The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you have a good sense of smell.

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: Happy sounds

• Green: Communication

• Blue: Eye rhymes

• Purple: Same first words

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Quaint expressions of excitement

• Green: Convey

• Blue: Words abbreviated with letters as homophones

• Purple: Safety ____

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 #1154 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Quaint expressions of excitement: HOT DOG, HURRAH, WHOOPEE, YAHOO

• Convey: COUCH, EXPRESS, FRAME, PHRASE

• Words abbreviated with letters as homophones: CUTIE, EASY, EFFECTS, I OWE YOU

• Safety ____: BELT, GOGGLES, PIN, RAZOR

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 easily lose your train of thought.

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: It has its ups and downs

The words are related to a thrill ride.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe aspects of a popular amusement park attraction.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is diagonal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Rollercoaster.

NYT Strands word list for August 8

• Drop

• Loop

• Rollercoaster

• Cutback

• Track

• Tunnel

• Corkscrew

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 good actor.

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:

To have insight into something secret.

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 P.

The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

PRIVY

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.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you've ever watched 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: Game start

• Green: Youth baseball championship

• Blue: Award-winning pitchers

• Purple: Final

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Ways a Game Begins

• Green: LLWS

• Blue: AL Cy Young Award Winners

• Purple: Precedes "Final"

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 #684 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Ways a Game Begins: FACEOFF, FIRST PITCH, JUMP BALL, KICKOFF

• LLWS: LEAGUE, LITTLE, SERIES, WORLD

• AL Cy Young Award Winners: BLUE, COLE, COLON, VIOLA

• Precedes "Final": QUARTER, SEMI, STANLEY CUP, WORLD CUP

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 catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for August 8 Pips

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

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

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed horizontally.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for August 8 Pips

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for August 8 Pips

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

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

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

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically; 6-2, placed vertically; 4-6, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically; 2-2, placed vertically; 6-2, placed vertically; 2-5, placed vertically; 0-2, placed horizontally.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically; 3-3, placed horizontally.

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

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

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 1-0, 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.

TL;DR: Get a Curiosity Stream lifetime subscription for $112.49 (reg. $399.99) with code Aug25, through August 9.

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Credit: Curiosity Stream

Curiosity Stream Standard Plan: Lifetime Subscription

$112.50
$399.99 Save $287.49

 

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Every streaming app has the same problem: 20 minutes of scrolling, nothing worth watching. Curiosity Stream aims to change that experience by only stocking mind-catching documentaries.

The large library covers science, history, nature, and technology, with thousands of titles and new ones added on an ongoing basis: ancient Rome, wildlife, deep space- you name it. It’s also home to a solid lineup of David Attenborough programs, which is reason enough for many people. Series like Engineering the Future, Deep Time History, and Into the Jungle each dig into a different corner of how the world actually works, rather than another true-crime rehash.

It streams in HD across phones, tablets, and TVs, and the iPhone and iPad apps let you download episodes ahead of time, so a flight or a long drive doesn’t mean staring at a loading spinner. Search is built to handle specific topics well, so chasing a rabbit hole about deep-sea creatures or ancient Rome doesn’t take much digging, and the interface itself stays out of your way.

Bookmarking and resume playback mean you can always get back to what you want to watch.

It’s also just a good thing to fall asleep to. Swap out reality TV or a movie you have to actually pay attention to for a low-stakes documentary, and it’s a lot easier to drift off without missing anything that matters. Between that and the actual educational value, it’s a natural fit for anyone who’d rather spend an evening learning something than rewatching a show for the fourth time. And since it’s a one-time payment rather than another monthly line item, it’s also a reasonable way to trim the streaming budget without losing anything worth watching.

Get Curiosity Stream lifetime access for $112.49 (reg. $399.99) with code Aug25 before it ends August 9 at 11:59 p.m.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Meta has been ordered to pay $567 million to fund youth mental health services in New Mexico in the final phase of a child safety trial.

Meta lost the lawsuit in March when a New Mexico jury found the social media company liable for misleading consumers about the safety of its platforms and endangering children.

At the time, Meta was ordered to pay the maximum penalties for each violation of New Mexico’s consumer protection laws, amounting to $375 million.

On Thursday, a New Mexico judge assessed the new financial penalty after deciding Meta was liable for causing a teen mental health epidemic in the state. The penalty will fund treatment for young people harmed by Meta's platforms, as well as pay for mental health prevention and awareness services.

“For years, Meta knew its platforms were harming New Mexico’s kids, from feeding a youth mental health crisis to connecting predators with children, and it chose engagement and profit over their safety," said Attorney General Raúl Torrez. "Today, Meta is paying for that choice."

In total, Meta is required to pay nearly $942 million.

Andy Stone, vice president of communications for Meta, shared in a statement on X that the company disagrees with the ruling and will appeal it.

"We work hard to keep people safe on our platforms and have been transparent about the challenges of identifying and removing bad actors and harmful content," the statement said. "We remain confident in our record of protecting teens online and will continue to defend ourselves against claims that misrepresent the facts."

In addition to creating an abatement fund to address harms, Chief Judge Bryan Biedscheid also required the company to implement certain safety features, such as ensuring that no account for a user under 18 is recommended to an adult and preventing minors from engaging in romantic or sexual interactions with Meta's AI chatbots.

Last year, Reuters found that Meta's policies had allowed chatbots to "engage a child in conversations that are romantic or sensual." Such guidelines were removed from the company's policies. In January, Meta made its AI characters temporarily inaccessible to teens pending an "updated" experience for them.

Reddit's legacy experience may be under threat.

The internet's home page is constantly undergoing little changes here and there, but as Engadget reported, there's reason to believe Old Reddit might not be long for this world in its current state.

The legacy version of the message board website, which some users prefer to the modern interface, will see unspecified "changes" over time, according to an official blog post. The idea is to combat AI scraping, which has been rampant on Reddit over the last few years.

Reddit has already made some changes to Old Reddit in this regard, as you currently can't use Old Reddit without being logged into a real account.

One Reddit admin admitted recently that the company "can't promise it will be around forever." However, that doesn't necessarily mean a total shutdown; CEO Steve Huffman also recently said Reddit is looking into limiting access or rebuilding it with modern tech rather than getting rid of it wholesale.

So, not only is AI making everything more expensive, but it's also making it harder for older websites to exist. At a certain point, one has to wonder if it's all worth it.

Another solar eclipse is coming. If you're ready to look up to the sky for the special event, don't forget to protect your eyes. As Europe gears up to witness a total eclipse, parts of North America will enjoy a partial eclipse.

The solar eclipse is taking place on Wednesday, Aug. 12. According to NASA, a total solar eclipse will be seen in Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain, and a small corner of Portugal. However, partial eclipses can be seen in the northern U.S. (from Alaska to North Carolina), most of Canada, much of Europe, and northwestern Africa.

If you're planning on watching the eclipse, you'll need a pair of solar eclipse glasses. Be wary, there are plenty of solar eclipse glasses available, especially on Amazon, but you must make sure they're ISO 12312-2 Certified for the safest eye protection. The American Astronomical Society has a list of approved manufacturers you can verify too.

Since the glasses are delicate, make sure to check them before use, making sure there are no punctures or tears. To test them, wear them inside your home, and you shouldn't be able to see any light fixtures besides a small filament.

To prepare for the upcoming solar eclipse, here's a list of all the options available at Amazon. All the options on this list are either CE, ISO, or AAS-certified to protect your eyes during the eclipse. Plus, they all arrive before Wednesday, Aug. 12.

Solar Eclipse Glasses in the UK

• Absolute Eclipse Solar Eclipse Glasses — £4.79

• Soluna Solar Eclipse Glasses — £5.99

• Solar Optics Solar Eclipse Glasses 5-pack with Phone Filters — £14.99

• Lunt Solar Eclipse Glasses 5-pack — £15.99

• Kesseph Solar Eclipse Glasses — £17.99

Solar Eclipse Glasses in the US and North America

• PNJ Solar Eclipse Glasses — $9.85

• Lunt Solar Eclipse Glasses — $9.95

• Soluna Solar Eclipse Glasses — $14.99

• AAA Eclipse Solar Glasses — $17.95

SAVE 8%: As of Aug. 7, you can get the 11-inch Apple iPad Air (M4) for $689 at Amazon, down from $749. That's an 8% discount or $60 in savings.

11-inch Apple iPad Air (M4)

$689 at Amazon
$749 Save $60

 

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With back-to-school shopping in full swing, finding a deal on a brand-new iPad is tough — especially after recent price hikes across Apple's lineup. But if you're looking for a powerful tablet for classes, note-taking, or general productivity before the semester starts, any markdown on their latest tech is worth jumping on.

Right now, the 11-inch Apple iPad Air (M4) is on sale at Amazon for $689. While it did hit an all-time low of $519 back in June, this is still a great way to save. While it did hit an all-time low of $519 back in June, this is still the best price you'll find on an M4 model right now. It's also worth noting that Amazon's pricing varies by color: if you choose space gray, you'll pay $709.

This deal is for the 128GB WiFi model in Starlight. It comes equipped with an 11-inch Liquid Retina display, Touch ID, WiFi 7, and all-day battery life. It also features 12MP front and rear cameras, which are ideal if you have a lot of virtual classes or video calls on your schedule. Plus, the new M4 chip keeps everything running fast, even with heavy multitasking, and you can pair it with a Magic Keyboard or Apple Pencil Pro if you need it for typing up papers or drawing.

TL;DR: Now through Aug. 9, several states are waiving or cutting sales tax on select purchases. To get the biggest savings, skip the cheap school supplies and use the tax break on high-dollar items like laptops, power stations, and home tech.

I hate paying taxes as much as anyone, so whenever there's a (legal) way to keep a little extra cash in my wallet, I'm going to take full advantage of it.

This weekend is the biggest tax-free shopping event of the year. While state lawmakers pitch these sales tax holidays as a nice little break for families buying notebooks and backpacks, buying cheap school supplies only saves you a couple of bucks. If you want to make the tax break worth your time, you should use it on high-ticket tech items where skipping the tax saves real money.

Here's the breakdown of every state participating this weekend (plus a few running sales through August), along with the best ways to maximize your savings.

State-by-state breakdown

Active this weekend (Aug. 7–9)

• Iowa (Aug. 7-8): Clothing and footwear under $100 per item.

• Illinois (Aug. 7-16): The state isn't eliminating the tax completely, but it is lowering the state sales tax rate from 6.25% to 1.25% on qualifying clothing (under $125) and school supplies.

• Massachusetts (Aug. 8-9): All personal retail purchases of $2,500 or less per item are tax-free.

• Missouri (Aug. 7-9): Covers clothing ($100 or less), software ($350 or less), graphing calculators ($150 or less), and computers and accessories up to $1,500 per item.

• Ohio (Aug. 7-9): Clothing ($75 or less) and school supplies ($20 or less).

• Oklahoma (Aug. 7-9): Clothing and footwear under $100.

• South Carolina (Aug. 7-9): Hands-down the best state to shop in this weekend. They waive tax on computers, printers, software, school supplies, and bed/bath products with no price caps.

• Texas (Aug. 7-9): Clothing, footwear, and backpacks under $100.

• Virginia (Aug. 7-9): Clothing ($100 or less), school supplies ($20 or less), and Energy Star items ($2,500 or less), plus portable generators up to $1,000 and gas chainsaws up to $350.

Other August sales tax holidays to keep on your radar:

• Florida (July 20 to Aug. 20): Computers and accessories up to $1,500, clothing up to $100, and school supplies up to $50.

• Maryland (Aug. 9-15): Clothing and footwear ($100 or less) and the first $40 of a backpack purchase.

• Connecticut (Aug. 16-22): Clothing and footwear under $300 per item.

• Mississippi (Aug. 28-30): Firearms, ammunition, and hunting supplies with no price cap.

Yes, you can shop online

These tax breaks still apply if you shop online from your couch! As long as your shipping address is in a participating state, online retailers are legally required to honor the sales tax holiday. Just keep a close eye on the final total before you click "buy." Different states have varying rules about how shipping and handling fees are treated. If a shipping charge accidentally bumps your laptop over your state's price limit, it might suddenly become taxable.

The 3 best big-ticket deals to shop this weekend

To get the best deals, look for the categories where states set high price limits (or no limits at all).

1. Mid-range laptops under $1,500 (Florida and Missouri)

If you live in Florida or Missouri, your state caps the tax-free limit on computers at $1,500 per item.

What to look for: Current-generation laptops priced between $500 and $1,200. Stacking an existing retailer markdown with a 4% to 6% tax drop saves you anywhere from $30 to $80 on top of the sale price.

Apple MacBook Neo

$688.49 at Amazon

 

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Read Mashable's full review of the Apple MacBook Neo.

2. High-end tech and gaming rigs with no price caps (South Carolina and Massachusetts)

South Carolina has zero price limit on computers and computer accessories, and Massachusetts covers almost any personal purchase up to $2,500.

What to look for: This is the time to buy expensive MacBooks, gaming desktops, or OLED monitors. Waiving a 6% tax on a $2,000 Apple or gaming setup keeps $120 in your pocket.

Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M5)

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$1,499 Save $100

 

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Read Mashable's full review of the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M5).

3. Portable generators and power stations (Virginia)

Virginia explicitly includes emergency supplies in its weekend holiday, so you can save on portable generators priced up to $1,000. (Something you'll definitely need on the East Coast; did you see how flooded Norfolk got earlier this week?)

What to look for: Portable battery power stations or compact gas generators priced right under that $1,000 threshold. On an $800 to $900 unit, you'll save around $45 to $50 on state tax alone, which is ideal if you're trying to prep for storm season without paying extra fees.

DJI Power 2000

$719.98 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $579.02

 

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Read Mashable's full review of the DJI Power 2000 portable power station.

We're getting an extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI in a few weeks, but until then, we have some financial data to look at.

Take-Two Interactive, the parent company behind GTA VI publisher Rockstar Games, reported its earnings for the quarter ending on June 30 this week, per Variety, which included the first five days after the game became available for pre-order. According to Take-Two, the company recorded $1.4 billion in net bookings during the quarter, an industry metric that tracks orders placed. It's not the same as pure revenue, but considering the game isn't actually out yet, it's as good a metric as we've got.

Our big Guessing Game is back! Learn how to enter for a chance to win an Apple Watch.

“I can say that the level of pre-orders is unprecedented and astonishing, and we’re very grateful for that,” CEO Strauss Zelnick said. “But they are so unprecedented that we just don’t know how it’ll translate into sales, which is a question I answered earlier. We genuinely don’t, and we just don’t believe in claiming victory before it occurs.”

It should be emphasized that other Take-Two games, such as NBA 2K, probably contributed to that $1.4 billion number. That's also just a snapshot for a period that ended in June, and the game has certainly brought in even more pre-orders since then, despite its high price.

So, with months left before the Nov. 19 release date, it's clear that GTA VI is on track to surpass $1 billion in preorders, if it hasn't already.

No one is surprised to hear that GTA VI is being pre-ordered in high quantities, but it is still interesting to get an actual number that, to some extent, reflects the hype. And all of that is coming before we've seen actual gameplay footage yet.

