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

A lack of judgment.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

FOLLY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A small wind instrument.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

KAZOO

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A thick chocolate.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

FUDGE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

More unique.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

RARER

Final Hurdle hint

A jacket flap.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

LAPEL

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: Watch Real Madrid vs. Málaga in La Liga for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

La Liga returns today with another selection of top fixtures. The biggest matchup in today's lineup sees the Real Madrid all-star team — which includes Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, and Vinícius Júnior — face Málaga.

It's still early days, but Real Madrid are already firmly focused on winning their first league title in three years. And the campaign is off to a good start after an opening-game win against Espanyol and a confident victory over Real Sociedad. Málaga, on the other hand, are looking for their first three points of the season.

If you're interested in watching Real Madrid vs. Málaga in La Liga from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Real Madrid vs. Málaga?

Real Madrid vs. Málaga in La Liga kicks off at 11 a.m. ET on Aug. 30. This fixture takes place at the Santiago Bernabéu.

How to watch Real Madrid vs. Málaga for free

Real Madrid vs. Málaga in La Liga is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, 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 Brazil, meaning you can live stream Real Madrid vs. Málaga for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Real Madrid vs. Málaga for free by following these simple steps:

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

2. Download the app to your device of choice

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

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Real Madrid vs. Málaga for free from anywhere in the world

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ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

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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 Real Madrid vs. Málaga without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for La Liga?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on CazéTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

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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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Real Madrid vs. Málaga for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

You don't need lots of fancy equipment to get a good look at the Moon. A clear sky can be enough to reveal plenty of detail across its surface. So, what could you see when you look up tonight? Keep reading to find out.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Sunday, Aug. 30, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in Waning Gibbous phase, with 95% of its surface visible.

Tonight with just your naked eye, you'll be able to see the Mare Serenitatis, the Copernicus Crater, and the Oceanus Procellarum. If you do have viewing equipment, such as binoculars, you'll also see the Mare Frigoris, the Archimedes Crater, and the Apennine Mountains. If you have access to a telescope, you'll also be able to see the Apollo 15 and 16 landing spots, and the Rima Ariadaeus.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on September 26.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon's appearance changes throughout the month as it moves through its different phases. It takes roughly 29.5 days for the Moon to complete one full cycle as it orbits Earth, according to NASA. The phase we see depends on the Moon's position relative to the Sun and Earth, which determines how much of its sunlit side is visible to us. Over the course of the cycle, the Moon changes from a slim crescent to a half Moon and eventually a Full Moon, before beginning the process again.

The eight phases are:

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.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you're a fan of baseball.

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.

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 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.

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: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Moves with grace

• Green: Defensive sets

• Blue: French soccer

• Purple: Spurs

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Agile

• Green: Football Defensive Terms

• Blue: Ligue 1 Clubs

• Purple: San Antonio Spurs

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 #706 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Agile: ATHLETIC, LIMBER, LUTHE, SPRIGHTLY

• Football Defensive Terms: 4-3, COVER 2, NICKEL, PREVENT

• Ligue 1 Clubs: ANGERS, LENS, LILLE, NICE

• San Antonio Spurs: CASTLE, CHAMPAGNIE, VASSELL, WEMBANYAMA

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.

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

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 August 30 Pips

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

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically; 4-3, placed vertically.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for August 30 Pips

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically.

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

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically; 0-2, placed vertically.

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

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

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

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

Greater Than (9): Everything in this space must be greater than 9. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 1-6, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for August 30 Pips

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

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 5-6, placed horizontally.

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

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 1-4, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

Cadbury meaning

A famous British chocolate.

Energized meaning

Amped up.

Playboy meaning

A popular adult magazine.

Trix meaning

A colorful cereal brand.

Gymnasium meaning

A large indoor sports room.

Play our Big Guessing Game: Make your predictions now for a chance to win a new Apple Watch. Time's running out!

Health club meaning

A membership-based fitness center.

Rec center meaning

An accessible fitness center.

YMCA meaning

A community resource center.

Aerator meaning

A piece that adds air to something.

Corkscrew meaning

A tool used to remove corks from bottles.

Decanter meaning

A glass bottle used to hold alcoholic drinks.

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Stopper meaning

A plug to close a bottle opening.

Alias meaning

A fake name.

Outlaw meaning

A criminal.

Reward meaning

An incentive for doing something (well).

Wanted meaning

Desired.

Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you love a vineyard.

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: Work up a sweat

• Green: Pour a glass

• Blue: "Hop in!"

• Purple: Wild Wild West

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Exercise facilities

• Green: Wine accessories

• Blue: Brands with bunny rabbit mascots

• Purple: Words on an old west wanted poster

Play our Big Guessing Game: Make your predictions now for a chance to win a new Apple Watch. Time's running out!

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 #1176 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Exercise facilities: ALTERNATOR, BATTERY, ENGINE, RADIATOR

• Wine accessories: CHOPPED, GREEK, HOUSE, WEDGE

• Keyboard keys: CONTROL, ESCAPE, SHIFT, SPACE

• Starting with figures from Greek myth: AT LAST, HERALD, HYDRANT, TRITONE

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 NYT Strands hints are easy if you're never satisfied.

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: Hardly eager

The words are feelings related to dislike.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe not being a fan of something.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is I'd Rather Not.

NYT Strands word list for August 30

• Loath

• Reluctant

• I'd Rather Not

• Averse

• Unwilling

• Hesitant

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a secret agent.

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:

Secret information.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter I.

Play our Big Guessing Game: Make your predictions now for a chance to win a new Apple Watch. Time's running out!

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...

INTEL

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.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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: Pay $14.97 through Sept. 1 for a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 on one Windows PC, with no recurring fees.

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Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows

$19.97
$229 Save $209.03

 

Get Deal

A productivity suite shouldn’t necessarily become another permanent line on the monthly budget. Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 offers a familiar alternative: pay $14.97 once and install its seven included programs on one Windows PC for use at home or work.

The lineup covers a broad range of everyday and professional tasks. Word handles documents, Excel organizes and analyzes data, and PowerPoint turns ideas into presentations. Outlook manages email and contacts, while OneNote provides a home for notes. Publisher supports page layouts and other publishing projects, and Access helps users create and work with databases.

Office 2019 also introduced enhanced inking across its programs, additional Excel analysis capabilities, new PowerPoint presentation tools, and updated Outlook features. Improved cloud connectivity helps the suite fit into modern workflows while keeping its core tools reassuringly recognizable.

You’re getting the tools needed to produce, revise, and organize documents, spreadsheets, slideshows, emails, and databases without paying for features outside that workflow.

Delivery is instant, so the software license keys and download links become available without waiting for anything to arrive in the mail. Customer service is also included if you need assistance.

One longevity detail is worth knowing: Publisher will no longer be supported after October 2026. The other included apps remain part of this lifetime Office 2019 license.

Get Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for just $14.97 (reg. $229) through Sept. 1.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Skoove is a new AI-powered piano teacher that listens and helps while you play, and it’s only $150 for a lifetime subscription (reg. $299.99).

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Credit: Skoove

Skoove Premium Piano Lessons: Lifetime Subscription

$149.99
$299.99 Save $150

 

Get Deal

Learning to play piano is a lot harder than it looks. You might get the basics by watching online tutorials, but if you really want to learn, it helps to have a teacher. However, nobody said that a teacher has to be human. Skoove is an AI-powered piano tutor app that listens as you play, offers live feedback, and connects you to a huge library of lessons. A lifetime subscription is also on sale for $149.99 (reg. $299.99) right now.

All you need to get started with Skoove Premium Piano Lessons is a keyboard or piano and your laptop, smartphone, or tablet. The app does the rest. It can hear you play, recognize your notes, and give you real-time feedback so you get better as you go.

Whether you’re totally new to the instrument or you have some lessons under your belt, Skoove has lesson options ranging from beginner to advanced. And it’s not like the boring old piano lessons from your past. You’ll get to pick up skills by playing your favorite music, from Adele to Beethoven.

Your lifetime subscription includes permanent access to more than 400 lessons and thousands of instructional videos, and you’ll never run out of content because new ones are added every month. There’s also one-on-one support available from real music instructors when you need it.

Learn to play piano on your own schedule. Get a lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons on sale for $149.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope will downlink about 1.4 terabytes of data — on par with an entire gaming system hard drive — every single day. 

When Kristen McQuinn thinks about that deluge and how to get it in the hands of researchers, she likens it to another technological evolution. 

"Back in the day, we would rent movies from Blockbuster to take home," said McQuinn, who will lead science operations at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore. "Later, we had DVDs mailed to us by Netflix, and today we have streaming services that bring the content right into our home."

• Play our Big Guessing Game: Make your predictions now for a chance to win a new Apple Watch. Time's running out! 

Because of Roman's firehose of huge, detailed space images, scientists won't be able to just pull them down to their laptops as they have in the past. Instead, Roman will be the first telescope to push astronomy fully into the cloud. A shared online workspace will allow people to log in from around the world. Mission leaders say this monumental shift in how observations are disseminated could also change who gets a real shot at making discoveries.

Roman's main camera is what makes this possible. It will see the sky with Hubble-like sharpness but with a field of view more than 100 times larger. The spacecraft will also move, settle, and start exposing pictures very quickly, so it can tile the sky about 1,000 times faster.

That speed turns into staggering numbers. In about a month, Roman could scan the plane of the Milky Way and pick out up to 20 billion stars. A single image from its largest planned survey would be so vast that you would need more than 500,000 4K televisions to show it at full resolution. Laid out on the ground, those screens would cover 45 Manhattan city blocks.

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Across its main surveys, Roman is expected to record more than 2 billion galaxies. It will repeatedly watch the crowded center of the galaxy every few minutes, looking for tiny changes in brightness that reveal planets around distant stars. And it will capture tens of thousands of stellar explosions called supernovas and track how they brighten and fade, a key way to measure how fast the universe expands.

During test campaigns alone, the Roman team has already handled more data than the Hubble and James Webb telescopes have produced combined, said Julie McEnery, Roman's senior project scientist. Once Roman begins regular operations, it will send down thousands of fresh images daily, building a trove measured in tens of thousands of terabytes.

At that scale, the old approach breaks. A typical research group can't keep up by copying everything to local servers and running its own private software stack. 

So the mission team flipped the script. The Space Telescope Science Institute, which already supports Hubble and Webb, will receive Roman's raw signals and turn them into cleaned-up images and measurements. 

Technicians at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center install the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope's solar array sunshield. Credit: NASA / Sydney Rohde

That data will live on a secure website backed by remote computers — what most people refer to as "the cloud" — called the Roman Research Nexus. Anyone with an account and an internet connection can log in via a browser. Once inside, users can sift through Roman's giant images, zoom from the full field of view to tiny patches, and pull out particular kinds of targets — planets, galaxies, and star clusters — for closer scrutiny.

Roman's panoramic portraits of the sky will work like a cosmic version of a navigation or map app. You can see the whole scene, then scroll and zoom to a neighborhood of interest. Instead of typing "Starbucks near me," a researcher might search for "young stars here" or "galaxies at this distance," then draw a box around that part of the sky to dig in.

The system is built for teams, allowing groups to log in, share folders and notebooks, and run analyses side by side, even if members sit on opposite sides of the world. A graduate student in Chile, a professor in Baltimore, and a collaborator in India could all be able to inspect the same Roman field in real-time and test ideas together.

That design is what will lead a democratization of astronomy research, mission leaders say. Roman's data is simply too big for any one person or institute to fully mine. 

The Roman Space Telescope's torrent of data will force a new way of doing astronomy and distributing images. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

"A high school class in Kentucky can access new Roman data at the same time as a professor in Princeton," McEnery said. 

NASA already hosts citizen science projects where volunteers browse telescope images to flag unusual objects: new exoplanets, merging galaxies, dusty disks around stars. Roman's torrent of sharp, wide images could supercharge that kind of work. 

For researchers in countries without easy access to giant telescopes, Roman's cloud-based system is also a boon. They won't need to build a billion-dollar observatory to participate in cutting-edge astronomy.

Bente Eegholm, an optical engineer, inspects the primary mirror on NASA's Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope. Credit: NASA / Chris Gunn

Roman's scientific goals target two of the biggest unknowns: how the universe evolved and how common other worlds might be. It will track how space has expanded over time and how structures have grown, from stars to galaxies to clusters. Those measurements test a standard theory that no longer quite fits. Astronomers can infer the conditions of the early cosmos from ancient light. But recent measurements of the nearby universe don't fully match those predictions, with gaps too large to dismiss as a mere rounding error.

Roman will also push the search for planets around other stars into new territory. By staring at crowded star fields toward the center of the Milky Way and watching for brief brightenings when one star passes in front of another, it will use a natural magnifying effect called microlensing to reveal planets orbiting the foreground stars, including many types of planets that other methods rarely detect. A second instrument, a high‑contrast camera called a coronagraph, will test technology that could one day enable a future mission to take direct images of Earth‑like planets. 

In earlier eras, advances like these often depended on a small number of people who controlled prized telescope time and the hardware to process the results. Roman, if it performs as its planners hope, will mark a deliberate move away from that pattern.

"It's really about making sure that the data are not only accessible from a technical standpoint," McQuinn said, "but that anyone that wants to can dig into the data and do the analysis right away. There is no hierarchy."

Gaming leaks have been having a moment lately, most notably the weeks-long saga between Rockstar Games and hacker Cyberleek surrounding Grand Theft Auto VI. But another notable leak flying under the radar is footage from EA Motive's long-dormant Iron Man game that has surfaced online.

What makes this particular leak notable is how long the project has been MIA for. Motive's Iron Man game was first announced four years ago, and since then, it's largely been lumped in with a handful of other Marvel game projects from that era that appeared to stall out. For example, the Captain America and Black Panther-led Marvel 1943, and a separate, solo Black Panther game that was canceled outright.

The leaked footage runs about two minutes and shows off several gameplay areas, including flight-based combat and free-roam exploration. Interspersed throughout are unfinished cutscenes featuring familiar characters from the Iron Man universe, including Pepper Potts and Rhodey, along with a pair of villains, Madame Masque and Obadiah Stane.

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A watermark reading "AUG26" appears across the footage, suggesting a recent capture date — though it's unclear whether that refers to this August or the same date in a prior year during the project's four-year silence. Regardless of when it was recorded, Motive has confirmed the footage is authentic.

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The game's official X account acknowledged the leak in a post, writing, "Well, that didn't go as planned," while promising to share more on the project once the studio is ready.

EA Motive is best known for Star Wars: Squadrons and the critically well-received Dead Space remake.

In advance of the release of Netflix's new thriller The Whisper Man, Mashable executive producer Mark Stetson sat down with stars Robert De Niro, Adam Scott, director James Ashcroft, and author Alex North to discuss the film's theme of generational trauma, the complex dynamics between fathers and sons, and the process of adapting the highly anticipated novel for the screen.

Author of the book, Alex North discussed the book's themes that were most important to translate to film: "This is a book that I wanted to write because it was about fathers and sons, and grandfathers and fathers and sons. And different iterations of the way that plays out in terms of generational trauma. How we respond to things that have happened in our childhood, how we protect our children from things that have happened in our childhood, how we pass things down and how we don't."

Adam Scott was particularly drawn to North's themes. "I thought it was a really interesting part of the script, this horrifying trauma that they are both going through while simultaneously trying to repair their relationship."

De Niro added, "It was one of the things that attracted me to the script, that relationship."

At the close of the interview, Robert De Niro shares his candid advice for young actors who experience imposter syndrome when working with their heroes: "If it manifests in a such a way where it gets in the way of working on a scene, I'd say, 'It's ok, don't worry. In two days, it's all going to go away. It's just us."

The Whisper Man is now streaming on Netflix.

OpenAI said Friday it will wind down its partnership with Cursor, the popular AI coding tool now owned by SpaceX, marking the latest escalation in the long-running dispute between OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk.

In a company blog post, OpenAI said it notified SpaceX of its intent to end the contract, proposing a shutoff date of Nov. 12, 2026 — the maximum notice window allowed under the agreement.

OpenAI framed the decision as a matter of trust. The company said it could not be confident that SpaceX would use its technology in accordance with OpenAI's terms of service, citing what it described as a pattern of Musk's companies violating contracts. Specifically, OpenAI's post alleged that X breached the terms of its own contract with OpenAI after Musk's acquisition, and noted that Musk had admitted under oath earlier this year that xAI had also violated OpenAI's terms of service.

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OpenAI added that its custom agreement with Cursor only gave it a limited window to cancel following a change of ownership, and said it wanted to preserve as much access as possible for developers in the meantime, calling the choice "incredibly tough" given how widely it wants its models used.

SpaceX completed its acquisition of Anysphere, the startup behind Cursor, earlier this month, following a deal announced in June.

Responding on X, Musk wrote that he "couldn't care less," while calling Altman and OpenAI president Greg Brockman "untrustworthy" and repeating his long-standing claim that the pair "stole an open source nonprofit." Michael Truell, Cursor's co-founder and now a SpaceX executive, struck a more conciliatory tone, saying on X that the company was in talks with OpenAI's team to try to resolve the issue.

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Since the announcement, OpenAI competitor Anthropic — which has an ongoing partnership with SpaceX — said it would increase compute support for its Claude models within Cursor.

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This is only the latest chapter in a feud that has simmered for years. Musk sued OpenAI and Altman for $150 billion over the company's shift from its nonprofit roots; a federal jury ruled against him earlier this year, finding he'd filed too late.

The fight has also played out repeatedly on social media, as Mashable has reported. Altman reposted allegations that Musk's companies failed to preserve key documents during discovery, then turned Musk's own catchphrase back on him: "Concerning!" He later said he was "really excited" to depose Musk, calling it "Christmas in April."

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

TL;DR: Watch Borussia Dortmund vs. Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026/27 Bundesliga season is now underway, with a full day of German soccer fixtures lined up. On the schedule today is Borussia Dortmund vs. Hamburger SV.

Expect Dortmund to make a strong start to the season. They finished second in the league last season and have just lost the German Super Cup final, coming second to league rivals Bayern Munich in both instances. Dortmund will want to prove themselves in this opening Bundesliga game. Hamburger SV are looking to improve on last season's finish in the bottom half of the league, though it was the club's first season back in the Bundesliga after a seven-year absence. Can they do better this time around?

If you're interested in watching Borussia Dortmund vs. Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Borussia Dortmund vs. Hamburger SV?

Borussia Dortmund vs. Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga kicks off at 12.30 p.m. ET on Aug. 29. This fixture takes place at Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund.

How to watch Borussia Dortmund vs. Hamburger SV for free

Borussia Dortmund vs. Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, 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 Brazil, meaning you can live stream Borussia Dortmund vs. Hamburger SV for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Borussia Dortmund vs. Hamburger SV for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Borussia Dortmund vs. Hamburger SV for free from anywhere in the world

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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 Borussia Dortmund vs. Hamburger SV without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Bundesliga?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on CazéTV, for a number of reasons:

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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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Borussia Dortmund vs. Hamburger SV for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch South Africa vs. New Zealand in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry for free on RugbyPass TV. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Rugby's Greatest Rivalry tour is about to serve up its second Test match, as South Africa host the All Blacks at the Cape Town Stadium.

The All Blacks have already played four South African club teams as part of the tour, and scored a decisive win over South Africa in the first Test, beating the Springboks 16-33. Can South Africa pull a win back this time around? Or will the All Blacks continue their dominance?

If you're interested in watching South Africa vs. New Zealand in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is South Africa vs. New Zealand?

South Africa vs. New Zealand in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry (2nd Test) kicks off at 11:10 a.m. ET on Aug. 29. This fixture takes place at Cape Town Stadium.

How to watch South Africa vs. New Zealand for free

South Africa vs. New Zealand in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry (2nd Test) is available to live stream for free on RugbyPass TV.

This RugbyPass TV livestream is geo-restricted to the U.S., 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 the U.S., meaning you can live stream South Africa vs. New Zealand for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream South Africa vs. New Zealand for free by following these simple steps:

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

2. Download the app to your device of choice

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

4. Visit RugbyPass TV

5. Watch South Africa vs. New Zealand 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 generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch South Africa vs. New Zealand without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus other tour fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for RugbyPass TV?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on RugbyPass TV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including the U.S.

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream South Africa vs. New Zealand for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

What are the best noise-cancelling headphones for flying?

Anyone who's ever forgotten their pair of headphones on a travel day can attest to their utility, but not all noise-cancelling options are made the same. Plus, the pool to choose from is ever-expanding: plenty of headphones, from over-ear headphones to wireless earbuds, offer active noise cancellation.

So which ANC headphones are worth bringing on a plane in 2026? Plenty of budget models to premium options can do the job, but for the purposes of this guide, I've gathered a list of the best headphones for flying by prioritizing the best combination of comfort, portability, noise-cancelling power, battery life, and value. As a baseline, all of our picks feature above average sound quality and a solid build (to withstand any banging around in a carry-on).

The final picks for the best headphones to use at 35,000 feet aren't just the most expensive options available. Case in point: The second-generation Bose QuietComfort headphones aren't the most premium option on this list, but they did just earn their spots as one of my favorites on a recent plane trip. Below, you can learn more about them and our other top seven headphones for flying.

How much should I spend on noise-cancelling headphones?

If you want to find the best noise-cancelling headphones for flying, you should be prepared to pay $200 to $450 for most options. Premium headphones offer improved active noise cancellation, customizable settings, and transparency modes that allow you to hear those all-important gate announcements.

Many cheap headphones claim to offer "noise-cancelling" features, but a random pair of $50 over-ear headphones with passive noise cancellation will let a lot of sound through. They'll also struggle to connect and switch between devices easily, or simply feel uncomfortable.

At the end of the day, going for that good all-around pair is worth it, because on a flight, ANC on its own won't save the day — otherwise, we'd just direct you to our guide to the best noise-cancelling headphones. For long flights, comfort is also key. It won't matter if your headphones block sound if you only want to wear them for two out of five hours of your flight. And because this is a flying-focused roundup, we did give extra points to headphones with thoughtful design that makes storage easy.

If that $200-plus price range feels totally out of the question, we've included a couple of budget earbuds and headphones in the under-$100 category, but they come with tradeoffs. If you're okay with a mid-range pick, consider buying wireless earbuds with ANC instead of over-ear headphones.

If the cost of a pair of headphones is off-putting, you can always wait for a sale to start. We see headphones from Bose, Sony, and Apple get marked down year-round — if you don't want to keep your eyes peeled yourself, Mashable's deals coverage is a great place to find any noteworthy headphone deals.

In most rom-coms, a romantic gesture looks like running through an airport to make one last declaration of love, or writing a yearning letter every day for a year. In Adults, it looks like saying "cunt" on every man-on-the-street interview show you can find.

The gesture in question comes in Season 2, episode 7, titled "C Alert." In the episode, Anton (Owen Thiele) mistakenly talks to his co-workers the way he talks to his friends, saying "cunt alert!" in a company meeting. He doesn't mean it as an insult, drawing instead on its positive meaning rooted in the queer ballroom scene. That meaning has led to a wider resurgence of the term, including in online spaces, but it's still viewed as unforgivably rude in some places, including Anton's office, which skews older, and likely less queer.

In an effort to help save Anton's job, his housemate and yearning love interest Paul Baker (Jack Innanen) decides to try normalizing saying "cunt" in the workplace by dropping it into as many viral interview shows as he can.

It's a moment Adults co-creator Ben Kronengold describes as an "ugly sweet" step in Anton and Paul Baker's romance. While the pair obviously care about one another, any attempts to be together have stalled due to a house-wide rule forbidding dating within the friend group.

"What we tasked ourselves with in the writers' room was how could they show that care for each other in ways that feel really true to them and specific and platonic?" Kronengold told Mashable.

"It would be easy to have Paul Baker show up in the rain with a bouquet of flowers," added Adults co-creator Rebecca Shaw. "But it feels much more true to our ridiculous housemates that he would instead say the c-word — a word he hates more than anything in the world — on a series of talk shows for the whole world to see because he thinks there's a chance that it could make Anton's life a little easier."

"Paul Baker, thank you." Credit: FX

It's a clear escalation from the pair's prior romantic gestures, like Anton bringing glow sticks to Paul Baker's green card wedding, or Paul Baker waiting on a fancy meal for Anton and his sister Talia (Raven-Symoné). It's also the riskiest, social taboo-wise, even if it comes with sweeter intentions.

"Something that our executive producer Nick Kroll is so masterful at is making edgy, raunchy moments incredibly meaningful and sweet, and on the flip side, making sweet, emotional moments heightened and comedic," Shaw said. "We always try to follow in his footsteps. Never give a pure romantic moment, never give a pure comedic moment."

Paul Baker's reveal of his swear-y side quest does result in one of the most adorable Paul Baker and Anton moments of the season: a very heartfelt "Paul Baker, thank you" from Anton, complete with some seriously yearning eye contact that leaves everyone else in the scene knowing exactly how much the two care for one another.

Of course, there's one last little twist.

"We were really tickled by the idea that Paul Baker did this whole big gesture when, in fact, Anton's job was already saved," said Kronengold.

"Nobody had the heart to tell him," added Shaw.

But hey, it's the thought that counts, right?

Adults Season 2 is now streaming on Hulu.

SAVE UP TO 30%: The Ruggable Labor Day sale is live and takes up to 30% off sitewide, including popular collaborations with Star Wars, Disney, Iris Apfel, and more.

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We're not in spring-cleaning mode, but back-to-school season and crisp fall air always evoke the feeling of a fresh start. If you've been looking around your home thinking a rug would really pull the room together, there's a fantastic Labor Day sale in store for you.

The Ruggable Labor Day sale takes up to 30% off sitewide, including some of the brand's most popular options. Sale rugs include doormats, outdoor rugs, indoor rugs, and even rugs suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.

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Shop Ruggable's Labor Day sale to score savings of up to 30% off top sellers. Consider it a home refresh before the holidays.

Nowadays on Broadway, you've got to have a gimmick.

It's not enough to be beloved or even acclaimed. Just look at Cats: The Jellicle Ball, a bodacious revival that re-imagined Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway smash as a ballroom runway, bringing the audience into the experience and onto the stage. Critics cheered, audiences clacked their fans in appreciation, and the Tonys gave three awards, including Best Direction of a Musical. Yet, none of that stopped The Jellicle Ball from closing weeks after it received those Tony flowers.

Even a grateful community that loved Cats, Webber, or ballroom culture couldn't keep Jellicle Ball rolling. So, it's little surprise that Broadway producers are favoring a seemingly endless array of theatrical adaptations of movies, TV, and other popular IP. Just this year, Broadway saw The Lost Boys: A New Musical, Titanique, Schmigadoon, and Dog Day Afternoon competing for crowds, while Heated Rivalry got an off-Broadway unofficial parody faster than it got a vinyl soundtrack release. Some of these were marvelous, others interesting, and then there was Beaches.

Now, Paranormal Activity joins the fray. The theatrical production that premiered in Leeds ahead of a West End debut in 2025 has been garnering praise along its path to Broadway, which included a sold-out run in Los Angeles. The buzz was so infectious that I entered the August Wilson Theatre giddy with anticipation.

Unfortunately, what Paranormal Activity has to offer is not a great night at the theater. It's a series of jump scares that falls short of the spectacle Broadway demands.

Paranormal Activity is not for fans of the franchise.

Cher Alvarez and Travis A. Knight star in "Paranormal Activity" on Broadway. Credit: Matthew Murphy

Though the show's Playbill notes Oren Peli's 2007 film of the same name as an inspiration, the similarities between Broadway's Paranormal Activity and its source material is thinner than the veil between the living and the dead.

Written by Levi Holloway, this new story centers on an American married couple who've recently moved from Chicago to London for a fresh start. Why London? There is no why. As the whole show is set within the walls of a small house, Paranormal Activity could be set anywhere. The key thing is that the haunted couple at its center has nowhere to escape to. Being new in town means the ruthlessly rational James (Travis A. Knight) and his distraught wife Lou (Cher Álvarez) have no local support system as they face some paranormal anomalies.

Like Katie from the first Paranormal Activity film, Lou is haunted by a dark incident in her past, and fears an entity that is stalking her. James is her Micah, a male partner who insists he's looking to help while he scoffs at the possibility of the supernatural, and even taunts the could-be creature. In this case, he proclaims, "Fuck the bogeyman." And yes, a jump scare follows.

Holloway's play rejects the lore of the Paranormal Activity franchise that grew across sequels and spinoffs. Plus, it pivots subgenres, leaving behind the found footage aspect and changes the taxonomy of the entity at its center. Individually, none of these things is a problem per se, but altogether they left this horror lover wondering why this production is even called Paranormal Activity when it's got nothing to do with the pre-established IP.

Paranormal Activity can't compare to the other horror treasures of Broadway (past and present).

Cher Alvarez stars in "Paranormal Activity" on Broadway. Credit: Matthew Murphy

For starters, Paranormal Activity can't hold a candle to The Lost Boys, a musical that smartly cherry-picked the campiest bits of Joel Schumacher's vampire cult classic and then constructed a stronger emotional story, leaned into the queer subtext, and made cinema moments come alive onstage with intoxicating stunt spectacles. Nor does Paranormal Activity compare to the recently shuttered Death Becomes Her, where the memorable murderous mayhem was re-imagined for onstage comedy gags that had audiences rolling like Madeline Ashton down that long staircase.

Now, you could argue that Paranormal Activity shouldn't be compared to big, flashy musical adaptations of cult classics. In that case, I'll point to Grey House, which was also written by Holloway. On Broadway in 2023, that play was also a horror story set within a humble home, this one visited by an unsuspecting married couple, unsure what to make of the odd children and the old woman who live there.

