450.

TL;DR: Live stream Borussia Dortmund vs. Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

After some incredibly tense Champions League action this week, the focus returns to domestic action over the weekend. There are a number of fascinating matchups in the Bundesliga over the next few days, starting with Borussia Dortmund vs. Eintracht Frankfurt.

The hosts are looking to secure second spot in the standings. They'll face a tough test against Eintracht Frankfurt, a team that is gunning for European qualification. It should be an exciting contest in front of a passionate support at the Signal Iduna Park.

If you want to watch Borussia Dortmund vs. Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Borussia Dortmund vs. Eintracht Frankfurt?

Borussia Dortmund vs. Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga kicks off at 2:30 p.m. ET on May 8. This fixture takes place at the Signal Iduna Park.

How to watch Borussia Dortmund vs. Eintracht Frankfurt for free

Borussia Dortmund vs. Eintracht Frankfurt 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 Borussia Dortmund vs. Eintracht Frankfurt for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Live stream Borussia Dortmund vs. Eintracht Frankfurt for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

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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 Borussia Dortmund vs. Eintracht Frankfurt 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.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

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 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% 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 $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Borussia Dortmund vs. Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga for free with ExpressVPN.

Where to buy the Nintendo Switch 2:

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Amazon

Nintendo Switch 2

$449 at Amazon

Shop Now

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Best Buy

Nintendo Switch 2

$449.99 at Best Buy

Shop Now

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GameStop

Nintendo Switch 2

$449.99 at GameStop

Shop Now

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Target

Nintendo Switch 2

$449.99 at Target

Shop Now

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Walmart

Nintendo Switch 2

$449 at Walmart

Shop Now

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Nintendo

Nintendo Switch 2

$449.99 at Nintendo

Shop Now

Nintendo just announced that it’s raising the price of the Switch 2 due to "challenging business conditions" and the global economic outlook — crazy, considering last year's demand for the Switch 2 put literally everyone into a buying panic, and the Super Mario Galaxy Movie has already grossed over $800 million.

According to the Associated Press, U.S. gamers will have to cough up an extra $50 for the console by September. (Japan's price hike is happening later this month.) That's basically the cost of a new game or a Pro Controller that you're essentially handing back to Nintendo for nothing.

If you want to dodge the surcharge, you should probably grab your console sooner rather than later. Here's where to buy the Nintendo Switch 2 at its original $449.99 price point:

Where to buy the Nintendo Switch 2

Amazon

The Nintendo Switch 2 is currently available at Amazon for $449 (a whole 99 cents cheaper than its usual MSRP). You can buy it as a standalone console or as a bundle with games like Mario Galaxy 1 & 2 and Mario Kart World. (Just be sure to look at the "seller" when shopping on Amazon; if it doesn't say Amazon.com, it could be a sketch deal.)

Best Buy

Best Buy also has the Switch 2 available as a console only or gaming bundle. You can get it today for $449.99. Plus, if you trade in a similar device, you could get a few bucks shaved off that price.

GameStop

If you're a GameStop fan, you can get the Nintendo Switch 2 there for $449.99. If you're OK with buying pre-owned, you can save an extra $32.

Target

You can get the Nintendo Switch 2 for $449.99 at Target, plus save 30% on Super Mario Galaxy with your purchase. The discount will auto-apply once you add the console and the game to your cart, so there's nothing extra you need to do to get the deal.

Walmart

Walmart's also offering the Nintendo Switch 2 for $449 or you can get the Galaxy Bundle for $499, which includes Super Mario Galaxy 1 & 2.

Nintendo

If you prefer to buy direct, you can get the Nintendo Switch 2 console (and tons of accessories) right from the My Nintendo Store.

Apple CarPlay users just got another AI assistant option for their cars: Grok.

On Friday, SpaceXAI (the SpaceX's subdivision that focuses on artificial intelligence) announced that Grok's voice mode is now available in Apple CarPlay.

Technically, Grok was already available in CarPlay, but it merely consisted of a placeholder app that displayed a "coming soon" message. Now, you can tap on the Grok icon, launch a new voice chat, and start chatting to the assistant.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Grok follows ChatGPT, which was made available in CarPlay in April 2026. Apple originally added support for AI chatbots in CarPlay in February.

As is the case with other AI chatbots in CarPlay, you can't just invoke Grok via a voice command; you have to start the app manually before you can start talking to it. Another caveat is that you can't issue Grok commands to do stuff on your iPhone or in your car, but you can ask it about...stuff.

Some Tesla drivers, on the other hand, do get the luxury of invoking Grok with a "Hey Grok" voice command. The functionality was added in the company's latest "spring update," though availability varies by region.

Just in time for Mother's Day, Blair Underwood has written a new book, A Soldier's Wife: My Mother, the Marvelous Mrs. Marilyn A. Underwood, which pulls from his mother's writings and diaries to tell the story of her life. In addition to collaborating with Ylonda Gault on the book itself, he also teamed with his sister Marlo Underwood to perform the audiobook.

To celebrate the book's release and his mom, Underwood visited with Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko at the Say More studio in New York. Together they discussed Marilyn's life, her struggle with multiple sclerosis, her faith, and her deep love of fashion. Beyond that, Underwood shared how he found his mother's voice, and if he'd ever consider AI for such a job.

In their last conversation, Underwood had also spoken about how Sidney Poitier was a mentor to him as a young Black actor in Hollywood, and how Michael B. Jordan's Oscar speech for Sinners' tapped into Poitier's legacy.

For more of this interview and other Say More videos, be sure to check out Mashable's YouTube channel.

A Soldier's Wife: My Mother, the Marvelous Mrs. Marilyn A. Underwood is now available in bookstores and on Audible.