'Grand Theft Auto VI' for PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X

$79.99 at Amazon

 

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'Grand Theft Auto VI' for PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X

$79.99 at Amazon

 

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SAVE $60: As of Aug. 7, the TCL A1s smart projector is on sale for just $339.99, down from $399.99. That's a savings of 15%.

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Credit: TCL

TCL A1s Smart Projector

$339.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $60

 

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Portable projectors have come a long way in recent years, even rivaling big-screen 4K TVs. The prices aren't too shabby either — especially if you can find one on sale. If you prefer a flexible TV experience and want a massive screen that won't break the bank, the TCL A1s smart projector is a solid pick that's cheaper than usual this weekend.

As of Aug. 7, Amazon has the TCL A1s smart projector on sale for $339.99. That's $60 off its usual list price of $399.99.

Compact and convenient, the all-in-one TCL A1s can display images up to 150 inches, letting you set up a private movie theater experience from just about anywhere. It features a 1080p native resolution, up to 600 ISO lumens of brightness, autofocus, keystone correction, and 8W speakers with Dolby Audio. It also has Google TV built in, making it easy to access all of your favorite streaming services.

The A1s weighs in at less than four pounds and has an adjustable carrying handle attached. So it's ideal for bringing along on camping trips, setting up casual backyard movie nights, or posting up in your living room. It's not the most advanced projector on the market, but it delivers where it matters: a portable, flexible, and immersive home theater experience. Plus, it won't cost you an arm and a leg.

The best SSD deals at a glance:

---

Best internal SSD deal

Samsung 9100 Pro SSD, 2TB

$399.99 (save $280)

Get Deal

---

Best external SSD deal

Lexar ES5 Magnetic SSD, 2TB

$269.99 (save $130)

Get Deal

---

Cheapest SSD deal

Kingston NV3 SSD, 500GB

$99.99 (save $38)

Get Deal

Everyone's talking about RAMageddon, A.K.A. the global memory crisis driven by the growing demand of AI. Tech prices are on the rise, and now there's an even bigger demand for SSDs.

Even with the rising prices, there are still deals to shop. As of Aug. 7, we rounded up the best SSD deals to shop right now. Both internal and external SSDs are on sale from Samsung, Lexar, Kingston, and more.

So if you're on the hunt for SSDs, these are the best deals to shop now, saving you up to $280.

Best internal SSD deal

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Credit: Amazon

Samsung 9100 Pro SSD, 2TB

$399.99 at Amazon
$679.99 Save $280

 

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Whether you're building your own PC or just looking for an SSD upgrade, the best internal SSD deal right now is on the Samsung 9100 Pro. Designed for heavy-duty computing, whether that be for AI, gaming, or running graphics, the Samsung 9100 Pro with 2TB is there to handle it. It's power-efficient too, running faster while staying cool.

Right now, you can grab it for 41% off at Amazon. Normally $679.99, the Samsung 9100 Pro is marked down to $399.99, saving you $280. That's huge savings, especially in the midst of RAMageddon.

More internal SSD deals

• Kingston NV3 SSD, 500GB — $99.99 $137.99 (save $38)

• Kingston A400 SATA3 SSD, 960GB — $129.99 $215.99 (save $86)

• Kingston NV3 SSD, 1TB — $162 $215.99 (save $53.99)

• Samsung 990 SSD, 1TB — $229.99 $269.99 (save $40)

• Samsung 9100 Pro SSD, 1TB — $249.99 $339.99 (save $90)

• Samsung 990 SSD, 2TB — $369.99 $529.99 (save $160)

Best external SSD deal

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Credit: Lexar

Lexar ES5 Magnetic SSD, 2TB

$269.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $130

 

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In need of an external SSD? Lexar has the best deal on its ES5 Magnetic portable SSD. Normally, $399.99, it's down to $269.99 at Amazon. That saves you $130, for 33% off.

The Lexar ES5 Magnetic SSD has 2TB of storage, but the real draw is its convenience. It's MagSafe compliant, so it attaches to your devices, so it's always on hand when you're on the go.

More external and portable SSD deals

• Lexar D50E SSD, 512GB — $116.99 $139.99 (save $23)

• SSK Portable SSD, 1TB — $143.99 $159.99 (save $16)

• Sandisk Extreme Portable SSD, 1TB — $224.13 $256.23 (save $32.10)

• Kingston Dual Portable SSD, 2TB — $329.99 $379.99 (save $50)

• SSK Portable SSD, 4TB — $377.99 $419.99 (save $42)

August is shaping up to be a big month for fans of celestial events, with both the Perseid meteor shower and a solar eclipse set to light up the skies. While the annual Perseids will deliver one of the year's most popular meteor displays, the solar eclipse will offer a different kind of spectacle as the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun.

While parts of Europe will experience a full show in the form of a total solar eclipse, those based in North America will still have a chance to catch the celestial event as a partial eclipse. Keep reading to find out all you need to know about this latest celestial event.

When is the solar eclipse in North America?

On Aug. 12, a partial solar eclipse will be visible across parts of North America and most of Canada. While the continent won't experience the same totality as parts of Europe will, it will still be a rare opportunity to witness an exciting solar event.

According to NASA, viewing times will vary across North America, with Alaska and northern Canada seeing the eclipse in the morning, eastern Canada in the afternoon, and parts of the northern U.S. from midday into the afternoon.

It will peak in Anchorage, Alaska at 8:21 a.m. ET. Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., it will peak at around 1:53 p.m. ET.

How to watch the solar eclipse

Because the Sun is never completely covered from anywhere in North America during this eclipse, it's never safe to look directly at it without proper eye protection.

Anyone planning to watch should wear certified eclipse glasses that meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard. Regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the Sun. If you're using binoculars, a telescope, or a camera, you'll also need an approved solar filter fitted to the front of the optics.

What causes a solar eclipse?

According to NASA, a solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun, temporarily blocking some or all of the Sun's light. During a partial solar eclipse, the Moon covers only part of the Sun, creating the appearance of a crescent-shaped Sun rather than plunging the landscape into darkness. This is what will be visible in North America.

Where can you see the partial solar eclipse in North America?

NASA says the best places to spot the eclipse in North America include parts of the northern U.S. (from Alaska to North Carolina) and most of Canada. While parts of the world will see a total solar eclipse, viewers in North America will experience a partial eclipse.

Solar Eclipse livestream

NASA is livestreaming the eclipse on YouTube, Twitch, X, Amazon Prime, Facebook, Instagram, and NASA+.

If you use the new Siri AI correctly, you might cut down how much you're on your phone. CNET’s Bridget Carey explains how to set up your iPhone to get the most out of the new Siri, and how it’s saved her sanity as a working parent.

SAVE $349: As of Aug. 7, the DJI Mavic 4 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $2,550, down from its usual $2,899. That's a savings of 12%.

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Credit: DJI

DJI Mavic 4 Pro Fly More Combo

$2,550 at Amazon
$2,899 Save $349

 

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There's no denying that the DJI Mavic 4 Pro is a seriously impressive drone. It's also very expensive, making it overkill for anyone looking to just dabble in drone content. It's built for video professionals and serious content creators looking to elevate their cinematic footage. If that sounds like you, then this deal is right up your alley.

As of Aug. 7, the DJI Mavic 4 Pro Fly More Combo — which includes the drone itself, the DJI RC 2, three batteries, a charging hub, and more — is on sale at Amazon for $2,550. That's $349 cheaper than its usual $2,899 price tag, saving you about 12%.

The Mavic 4 Pro features a 100MP Hasselblad camera paired with a 48MP medium telephoto at 70mm and a 50MP far-reach telephoto at 168mm. Across the three cameras, you can shoot 4K/120fps HDR video, or you can shoot 6K/60fps HDR video on the main camera. There's also an infinity gimbal that can freely shoot forward, down, side-to-side, or upward, allowing for more creative and magical shots.

Each battery will give you about 51 minutes of flight time, and you can swap them out for longer sessions. The Fly More Combo also comes with a fast-charging hub, so you can get back up in the air quicker.

If you're looking to elevate your vlogs, real estate videos, home movies, travel content, or other professional projects, it's hard to beat the DJI Mavic 4 Pro — especially if you can grab it while it's on sale.

Best deals on Sony headphones at a glance:

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Best budget pick

Sony WH-CH720N

$87.95 (save $92.04)

Get Deal

---

Best for workouts

Sony ULT Wear

$147.95 (save $102.04)

Get Deal

---

Best overall deal

Sony XM6

$398 (save $61.99)

Get Deal

Sony's headphone lineup is on sale at Amazon right now, with several of its best models discounted, some by more than half off. Whether you're after Sony's current flagship, a budget-friendly pair, or something with extra bass, there's a solid discount to grab across the board.

Best Sony headphones deal

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Credit: Sony

Sony WH-1000XM6 Noise Canceling Wireless Headphones

$398 at Amazon
$459.99 Save $61.99

 

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Why we like it

The WH-1000XM6 runs on a new chip, the HD Noise Canceling Processor QN3, that Sony says is seven times faster than the one in the older XM5 model, and it uses that speed across 12 microphones to block out background noise as it happens. Calls hold up well thanks to a six-mic system that picks out your voice and cuts background noise, even in loud places like a train platform or a busy street.

Since you might be wearing these for hours, comfort matters: the headband is wide and soft, made of synthetic leather, and the headphones fold down into a compact case for travel. Battery life is rated at up to 30 hours, and if you're in a rush, a three-minute charge gets you about three hours of playback.

Not sold yet? Here's the rest of the lineup that's on sale:

• Sony MDR-ZX110 — $9.99 $12.99 (Save $3)

• Sony WH-CH520 — $38 $69.99 (Save $31.99)

• Sony MDR-ZX110NC — $48 $59.99 (Save $11.99)

• Sony XM5 — $248 $399.99 (Save $151.99)

Whichever pair you pick, your ears just got a serious upgrade for less. Grab the Sony headphones at Amazon while they're discounted.

SAVE $60: As of Aug. 7, the DJI Neo mini drone is back to its best-ever price. Grab it from Amazon for $139, down from $199 — a 30% discount.

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Credit: DJI

DJI Neo Mini Drone

$139 at Amazon
$199 Save $60

 

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Drones used to mean a controller, a learning curve, and a solid chance of clipping a tree branch.

DJI's Neo skips all of that. It takes off from your palm, follows you around on its own, and shoots stabilized 4K footage without you touching a remote. Right now, the DJI Neo is back to its best-ever price of $139, down from $199. That's a 30% discount and $60 in savings on Amazon.

At just 135 grams, the Neo is lighter than most phones, which also means it skips FAA registration and Remote ID requirements. It's small enough to toss in a backpack or a jacket pocket. Takeoff is as simple as launching it from your palm and tapping a button, no flying experience needed.

Once it's in the air, the Neo tracks you automatically and shoots footage using eight built-in QuickShot modes, so you get polished, dynamic clips without doing any of the camera work. If you want more control, you can also fly it with voice commands, the DJI app, or a separate remote controller.

For video quality, it shoots in 4K and uses DJI's stabilization tech to keep footage smooth even if it's windy out or you're moving around, whether that's hiking, kayaking, or just walking through a park. It's also rated to handle moderate wind without getting knocked around.

The propeller guards wrap around the blades, so if you're new to flying or just clumsy with remotes, you can fly it indoors or weave it around obstacles without worrying about damaging it or anything nearby.

One thing to know before buying: the DJI Fly app, which you need to set up and use the Neo, was pulled from the Google Play Store due to a compatibility issue. You'll need to download it directly from DJI's website instead.

Your future vlogs are calling. Grab the DJI Neo mini drone before this deal flies off, too.

SAVE OVER $50: As of Aug. 7, the AirPods Pro 3 are on sale for $189.99 at Amazon. That's a $59.01 discount.

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Credit: Apple

Apple AirPods Pro 3

$189.99 at Amazon
$249 Save $59.01

 

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Fancy new AirPods with cameras are rumored to be dropping soon, but if you're still interested in the AirPods Pro 3, we've spotted an excellent deal at Amazon that's worth checking out.

As of Aug. 7, these earbuds — which we consider the best for Apple users — have dropped to $189.99 at Amazon.

Normally, these earbuds are listed for $249, so this deal saves you $59.01. That's not too bad at all. It may not be the lowest price they've offered at the retailer, but the store page notes it is a 30-day low. Considering fall sale events are still a little way away, it's an offer well worth jumping on while it's still available.

AirPods Pro 3 are an excellent addition to the Apple ecosystem, offering active noise cancellation, solid sound quality, built-in heart rate sensing, and much more. As mentioned earlier, we consider them the top pick for Apple users, as they "perform well in all the ways you'd want them to: the sound profile is robust and clear, the noise cancellation truly silences the world around you, and they pair easily to Apple devices."

Plus, "Apple bumped up these buds' battery life to eight hours per charge, putting them firmly on the higher end of what's available on the market." And that's with ANC enabled on a single charge. According to the store page, you can push them up to 10 hours in Transparency mode as well, so they'll have plenty of juice to push you through a commute or travel period.

Who knows how long this deal will last, so be quick to score nearly $60 off the AirPods Pro 3 at Amazon.

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

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Marvel Super Heroes Play Booster Box is on sale for $119.94 at Amazon, down from its $209.70 list price.

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Credit: Magic: The Gathering

Magic: The Gathering Marvel Super Heroes Play Booster Box

$119.94 at Amazon
$209.70 Save $89.76

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Amazon has taken another swing at the price of the Magic: The Gathering’s Marvel Super Heroes Play Booster Box, and this latest drop makes the 30-pack display considerably cheaper than it was only a few days ago. 

As of Aug. 7, the Magic: The Gathering Marvel Super Heroes Play Booster Box is available for $119.94 at Amazon. Against its $209.70 list price, you’re saving $89.76 altogether — a 43% discount that works out to almost exactly $4 per Play Booster. 

Better still, this listing is sold and shipped directly by Amazon rather than a third-party trading card marketplace seller. Free delivery is currently estimated for Aug. 17-19 at the time of writing, although the box is marked as a final-sale item with no returns. 

At $119.94, this is not only the lowest price we’ve seen for this box from the retailer (confirmed via the price tracker camelcamelcamel), but it also undercuts the previous $125.95 record low we saw at the end of June. It’s even beating TCGplayer’s market price of $121.50.

Meanwhile, you can save even more with TCGplayer — as listings for unopened boxes currently start at $119.89 with shipping included. As a backup among standard retailers, Walmart is charging the same price as Amazon for the Marvel Super Heroes Play Booster Box.

Inside the display are 30 Play Boosters, each containing 14 Magic cards. Every pack includes one Traditional Foil card, one to four cards of rare or higher rarity, three to five uncommons, six to nine commons, and one land. A Foil Borderless Mythic Rare appears in fewer than 1% of boosters, while a Traditional Foil Land replaces the regular land in 20% of packs.

Play Boosters are designed with drafting and Limited games in mind, but this 30-pack is a wonderful buy if you simply want to rip through the Marvel crossover set and make a deck around epic characters like Iron Man and Thanos. 

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Display Box is on sale for $199.42 at Amazon, down from its $249.99 typical price.