Grey House was a show that oozed in dread. Cryptic conversations left the audience to scramble for understanding, binding us to the coupled visitors, who've made a fateful mistake by coming here. I still remember the feeling of chills creeping up my limbs as Laurie Metcalf grimaced or chided the children and grown-ups alike. Three years later, the specifics of the scares have faded. Something about a fridge, a couch that seemed to gobble up a full-grown man, a basement door, always ominous. What I recall clearly is how I screamed, so loud and often that I was actually pretty embarrassed.

Did I scream at Paranormal Activity? Yes. But not often. For every jump scare that shook me to scream, there were scads that failed to even make me flinch. The audience around giggled throughout, perhaps out of nervousness from the scares, or over the caustic humor the couple slings at each other. But it was less the atmosphere of a horror movie, where everyone is sharing the experience of surrendering to the spooky story, and more like a theme-park presentation.

The laughter felt like an audience looking to be amused, not scared. And director Felix Barrett delivered with common haunted house tropes. Lights flicker. A shadowy figure races across the stage. A could-be nursery's door slams with force, and recurringly, a deafening blare of noise will explode to make the audience leap in their seats. But after the first few scares, the beats of terror become predictable.

In between grim gags, Paranormal Activity is a tale of a toxic love that's more gratingly one-note than great. Knight and Álvarez bring intensity, whether arguing about the advice from a ghost-hunting podcaster (Eva Kaminsky) or hiding the haunting from James' nosy mom (Shannon Cochran), who's always just a video call away. But the emotional thrust of their story becomes undermined once Paranormal Activity reveals the entity can mimic others. So, as a conversation grows electrically vulnerable, there's the nagging thought that it could a cruel ruse, and not an actual breakthrough between two loved ones who can't share their truth.

A similar device of doppelgängers and the fear of intimacy was explored in Leviticus this year. And so let me take the opportunity to say again: go see Leviticus. It's scary as hell and has something to say. Which can't be said for Paranormal Activity, where it makes already thinly sketched characters feel even less complex.

Paranormal Activity on Broadway is betting on the gimmick.

Travis A. Knight stars in "Paranormal Activity" on Broadway. Credit: Matthew Murphy

This is a new story that doesn't require its audience to remember anything about Katie or Micah or their demon Tobi. Rather than using that as an opportunity to find fresh thrills in the horror-theater space, Holloway's play feels like a murky echo of Grey House. The house and the story appear similar, but the scares in the hands of Barrett don't hit as hard.

Barrett, who is a founder of the immersive British theater company Punchdrunk (Sleep No More), fails to bring the audience into the experience of being trapped in his haunted house. Where Titanique built out the stage to include the audience, or Jellicle Ball had cats running into the aisles and mezzanine, Paranormal Activity keeps the stage as a clear distinction. The home, traditionally built as if one wall was shorn away, has the look of a dollhouse. And the seats in the theater mean if you're close to the front, or off to the sides, your view will be obstructed by staunch interior walls. But even more irksome, Barrett doesn't make compelling use of the space.

In The Lost Boys, director/co-lighting designer Michael Arden used spotlights and other lighting effects to draw the audience's eye, guiding us to one scary spectacle, while setting up another in the shadows. It was a visual cue reminiscent of video games, giving our eye. Paranormal Activity doesn’t offer such guides. For large swaths, my eyes scanned the dimly lit house, desperate to see something spooky but unsure where I was supposed to look. Was I meant to follow James upstairs as he urinates in the bathroom? Was I meant to keep an eye on the light that flickered or on Lou approaching the back door?

In horror, a wide shot can be uniquely terrifying, because it invites you to look into the seeming stillness and shadows, where a slasher or creature might lurk, unseen by the hero. In Paranormal Activity, that looking too often led to nothing. And sometimes, it meant I was looking in the wrong place, confounded and frustrated as an audience member across the way let out a gasp of excitement. I yearned to feel that gasp. But this Paranormal Activity isn't as scary as a great horror movie or a great Broadway show.

Instead, it's betting on audiences who want a not-so-cheap thrill. Opening so far from Tony nominations, the show suggests little expectation of being remembered next summer. Instead, it opens in time for Halloween and runs 20 weeks as a higher-class alternative to a haunted hayride. For Christmas, it's a spooky kid alternative to the Radio City show.

But with a thin story and underwhelming spectacle, Paranormal Activity is bad omen for Broadway. It's another example of shallowly adapted IP taking the space for something daring that could actually give us chills.

Paranormal Activity is playing at New York City's August Wilson Theater until Jan. 3.

If you use social media, you've seen a man-on-the-street interview.

You know the type: punchy, short-form digital series where you get to know an interviewee in record time. Some shows, such as Track Star or Gaydar, use specific subjects like music or queer history as entry points. Others, like Are You Okay? or Subway Takes, invite guests to rant about a topic of their choosing. These series have taken over your feeds and Hollywood press tours alike, and for one episode, they take over FX's sitcom Adults.

In Adults Season 2, episode 7, titled "C Alert," Paul Baker (Jack Innanen) laments having what he and his friends call "man-on-the-street face," a condition that makes him a target for New York City's street interview content creators. (Due to his Canadian politeness, he can never turn them down.)

However, by the episode's end, Paul Baker embraces his man-on-the-street face to help his housemate/will-they-won't-they love interest Anton (Owen Thiele), who's gotten in trouble at work for saying "cunt." While the word's positive connotations in queer ballroom culture have led to wider reclamation and resurgence, especially online, it still carries quite a bit of baggage in America; hence Paul Baker's quest to encourage its normalization through street interviews.

Tiff Baira and Jack Innanen in "Adults." Credit: FX

Cue a montage of Paul Baker fumbling his way through appearances on highly popular, real-life man-on-the-street shows, including Gaydar, hosted by Anania; Are You Okay?, then-hosted by Brianna "Bri" Morales; Recess Therapy, hosted by Julian Shapiro-Barnum; Street Hearts, hosted by Tiffany "Tiff" Baira; and Track Star, hosted by Jack Coyne. The sequence is a hysterical, cameo-filled conclusion to the episode, but also a tribute to the reach and influence of man-on-the-street content creators.

According to Adults creators Ben Kronengold and Rebecca Shaw, the idea to bring man-on-the-street interviewers into Season 2 started with the show's writers taking walks around New York City for inspiration. One day, in Washington Square Park, they noticed several interviewers pulling people aside for their own segments.

"One of the writers was like, 'isn't it funny that we haven't seen that on TV yet?'" Shaw recalled in a video interview with Mashable. "It feels like such a present part of New York culture right now."

To capture this aspect of New York culture — which, in turn, becomes digital culture when it's posted online — Adults reached out to several New York-based street-interview content creators about appearing as themselves in the show.

"To be honest, I was skeptical at first," Track Star host Jack Coyne told Mashable over the phone. "I thought Track Star sounded like it could be the butt of the joke."

Coyne created Track Star as a "reaction" to the more aggressive, inappropriate type of man-on-the-street interviews that have gained notoriety online. Adults certainly pokes fun at this more confrontational style of content, with Paul Baker appearing on fake shows like Milk or Dare or Gay Granny's Trivia Crashout. (Adults executive producer Nick Kroll also makes a voiceover cameo as a sleazy host who wants Paul Baker to rank the women in his family by attractiveness.)

However, the episode's final montage flips the joke on Paul Baker and serves as more of an appreciative showcase for the creators making cameos.

"We're such fans of this genre, and we think it's so cool the way these younger creators have managed to really carve out these very funny, specific, voice-y names for themselves in this space," said Shaw.

Adults usually shoots in Toronto, but in order to capture the creators' voices, the series sent a small crew to New York City to film Innanen's segments on each show.

"We wanted to do it on their terms and on their territory, and we really let the hosts lead with their voice, their improv, their writing," Kronengold said.

Jack Innanen and Caleb Simpson in "Adults." Credit: FX

Hosts were given an outline to work from, but were also able to improvise and treat the fictional segment like any real shoot for their show. For internet personality and former Are You Okay? host Bri Morales, that meant deciding whether or not Paul Baker is, in fact, okay. (He's not.) For Gaydar host Anania, that meant determining if Paul Baker is gay, straight, or a homophobe. (In keeping with the show's lore, he's fluid.) For Street Hearts host Baira, that meant sitting down at the show's recognizable match-making table and getting to the root of why Paul Baker is single.

"Paul Baker was just a real person in that moment," Baira told Mashable over the phone.

Over the course of one day, the Adults crew zipped around New York, from just outside a Midtown Container Store to shoot Gaydar all the way to Prospect Park to shoot Recess Therapy. Segments were shot in accordance with each show's style, adhering to their specific cameras, lighting, framing, and even methods of mic-ing people up. In post-production, Adults also mimicked the shows' graphics and fast-paced editing.

"Being so onboard with having our format inside of the episode makes it a very valiant effort on the showrunners' part," Anania told Mashable in a phone interview.

"You don't often see that from brands," added Amelia Montooth, creator of Gaydar and CEO of Mutuals Media. "Usually, you're battling with them to try to keep your authenticity."

Part of that authenticity meant acknowledging street-interview influencers as stars in their own right. Caleb Simpson, known for his house tour videos, originally auditioned to play one of Paul Baker's bro-y friends in the Season 2 premiere, before being brought back to play himself in a cameo in "C Alert," where he shoots a video about Samir's (Malik Elassal) home. For Simpson, the role reflects a changing attitude towards content creators.

"I started making content on the internet 11 years ago, and the industry didn't take it seriously," Simpson told Mashable over Zoom. "About three or four years ago, I started taking acting and stand up and improv seriously, and then you get cast to play yourself in a show, and you do exactly what you would do when you film your content."

Adults' embrace of content creators speaks to their rise in Hollywood. (In addition to these street interviewers, Season 2 also guest stars internet personalities like Jake Shane. Innanen himself started as a content creator.) It's also a savvy way to make its target Gen Z audience feel seen by meeting them where they're at: online. As Shaw said, these series are "generational access points."

"What is the Maddy quote from Euphoria, where she's like, 'is this fucking play about us'? That is the goal for these young adult shows to really ring true to their target audience," Morales told Mashable over the phone. "It would maybe be funny if [Paul Baker] went on The Today Show, but it's so native to the demographic that of course he's going to do Are You Okay?, or course he's going to do man-on-the-street shows, because that's where everything is right now."

"Everything" includes the Adults press tour. For Season 1, Innanen appeared on Are You Okay? and Amita Rao and Owen Thiele appeared on Gaydar. For Season 2, Paul Baker's many stints on man-on-the-street shows also doubled as opportunities for Innanen to film appearances on these shows as himself. Art mimics life, the show reflects the marketing, and it all comes full circle in just a brief montage.

"The fact that Adults is putting a show like [Track Star] in their script and on TV and understanding it's a big part of the cultural conversation is just the beginning, honestly," Coyne said. "I think you're going to start to see a lot more of this stuff in culture broadly, because people are spending as much time watching content on the internet and on their phones as they are watching Netflix and Amazon and Hulu and FX."

"It is the future," said Baira. "Short form and traditional, the future is going to be blending the two."

Adults Season 2 is now streaming on Hulu.

Apple's most important software platform is about to get a big upgrade.

In a couple weeks, Apple will finally launch the iOS 27. Yes, we've seen and tried out the developer betas and the public betas. Right now, we're at Developer Beta 7 and Public Beta 5; this late in the game, we don't expect to see any major new features when iOS 27 launches properly, though surprises are always possible. The keynote event is called "Surprise and shine," after all.

For most users, however, the iOS 27 that launches next month is the new version, as most folks don't bother (and they shouldn't) installing the public beta. So, here's everything we've learned from testing iOS 27, which includes the Siri AI beta, and a list of the hottest new features to try out when it launches.

Guess what Apple will release in September in our Big Guessing Game: Apple edition. Enter now for a chance to win an Apple Watch!

When is iOS 27 arriving?

The tagline for Apple's September event is "Surprise and shine." Credit: Apple

The final version of iOS 27 is likely to arrive mid-September. More precisely, given that Apple is launching new iPhones on Sept. 9, we'll probably get iOS 27 a week later, on Sept. 16 (give or take a day or two).

If you're still eager to try out the latest beta (which is bound to be very similar to the final release), here's how to do that and what you can expect from it.

Who gets to install iOS 27?

Apple's iOS 27 will be available for iPhone 11 and later, as well as iPhone SE (2nd generation and later). Also, Apple's upcoming iPhones, which are reportedly iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max, and the foldable iPhone Ultra, will almost certainly run iOS 27 out of the box.

How to install iOS 27?

If you have a compatible device (see above), the process will consist merely of going to your iPhone's Settings, General, Software Update, and choosing to install the new OS. The process should take roughly 10 minutes (depending on your internet connection).

It's always wise to back up your phone before updating your software, though in this case, we don't expect any major problems; Apple's final, major software releases tend to be fairly polished.

What's new in iOS 27

There are a lot of new features in iOS 27, with the crown jewel among them being improved Siri (which is now called Siri AI), as well as Apple Intelligence, both of which permeate the device's many features and built-in apps, offering new, simpler ways to achieve everyday tasks.

Besides that, the Liquid Glass interface has been updated with more customizability, numerous apps, including Safari, Reminders, Notes, Photos, and Health, have gotten new features, and the iPhone, overall, should perform better.

The new features range from major changes to tiny aesthetic improvements. Apple's got an overview here; below, here's our choice of the best new features you should try after installing iOS 27.

A word of caution: Some of the AI features aren't available in the EU due to Apple's dispute over AI with European regulators. There's currently no timeline as to when this could be resolved. With that out of the way, here are the best 7 iOS 27 features you should try after installing it.

Siri AI

Siri AI will bring a ton of new capabilities to your iPhone, with an assist from Gemini. Credit: Apple

If you're in the U.S., Siri AI will work for you, and you can access it by either uttering the "Hey Siri" voice command, pressing and holding the iPhone's side button, or swiping down from the Dynamic Island on top of your screen.

Once it's activated, you can use it to search for documents, emails, and photos on your device, ask it questions about a website on your screen (or any sort of general questions), get recommendations for places and activities, and easily create home automations.

Siri understands you, personally, as it can draw context from your emails and other documents. It also knows a lot about the world, making it similar to LLMs such as OpenAI, so you can ask it questions or give it tasks related to you, personally, or just ask it about any topic you like.

For a detailed overview of Siri's new features, go here and here.

Visual Intelligence

Point your camera at things, and Apple's Visual Intelligence will give you some details about those things. Credit: Apple

Unfortunately, the same caveat goes for this one: It's not available in the EU at launch.

It's a pity, because it's a cool feature that lets you point your camera at things and get information about them from Siri. This includes splitting a restaurant bill, getting working hours for a business, figuring out which plant or animal you're looking at, and more.

You can access Visual Intelligence by clicking and holding the Camera Control button, or (if you have an iPhone that doesn't have the Camera Control button) either through Control Center or by customizing the Action button or Lock Screen.

Child Safety

Every parent knows what a nightmare the parental control features can be. You think you've set up everything right, only to discover that your kid still has unlimited access to YouTube (and is using it without any limits whatsoever).

In iOS 27, Apple has overhauled the Child Safety features with an easier setup, more granular control over apps and websites, and better screen time management. The Communication Safety feature can even intervene before a child sees gore or violence in videos and images shared over Messages and FaceTime.

There are detailed options for time allowances across several categories, including Entertainment, Games, and Social Media. Perhaps most importantly, there are now simple controls to either fully pause device use, or allow unlimited use of a device.

Updates to Messages, Mail, Calendar, Safari

Less chaotic Safari tabs? We're down for that! Credit: Apple

Siri's new smarts extend over a number of Apple's built-in apps.

For example, in Messages as well as Mail, Siri can write things for you based on a description, and the result will match your style. Both those apps will also offer suggestions based on your conversations, such as adding events to your Calendar or a reminder to your Reminders app.

Safari has also gotten smarter. It will automatically group your tabs into topics, and a particularly cool new feature called Notify Me can monitor a webpage for changes, sending you an alert when it detects something new on the page.

Better photo editing

Reframe is one of the three new, AI-enhanced photo editing tools in iOS 27. Credit: Apple

Apple has been way behind when it comes to AI-assited photo editing. Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel phones have a full suite of image editing tools that work really well. With iOS 27, Apple is finally catching up to its Android competition.

The new, AI-enhanced photo editing tools are a pretty cool way to fix your photos, even some of the ones that came out quite poorly. The three new tools, available under "Tools" when you start editing a photo, include Clean Up, which lets you remove unwanted objects with a tap or a gesture. The Extend tool will automagically add content around the borders using AI, and Reframe lets you adjust the perspective of a photo.

Smarter Shortcuts

I don't know a lot of people who use Shortcuts on iPhone, probably because the idea of manually setting up a chain of actions for your phone sounds pretty tricky to do.

In iOS 27, however, Apple has simplified this by adding the option to describe the shortcut and have it created automatically. To access it, open Shortcuts and tap New Shortcut, and just describe what you want the Shortcut to do. Stuff like "Turn the lights on, turn on Do Not Disturb, and start playing my favorite album" should work.

New Image Playground

Apple's new Image Playground can now create photorealistic images. Credit: Apple

Yeah, another thing that's absent in the EU. If you have it, it's a cool one. Image Playground was actually there before, in iOS 26, but the images it could generate were mostly cartoons or simple illustrations. Now, you can get photorealistic images, too.

If you don't like your result, you can fine-tune it by adding additional prompts, with the option to precisely mark the part of the image that you want changed.

Liquid Glass adjustments

This is a small one, but it's important to a lot of folks. Under Settings and Appearances, you can now set exactly how clear or tinted you want your "liquified" apps and UI elements in iOS 27 to be.

Personally, I push the slider to the left for a maximum-clear look, but folks who want more readability over visual pizzaz might want to push it the other way for a more tinted appearance.

AirPods EQ

How long have we been waiting for this one? In iOS 27, Apple finally added detailed equalizer settings for AirPods.

Finding those settings is a little tricky, though. When your AirPods are connected to your phone, go to Settings, Bluetooth, navigate to the AirPods, and then tap the little "i" to the right. Then go to Audio and Routing, Equalizer, Custom. From there, you can adjust the bass, midrange, and treble to whatever your heart desires.

TL;DR: Pay $54.99 once for Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus on one Windows 10 or 11 PC — no ongoing subscription fees.

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Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows: Lifetime License

$54.99
$249.99 Save $195

 

Get Deal

Microsoft Office is useful precisely because it isn’t exciting. Documents need writing, spreadsheets need analyzing, presentations need building, and email keeps arriving whether anyone invited it or not.

Office 2024 Professional Plus puts six familiar applications on one Windows PC for a one-time $54.99 payment. The suite includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Access, covering everyday productivity, data analysis, and database management.

This edition is designed for users and organizations that value consistency. Its mature tools focus on stable performance without frequent feature changes. That predictable setup can be useful in regulated industries and restricted environments where software continuity matters more than chasing every new addition.

The streamlined interface includes dark mode for more comfortable work. Built-in security and compliance features support professional use.

The most important detail is the licensing model. This is a perpetual license for one Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC. It connects to that specific device rather than your Microsoft account, unlike the binding-key structure used by the Home and Business edition. That device-linked arrangement contributes to the lower price, but buyers should choose the installation computer carefully.

This is not Microsoft 365, so there is no ongoing subscription fee. It is also Windows-only and will not work on a Mac or macOS device. The license key and download link are provided immediately.

For someone with an established Windows PC who prefers stable Office apps and one upfront cost, this is a deliberate alternative to recurring Microsoft 365 payments.

Get Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for just $54.99 (reg. $249.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

While not as established as its contemporary, All Elite Wrestling, or AEW, is perhaps the best showcase of professional wrestling in the United States and the wider world. It's why AEW is "Where the best wrestle."

For that simple reason, it's a no-brainer that AEW's biggest event of the year, All In, is must-watch TV. The fourth annual event is the culmination of years and years worth of television on the company's weekly shows, AEW Dynamite and Collison and the showcase of the company's future pillars. The big issue, though, is that unlike the WWE, which has decades of insular storytelling to rely on, making it easy for fans to follow rivalries and feuds, AEW does not have that. In fact, its roster comprises wrestlers with decades of experience and ties elsewhere in the independent scene, to the point that these ties bleed into the storylines told in AEW.

That makes it hard to get into some storylines, because, if you weren't watching CHIKARA in the late 2010s, you'd have no idea why Eddie Kingston really, really hates Claudio Castagnoli (fka Cesaro in WWE). For the most part, as the company is now 7 years old, that problem is mostly faded away, but for those who don't watch pro wrestling as much or are used to the mainstays and tropes of WWE, getting to know and care about AEW's cast of athletes and genetic freaks can be a challenge.

That's what this guide is for. I've done lapsed fan guides for WrestleMania in the past; however, given the WWE's moral and financial proclivities over the past few years, those guides are buried for the time being.

If you've found yourself curious to watch the new blood or are being forced to by your friend, below you'll find out everything you need to know about this weekend's proceedings on Aug. 30 at 1 p.m. EST, live on PPV on HBO Max, Prime Video, and more.

What is All Elite Wrestling?

All Elite Wrestling is the second-largest pro wrestling company in the world, formed in 2019 by Tony Khan and wrestlers Kenny Omega, Cody Rhodes (yes, that one), and Nick and Matt Jackson (The Young Bucks). The group was wrestling on the independent scene, most notably in Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling as part of a subgroup called The Elite within the larger Bullet Club faction.

The genesis of the company was a 2017 tweet from wrestling historian Dave Meltzer claiming that ROH (one of the bigger wrestling promotions pre-AEW) couldn't sell a 10,000-seat show in the US — something no non-WWE company had done before. The response to that was 2018's All In, an independent wrestling event promoted by Rhodes and the Bucks in collaboration with ROH. The final gate of the show was a sell-out, with 11,263, plus a 50,000 buy rate, proving there was an appetite in the US for non-WWE wrestling.

The success of All In impressed TV execs, and eventually The Elite partnered with longtime wrestling fan Tony Khan, who was the son of billionaire and Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan. That led to the formation of All Elite Wrestling and the company's first PPV, Double or Nothing, in May 2019. Then came the TV deal with WarnerMedia, marking Warner's first foray into wrestling since the closing of WCW in 2001.

It's been 7 years since then, and AEW has become one of the biggest companies in the world. Early on, because the initial All In event was a collab with ROH, the parent company, Sinclair Broadcast Group, owned the trademark for the name. That changed in 2021, when Khan bought ROH from Sinclair, thus grabbing the All In trademark for AEW and using ROH as a developmental company for the promotion. 2023 marked the second-ever All In event, and it is the company's biggest show on the calendar.

AEW presents a different style and philosophy compared to WWE. One of the biggest differences is the pacing and intensity of the wrestling itself, which are more individualized and vary from wrestler to wrestler (e.g., brawlers, strong-style, PWG, lucha libre, etc.). It's a big buffet of wrestling, serving as the ultimate melting pot of styles and traditions.

That's compared to WWE, which uses a slower style that combines all forms of pro wrestling and emphasizes big moments while protecting the workers due to the company's grueling travel schedule.

Additionally, AEW's roster places a great deal of focus on promoting its factions and stables. Almost every wrestler in the company is in some large group that's then split between the various divisions. There are about 21 factions and stables in AEW, with the most notable ones being The Don Callis Family, The Death Riders, Bullet Club Gold, and The Conglomeration. These groups serve as the main vehicle for setting up rivalries and feuds throughout the year, as one person's beef will suddenly become everyone else's before too long.

Within the Men's division, AEW has 5 singles titles: the AEW Men's World Championship, International, Continental, National, and TNT. There's also the World Trios Championship (defended in a group of three) and the Men's World Tag-Team Championship. Within the Women's division, there's the Women's World Championship, TBS, and the Women's World Tag-Team Championship.

How to watch AEW All In 2026?

AEW's biggest show of the year, All In: London, takes place Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, from Wembley Stadium in London. The card gets underway at 6 p.m. BST / 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT.

For US viewers, the event streams on HBO Max for $39.99. It's also available for $49.99 through Prime Video (US, Canada, and select international markets including France, Germany, and the UK), DAZN (available in over 180 countries), PPV.com, and YouTube.

Fans in Canada and other international markets can also order the show through MyAEW.com for $49.99.

Traditional cable and satellite subscribers in the US and Canada can order the pay-per-view through their provider, and it's also available via DIRECTV, Sling TV, and DISH Network for viewers in the US, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands. US fans can also catch the show live at any Dave & Buster's location nationwide.

No matter which platform you choose, the Buy-In preshow airs free ahead of the main card.

The story so far...

Main event: Kenny Omega (c) vs Will Ospreay

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The AEW Men's World Championship, the ultimate grand prize in AEW, is on the line as Will Ospreay challenges Kenny Omega in a fight that's more about pride than the title. Casual and non-wrestling fans may best know Ospreay from this viral video with fellow AEW wrestler Ricochet at the 2016 Best of the Super Juniors.

When the two first clashed in 2023 at NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom 17 event for the IWGP US Heavyweight Championship, the match was framed as a homecoming for Omega, who had left New Japan to start AEW. Mainly, Omega, once the top foreigner in New Japan, believed that Ospreay was an insufficient replacement for that spot. His coming back served as a correction to this injustice. Ospreay, obviously insulted by this, argued that he was the one who stayed and that he didn't need Omega's respect, but instead wanted his spot and to surpass his legacy. Omega would win that first match overwhelmingly, proving to himself at least that Ospreay wasn't ready.

Fast forward to later that year, Ospreay got his revenge at Forbidden Door, AEW's cross-promotional event with New Japan. Ospreay would regain his US title, but with the help of Don Callis, who had (in story) replaced Omega with Ospreay within the Callis family. Despite the win, it only proved to Omega that Ospreay still wasn't ready and couldn't beat him on his own.

Now, years later, Ospreay had a falling out with Callis, then suffered a major neck injury, and then embarked on a journey of self-discovery as he didn't feel he could meet the moment placed upon him. Omega, now the AEW champion, is older and on his last legs, but the allure of the championship is all intoxicating. He's not letting it go without a fight, least of all to Ospreay, who has spent years trying to prove himself better than Omega.

And that's the main crux of this year's long feud. Can Ospreay, who's lost several big matches in the past, overcome and have his moment, especially in his home nation? If it's up to Omega, the answer is never.

Willow Nightingale (c) vs Mercedes Moné

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The co-main event will feature a fated clash for the AEW Women's World Championship as Willow Nightingale defends against Mercedes Moné (fka Sasha Banks in WWE).

Compared to Moné, Willow is a bit of a newcomer on the scene, having debuted as a wrestler in 2015 (Moné debuted in 2010). Willow, the world's happiest nihilist, has finally become World Champion, years after scrapping for a spot on AEW: Dark Elevation, a YouTube preshow spinoff that showcased indie talent during the pandemic. Willow transformed that brief appearance into multiple titles and tournament wins, including becoming the inaugural AEW Women's Tag Team champion w/ Harley Cameron and the company's first Woman and third-ever Triple Crown winner (wrestlers who have won three different titles within a single promotion).

However, that's all chump change to Moné, who trailblazed through WWE and then the world afterward, at one point holding 13 championship belts across various promotions. Moné would then lose all those belts and disappear for a bit after an understandable crash-out following the loss of her championships.

Upon return, she won the Owen Hart Cup for the second time in a row, earning herself a championship main event at All In against Willow. For Moné, not only has she desired the grand prize of AEW, the Women's World Championship, ever since joining the company, but she also feels that Willow has been in the way of every major accolade she's pursued.

Willow and Moné first faced off in the main event of NJPW Resurgence in 2023 in the tournament final for the inaugural NJPW Strong Women's Championship. Out of kayfabe, Moné was booked to win, but an in-match injury forced an audible, with Willow winning. While not the plan, that win would propel Willow's career, leading to her winning the Owen Hart Cup in 2023.

Moné believes that without her, there would be no Willow. Within AEW, they're tied 1-1 with each other, with All In being the rubber match to prove just how legit Willow is compared to Moné.

AEW International Championship Triple Threat

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You can tell that AEW really loves a young future star versus certified legend storyline.

For starters, all three men involved, Kyle Fletcher (c), Kazuchika Okada, and Konosuke Takeshita, were all at one point involved in the Don Callis Family. While Fletcher was the up-and-coming star within the faction, Takeshita was, for a time, the bona fide stud within the family. That was until Okada was added to the family, a far more successful wrestler, especially in Japan, compared to Takeshita. And not to undersell Okada in that sentence, as "The Rainmaker" is considered one of the greatest wrestlers of all-time.

This created a years-long animosity between the two as Takeshita hated the lack of respect Okada showed him, while Okada perhaps feared that "The Alpha" would take his spot as the top Japanese wrestler back home. Caught in the middle was Flecther, who was both a good friend and tag-partner to Takeshita and fiercely loyal to the Callis Family. At this year's Double or Nothing PPV, Takeshita would finally get a win over Okada to win the International title. Unfortunately, Fletcher would choose the family as he felt Takeshita was going into business for himself. Even though Fletcher himself isn't Okada's biggest fan, he felt that he was still being a good soldier for the group.

Fletcher would then beat Takeshita for the title at AEW Dynamite: Beach Break, with the latter going back to Japan after his loss to compete in New Japan's G1 Climax tournament. Meanwhile, Okada began disrespecting Fletcher in much the same ways he had with Takeshita, leading to even more animosity within the group.

This will now culminate in a three-way for the title at All In as Don Callis has arranged for Okada to join the match, much to the chagrin of Fletcher. In Callis' eyes, two faction members in the match will stack the odds in favor of the family to retain the title. So Fletcher now has a big choice at All In: Do what's best for the family or bet on himself.

For Takeshita, this is an opportunity to regain the International title while getting some just desserts and bragging rights over his former faction-mates.

Best of the Rest

The co-main events are stacked with years' worth of story, but the rest of the card is just as thrilling.

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To start, "The Jet" Kevin Knight will defend his TNT title against Darby Allin in a Falls Count Anywhere match. For Allin, he mostly wants revenge after being attacked by Knight at Double or Nothing after losing the Men's World Championship to MJF. That match was the culmination of a 39-day reign where Allin defended the title 7 times, week after week, including a match against Knight. Apparently, Knight took that loss personally, which led to his attack on Allin and his subsequent joining the Callis Family.

Knight thinks that by doing so, he'll gain the "darker edge" necessary for him to rise to the top. Allin just wants to humble the young upstart after his show of disrespect.

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Next is a dream match for the Men's World Tag Team Championships, as Christian Cage and Adam Copeland defend against The Young Bucks (Nick and Matt Jackson). Cage and Cope are considered tag team legends, having established themselves in WWE in the '90s and 2000s as Edge and Christian. Like most tag teams, they'd eventually split, creating their own legacies, Copeland in WWE and Christian in TNA, and elsewhere. They'd eventually reunite in AEW, years after returning to wrestling after being told they couldn't do so again. It took a bit of soul-searching on Christian's part, as he'd always felt overshadowed by Copeland, but the two would win the World Tag Team titles and have held them since May.

Now they defend those titles against The Young Bucks, an accomplished tag team in their own right, who believe that by beating Cage and Cope, they'll further solidify their legacies as one of the best teams of all-time.

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Big events like these are more than just feud enders, but they're also feud starters. Case in point is the Men's Casino Gauntlet match. It's one of several "Casino" themed matches, including the Casino Ladder and Casino Battle Royale. They're named that way since AEW was the "ultimate gamble" in the pro wrestling industry. That's why their first official event was called Double or Nothing — the company's next big gamble following the success of All In.

Anyways, the Casino Gauntlet is a 21-man match where participants enter the ring one by one until the ring is full or someone pins. So, theoretically, the match could be over before all participants enter the ring, making the spot you choose extremely important. It's also a way to surprise fans with returns and debuts. The winner of the match will gain a future title opportunity at a time of their choosing (within one week's notice). At All In, AEW National Champion Andrade El Ídolo and 3x Men's World Champion MJF will enter from the #1 and #2 spots, respectively.

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In addition to the Casino Gauntlet, there will be the final of the Continental Cup Challenge (C3). This is a new 16-man single-elimination tournament from AEW, with the winner gaining the Continental Championship. According to AEW, the C3 is the company's version of the FA Cup, a prestigious mid-season soccer tournament in England. It also serves as another tournament for the Continental Championship to be defended, with the grand prize of the Continental Classic (a round-robin tournament AEW runs in November-December). So it's technically a tournament belt, but it gets defended outside the C2. It was also at one point combined with the International Championship to create the Unified Championship. It's a mess, to be quite honest.

Anyways, after the go-home show of Dynamite, Death Riders leader and current Continental Champion Jon Moxley (fka Dean Ambrose in WWE) and Nigel McGuinness won their respective semi-finals' matchups and will face off at Wembley. For Mox, winning would just be more proof that many in AEW's midcard are not at his level or the company's level. For McGuiness, it would be the ultimate triumph, considering he spent a lot of time retired due to injury and now works mostly as a ringside commentator for AEW and previously with WWE.

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Finally, there's the AEW Women's Tag Team Championship between champions Divine Dominion (Lena Kross & Megan Bayne) and The Brawling Birds (Alex Windsor & Jaime Hayter).

The build to this match has kind of taken the back seat to everything else, a sad but common occurrence for the women's division in AEW (and WWE, too). Basically, though, Divine Dominion continues to dominate the women's tag division and wants to embarrass the Birds on their home turf. For their part, the Brawling Birds also just want to beat up Divine Dominion.

AEW All In: London takes place Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, at Wembley Stadium in London.

TL;DR: Watch Sevilla vs. Atlético Madrid in La Liga for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

La Liga continues with a string of interesting fixtures this weekend.

Today's games include one of the most intriguing fixtures of the season so far, as Sevilla host Atlético Madrid. Both are unbeaten so far. Sevilla won their first two games while Atlético Madrid secured a win and a draw. But which team will maintain the momentum and remain unbeaten?

If you're interested in watching Sevilla vs. Atlético Madrid in La Liga from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Sevilla vs. Atlético Madrid?

Sevilla vs. Atlético Madrid in La Liga kicks off at 3.30 p.m. ET on Aug. 29. This fixture takes place at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.

How to watch Sevilla vs. Atlético Madrid for free

Sevilla vs. Atlético Madrid in La Liga is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, 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 Brazil, meaning you can live stream Sevilla vs. Atlético Madrid for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Sevilla vs. Atlético Madrid for free by following these simple steps:

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

2. Download the app to your device of choice

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

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Sevilla vs. Atlético Madrid for free from anywhere in the world

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ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on CazéTV, for a number of reasons:

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Fall movie season is just around the corner! The Venice International Film Festival leads to the Toronto International Film Festival, which leads to the New York Film Festival. And beyond that, there are a slew of prestige pics, family-friendly adventures, gnarly horror movies, and movies too genre-bending to be so easily summarized!

Mashable's Entertainment team has surveyed the cinema landscape for fall and winter to pull together the most anticipated titles you can see this year.

Whether in theaters, on digital, or streaming, these movies promise jaw-dropping thrills, tear-jerking drama, laugh-out-loud comedy, scream-inducing horror, and edge-of-your-seat excitement. So mark you calendars, and let's go to the movies.

September 2026 movie releases

Fall 2: Deadpoint

In 2022, Fall delivered a survival thriller that rattled with suspense and boasted a sensationally WTF ending. Now comes a sequel of sorts with Fall 2: Deadpoint.

Scott Mann and Jonathan Frank, who co-penned the first film, are reunited here, scripting a spin-off story with some striking similarities. Harriet Slater stars as Jax Hunter, the younger sister of the late Shiloh Hunter (Virginia Gardner). Spiraling from grief, she teams up with Hunter's friend Luce (Arsema Thomas) to tackle an adventure her sister never got to attempt: a treacherous climb of Mount Kwan in Thailand that ends before a statue of the Death Dragon, which is said to eat your fear.

Will this attempt to overcome grief by taking a risky climb play out better for Hunter's sister? Well, a rockslide promises a rough path. But we'll have to see to find out if Fall 2 can live up to its sister prequel. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

Starring: Harriet Slater, Arsema Thomas, Tom Brittney, Virginia Gardner, and Grace Caroline Currey

How to watch: Fall 2: Deadpoint opens in theaters on Sept. 2.

Mayday

If you miss Cold War comedies like Dr. Strangelove and Spies Like Us, you'll likely be stoked about the latest from (checks notes) Canadian action star Ryan Reynolds and British thespian Kenneth Branagh.

Set in 1987, Mayday centers on a U.S. Air Force Pilot (Reynolds) finds himself lost in the Soviet wilderness, where a Russian ex-KGB carpenter (Branagh) becomes an unlikely ally. While the premise feels inexplicably vintage, this comedy comes from filmmakers Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, who previously helmed such hilarious action comedies as Game Night and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. So, yeah, we're game. — K.P.

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Kenneth Branagh, Maria Bakalova, Marcin Dorociński, and David Morse

How to watch: Mayday premieres Sept. 4 on Apple TV.

Onslaught

Director Adam Wingard and screenwriter Simon Barrett have previously given horror fans such vicious offerings as You're Next, The Guest, and Blair Witch. Now they reteam for Onslaught, an A24 thriller about a single mom (Adria Arjona) who must defend her child against a squad of merciless super soldiers who've escaped their experimental facility. This task might seem impossible. But it helps that this mom is a trained sniper.

Expect blood, explosions, and carnage. Plus, The Guest's Dan Stevens as a mad scientist who looks like a Halloween decoration. — K.P.

Starring: Adria Arjona, Dan Stevens, Eric Wareheim, Reginald VelJohnson, Michael Biehn, Alex Pereira, Drew Starkey, and Rebecca Hall

How to watch: Onslaught opens in theaters on Sept. 4.

Hope

You're not ready for Hope.

Written and directed by South Korean filmmaker Na Hong-jin (The Wailing), this sci-fi epic clocks in at 156 minutes, and they breeze by like the galloping monsters at its center, fast and ruthlessly violent.

Hwang Jung-min stars as a small-town sheriff who is looking into the bizarre slaughtering of a cow near the forest. Soon enough, he'll come face to face with the killer creature, but only after a barrage of building-shattering, bone-snapping action that makes up the film's first act. You won't believe what comes next, but spoilers: It's epic. — K.P.

Starring: Hwang Jung-min, Zo In-sung, Hoyeon, Taylor Russell, Cameron Britton, Alicia Vikander, and Michael Fassbender

How to watch: Hope opens in theaters on Sept. 9.

Black Zombie

If you love zombie movies and TV shows, you won't want to miss Black Zombie.

Director Maya Annik Bedward explores the representation of zombies in Hollywood movies like White Zombie, Night of the Living Dead, and The Serpent and the Rainbow. Then, she traces their roots back to Haitian culture. Interviews with experts explore how colonialism transformed a concept from voodoo into something meant to strike fear in a white audience. Shining a light on Haitian culture, Bedward invites audiences to a deeper understanding of the zombie subgenre and the power that keeps it biting. — K.P.

Starring: Yves-Grégory Francois, Mambo Labelle Déesse, Slash, Tom Savini, and Tananarive Due

How to watch: Black Zombie opens in theaters on Sept. 11.

The Uprising

From writer/director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, The Lost Bus) comes a period drama about the 1381 English Peasants' Revolt. And you better believe Greengrass is bringing action sequences into this historical retelling.

When the tyranny of King Richard II plunges the people into poverty and squalor, one man says, "Enough." Andrew Garfield stars as the revolutionary leader, whose story is true, and looks achingly relevant. — K.P.

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Jamie Bell, Stephen Dillane, Tom Hollander, Cosmo Jarvis, Thomasin McKenzie, Jonny Lee Miller, Woody Norman, and Katherine Waterston

How to watch: The Uprising opens in theaters on Sept. 11.

The Debut

Oh, we do love a film about making theatre. Director, writer, and producer Jesse Eisenberg's A24 comedy looks to capture the sheer grit and dedication of community theatre productions and the lifeline they can be for the people who make them.

In The Debut, Julianne Moore plays Mona Friedman, a wife and mother who decides to audition for a community musical in her local New Jersey theatre. What begins as a flight of fancy becomes a serious means for Mona to channel her inner rage and joy, as local legend and demanding director Jerry (Paul Giamatti) pushes her to unlock a part of herself she's long suppressed. — Shannon Connellan, Senior Editor

Starring: Julianne Moore, Paul Giamatti, Halle Bailey, Jesse Eisenberg, Cara Buono, Craig Bierko, Eldar Isgandarov, and Bernadette Peters

How to watch: The Debut will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival Sept. 13, before it opens in theaters Dec. 11.

April X

If Heated Rivalry has you thirsty for more from Connor Storrie, you won't want to miss April X.

This near-future thriller stars Storrie as Bax, a man on a mission to find his missing twin sister April (Lilly Krug). Amid neon lights, seedy intrigue, and an underground world ripe with danger, will he succeed in his rescue mission? Or will this become about vengeance? We can't wait to find out. — K.P.

Starring: Connor Storrie and Lilly Krug

How to watch: April X opens in theaters on Sept 18.

Resident Evil

Zach Cregger, the writer/director behind horror hits like Barbarian and Weapons, returns with the relaunch of the Resident Evil film franchise. And from the looks of his first trailer, he'll be bringing that The Whitest Kids U'Know sensibility to this horror movie too.

Based on the popular Capcom video games, Resident Evil will center on a hapless delivery guy named Bryan (Austin Abrams) who's looking to make some quick cash with one last run. Unlucky for him, he's headed to Raccoon City General Hospital, where an outbreak is spreading fast. You ready to ride along? — K.P.

Starring: Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser

How to watch: Resident Evil opens in theaters on Sept 18.

Bad Apples

Teachers deserve better. Our underpaid educators put up with everything from disruptive students to micromanaging parents. And in Jonatan Etzler's dark comedy thriller Bad Apples, one (Saoirse Ronan) takes matters into her own hands.

Written by Jess O'Kane as an adaptation of Rasmus Andersson's novel De Oönskade, the film sees Ronan as Somerset-based primary school teacher Maria. She loves teaching, despite the underfunded education system testing her daily. When troubled student Danny (newcomer Eddie Waller) constantly disrupts her class, Maria makes some choices.

As I wrote in my review, "With Ronan's always-impeccable talents supported by a sublime young cast, Bad Apples leans into unethical impulses, all the while exposing home truths about the under-resourced education system and social disdain toward children with behavioural, emotional, and social difficulties. Plus, it's really funny." — S.C.

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Eddie Waller, Jacob Anderson, Sean Gilder, Nia Brown, Rakie Ayola, Robert Emms

How to watch: Bad Apples hits cinemas Sept. 18.

Shaun The Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom

Shaun the Sheep gets spooky in Aardman's latest stop-motion romp, Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom. 

It's almost Halloween at Mossy Bottom Farm, but there's just one problem: The clumsy Farmer has wrecked the flock's carefully cultivated pumpkin patch. Shaun the Sheep embraces his inner mad scientist in order to fix the problem, but the situation goes haywire when the Farmer goes missing, and a strange, hairy beast pops up in Mossingham. Are the incidents related, and can Shaun save the day? Ring in spooky season with Shaun to find out, and treat yourself to what is sure to be a charming, exquisitely crafted adventure. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: Justin Fletcher, John Sparkes, Kate Harbour, Dani Dyer, Nina Sosanya, Paul Whitehouse, and Roman Kemp

How to watch: Shaun The Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom opens in theaters on Sept. 18.

You Had to Be There

Comedy nerds, you have to see this one.

The full title of this superb documentary from Nick Davis is You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution, Spread Love & Overalls, and Created a Community That Changed the World (in a Canadian Kind of Way). Its focus is looking back at the 1972 Toronto production of Godspell, which boasted such not-yet-famous performers as Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Victor Garber, Andrea Martin, Dave Thomas, Jayne Eastwood, and Paul Shaffer. And most of the above offer interviews, home movies, and personal recordings of this pivotal moment in Canadian comedy.

This movie was one of my absolute favorites at last year's Toronto International Film Festival. And as I cheered in my review, "You Had to Be There gifts audiences plenty of laughs, and so much more. This is not some fluffy celebration of comedians or even Godspell. Davis and company have come together to craft a documentary that is both informative, historical, entertaining, and deeply humane." — K.P.

Starring: Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Victor Garber, Andrea Martin, Dave Thomas, Jayne Eastwood, and Paul Shaffer

How to watch: You Had to Be There opens in NY theaters on Sept. 18 and nationwide on Sept. 25.

The Love Hypothesis

Romance and Reylo fans, the time you've been waiting for has arrived. Ali Hazelwood's bestseller The Love Hypothesis hits Prime Video this September.

Lili Reinhart plays Olive Smith, a dedicated PhD candidate who wants to convince her friend she's over her ex. To do so, she claims she's in a relationship and kisses the first man she can find… who just so happens to be broody biology professor Adam Carlsen (Tom Bateman). Despite Adam's legendary sternness, he agrees to enter a fake relationship with Olive. Of course, anyone who's ever watched a rom-com knows those feelings won't be fake for long, and things will heat up faster than you can say "Bunsen burner." — B.E.

Starring: Lili Reinhart, Tom Bateman, Rachel Marsh, Jaboukie Young-White, Nicholas Duvernay, and Arty Froushan

How to watch: The Love Hypothesis premieres Sept. 23 on Prime Video.

Primetime

Based on Luke Dittrich's Esquire article "Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die," Primetime is a thriller from director Lance Oppenheim (Ren Faire) that seems to examine the phenomenon of To Catch A Predator through the lens of Nightcrawler.

This thriller stars Robert Pattinson as Chris Hansen, the American journalist and TV presenter who headlined the Dateline program on which alleged pedophiles were snared with TV cameras rolling. Last year, the documentary Predators explored how Hansen's work was more problematic than it might seem. Now Primetime looks like it'll crack this discourse wide open with star power and an A24 sheen of prestige. — K.P.

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, and Phoebe Bridgers

How to watch: Primetime opens in theaters on Sept. 25.

Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother

When Mahershala Ali and writer/director Bassam Tariq realized the MCU's Blade movie wasn't happening, they found a new way to work together with the promising action drama Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother.

Ali stars as Latif, a Muslim family man who is also a hit man dedicated to protecting his community from outside threats. However, the death of his wife pitches Latif into the role of sole parent. But his path of violence is not one so easily left behind. So, as he battles to get what his three children need, he must also face down hired guns and a charismatic cult leader, played by John Cho.

There are a lot of exciting titles hitting this fall. But we're predicting this one is in the must-see category. — K.P.

Starring: Mahershala Ali, John Cho, Giancarlo Esposito, Abubakr Ali, Tramell Tillman, Tiffany Boone, and Laith Nakli

How to watch: Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother will make its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, then opens in limited theatrical release in the U.S. on Sept. 25, expanding on Oct. 2, and going wide on Oct. 9.

Never After Dark

Written and directed by Dave Boyle, Never After Dark was one of the most thrilling horror movies out of SXSW 2026.

In my review, I reveled, "There's something sublime about a really good ghost story, and I'm pleased to say Never After Dark is a really good ghost story. 

"From House of Ninjas' writer/director Dave Boyle comes a horror thriller that has the slow burn of '70s classics like The Shining and The Exorcist. Like those searing horror legends, Never After Dark also centers its story of supernatural infestation in one location. The forest-bound bed-and-breakfast of Never After Dark might seem an unremarkable space, much like the Overlook Hotel or the MacNeil home at first glance. But as the chilling story develops, its many-windowed exterior grows foreboding, and its wood-paneled interiors slyly sinister, suggesting the presence of something inhuman and dangerous... A shrewdly paced mystery with mounting horror and gore, Never After Dark is sensationally spooky and devilishly entertaining." — K.P.

Starring: Moeka Hoshi, Kurumi Inagaki, Kento Kaku, Tae Kimura, Bokuzō Masana, and Mutsuo Yoshioka

How to watch: Never After Dark opens in theaters Sept. 25.

The Incomer

One of my favorites out of Sundance 2026, The Incomer is a quirky comedy about what happens when a stranger comes a near abandoned Scottish isle populated by two siblings who are fixated on folklore and strange homespun traditions. This might sound like a horror movie, but in the hands of writer/director Louis Paxton it plays out as a weird and heart-warming comedy.

A mop-topped Domhnall Gleeson stars as a socially awkward official who's tasked with traveling to this little island to evict its only remaining residents. But Isla (Gayle Rankin) and her brother Sandy (Grant O'Rourke) were taught to never trust incomers, so he gets a colorful reception, to put it mildly. From there, bonds grow amid much silliness. — K.P.

Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Gayle Rankin, Grant O'Rourke, Emun Elliott, and Michelle Gomez

How to watch: The Incomer opens in theaters Sept. 25.

October 2026 movie releases

Verity

Anne Hathaway is doing the most this year! She's already brought us the surreal splendor of Mother Mary, the fashion fun of The Devil Wears Prada 2, and the wailing rage of The Odyssey. Next, she's returning to psychosexual thrills with Verity. (We haven't forgotten Neon's Mother's Instinct.)

Based on Colleen Hoover's popular novel of the same name, Verity stars Dakota Johnson as struggling writer Lowen Ashleigh, who's hired to ghostwrite for bestselling author Verity Crawford (Hathaway). But it's far from your average ghostwriting gig. You see, Lowen's invited to come live in Crawford's house, alongside Verity's husband Jeremy (Josh Hartnett), while Verity is comatose in her bed after a car collision.

And as you might guess from the trailer, things get a bit gothic horror with a touch of romance. And in a curious twist, Verity is being helmed by Michael Showalter, best known for comedies like Wet Hot American Summer, The Idea of You (also a Hathaway joint), and Oh. What. Fun. What does that mean for this movie? We're giddy to find out. — K.P.

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson, and Josh Hartnett

How to watch: Verity opens in theaters Oct 2.

Beware Boiúna

An ancient serpentine predator lies in slumber, deep in the Amazon, in this Anaconda-style creature survival horror from director Mike P. Nelson (V/H/S/85; Silent Night, Deadly Night). 

Beware Boiúna sees a group on a medical mission into the South American rainforest hunted by a rudely awakened, mythical, semiaquatic reptile. Kiana Madeira (Fear Street), Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day), and Logan Marshall-Green (Upgrade) disturb the slumber of Boiúna, whose bite is way worse than her non-existent bark. Written by Nelson with his Wrong Turn collaborator Alan B. McElroy and Doom: Annihilation's Tony Giglio, this film feels meant to be bravely watched in cinemas behind an enormous popcorn bucket. — S.C.

Starring: Kiana Madeira, Jessica Rothe, and Logan Marshall-Green

How to watch: Beware Boiúna opens in theaters Oct. 2.

Animals

Aside from his skills as a brooding leading man, Ben Affleck has also distinguished himself as a director, helming scorchingly riveting thrillers such as Gone Baby Gone, The Town, and Argo. So, we're pretty pumped to see Animals, which marks his return to the role of actor/director.

This crime thriller stars Affleck as Mark Kimball, a Los Angeles mayoral candidate whose world is thrown into spin when his young son is kidnapped. He and his wife (Kerry Washington) have invested their wealth into his campaign. So, to get together a ransom quick, they'll have to get their hands dirty. — K.P.

Starring: Ben Affleck, Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson, Adriana Paz, Ray Fisher, Matt Gerald, Luis Gerardo Méndez, and Steven Yeun

How to watch: Animals debuts in select theaters and on Netflix Oct. 9.

Matchbox: The Movie

Yup, Matchbox cars now have their own movie. John Cena stars as a spy who reconnects with his childhood friends, accidentally looping them into a dangerous mission to clear his name when he's framed for the theft of a nuclear weapon.

Got all that? Don't sweat it. Take a look at the cast and the trailer, and trust that Matchbox: The Movie is gearing up to bring exciting action with much silliness, and many flashy vehicles. — K.P.

Starring: John Cena, Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Arturo Castro, and Teyonah Parris

How to watch: Matchbox: The Movie debuts on Apple TV on Oct. 9.

Tenzing

Tom Hiddleston and Genden Phuntsok in "Tenzing." Credit: Apple TV

Plenty know the story of Sir Edmund Hillary, who summited Mount Everest. But fewer know of Tenzing Norgay, the Nepalese Indian sherpa who got him there.

Director Jennifer Peedom has previously helmed documentaries Sherpa and Mountain, and now brings that awareness of mountaineering and Norgay's legacy to Tenzing. Genden Phuntsok stars as the eponymous historical figure, while Tom Hiddleston plays Hillary. And we can't wait to see the emotional heights they'll reach together. — K.P.

Starring: Genden Phuntsok, Tom Hiddleston, Willem Dafoe, Caitríona Balfe, and Thinley Lhamo

How to watch: Tenzing opens in select theaters Oct. 9, before debuting globally on Apple TV Oct. 16.

The Social Reckoning

First there was The Social Network, a docudrama that laid bare the origins of Facebook and the ruthless ambition of Mark Zuckerberg. Now comes The Social Reckoning, a companion film that digs into the whistleblower story of Frances Haugen.

Aaron Sorkin, who wrote the screenplay for David Fincher's The Social Network, is back, writing and directing this follow-up. Jeremy Strong takes on the role of Zuckerberg, while Academy Award winner Mikey Madison plays Haugen, and The Bear's Jeremy Allen White plays investigative tech reporter Jeff Horwitz. It's giving prestige, and it may well make you second-guess your Facebook account. — K.P.

Starring: Mikey Madison, Jeremy Allen White, Wunmi Mosaku, Betty Gilpin, Billy Magnussen, Bill Burr, and Jeremy Strong

How to watch: The Social Reckoning opens in theaters Oct. 9.

Musk

Credit: AP / Bleecker Street Media

Academy Award–winning documentarian Alex Gibney has tackled corruption, unchecked greed, and high-profile fraudsters with films like The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, and Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer. Now, he's locked onto technocrat and CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and X, Elon Musk.

There's no trailer for this one yet. But based on Gibney's heralded filmography, we're betting Musk will be more The Jinx, less Melania. — K.P.

How to watch: Musk opens in theaters on Oct. 16.

Sense and Sensibility

Director Georgia Oakley (Blue Jean) and screenwriter Diana Reid adapt Jane Austen's 1811 novel about two very different sisters seeking a match in Regency-era England.

After the death of their father, the rigorously rational Elinor Dashwood (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her impulsive younger sister Marianne (Esmé Creed-Miles) are eager to find a husband. But they're looking for something more rare than financial security. They're looking for love in a world of infuriatingly righteous gentlemen and unfortunately sexy rogues. — K.P.

Starring: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Esmé Creed-Miles, Caitríona Balfe, Bodhi Rae Breathnach, Frank Dillane, Herbert Nordrum, George MacKay, and Fiona Shaw

How to watch: Sense and Sensibility opens in theaters on Oct. 16.

Street Fighter

Get ready to brawl with Ryu (Andrew Koji), Ken (Noah Centineo), Chun-Li (Callina Liang), and more when Street Fighter punches its way into theaters this fall.

The film adaptation of the hit video game franchise reveals that former friends Ryu and Ken are now estranged. However, when Chun-Li recruits them for the World Warrior Tournament, they'll have to team up to uncover a sinister conspiracy. Cue a series of badass battles, along with a rogue's gallery of Street Fighter villains like M. Bison (David Dastmalchian), Balrog (Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson), and Akuma (Joe "Roman Reigns" Anoa'i). Oh, and you know there's going to be a Hadouken in the mix. — B.E.

Starring: Noah Centineo, Andrew Koji, Callina Liang, Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa'i, David Dastmalchian, Cody Rhodes, Andrew Schulz, Eric André, Vidyut Jammwal, Orville Peck, Olivier Richters, Hirooki Goto, Rayna Vallandingham, Alexander Volkanovski, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, and Jason Momoa

How to watch: Street Fighter opens in theaters on Oct. 16.

Klara and the Sun

Here comes the sun… Klara and the Sun, that is. Jenna Ortega and Taika Waititi team up to bring Kazuo Ishiguro's acclaimed sci-fi novel to the big screen.

Set in a dystopian future, Klara and the Sun stars Ortega as Klara, an Artificial Friend (AF) who wants to find a friend of her own. She gets one in Josie (Mia Tharia), an isolated young woman with a complicated relationship with her mother Chrissie (Amy Adams). Can Klara be the force of change Josie and her family need to start healing? — B.E.

Starring: Jenna Ortega, Amy Adams, Mia Tharia, Aran Murphy, Natasha Lyonne, Steve Buscemi, Rachel House, Harry Greenwood, and Sophia Bryant-Taukiri

How to watch: Klara and the Sun opens in theaters on Oct. 23.

Wicker

Alexander Skarsgård, Pillion star and patron saint of horny cinema, returns this fall with Wicker.

Based on Ursula Wills-Jones' short story The Wicker Husband, this romantic fantasy from writers/directors Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson stars Academy Award winner Olivia Colman as a medieval fisherwoman who's been ostracized from the village due to the intense odor of her labors. So, she goes to a Basket Weaver (Peter Dinklage) to make her a mate out of wicker. And he makes literal husband material in the form of a wicker man, played by Skarsgård.

Make room on your Hear Me Out cake. We won't judge. — K.P.

Starring: Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, Peter Dinklage, and Elizabeth Debicki

How to watch: Wicker opens in theaters on Oct. 23.

Wildwood

For years, animation studio LAIKA has gifted us with gorgeous stop-motion adventures like Coraline, ParaNorman, and Kubo and the Two Strings. Its next film, the fairy tale epic Wildwood, looks like its most ambitious yet.

Based on the novel by The Decemberists' front man Colin Meloy, Wildwood whisks audiences to Portland, Oregon, where headstrong teenager Prue McKeel (voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee) is about to embark on a magical journey. When a murder of crows abducts her baby brother Mac, Prue must venture into an enchanted forest known as the Impassable Wilderness. Within lurk talking animals, bandits, and the mysterious and powerful Alexandra (voiced by Carey Mulligan). Every trailer for Wildwood has been more astounding than the last, full of beautifully crafted puppets, sets, and battle scenes. If you want pure, handmade movie magic, take a trip to Wildwood. — B.E.

Starring: Peyton Elizabeth Lee, Jacob Tremblay, Carey Mulligan, Mahershala Ali, Awkwafina, Angela Bassett, Jake Johnson, Charlie Day, Amandla Stenberg, Jemaine Clement, Maya Erskine, Tantoo Cardinal, Tom Waits, and Richard E. Grant

How to watch: Wildwood opens in theaters on Oct. 23.

November 2026 movie releases

Being Heumann

From Siân Heder, the director behind the Best Picture Oscar winner CODA, comes Being Heumann, a biographical drama about Judith Heumann, an advocate known as the mother of the disability rights movement.

An adaptation of her memoir Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist, this movie focuses on the 1977 sit-in that began as an impulsive political action, and became the longest occupation of a federal building in American history. Sounds like a stirring drama that could well return Heder to the Oscar campaign trail. — K.P.