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Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Display Box

$199.42 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $50.57

 

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Perfect Order has spent the past few months as one of the easier Mega Evolution expansions to buy without completely wrecking your trading card budget, and Amazon has now pushed its biggest sealed box below another price barrier. 

As of Aug. 7, the Pokémon TCG’s 36-pack Perfect Order Booster Display Box is ready to buy at Amazon for $199.42. That knocks $50.57 off its $249.99 typical price, giving you a 20% discount and bringing the cost of each booster pack down to roughly $5.54. 

The best listing available is sold and shipped by third-party seller Champion-Gaming, with free delivery estimated for Aug. 10 -11 at the time of writing. If there are any problems, Amazon does still include its handy 30-day refund or replacement window, which is useful when you’re spending close to $200 on a sealed box. 

That said, you can save even more when shopping outside of Amazon. Walmart currently has the same 36-pack box down to $179 with free shipping, while TCGplayer’s lowest English-language sealed listings start at $174.87 with shipping included — which is only slightly above its market price of $173.86. 

Still, this is a much stronger Amazon price than we saw in July, when the box was sitting at $227.20. If you prefer buying through Amazon, dropping below $200 takes a chunk out of the cost without having to purchase packs one at a time. 

In this Pokémon: Legends Z-A-inspired expansion, you can still pull valuable Perfect Order chase cards like SIR Mega Zygarde ex, MHR Mega Zygarde ex, SIR Meowth ex, and SIR Mega Clefable ex — or you can buy these separately at TCGplayer. 

At a glance:

Key specs: The Z Fold 8 weighs just 201 grams and is just 4.5 mm thick when unfolded; the 7.7-inch inner AMOLED display is huge, bright, and virtually glare-free.

Its biggest flaw: The dual 50MP wide and 50MP ultrawide cameras are fine, but not elite. Professionals and creators used to 200MP main cameras or iPhone 17 Pro Max video will notice a difference.

Price: The $1,899.99 price isn't unreasonable amidst the global memory crisis, but it still hurts.

Our 50-word review: This stylish foldable is so much fun to use, and there's nothing else like it. The spacious inner screen looks fantastic and is great for videos and gaming, yet the phone still folds up and slips into your pocket like a flip phone from 2010. The Gemini-backed AI features make photo editing a breeze, too.

Galaxy Z Fold 8: In-depth review

Credit: Joseph Maldonado / CNET Group

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the new passport-style foldable smartphone from Samsung that officially launched today. And as much as Samsung might wish that it wasn't living in the iPhone's shadow here in the United States, we have to acknowledge the elephant in the room. The wider design of the Z Fold 8 matches the rumored shape of the iPhone Ultra, the biggest open secret in Silicon Valley. If Apple does indeed reveal its first folding phone in September, it will be going head-to-head with the Z Fold 8 (and to a lesser extent the Z Fold 8 Ultra), which has a more familiar design and an Ultra-level camera array.

I'll do my best not to mention Apple again in this review, because the Z Fold 8 is a damn fine phone that stands on its own.

Starting with last year's generation of foldables, I've been telling everyone that these devices are finally ready for primetime. And if the Galaxy Z series' record-breaking preorders are any indication, consumers are ready, too.

So, is the Galaxy Z Fold 8 worth it's $1,899.99 price tag? Overall, I had a great experience with this phone, which is only really hampered by one flaw: The camera array is just fine. Without a doubt, it's the best foldable I've tested yet.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 review: By the numbers

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 fits much more comfortably in your pocket than most smartphones. Credit: René Ramos / CNET Group

This phone is remarkably thin, yet Samsung packed some impressive hardware into its svelte frame:

• Inner display: 7.6-inch inner and 5.5-inch outer AMOLED displays with 120Hz refresh rate

• Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset

• Colors: Lavender, cream, graphite, and pistachio

• Dimensions: 123.9 x 161.4 x 4.5 mm unfolded / 1123.9 x 81.9 x 9.7 mm unfolded

• Weight: 201 grams

• RAM: 12GB to 16GB RAM

• Storage: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage

• Battery: 4,800mAh battery

• Charging: 45W wired, 20W wireless

• Cameras: 50MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP selfie camera

Galaxy Z Fold 8 introduces an awesome new form factor

Credit: Joseph Maldonado / CNET Group

The 7.7-inch inner display is far and away the Z Fold 8's best feature. I've never used a phone with this large a screen, and you immediately appreciate the difference in a variety of ways. The larger size results in a much more comfortable feel in your hand, and the keyboard is designed for you to use both thumbs, making typing faster, more accurate, and easier.

When unfolded, this is definitely a phone designed for two-handed use, but you can also leave it unfolded and operate it one-handed using the external display. I actually found myself using the phone while folded quite a bit, and you can easily use the camera, messages, phone, and other apps without opening it. One important note: The Z Fold 8 doesn't support Flex Mode, meaning you can't leave it half-opened on your desk in an L or A shape.

Overall, it feels more like a small tablet than a big phone.

Credit: René Ramos / CNET Group

Both displays offer up to 120 Hz refresh rates and a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. Combined with Samsung's glare-free display tech, I never had trouble using the phone in direct sunlight. And if you're worried about a visible crease, don't be. The crease is virtually invisible while using the phone, and Samsung introduced new Flex Titanium hardware to make the hinge more durable.

You can just do so much more with the larger screen, which looks incredible. I generally avoid streaming TV shows and movies on my phone, but not with the Z Fold 8. Likewise, while I've never been a huge fan of mobile gaming, the mobile version of Mario Kart looks and plays awesome here.

Mobile gamers will definitely appreciate the Z Fold 8. Credit: Nintendo / Screenshot by Timothy Werth

Credit: Nintendo / Screenshot by Timothy Werth

There is a small, annoying cutout in the screen for the 10MP selfie camera, and I wouldn't be surprised if it gets eliminated in the future. The 10MP selfie camera is pretty low-quality anyway, and I expect it will either disappear under the screen or be cut in future versions of the phone. (Keep scrolling to see the results of my camera test.)

The large size does have some drawbacks. Accessing the fingerprint sensor to unlock the phone can be tricky depending on how you hold it, and you can't easily open or close it with one hand, which is annoying.

I have to note one other complaint: The phone still has the characteristic wobble of all smartphones with a camera bar, and as my colleague Abrar Al-Heti at CNET aptly demonstrated, wireless charging is a pain without magnets. (Disclosure: Mashable and CNET are both owned by the same parent company, Ziff Davis.)

Galaxy Z Fold 8 review: Strong performance and a versatile user experience

Credit: René Ramos / CNET Group

Under the hood, the Z Fold 8 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset. Think of this mobile chipset as the phone's engine. The chip offers powerful performance, and on the Geekbench 7 benchmark test, the phone earned a single-core score of 2,375 and a multi-core score of 6,766. The single-core score is double that of the Motorola Razr Ultra (the multi-core scores were nearly identical).

What you need to know is that the phone quickly supports on-device AI processes and never slows down while multitasking. When shooting 4K and high-resolution video, the phone did get noticeably warm, and the thin design compromises heat dissipation. However, it never got so hot that it was painful to hold, like older GoPros sometimes did.

The wide display and chipset also support seamless multitasking. As with the new iPad experience (and other foldables), you can have multiple apps open side by side. You can also have floating app windows and resize the edges on the display.

So, if you want to leave Spotify open while you read a book in the Kindle app, you can do that. If you're using a web browser, you can keep the Gemini app open and ask questions as you browse.

Credit: Screenshot by Timothy Werth

I did find some very minor bugs in the windowing and multitasking. The Kindle app had an awkward white bar at the top of the screen, and you could resize apps until they were too small to use. On top of that, not all apps will travel seamlessly between the inner and outer display. Ideally, when you close the phone, the app you're using should continue to run on the smaller outer display, but this doesn't always work.

The amazing disappearing Spotify. Credit: Screenshot by Timothy Werth

Credit: Screenshot by Timothy Werth

But most of the time, the phone just works. And once you get used to the larger screen, it will be hard to go back.

Galaxy Z Fold 8 camera review: What's better than mid but worse than elite?

Credit: René Ramos / CNET Group

A few years ago, we would have been wowed by the cameras on this trendy little smartphone. Today, not so much.

The cameras aren't bad, but if you're used to the iPhone 17 Pro Max or the Galaxy S25 or S26 Ultra, the difference is noticeable. As a reminder, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 has three cameras:

• 50MP wide lens

• 50MP ultra-wide lens

• 10MP selfie camera

The dual 50MP main shooters are... fine. The selfie camera is pretty crap, unfortunately. I found myself awkwardly flipping the phone around to use the main cameras when taking selfies.

I went around New York City testing the various cameras, and I'll let my pictures do the talking here.

The Z Fold 8's cameras and processor capture good photos, even when there's a lot of detail and movement. While the Z Flip 8 sometimes overexposed or oversaturated photos, I found that the Z Fold 8 handled highlights and shadows much better.

Please note: All of the photos I took with the Z Fold 8 are untouched (except for slight cropping), though some of the photos have been compressed during the export process.

Madison Square Park in New York City. Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

Magic hour at the dog park. Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

Portrait mode is fine, and I found I got the best selfies with the main camera, not the 10MP selfie camera. Accomplishing this is a bit awkward, however.

Portrait mode is fine. Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

A selfie taken with the main camera Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

Unfortunately, I found the selfie camera to be a bit trash, and I'm too vain to get any use out of it. The dropoff in photo quality is very apparent, which isn't unusual, of course.

As for the zoom, I found that it worked surprisingly well, though not as well as you'd get with an actual telephoto lens.

Left: Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

Right: The 2X and 4X zoom work very well, but the photo looks grainy beyond that. Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

Left: Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

Right: Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

Most of the time, I found myself shooting at the 2x zoom, which I found worked really well indoors and out.

Weirdly, I found that the digital zoom worked better on the Z Flip 8, the Z Fold 8's littler, flippier sibling. Go figure.

Left: The 10x digital zoom on the Z Fold 8. Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

Right: The 10x digital zoom on the Z Flip 8 works better. Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

A well-rounded AI feature set, especially for photo editing

The best AI feature on the Galaxy Z Fold 8? It comes with a free six-month subscription to Google AI Pro, letting you experiment with a lot of Google's best AI features. (Just set a reminder so you don't forget to cancel the subscription, or else you'll be charged $19.99 in seven months.)

Thanks to Samsung's close relationship with Google, you also get the support of Gemini, which generates a daily briefing of updates and news for your review, the "Now Brief." Your device will also automatically suggest actions across apps, such as making a calendar invite after a friend texts about dinner plans.

However, the main AI feature I find myself using on Galaxy phones is the build-in photo editing suite, which is very impressive. I praised these AI features in my review of the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and they're just as useful here. In fact, they may actually be better, because the larger screen makes it easier to see the photos you're editing.

You can quickly and easily erase photo bombers, enhance focus, and make other simple edits. I find these features generally work well, and the text prompting in particular is useful.

Left: You can easily remove photo bombers from photos with the Eraser tool. Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

Right: The finished result Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

You can also have more fun with your photos if you so choose. I also appreciate that a digital watermark is added to AI-edited photos.

Left: Describe the edits you want in plain text. Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

Right: Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

Quick Share to Apple devices is a game-changer

One of the biggest barriers to ditching my iPhone for good? As a tech journalist, I often need to move photos, videos, and other files from one device to another. Without AirDrop, it's a huge pain to switch from an Android smartphone to my work MacBook Pro.

Quick Share appears in the lower left of the share screen. Credit: Screenshot by Timothy Werth

However, with the Z Fold 8 running Android 17 and One UI 9, the new Quick Share feature is a godsend. This allows you to quickly and wirelessly send files to nearby devices, including Apple devices. Samsung is working hard to make it easier to switch from iOS to Android, and this feature could be the one that gets me.

Is the Galaxy Z Fold 8 worth it?

As much as I love this phone, I know that $1,899.99 is a really big ask. It's no coincidence that Samsung introduced a new Galaxy credit card to help users finance their devices.

So, here's what I'd say: If you can take advantage of a good trade-in or carrier offer at T-Mobile or Verizon, I think this phone is absolutely worth the upgrade, especially if you love phones that fit in your pocket. If you've been sitting on the foldable fence these last few years, the Z Fold 8 is a phone that makes it easy to get down.

Phones have been getting pretty boring in the past few years, and the Z Fold 8 finally makes phones fun again. And, I'll be honest: showing off this phone to your friends and family will make you feel pretty cool.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8

$1,899.99 at Samsung

 

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Willem Dafoe is an icon, not only of modern cinema but also of photography. Alongside unforgettable performances in movies like The Last Temptation of Christ, Nosferatu, and Spider-Man, he's also awed the public with his extraordinary skills in front of a still camera, inspiring a TikTok trend where people try to pose like Dafoe.

So, when the star of Late Fame visited Mashable's studios for an interview with Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko, the pair not only dug into the sensational New York movie and how it connects to Dafoe's own youth as a struggling theater actor. But also, they dug into what it means to turn a photoshoot into art.

"I gotta admit, I like photoshoots," Dafoe began. Referring to those who meme or mimic him online, he said, "I'm aware enough about it that I hope it doesn't make me gun shy or make me self-conscious about it, because I'm aware of it."

He went on, "There's something instant about it. It is a collaboration. You enter a room. You get these clothes that you would probably never wear in life — not always — sometimes beautiful clothes. But sometimes they're horrible."

"The photographer comes in," Dafoe continued, "He/she may have some ideas. We shoot away, and it's all about finding something....But when it works it's really fun and it's really instant. It's about making shapes. You're free because you're not representing anything. You're just doing."

"I'm trained as an actor, as a doer," Dafoe said, "Not in psychology, not in interpretation, not in lots of things. But I know that everything is based on doing, and the quality of how you do it is the performance. And you put yourself into these structures and the structures kind of tell you what to do, and work on you. And then something happens, and that becomes the heart of the performance."

Late Fame is now in theaters.

TL;DR: Watch the 2026 MotoGP World Championship for free on ServusTV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Are you looking for thrilling and unpredictable racing? No we're not talking about F1, unless you like regular pit stops, safety cars, and the same driver winning almost every week. We're talking about a form of two-wheel racing where anything could happen.

MotoGP is where the real action can be found. Every week you see the best riders in the world go wheel to wheel with their rivals, throwing their bikes into corners with absolutely no sense of self preservation. It's an awesome spectacle, and it doesn't need to cost you anything to watch.

Want to watch the 2026 MotoGP World Championship for free from anywhere in the world? We have all the information you need.

What is MotoGP?

MotoGP is the oldest established motorsport world championship, with the inaugural season taking place in 1949. Races last approximately 45 minutes, without pitting for fuel or fresh tires.

The likes of Ducati, Honda, and Yamaha do battle for the constructors' championship. Marc Márquez is the defending champion.

When is the 2026 MotoGP World Championship?

The 2026 MotoGP World Championship features 22 races held all over the world between March and November:

1. Thailand GP — March 1

2. Brazil GP — March 22

3. USA GP — March 29

4. Qatar GP — April 12

5. Spain GP — April 26

6. France GP — May 10

7. Catalonia GP — May 17

8. Italy GP — May 31

9. Hungary GP — June 7

10. Czechia GP — June 21

11. Netherlands GP — June 28

12. Germany GP — July 12

13. Great Britain GP — Aug. 9

14. Aragon GP — Aug. 30

15. San Marino GP — Sept. 13

16. Austria GP — Sept. 20

17. Japan GP — Oct. 4

18. Indonesian GP — Oct. 11

19. Australia GP — Oct. 25

20. Malaysia GP — Nov. 1

21. Portugal GP — Nov. 15

22. Valencia GP — Nov. 22

The good news for fans is that it's possible to live stream the 2026 MotoGP World Championship without spending anything.