Starring: Ruth Madeley, Mark Ruffalo, Dylan O'Brien, Rob Delaney, and Ray Fisher

How to watch: Being Heumann opens in select theaters on Nov. 6, then debuts on Apple TV on Nov. 13.

Wild Horse Nine

Playwright/filmmaker Martin McDonagh has thrilled critics and audiences with his deeply dark comedies, like In Bruges; Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri; and The Banshees of Inisherin. Now he returns with Wild Horse Nine, which reunites him with Sam Rockwell, who won an Oscar for his supporting turn in Three Billboards.

Set before the 1973 Chilean coup, Wild Horse Nine centers on two CIA agents, Lee (Rockwell) and Chris (John Malkovich), who are sent to Easter Island. There, they grapple with their dark pasts and present doubts. And things get more complicated when Chris connects with a duo of rebellious students. What could happen? Based on McDonagh's filmography, we're going to guess violent blows, biting jokes, and stinging bitterness. — K.P.

Starring: John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi, Mariana Di Girolamo, Ailín Salas, Tom Waits, and Parker Posey

How to watch: Wild Horse Nine opens in theaters on Nov. 6.

Victorian Psycho

If you like your comedy black as night, you'll cackle gleefully at Victorian Psycho.

Author Virginia Feito wrote the adapted screenplay, based on her novel of the same name, while Zachary Wigon (Sanctuary) directs Maika Monroe in the lead role. As you might guess from the title, the film follows a governess who has a homicidal streak.

In my review out of the Cannes International Film Festival, I cheered, "In the end, Victorian Psycho is a hoot, wildly fun, and unapologetically deranged on its surface. Then, just beneath that, Feito, Wigon, and Monroe weave a tapestry of class conflict, sexism, and trauma that urges audiences to probe deeper to understand that while Winifred is a monster, she was not born one." — K.P.

Starring: Maika Monroe, Thomasin McKenzie, Evie Templeton, Ruth Wilson, and Jason Isaacs

How to watch: Victorian Psycho opens in theaters on Nov. 13.

Elsinore

Andrew Scott as Ian Charleson in "Elsinore." Credit: Focus Features

Last year, Focus Features brought us Hamnet; now they bring us Elsinore, another Shakespeare-related drama sure to have audiences weeping.

Named for the kingdom in William Shakespeare's Hamlet, Elsinore is a biographical drama about acclaimed Scottish actor Ian Charleson. To film fans, he might be remembered best for his work in Chariots of Fire or Gandhi. However, to the British stage he was renowned for performances of numerous Shakespeare productions. This film however focuses on specifically on his last Hamlet. In 1989, Charleson played the melancholy Dane while suffering from the AIDS virus that would take his life the following year.

All of Us Strangers' Andrew Scott will take the lead as Charleson. So, have your tissues ready. — K.P.

Starring: Andrew Scott, Olivia Colman, Billie Piper, Johnny Flynn, Luke Thompson, Monica Dolan, and Juliet Stevenson

How to watch: Elsinore opens in select theaters on Nov. 20.

The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping

Return to the dystopian world of Panem in Sunrise on the Reaping, a Hunger Games prequel that shows us who Haymitch Abernathy was before he became Katniss and Peeta's cynical mentor.

Joseph Zada steps into Woody Harrelson's shoes as Haymitch, who gets reaped to participate in the 50th Hunger Games on his 16th birthday. Since it's a Quarter Quell, the Capitol has thrown yet another sadistic twist into its child murder propaganda. This time around, there will be double the number of contestants in the suspiciously beautiful arena. Obviously, Hunger Games fans know that Haymitch will make it out alive. But the journey to victory is filled with heartbreak and twists aplenty, as well as resonant themes about revolution and implicit submission. If it's even half as good as Suzanne Collins' novel, we're in for a real treat. — B.E.

Starring: Joseph Zada, Jesse Plemons, Ralph Fiennes, Glenn Close, Kieran Culkin, Elle Fanning, Mckenna Grace, Maya Hawke, Whitney Peak, and Kelvin Harrison Jr.

How to watch: The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping opens in select theaters on Nov. 20.

December 2026 movie releases

Ink

Jack O’Connell and Guy Pearce star in "Ink." Credit: Netflix

English filmmaker Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, 28 Years Later) reunites with Jack O'Connell for Ink.

Based on the 2017 stage play by James Graham, this biographical drama explores the work relationship between media magnate Rupert Murdoch (Guy Pearce) and news editor Larry Lamb (O'Connell), who'd move from The Daily Mail to The Sun.

We've not seen Graham's play. But details on the premise, plus Boyle and his cast, have us ready to see Ink. — K.P.

Starring: Jack O’Connell, Guy Pearce, and Claire Foy

How to watch: Ink opens in select theaters on Dec. 11, then debuts on Netflix on Jan. 8, 2027.

Ray Gunn

Credit: Skydance Animation / Netflix

Before Brad Bird directed animated classics like The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille, he had the idea for Ray Gunn, a blend of sci-fi and film noir. Thirty years later, that passion project finally comes to the screen on Netflix.

Ray Gunn transports viewers to Metropia, a futuristic metropolis of flying cars, aliens, and mile-high skyscrapers. Here, down-on-his luck private investigator Ray Gunn (voiced by Sam Rockwell) gets embroiled in a major case involving music superstar Venus Nova (voiced by Scarlett Johansson). Brace yourself for big twists, zippy action sequences, and an animated city you'll want to get lost in. — B.E.

Starring: Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johansson, and Tom Waits

How to watch: Ray Gunn premieres Dec. 18 on Netflix.

Werwulf

American writer/director Robert Eggers has offered horror fans the grisly tales of The Witch, The Lighthouse, The Northman, Nosferatu, and now Werwulf.

Set in 13th-century England, his latest reteams him with Nosferatu cast members Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Willem Dafoe, and Lily-Rose Depp. Together, they unfurl a story of a man turned ravenous beast as only Eggers can. — K.P.

Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Willem Dafoe, and Lily-Rose Depp

How to watch: Werwulf opens in theaters Dec. 25.

AdultFriendFinder is not only one of the steamiest, wildest hookup sites, it's also among the most widely used. That's been the case for literally decades. Indeed, AFF is one of the OG hookup sites. But all that experience in the dating world can't stop the AI chatbots — the site is notorious for its swarms of bots, fake profiles, and scammers. Using AFF requires awareness and an understanding of how to navigate it safely.

If you've got a modicum of internet smarts — or even some experience of being targeted by scams and phishers (seriously, just check your email inbox, you're almost certainly targeted) — you should be able to avoid the bad actors and AI bots, even in this age of constantly evolving AI.

To help you protect yourself, we've put together a guide of the three types of AI chatbots you'll most commonly find on AdultFriendFinder. Keep reading to learn how to spot them and safely indulge in NSFW fun.

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Credit: AdultFriendFinder

AdultFriendFinder

 

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The promotional chatbot

The most common type of bot you'll find on AFF is the promotional bot. And for the most part, they're largely harmless. But, of course, harmless bots can still be an annoying waste of your time.

Promotional bots are designed to direct traffic to a specific location, such as a Linktree, OnlyFans account, or even just an Instagram page. They're not as nefarious as hardline scammers — they operate more like advertisements.

They usually declare their intentions (something along the lines of "Visit this page to see my private content"), but occasionally they take a page from the scamming chatbot playbook (see below) by engaging you in superficial conversation before directing you to click a link. 

You're very unlikely to encounter promotional chatbots in one-on-one conversations through the AFF matchmaking system, since that requires a paid account. But you will run into them in the more public areas, especially the live webcam shows. 

Your best approach is to just ignore them completely. So, if you do happen to find a webcam performer who interests you, verify the destination address of the link before clicking, just to be sure you're not being directed to a malicious site. 

The scamming chatbot

AFF has an account verification system (known as ConfirmID) and one-on-one chats that are strictly limited to paying members only. That means you're unlikely to have chatbots sliding into your DMs — but it's not unheard of.

AI chatbots are a relatively easy way for scammers to scale up their schemes, since outsourcing phishing expeditions to AI can enable them to reach hundreds or even thousands more people. Worse still, these chatbots are getting better and more sophisticated all the time, making them harder to identify and deal with. They can hold conversations and even crack jokes, which is a notable change from even just five years ago, when most chatbots failed the Turing test within minutes. The latest AI models can hold a back-and-forth conversation for some time — it can be hard to tell the difference between a real person and a bot.

There are two major red flags to look out for that indicate you're talking to a scammer. First off, they may attempt to create a sense of urgency, either by telling you a dramatic story or appealing to your sympathy (think of the kind of scammer stories that ask you to send money because the scammer pretends to be stuck in some kind of emergency). Then they'll ask you to click a link or take the conversation to a third-party chat program. 

As soon as this happens, the best thing to do is immediately disengage. But if you're really uncertain, you can also ask the person to verify their identity, such as via a phone or video call. If they're resistant, you can rest assured they're a bot, not a human being.

The fake streamer

Larger webcam sites have been taken over by fake streams, but even smaller hosting platforms like AFF aren't immune to the problem. The scam works in one of two ways: either the streamer uses prerecorded videos, often of total strangers, to falsify their livestream, or they use generative AI and a low-quality feed to pass off a fake stream as a real one.

In both cases, the real scam happens in the comment section, where the streamer or AI agent requests tips or subscriptions, or tries to direct stream viewers to a third-party site for more content. 

The two major telltale signs of these types of scams are, first, the speed at which the "streamer" types in chat, and second, the obvious disconnect between the "streamer's" actions on webcam and the typing supposedly going on as they reply in the comment section.

AdultFriendFinder has two major cam offerings — the Member Webcams section and the Pro Models section. Of the two, the Pro Models section is the one that bots tend to infiltrate. Member Webcams rarely draw more than a dozen viewers, which means slim pickings for scammers. But pro feeds can attract hundreds of viewers, making them a more lucrative target for scammers. 

How to choose the best Bose headphones

Overall, Bose's headphones prioritize comfort and audio quality, and you really can't go wrong with any model. There are truly no bad products here. Having tested every product in this guide (and plenty more high-end audio products), we can verify that they're all high-performing options.

So, the bulk of your decision comes down to your personal preferences and budget. If you care deeply about audio quality and want a personalized experience, you'll want a pair of headphones that offers adaptive noise cancellation and spatial audio. For athletes or commuters who need to be aware of their surroundings, a pair of open earbuds that provide rich audio while letting you hear the world around you is great. And if you don't want to spend $450 on flagship headphones, Bose still has a few great options for a lot less.

So, here are the best Bose headphones of 2026, hands-on tested by Mashable staff:

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Credit: Canidae

Canidae Heartland

 

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Not every dog owner will have celebrated National Dog Day this week (Wednesday, Aug. 26), but we’re sure all good dog owners celebrate their dog every single day regardless. And for dog owners who like to both spoil their pup and keep them in the best possible shape, Canidae has released a brand-new line in wholesome, farm-raised dog food: Canidae Heartland, now available at Walmart

Perfect for doggos who like a little variety in their diet, Canidae Heartland comes in three flavors — farm-raised chicken, countryside lamb, and Pacific salmon. The chicken version also comes in a puppy variety, made specifically for puppies up to 12 months old.

All Canidae Heartland recipes provide farm-based nutrition, made with the Canidae belief that “every bowl can make a difference.” Hey, GRAMMY-nominated singer Walker Hayes has even released a song, Love is a Four-Legged Word, written in collaboration with Canidae Heartland, to mark the new line. And as a bonus, Canidae donates 1% of every purchase to support the American Red Cross.

Depending on the size of your dog — or how many dogs you’ve got in your house — you can choose from three sizes at Walmart: a 4lb bag at $10.97, a 10lb bag at $24.97, and a 47.97lb bag at $47.97.

Treat your dog with Canidae Heartland from Walmart this weekend.

The best deals from Bissell's Labor Day sale:

---

Best carpet cleaner deal

Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner

$89.99 (save $10)

Get Deal

---

Best stick vacuum deal

PowerClean DualBrush Cordless Stick Vacuum

$259.99 (save $100)

Get Deal

---

Best Hydrosteam cleaner deal

Bissell Revolution HydroSteam

$349.99 (save $50)

Get Deal

Labor Day sales are back, offering a whole stack of fresh deals on outdoor gear, power tools, mattresses, and much more. Leading vacuum cleaner brand Bissell has joined in the fun with a bunch of discounts on cleaning products, including advanced stick vacuums and carpet cleaners.

Some of the discounted items are already top sellers, so you can rely on their quality and performance. These cleaning products are popular for a reason. They get the job done. And with the Labor Day sale already live at Bissell, you can save up to $100. Here are some of our favorites:

Best carpet cleaner deal

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Credit: Bissell

Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner

$89.99 at Bissell
$99.99 Save $10

 

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Why we like it

Perfect for smaller homes and pet owners, the Little Green Mini Portable Carpet Cleaner is a scaled-down version of Bissell’s flagship carpet cleaning model. It’s also the brand’s lightest, most compact portable deep cleaner. It’s designed to spray, scrub, and shift stains entirely with surprisingly powerful suction. The size-and-power combo makes it especially good for spot-cleaning messes — particularly if you have messy kids or pets. It comes equipped with a HydroRinse hose tool and a 4-inch Tough Stain tool, both of which work on carpets, furniture, car interiors, and pet beds.

Best stick vacuum deal

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Credit: Bissell

Bissell PowerClean DualBrush Cordless Stick Vacuum

$349.99 at Bissell
$399.99 Save $50

 

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Why we like it

The PowerClean DualBrush Cordless Stick Vacuum is one of Bissell’s premium stick models, made all the better by an impressive $100 discount for Labor Day.

It’s essentially a 3-in-1 vacuum that converts between full-size and handheld modes, with two brush heads and a nozzle attachment to choose from. It uses both DualBrush Technology and AutoAdapt Power Boost, which detect dirt and automatically increase suction, giving you up to 75% more power. And pet owners will appreciate the FurFinder headlights, which help you locate hidden pet hair and other debris.

Best Hydrosteam cleaner deal

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Credit: Bissell

Bissell Revolution HydroSteam

$349.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $50

 

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Why we like it

The Bissell Revolution HydroSteam is one of the brand’s most powerful and innovative carpet cleaners. This upright machine delivers a deep clean using Hydrosteam Technology, which combines water, steam vapor, and a highly effective cleaning solution to tackle embedded dirt and tough stains. You can also crank up the power with its even more powerful SteamWash Max Clean Mode. And as with other Bissell models, it’s tested and proven for pet homes, with DirtLifter brush heads packed with 12 rows of bristles and a 2-in-1 pet upholstery tool.

TL;DR: The Apple iPhone 17 is free from T-Mobile when you trade in your eligible phone on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan. The Apple iPhone 17 Pro is also free with T-Mobile — claim by bringing your number on an Experience Beyond plan (no trade-in needed).

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Credit: Apple

T-Mobile: Free iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro

 

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Apple is dominating the tech news cycle. What's new?

All we hear right now is news, leaks, and rumors around the iPhone 18. Will the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max drop next month? Will the iPhone 18 actually drop next year? Is everything going to arrive with price increases due to soaring component costs and global RAM shortages?

Forget all about that for now, because T-Mobile has dropped a string of impressive deals on the iPhone 17 range.

If you want the simplest entry point into the Apple ecosystem, the iPhone 17e is currently free when you switch to almost any qualifying T-Mobile plan (no trade-in required). The iPhone 17 is completely free over 36 months on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan when you turn in an eligible trade-in device. And if you want the iPhone 17 Pro for free, simply bring your existing number over to an Experience Beyond plan (no trade-in required).

All of these deals are live through the weekend. You know what to do.

T-Mobile requires you to pay local sales tax on the phone's full retail value upfront, along with a standard $35 device connection fee per line at checkout. That's a small price to pay for the latest iPhone (for now).

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

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Groupsy by Photobucket

 

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We all love photos of family and friends. Just take a look at your camera roll. Chances are it’s absolutely packed with pics of the people you love the most. And if you’re a habitual photo sharer, it’s great to have a platform where you can post photos and videos so those same loved ones can enjoy them as much as you do. 

Sure, sharing pics with one pal at a time via the likes of WhatsApp is fine, but we recommend Groupsy by Photobucket, a new social platform.

Best of all, Groupsy offers a free plan (not a free trial, but a truly free plan) for groups to create private social spaces to post photos and videos, allowing you and your people to share special memories and moments. 

Groupsy is an evolution of Photobucket, upgrading the platform from basic photo storage to a private social and sharing platform for family, friends, and groups — whether it’s a group of loved ones, classmates, your weekend sports team, or the fan club you belong to.

It's simple to use, too. You create your own private groups, where you can upload photos and videos from your library. Group members can react and comment on your photos and videos. It supports syncing and sharing across devices, and works with both WhatsApp and Meta.

Visit Groupsy by Photobucket to sign up for your free plan. 

Lego’s Super Mario range has been one of the biggest surprises of the last few years. What initially looked like a gimmicky Lego theme has grown — like Mario after chomping a mushroom — into a hugely fun and innovative collection that captures all the retro magic of Nintendo games.

Now, Lego has reimagined its entire range with a batch of 2027 sets that include a new selection of minifigures. This is the first time that minifigures have featured in the Super Mario range — an exciting debut for collectors.

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Credit: Lego

Fire Mario & Bowser's Castle (72060)

$89.99 at Lego

 

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Moving away from the interactive, app-based play of previous sets, these new builds focus on classic Lego construction and role-play fun. These sets, recently revealed at the gamescom trade show in Cologne, are based on characters and environments from the Super Mario and Mario Kart universes.

Credit: Lego

The new sets include Mario's Pipe Jump (72052), which has the first-time-ever classic Super Mario minifigure and a Goomba. It has a built-in lever for catapulting the Goomba. You can also get a first-ever Yoshi minifigure with Yoshi at Mario's House (72057).

Luigi arrives with added firepower in the Fire Luigi vs. Koopa Troopa Battle (72061) set, with a cannon for shooting Luigi into a Koopa Troopa. You can even take Mario surfing with Mario’s Beach Adventures (72055).

Credit: Lego

There’s Racing with Mario (72054), based on the much-loved Mario Kart. The set includes obstacles from the game — including a banana skin and shells — and the kart has a built-in launcher to fire those shells. 

There are other Mario Kart-themed sets, too: Luigi & Bowser Jr.'s Race (72056) — with minifigures of Luigi and Bowser Jr. in their karts — and Bowser's Rumbling Race (72058), featuring Bowser and Toad minifigures.

But the big showpiece of this new selection is the 850-piece Fire Mario & Bowser's Castle (72060), a fortress model that comes with Fire Mario, Bowser, and Peach, recreating Mario's classic princess rescue from the OG Nintendo game.

These all-new Lego Super Mario sets will be available from Lego.com and Lego stores from Jan. 1, 2027. They are priced as follows:

• Mario's Pipe Jump (72052) — $9.99

• Racing with Mario (72054) — $14.99

• Mario’s Beach Adventures (72055) — $19.99

• Luigi & Bowser Jr.'s Race (72056) — $29.99

• Fire Luigi vs. Koopa Troopa Battle (72061) — $29.99

• Yoshi at Mario's House (72057) — $39.99

• Bowser's Rumbling Race (72058) — $59.99

• Fire Mario & Bowser's Castle (72060) — $89.99

TL;DR: Watch Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest in the Premier League for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Premier League is so back. The first round of fixtures delivered everything we've come to expect from (arguably) the most exciting league in the world. We got shock results, stunning goals, and plenty of controversy. We're primed for more of the same this weekend.

Liverpool started their campaign with a somewhat fortunate draw against Newcastle. Next, they face Nottingham Forest at home, a game that fans will expect them to win. Forest lost their opening fixture to Leeds United, so Oliver Glasner will be desperate to pick up some points.

If you're interested in watching Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest in the Premier League from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest?

Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest in the Premier League kicks off at 7:30 a.m. ET on Aug. 23. This fixture takes place at Anfield.

How to watch Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest for free

Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest in the Premier League is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, 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 Brazil, meaning you can live stream Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest for free by following these simple steps:

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

2. Download the app to your device of choice

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

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest for free from anywhere in the world

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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 generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus more Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the Premier League?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on CazéTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• 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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Now that the Full Moon has passed, the lunar cycle is back in its waning phase. This means that each night the Moon will appear a little less illuminated. This will happen every night until we reach the New Moon.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Saturday, Aug. 29, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in Waning Gibbous phase, with 99% of its surface visible.

You don't need to invest in expensive equipment to be able to spot features on the Moon's surface. In fact, tonight with just your naked eye, you'll be able to see the Mare Serenitatis, the Copernicus Crater, and the Oceanus Procellarum. If you do have equipment already, such as binoculars, these will help you to see the Endymion and Posidonius Craters, as well as the Mare Nectaris. If you have access to a telescope, you'll also be able to see the Apollo 15 and 16 landing spots, and the Rupes Altai.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on September 26.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon's appearance changes throughout the month as it moves through its different phases. It takes roughly 29.5 days for the Moon to complete one full cycle as it orbits Earth, according to NASA. The phase we see depends on the Moon's position relative to the Sun and Earth, which determines how much of its sunlit side is visible to us. Over the course of the cycle, the Moon changes from a slim crescent to a half Moon and eventually a Full Moon, before beginning the process again.

The eight phases are:

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.

TL;DR: Watch SV Elversberg vs. Leverkusen in the Bundesliga for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Bundesliga kicks off for a second day of German soccer action, with SV 07 Elversberg hosting Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

For SV Elversberg fans, this match is a huge occasion. In the past five years, the team has won promotion across three German soccer tiers, including promotion from the second tier last season. That makes this showdown with Leverkusen their first-ever game in the Bundesliga. Can SV Elversberg score a win and prove they're ready for top-flight competition?

If you're interested in watching SV Elversberg vs. Leverkusen in the Bundesliga from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is SV Elversberg vs. Leverkusen?

SV Elversberg vs. Leverkusen in the Bundesliga kicks off at 9.30 a.m. ET on Aug. 29. This fixture takes place at Waldstadion an der Kaiserlinde, Spiesen-Elversberg.

How to watch SV Elversberg vs. Leverkusen for free

SV Elversberg vs. Leverkusen in the Bundesliga is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, 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 Brazil, meaning you can live stream SV Elversberg vs. Leverkusen for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream SV Elversberg vs. Leverkusen for free by following these simple steps:

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

2. Download the app to your device of choice

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

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch SV Elversberg vs. Leverkusen 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 generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch SV Elversberg vs. Leverkusen without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Bundesliga?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on CazéTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• 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

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Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

Alternator meaning

An electrical generator.

Battery meaning

A device that produces electricity.

Engine meaning

A machine that changes energy into movement.

Radiator meaning

A device that heats a space.

Control meaning

To have power over something or someone.

Escape meaning

To get away.

Shift meaning

A sudden change.

Space meaning

An open area.

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Chopped meaning

Cut into pieces.

Greek meaning

From Greece.

House meaning

A dwelling.

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Wedge meaning

A dividing force.

At last meaning

Finally.

Herald meaning

To proclaim an event.

Hydrant meaning

A public water pipe.

Tritone meaning

A musical interval made of three tones.

Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you're a fan of baseball.

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.

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 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.

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: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: To box

• Green: Legendary big man nicknames

• Blue: Famous White Sox

• Purple: US-based sports and games

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Boxing Terms

• Green: Nicknames of Hall of Fame Centers, With "The"

• Blue: White Sox in the Hall of Fame

• Purple: American____

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 #705 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Boxing Terms: CROSS, HOOK, JAB, UPPERCUT

• Nicknames of Hall of Fame Centers, With "The": ADMIRAL, BIG ARISTOTLE, BIG DIPPER, DREAM

• White Sox in the Hall of Fame: FISK, FOX, MINOSO, THOMAS

• American____: FOOTBALL, LEAGUE, NINJA WARRIOR, PHAROAH

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.

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

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 August 29 Pips

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed horizontally.

Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally.

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed horizontally.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for August 29 Pips

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

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 0-6, placed horizontally.

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

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for August 29 Pips

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

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

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally; 0-6, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed horizontally; 2-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed vertically; 2-1, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 6-3, placed vertically.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 5-2, placed vertically.

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

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

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 5-2, 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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a mechanic.

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: Auto parts

• Green: Leafy meals

• Blue: Type it up

• Purple: Ancient stories

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Under the hood of a car

• Green: Kinds of salad

• Blue: Keyboard keys

• Purple: Starting with figures from Greek myth

Play our Big Guessing Game: Make your predictions now for a chance to win a new Apple Watch. Time's running out!

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 #1174 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Under the hood of a car: ALTERNATOR, BATTERY, ENGINE, RADIATOR

• Kinds of salad: CHOPPED, GREEK, HOUSE, WEDGE

• Keyboard keys: CONTROL, ESCAPE, SHIFT, SPACE

• Starting with figures from Greek myth: AT LAST, HERALD, HYDRANT, TRITONE

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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're a good cook.

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: Now we're cooking!

The words are adjectives related to food.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe food noises.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Sounds Tasty.

NYT Strands word list for August 29

• Splatter

• Crackle

• Sounds Tasty

• HIss

• Gurgle

• Bubble

• Sizzle

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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're a healthcare worker.

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 bodily fluid.

Play our Big Guessing Game: Make your predictions now for a chance to win a new Apple Watch. Time's running out!

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter O appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter B.

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...

BLOOD

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.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

A natural clay pigment.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

OCHRE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A group.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

BUNCH

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A courtesy.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

FAVOR

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A spicy alcoholic drink.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

TODDY

Final Hurdle hint

Unhealthy.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

FATTY

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

Nevada can ban the prediction market platform Kalshi from operating in the state, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday.

In March 2025, the Nevada Gaming Control Board sent a cease-and-desist letter to Kalshi, arguing that the company operated a sports betting platform in the state, in violation of Nevada gaming regulations.

Kalshi disagreed, characterizing itself as a "designated contract market" (DCM) that offers legal sports event contracts, or "swaps." Nonetheless, its own marketing copy advertised Kalshi as "the first app for legal sports betting in all 50 states," according to the ruling.

"The substance of the sports event contracts offered on Kalshi’s DCM is sports gambling, regardless of whether Kalshi calls them swaps," Judge Ryan D. Nelson wrote in the opinion.

The judges' unanimous 3-0 decision spells trouble for Kalshi and other prediction market companies that allow people to effectively gamble on sports.

"This completely vindicates what we have been saying all along," Mike Dreitzer, Nevada Gaming Control Board Chairman, said in a statement. "This is sports betting and needs to be properly regulated by the state."

Kalshi spokeswoman Dani Lever said the company will seek further review, according to the Nevada Independent.

At the heart of the matter is whether, as Kalshi argued, the Commodity Exchange Act, a federal law that regulates the trading of commodity futures, preempts state gaming regulations as they apply to swaps.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals concluded the CEA didn't preempt state regulation. Still, a separate earlier decision from Philadelphia's Third Circuit backed Kalshi's position.

Zach Fulton, a spokesman for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the federal regulatory agency for the industry, told the New York Times that the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals "erred" in its decision.

"The Ninth Circuit has now teed up a circuit split that calls out for resolution by the Supreme Court," he said.

If the weather plays nice, NASA plans to launch its next flagship space observatory this Sunday, and viewers can watch the coverage live online from home. 

NASA and SpaceX are targeting the launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope no earlier than 7:26 a.m. ET on Aug. 30 at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The infrared telescope's ride, a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, will lift off from the historic Launch Complex 39A pad, the same that sent Apollo 11 and the maiden voyage of the Space Shuttle into orbit. 

• Play our Big Guessing Game: Make your predictions now for a chance to win a new Apple Watch. Time's running out! 

Roman, with a lifecycle cost of about $4.3 billion, combines Hubble-like sharpness with a field of view at least 100 times larger, allowing scientists to map billions of galaxies, probe dark energy and dark matter, and discover exoplanets at an unprecedented scale. 

The telescope sees the universe in infrared light, which human eyes cannot see. Its wide surveys let astronomers track how structures, such as stars, galaxies, and galaxy clusters, grow over time, as well as measure how the universe expands. 

Mission planners expect Roman images from a major survey to include more than 2 billion galaxies and, over time, reveal tens of thousands of supernova explosions and many new planets. 

On launch day, NASA plans a full suite of coverage. The U.S. space agency will stream commentary and views of the rocket on NASA TV and its Youtube channel, beginning at 6:20 a.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 30. Simultaneously, viewers can monitor live updates on the Roman launch blog. 

Or, you can bookmark this story, and watch the event unfold live at the broadcast below: 

Members of the public can also sign up to be "virtual guests" of the launch. The program sends launch information, notices about schedule changes, and a digital stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport afterward. 

As the launch provider, SpaceX also plans to provide live launch coverage from its website and on X, the social platform also owned by SpaceX founder Elon Musk. 

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After separation from the rocket, Roman heads for the second sun–Earth Lagrange point, or L2, about 1 million miles away from Earth. This is also the James Webb Space Telescope's home. From there, the mission teams plan a five-year primary science phase, with a goal of operating for 10 years. 

Each launch window for the mission is instantaneous, meaning the rocket must lift off at an exact second. Even a minor delay on the launch pad requires a complete cancellation for the day. That strict time constraint is based on orbital geometry and physics. 

If for any reason NASA must postpone or scrub the launch, there is a backup opportunity at 7:22 a.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 31.

The Hamptons’ most talked-about dinner party of the summer will have to wait a little bit longer.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s closely watched dinner honoring OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has been postponed, according to The New York Times. The private gathering was originally scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 29, at Paltrow’s home in Amagansett, New York.

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No reason for the postponement was given, so it is unclear whether the online backlash surrounding the event had anything to do with the change. Sources told the Times that the dinner is still expected to happen within the next few weeks, although a new date has not been set.

Still, the delay adds another twist to a dinner that became an internet spectacle before anyone had even taken a seat.

Guess what Apple will release in September in our Big Guessing Game: Apple edition. Enter now for a chance to win an Apple Watch!

As Mashable reported Aug. 21, Journalist Matthew Belloni first shared the invitation in his Puck newsletter, revealing that Paltrow planned to host a private, off-the-record conversation” with Altman, followed by dinner.

"I guess summers in the Hamptons just aren’t complete these days without sucking up to our new A.I. overlords," Belloni wrote. "Luckily, Gwyneth Paltrow has you covered."

From there, the backlash arrived quickly. The combination of a wellness mogul, one of the world’s most prominent AI executives, and an off-the-record Hamptons soirée struck some people as "tone-deaf." Other users criticized Paltrow for honoring the head of a company they say threatens the livelihoods of writers, actors, and other creative workers.

Paltrow, however, did not ignore the pile-on. Instead, she responded with an (apparently) AI-generated parody. In a cheeky Instagram carousel, she shared a series of fake invitations to dinners honoring M3GAN, Shrek, Jessica Rabbit, Sex and the City character Samantha Jones, and viral meme character Chanty Beluga. "We’re serving swordfish burritos, Cheddar foam lattes on request," Paltrow wrote in the caption.

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As strange as the original invitation may have seemed, the pairing did not come entirely out of nowhere. Paltrow already has ties to both OpenAI and the broader tech world. She reportedly backed OpenAI through Kindred Ventures in 2023 and is friends with Charles Porch, the company’s vice president of global creative partnerships, who helped arrange the dinner.

Paltrow has also recently shown that she knows how to turn a corporate controversy into internet content. After the viral Coldplay kiss-cam scandal involving Astronomer’s former CEO and chief people officer, the company temporarily hired Paltrow as a spokesperson for a tongue-in-cheek ad.

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So, no, the internet did not permanently scare AI away from the Hamptons. It just has to wait a few more weeks to find out whether Paltrow was serious about those cheddar foam lattes.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Some AI industry leaders, such as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, are obsessed with artificial general intelligence, or AGI. While the term has no universally agreed-upon definition, it generally refers to AI that can match or even surpass human cognitive abilities across a large range of tasks.

In a recent interview, Altman shared that OpenAI believes it will achieve AGI by the end of the year.

However, according to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, AI has, in some respects, already achieved AGI — and it's really no big deal.

Nvidia has become the darling of the tech industry in recent years. The company is an invaluable part of the AI industry because it produces many of the high-performance chips that power the technology.

During an earnings call on Aug. 26, Huang was asked about AGI in light of OpenAI's recent claims.

"For many tasks, we could say that we’ve already achieved AGI," Huang said. "I think of all of those milestones…they’re kind of senseless at this point."

Huang said the focus should be on whether AI is "doing productive and useful work." From a company perspective, Huang added that the concern should be about "generating profitable tokens."

It's unclear exactly what Huang meant when saying Nvidia has already achieved AGI. He pointed to AI’s evolution beyond simply responding to prompts, arguing that agents can now reflect on their performance, learn new skills, and improve their future output.

This is not the first time the Nvidia CEO has claimed the company has achieved AGI.

In a March 2026 interview, podcaster Lex Fridman asked whether an AI that could start, build, and run a billion-dollar company would be achievable within the next 20 years.

"I think it’s now. I think we’ve achieved AGI," Huang replied. 

However, Huang then qualified that claim, saying AI might be able to create a billion-dollar viral app but could not build a company like Nvidia. "The odds of 100,000 of those agents building Nvidia," he added, "is zero percent."

On a Friday afternoon in July, Kendall Jenner’s tequila brand 818 transformed The Surf Lodge’s waterfront beach club into a tequila lover’s paradise.

Guests sipped on one-too-many frozen 818 margaritas (made in Ninja SLUSHi machines) and cans of creator Alix Earle-backed cocktail brand SIPMARGS, cooled off with Shark’s new ChillPill handheld fans, and snacked on Popeyes chicken tenders — part of the fast-food chain’s summer-long partnership with The Surf Lodge. Creators including Halley Kate McGookin, Lilly Sisto, and Carly Weinstein mingled with media, customers, and friends of the brand as DJ duo Two Friends performed against the Montauk sunset.

Credit: Sansho Scott/BFA

Credit: Sansho Scott/BFA

The party marked National Tequila Day, but it was only one piece of 818’s "Best Summer Ever" campaign. Throughout the season, the brand served tequila and frozen slushies at bars out East and wrapped a jitney in 818 branding. The Hampton Jitney is the coach service that shuttles passengers between New York City and eastern Long Island. The brand also brought influencers and members of its online community to Montauk for a getaway that included two nights of accommodations — designed to look every bit as enviable online as it felt in person.

Credit: Sansho Scott/BFA

Credit: Sansho Scott/BFA

Elaborate as that may sound, 818 was hardly an outlier. Spend a summer weekend in the Hamptons, and there’s a decent chance you’ll encounter a brand activation before you find a parking spot.

SET Active took over Amagansett’s iconic Clam Bar for one night, promising lobster rolls, games, custom keychains, and early access to its Coastline collection. (More than 200 people marked themselves as attending.) Cowboy Colostrum brought several newly famous Love Island USA contestants to both Sag Harbor and Montauk for one of their first brand trips after leaving the villa. Armani Beauty gathered celebrities and creators at The Surf Lodge to introduce its new Dolci Blush. WashWise invited female founders, executives, and creators to a morning of yoga, cold plunges, saunas, and mini therapy sessions in Montauk.

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The list of activations goes on.

Of course, branded events in the affluent zipcode(s) are nothing new. This summer, however, the Hamptons calendar felt more saturated than ever. So how — and why — did this small stretch of Long Island become such a powerful stage for creator marketing?

"Consumers, creators, tastemakers, and media in one place"

The creator marketing industry is expanding quickly. U.S. spending on creator advertising is expected to reach $44 billion in 2026, up from $29.5 billion in 2024. Nearly half of the advertisers surveyed by IAB described creators as a "must buy," placing them behind only social media and paid search.

Sarah Janetti had a front-row seat to that packed calendar. The creator behind @sjeaats and author of the Substack Dish and Tell estimated that she attended at least 15 Hamptons brand events this summer, sometimes squeezing three into a single weekend.

Views from the Reunited Beauty yacht event Credit: Sarah Janetti

Janetti rattled off events from Kith and Vivrelle, Fleur du Mal, Creed, ORA Method, and Evolv, but the invitations varied almost as much as the brands. Some leaned into the Hamptons’ built-in glamour: Clean cosmetics label Reunited Beauty celebrated its launch aboard a yacht in Sag Harbor.

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Others were more family-friendly. Frozen-treat brand JonnyPops staged a pop-up at Amber Waves Farm, handing out complimentary pops and take-home boxes to visitors. "So many invitations centered on fitness," Janetti told Mashable, with brands using workout classes as a natural setting for creators to try activewear, wellness products, drinks, and beauty items.

Merchandise from Gurney's Montauk Credit: Sarah Janetti

Taken together, her schedule resembled a circuit: A creator could spend the morning at a branded workout, the afternoon at a pop-up, and the evening aboard a sponsored yacht, producing several distinct pieces of summer content before the weekend was over.

There’s clear intention behind this strategy. "The Hamptons is uniquely powerful because it brings together consumers, creators, tastemakers, and media in one place," Jenny Brown, executive creative director at 818, told Mashable. "It’s one of the few destinations where people aren’t just experiencing culture—they’re actively documenting it."

Other factors explain why it has become such a hot spot. The most obvious is the audience already there: wealthy residents and vacationers, celebrities, creators, media figures, etc. I mean, the median Hamptons home sold for $2.5 million in the second quarter of 2026, up nearly 32 percent from a year earlier. Brands also get an instantly recognizable backdrop, from beaches and farm stands to sprawling houses and waterfront restaurants. Venues like The Surf Lodge and Gurney’s bring their own cultural cachet and experienced event teams, while the East End sits close enough to New York City for brands to shuttle guests out for an afternoon, a weekend, or the entire summer.

Evolv and OneSkin dinner at Shou Sugi Ban House Credit: Sarah Janetti

"You’re meeting people when they’re relaxed and making memories, rather than trying to capture their attention in the middle of a busy weekday," Brown added.

Brown also pointed to a renewed interest in East Coast summer traditions after years of "Euro Summer" dominating social media. "This summer, we’ve seen a real shift toward celebrating iconic American summer destinations," she said.

Has the Hamptons reached activation overload?

The obvious drawback is that seemingly every brand has arrived at the same conclusion. In 2025, an executive at event-production company LDJ Productions told Vogue Business that approximately 90 percent of the luxury events the company worked on that summer were held in the Hamptons.

Executing those events is expensive. Companies must account for venue fees, transportation, shipping, production, seasonal staffing, and accommodations in an area with limited housing and punishing weekend traffic. Rain can derail an outdoor activation, while an invitation may be competing with several other events scheduled on the same afternoon that can blur together.

The crowding has already pushed some fashion companies to look elsewhere. A July Business of Fashion report found brands opening stores and hosting events in Nantucket, Newport, and other affluent coastal destinations where there may be less competition. One handbag founder told the publication that cutting through the Hamptons’ noise had become nearly impossible.

But moving the activation circuit somewhere else can bring the new tensions to a new place. Back in July, a Nantucket craft store sparked controversy by displaying a sign that read "No influencers," reviving a broader debate over the rise of creator culture and how disruptive it can be to independent businesses and communities.

Still, all that backlash is unlikely to bring the influencer era to an end. With creator ad spending on track to reach $44 billion in 2026, these events offer companies more than a single sponsored post. One weekend can generate days of content, introduce products to several audiences, and build an entire aspirational world around a brand.

At their best, these events do more than give creators something to post; they give everyone there something to remember. And it seems the Hamptons is hard to beat — at least this summer.

Another week, another Ninja product gone viral.

This time, however, the viral videos are spurring awe rather than abject horror (please clean your Creami correctly, folks). Following the release earlier this month of the Ninja HydraSense — the brand's first ever water filter — the internet has done what it does best and stress tested the product with liquids that are definitively not water. In goes pickle juice and Sunny D, out goes clear water that users swear tastes like the real deal.

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Our sister site CNET (also owned by Ziff Davis) posted their own HydraSense transformation on TikTok after a rep from Ninja poured red Kool-Aid mix into the HydraSense. Clear water came out of the dispenser, and CNET Managing Editor David Watsky confirmed the result tasted like clean water.

TikTok user Michael DiCostanzo used the HydraSense to create a spin on the blind soda guessing game. In his version, he guessed which non-water drink (a word used generously here) yielded which water, featuring everything from fruit punch to hot dog water. Spoiler: He was able to correctly identify four out of six of the beverages, but he did maintain that the taste got awfully close to water, especially considering the source material.

I reached out to SharkNinja for their official guidance on pouring anything that's not water into the filter, and will update this article once I hear back. That said, they aren't exactly discouraging it in their own promo materials. A TikTok on the official SharkNinja page shows a product developer pouring green soda into the filter and dispensing clear water out of it.

So what makes this filter so effective? According to Ninja, the HydraSense uses its Precision Pressure Technology, which removes up to 80 contaminants (compared to eight by other brands), while preserving minerals like calcium, magnesium, and potassium. And yes, Shark does have the certification from the National Sanitation Foundation to prove these claims.

The countertop filter can hold up to 96 ounces of water, filters water quickly, and lets you know when to change your filters thanks to a built-in monitor. It's not the basic Brita you used in your college dorm. It's also priced to match, at $199.99, with replacement filters going for $39.99. But hey — can your standard reverse osmosis filter turn shelf-stable orange juice into water?

Ninja HydraSense

$249.99 at Amazon

 

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Grand Theft Auto VI will present players with no shortage of unfamiliar challenges, from elaborate robberies to its revamped police system. But for a generation increasingly reaching adulthood without much dating experience, the game’s most novel mechanic may be answering a partner’s goodnight text.

Following Netflix’s GTA 6 Extended Look, IGN published details from an additional gameplay demonstration at Rockstar’s studio. The preview revealed that GTA 6 includes an optional relationship system that allows players to shape the bond between its protagonists, Jason and Lucia. Maintaining their relationship requires more than completing missions together, though: Players can explore Leonida as a couple, plan activities, communicate over text, and make small choices that affect how close they become.

Many online have realized the implications.

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"This may just be some gamers’ first experience of putting effort into a relationship," one Instagram commenter wrote. Another predicted that Lucia would become some players’ first-ever girlfriend at all. Many X users imagined taking Lucia on dates "while my IRL relationship falls apart."

The joke isn’t coming out of nowhere. For many Gen Z adults, dating simply wasn’t a standard part of adolescence. Only 56 percent said they had a boyfriend or girlfriend as teenagers, compared with roughly seven in 10 millennials and more than three-quarters of Gen Xers and baby boomers.

For some, that delayed start has continued into adulthood. A 2025 survey found that three in 10 Gen Z adults had never gone on a romantic date, including one-third of Gen Z men.

That doesn’t mean young people have given up on love. In fact, the disconnect between wanting a relationship and feeling prepared for one may help explain why GTA 6’s system has struck such a chord. A nationally representative survey found that 86 percent of single Gen Z respondents wanted a committed relationship, but only 55 percent felt ready to pursue one.

How does GTA 6’s relationship system work?

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Rockstar’s new system turns the basic work of maintaining a relationship into something players can practice — or avoid — inside one of the most anticipated games ever made. According to IGN’s preview, Jason and Lucia can spend time together by shopping, playing pool, kayaking, working out, visiting the zoo, or buying each other food. They can hold hands and help one another choose outfits. Robbing a gas station together also builds their bond, because every couple needs shared interests.

When the protagonists are apart, players can also call or text the other character. Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson said one might message to say they are going to bed and ask whether everything is OK. Sending a quick response will apparently suffice. Ignoring the message, however, "may impact your relationship a bit."

For some players, the idea of managing both sides of a virtual relationship raised an obvious question: Isn’t that just texting yourself? Some Instagram commenters wondered the same, comparing the mechanic to playing chess against yourself.

Still, the relationship appears to be less about choosing the correct dialogue response and more about doing the ordinary things that keep a relationship going: answering texts, running errands, trying new activities, and choosing to spend time together (even when no mission requires it).

That approach also aligns with what young audiences increasingly want to see onscreen. A 2025 survey of 1,500 people ages 14 to 24 found that nearly 61 percent wanted romantic relationships in entertainment to emphasize the friendship between a couple over sex. So far, that sounds a lot like Jason and Lucia’s story, which seems built as much around everyday companionship as romance in this "Bonnie and Clyde" type tale.

Don’t worry, though: Players can opt out of the romance if they aren’t interested. Jason and Lucia will remain partners in crime regardless of how close they become and will continue working together and having each other’s backs, but Nelson said that completing story missions together may not be enough to keep them romantically involved. He told IGN that Rockstar did not want to "foist" a relationship on players.

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Players have spent years preparing to survive Leonida. They may not have expected to practice being a good partner there, too.

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

The Trump administration's dramatic decision to mark Anthropic's AI models as a "supply chain risk" earlier this year was illegal, a federal judge has ruled.

"The empty invocation of national security is not a blank check to punish and retaliate against government critics," wrote Judge Rita Lin in a 59-page ruling. The judge determined the federal government unlawfully retaliated against Anthropic despite its engaging in "constitutionally protected expressive activities."

Lin pointed to renewed conversations between Anthropic and the federal government, as well as the government's decision to back away from national security allegations, as corroboration that the designation was an attempt to make a public example of the company, the New York Times reported.

"We welcome the court’s ruling that this supply chain risk designation was unlawful. We remain focused on working productively with the government to harness A.I. for our national security so all Americans benefit from this technology," Anthropic said in a statement following the decision.

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What happened between Trump and Anthropic?

Anthropic filed a series of lawsuits in March, amid a heated back and forth between the developer, the Department of War, and President Donald Trump himself over the government's potential use of Anthropic's AI models for nationwide surveillance or lethal autonomous weapons.

The complaint accused the federal government of engaging in a targeted campaign against the company following the contract disagreement. Anthropic argued that the government's designation, typically reserved for foreign companies and national security risks, was an overly broad interpretation and "ideologically motivated."

Trump himself directed an immediate blacklisting of Anthropic products across federal offices, calling the developers "leftwing nut jobs" and Anthropic itself a "radical left, woke" AI company.

Following the fallout, which received widespread attention, Anthropic and the federal government reentered negotiations.

Then, in June, Anthropic was forced to pull its latest Claude Fable 5 and Claude Mythos 5 models under an export control directive from the federal government, citing security concerns about foreign nationals' access to the technology.

What does the decision mean for AI companies?

Civil society groups see the ruling as a win for free speech proponents amid a government that is increasingly pushing back against dissenters.

"Yesterday’s ruling is a vindication of the First Amendment and a clear reminder that the government isn’t allowed to use national security designations to punish companies or individuals for public criticisms or business disagreements," said Greg Nojeim, senior counsel at the Center for Democracy & Technology. "Procurement policy can’t be an end run around the Constitution. The Pentagon can pick and choose which products it wants to buy. It can’t use the power of its size and position to stamp out disagreement."

Over the past week or so, someone (or perhaps a group of people) called Cyberleek has been very busy sharing short gameplay clips of Grand Theft Auto 6. On Aug. 20, Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of GTA-maker Rockstar Games, filed subpoenas against Microsoft and Discord to try to unmask the leaker, followed soon after by subpoenas against Google and X Corp. Those filings specifically cited "stolen content," seemingly confirming that at least some of the Cyberleek videos are legitimate.

Prior to Thursday's "Extended Look" on Netflix, the GTA 6 leaks represented the first real glimpse of gameplay from the hotly anticipated title. In addition, countless AI-generated videos posing as "leaks" have been circulating widely on social media. So, we've put together a quick list of everything Cyberleek released before seemingly throwing in the towel. We're not going to embed or link to any of these clips; however, they're easy enough to find on X or Reddit if you look hard enough.

Every GTA 6 leak from Cyberleek so far

At the time of publication, 16 gameplay clips and three map screenshots have been posted by Cyberleek that show different aspects of GTA 6, including glimpses of cutscenes. The leaker did post some minor story spoilers in the most recent release, so be careful if you want to avoid them.

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Here are the GTA 6 leaks Cyberleek has shared so far:

• Map sneak peek 1: A small, cropped portion of the in-game world map, showing a location called Dalton Island.

• Map sneak peek 2: Another cropped portion of the map showing locations called Tequesta Retreat, Gloriana Key, and Catalan Key.

• Basketball video: A clip of protagonist Jason Duval throwing a basketball into a hoop in a mini-game.

• Full map: An alleged view of the entire in-game map.

• Random video 1: A clip of Jason driving around for a little bit before beating up a truck driver.

• Taser video: A clip of Jason driving at night, stealing a security guard's taser, and using it on him. Jason then repeatedly kicks the guard while he is on the ground.

• Junkies video: A clip that appears to show a healing drug called Zombix. A tooltip indicates that Zombix's effects will weaken over time if the player uses it too much.

• Plane video: A clip of Jason flying a plane over Vice City, with much of the game world visible below. At the end, whoever is playing the game in the clip shoots the word "LEEK" into a wall with bullets, suggesting the leaker has a playable build of the game.

• Hypercar part 1: A clip of Jason driving a high-end sports car around Vice City.

• Hypercar part 2: A clip of Jason driving the sports car some more, before committing armed robbery.

• Strip club: Jason wanders around a strip club, then a short clip of an in-game cutscene is shown.

• Gas station: Jason causes trouble at a gas station, steals a truck with a bed full of gasoline, and crashes and dies; more of the previous cutscene is shown.

• Plane video 2: Jason flies a plane over Vice City at night.

• Nudist colony: Jason explores a nudist hangout spot (where the NPCs are, obviously, nude) and attacks NPCs.

• Nightclub: A pretty uneventful video of Jason walking around the interior of a nightclub.

• Beach cycling: Jason riding a bicycle on a beach full of NPCs.

• Video game store: Jason walking around a video game store with shelves full of fake video game boxes.

• How does Cyberleek drive?: Jason steals a hotrod and evades the police; the clip ends with a cutscene showing Lucia Caminos, the game's second playable character, for the first time. Caminos talks about someone who "drives like a bitch."

• Lucia prologue: A four-and-a-half-minute video of a prologue introducing Caminos; the clip includes minor story spoilers.

What could Cyberleek release next?

Cyberleek was running polls on its website that allowed people to pay in cryptocurrency to vote on what should be leaked next. In recent days, Cyberleek teased footage featuring the Lucia Caminos character, in particular. On Wednesday, Cyberleek made good on those promises and released a short cutscene with Caminos, followed by an extended look at the character's prologue.

However, that appears to be the end of it. Cyberleek's crypto meme coin appears to have been completely cashed out for about $250,000, and its value has cratered to a tiny fraction of its former value. Additionally, since before Thursday's official trailer on Netflix, Cyberleek has gone completely silent. No new leaks have appeared since Wednesday.

You can see the game officially now

Speaking of the Netflix trailer, it's now on YouTube in all of its 26-minute glory. There were plenty of little details that Cyberleek never showed, such as gameplay footage of Lucia, among many other things. If you want a real idea of how GTA 6 works, you're probably better off watching the Netflix video than anything Cyberleek posted at this point.

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Updated on Friday, Aug. 28 at 1:30 p.m. ET — We've updated this story with additional details.

Updated on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 3:20 p.m. ET — We've updated this story with details on Rockstar's statement and additional GTA 6 leaks.

Updated on Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 11:40 a.m. ET — We've updated this story to reflect the latest Cyberleek videos.

Updated on Monday, Aug. 24 at 1:30 p.m. ET — We've updated this story to reflect the latest Cyberleek leaks.

Updated on Friday, Aug. 21 at 3:00 p.m. ET — Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., the parent company of Grand Theft Auto-maker Rockstar Games, has filed two subpoenas naming Microsoft and Discord as it hunts the leaker known as Cyberleek. The legal filings specifically cite "stolen content," seemingly confirming that the leaks are legitimate. Take-Two is also requesting the removal of leaked material that violates its copyrights, as well as information that could unmask the leakers. Read more about the Microsoft and Discord subpoenas.

One of the last remaining Apple products to avoid a price hike so far this year just got more expensive.

On Friday, Apple bumped the price of its Apple TV streaming service to $14.99 per month or $119 per year. 

And if you were hoping to renew your subscription before the price hike at the previous rate of $12.99 per month or $99 annually, it's too late. The Apple TV price hike took effect immediately.

Those who subscribe to the Apple One Individual bundle will also pay more as a result, as the price jumped from $19.95 per month to $21.95 per month. Apple One bundles Apple TV, Apple Music, Apple Arcade, and 50GB of iCloud storage into one subscription.

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Apple previously raised Apple TV prices last August, bumping the price from $9.99 to $12.99, back when the service was still called Apple TV+. Apple dropped the "plus" from the branding in October 2025. Apple's streaming film and TV service now costs $10 per month more than it did when it launched in 2019 at an affordable rate of $4.99 per month.

However, Apple TV has a lot more to offer now than when it first launched. Unlike other streaming services that focus on distributing third-party movies and TV shows, Apple has focused entirely on original series and films. It seems to have paid off, as Apple TV is the exclusive streaming home of Ted Lasso, Severance, The Studio, Pluribus, and more. Apple TV also includes all Major League Soccer (MLS) games, which could be another draw for the service, especially after the World Cup.

Apple has been hiking prices for all of its products and services this year. Devices such as MacBooks and iPads went up by as much as $500 in June. Just one month later, Apple raised the price of another one of its streaming services, Apple Music, from $10.99 to $11.99 per month. Now, it's Apple TV's turn. 

This leaves the iPhone as the last remaining major price hike holdout. But, that won't be the case for long. Apple is reportedly planning to raise iPhone prices at its big annual September event in just a few weeks.

It seems like there isn't any major Apple product that will avoid a price hike this year — unless you count the Apple Polishing Cloth, which dropped from $19 to $9.

First, TikTok wanted to know whether your boyfriend would peel an orange for you. Then, whether he cared that you saw a bird. Now, users on the app have arrived at a more fundamental question: Can your boyfriend read?

In the latest relationship trend spreading across TikTok, women hand their boyfriends or husbands lists of words and ask them to read each one aloud. The lists vary, but each version includes words that are tricky to pronounce based on their spelling, yet common enough that most adults would recognize them: "epitome," "hyperbole," "colonel," "quinoa," and "niche," among others.

Then the boyfriends have a go — and, in many of the videos, get nearly all of them wrong. And viewers have found it increasingly difficult to blame every answer on the English language being notoriously quirky.

"This trend has unearthed a fear of mine that I didn’t know existed before this past week," creator Isabella Von Ghoul said in a response video, adding: "The state has failed your man, and I’m scared." Influencer Christina Najjar, also known as Tinx, asked women, "Why are you guys boasting that your boyfriends can’t read?" and creator Daniel Bennett was even more direct: "In the videos, the girlfriends are giggling. But we aren’t laughing with you. We’re laughing at you."

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On Reddit, where a post asking “Why can’t Gen Z read?” attracted hundreds of comments, some users viewed the sheer number of boyfriend videos as evidence of a generational problem. Many on X encouraged girlfriends to "either dump or immediately begin to get [your boyfriends] to start educating themselves."

The reaction reflects a larger conversation that had already been building online before the challenge emerged. Earlier this summer, viewers treated the vocabulary of the Love Island USA Season 8 cast as evidence that America’s literacy crisis had reached the villa. Islanders mispronounced words, mixed up common expressions, and, in one episode, even floated using ChatGPT to help write a love letter.

Contestant Sincere received particular attention after pronouncing "epitome" incorrectly (yes, a word featured in the TikTok challenge), saying that he wanted to "emerge" himself in the experience, and describing someone as a "ball" of fresh air. He wasn't alone, fellow Islander Jen pronounced "compromise" as though it contained the word "promise."

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Of course, a few verbal flubs on reality television cannot diagnose someone’s literacy, much less prove the existence of a national crisis. But the numbers help explain why viewers are so ready to interpret them that way.

According to the latest federal data, the percentage of American adults ages 16 to 65 performing at the lowest literacy level rose from 19 percent in 2017 to 28 percent in 2023. Men performed slightly worse at the bottom of the scale: The share of male adults at Level 1 or below increased from 19 to 29 percent, compared with an increase from 18 to 26 percent among women. (However, NCES found no statistically significant gender gap in overall literacy scores.)

Those scores are only one part of the growing concern. Federal data shows that the share of adults who read at least one book fell from 54.6 percent in 2012 to 48.5 percent in 2022, while daily reading among 13-year-olds nearly halved. College professors have responded by shortening reading lists as students struggle to finish full books, and some now use ChatGPT to bypass difficult texts entirely. In July, The Atlantic described this shift as "The End of Reading," arguing that the country may be becoming "post-literate": Most people can read, but sustained reading is increasingly treated as an unnecessary burden.

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Boyfriends have become their own recurring category of TikTok content, often in genuinely charming ways. Last year, the "my boyfriend wants to show you" trend encouraged men to proudly explain their plants, Lego sets, golf clubs, and other interests while their partners demanded that viewers pay attention and leave supportive comments.

There are also tests: The orange peel theory instructed women to ask their partners for an orange and treat their willingness to peel it as a measure of devotion. The bird theory judged whether a partner responded enthusiastically when told about a bird sighting. In the "name a woman" challenge, girlfriends asked their partners to name any woman and reacted with mock horror when they received an answer other than their own name.

As people have previously warned about TikTok relationship tests, a single recorded interaction cannot reliably determine whether a relationship is loving, healthy, or built to last. Not that that has ever stopped TikTok from trying.

Nevertheless, trends don't emerge in a vacuum. As more information arrives through short videos, podcasts, and AI-generated summaries, it appears these days you may not know how your partner processes the written word...until a TikTok list forces him to try.

TL;DR: Samsung just announced its 2027 Odyssey monitor lineup at Gamescom. The collection includes four new models.

I didn't even know human eyes could process 1,100 frames per second, but Samsung is betting they can. At Gamescom this week, the brand announced its 2027 gaming monitor lineup, and the specs are out of control.

According to the official press release, these next-gen monitors were designed for players who want total flexibility in speed and resolution. So, if you're used to blaming your refresh rate for your stats, Samsung's about to eliminate your favorite excuse.

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“With new form factors, higher refresh rates, and advanced display technologies, the 2027 Odyssey lineup gives players more choice across competitive play, cinematic games, and multi-purpose setups," Hun Lee, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display (VD) Business at Samsung Electronics, said in a statement.

The 27-inch Odyssey G6 is the world's first monitor to reach a 1,100Hz refresh rate. Credit: Samsung

Here's everything we know so far:

• Odyssey G6 (27-inch): Samsung says the Odyssey G6 is the "world's first 1,100Hz gaming monitor." It uses a fast IPS panel with a 1ms response time and lets you toggle between HD at up to 1,100Hz and QHD at up to 600Hz through its Dual Mode.