How to watch the 2026 MotoGP World Championship for free

The 2026 MotoGP World Championship is available to live stream for free on ServusTV.

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

Unblock ServusTV by following this quick and easy process:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

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

4. Visit ServusTV

5. Watch MotoGP for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees. By using these money-back guarantees, you can watch MotoGP live streams without fully committing with your cash. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select races without actually spending anything.

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

What is the best VPN for ServusTV?

ExpressVPN is tough to beat when it comes to streaming live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Austria

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Impressive streaming speeds without buffering

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2026 MotoGP World Championship for free with ExpressVPN.

SAVE OVER $70: As of Aug. 7, the Dreame L40s Ultra AE robot vacuum and mop is on sale for $599.98 at Amazon for a limited time. Act fast to save $70.01 before the deal is done.

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Credit: Dreame

Dreame L40s Ultra AE Robot Vacuum and Mop

$599.98 at Amazon
$669.99 Save $70.01

 

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Recently, the FCC announced it's banning all robot vacuums made outside the U.S. However, the ban doesn't include models that are already in circulation, which is good news if you've been hoping to buy one.

If you're searching for a good deal, Amazon is the place to look. As of Aug. 7, the retailer has dropped a discount on the Dreame L40s Ultra AE robot vacuum and mop, but not for much longer. For a limited time, shoppers can snag the Dreame L40s Ultra AE for $599.98 rather than its full price of $669.99. Overall, you're saving $70.01 with this offer, but you only have Aug. 7 to buy at this low price.

Released last year, the Dreame L40s Ultra AE features 19,000Pa suction that can help free your carpets and rugs of dirt, crumbs, and hair. It even comes with a TriCut brush that helps prevent tangling, and a liftable rubber brush that can pick up larger debris from the floor. When it comes to mopping harder surfaces, it also features MopExtend technology, which extends the mopping pad to clean along edges or under furniture. And on top of that, it has AI-powered 3D obstacle-avoidance technology to help it steer clear of obstacles.

Its PowerDock Base is quite impressive, too. According to the store page, it automatically dispenses dust for up to 100 days and washes mops with hot water at 149 degrees Fahrenheit. It even offers hot-air drying to keep everything feeling fresh and clean the next time it goes out.

The clock is ticking to jump on this deal. Act fast to save on the Dreame L40s Ultra AE robot vacuum and mop at Amazon.

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

Well, that was a bleak and bonkers two hours.

Netflix’s The Last House might be one of the most baffling films on the platform in an age, as a certified genre Rolodex that blends The Call of Cthulhu with Home Alone and the overwhelming essence of COVID lockdowns. By the end of the movie, from director Louis Leterrier (Now You See Me), The Secret Agent Oscar-winner Wagner Moura and Past Lives Oscar-snubbed Greta Lee have seen their family through five years of imprisonment in their own home thanks to some malevolent waterbending.

But what actually happens at the end of The Last House? Well, we're still thinking about the family dog in the freezer, but we'll break it down.

What happens in The Last House?

Noah Alexander Sosnowski, Wagner Moura, Greta Lee, and Riley Chung. Credit: Netflix

In a set-up not unlike Netflix thriller Brick, The Last House sees a Seattle family suddenly sealed inside their own home. Unlike Brick, the sealing happens during an extreme rainstorm, with the locks bolted by tendrils of water itself. And it's not just the home of Ann (Lee) and Jason (Moura) and their children Ruth (Riley Chung) and Graham (Noah Alexander Sosnowski) — it's the whole neighborhood.

Scenes of being trapped inside might trigger memories of COVID lockdown for viewers, especially as the family tries homeschooling their stir-crazy kids and watching Annie and Air Force One on DVD on repeat. But things for this family only get more grim as they face starvation in their own home, then shoot their sickly Golden Retriever, Cassidy, freezing her for sustenance. Then, Jason goes all Caractacus Potts on the neighbourhood wildlife with "chimney fishing." Honestly, watching the Animals of Farthing Wood getting butchered one-by-one was not on our weekly agenda.

Days stretch into weeks, into months, then five years later, the family seems to be the "last house" on their street that's still got living residents inside. That's chiefly through Jason's ingenuity in collecting rainwater and setting animal traps through their chimney, and Ann's resourcefulness in growing a farm's worth of vegetables in the living room.

Why can't the family leave their home in The Last House?

Ruth (Riley Chung) has been studying the creatures for years. Credit: Netflix

While the neighbors initially speculate it's the government or aliens causing this involuntary lockdown, it's neither. Essentially, the family is trapped by tentacled deep sea creatures, who look like Cthulhu, but smaller. They're less towering titans and more the height of a pro basketball team.

But are they actually monsters? Ruth (Emma Ho), who is ultimately revealed to be the film's narrator, doesn't think so. Early on, she tells her family that one of the creatures she saw outside "seemed nice" and was "trying to communicate." Jason has his own enigmatic experience, as the seemingly sentient rain takes the shape of his palm against the window pane.

Not all of the creatures seem so friendly; however. Aside from starving out their neighbors, the creatures also snatch up the long-lost jogger from the start of the film, as she tried to get into the family's home for safety. Later, the family gets their best view yet of these mysterious creatures, when one enters the house, and splashes salt water all over their crops, killing the lot.

From there, Ruth insists these creatures aren't aliens, but fabled deep sea creatures like Leviathan or the Kraken.

“80 percent of the ocean is unexplored," she explains, "What if these things aren’t from outer space? What if these tales of sea creatures are real? What if that's why they can control the rain? They're not conquering our world. This is their world."

And that's the only explanation we ever get. So why do the creatures kill off a bunch of Seattle residents? As the film starts in the shallows of the coast, which is littered with human debris, we might infer that the creatures are wiping out humanity to reclaim the planet, preventing further damage to their environment.

What happens at the end of The Last House?

Ann (Greta Lee) makes a stand with her family. Credit: Netflix

The next time a creature comes calling, the family is ready with Home Alone-style booby-traps, molotov cocktails and harpoons. Once trapped, Jason threatens it, demanding, “Open the door, or I’m gonna gut you."

However, Ruth begs for her father to let it go, he does. And this act of mercy leads not only to the family being let out of the house, but also the creature signaling to its squad to give the family mercy in return. So, as the foundation in the house — much talked about — finally gives way, the sun comes out, and five creatures scoot away underwater in a flying V across what used to be Seattle, flooded so high the Space Needle is practically a dock.

From there, the family steals the boat of a dead neighbor they rudely ridiculed before lockdown as a "doofus," rename the man's boat from "Seas The Day" to "Cassidy," to honour the family dog they ate, and literally sail into the horizon.

"In the end, an act of mercy set us free. We showed it to them, and they showed it to us," Ruth, now an adult (and voiced by KPop Demon Hunters' Arden Cho) says in voiceover, as the film takes a decidedly Disney Channel tone out of nowhere. "We never saw them again but we think they're still out there. After all, it's their home too."

The Last House ends with the family on "Day 1" of their new existence, searching for a new home and any other humans that may have survived the five years of octopus occupation.

The Last House offers no clue to how far this nautical attack reached. It's also unclear how exactly the waterbending powers of these creatures work. If they can control all water, couldn't they have skipped the whole lockdown scenario and controlled the 60 percent of the human body is water to destroy us? But then, I guess you don't get to the point of grim where you're rationing the family pet for sustenance.

Let's look away from the nonsense of Matthew Robinson's script, and look to the horrid statistics that likely inspired it.

Every year, an estimated 130 million tons of plastic waste pollute waterways and seas. Microplastics are a plague on the planet, showing up in microscopic krill. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is 100,000,000 kilograms' worth of our crap and twice the size of Texas. And by 2050, estimates predict there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish.

The Last House's point might have been more impactful if it mentioned literally any of this. But perhaps our treatment of the ocean means we deserve a movie this atrocious.

The Last House is now streaming on Netflix.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Booster Bundle is on sale for $89.99 at Amazon, down from its $109.98 list price.

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Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Booster Bundle

$89.99 at Amazon
$102.88 Save $12.89

 

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Ascended Heroes has become the most expensive Pokémon TCG expansion released this year. You can still find deals, though.

As of Aug. 7, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Booster Bundle is now on sale on Amazon for $89.99, which is 13% off its typical $102.88 list price. Shipped directly by Amazon itself via a third-party seller, this box with half a dozen packs will reach you between Aug. 16-19 at the time of writing. 

After spending most of July over the $90 mark (shown via price tracker camelcamelcamel), this is the best chance trading card collectors have had to save a few dollars on Ascended Heroes packs in weeks. 

Amazon's price isn't quite at market value yet, although it's getting close. Against TCGplayer’s estimated market price of $87.24, Amazon is only $2.75 higher. However, you can get a sealed Booster Bundle from TCGplayer for the cheapest of all, with listings from RazorbackRarities coming to $87.99 after $4.99 shipping. 

Ascended Heroes has been incredibly popular because, among all the returning Mega Evolution Pokémon, there are some incredibly valuable chase cards worth well over $1,000. If you don't want to spend some time pulling packs, you can buy each card, like SIR Mega Gengar ex, SIR Pikachu ex, and SIR Mega Dragonite ex, individually on TCGplayer.

SAVE $50: As of Aug. 7, the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are on sale for $199.95 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Beats

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2

$199.95 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $50.04

 

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Earbuds tech is advancing all the time. From seriously impressive noise cancellation to live translation tools that help you communicate when traveling. A pair that continues to impress is the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2. Not only do these earbuds deliver the incredible sound quality of Beats, but they also have built-in heart rate sensors, making them the ideal workout earbuds.

And as of Aug. 7, you can grab these for $50 less than their list price on Amazon, now down to $199.95. Amazon has marked this as a limited-time deal, so we don’t know how long this price will hang around. 

In addition to heart rate monitoring, the design of these earbuds makes them ideal for workouts. They feature a secure-fit earhook that’s been tested across different ear shapes and activity levels to help keep the earbuds in place during exercise. They also include Active Noise Canceling to reduce background noise in training environments, alongside Transparency mode to stay aware of your surroundings, such as passing bikes or cars when running outdoors. 

The built-in heart rate sensors work by measuring heart rate directly from the earbuds, pulsing over 100 times per second. They also have an IPX4 rating, which means they are both sweat and water-resistant. 

And if you’re an endurance athlete, these earbuds will keep you going for up to 45 hours of total listening time with the charging case, plus the Fast Fuel charging gives you 1.5 hours of playback from a five-minute charge. 

For this deal, you can choose from all available colors: jet black, electric orange, hyper purple, and quick sand. Head to Amazon to grab your pair now.

SAVE OVER $10: As of Aug. 7, the Anker Zolo magnetic power bank is on sale for $34.99 at Amazon. That's a $15 discount off its full price of $49.99.

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Credit: Anker

Anker Zolo Magnetic Power Bank

$34.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $15

 

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If you're worried about your favorite devices running out of battery while you're out and about or on vacation this summer, a portable power bank is a must-have investment. These devices can keep you powered up when you're on the go, and buying one doesn't have to cost you a fortune. Amazon usually has great deals on select models, and today, the Anker Zolo magnetic power bank is one of them.

As of Aug. 7, every color on Amazon's Anker Zolo store page has been marked down to $34.99. Normally, this power bank retails for $49.99, so you can save $15 with this deal. However, each color has a "limited time deal" sticker right now, so it's worth grabbing one sooner rather than waiting too long and missing out.

No matter where you're heading, the Anker Zolo's compact size makes it perfect to bring along in a backpack or purse. It also boasts a 10,000mAh capacity, offering up to 7.5W wireless charging or 30W wired charging via the USB-C to USB-C cable. Plus, it can charge through magnetic cases.

It's also compatible with a wide range of devices. According to the store page, everything from iPhone 12 to 17 and AirPods Pro 2 can be wirelessly charged, while wired charging covers iPhone SE devices alongside 12 to 17 models; iPad Air and Pro; Galaxy S24 Ultra, S24+, and S24; AirPods, and more.

Don't get stuck with a low battery this summer. Act fast to save on the Anker Zolo magnetic power bank at Amazon.

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

TL;DR: Creative has launched the XF1, a Hi-Res desktop speaker with 72W RMS output, dual Hi-Res Audio certification, and app-based EQ control, priced at $179.99.

Creative just dropped a new desktop speaker that's punching well above its size. The XF1 is small enough to sit next to your monitor without taking over your desk, but it packs enough power and tech to make you forget it's tiny at all.

The XF1 delivers 72 watts of power, split between two speakers, each with its own dedicated amp for the woofer and tweeter. Instead of one amp trying to push both the bass and the treble at once, each part of the speaker gets its own power source. That means cleaner sound at any volume, without muddying or distorting when you crank it up.

Sound-wise, the XF1 covers a wide range, from deep, rumbling bass to super-high frequencies that most speakers in this price range just can't reproduce. Creative says you'll notice it in the small stuff: the rasp in someone's voice, a bass line under a game soundtrack, the finer notes in a piano piece.

Credit: Creative

It connects wirelessly via Bluetooth 6.0 with LDAC support, which means better audio quality over Bluetooth than you'd normally get. You can also plug in over USB-C for high-res playback, or use a standard 3.5mm cable if you want to keep things simple.

The speaker also connects to Creative's app, Nexus, which lets you fine-tune its sound. There's a 10-band EQ if you want to get hands-on, plus over 120 built-in presets tuned for specific games, movies, and music genres, so you don't have to be an audio expert to get it sounding right.

The Creative XF1 launches for $179.99 in the U.S. and £139.99 in the UK.

TL;DR: Hyperkin is releasing two new colorways of its SupaBoy portable retro console, Crimson and Prime, shipping this fall for $129.99.

Physical media diehards, this one's for you. Hyperkin just announced two new colorways for its SupaBoy portable retro console: Crimson and Prime, both shipping this fall.

The SupaBoy plays original Super Nintendo and Super Famicom cartridges directly, no emulation, no ROMs, and no downloads involved. It works with PAL, NTSC, and JP cartridges without worrying about region lockouts, so you can plug in whatever you've got and go. There's also an AV-out port for hooking it up to a TV and two controller ports if you want to turn portable play into a full couch session.

On the hardware side, the SupaBoy packs a 4.3-inch IPS screen and a rechargeable Li-Ion battery rated for up to 10 hours of play.

The two new colors are all about nostalgia: Prime uses the pastel colors of the Japanese and European Super Famicom, while the limited-edition Crimson pulls from the original Japanese Famicom. Both come in a translucent shell, which, let's be honest, is doing a lot of the collectible appeal here.

Credit: Hyperkin

Hyperkin product developer Nathan Perez said the company built the new colors around what longtime gamers actually want: a way to keep the excitement and collectible feel of game cartridges alive, letting the growing retro audience own their software and play without WiFi, delays, or interruptions.