• Odyssey OLED G9 (49-inch): If you want a wider field of view, the OLED G9 has a 49-inch Dual QHD monitor, a 360Hz refresh rate, and a 0.03ms response time. If you need more speed, you can use the Dual Mode to drop the resolution to Dual HD and push the refresh rate to 720Hz.

• Odyssey OLED G8 (32-inch): This 4K OLED monitor features Triple Mode, so you can swap between UHD at 360Hz, QHD at 520Hz, or FHD at 680Hz depending on what game you're playing.

• Odyssey OLED G7 (42-inch): Samsung claims this is the "world's first 42-inch 16:9 curved OLED gaming monitor." It features a 1000R curve to bring the edges closer to your natural sightline, 4K picture quality, and a 165Hz refresh rate.

Samsung hasn't announced pricing or release dates for the OLED models just yet, though the 1,100Hz G6 is set to launch globally in the second half of 2026.

SAVE $20: The Apple 2026 Mac mini M5 Pro is listed for $1,669.99 at Amazon. That's the best preorder deal we've found ahead of the Sept. 22 release date.

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Credit: Apple

Apple 2026 Mac mini M5 Pro

$1,669.99 at Amazon
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We were really pleased to see Apple's brand-new Mac mini M6 discounted on Amazon. We were absolutely delighted to see the Mac mini M5 Pro get the same treatment.

Apple has just unveiled these new Mac minis, so we weren't expecting to see any price drops so soon. And it might not look like we have got any price drops, but look closely and you'll see that Amazon's preorder listings are cheaper than anywhere else. For the Mac mini M5 Pro, you're looking at a saving of about $30 compared to Apple and anywhere else.

That's not the biggest discount we've ever seen, but we'll take what we can get. You just know these are going to sell quickly, whatever the price.

The Mac mini M5 Pro has up to an 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU with up to 64GB of RAM and 8TB of storage. It starts at $1,699 from Apple with 24GB of memory and 512GB of storage. Apple is aiming this model at "pro users with seriously demanding workflows."

Score the best preorder deal on the Mac mini M5 Pro at Amazon.

Bluesky, one of the more successful alternatives to Elon Musk's X, has just added a brand new feature that sets it apart from other social media platforms.

On Thursday, the official Bluesky account on the platform announced that an opt-out option has just gone live that prevents a user's post from being included in algorithmic recommendations. 

"Now you can opt out of having your posts shown to non-followers in the Discover feed," Bluesky said. "We know not everyone wants to go viral. Sometimes you're just posting for your followers. This is one of a few updates we're working on to give you more control over your experience and help you find your people."

When turned on, a user's posts notably stay public. Everyone will continue to see the account. It does not turn the account private. Instead, the algorithm just doesn't recommend the account's posts on the platform's main feed, Discover, to other users who don't follow the account.

Technically, a post can still go viral. Another user can screenshot a post and share it far and wide. But, toggling the opt-out feature on will certainly make it a lot harder.

How to turn on the Bluesky opt-out feature

To turn the opt-out feature on, go to the Bluesky app's Privacy and Security settings and turn the toggle on for "Ask apps to hide my posts from algorithmic recommendations." According to Bluesky, it can take up to one hour for the opt-out to take effect across the platform.

As TechCrunch notes, the setting is recorded at the account level. This means that other apps that use Bluesky's AT Proto protocol can utilize the feature if the third-party app maker so chooses

In order to set itself apart from competitors, Bluesky has been adding a slew of hyper-customization features that provide users with more control over their accounts. Earlier this year, the company rolled out a new feature that gave users more custom feed options.

Just this week, Bluesky also rolled out new video limits that allow users to upload longer videos that are up to 10-minutes long.

Pokémon continues its reign of taking over, and we're not mad. The Fitbit Air, Google's first faceless fitness tracker, just got a new special edition that not only comes with a band featuring Pikachu, but it also syncs up to a designated Pokémon sleep app. Introducing the Google Fitbit Air Special Edition Pokémon Sleep.

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Credit: Google

Google Fitbit Air Special Edition Pokémon Sleep

$129.99 at Google

 

Pre-order Here

A fun but subtle design

The Pokémon Sleep version of the Fitbit Air has a sleepy blue colorway that doesn't give any indication it's a Pokémon edition until you look at the inside of your wrist. There, sleeping in a ball, is the adorable Pikachu. The sleeping Pikachu is on a custom silk-print label that gives this Fitbit Air a unique element that's awesome for Pokémon fans.

A sleep blue colorway with Pikachu sleeping on silk. Credit: Google

I've been wearing the Fitbit Air for over three months, and I can say it's the most comfortable fitness tracker I've ever worn. While it has missed tracking a few of my naps, it does a great job with nightly sleep tracking. And since it's the most comfortable sleep tracker I've ever worn to bed, I can't complain much about an occasional missed nap.

Sync up with the Pokémon Sleep app

The new Pokémon Sleep Fitbit Air gets even more fun when you download the Pokémon Sleep app and pair it with your Google Health app. After you're connected, you'll be invited into the world of your sleep activity, unlocking access to interactive rewards. You get to make friends with Pokémon who have similar sleep styles to your own. Your team then sets off to collect Berries, which raise Snorlax's strength to increase "Drowsy Power." The more sleep you get, the more Pokémon you'll get to see.

Collect as much Drowsy Power as possible Credit: Google

Your sleep type will attract Pokémon with similar stats. Credit: Google

In more fun news, you don't need to purchase the special Pokémon edition of the Fitbit Air to use the app. Google's blog post about the special edition explains that the sleep experience works with all Google Pixel and Fitbit wearables.

How to buy the Google Fitbit Air Special Edition Pokémon Sleep

Preorders for the Pokémon Sleep Fitbit Air are live at Google with a launch date set for Sept. 15. The Fitbit Air Special Edition Pokémon Sleep comes with a price of $129.99, meaning it's $30 more expensive than the standard Fitbit Air. For Pokémon fans, that doesn't feel like a massive price increase to get something you can wear 24/7 and admire every time you glance at your wrist.

TL;DR: Hello Nancy just launched its limited-edition Center Court Collection right in time for the U.S. Open — and both new toys are already on sale.

Shop the Court Collection:

---

Smash Wand Vibrator

$129 (save $100)

Get Deal

---

Ace Air Suction Massager

$99 (save $100)

Get Deal

Hello Nancy just dropped two brand-new toys that are somehow even cuter than the Lem (I know, I couldn't believe it either) — and they're already on sale.

As you may know, I'm a huge fan of Hello Nancy (even more so now that they share a roof with Biird under parent company Care & Bloom). Their iconic lemon-shaped clitoral massager basically broke the internet, racking up over a million sales since April 2023. According to the brand, one Lem is sold every 23 seconds.

Now, they're heading courtside for the U.S. Open (which runs through Sept. 13), with the Center Court Collection. They only made 500 units for this first limited drop, so if you want in on the action, you'll definitely want to move fast.

The Ace is a tennis ball-shaped clitoral suction toy. Credit: Hello Nancy

The Smash is a wand vibrator with a tennis ball head. Credit: Hello Nancy

Here's a quick look at the drop:

• Ace ($99 to $109): Ace is an air-suction massager (because, of course, it is), and it looks just like a tennis ball. I haven't gotten my samples yet, but judging by the ergonomic design, it looks ideal for anyone who wants something palm-sized and easy to hold. It has eight intensities and four patterns, and here's the best part: It has a runtime of three and a half hours. It's also USB-C rechargeable and IPX7 waterproof. You can get it in Tennis Green ($99) or Nancy Pink ($109).

• Smash ($129): If you prefer a traditional wand vibrator (my fave wand died on me, so I'm currently on the hunt for a new one myself), Smash is a full-sized wand with a flexible head shaped like, you guessed it, a tennis ball. It's deep, rumbly, IPX7 waterproof, and built for people who want widespread power (use it on your vulva, clitoris, nipples, perineum, or anywhere else).

Helen Mirren stars as legendary novelist Patricia Highsmith in A Talent for Murder, and we're dangerously seduced by the trailer out today.

Directed by Anton Corbijn and written by Joanna Murray-Smith, the film sees Alden Ehrenreich (Weapons, Solo) as Edward Ridgeway, a man sent by his New York publisher to Switzerland to convince the Talented Mr Ripley author to pen one last masterpiece in her all-important Ripley series. The thing is, someone from the publisher has already been sent on the mission and nobody's heard from him since. And there are an awful lot of guns and knives around Highsmith's home, as you can see in the trailer above.

But Highsmith intends to give Ridgeway one night to show her he can "inhabit the mind of a killer," before she puts anything down in print. And so, the pair play Highsmith-style crime writing 101. First up? They'll need to find their mark, a dazzling female lead with a dazzling female name — Clementine Harriet Balfour (House of the Dragon's Olivia Cooke) — who's "destined for money" from her great aunt.

But the longer Ridgeway plays the Ripley game with Highsmith, the darkness of her literature threatens to get very real.

A Talent for Murder hits cinemas Oct. 23.

Want more film and TV news and reviews delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable’s Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts.

SAVE $20: The Apple 2026 Mac mini M6 is listed for $879.99 at Amazon. That's $20 less than Apple or anywhere else.

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Credit: Apple

Apple 2026 Mac mini M6

$879.99 at Amazon
$899 Save $19.01

 

Get Deal

We'll keep this short and sweet because competition for any deal on Apple's brand-new Mac mini M6 will be fierce.

We're only days post Apple's unveiling of the portable Mac mini with the new M6 chip, and we've already got a discount. It's not listed as a discount, but trust us, it's a discount. Preorders for the Mac mini M6 are listed for $879.99 on Amazon. That's $20 less than Apple and just about anywhere else. That's a deal in every sense of the word.

What's all the fuss about this new Mac mini? Firstly, it's been a while since you could actually buy a Mac mini, period. There was a wave of sales earlier this year when OpenClaw users scrambled to find a way to run the AI assistant, and then Apple axed it altogether. That means shoppers are crying out for this little powerhouse.

And the wait is almost over. The Mac mini M6 will be released on Sept. 22, with preorders now live on Apple and Amazon. We know where we'll be shopping.

So the rumors are definitely true: there are new Mac Minis on the market. They're wildly powerful, with new M6 and M5 Pro chips on board, which Apple calls "an extraordinary leap in performance and AI capabilities."

The new Mac Minis are available for preorder now at Apple, Amazon, and other retailers, and they've already gotten their first discount. As Amazon likes to do, it's undercutting the competition by offering a discount before the products are even released. When you preorder at Amazon, you can save $19.01 on the M6 model and $29.01 on the M5 Pro model. Those aren't huge discounts, and if the price is still a little too high, you can take advantage of the new Apple Upgrade program and lease these mini PCs starting at $74.91 a month (if you qualify).

Apple Mac Mini (M6)

$879.99 at Amazon

Save $19.01 at Amazon

Pre-order Here at Amazon Pre-order Here at Best Buy Pre-order Here at Apple.com

Apple Mac Mini (M5 Pro)

$1,669.99 at Amazon

Save $29.01 at Amazon

Pre-order Here at Amazon Pre-order Here at Best Buy Pre-order Here at Apple.com

Guess what Apple will release in September in our Big Guessing Game: Apple edition. Enter now for a chance to win an Apple Watch!

Introducing the new Mac Mini, now upgraded for the AI era

Credit: Apple

Apple not only surprise-announced the new desktop computer today, but also promptly made it available for pre-order. With many folks using Mac Mini to run AI agents like OpenClaw, we expect the tiny new powerhouses to be coveted products among AI superusers. The Mac Mini hasn't had an update since the M4 and M4 Pro chips debuted in a pint-sized package in November 2024, making this updated version with new Apple Silicon even more desirable.

As the most powerful products in Apple's lineup, you can expect to pay a pretty penny for both the M6 and M5 Pro Mac Minis. The weight of the global memory shortage certainly doesn't help either. The M6 option starts at $899, with maxed-out specs running you up to $2,399. Meanwhile, the M5 Pro starts at $1,699 and can cost as much as $6,799 with maxed-out specs. Education buyers can save $100 on each device by ordering directly through the Apple Store.

Both the M6 and M5 Pro Mac Mini will start shipping on Sept. 22, but customers can pre-order either device. Initially, these devices were only available at the Apple Store, but they're now available at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. If you want to ensure you get your hands on one of these small but mighty desktops, we recommend pre-ordering as soon as your wallet allows.

SAVE $1,600: As of Aug. 28, the Roborock Saros Z70 robot vacuum and mop combo is on sale for $999.99 at Amazon. That's over 60% off its list price and a record low.

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Credit: Roborock

Roborock Saros Z70 robot vacuum and mop combo

$999.99 at Amazon
$2,599.99 Save $1,600.00

 

Get Deal

Our biggest issue with the Roborock Saros Z70 — the infamous robot vacuum and mop combo with a mechanical grabby arm — when it came out last year was its astronomical price. Mashable's robovac expert didn't think it was worth the $2,600 price tag, but now that it's under $1,000? We're intrigued.

As of Aug. 28, Amazon has the Roborock Saros Z70 on sale for just $999.99. It's listed for $2,599.99 on the Roborock website, so technically it's $1,600 or over 60% off (though Amazon sells it a little short). That's also its best price ever.

The standout feature of the Saros Z70 is obviously its mechanical OmniGrip arm. It can grab objects like stray socks or sandals lying around and move them to their designated home while cleaning your floors. It's more gimmicky than it is useful in a lot of cases, according to our reviewer, but if you're into breakthrough tech and want to give it a shot, by all means. It does work, it's just extremely limited.

That said, the Z70 is otherwise an excellent robot vacuum and mop combo. It has a strong 22,000 Pa of suction and powerful scrubbing abilities. Our reviewer also calls out its hinged spinning mopping pads for excelling in corners and hard-to-reach spots. It's also very slim, pretty quiet, and ultimately great at cleaning your home. We just don't think you should spend $2,600 on it. A $1,600 discount, however, makes the Roborock Saros Z70 a pretty sweet deal.

TL;DR: Watch Lille vs. PSG in Ligue 1 for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Ligue 1 has only just kicked off, but we're already getting one of the biggest matchups on the schedule. Last year's Ligue 1 champions PSG visit Lille, a team that finished third last season and beat Angers in their opening game.

It's not been a hugely impressive start for PSG. They lost to RC Lens in the Trophee des Champions and scraped a draw against Rennes in their season opener. Can PSG get back on track and score their first win of the season?

If you're interested in watching Lille vs. PSG in Ligue 1 from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Lille vs. PSG?

Lille vs. PSG in Ligue 1 kicks off at 2:45 p.m. ET on Aug. 28. This fixture takes place at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

How to watch Lille vs. PSG for free

Lille vs. PSG in Ligue 1 is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, 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 Brazil, meaning you can live stream Lille vs. PSG for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Lille vs. PSG for free by following these simple steps:

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

2. Download the app to your device of choice

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

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Lille vs. PSG 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 generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Lille vs. PSG without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Ligue 1?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on CazéTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• 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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Lille vs. PSG for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Bayern Munich vs. Stuttgart in the Bundesliga for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The new Bundesliga season kicks off with Bayern Munich vs. VfB Stuttgart, a big fixture in German football.

Bayern won the league last season, largely thanks to striker Harry Kane's incredible record of 61 goals in all competitions. They're already off to a good start after beating Dortmund to win the German Super Cup, with a goal from French World Cup dynamo Michael Olise. Stuttgart should be formidable opposition, finishing in the top four last season.

If you're interested in watching Bayern Munich vs. Stuttgart in the Bundesliga from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Bayern Munich vs. Stuttgart?

Bayern Munich vs. Stuttgart in the Bundesliga kicks off at 2.30 p.m. ET on Aug. 28. This fixture takes place at the Allianz Arena.

How to watch Bayern Munich vs. Stuttgart for free

Bayern Munich vs. Stuttgart in the Bundesliga is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, 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 the UK, meaning you can live stream Bayern Munich vs. Stuttgart for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Bayern Munich vs. Stuttgart for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend 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

5. Watch Bayern Munich vs. Stuttgart for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window

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 generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Bayern Munich vs. Stuttgart without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the Bundesliga?

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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Bayern Munich vs. Stuttgart for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

On Thursday, Grand Theft Auto fans finally got to see real, official gameplay of GTA VI on Netflix. As far as most are concerned, it lived up to the hype. But there's still the matter of all those leaks.

For about a week leading up to the Netflix trailer, a person or group of people called Cyberleek seemingly had access to a working build of GTA VI and leaked roughly 15 clips and screenshots of the game to the wider internet. The entire time, Cyberleek was letting users vote on what would be leaked next, with votes coming in the form of a cryptocurrency meme coin called $CYBERLEEK.

Guess what Apple will release in September in our Big Guessing Game: Apple edition. Enter now for a chance to win an Apple Watch!

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Cyberleek has gone quiet since about a day before the Netflix video, and all evidence points to a cash-out. A GTAForums user called Vice Cit (via Kotaku) documented the entire saga, and the latest developments indicate that Cyberleek cashed out to the tune of about $250,000 in crypto earnings, leading $CYBERLEEK to crash. At its zenith, the coin was valued at $0.034, but now it's all the way down at $0.005, a fall of 86 percent.

There are still plenty of unanswered questions here, with the most prominent being how, exactly, Cyberleek got all of that footage to begin with. Based on the gameplay clips, Cyberleek seemed to have a playable version of the game, if only an incomplete one.

But hey, now that we've gotten an official extended look at the game, we can say that at least the game looks good.

SAVE $1,200: As of Aug. 28, the LG 65-inch C6 OLED 4K TV is down to a new best-ever price of $1,499.99 at Amazon. That's 44% in savings. Not to mention, you'll get a free $150 Amazon credit with your purchase.

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Credit: LG

LG 65-inch C6 OLED 4K TV

$1,499.99 at Amazon
$2,699.99 Save $1,200.00

+ get a free $150 Amazon credit

Get Deal

Our favorite OLED TV for most people just keeps getting cheaper. We're inching closer to Labor Day, so it makes sense that TV prices are plummeting, but I wasn't expecting this LG TV to drop even further.

As of Aug. 28, the LG 65-inch C6 OLED 4K TV is down to just $1,499.99 at Amazon. That's 44% off its list price of $2,699.99, and another $200 price drop since last week, when it hit an all-time low. But in case that's not enough of a reason to grab it, you'll also get a free $150 Amazon credit with your purchase to sweeten the deal.

OLED TVs are notoriously expensive, but the C6 is already what we'd call the "best affordable OLED TV," compared to competitors' prices. With this price drop, it's an outstanding value. Mashable's TV expert raved about its inky black levels, stark contrast, and "generally impeccable image quality" in our roundup of the best TVs of 2026. It also improves on its predecessor in ways that count: higher peak brightness, more vibrant colors, better audio, and a higher refresh rate (165Hz vs. 144Hz).

In a time when everything else is getting more expensive, it's a breath of fresh air to see the LG C6 TV keep dropping in price. If you need a TV upgrade ahead of the new NFL season or want to watch the slate of new TV coming this fall in the best possible quality, it doesn't get much better than this $1,200 discount.

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Credit: Insta360

Insta360 Link 2C Pro

$159.99 at Amazon

 

Shop Now

Opens in a new window

Credit: Insta360

Insta360 Link 2 Pro

$199.99 at Amazon

 

Shop Now

If you’re looking to upgrade your workstation with a new look while also getting the best possible performance from your tech, check out the new-look models from Insta360’s flagship AI 4K webcam series. 

The Insta360 Link 2 Pro and Link 2C Pro are now available in arctic white, designed specifically for modern-looking workspaces and creator setups. The Insta360 Link 2 Pro is now available at Amazon for $199.99, and the Link 2C Pro is priced at $159.99.

These cameras may have a new look, but Insta360, which is the world’s best-selling 360 camera brand, has approached the camera technology with a “if ain’t broke, don’t fix it” kinda attitude, meaning the Link 2 Pro and Link 2C Pro have retained all the features and specs while offering upgrades via the software ecosystem.

Both versions of the Link 2 Pro are built around a large 1/1.3-inch sensor that’s built to capture natural, highly-detailed, professional-level 4K video wherever you are — it’s particularly good if you create content or take video meetings on-the-go, and you can’t always be sure of the lighting. These cameras are built to deliver strong low-light performance.

They also boast AI-assisted features, including AI-powered noise reduction. The Link 2 Pro also has AI tracking that follows you as you move, always keeping you framed to maintain a balanced, professional perspective as you talk or present. The Link 2C Pro, meanwhile, has a fixed-body design but also features Auto Framing for both solo and group presentations.

You can also access various creative tools through Insta360’s software ecosystem, which continues to evolve. Available tools include virtual backgrounds, a smart whiteboard, an all-new teleprompter for notes and talking points, and custom overlays that can add text, images, and video to your presentations and meetings. And the Insta360 InSight tool uses AI to transcribe and write-up summaries of meetings.

Get the Insta360 Link 2 Pro for $199.99 and Insta360 Link 2C Pro for $159.99 at Amazon now.

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Credit: Garmin

Garmin Fenix 9

$999.99 at Garmin

 

Shop Now

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Credit: Garmin

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro

$1,099.99 at Garmin

 

Shop Now

Garmin's lineup of fitness trackers just got bigger and more impressive. The Garmin Fenix 9 and Garmin Fenix 9 Pro are the brand's latest offerings, designed to help us "play harder." Launched via an in-depth YouTube video, the new lineup features a thinner design, better durability, a built-in flashlight, and a few new features that'll appeal to fitness fanatics.

The Garmin Fenix 9 and both the standard and solar versions of the Fenix 9 Pro are available to buy from Aug. 28. Here's a breakdown of features and details to consider before you buy.

Key features of the Garmin Fenix 9

With each new model, we're always looking for the key differences compared to the previous model. In this case, Garmin made the Fenix 9 slimmer and more durable, without adding much weight at all. Garmin Epic is new to the upgraded Fenix 9 family. The feature allows you to group activities into a single story rather than as individual activities. Consider a multi-day hike or a 100-mile bike ride split into two days. Garmin can now group these activities to give you a broader overview of the adventure, including sleep data, mileage, and the event's impact on endurance and stamina.

The Fenix 9 lineup features better mapping and navigational tools. Credit: Garmin

Garmin also noted that many of us have developed a special liking for rowing, especially those training for Hyrox. To meet this demand, Garmin incorporated improved performance data for rowing. For those heading out on the trail, Garmin added more intuitive routable maps.

The standard Garmin Fenix 9 can get up to 16 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and will launch with a list price of $999.99 on Aug. 28.

Key features of the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro and Fenix 9 Pro Solar

To clear things up right away, both the Fenix 9 Pro and Fenix 9 Pro Solar are identical in specs except for the solar recharging. One of the coolest things about this is that Garmin isn't charging us more for the solar-powered Pro option. Both the Fenix 9 Pro and Fenix 9 Pro Solar will cost $1,099.99 in the 47mm sizes and $1,199.99 in the larger 51mm size.

Compared to the standard Garmin Fenix 9, the Pro and Pro Solar have a brighter screen and an LED flashlight onboard that can illuminate in dimmable white, green, or red. The Fenix 9 can only display in dimmable white. The Pro and Pro Solar are also one gram lighter than the Fenix 9, and slightly thinner.

The latest models in Garmin's product offerings: The Fenix 9 and Fenix 9 Pro Credit: Garmin

The Pro also has a larger battery, and Garmin says it can last up to 18 days in smartwatch mode. Of course, the Fenix 9 Pro Solar has a solar-charging lens that can earn you up to 34 days of battery life in smartwatch mode.

In addition to these physical features, the Pro and Pro Solar also come with the tech and fitness-tracking upgrades mentioned above for the Garmin Fenix 9, such as more advanced rowing performance data, the ability to group activities with Garmin Epic, an endurance score, and better stamina tracking.

How to buy the Garmin Fenix 9 and Garmin Fenix 9 Pro

Garmin officially announced this new lineup on Aug. 25, but shoppers had to wait a few days before they could place orders.

The Garmin website now lists these models as available to buy. We'll keep an eye on availability at Amazon, Best Buy, and other retailers. We have a feeling we'll see more retailers add these new Garmin models now that they're available for purchase.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're Gen Z.

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.

Play our Big Guessing Game: Make your predictions now for a chance to win a new Apple Watch. Time's running out!

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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: "Don't let the bed bugs bite!"

• Green: Front to back

• Blue: Gen Z slang

• Purple: At the peak

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Bedtime parting words

• Green: Palindromes

• Blue: Modern add-ons/combining forms

• Purple: Top of the ___

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 #1174 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Bedtime parting words: NIGHT, REST EASY, SLEEP TIGHT, SWEET DREAMS

• Palindromes: MOM, NOON, SIS, TOP SPOT

• Modern add-ons/combining forms: BRO, CODED, ERA, MAXXING

• Top of the ___: HOUR, LINE, MORNING, POPS

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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.

As one of the true OGs of online dating, AdultFriendFinder has a sizeable community of singles and non-monogamous users looking for steamy fun. But that doesn’t mean using the site is necessarily straightforward. In fact, AFF, as its users call it, has been online for so long that its web interface can feel dated and counterintuitive, with key features requiring you to navigate a whole manner of menus and sub-menus. 

Making the most of AFF means a certain amount of trial and error, or at least some guidance from someone with an intimate knowledge of the spicy hookup platform.

That's why we've outlined four essential tips below to get you up and running on AFF and help connect with more people for more kink-filled fun. That said, it also helps to keep an open mind about it all. If you enter AFF with a narrow idea of exactly what you want, you'll likely be disappointed. But if you start your search with an open-minded curiosity and just go along for the ride (pun very much intended), you can discover new things about yourself — and maybe even your pleasure points — in the process.

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Credit: AdultFriendFinder

AdultFriendFinder

 

Learn More

Here are four essential steps for getting the most out of your AdultFriendFinder experience:

Fill out your full AFF profile 

Sure, this is an obvious step with any and every online dating service, but it’s even more important on AFF because the site doesn’t entirely rely on a carousel-style presentation of dating profiles like other apps. Everything from your age to your gender to your sexuality to your list of personal kinks can help make you more discoverable to other AFF members, so the less you fill out, the harder it is for the site to make your profile discoverable. 

This is true even if your personal kink list is short or leans towards the conventional, or if it’s long and girthy and leans towards the exotic; trust us when we say there are people out there who are looking for the very same quirks and kinks and sexuality specifics, so it's worth taking your time to be specific and details. It will pay off in the long run.

Also, don’t sleep on videos. Unlike many dating sites that allow only profile pictures, AFF permits its members to upload short videos to their profiles. This is a fantastic way of showing others that you’re a real person — as opposed to a bot, which you'll find plenty of on AFF — and also helps you show off some personality. Just be wary of putting nude content upfront in your profile. You can do this if you wish, of course — AFF is all about the NSFW content — but putting that kind of content out there does raise privacy issues.

Verify your AFF account as soon as possible

AdultFriendFinder throws up very few barriers when you're creating your account. That makes it very easy for anyone to join, but it also means there is a huge amount of spam and bots clogging up the platform. To combat this, they’ve also created a profile verification system using the Confirm ID service. 

It requires you to share government ID for cast-iron verification, but the benefits to your profile will give you major peace of mind. It means photo authentication, age confirmation, and location verification, all of which help others trust that your profile is authentic. When the process is complete, you'll see a blue checkmark beneath your profile photo, just to the right of your username, which helps people identify your profile at a glance and boosts your visibility in search results, as search results prioritize verified users.

Be selective with your search criteria

If you use the site’s search function, you’ll find that you can be extremely specific and selective. And if you know exactly who and what you want, by all means, narrow your search, but if you’re on AFF to be surprised, it’s also worth being less selective from time to time.

For example, if you know you want an in-person date for next week, it obviously makes sense to narrow your location search to people who live near you. But what if you don’t know exactly what you want, or if you’re open to a sultry chat with a stranger half a world away? In that case, distance is irrelevant, and you should consider turning that filter off.

On the other hand, there are quite a few filters that are turned off by default that we actually recommend you turn on. For example, the default profile filter shows you all people who have bothered to upload photos, but while that’s a good start, it’s not enough to help you wade through the huge number of users. We strongly recommend narrowing it down to Verified/Confirmed users, since those people all proved their identity the same way you did (see above). That way, you can trust that your search results and potential connections are 100 percent legit. It's another means of filtering out the spam.

Another useful filter is the Last Visit, which by default is set to "All." We recommend specifying accounts that have been active within the last month. That's because lots of people sign up to AFF then never bother checking back in. Other users go inactive for weeks or even months at a time. If you stick with the default "All" setting, you risk messaging accounts that you might never get a reply from.

Explore the live-chat communities

AdultFriendFinder isn’t a traditional dating website, so don't use it like one. The search-and-swipe dating app method is tried and true, but it’s also a bit played out, and one of AFF’s biggest strengths is its larger community offerings. There's more to it than swiping — or should we say swinging? — left or right.

There are lots of forums to explore, all based around common interests (though you should know that some of these interests — or kinks — are not so common), or you can venture into a user’s livestream and interact with them and others there. AFF even has a dedicated Stories section, where users can share their memories or try their hand at writing erotica. That's all well and good for anyone with a knack for the written word, but if you're more visual, you can set up a webcam stream and invite others to tune in. 

For all of the above, AFF tracks not only which stories/streams/group chats are new but also which are trending, making it very easy to jump into a popular discussion or keep up with the latest site news.

Upgrade your AFF membership tier

As with other dating sites and apps, you only get the most out of AFF when you sign up for a paid membership. It is entirely possible to use AFF and interact without handing over your credit card information, but the site’s best features and functions are paywalled. And it has to be said that the advantages — visibility, communication options, and site functionality are all just too good to ignore.

Gold and VIP members receive special icons on their profiles, and these profiles are given priority in every search, regardless of the criteria. Because there are thousands of potential profile options for almost every search criterion that isn’t location-based, it’s very difficult to stand out from the crowd on AFF as a free user.

Additionally, if you fork out for the upgraded VIP membership, you’ll unlock an entire section dedicated exclusively to VIPs. It's the dating site equivalent of entering the velvet-roped area of a night club; you'll find the most glamorous people hiding there. VIP members even get additional points to spend on digital gifts or lavish on live streamers who catch your eye. This is another great way of standing out from the crowd. 

The learning curve on AdultFriendFinder is steeper than most other dating sites, and much steeper than most dating apps, but if you follow the above tips and you're willing to experiment, you’ll encounter more than a few fun and sexy surprises along the way. 

SAVE $250: As of Aug. 28, Roborock's new Qrevo 2 Pro robot vacuum and mop is available for $549.99, down from $799.99 — a 68% discount that runs through Sept. 6.

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Credit: Roborock

Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro Robot Vacuum and Mop

$549.99 at Amazon
$799.99 Save $250

 

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Roborock's newest robot vacuum is already discounted at launch. The Qrevo 2 Pro is arriving in the U.S. on Aug. 28. For a limited window (through Sept. 6), it's priced at $549.99. That's a $250 cut off its $799.99 list price.

Roborock is promising "flagship-level performance" without the flagship price tag. The Qrevo 2 Pro runs at 25,000 Pa of suction, strong enough to lift dust, pet hair, and ground-in dirt from both hardwood and carpet. It automatically increases suction power when it detects carpet.

For pet hair, Roborock built in two brushes that work together: a side brush that guides hair inward, and a hybrid rubber-and-bristle main brush designed to resist wrapping hair around itself. That means less time spent manually clearing hair out of the brush roll. It also covers edges and corners better than most robot vacuums. An arm extends out to clean within about 2mm of walls, and the side brush reverses direction in corners to sweep deeper.

For homes with mixed flooring, it handles vacuum-to-mop transitions automatically. Before vacuuming carpet, it detaches and lifts its mop pad out of the way to avoid getting carpet wet, then reattaches once it's back on hard floors. The dock handles maintenance on its own — emptying the dustbin, refilling the water tank, washing the mop pad in 149°F water, and drying it with warm air. A soaking mode in the tray tackles tougher grime.

Grab the Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro at Amazon before the discount ends.

The Mashable Big Guessing Game is back again for our third and final round. In the first round, we tried to guess the new name of macOS (only one person correctly predicted "Golden Gate"), and in the second round, we tried to predict whether a foldable iPhone or touchscreen Mac is coming this year (we still don't know!)

Credit: Mashable

In our last round of the contest, we're focusing on the expected Apple event in September, where we expect to see a full new lineup of iPhone models, including the highly anticipated foldable iPhone. Will new CEO John Ternus appear on the roof of Apple Park? How much will the latest and greatest version of the iPhone Pro Max cost? If there is a foldable iPhone, what will Apple name it?

Make your predictions for September with five quick guesses, then sit back and watch the event to see how many you get right. Each correct guess earns you an additional chance of winning the grand prize, the latest edition of the new Apple Watch.

This final round of contest questions will run until 11:59 p.m. PT on Sept. 1.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY to enter or win the "CNET Group Big Guessing Game" Giveaway. Open to legal U.S. residents in the 50 U.S. & D.C., 18+ yrs of age. Other restrictions apply. Begins May 19, 2026 at 12:01 pm ET and ends Sept. 1, 2026 at 11:59 pm ET. Void where prohibited. Subject to Official Rules: https://www.mashable.com/article/mashable-big-guessing-game-apple-edition-official-contest-rules/. Sponsor: Ziff Davis, LLC.

Apple is not a sponsor of, affiliated with, or endorser of this sweepstakes. Apple Watch is a trademark of Apple Inc.

The only thing more explosive than a Looney Tunes movie, is when the cast plays Choose Your Squad. The stars of Coyote vs. Acme, Will Forte, John Cena, and Lana Condor, joined Mashable Executive Producer, Mark Stetson to compete in a game of ultimate Looney Tunes domination.

Mimicking the plot of the film, the three hilarious actors compete to create the best crew of classic Looney Tunes characters to take down a corporate 'big bad' like Acme.

Who will have the best squad? How many times are Will and Lana going to steal John Cena's next pick? And will any of them survive the madness that is Choose Your Squad?

Coyote vs. Acme is now in theaters.

Guess what Apple will release in September in our Big Guessing Game: Apple edition. Enter now for a chance to win an Apple Watch!

Apple has news to “surprise” us on Sept 9, but what do you mean there’s a new Mac Mini with M6 chip suddenly on sale? Don’t count on a typical September from Apple. Bridget Carey explains why Apple couldn’t wait on new Macs, but we keep waiting for the big iPhone event. Tim Cook’s final week as Apple CEO is full of unexpected news: Walmart is finally accepting Apple Pay.

Need a new mystery series? South Korean thriller Mousetrap has landed on Netflix, an unsettling, high-octane careen into the world of "identity laundering."

Based on the 2017 Kakao Webtoon Field Mouse by Ludovico, the series sees incognito novelist Je Moon-jae (Reply 1988's Ryu Jun-yeol) finding his identity completely stolen. The understandably panicked writer must figure out why a mysterious figure known as "The Rat" has done such a thing, and how he can possibly get his life back.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg for this mind-bending thriller, directed by Kim Hong-sun (Project Wolf Hunting) and written by Lee Jae-gon (A Model Family), which twists and turns through the streets of Seoul and into the past.

What is Mousetrap about?

Ryu Jun-yeol as Je Moon-jae in "Mousetrap." Credit: Yoo Eun-mi / Netflix

Identity theft is a real nightmare, and in Mousetrap, it's on a whole new level.

Imagine waking up one day and someone has stolen your identity. You can't open your phone or bank account with your own fingerprint. People are in your apartment, having bought it from someone posing as you. You have no medical records, no ID, nothing left to prove you're you — because they're all assigned to someone else. 

That's the plight of Moon-jae, a popular, enigmatic author who keeps his identity secret, which backfires on him in the most life-altering way possible. Following his parents' tragic death, Moon-jae has become a recluse, with his literary success seeing him holed up in his high-tech, luxurious apartment for years. Every day, he follows the same routine, suppresses the same panic attack, experiences the same nightmare. Through his floor-to-ceiling glass walls, he watches people go through their daily motions on the street — the postal deliveries, the food vendors — with his only real connection to the outside world his friend, accountant Son Su-hyeon (The Tyrant's Moo Jin-sung).

In one day, it's all taken from him, as his identity is hijacked. His high school friends don't recognise him, and he's got no ID in the world. And for reasons that will become clear, he finds himself on the run from loan shark Kim Yeong-geun aka No-ja (Peppermint Candy star Sul Kyung-gu) and searching for a cryptic figure known as The Rat who holds all the answers.

Mousetrap weaves its mystery through multiple storylines

Sul Kyung-gu as No-ja in "Mousetrap." Credit: Yoo Eun-mi / Netflix

Where Moon-jae begins his quest for the truth is only the jumping off point, as the series pulls multiple threads into a compelling mystery about the seriousness of identity fraud.

Investigating a separate crime of suspected murder, we meet hardened detective Park Sun-yong (All of Us Are Dead's Lee Kyu-hyung), who receives an anonymous tip that leads him into the paths of Moon-jae, No-ja, and Su-hyeon. Bodies keep turning up without ID, no fingerprint matches, no way to identify them, and Sun-yong wants to crack this case wide open. Meanwhile, a trio of hit men watches it all play out. And behind it all, the Rat stays one step ahead, watching from the shadows and tracking their every move.

Ryu's performance in Mousetrap sees him pushed to the limit, playing two sides of the same coin. As Moon-jae, his increasing anxiety and helplessness are rendered with raw authenticity. Brilliant special effects and surreal production design bolster Moon-jae's sense of agoraphobia, his suppressed trauma realised in his tempestuous connection to public space. As the series moves back and forth through time to build out character perspectives, we get the sense that Moon-jae might actually have all the answers he needs. Meanwhile, Sul makes for a show highlight as the no-nonsense loan shark, who expertly finds this dark show's moments of levity.

Mousetrap's one fault? Its lack of female characters, with women essentially limited to one-line scenes, some even remaining off-screen for them, with the exception being publishing house editor-in-chief Han Ji-hye (The Call's Lee El) who arrives halfway through the series.

Mousetrap is a triumph of action and thumping techno

Moon-jae (Ryu Jun-yeol) wants answers. Credit: Yoo Eun-mi / Netflix

If you've come for the mystery, stay for the action — and the outlandish amount of techno fuelling the score. With Moon-jae, No-ja, and Sun-young on the road looking for their own truths, Mousetrap executes some serious action sequences, from high-speed chases across Seoul's Han River to police hunts through suburbia brilliantly filmed overhead, to a brutal hand-to-hand fight scene in a makeshift operating theatre. With a slick, illustrated opening credit sequence, the series honours its Webtoon basis, while pushing the action further than the page.

Over 10 episodes, Mousetrap is technically a limited series — most Korean series can range up to 20+ episodes. However, the series doesn't feel rushed, instead taking its time to build a chilling picture of identity theft through well-crafted mystery, high octane action, and solid twists.

Mousetrap is now streaming on Netflix.

SAVE $35: As of Aug. 28, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale for $49.99 at Amazon. That's 41% off the list price.

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Credit: Amazon

Fire Stick 4K Max

$49.99 at Amazon
$84.99 Save $35.00

 

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The Fire TV Stick 4K Max isn't quite as cheap as it used to be. Amazon recently bumped up the regular price of the streaming stick to $84.99. So, if you've been eyeing up this streaming device, you'll need a great deal to make the price hike feel less steep. As of Aug. 28, it's on sale for $49.99.

As the latest release, this model features an updated interface designed to make browsing and app access quicker and more straightforward. Its processor also helps keep everything running smoothly, whether you're moving through menus or opening apps. For watching content, it supports 4K Ultra HD, Dolby Vision, and HDR10+ for sharper, more detailed picture quality, and Dolby Atmos adds immersive audio to the experience.

It has great gaming options too, with access to Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming support, so you can play popular titles straight from your streaming device. It also has Alexa built in, so you can search for shows and movies using your voice, whether you're looking for an actor or a specific title.

This Fire TV Stick deal is available for a limited time only, so don't miss out.

TL;DR: Alienware has launched what it's calling "the world's first 39-inch 5K RGB Stripe tandem OLED monitor." The Alienware 39 5K OLED gaming monitor is now available to buy for $1,099.99 at Dell.

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Credit: Alienware

Alienware 39 5K OLED Gaming Monitor

$1,099.99 at Dell

 

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If you're looking for a new gaming monitor that will seriously impress, Alienware's latest release is definitely worth checking out. The new Alienware 39 5K OLED gaming monitor is finally available at Dell, following its announcement at Computex earlier this year. Right now, you can pick up this game-changing monitor for $1,099.99.

This new gaming monitor has a 39-inch ultrawide display with a 5120 x 2160 5K resolution and RGB Stripe tandem OLED panel. It has a 165Hz refresh rate at its native resolution, with an esports mode that increases this to 330Hz, plus a 0.03ms response time across all modes.

For more immersive gameplay, it has a 1,500R curve, an ultrathin profile, and narrow bezels on all four sides. Alienware also uses a personalized pixel algorithm to help extend the OLED panel's lifespan. On top of this, you'll get a three-year warranty that covers OLED burn-in.

Connectivity-wise, it has a DisplayPort 2.1 (UHBR20), HDMI 2.1 FRL with eARC, USB-C with up to 90W power delivery, a built-in KVM switch, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. It also supports NVIDIA G-SYNC Compatible, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and VESA AdaptiveSync.

Score the world's first 39-inch 5K RGB Stripe tandem OLED monitor at Dell now.

TL;DR: Harry Styles' Pleasing brand collaborated with Loop Earplugs on the limited-edition Experience 2 Earplugs, available in two colorways — Loud Enough (blue) and Love Enough (pink) — both retailing for $39.95. With Styles' 30-show Madison Square Garden residency now underway, they're a fitting pickup for anyone heading to a show.

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Credit: Loop

Pleasing x Loop
Experience 2

$39.95 at Loop

 

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Harry Styles kicked off his 30-show "Together, Together" residency at Madison Square Garden on Aug. 26, running all the way through Halloween — and if you've got tickets to any of those nights, there's something worth adding to your concert bag: his Pleasing beauty and lifestyle brand teamed up with Loop Earplugs earlier this year on a limited-edition pair designed specifically for live music.

The collection, called Experience 2 Earplugs, comes in two colorways tied to Styles' latest album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. "Loud Enough" is a metallic blue inspired by the intensity of live sound, while "Love Enough" is a metallic pink inspired by the emotional pull of being in a crowd. Both retail for $39.95, come with matching carrying cases, and are available now on Loop's website.

We can vouch for the Experience 2 line. Mashable's Haley Henschel wore a pair to Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter Tour and came away impressed on nearly every front. Concerts can reach 95 to 110 dBA, well above the 85-dBA threshold considered safe for prolonged exposure, but she said the Loops muted the stadium noise while still letting Beyoncé's vocals come through clearly.

They stayed comfortable for the full two-hour, 45-minute show thanks to four swappable ear tip sizes, didn't look out of place stacked with her other earrings, and came with a small keychain case that barely took up space in her bag. If they held up through a full stadium show, they should hold up just fine at MSG too.

As it was, but for your ears — grab the limited-edition Experience 2 Earplugs before the run ends.

It's not just the Full Moon tonight, there's also a partial lunar eclipse. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon crosses into the shadow cast by Earth, which happens when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align. So, lunar eclipses can only happen during a Full Moon.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Friday, Aug. 28, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in Full Moon phase, with 100% of its surface visible.

Without any visual aids, tonight you can see the Mares Serenitatis and Vaporum, alongside the Aristarchus Plateau. If you have binoculars, you'll also see the Mares Frigoris and Nectaris, and the Grimaldi Basin. If you have access to a telescope, you'll also be able to see the Apollo 17 landing spot, the Fra Mauro Highlands, and the Descartes Highlands.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on September 26.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon's appearance changes throughout the month as it moves through its different phases. It takes roughly 29.5 days for the Moon to complete one full cycle as it orbits Earth, according to NASA. The phase we see depends on the Moon's position relative to the Sun and Earth, which determines how much of its sunlit side is visible to us. Over the course of the cycle, the Moon changes from a slim crescent to a half Moon and eventually a Full Moon, before beginning the process again.

The eight phases are:

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.

TL;DR: Live stream select Ligue 1 fixtures for free on CazéTV. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Ligue 1 doesn't have the same reputation as the Premier League or La Liga, but PSG has just secured its second consecutive Champions League title, so perhaps it's time to reassess the quality of France's top league?

We know that there's a gulf in quality between PSG and the rest of the league, but Ligue 1 now combines genuine stars like Dembélé, Vitinha, and Kvaratskhelia with elite young talent that will dominate the game in the years to come. Will any team make the jump and actually compete with PSG for the title? That seems unlikely, but fans can bank on some thrilling football every week.

If you want to watch Ligue 1 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is Ligue 1?

Ligue 1 is a professional football league in France and the highest level of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is contested by 18 clubs, including popular teams like PSG, Olympique de Marseille, and AS Monaco. Every team plays 34 matches per season.

The defending champions are PSG.

When is Ligue 1?

The 2026/27 Ligue 1 season kicks off on Aug. 21. The 34-matchday campaign concludes on May 29.

How to watch Ligue 1 for free

CazéTV will be showing select Ligue 1 fixtures for free on their YouTube channel.

These free live streams are geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can unblock free live streams of Ligue 1 from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of Ligue 1 by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend 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 Brazil

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Ligue 1 fixtures 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 of Ligue 1 without actually spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch select fixtures (plus coverage of the Premier League and La Liga) before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free live streams all season, you will need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for CazeTV?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream for free on CazéTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• 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 — 80% 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 a money-back guarantee).

Live stream Ligue 1 for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream the Bundesliga for free on CazéTV, AbemaTV, and BBC iPlayer. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There's already a lot of football on the schedule. Fans quite simply don't have time to watch everything, but if you're making tough decisions about what to include on your watch list, the Bundesliga should be a priority. Is it the single best league in Europe in terms of overall quality? Probably not, but it's got a strong argument for being the most entertaining.

The big question every season is whether any team can compete with Bayern Munich for the title. Competing with a side stacked with elite talent like Olise, Kane, and Díaz is not easy, but the likes of Dortmund and RB Leipzig always have a chance. Could this season deliver a surprise winner?

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

What is the Bundesliga?

The Bundesliga is Germany's leading professional men's soccer league. It features 18 clubs competing across 34 matchdays, including heavyweight teams like Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

The defending champions are Bayern Munich.

When is the Bundesliga?

The 2026/27 Bundesliga season runs from Aug. 28 to May 22.

How to watch the Bundesliga for free

The Bundesliga is available to live stream for free on a number of streaming platforms:

• Brazil — CazéTV (up to two live matches per week)

• Japan — AbemaTV (two live matches per week)

• UK — BBC iPlayer (select Friday evening fixtures)

These free live streams are geo-restricted, but anyone can bypass these restrictions 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 unblock free live streams of the Bundesliga from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the Bundesliga by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend 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 Brazil, Japan, or the UK

4. Visit CazéTV, AbemaTV, or BBC iPlayer

5. Watch Bundesliga fixtures 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 of the Bundesliga without actually spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch select fixtures (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free live streams all season, you will need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the Bundesliga?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport for free, 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 — 80% 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 a money-back guarantee).

Live stream the Bundesliga for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream select Premier League fixtures (Liverpool vs. Nottingham Forest on Aug. 29) for free on CazéTV. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Domestic football is back. Are we fatigued from a summer of sport? Absolutely not. We're impatient for rivalries to be renewed in some of the most competitive leagues in the world. And if we're talking truly unpredictable action from elite clubs in incredibly passionate stadiums, it's tough to beat the Premier League.

How will Arsenal cope with the pressure of being champions? Will Manchester City bounce back from the loss of iconic manager Pep Guardiola? Can Manchester United finally recapture some of their former glories? There are so many questions to be answered as the Premier League returns.

If you want to watch the 2026-27 Premier League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Premier League?

The Premier League is the highest level of the English football league system. The league is contested by 20 clubs, with each team playing 38 fixtures: two against each other, one home and one away.

The defending champions are Arsenal.

When is the Premier League?

The opening match round of the 2026/27 Premier League season will start on Aug. 21. The season runs until the final round of fixtures on May 30.

How to watch the Premier League for free

CazéTV will be showing select Premier League fixtures for free on their YouTube channel.

These free live streams are geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Premier League from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026-27 Premier League by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend 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 Brazil

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Premier League fixtures 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 of the Premier League without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch select fixtures (plus coverage of Ligue 1 and La Liga) before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free live streams all season, you will need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for CazeTV?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream for free on CazéTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• 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 — 80% 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 a money-back guarantee).

Live stream the Premier League for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

SAVE $501: As of Aug. 28, the EcoVacs Goat O1000 is on sale for $998.99 at Amazon. That's a 33% discount on the list price.

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Credit: EcoVacs

EcoVacs GOAT O1000

$998.99 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $501

 

Get Deal

If keeping the lawn looking tidy feels like a chore you could do without, the EcoVacs GOAT O1000 might just be your new favorite purchase. This robot lawn mower takes care of the cutting for you, with controls available from your phone, so you don't have to spend your Saturday morning dragging around your old lawn mower.

As of Aug. 28, it's on sale. Normally priced at $1,499.99, you can now save over $500 with the $998.99 deal price.

This EcoVacs model is a wire-free robot lawn mower that uses its HoloScope 360° Dual-LiDAR system to automatically map your yard and provide precise 2cm positioning, even under trees, near fences, and in shaded areas. It has an integrated TruEdge trimmer that cuts right along driveways, sidewalks, flower beds, and irregular lawn borders, reducing the need for any manual trimming on your part.

There are also features to help it avoid many garden obstacles, making it easy to identify more than 200 types of obstacles, including toys, patio furniture, pets, and small wildlife, with detection precision down to 5cm.

But the best part? You can control it all through the phone app. You can create mowing zones, set schedules, and customize no-go areas, all from indoors on the couch.

This is a limited-time deal at Amazon, so if you're excited to automate your lawn cutting, head to Amazon now.

Sleep trackers — wearable devices that monitor all your vitals — provide detailed summaries of your sleep cycle so you know how many hours of REM, deep, and light sleep you're getting. Most fitness trackers come equipped with sleep tracking these days, but choosing the best from that bunch is not as straightforward. These days, sleep trackers come in all shapes and sizes, and fortunately, our experts here at Mashable have tested them all.

So if the magnesium supplements and pillow sprays in your sleepmaxxing routine aren't working, here are the best sleep trackers of 2026.

The best Home Depot Labor Day deals at a glance:

---

Best grill deal

Weber Genesis E-325W 3-Burner Propane Gas Grill

$899 (save $100)

Get Deal

---

Best power tool deal

Milwaukee M18 18V Cordless 8-Tool Combo Kit

$649 (save $649)

Get Deal

---

Best outdoor deal

Ryobi ONE+ Whisper Series 12-inch Cordless Chainsaw

$189 (save $60)

Get Deal

---

Best single power tool deal

Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless 1/2 in. Impact Wrench

$79 (save $60)

Get Deal

Labor Day Weekend is nearly here, but Home Depot is kicking things off a bit early.

Starting Aug. 27 and running through Sept. 9, Home Depot's Labor Day Sale is offering all kinds of deals to help you transition into fall with ease. Highlights of the sale include up to 45% off Ryobi cordless power tools, up to $160 off grills, up to $100 off DeWalt tool combo kits, and more. Whether you want to clean up your yard for cool-weather cookouts or try your hand at home improvement, there's likely a deal for you.

While the sale will be live until Sept. 9, we expect some of the best deals to sell out in advance. So, if you see something you want, grab it sooner rather than later. We've rounded up some of the best deals we've spotted now that the sale has kicked off, but we'll keep an eye out for more price drops throughout the next week.

Best Home Depot grill deal

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Credit: Weber

Weber Genesis E-325W 3-Burner Propane Gas Grill

$899 at The Home Depot
$999 Save $100

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

It's honestly hard to beat a Weber if you're looking to replace your old grill. Their high-quality builds last longer than most, but they can get pretty dang expensive.

Luckily, for Labor Day, Home Depot has several models on sale for up to $100 off. The exclusive Weber Genesis E-325W, for instance, is down to $899 from $999. It features a 640-square-inch cooking space with three burners, two dual-row PureBlu burners for an ultra-hot Sear Zone, porcelain-enameled cast-iron cooking grates, and a sleek titanium-colored finish. And as with most Webers, it comes with a 12-year limited warranty.

More grill deals

• Weber Original Kettle 22-inch Charcoal Grill — $99 $199 (save $100)

• Traeger Pro Series 22-Pellet Grill and Smoker — $389 $549 (save $160)

• Weber Spirit E-210 2-Burner Propane Gas Grill — $399 $449 (save $50)

• Weber Spirit E-325 3-Burner Propane Gas Grill — $499 $549 (save $50)

• Weber 3-Burner Propane Flat Top Grill — $549 $599 (save $50)

• Oklahoma Joe's Highland Reverse Flow Charcoal Barrel Smoker — $629.99 $729.99 (save $100)

• Masterbuilt Gravity Series 600 Charcoal Grill and Smoker — $649 $749 (save $100)

• Traeger Flatrock 2-Burner Propane Flat Top Griddle — $699.99 $799.99 (save $100)

• Traeger Woodridge Wi-Fi Pellet Grill and Smoker — $799 $899 (save $100)

• Weber Genesis E-315 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill — $799 $899 (save $100)

• Kamado Joe Classic Joe 18-inch Charcoal Grill — $849 $999 (save $150)

• Ninja FlexFlame ProConnect Wi-Fi 3-Burner Propane Grill with Pizza Stone and Peel — $1,099.99 $1,299.99 (save $200)

• Masterbuilt Gravity Series XT Digital Charcoal Grill and Smoker — $1,499.99 $1,799.99 (save $300)

Best Home Depot power tool combo kit deal

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Credit: Milwaukee

Milwaukee M18 18V Cordless 8-Tool Combo Kit

$649 at The Home Depot
$1,298 Save $649

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

This eight-tool Milwaukee kit is an impressive value at only $649 — 50% off its list price. It includes one 1/2-inch drill/driver, one 1/4-inch impact driver, one oscillating multi-tool, one 3/8-inch impact wrench, one brushless grinder, one 6.5-inch circular saw, one hackzall, an LED work light, two M18 XC 4.0Ah batteries, a M12/M18 dual voltage charger, and two contractor bags. You'll be prepared for practically any home improvement project you can dream up.

Best Home Depot power tool deal

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Credit: Ryobi

Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless 1/2 in. Impact Wrench

$79 at The Home Depot
$139 Save $60

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

Whether you're working on cars or stubborn home DIYs, an impact wrench can make your life easier. And this one from Ryobi is down to just $79 during The Home Depot's Labor Day Sale. It features 375 ft-lbs of fastening torque, up to 3,100 impacts per minute, and a variable speed trigger with an RPM of 0 to 2,700. There's even an on-board LED light for extra visibility during your projects.

More power tool deals

• Ryobi ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless 4-1/2 in. Angle Grinder + free battery — $99 $248 (save $149)

• Ryobi ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless Compact Barrel Grip Jigsaw + free battery — $149 $278 (save $129)

• DeWalt XR Cordless Brushless Screw Gun — $149 $199 (save $50)

• DeWalt Atomic Cordless 1/4 in. Brushless Impact Driver Kit — $149 $219 (save $70)

• DeWalt Atomic Cordless 1/2 in. Hammer Drill Kit — $149 $199 (save $50)

• DeWalt 20V MAX Cordless Drill/Impact 2 Tool Combo Kit — $169 $239 (save $70)

• Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless 4-Tool Combo Kit — $199 $249 (save $50)

• Milwaukee M18 FUEL Cordless 1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver and Reciprocating Saw — $199 $369 (save $170)

• Milwaukee M18 FUEL Cordless 1/2 in. Hammer Drill/Driver w/1/4 in. Hex Impact Driver — $229 $399 (save $170)

• Milwaukee M18 FUEL Cordless Hammer Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit — $369 $558 (save $189)

• Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless 12-Tool Combo Kit — $679 $829 (save $150)

Best Home Depot outdoor power tool deal

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Credit: Ryobi

Ryobi ONE+ Whisper Series 12-inch Cordless Chainsaw

$189 at The Home Depot
$249 Save $60

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

Ryobi's Whisper Series cordless chainsaw is a hard deal to beat at only $189.

It's lightweight, easy to maneuver, and as the name suggests, 85% quieter than a typical gas-powered chainsaw. Plus, of course, it requires no fuel. Instead, it comes with a 6Ah high-performance battery that can make up to 112 cuts per charge with just the pull of a trigger. Its 12-inch bar and chain can tackle limbs and logs up to 10 inches in diameter, and there's an automatic oiler, tooled chain tensioning, and on-board tool storage for convenience. Purchased separately, the chainsaw, battery, and charger would run you up to $373, so this deal saves you nearly 50%.

More outdoor deals

• Ryobi ONE+ 18V 9 in. Cordless Edger — $99 $129 (save $30)

• Milwaukee M18 FUEL Cordless Handheld Blower — $149 $199 (save $50)

• DeWalt Cordless Battery Powered Chainsaw Kit — $199 $259 (save $60)

• DeWalt Cold Water Electric Pressure Washer — $249 $389 (save $140)

• Milwaukee M18 FUEL Battery Powered 8 in. HATCHET Mini Chainsaw — $279 $419 (save $140)

• Ryobi 40V Whisper Series Cordless Leaf Blower — $279 $349 (save $70)

• Ryobi 40V Cordless Multi-Blade Walk Behind Self-Propelled Lawn Mower — $449 $599 (save $150)

• Navimow i206 Robot Lawn Mower — $899 $999 (save $100)

• Navimow X430 17 in. Robot Lawn Mower — $2,249 $2,499 (save $250)

• Mammotion Luba 3 Robot Lawn Mower — $2,499 $2,799 (save $300)

TL;DR: Watch Connecticut Sun vs. Indiana Fever in the WNBA for free with a 7-day trial of WNBA League Pass through Prime Video. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Caitlin Clark of the Indiana Fever keeps making WNBA history. The latest record came during Sunday's 113-90 win over Chicago Sky, where Clark — a three-time WNBA All Star — and partner Kelsey Mitchell became the first duo to score 30 points each in three different games.

But Clark and the Indiana Fever have some way to go to reach the top of the standings. The Fever next plays the Connecticut Sun, a team with a dismal 10-28 record.

The good news is you can watch Connecticut Sun vs. Indiana Fever in the WNBA for free from anywhere in the world. Keep reading to find out how.

When is Connecticut Sun vs. Indiana Fever?

Connecticut Sun vs. Indiana Fever in the WNBA starts at 7.30 p.m. ET on Aug. 28. This fixture takes place at the Entertainment and Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

How to watch Connecticut Sun vs. Indiana Fever

Connecticut Sun vs. Indiana Fever is available to watch via a WNBA League Pass on Prime Video in the U.S. If you're not already subscribed, you can still watch the game for free with a 30-day trial of Prime Video in the U.S and a 7-day trial of the WNBA League Pass.