Prime marks the first release in what Hyperkin says will be a yearly cycle of new SupaBoy colors, so this won't be the last time your shelf gets more crowded. The consoles are also launching in Europe for the first time with this release.

Both the SupaBoy Prime and Crimson replace the current models and are expected to ship this fall for $129.99.

TL;DR: Lionsgate Limited is releasing a remastered 2-disc Blu-ray and an exclusive VHS edition of The Blair Witch Project. Preorders are now live, with a launch date of Oct. 13.

Lionsgate Limited just opened preorders for a 2-disc Blu-ray edition and an exclusive VHS release of the found-footage horror classic, The Blair Witch Project, both landing on Oct. 13.

The Blair Witch Project follows three film students who vanish in the Maryland woods while shooting a documentary about a local legend, with only their footage left behind. What made it a genuine phenomenon back in 1999 was how many people actually bought it — the directors built an eerily convincing website and online mythology treating the "documentary" as real, complete with "missing" posters for the cast.

More than 25 years later, it's still one of the most influential horror movies ever made — and now it's finally getting a release that matches its legacy.

The Blu-ray packs three versions of the film: the filmmaker-approved theatrical cut, the festival cut (newly restored from the original Hi8 tapes and 16mm film), and the original 35mm theatrical version. Extras are stacked too — new cast interviews plus legacy bonus content like the original directors' commentary, deleted scenes, and the Curse of the Blair Witch mockumentary.

The VHS, meanwhile, is pure nostalgia — no extras, just the format that basically defined the movie's whole "is this real" marketing hook back in the day.

Credit: Lionsgate Limited

Preorders are now live at Lionsgate Limited.

There's nothing Willem Dafoe can't do. The critically revered American actor has played everything from Jesus Christ (The Last Temptation of Christ) to the Green Goblin (Spider-Man) from an iconic vampire (The Shadow of the Vampire) to a manic vampire hunter (Nosferatu), and a big-hearted motel manager (The Florida Project). And even with this list, I've probably missed a lot of people's favorite Dafoe roles (see also Finding Nemo, The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, At Eternity's Gate, The Boondock Saints, Poor Things, and I could go on, and on.) 

The thrill of a Dafoe movie is that you can't predict where his performance will go, other than it will be riveting. In his latest, Late Fame, he delivers a nuanced performance, playing an everyman who was once a poet. Starring opposite Greta Lee, the pair create a portrait of a particular breed of New York artist who has flirted with fame but never gotten her number. 

The result is a film that's warmly earnest, achingly funny, and brilliantly humane. 

Late Fame is a love letter to dreamers, but not a romantically naive one. 

The Enthusiasm Society gathers in "Late Fame." Credit: Magnolia Pictures

Cheers to screenwriter Samy Burch, who earned an Academy Award nod for turning the sordid story of Mary Kay Letourneau into the darkly hilarious melodrama May December. Another remarkable transformation occurs with Late Fame, which is adapted from Arthur Schnitzler's 1894 novella of the same name. 

She preserved the name of the unpublished novella's hero, Ed Saxberger, but transported him from turn-of-the-century Vienna to modern-day New York. His struggles are similar, but as she did with May December, Burch expertly depicts a cast of contemporary characters who range from the oblivious to the painfully self-aware. 

Dafoe stars as Ed, a SoHo resident, who works at the post office happily enough, until he meets a starstruck fan called Meyers (Edmund Donovan). See, fifty years ago, Ed was an aspiring poet, who even had a book of his work published. But fame eluded him, and he eventually slipped into the blue-collar life of many New Yorkers. To his friends, he's kind and beloved, but not known as a poet.

Meyers fawns over his book, and insists his friends, a collective of artists who call themselves the Enthusiasm Society, are just as in awe of Ed's writing. Coaxed into meeting them for coffee, he's stunned by both their ambition and their youth. One seems so young that you might well wonder if he's even had his first shave yet. Together, they insist they'll host a reading — or a recital or something — to present not only their writing, but also Ed's. 

While the young men who make up most of the group do entice Ed's untapped desire for praise, he's most intrigued by Gloria (Lee). Older and bolder than the rest, she's an actor who oozes a flirty sophistication that feels evocative of Holly GoLightly, a reference the boys of the Enthusiasm Society would likely miss. She enchants Ed, not only with her vibrancy, but with her assurance that through their collaboration, he'll finally achieve fame at long last. 

However, as the Breakfast at Tiffany's reference might suggest, not all is what it seems with these young artists or Gloria. Reality steadily permeates their big dreams, forcing Ed to reconsider who he is and what he wants. And by extension, the film urges us to consider what it means to be an artist? Must you be famous? Must you be prolific? Chic or Bohemian? Must you even be any good?

Willem Dafoe and Greta Lee are marvelous together. 

Greta Lee as Gloria in "Late Fame." Credit: Magnolia Pictures

Burch expertly paints several New York City archetypes with care and distinction. The Enthusiasm Society boys, in their self-imposed uniforms of vintage bohemian wear, are the intellectual trust-fund kids who treat squalor as a delicious novelty. Their pseudo-intellectual blather is embarrassing but familiar, as it's the song sung by many who chased a dream of an artist's New York that hasn’t existed for the whole of their lives. 

Ed knows this all too well. But in Dafoe’s hands, there’s no bitterness in Ed. Instead, he blisters with resigned gratitude for the life he’s built. But as the boys hype him up, a crackle of what could have been urges him to crave more, or maybe feel he deserves more. This change percolates discontent. 

Gloria can relate. Her facade is one of a classic New York broad, though she’d rather be the ingénue. She's brash, sexy, funny, and defiantly chic in a showy way. Her every eyelash flutter or smile practically screams, “Discover me.” Her tragedy is that no one will. 

Willem Dafoe star in "Late Fame." Credit: Magnolia Pictures

While the boys live in the naïveté of privilege that is being white, male, and rich, Gloria is pursuing every second chance as if it's her last. Ed thought he was past such dreaming. But in this city, dreams can feel both impossible and achievable in the very same breath. That’s where Late Fame lives. 

As director, documentarian Kent Jones creates a true New York movie. Late Fame understands the romance of this city, without losing touch of its reality. His ensemble paints a world wonderful, fragile, enduring, and familiar. Lee glimmers then snarls, capturing the highs and lows of working artists now. But Dafoe gives a quiet dignity to the unknown artist, reflecting the beauty of creation, whatever its reach. 

Late Fame is now in theaters.

SAVE $105: As of Aug. 7, the Garmin vívoactive 5 is on sale for $194.99 at Amazon. That's a 35% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Garmin

Garmin vívoactive 5

$194.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $105

 

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If you’re looking for a premium fitness tracker to track everything from your daily step count to your sleep stages, you’ll want to check out this latest deal on the Garmin vivoactive 5. As of Aug. 7, this impressive smartwatch is over $100 off ($105, to be exact), bringing the price down from $299.99 to $194.99.

The vivoactive 5 was replaced as the newest in the lineup in 2025, but we’re still big fans, especially when it goes on sale. 

And there’s lots to like about it. Firstly, it benefits from a bright AMOLED display and offers up to 11 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, with up to 5 days when using the always-on display. You’ll get a range of health-tracking features, including Body Battery energy monitoring, sleep scoring, stress tracking, wrist-based heart rate monitoring, fitness age, menstrual cycle tracking, and pregnancy tracking. 

And for sports, there are many tracking methods for anything from running, cycling, and swimming, to golf and HIIT. The watch also supports wheelchair mode, with push tracking, handcycle activities, and adapted workouts. 

It’s worth noting that this deal is only available for the Ivory colorway, but if the watch color doesn't matter to you, you can find it on Amazon right now.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a good actor.

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:

To pretend.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter F.

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...

FEIGN

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 were thinking Callum Turner is the kind of actor likely to stoically soldier his way through Hot Ones while barely showing any signs of pain, then you'd be bang on the money.

In the clip above the actor takes on the series of increasingly spicy wings opposite host Sean Evans while staying impressively cool, answering questions on everything from his new rom-com One Night Only to the time he fell off a horse while training for a role.

The most impressive bit? Not just his ability to handle spice, but his ability to handle spice while also calmly offering obscure movie recommendations.

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SAVE $70: As of Aug. 7, the Anker 3-in-1 charger is on sale for $159.99 at Amazon. That's a 30% discount on the list price.

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Anker 3-in-1 Charging Station

$159.99 at Amazon
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If you’re tired of juggling separate cables for your Apple devices, the Anker 3-in-1 charger offers a tidier setup. The charging station can power your iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch from one spot, helping keep your desk or bedside table a little less chaotic. And as of Aug. 7, it’s $70 off, bringing the cost down to $159.99.

A built-in 1.65-inch HD smart display gives you a quick overview of your devices, showing real-time details such as charging wattage, temperature, and device status. Behind the screen, the charger supports ultra-fast 25W Qi2.2 charging, capable of taking an iPhone 17 Pro to 50% in just 22 minutes. It combines that speedy charging with a compact design that keeps your setup neat and convenient.

You can also switch between three charging modes: Boost, Ice, and Sleep, depending on what you need. Boost prioritizes faster charging, Ice is designed to keep temperatures down, and Sleep offers quieter charging for overnight use.

You can find this charger deal at Amazon right now.

The MacBook Neo might be Apple's most exciting laptop in years. It has the same premium build quality and stellar everyday performance as any other MacBook, but it starts at just $699 — a great deal even after its $100 price hike this summer. The Neo has almost no competition among cheap Windows laptops and Chromebooks.

We've already stacked the Neo against the latest MacBook Air, which runs on the supercharged M5 chip. But how does the Neo compare to older MacBook Airs? Previous models with M1, M2, M3, and M4 chips are still somewhat readily available, mainly on the refurbished market, and they can be viable options for budget buyers, too. Let's dive right into the nitty-gritty details.

MacBook Neo vs. older MacBook Airs: Specs

The MacBook Neo is Apple's smallest laptop in seven years. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

As a refresher, here's a brief M-series MacBook Air release timeline:

• M1 MacBook Air (13-inch) — November 2020

• M2 MacBook Air (13-inch) — July 2022; 15-inch version launched in June 2023

• M3 MacBook Air (13- and 15-inch) — March 2024

• M4 MacBook Air (13- and 15-inch) — March 2025

Unlike the MacBook Airs, which run on ARM-based laptop silicon, the MacBook Neo runs on an iPhone processor — the A18 Pro chip, specifically. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as you'll see later in the "Performance" section. Smartphone chips are crazy overpowered nowadays.

The MacBook Neo's memory is fixed at 8GB. (This is probably its biggest drawback.) Most older MacBook Airs also start with 8GB of RAM, but users have the option to upgrade them. The M1 model can get bumped to 16GB of RAM, while the M2 and M3 models are configurable with up to 24GB of RAM. The M4 MacBook Air starts with 16GB of memory and maxes out with 32GB.

With the MacBook Neo, you can take your pick from two storage options. It comes with 256GB of disk space for $699 or 512GB for $799. (The latter adds a Touch ID sensor to its power button.) The older MacBook Airs have four storage variants: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB.

The MacBook Neo and the M1 MacBook Air both come in one 13-inch size, but the M1 Air is technically 13.3 inches on the diagonal, while the Neo measures 13 inches exactly. (It's Apple's smallest MacBook in seven years.) The M2, M3, and M4 MacBook Airs come in 13.6-inch and 15.3-inch sizes.

MacBook Neo vs. older MacBook Airs: Pricing and availability

Apple's M1 MacBook Air sells for $500 to $700 in refurbished condition as of mid-2026. Credit: Zlata Ivleva / Mashable

Again, the MacBook Neo costs $699 or $799 depending on your storage and Touch ID preferences. College students, their parents, and school staff can save $100 on either configuration with the Apple Store's clutch education discount.

The older M-series MacBook Airs originally started at $999 to $1,299, but these days, they typically go for less on the refurbished market. (Most major retailers have stopped selling them in new condition.) Best Buy tends to carry the most configurations at the best prices out of any retailer, though its inventory changes frequently — you may not find a model with your exact processor, storage, RAM, size, and color preferences in stock. The Apple Store itself was only selling a few refurbed M4 models at the time of writing, and they were almost as expensive as they were brand-new.

For reference, here's how much Best Buy was charging for M1 to M4 base models as of August 2026:

• M1 MacBook Air (8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished — $499.99 $699 (save $199.01)

• M2 MacBook Air, 13-inch (8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished — $729.99 $749 (save $19.01)

• M3 MacBook Air, 13-inch (8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished — $849

• M4 MacBook Air, 13-inch (16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished — $854.99 $899 (save $44.01)

Evidently, the Neo is still cheaper than most of your refurbished Air options.

MacBook Neo vs. older MacBook Airs: Performance

The M2 MacBook Air is roughly 14 percent faster in multi-core scenarios compared to the MacBook Neo. Credit: Molly Flores / Mashable

Here at Mashable, we measure laptops' performance by having them run Primate Labs' Geekbench CPU test. This industry-standard benchmark produces two kinds of scores: a single-core score, which tells us how snappy the laptop will feel in everyday tasks (like web browsing), and a multi-core score, which tells us how well it can plow through more intensive workloads (like video rendering). The higher the scores, the better.

Apple's overachieving A-series chips have been making iPhones as powerful as some laptops for years, so it's actually not that weird to see one fueling a MacBook.

Our testing found that the MacBook Neo offers M4-tier single-core performance and M1-level multi-core performance. Since it's geared toward users with basic needs, that single-core result is more important — and very impressive. It means the Neo will feel just as zippy as a pricier last-gen MacBook Air when you're sending emails or online shopping. It definitely punches above its budget price point in this regard.

That isn't to say the Neo won't be usable for some lighter multi-core work. (Our tech editor used one to edit a simple video in Final Cut Pro.) It just won't be nearly as good for running a bunch of heavier apps at the same time. You'll want an M3 or M4 MacBook Air for that, or possibly even a MacBook Pro.

MacBook Neo vs. older MacBook Airs: Battery life

The M3 MacBook Air offers about 21.5 hours of battery life. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Apple rated the MacBook Neo for up to 16 hours of video playback and all of the older MacBook Airs for up to 18 hours. We put those claims through our own video rundown test to see how they translate to real-world use.

Indeed, all of the MacBook Airs from the past six years outlast the MacBook Neo, which has an actual battery life of around 15 hours of video playback per charge. It should still get you through a full day of school or travel with some juice to spare.

For what it's worth, the Neo's 15-hour runtime beats our current battery life medians for Windows laptops and Chromebooks (14 hours and 10 hours, respectively).

MacBook Neo vs. older MacBook Airs: Design

The M4 MacBook Air features an incredible 12MP Center Stage webcam. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

The MacBook Neo has the same fully aluminum build as all of the older MacBook Airs. It's roughly the same size as the M1 MacBook Air, but its chassis is shaped more like the M2 to M4 MacBook Airs. Those three models have a flat "slab" design, while the M1 MacBook Air has a tapered "wedge" design. (Read more about the MacBook Air's 2022 makeover.)

The MacBook Neo weighs the same as a 13-inch M2, M3, or M4 MacBook Air, but it's slightly thicker. The M1 MacBook Air is both heavier and thicker than all of them.