WNBA fans outside the U.S. can still watch the WNBA using a VPN. The process is simple:

1. Sign up for a 30-day Amazon Prime trial (if you're not already a member)

2. Sign up for a 7-day trial of the WNBA League Pass

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

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

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

6. Watch Connecticut Sun vs. Indiana Fever for free from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

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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 top VPN services tend to offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can watch the WNBA on Prime Video — all without spending your cash in the long run. It's a short-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select WNBA fixtures before you claim back your investment.

What is the best VPN for Prime Video?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Prime Video, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including the U.S.

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A 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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Stream Connecticut Sun vs. Indiana Fever in the WNBA for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: A lifetime subscription to Pok Pok, the ad-free, Montessori-inspired app for kids 2 to 8, is on sale for $59.99, a 76% discount off its usual $250 price.

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Credit: Pok Pok

Pok Pok: Lifetime Subscription

$59.99
$250 Save $190.01

 

Get Deal

Every parent has handed a kid a tablet for five quiet minutes and felt a little weird about it afterward. Pok Pok’s lifetime subscription is built for that exact moment without the guilt, and it’s on sale for $59.99, a 76% discount off its usual $250 price, for a limited time.

Pok Pok is designed for kids ages 2 to 8 and skips the flashing ads and forced ‘wins’ that make many kids’ apps stressful for both the kid and whoever handed them the device. There are no levels to fail, and no in-app purchases pushed at children, just open-ended exploration. Every sound and animation is made in-house rather than licensed stock content, which is part of why it reads as calmer and more deliberate than a typical kids’ app. It’s also fully COPPA- and GDPR-compliant.

The app has won a Mom’s Choice Award and has received steady coverage from tech outlets since its launch. MacStories called it a delightful digital toybox for kids.

What’s included in the lifetime subscription?

• Space, Number Journey, and Shapes, for early counting, patterns, and cause-and-effect play

• Dinosaurs, Islands, Dress-up, World Puzzle, and Radio, among other toys

• A regularly updated catalog with new seasonal and cultural content added over time

• Family access across up to 10 devices on one account

Pok Pok runs completely offline, so it works on a plane, in a car, or anywhere else WiFi doesn’t reach, making it a reliable option for travel or waiting rooms without a data plan. Since it’s built around open-ended play rather than levels or scores, there’s also no natural stopping point that turns into a meltdown when it’s time to put the tablet away, something a lot of parents run into with more game-like kids’ apps.

The math is straightforward, too. A lot of kids’ learning apps run $8 to $10 per month, which adds up to well over $100 a year if a family sticks with it. Pok Pok has no renewal to track and no risk of losing access if a subscription lapses. It’s redeemable within 30 days of purchase, and lifetime access includes all future content updates.

Pok Pok’s lifetime subscription is $59.99, down from $250.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The first time I heard Phoebe Bridgers’ new album, Lost Weekend, I was sitting beside my sister beneath a sky full of stars, surrounded by roughly 400 of Bridgers’ biggest fans.

It was Aug. 13, one night before the album’s release, and Spotify had invited us to hear it inside the planetarium at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City. Before we could hear the first baseline, however, everyone had to lock their phones inside magnetic Yondr pouches. Once we entered the planetarium, there would be no photos, videos, or notifications competing for our attention.

Credit: Spotify/Matt Grubb

With our phones out of reach, the lights dimmed and the album began. Footage of night skies and landscapes moved across the dome in time with the music: stars over Madagascar, the northern lights above Icelandic glaciers, and storms rolling across Texas. Created by photographer and National Geographic night-sky explorer Babak Tafreshi, the audiovisual show used footage captured across nearly 20 countries without computer-generated imagery.

The phone-free rule meant that everyone experienced the next hour together, from the first song to the last. Nobody could skip ahead, check what other fans were saying online, or pull out our Notes app when a favorite lyric hit.

After the final song ended and the crowd wiped tears from their eyes in unison, Bridgers herself walked out for a surprise acoustic performance with longtime collaborators Christian Lee Hutson and Nick White. She played two songs from the new album, along with "Scott Street." (Yes, my sister and I both cried). For those three songs, with no phones in the air and hundreds of fans completely locked in, the rest of the world could wait.

Credit: Spotify/Matt Grubb

The night was an unusually immersive album rollout, yes, but it reflected a broader shift in how music platforms and artists think about fandom.

After years of making music more personalized, portable, and solitary, listeners — especially younger ones — are looking for experiences that turn their online interests into real-life community. And, as more artists experiment with phone-free shows, it's becoming clear that the future of digital fandom may depend on giving people more reasons to log off.

"They desperately want to connect with each other."

Research backs up young adults' appetite for more offline connection, while also showing why it can be difficult to satisfy. "They desperately want to connect with each other," Psychologist Jamil Zaki said. "But they don't realize everyone else wants that as well."

At the same time, technology makes staying home the easier option, creating what he describes as "social inertia": Young people may want to go out and meet one another, but each convenience gives them one less reason to do it.

Interest-based events can lower that barrier because everyone arrives with something in common. In a 2025 Eventbrite survey of 2,000 U.S. adults ages 18 to 35, 95 percent said they were interested in exploring their online interests through in-person events, while 84 percent of those who had attended interest-based gatherings said they had developed close friendships through them.

Spotify’s latest slate of in-person experiences taps into that same desire: KLUB KATSEYE invited some of the group’s top listeners to a party featuring a performance by KATSEYE, while a New York event with Charli xcx brought together music, fashion, and film.

Guests attend Spotify Presents: KLUB KATSEYE Credit: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

Guests attend Spotify Presents: Music, Fashion, Film - Live in Nashville Credit: Terry Wyatt/Getty Images

The Lost Weekend listening experience will be featured at more than 40 planetariums around the world, with some showing Tafreshi’s dome presentation and others pairing the album with an immersive laser show created by Laser Fantasy.

Events like these are part of a broader effort by Spotify to make being a top listener count for more than just a spot in Wrapped. Through what the company calls its "fan-first" approach, Spotify uses listening activity to identify an artist’s most dedicated fans and offer them benefits such as early ticket access, exclusive merchandise, and invitations to experiences like the one my sister and I attended.

"Spotify is where so many fans start building their relationship with an artist, so we’re always thinking about how we can make that connection feel deeper," Rene Volker, Spotify’s head of live events, told Mashable.

The company says its live-music tools have already helped drive more than $1.5 billion in ticket sales for artists, giving Spotify a role in the fan experience long after someone presses play.

"Whether you’re tracing the creative connections behind a favorite track with SongDNA, finding your next show with Concerts Near You, getting rewarded for your fandom with Reserved, or stepping into an artist’s world in a whole new way at one of our own live experiences, we’re constantly finding new ways to bring fans closer to the artists they love."

"The phone-free aspect was legendary."

For all the ways technology can help fans find one another, it can also follow them into the room. At concerts, attention is often split between the performance onstage and the recording of it for later, which can make sharing a physical space feel surprisingly disconnected.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Bridgers has spent this album cycle encouraging those screens to disappear. The planetarium was not her first phone-free event: At a surprise Madison Square Garden show in June, fans had to secure their phones, cameras, smartwatches, and other devices inside pouches. Even pens and paper were prohibited as Bridgers tried to keep recordings and lyrics from her unreleased songs from immediately circulating online.

Many fans welcomed the restriction. "The phone-free aspect was legendary. One of the best concerts I’ve ever been to," one attendee wrote in a Madison Square Garden Reddit thread. Another fan said they "couldn’t believe how well-mannered and present everyone was," recalling people interacting and inventing games together while waiting in the merchandise line. Bridgers is now extending the same phone-free policy to her upcoming tour.

She is hardly the only artist rethinking the role of smartphones at concerts. Fred again.. covered fans’ camera lenses with stickers during a recent run of London shows, while Harry Styles made his one-night-only Manchester performance entirely camera-free and handed out disposable cameras instead. Bob Dylan, Jack White, and Ghost have required audiences to secure their devices inside Yondr pouches for full performances, while Lane 8’s shows have long been built around a no-recording rule.

Other artists have taken a less restrictive approach. Audrey Hobert performed her song "Sue Me" twice at Lollapalooza so audiences could put their phones away for the second performance, while Sabrina Carpenter has said she would consider banning phones from future concerts.

According to Eventbrite, phone-free experiences grew 567 percent globally between 2024 and 2025, while attendance increased 121 percent.

Phones are unlikely to disappear from concerts altogether, nor does every event need to ban them. But artists and fans alike appear hungry for a stronger sense of connection and increasingly willing to push back against the chronically online culture surrounding live music.

After all, who wants to watch a concert through a sea of other people's screens? The best events are felt across a crowd, which may be why the next phase of digital fandom is less about keeping fans online and more about creating out-of-this-world experiences (pun intended).

Disclosure: Spotify invited Mashable to attend the Lost Weekend Planetarium Experience.

TL;DR: Get Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more for life on sale for $29.97 (Reg. $219.99) through Sept. 1.

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Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License

$29.97
$219.99 Save $190.02

 

Get Deal

For a long time, the best way to get Microsoft apps was through a Microsoft 365 subscription, which was $99.99 per year at its lowest price. Now there’s a new option. Instead of paying hundreds over the years for basic productivity tools, you can get apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint with no subscription. A lifetime license for Microsoft Office is only $29.97 right now (reg. $219.99).

We know what you’re thinking, but rest assured, this isn’t some stripped-down lite version of Microsoft Office. It’s the real deal, and it’s really easy to get up and running. Whether you’re writing reports, crunching numbers, building presentations, managing emails, or wrangling databases, the lifetime version of Microsoft Office has you covered.

This version of Office comes with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams (free version), OneNote, Publisher, and Access. These versions are a little different from what’s in Microsoft 365, but for most users, that’s actually a good thing. Instead of getting interrupted by clumsy new AI integrations, this version is clean, practical, and stable.

It’s a one-time download for one Windows PC, so once it’s yours, it’s yours. The full pro-level toolkit, minus the stress of a subscription. Plus, with instant license delivery and free customer support, getting started is as painless as your new spreadsheet workflow.

No more “trial expired” pop-ups. No more surprise charges. Just the latest versions of Microsoft’s best apps, ready to support all of your work and personal needs.

Stop paying every month for basic productivity tools. Cancel Microsoft 365 and get a lifetime license for Microsoft Office for $29.97. Sale ends Sept. 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

It won't shock you that there's a superabundance of interview podcasts and internet series out there. You're probably subscribed to a bunch of content creators (perhaps those who made this year's Mashable 101) or maybe you depend on your feed to hand-deliver the most viral clips. But your time is precious, so we've rounded up the best on the internet this week.

Whether you're into deadpan showdowns, niche hot takes, or simply wholesome interviews between creative minds, here's what we reckon is worth your time (and of course, we'd never leave out Mashable's own Say More, what are you, nuts?).

1. Royal Court: Brittany Broski x Madelyn Cline

Brittany Broski being wonderfully silly with Outer Banks star Madelyn Cline is one of the most fun interviews of the whole damn week. In the latest episode of the creator and podcaster's Royal Court, the pair can barely get through the chat without giggling, especially getting real about Chuck E. Cheese, day drinking with Hades from Disney's Hercules, characters constantly faking their own deaths on Outer Banks, getting catfished on Bumble, and more, all wearing the same ears Harry Styles wore.

How to watch: YouTube, Instagram, TikTok

2. Subway Takes: Kareem Rahma x Shelen

Kareem Rahma's Subway Takes moved from from the New York Subway to London Tube this week, with creator, podcaster, and presenter Shelen, who had strong words for parents making social media stars of their kids.

"Forcing your child to do a TikTok is child labor," she said. "I'm not talking to parents who have a child and the child pops up in a vlog every now and again. I'm not talking to people who capture an organically, genuinely hilarious moment, post it on the internet, and we all laugh. I'm talking about the parents that make their child clock in, like they need to earn their keep."

How to watch: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube

3. Say More: Kristy Puchko x Demi Adejuyigbe

Mashable's Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko sat down in the Say More studio with writer, comedian, musician, linedancer, and baker Demi Adejuyigbe. The pair got into everything Dropout, brilliant comedy special Demi Adejuyigbe Is Going To Do One (1) Backflip, what line dancing and baking have in common, thriving on Letterboxd, and casting a rom-com. It's a treat.

Where to watch: Mashable, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok

4. Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware: Cyndi Lauper

Music icon Cyndi Lauper dined on Table Manners with Jessie and Lennie Ware, sitting down for her favourite meal of borscht, with fig and almond tart for dessert. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer wove tales about her Sicilian family, hits like "True Colors" and "Girls Just Want To Have Fun," the lawsuit with her band Blue Angel, her favourite New York restaurants (Le Veau d’Or, Lucien, Frankie's), and her charity which advocates for the rights and health of women, girls, and LGBTQ+ people.*

How to watch: YouTube, Spotify, Instagram, TikTok, Apple Podcasts

5. Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang: Troye Sivan

The first guest in Las Culturistas' new podcast studio? Troye Sivan. Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang showed off their new space for the Grammy-nominated artist, and the interview careens from giving "Tro" a new nickname to and how the iconic "Troye baby" voice note from "What's the Time Where You Are?" happened. And in a delightful moment, the three silently watch the video for the unreleased second single from Sivan's upcoming fourth studio album, She's the Best.*

Where to watch: YouTube, Instagram, TikTok

6. Dear Chelsea: Anna Faris

In the headline-making interview of the week, Spa Weekend star Anna Faris joined Chelsea Handler on her podcast, covering myriad topics from Scary Movie to quitting drinking to her 14-year-old son's religious views differing from her own. As it's an iHeartPodcasts audio-forward series, you can only watch clips of the episode, but you can listen to the whole thing on podcast platforms like Spotify and Apple.

How to listen: Spotify, Apple Podcasts

7. So True with Caleb Hearon: Liza Treyger

Liza Treyger’s unfiltered NSFW chat about sex, weed, hangovers, mental heath, and the World Cup will accompany you merrily through your afternoon — just make sure you've got your headphones in. A returning guest to Caleb Hearon's So True, the comedian brings her signature candor to the show and it's refreshing as hell.

How to watch: YouTube, TikTok, Spotify, Apple Podcasts,

8. Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend: John Cena

Conan O'Brien's interview with John Cena is one of the most wholesome chats on the internet this week, with the two stars finding a huge amount in common. On Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend, the comedy legend and podcast host checks in with the WWE icon and Hollywood star, talking through starting out in Los Angeles after growing up in Massachusetts, how wrestling storylines and comedy writing overlap, and how they dealt with bullying in school.*

How to watch/listen: YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts

From YouTubers and TikTok stars to streamers and podcasters, Mashable talks to creators about how they built their platforms, the gear they swear by, and the trends they see coming next. Read more of our creator coverage, sign up for our Trending Now and Top Stories newsletters or get Mashable push alerts to discover the internet's most exciting voices. 

(*) denotes a blurb came from a prior Mashable article.

So far in 2026, we've spent our winter scrubbing into The Pitt, our spring drinking sunset cocktails in Widow's Bay, and our summer getting lost in Sterling Point. Where will fall TV take us next?

With an avalanche of shows barreling towards us, the options can feel endless. Luckily, that means there's something for everyone. Love fantasy and sci-fi? Then keep your eyes peeled for the return of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, the premiere of Blade Runner 2099, and the arrival of a new Avatar series, titled Avatar: Seven Havens. Hoping for some scares this spooky season? Get ready for Mike Flanagan's Carrie series, as well as Friday the 13th prequel Crystal Lake.

On the drama side of things, look out for Netflix's East of Eden, starring Florence Pugh, as well as HBO's legal drama War. Comedy-wise, new favorites like The Paper and The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins are back, while Bad Sisters' Sharon Horgan debuts her new series Youth.

There's so much more where that came from. Keep reading for more exciting TV titles coming this fall.

September 2026 TV releases

Chad Powers, Season 2

Celebrate the start of the college football season with the return of Glen Powell's sports comedy, Chad Powers.

By the end of Season 1, much-loathed college football player Russ Holliday (Powell) managed to return to his quarterback glory days. Not as himself, but as his bumbling alter ego, Chad Powers. Now, though, his secret is getting dangerously close to slipping out, and he and confidant Danny (Frankie A. Rodriguez) are going to have to rope a very reluctant Ricky (Perry Mattfeld) into their scheme if they want any shot at preventing a massive scandal. If you love football, you'll have a blast with the on-the-field shenanigans, and if you don't, there's still so much to love with Russ' theater kid-level dedication to the role of Chad.

Starring: Glen Powell, Perry Mattfeld, Quentin Plair, Wynn Everett, Frankie A. Rodriguez, and Steve Zahn

How to watch: Chad Powers Season 2 premieres Sept. 3 on Hulu.

The Paper, Season 2

The Office spin-off The Paper is back to make you laugh… and to remind you to read local journalism.

Season 1 got off to a great start, introducing a strong ensemble in the form of the Toledo Truth Teller's newsroom. Among them are editor-in-chief Ned (Domhnall Gleeson) and reporter Mare (Chelsea Frei), whose "will they, won't they" dynamic has moved definitively into the will they column after a passionate kiss in the Season 1 finale. Also in the fray are wild card managing editor Esmeralda (Sabrina Impacciatore) and the one returning Office character, Oscar (Oscar Nuñez). Whatever stories they hunt next, expect The Paper's return to be laugh-out-loud funny and relevant to today's media landscape.

Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Sabrina Impacciatore, Chelsea Frei, Melvin Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Tim Key, Ramona Young, Eric Rahill, Duane Shepard Sr., Alex Edelman, and Oscar Nuñez 

How to watch: The Paper Season 2 premieres Sept. 9 on Peacock.

Last Seen

Apple TV has built an impressive repertoire of thrillers, from Slow Horses to Hijack. This September, it adds a new entry to that list with the Australian series Last Call. The show follows police dispatcher Ian Ridley (Patrick Brammall), who receives a call from a teenager he believes to be his long-missing daughter, Maggie. The call sends him into action, and he'll do whatever it takes to get Maggie back. Based on the trailer, it's going to be one intense ride.

Starring: Patrick Brammall, Maxine Peake, Brendan Cowell, Daniel Henshall, Zahra Newman, Jessica Wren, Tobias Muhafidin, and Chloe Jean Lourdes

How to watch: Last Seen premieres Sept. 9 on Apple TV.

Crew Girl

Row, row, row your boat over to Netflix to check out Crew Girl, the streamer's latest YA romance.

Crew Girl introduces talented rower Teagan Tao (Miku Martineau). After a family scandal blows up her life, it's off to a new school for a new beginning. But the prestigious Easton Prep doesn't have a women's rowing team for her to join. Instead, she'll become the coxswain for the men's team, calling the shots from the front of the boat. As she takes on this new challenge, she'll become embroiled in — what else? — a love triangle involving two team members. Promising sporty, soapy romance, Crew Girl seems like the perfect next watch for anyone who devoured Off Campus in one sitting.

Starring: Miku Martineau, Jessica Paré, Sam Braun, Kyle Clark, and Thomas Cadrot

How to watch: Crew Girl premieres Sept. 10 on Netflix.

Dimension 20: Toylight

Dropout's Dimension 20 returns this fall, with its Intrepid Heroes back for a new adventure that's sure to knock the stuffing out of fans. This actual play series translates the game mechanics of Dungeons and Dragons into a variety of imaginative worlds, which has made Dimension 20 a wildly popular anthology series, delving into fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and more.

For Toylight, Game Master Brennan Lee Mulligan leads his players into a tough terrain that only looks like child's play. When a little girl is dying of consumption, darkness threatens to snuff out the Toylight that is her imagination. Coming to her defense against vicious dust bunnies are a band of toys made up of a hobby horse, a kewpie doll, a tin soldier, a porcelain doll, a one-eyed lion plushie, and a stuffed rabbit. While this is a comedy show, the trailer has us thinking the collision of a childlike setup could be studded with gutting drama. Are we talking Crown of Candy level tragedy? We'll have to tune in each week to find out! — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

Starring: Brennan Lee Mulligan, Emily Axford, Ally Beardsley, Brian Murphy, Zac Oyama, Siobhan Thompson, and Lou Wilson

How to watch: Dimension 20: Toylight premieres Sept. 16 on Dropout.

The Traitors: New Blood

Who's ready for some more murrrrderrrr? This fall, the U.S. gets their second season of The Traitors this year, but there's a catch. In The Traitors: New Blood, absolutely none of the contestants are celebrities. Like in most other Traitors franchises, these contestants are all civilians, which means we're in for a new dynamic in the castle. But even as the cast makeup changes, one thing will surely stay the same: Alan Cumming's impeccable hosting.

Starring: Alan Cumming

How to watch: The Traitors: New Blood premieres Sept. 17 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, with episodes streaming the next day on Peacock.

Youth

Sharon Horgan in "Youth." Credit: Colin Hutton / HBO

From Catastrophe to Bad Sisters, Sharon Horgan has consistently delivered memorable comedies populated with flawed characters you'll want to follow until the end. She looks to continue that streak in HBO's Youth, her second series with them after 2016's Divorce. While that show examined the lengthy process of divorce, Youth explores what comes after. Horgan plays Alex, a divorcée balancing the search for sex and love with the demands of parenthood, caring for her own ailing parents, and her career as a literary agent. Like the rest of Horgan's work, expect Youth to be as sharp and vulnerable as it is funny.

Starring: Sharon Horgan, Aran Murphy, Sharlene Whyte, Robbie Gee, and Rupert Friend

How to watch: The first two episodes of Youth premiere Sept. 20 at 10 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

A Different World

Originally a spin-off of The Cosby Show, college-set sitcom A Different World became a hit in its own right in the '80s and '90s. Now, school's back in session, as the beloved series gets a modern-day reboot at Netflix.

It's been over 30 years since audiences last visited Hillman College, A Different World's fictional historically Black college. That means it's time for a new generation of students. Among them is Deborah (Tony winner Maleah Joi Moon), the daughter of A Different World's Whitley Gilbert (Jasmine Guy) and Dwayne Wayne (Kadeem Hardison). Guy and Hardison are returning for the series, alongside original A Different World stars Darryl M. Bell, Charnele Brown, and Cree Summer. Expect a blast from the past as you catch up with Whitley and Dwayne, mixed with a fresh look at HBCU life today.

Starring: Maleah Joi Moon, Alijah Kai, Cornell Young IV, Jordan Aaron Hall, Kennedi Reece, Chibuikem Uche, Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Cree Summer, Darryl M. Bell, Jenifer Lewis, and Jada Pinkett Smith

How to watch: A Different World premieres Sept. 24 on Netflix.

October 2026 TV releases

East of Eden

John Steinbeck's magnum opus East of Eden comes to Netflix this fall, written and executive produced by Zoe Kazan and starring Florence Pugh.

Kazan's grandfather Elia Kazan directed the 1955 James Dean-led East of Eden, which only adapted the final section of the novel. Zoe Kazan's interpretation will focus on the full book but comes with its own twist, as it puts an extra focus on East of Eden's antagonist Cathy Ames (Pugh). By framing Cathy as an antihero and enlisting an actress of Pugh's caliber, East of Eden looks to examine Steinbeck's "psychic monster" in a new light.

Starring: Florence Pugh, Christopher Abbott, Mike Faist, Hoon Lee, Tracy Letts, Martha Plimpton, Ciarán Hinds, Joseph Zada, and Joe Anders

How to watch: East of Eden premieres Oct. 1 on Netflix.

War

Looking for a juicy legal drama to obsess over? Then get ready for War.

HBO and Sky's upcoming anthology series (Season 2 is already in the works) follows the extremely public divorce between movie star Carla Duval (Sienna Miller) and tech entrepreneur Morgan Henderson (Dominic West). As the two square off, the lawyers at their firms will fight tooth and nail to drag their client's spouse through the mud. Dirty tricks, shocking secrets, and ruthless betrayals are sure to follow. According to the trailer, the oncoming fight is going to be "the biggest divorce trial in British legal history," so buckle up.

Starring: Dominic West, Sienna Miller, Phoebe Fox, James McArdle, Archie Renaux, Nina Sosanya, Pip Torrens, Celia Imrie, Nick Mohammed, Emma Laird, Aran Murphy, Shaheen Jafargholi, Akiya Henry, Honor Swinton Byrne, Miles Jupp, Kartanya Maynard, Alexandra Mardell, Dylan Edwards, Mark Quartley, and Steve Furst

How to watch: War premieres Oct. 1 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

Tip Toe

Russell T. Davies' (Doctor Who, It's a Sin) new drama Tip Toe comes to Starz this fall after airing in England earlier this year to critical acclaim. The series introduces two Manchester neighbors: gay bar owner Leo (Alan Cumming) and straight electrician Clive (David Morrissey). Over the course of 10 days, their neighborly relationship spirals due to homophobia and online conspiracy theories, resulting in a devastating hate crime. Bleak and brutal, Tip Toe earned praise for its two lead performances and for its unfortunate relevance.

Starring: Alan Cumming, David Morrissey, Jackson Connor, Iz Hesketh, Pooky Quesnel, Joseph Evans, Elizabeth Berrington, Paul Rhys, and Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo

How to watch: Tip Toe premieres Oct. 2 on Starz.

Carrie

I know what you're thinking. Another Carrie adaptation? Really? But with Mike Flanagan at the helm, we've got high hopes.

Flanagan is the modern master of Stephen King adaptations, having directed excellent films like The Life of Chuck, Doctor Sleep, and Gerald's Game. He's also proven his considerable horror TV chops thanks to chilling projects like The Haunting of Hill House, The Fall of the House of Usher, and Midnight Mass. His upcoming Carrie miniseries synthesizes these two specialties, which already bodes well. It also updates King's story of a bullied telepathic teen (Summer H. Howell) to today, promising a fresh look at an iconic tale, even if the end destination of the world's bloodiest prom remains the same.

Starring: Summer H. Howell, Samantha Sloyan, Siena Agudong, Alison Thornton, Joel Oulette, Josie Totah, Arthur Conti, Thalia Dudek, Amber Midthunder, and Matthew Lillard

How to watch: Carrie premieres Oct. 7 on Prime Video.

Below

Loved Widow's Bay and looking for more spooky seaside towns? Then Netflix's Below might be right up your alley.

The series transports viewers to a small Newfoundland town, where something sinister lurks in the waters. As a mysterious sea creature begins to terrorize the town's inhabitants, local fisherman Calvin Penney (Josh Hartnett) will team up with marine researcher Fonda Howander (Mackenzie Davis) to find the beast and protect his family. Expect serious secrets, scares, and twists as the truth of what lies Below comes to the surface. 

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Mackenzie Davis, Charlie Heaton, Natasha Henstridge, Joshua Close, Rohan Campbell, Willow Kean, Ruby Stokes, Kaleb Horn, and Mary Walsh

How to watch: Below premieres Oct. 8 on Netflix.

Avatar: Seven Havens

Yip yip! A new Avatar series is hitting streaming this fall. Not a bland live-action remake, not a sequel movie, but a full-on series in the vein of The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. Created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, this next step in the Avatar cycle blows up the beloved franchise's world entirely. Say goodbye to the Four Nations, and say hello to the Seven Havens. 

Avatar: Seven Havens takes place in the aftermath of a great calamity brought on by Korra. (And you know what? I'll keep defending her!) That means her successor, earthbender Pavi (voiced by Saheli Khan), has grown up in a world where the Avatar is viewed as humanity's destroyer. Now, she and her long-lost twin must fight to save the remains of civilization, even as humans and spirits hunt them down. Yet even in the apocalypse, some things remain constant across all Avatar series, including sick bending fights and darling animal companions. In this case, that's cat-monkey Geet, and I can't wait to get to know him and Pavi more.

Starring: Saheli Khan, Aishu Devan, Akshay Khanna, Major Curda, Sakina Jaffrey, Darren Barnet, Dianne Doan, and Dee Bradley Baker

How to watch: Avatar: Seven Havens premieres Oct. 9 on Paramount+.

The Lowdown, Season 2

Tommy Lee Jones and Ethan Hawke in "The Lowdown." Credit: Shane Brown / FX

If you haven't watched Season 1 of The Lowdown yet, I need you to run and do that now, please. Then, once you've witnessed its perfection, I've got great news for you: Season 2 is mere months away!

Created by Reservation Dogs' Sterlin Harjo, The Lowdown is the perfect combination of gritty mystery and hangout comedy. It centers on Tulsa citizen journalist Lee Raybon (Ethan Hawke), a roguish "truthstorian" with a heart of gold and a knack for getting into nasty situations. In Season 1,  he uncovered a sinister conspiracy at the heart of Tulsa. In Season 2, he's back on the case, this time investigating the mysterious disappearance of a prison inmate. The Lowdown's first season was one of 2025's absolute best shows, and given Harjo's track record (and the arrival of incredible stars like Betty Gilpin and Tommy Lee Jones), I'm expecting Season 2 to be just as great.

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Betty Gilpin, Keith David, Rafael Casal, Kaniehtiio Horn, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, and Tommy Lee Jones

How to watch: The Lowdown Season 2 premieres Oct. 14 on FX and Hulu.

VisionQuest

Marvel gets mind-bendy in the upcoming show VisionQuest.

Billed as the conclusion to the "Wanda trilogy," which also includes WandaVision and Agatha All Along, the series picks up with everyone's favorite philosophical android, Vision (Paul Bettany). He's dealing with a serious identity crisis after getting resurrected in WandaVision, and he's communicating with other Marvel AI in order to figure out who he is. Among them? Avengers villain Ultron (James Spader), appearing in a human avatar.