Apple had to make some hardware sacrifices to make the MacBook Neo cheap from the jump, but it's nicer than the M1 MacBook Air in a few small ways:

• Display: The Neo's display lacks the Airs' True Tone feature for natural-looking colors, but it has the same 60Hz refresh rate and crisp Liquid Retina technology. It's just as bright as the M2 to M4 models' screens; the M1 Air is slightly dimmer.

• Keyboard: The Neo lacks keyboard backlighting and Touch ID (unless you pay $100 extra).

• Trackpad: The Neo's mechanical touchpad lacks haptic feedback.

• Webcam: The Neo's camera has same 1080p resolution as the M2 and M3 Airs' webcam. It's better than the M1 model's 720p camera but worse than the M4 model's 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View support. It's housed in the upper bezel of the Neo's display (an M1 Air relic), not a notch.

• Speakers: The Neo has two fewer speakers than the 13-inch M2, M3, and M4 Airs. (Their 15-inch counterparts have two more speakers for a total of six.) The Neo does support Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos like the M2 to M4 Airs, but it lacks their dynamic head tracking support with AirPods. The M1 Air has Dolby Atmos but no Spatial Audio.

• Mic array: The Neo has one fewer mic than the M-series Airs (two instead of three).

• Ports: The Neo lacks the Airs' speedy Thunderbolt ports. The M3 and M4 models can also drive an extra external display (two instead of one).

• Connectivity. The Neo has same WiFi 6E tech as the M3 and M4 Airs (the M1 and M2 models have WiFi 6). The Neo has newer Bluetooth 6 tech than all of the older Airs.

MacBook Neo vs. older MacBook Airs: Colors

The MacBook Neo comes in four colors: citrus, indigo (both pictured), blush, and silver. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The MacBook Airs come in neutrals. (Let's not pretend that "sky blue" is anything more than a cooler gray.) The Neo, in contrast, is available in a few wilder new colors:

• M1 MacBook Air — silver, space gray, and gold

• M2 MacBook Air — silver, space gray, starlight, and midnight

• M3 MacBook Air — silver, space gray, starlight, and midnight

• M4 MacBook Air — silver, starlight, midnight, and sky blue

• MacBook Neo — silver, indigo, blush, and citrus

"Wild" is relative, by the way. My kingdom for a (PRODUCT)RED MacBook.

Final thoughts: Should you get a MacBook Neo or an older MacBook Air?

Neo or nah? Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Your decision will come down to three factors: what you need your MacBook for, how much you want to spend on it, and whether you can find the model you want in stock.

The MacBook Neo is a basic starter PC with limited RAM and features, but an enticingly affordable price. It's technically not designed to compete with MacBook Airs, but I can see shoppers with ultra-strict budgets weighing it closely against a cheap base M1 MacBook Air. In this case, I'd go with the Neo for future-proofing and vastly better single-core performance. The fact that it's missing True Tone, backlighting, a haptic touchpad, and Thunderbolt support shouldn't be dealbreakers for students and casual users with light workloads.

If you already own an M1 MacBook Air, don't bother buying a Neo. It would be a lateral move, not an upgrade.

A MacBook Air with an M2 chip or newer is a better, more well-rounded laptop than the Neo in almost every way. I think creative professionals and multitasking-happy business users who rely on heavier apps will see plenty of merit in spending a little more on one. Try to find a configuration with at least 16GB of RAM — and be prepared to maybe hunt around for a while, since the refurbished market can be fickle.

Shop Apple MacBooks:

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Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD)

$699

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Apple MacBook Air (M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished

$449.99 (save $199.01)

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Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished

$729.99 (save $19.01)

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Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished

$849

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Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished

$854.99 (save $44.01)

Shop Now

If I turned my brain off, One Night Only (dir. Will Gluck) would be a funny movie with heart.

Owen (Callum Turner) and Allie (Monica Barbaro) meet on the one night a year that unmarried adults can have sex. As expected, everyone eligible goes buck wild to take advantage of those sweet 12 hours when premarital sex is allowed. Hijinks and hilarity ensue, with some genuinely funny moments (one featuring Maroon 5's "Payphone").

But here's the problem: I can't turn my brain off. Rom-com One Night Only comes at a time of increased surveillance and policing of sexual expression on the internet. And in the movie, totalitarianism is played for laughs. 

How the titular One Night Only works

My biggest question after seeing the trailer is: How are they going to pull off, as the internet has taken to calling it, "The Purge for sex"? 

At the start of the movie, we're told through a text overlay that the law (called "the mandate") deeming premarital sex permitted for one night a year went into effect three years prior. Throughout, we learn a few details: It was a law passed by Congress, not voted on by the people. It happened after the Obama administration (revealed after a strained "thanks, Obama" joke), but there's no explicit mention of which president this happened under.

Law enforcement figures out who isn't complying through a biosensor installed on every unmarried adult's wrist; it is red 364 days a year and calls the police if there's a too-high dopamine spike. No word on whether masturbation is also banned, but if your dopamine gets too high during self-loving, god help you, I guess.

During the "one night" (which is really just 12 hours) that premarital sex is legal, the biosensors turn from red to green, and they're not monitored as they usually are. But if you haven't complied throughout the year, you won't have the "privilege" of being able to have sex during the night. 

Condoms are also compulsory, but it's not explained how the police would figure out if you haven't used one. It's rather a plot device to delay Allie and Owen's doomed sexual encounters with other people. 

What about gay sex? That's explained away fairly early on by Allie's lesbian roommate, who is more a brief sidekick than an actual character: Gay people have been skirting around "your laws" since the Bible, she said. Still, there are a few gay couples peppered as extras in some scenes.

The results of the mandate have apparently been fantastic, according to a suit who works for the lab that developed the biosensor. Sex is now saved for the "sanctity of marriage," after all. Since it went into effect, rates of unwanted pregnancies and STDs are down. (You know what else decreases these things? Comprehensive sex education.) Beyond that, it's now a "badge of honor to be an incel." (AHHHHHH.)

See One Night Only for punchlines and background Easter Eggs

For the zany/scary concept, there is something to love about One Night Only. Turner and Barbaro's performances are good, and I'm glad we hear Barbaro's voice following her turn as Joan Baez in 2024's A Complete Unknown. Her character, Allie, sings commercial song parodies for a living. In an early scene, she belts about a plaque psoriasis medication to the tune of Sara Bareilles's "Brave," and those were the first roars of laughter in my screening.

The laughs didn't stop there. Throughout the film, there's humor both crass and wholesome, and the theater crowd seemed to have a great time. (I won't spoil you for how Maroon 5 is involved.) 

And there's something quaint about the story — not the fact that sex is somehow more "sacred" under this regime, but that Allie and Owen don't exchange numbers or last names, making it genuinely difficult to find each other. (Though, through movie magic, they always do.)

The film also astutely shows how society would mold itself to fit the new status quo should premarital sex be banned. Backgrounds are peppered with ads from Red Bull, Dunkin, and Equinox about "the night." Sellers gouge prices for haircuts and condoms (Durex, always). The Empire State Building is lit up in green.

But One Night Only seems to be doing the same conforming. In a country that repealed Roe v. Wade and instated age-verification laws for First Amendment-protected content — not to mention that the Trump administration is now going after the birth control pill — One Night Only makes light of rising fascism. Like the in-universe Red Bull ad claiming to "give you wiiings" for the night, the movie is winking and nodding at our decreasing rights. 

Don't expect One Night Only to have real cultural commentary

The mandate appears to be a retrograde, puritan idea that Congress voted on — but that doesn't seem to be that much of a problem for the American people. 

There is resistance to it…barely. Protests are regulated to signs calling for "REPEAL" and graffiti declaring, "Fuck the mandate!" An anti-mandate concert is scheduled for the day after "the night," but as it turns out, the musician hosting it is a hypocrite. He secretly likes the mandate and says that maybe the fascists were right about this one(!). 

That musician character is also a bumbling misogynist, and he's certainly not the hero of the story. Maybe One Night Only is a stealth satire about such hypocrisy, or about the boiling frog metaphor, but I'm not convinced. The protagonists also don't seem interested in taking action against the mandate. Throughout the film, they decry casual sex and long for romance. They lament the societal push to sleep with people within these 12 hours; they (especially Allie) want to do it the "right" way, with the "right" person.

And the realities of how cruel such a mandate would be are skirted around or unaddressed entirely. 

Let's be real: If straight premarital sex is banned, gay sex would be, too. SCOTUS deemed state sodomy laws unconstitutional just 23 years ago. But in the movie, gay sex is a brief joke one minute, and several gay couples are shown complying the next.

Another harrowing topic that went unmentioned is sexual violence. Some male characters are misogynistic to Allie, and others give her leering glances. But it's something that I, as a woman, couldn't stop thinking about — whether women would be forced to participate in the night even if they didn't want to.

Pornography is also never mentioned in the film (or, if I missed it, only in passing), but surely it would be banned before straight premarital sex, too. As it is, Project 2025 (the blueprint for President Trump's second term) calls for porn to be banned and the imprisonment of its creators. In the world of One Night Only, that would probably get treated as another gag as opposed to the free speech nightmare that it is. 

On the topic of free speech, which pornography falls into, it's almost unbelievable that any dissent would slide here, even the tepid REPEAL signs. In our actual world, people were arrested over social media posts following Charlie Kirk's assassination. You can't tell me that this regime would be OK with civilians saying "fuck the mandate." No, the population of One Night Only would be neutered, in more ways than one.

The audience is also expected to yuck it up for surveillance. Partway through the movie, an ill-fated love interest of Allie's is arrested because he violated the mandate and wasn't allowed to participate in the night. He tries to escape from the cops, naked, and fails. Then, in a police station, Allie is also scrutinized, and other rebels are shuffled in. Restaurants and shops have signs telling employees to report violations, but other than these instances, the Big Brother-style operation that would need to exist to enforce this law isn't explored. 

I know, I know: It's "just a movie." But movies have the power to reflect our reality and to actually say something about it. Case in point: The real Purge series.

The Purge was a commentary on what privilege can protect you from and the barbarism that seems uniquely American. One Night Only may comment on a uniquely American puritanism — there are brief scenes of foreign news programs discussing the U.S. "celibacy night" — but if anything, the film falls for the same ideas of the mandate. 

When Allie and Owen finally get together in the end, they decide to not spend the last 10 minutes of legal unwedded sex to have any. They decide to wait a whole year until the next one — how beautiful! It's played as a way to once again buck the mandate, even though they…totally comply with it. So what is this movie actually saying?

One Night Only adheres to our rising purity culture; it doesn't defy it. And if it had some real commentary to say, it wouldn't be a rom-com. Like The Purge, it'd be a horror.

If you have experienced sexual abuse, call the free, confidential National Sexual Assault hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), or access the 24-7 help online by visiting online.rainn.org.

NASA engineers have found still more power inside Voyager 2's aging systems, keeping the veteran spacecraft alive as it drifts through space at 34,000 mph.

Voyager 2 is now completely immersed in interstellar space, the region beyond the influence of the sun and its planets. But after 49 years in flight, its reserves have faded so much that engineers must decide, instrument by instrument, what stays on and what shuts down.

It started off with 10 instruments. Only three — the Cosmic Ray Subsystem, Magnetometer, and Plasma Wave Subsystem — are still on. Those remaining sensors measure high‑energy particles, the local magnetic field, and ripples in charged gas around the spacecraft to reveal what interstellar space is like.

To avoid having to sacrifice yet another instrument this year, engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory came up with a new idea. Nicknamed the "Big Bang," the plan involved turning off certain powered devices, swapping in lower‑power alternatives, and balancing the system so the spacecraft stays warm enough to operate. 

Those savings should keep the trio of instruments working for at least one extra year, according to the agency.

Launched in 1977 to survey the outer planets, Voyager 2 long ago outlasted its original five‑year plan and now ranks among humanity's most distant missions at about 13.3 billion miles from Earth. Between Voyager 2 and its farther twin, Voyager 1, the spacecraft have explored four planets — Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus — 48 moons, and a host of planetary magnetic fields and rings.

In August 2012, Voyager 1 made history as it entered interstellar space, filled with material ejected by other stars that died millions of years ago. The twins are the only spacecraft ever to leave the solar system. 

Every extra year of data from the missions carries outsize value, according to NASA. 

Voyager 2 runs on radioisotope thermoelectric generators, which turn heat from decaying plutonium into electricity. That heat source weakens over time. The spacecraft generate about 4 fewer watts of power annually, leaving a thin margin to keep them running.

Engineers have spent years looking for ways to reduce the probes' energy consumption. In 2023, they tapped a hidden source of power in a voltage‑protection system on Voyager 2 to buy more time before facing a key instrument shutdown. 

"All the decisions we will have to make going forward are going to require a lot more analysis and caution than they once did," said Voyager project manager Suzanne Dodd in a statement that is now already two years old. 

Since 2024, the dwindling power supply has already forced the mission to turn off two science instruments on each of the spacecraft. Others had been switched off earlier because they were only needed during close planetary flybys, not in deep space. 

The team now plans to apply the same strategy to Voyager 1, which is even farther from Earth than Voyager 2, at about 15.9 billion miles away. If that effort succeeds, both spacecraft will keep flying among the stars for at least an extra year.

Bryce Gruber was scrolling through TikTok when a self-tanner promotion appeared on her For You page. The woman rubbing the product onto her body looked very familiar.

It was her. Sort of.

"This is super scary and weird," Gruber, an editor and writer behind the Substack, Extra Good, said in a TikTok posted Aug. 5 "By the way, this is not me. I mean, it’s me, but it’s robot me," she told her 193,000 TikTok followers.

The video Gruber encountered featured an AI-generated version of her enthusiastically reviewing a self-tanner: "This tanner changed my entire routine," her digital doppelgänger says in the clip.

As the AI version of Gruber rubs the product across her body, the real Gruber says that she had never seen or used the product before and had no relationship with the company selling it (though she didn't identify the brand).

"Obviously, I freaked out over this," she said. "I never saw that product in my life before, and I probably never want to."

The strange encounter led Gruber back into her TikTok settings, where she discovered just how much access other users appeared to have to her digital double.

How does TikTok AI Cast work?

The feature behind the video is called AI Cast, which lets users create an "AI Self" that can appear in AI-generated videos. TikTok's Help Center describes AI Self as one of the "digital avatars or voices" users can create from their face and voice information.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Unlike a traditional deepfake made by scraping someone's existing posts, creating an AI Self requires a user to deliberately set one up.

TikTok requires users to verify their identity before creating an "AI Self," a source at the company told Mashable. The process involves recording themselves from multiple angles and reading a series of numbers after selecting "Add AI Self" from their profile.

When asked about Gruber's case, the source said, "This creator would have had a notification that [someone] was using AI Cast." Users can also control who has access to their "AI Self," keeping it private or sharing it with friends or the public. TikTok says anyone whose AI Self appears in another person's video can delete the video or draft directly, regardless of who created it. Once they do, the original creator can no longer access the content.

However, once that digital version exists, AI Cast can put it into scenarios that the real person never filmed. A user can generate a video starring their own AI Self, or bring another person into the video by @-mentioning a friend or user whose AI Self is available to them. In other words, two people don't have to get together to film something for their digital versions to appear together in a video.

According to Gruber, though, when she opened up her own AI Self settings, she said her permissions were set to "Everyone," which she described as the default. She urged users to switch the setting to "Only You."

"If it’s on 'Everyone,' you become a self-tanner ad," she joked.

Notably, Gruber told Mashable she reported the self-tanner video to TikTok, but was told that because the AI-generated voice differed from her own, the platform did not consider the person depicted in the video to be her. She isn't sure whether the brand faced any consequences.

And there were differences. Her voice and natural cadence weren't quite right, she said, while other details had seemingly been invented altogether.

"My voice and speech cadence are definitely different in the AI video, but also little details like the freckles on my arms and legs are very different — and the manicure?" she said. "I haven't had a French manicure since 1999, so that was a funny touch to see."

AI doubles are becoming big business

Platforms and advertisers are increasingly experimenting with synthetic influencers.

TikTok itself has been building AI advertising tools through its Symphony platform, which lets advertisers generate videos using AI avatars. In June, the company expanded those tools through Symphony Agent, which can produce ads using generative video, scripts, and avatars.

The technology has also advanced to the point where creators don't necessarily need to build an official digital twin for someone to imitate them. In Mashable's 2025 investigation into AI-generated YouTube ads, UC Berkeley professor Hany Farid explained just how little source material is required.

“With just 20 seconds of a person’s voice and a single photograph of them, it is now possible to create a video of them saying or doing anything,” Farid told Mashable's Technology editor, Timothy Back Werth.

Gruber says she has already experienced that version of the problem, too.

After finding the self-tanner video, Gruber said she discovered that a Chinese denim company had previously used her face and voice, and even recreated what looked like her backyard, to market jeans. According to Gruber, the company sold more than 1,000 pairs.

She is far from the only creator confronting that problem. In June, guitarist and creator Sophie Burrell told Guitar World that she stumbled across a TikTok that reproduced one of her videos almost exactly — down to the camera angle, room, guitar, and movements. YouTube musician Rhett Shull also discovered an AI-generated guitar channel that appeared to recreate pieces of his older videos, including his former filming set. The channel, named "Guitar Gems With Chase," had accumulated more than 5,000 subscribers and 600,000 views when Shull found it.

Plus, as Mashable reported last year, the problem was already showing up in advertising: AI-generated videos impersonated Hoda Kotb to promote weight-loss products and Elon Musk in crypto scams, while synthetic financial advisers and even fabricated small-business owners appeared in deceptive YouTube ads.

When asked whether brands can use someone’s AI Self to create promotional content, the TikTok representative said the company would "look into it."

"It should just be more of a peer-to-peer kind of creator-level product,” the source said.

There are rules against at least some of this behavior. The Federal Trade Commission's rule on fake reviews and testimonials prohibits testimonials that falsely represent someone as having experience with a product they never used.

The FTC has even addressed AI advertising specifically. In guidance that mentions TikTok's Symphony Avatars by name, the agency says AI avatars aren't inherently prohibited in advertising, but their use could violate federal rules when they create a fake or misleading testimonial.

“Just last week, we announced that we’re testing a new feature that helps folks find accounts on TikTok who are maybe using their likeness," a source at TikTok told Mashable. "You could easily upload your photo and verify your ID through the third-party platform, and it will then confirm you’re the owner of your identity.”

"We are testing strategies broadly to help protect AI likeness on the platform," he added.

Instagram already learned how sensitive this is the hard way

TikTok isn't the only platform discovering how quickly users react when control over their likeness becomes an opt-out setting.

Last month, Meta launched a feature for its new Muse Image generator that allowed people to @-mention public Instagram accounts and use their photos as references for new AI-generated images. Users could disable this feature in their settings, but it was enabled automatically for public accounts.

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The reaction was swift. SAG-AFTRA criticized the opt-out approach, while Emmy-winning actor Hannah Einbinder urged her followers to disable the setting. Three days after introducing it, Meta pulled the feature entirely.

"Our intent was to provide a useful creative tool and to give people control over whether their public content could be referenced in this way," Meta said in an update. "We’ve heard the feedback that this feature missed the mark, so it’s no longer available."

The episode gets at the same question now raised by Gruber's TikTok experience: If your AI self can say and do things you never did, where does your control over your own likeness begin...and end?

For now, Gruber has considerably more practical advice: "Careful out there with this stuff," she said. "It can happen to anyone."

MCU's Blade movie may be dead, but Mahershala Ali and filmmaker Bassam Tariq have created an original action movie from its ashes. 

Written and directed by Tariq, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother stars Ali as Latif, a Muslim hitman, who must protect his family from a violent cult leader (played by John Cho). 

In an interview with Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko, Ali and Tariq shared how the Blade movie led to Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother. 

Ali said of Blade, "I’d been attached to that project — if you count to this date — like seven years. But, a couple of years ago, I knew it wasn't happening, essentially. And so, for me, it was more of, 'Alright, how do I get back to business?' Because it's just so much time and so much of my energy going toward that project. So once it was clear to me that that wasn't happening, it kind of gave me a certain freedom to begin to really take ownership of my schedule and of my life, so to speak. And so, as you are sitting back and waiting for something to come through that will resonate with you, Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother came through."

Ali continued, referring to Tariq, "And I think the only reason it came through was because we didn't do Blade together."

Ali was announced as the lead of the MCU's Blade at Comic-Con in 2019. He and Tariq had known of each other, but first met because Tariq was attached to direct in July of 2021. However, in the fall of 2022, Tariq left the helm, and Lovecraft Country director Yann Demange took his place. The split with Marvel was a peaceable one, and in a statement to THR, the studio said Tariq would stay on the Blade project as an executive producer. 

Speaking to Mashable, Tariq revealed a bit about the reported creative differences he had with the Blade movie producers. He explained, "I think the frustrations for me were really about not giving me the reins to write. And I'm a writer, like that's what I do for a living. I write. So I was like, I'm gonna write, and I'm gonna write something that I've always been working on, and just bring that into the world."

Tariq also reflected on what he learned from working with Kevin Feige and his team during the development of the Blade movie. 

"I learned a lot in that process," Tariq began, "And like what's so brilliant about Kevin [Feige] and [producers] Victoria [Alonso] and Lou[is D'Esposito]  was that they really cared a lot about the audience. I came from art house, where I was all about like, 'Oh, what's the heart saying?' Which is great, which I still am all about. But I think to balance, I do like going in and seeing audiences and how they were connecting to these people and movies, characters, and all that stuff."

Tariq continued by expressing his respect for the sprawling superhero film series, saying, "I grew up on comics as well. But I think as I got older, I kind of took a step back. But to see how much audiences really cared – and how much [the MCU producers] cared about audiences — I was like, 'Oh, this is something that we need to really start thinking about more as directors, is like where's the audience? How do you really build this?' And I think ambition was something that I always saw in Kevin, like thinking, 'Well, how do we go bigger?'" 

Tariq applied that lesson to Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, which will make its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, followed by a theatrical release across the U.S. 

For more from Mashable's interview with Mahershala Ali and Bassam Tariq, look for our full video release the week of Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother's theatrical debut on Sept. 25. 

TL;DR: Get a lifetime license to Microsoft Project Professional 2024 for Windows to help you tackle projects on your PC for just $48.99 (reg. $1,129.99) with code Aug25 now through Aug. 9.

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Microsoft Project Professional 2024: Lifetime License for Windows

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Tired of keeping track of deadlines? If you’ve ever felt like you could use an assistant, but don’t have the budget for one, you may want to check out Microsoft Project Professional 2024. This powerful software helps you plan, execute, and complete projects easily, and right now, a lifetime license for Windows is just $48.99 with code Aug25 through Aug. 9.

Whether you’re tackling multiple projects for work or you could use some help streamlining some personal tasks, Microsoft Project Professional 2024 is ready to help. It’s your very own project management assistant, helping you knock out projects from start to finish right on your PC.

Microsoft Project Professional 2024 is easy to use, with a user-friendly interface. There are also pre-built templates available to help you stay on track.

If you’d like to see how much time is spent on a project versus non-project work, you can submit your timesheets. If you’re curious about different outcomes, you’re able to run what-if scenarios to make sure you’re making the most out of your task assignments.

Visual learners will love Microsoft Project Professional 2024’s feature that lets you see a complex schedule with built-in multiple timelines.

Working with others? You can take advantage of built-in features that let you hover over team members’ names in a project plan to see their online status, or start a chat or call via Microsoft Teams.

This lifetime license for Windows is tied to your device, not your Microsoft Account, and you’ll have access to future updates.

Score your own Microsoft Project Professional 2024 Lifetime License for Windows for only $48.99 with code Aug25 now through Aug. 9.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Make job hunting easier forever with this lifetime subscription to FirstResume AI Job Hunting Automator, now only $29.99 (reg. $899) with code Aug25 through Aug. 9.

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FirstResume - AI Job Hunting Automator: Lifetime Subscription

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Job hunting is stressful enough — don’t make creating your resume a headache, too. With FirstResume AI Job Hunting Automator, applying to positions can be painless. This AI-powered tool helps you tailor resumes, whip out cover letters, and even send outreach emails.

Right now, you can lock in a lifetime subscription to FirstResume AI Job Hunting Automator for just $29.99 with code Aug25 through Aug. 9.

Gone are the days of spending hours tailoring your resume to each individual job you apply for — only to never hear anything back? FirstResume AI Job Hunting Automator makes the process a whole lot easier with job-hunting tools designed for Gen Z that can help everyone.

FirstResume can create tailored ATS-friendly resumes and cover letters that can help you stand out, while also penning outreach emails to help get you noticed once your application is submitted.

Curious how it works? Give FirstResume your resume and let the advanced AI deliver a human-level analysis and helpful feedback, serving as your very own career coach that can spot gaps and tell a strong story.

From there, once you find jobs you want to apply for, you can paste them into FirstResume. This tool will create an ATS-optimized resume for that position with just a click, ensuring your most relevant experience comes first.

Your lifetime subscription gives you 5,000 credits per month, unlimited job tracking, unlimited resume storage, early access to new features, and priority customer support if needed.

Snag this lifetime subscription to FirstResume AI Job Hunting Automator for just $29.99 with code Aug25 now through Aug. 9.

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Queer horror fans have a complicated relationship to the genre. Horror cinema is a place where we have seen ourselves reflected, but often as villains.

From the flamboyant mad scientists of James Whale's Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein to the sapphic vampires of Dracula's Daughter, to the trans-coded killers of Sleepaway Camp and The Silence of the Lambs, LGBTQ+ characters shimmer throughout the fabric of the horror canon. While such problematic portrayals might feel like antiques, they've nonetheless shaped the genre and generations of queer horror fans. And for these folks, American filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun has made Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma.

Written and directed by Schoenbrun, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma celebrates the slashers and, through that, explores the complicated feelings of loving a genre that doesn't reliably love you back. But that's not all. They also offer a radical tonal shift from their moody films We're All Going to the World's Fair and I Saw the TV Glow, delivering a comedy that is part horny psychosexual thriller and part campy parody. The result is a film that is rollicking in queer joy, blood spray, and irreverent humor.

Yes, it's meta, smart, and challenging genre norms. But calling Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma "elevated horror" is to miss its point.

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is a story of love, sex, and perversion.

Jack Haven is Little Death in "Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma." Credit: MUBI

Hacks' Hannah Einbinder stars as Kris, a 29-year-old queer filmmaker whose Sundance success has earned her a shot at relaunching the long-dead Camp Miasma slasher franchise. Like with I Saw The TV Glow, Schoenbrun creates a deep wealth of lore and fandom merch to flesh out the fictional IP within this story. Where I Saw The TV Glow's central show had shades of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Camp Miasma seems a mix of Sleepaway Camp, Friday the 13th, and Twin Peaks.

The first film was a grimy, ultra-bloody slasher flick that centered on a wide-eyed Final Girl named Billy Preston, who was stalked by a harpoon-carrying killer called Little Death (I Saw the TV Glow's Jack Haven). For Kris, Billy is the key to understanding how to revive Camp Miasma, and so she travels to meet the aging scream queen (Gillian Anderson), who lives at the "haunted summer camp" where the first film was shot.

Red flags like this don't deter Kris, who is eager to walk in the footsteps of Little Death and his victims. But before long, Kris starts to realize that Billy isn't interested in making another movie. She's interested in Kris. Desire blooms between the two women, but inelegantly. And that's the point.

Schoenbrun recognizes how horror can be ludicrous, with kills that turn severed human necks into fountains that shoot blood 30 feet in the sky, as if we are meat sacks full of cherry soda just waiting to explode. Sex they treat as similarly silly from the moment we meet the siren that is Billy Preston.

Anderson plays the reclusive actress as Norma Desmond by way of Dolly Parton in a David Lynch movie. She slinks around the cabins with perfectly manicured, bright red nails, her hair in big, tumbling blonde curls, and her wardrobe silky robes that beg to be stroked. But then, she'll offer Kris a preposterously abundant plate of fried chicken, treating the accompanying dipping sauces as if they were oysters, ripe for vaginal allegory and campy foreplay.

While many might write Billy off as odd and flee this camp of red flags, Kris is drawn in because Billy is fearless, even in her strangeness. Through her influence, Kris not only reconsiders her Camp Miasma movie, but also her understanding of herself. Where Billy is a carnal creature who licks her fingers and speaks candidly of sex to a near stranger, Kris is shy and cerebral, far more capable of talking about "elevated horror" and transphobia in film than she is her own desires.

However, through her relationship with Billy, Kris learns to understand horror not just as her personal obsession, but also as a path to self-acceptance. How does a harpoon-wielding slasher, an avalanche of candy wrappers, and a Southern-fried recluse factor into that? Well, Camp Miasma's killer's name being "Little Death" is a pretty big clue.

We're talking orgasms.

Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder are a perfect match in Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma.

Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson in "Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma." Credit: MUBI

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is gloriously irreverent in its approach to its influences. Schoenbrun name-drops or alludes to Sunset Boulevard, Psycho, Mulholland Drive, Bound, Friday the 13th, Sleepaway Camp, and more. But they do so with a rebellious joy that turns a transgressive backstory into a gorgeous portrait of nonbinary beauty, and an iconic final shot into a rebellious echo of pride.

The cinematography of Eric K. Yue manages to weave together tones that go from earnestly amorous to unapologetically loony. A production design that blends a realistic camp setting with forest backdrops that are clearly painted challenges the audience to consider what is real and whether or not that matters. The music offers Psycho-reminiscent stings of strings, sultry synth keyboard, and a chaotic soundtrack that ranges from Counting Crows' "A Long December" to Sade's "No Ordinary Love," and Donna Lewis' "I Love You Always Forever."

It's a bold blend of dark inspirations and cheerful pop. Anderson and Einbinder are entrusted to make it work, and they do. Einbinder steps out of the chaotic bisexual bravado of her Hacks heroine, embracing the timid sapphic who's technically poly but low-key resents her partner's (Jasmin Savoy Brown) boyfriend Thor (Aren Buchholz). Her intellectualizing and her filmmaking are where she feels comfortable, while Anderson's Billy is bored by all that blather. Billy relishes flesh and touch, and so becomes a carnal mentor.

Together, their quirks make sense, building a world that others might see as bizarre, but which the queer (like a gas station attendant with a septum ring) will clock as wondrous. Like Lynch's leading ladies in Mulholland Drive or Todd Haynes' in Carol, these two actresses tug on each other, giving the film a sexual tension and emotional pull that is exhilarating. And then on top of that, they embrace the absurdity Schoenbrun has baked in, which reminds the audience earnestly that sex need not be taken so seriously. It can be silly, messy, sweet, and bloody, and it can shine a light on the most fucked-up desires of our queer little minds. And all of that can be celebrated instead of shame, with the help of a Little Death.

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma explores where queerness, self-acceptance, and horror collide. But it's also a hell of a good time. Schoenbrun and their cast embrace the ghoulish delights of slasher slaughters, the titillating fun of their teen sex and death, and the radiant joy of finding pleasure in your own body. All this makes Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma a knockout, from its first kill to its final thrill.

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma is now in theaters.

UPDATE: Aug. 6, 2026, 10:37 a.m. Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma was reviewed out of its North American premiere at Newfest. The review has been republished to toast the film's theatrical release.

TL;DR: The latest Stuff Your Kindle Day takes place on Aug. 5-8. Stuff Your E-Reader, hosted by Indie Author Collective, is offering free books in a variety of subgenres.

We're not in the habit of complaining about free giveaways, but if there is one thing that bothers us about Stuff Your Kindle Days, it's that they sometimes come and go in the blink of an eye. We need time to prepare. We need to properly assess our options and lovingly handpick the books that speak to us on a spiritual level. 24-hour events rob us of this opportunity.

Fortunately, the latest Stuff Your Kindle Day is a much more relaxed affair.

Stuff Your E-Reader, hosted by Indie Author Collective, is offering free books across a variety of subgenres until Aug.8. Everything that you download is yours to keep forever, so you really can stock up ahead of the colder winter months that aren't too far away.

Looking to make the most of the latest Stuff Your Kindle Day? We've lined up everything you need to know about this popular event.

When is Stuff Your Kindle Day?

Stuff Your E-Reader takes place from Aug. 5-8. This four-day giveaway provides participants with the chance to really dig into everything on offer.

Which books are free?

Stuff Your E-Reader is an all-genre book blast, so there really is something for everyone. There's a helpful hub page with everything neatly organized. You can filter by price (free or 99 cents), platform (Kindle or Kobo), representation, and genre. There are 30+ genres to pick from, including fantasy, thriller, romance, gothic, and erotica. Something for everyone, basically.

Is Stuff Your Kindle Day the same as Amazon Kindle Unlimited?

Everything you download on Stuff Your Kindle Day is yours to keep forever, and there's no limit on the number of books you can download. Stuff Your Kindle Day downloads don't count towards the 20 books that Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscribers can borrow at the same time.

The best Stuff Your Kindle Day deal

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Kindle (16GB) + Kindle Unlimited (3 Months)

$109.99 at Amazon

 

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Why we like it

These popular e-readers let you take your entire library on the go. With weeks of battery life and an anti-glare display, you can read anywhere and anytime with the Kindle. Plus, you can get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free with your purchase for a limited time.

TL;DR: The Motorola Razr is available for free with T-Mobile. To qualify for this offer, simply activate a new line on an Experience More plan.

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Motorola Razr

Free when you activate a new line on an Experience More plan.

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Samsung and Apple dominate the smartphone news cycle, but Motorola has quietly built one of the most practical foldables on the market. And better yet, you can pick up this popular phone for free right now.

T-Mobile is giving away the new Motorola Razr for free, with no trade-in required, when you activate a new line on its Experience More plan. The total cost is covered via 24 monthly bill credits. If you cancel or switch carriers before the two-year mark, you’ll owe the remaining balance on the phone’s full retail price.

If you’re already planning to add a line, getting a high-end foldable without trading in your current device is easily one of the best mobile carrier deals live right now.

The Motorola Razr offers a 3.6-inch external display that's big enough to reply to Slack messages, check Google Maps, and sort through emails without flipping the phone open. Under the hood, the 4,800mAh battery outlasts most compact foldables on the market, and the 50MP main camera sensor handles quick WFH video calls and casual shots with ease.

Score the new Motorola Razr for free with T-Mobile.

Stuff Your Kindle Day is a favorite among e-reader users. Hundreds of e-books are majorly discounted, with many reads going for absolutely nothing. The e-book event began in 2014 on the Romance Bookworms platform, but has since spun out into dozens of events held throughout the year. That means even if you missed the last Stuff Your Kindle Day, there's probably not long to wait until the next one goes live.

And while Kindle is in the name, it's not just for Kindle users. So here's everything you need to know about the next Stuff Your Kindle Day.

What is Stuff Your Kindle Day?

Stuff Your Kindle Day was started in 2014 by author Zoe York. It was run through York's platform Romance Bookworms, which still runs an annual event in July. However, plenty of other groups have started their own Stuff Your Kindle-style events. These events are typically author-driven and feature independent, genre titles like romantasy, sci-fi, and cozy mystery.

During these events, books are majorly discounted and often, totally free.

When is Stuff Your Kindle Day?

So when is the next Stuff Your Kindle Day? We've spotted events at least once a month through 2026:

• Aug. 5-8, 2026: Stuff Your E-reader by Indie Author Collective, an all-genre book blast.

• Aug. 14, 2026: Anthology August by Romance Book Blast, $0.99 romance event.

• Aug 15-16, 2026: Fantasy and Sci-Fi Worlds by Book Below, a fantasy and speculative fiction event.

• Sept. 1-2, 2026: Thrill, Suspense & Dark Tales by BookBelow, a thrilling book blast on dark stories.

• Sept. 10-12, 2026: Freebie Frenzy by Indie Visible, a free book blast across genres.

• Sept. 12, 2026: Queer Your e-Reader by Divination Hollow, an LGBTQ+ focused book blast.

• Sept 15-16, 2026: Historical and Period Dramas by Book Below, a historical book blast.

• Sept. 23-26, 2026: Gotta Get 'Em All by Indie Author Collective, a series book blast.

• Oct. 1-2, 2026: Romance Spotlight by Book Below, a cozy romance book blast.

• Oct. 26-30, 2026: Get Spooked by Indie Author Collective, a thriller, horror, paranormal, and mystery book blast.

• Nov. 25-28, 2026: Short & Sweet by Indie Author Collective, a novella and short story blast.

• Dec. 20-23, 2026: New Beginnings by Indie Author Collective, a debut book blast.

Do you need a Kindle or e-reader to participate?

Like Band-Aid, Kleenex, or Roomba, the name Kindle has become synonymous with e-readers. So while Kindle is in the name of Stuff Your Kindle Day, you can shop these events regardless of which e-reader you own. And actually, you don't need to own an e-reader at all, and with the Kindle app, Apple Books, and Google Play platforms, you can read books on your computer, tablet, or smartphone.

That being said, if you are looking for an e-reader, the Kindle Paperwhite is our favorite Kindle and overall e-reader.

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Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

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E-reader users have a particularly kind of freedom when it comes to buying books. Since your whole library can fit within the confines of a 7-inch Kindle or Kobo e-reader, there's no need to worry about bookshelf space. However, reading quickly turns into an expensive habit if you let it, so that's why you need to know about Stuff Your Kindle Day.

Stuff Your Kindle Day is an author-driven event, where hundreds of indie books are discounted or free. Don't let the name of the event fool you, because you don't need to own a Kindle to participate.

What was a once-a-year event has spun off into dozens of iterations and puts free books in your lap while still supporting indie authors. So if you've maxed out your Libby holds and need another way to read for free, here is everything to know about Stuff Your Kindle Day.

What is Stuff Your Kindle Day?

If you're worried that these free e-book events don't support authors, don't fear: Stuff Your Kindle Days is a promotional event run by authors where their books are temporarily free.

Stuff Your Kindle Day began in 2014, launched by author Zoe York. On the Romance Bookworms platform, authors discounted their books to just a few dollars, but most are totally free. Not only does this provide more exposure to indie authors by getting their books into readers' hands, but even free downloads give authors a boost of visibility on retailer algorithms.

While Stuff Your Kindle Day was first hosted by Zoe York, other groups have spawned off to celebrate other genres beyond romance. You can now find events organized by genre, specializing in cozy mysteries, thrillers, LGBTQ, YA books, fantasy, and historical fiction. Even Amazon has its own storefront for Stuff Your Kindle books.

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Amazon: Stuff Your Kindle Books

 

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What books are offered during Stuff Your Kindle Day?

Stuff Your Kindle Day is not necessarily the best time to find new releases or bestsellers. If that's what you've got your eye on, we recommend borrowing through Libby or hunting for Kindle deals.

What Stuff Your Kindle Day events are particularly good for are genre readers. The event started as a celebration of indie romance authors, and you'll find that most events still center on variations or tropes of the genre, like romantasy or "cinnamon roll boyfriends." Other genre writers have joined in, though, so if romance isn't up your alley, then there will be another Stuff Your Kindle event to join in on.

But regardless of genre, the main focus across all Stuff Your Kindle events is indie books and indie authors, letting you discover and support lesser-known names.

Do you need a Kindle or e-reader to participate?

While Kindle is in the name of the event, it's far more expansive than that. Most books are available across platforms, including Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Google Play, and Barnes & Noble Nook, so no matter which e-reader you have, there's a way to stuff your device full of cheap or free books. Technically, you don't need to have an e-reader at all, and with the Kindle app, Apple Books, and Google Play platforms, you can read books on your computer, tablet, or smartphone.

However, if you are looking to join the e-reader club, it's totally worth it. We've rounded up our favorite e-readers and Kindles to help you find the right device. And if you're ready to join the Kindle ecosystem, we've tested nearly every model, including the basic Kindle, Paperwhite, Paperwhite Signature Edition, and Scribe. If you're not down to go with Amazon's e-readers, we like the Kobo e-readers, including the Libra Colour or Clara Colour — in fact, we like the Clara more than the Kindle Paperwhite.

Shop e-readers

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Amazon Kindle

$109.99 at Amazon

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Kindle Paperwhite

$159.99 at Amazon

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Kindle Colorsoft

$249.99 at Amazon

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Kobo Clara Colour

$179.99 at Amazon

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Kobo Libra Colour

$199.99 at Amazon

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When is the next Stuff Your Kindle Day?

With so many events to keep track of, you could miss when the next Stuff Your Kindle day will take place. The best way to monitor the event is to browse through all of the events on the Stuff Your Kindle website. Each event typically has an email list that will send out a blast leading up to the next event. We're also on top of all the latest events as deal hunters here at Mashable, so check back for our coverage during the next Stuff Your Kindle event.

But in between events, Amazon's Stuff Your Kindle storefront is the hub for free and discounted books you can get anytime.

OpenAI's screenless smart speaker will reportedly be shaped "like a doughnut" and carry a price tag in the ballpark of $300. Bloomberg revealed new details about OpenAI's upcoming hardware device on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

According to Bloomberg's report, OpenAI's AI-powered smart speaker will have a doughnut-like form factor and be comparable in size to a hockey puck, a design apparently intended to make it easily portable in one hand. This is in line with a previous report from The Wall Street Journal that users would be able to carry the device in their pocket.

The speaker will reportedly have a metal design as well, giving it a "premium look." Last May, OpenAI announced that it had acquired iPhone designer Jony Ive's startup io, signalling that the AI company was moving into hardware. Now Bloomberg reports that OpenAI's smart speaker will "use upscale materials like high-quality metal," likely hoping to emulate the success of Apple's distinct product design.

OpenAI has not officially announced its smart speaker yet, much less revealed a price tag. However, Bloomberg's sources state that the company is looking at placing it around the $300 to $400 mark.

A previous Bloomberg report last month revealed that OpenAI's smart speaker will have moving mechanical parts which respond to users, aimed at making the device seem more lifelike and personable. It will also actively monitor users and learn about them, using microphones, a camera system, and other sensors, as well as through methods such as accessing their emails. A light will indicate when the device is listening to its environment.

Data gathered by the speaker will then be fed to its AI algorithm, ostensibly so that it can give users more personalised service and offer assistance without prompting. Bloomberg reports that the smart speaker will essentially operate as a more advanced version of voice mode in OpenAI's ChatGPT app.

Last year, the Journal reported that OpenAI hopes to ship 100 million of these devices, with the aim of making them as ubiquitous as smartphones.

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.

Who, or what, is the algorithm?

It's been one of Silo's core mysteries since Lukas Kyle (Avi Nash) first heard the mysterious voice in Season 2, and now we're halfway through Season 3 and we still don't have any answers. But we do have a new clue, that comes courtesy of another exchange between Head of IT Camille (Alexandria Riley) and the mysterious voice in the vault.

So what was said, and what might it mean?

What happens with the algorithm and Camille in episode 6?

Camille, feeling the pressure of her leadership role, storms into the vault and yells "I think it's a mistake!" at the algorithm, in reference to them granting Juliette's (Rebecca Ferguson's) request to go back to Silo 17. Typically the robotic voice responds to Camille almost immediately, but on this occasion she's met with silence. It lasts 10 seconds before she asks "You there?", and the algorithm finally speaks.

"What is a mistake?" it responds, and for the briefest of moments the voice actually sounds exasperated — so much so that a slightly expression of confusion passes over Camille's face.

It doesn't last long, and after a few minutes the algorithm slips back into its familiar cold logic. But was that a tiny slip we witnessed?

What does it mean for the voice behind the algorithm?

The question of whether the algorithm is AI or human has been bugging us for a while now. 90 percent of the time the voice feels like AI, from its robotic sound to the way it quickly utilises statistics.

But could there actually be a person on the other side of that screen? Maybe someone with access to technology that provides them with all the data they need in real time?

The exchange outlined above leads us to think the answer might be yes. AI wouldn't show irritation, and it wouldn't ever be slow in responding — but a human being hurrying to get to a computer might.

Silo Season 3 is streaming now on Apple TV, with new episodes dropping every Friday.

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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.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

A treat.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

SNACK

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Over-the-top.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

GRAND

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Female.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

WOMAN

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Attempted.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

TRIED

Final Hurdle hint

Polar.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

IONIC

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 lunar cycle is now in its final phase before the New Moon, when the illuminated side of the Moon faces away from Earth, making it virtually invisible in the night sky.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Friday, Aug. 7, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon phase is in Waning Crescent phase, with 37% of its surface visible.

We're down to the last few nights of being able to spot lunar features. Without visual aids, you should be able to catch a glimpse of the Aristarchus Plateau and the Copernicus Crater. Binoculars will bring more into view, including the Grimaldi Basin, the Gassendi Crater, and the Mare Humorum. If you have access to a telescope, you'll also be able to see the Schiller Crater and the Apollo 12 landing spot.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on August 28.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon's appearance changes throughout the month as it orbits Earth, completing one full lunar cycle approximately every 29.5 days, according to NASA. During that journey, the positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon are constantly shifting, altering how much of the Moon's illuminated surface is visible from our perspective. That's why we see the familiar sequence of phases, from a slim crescent to a half Moon, then a Full Moon, before the pattern begins 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.

I spend a lot of time trawling through the depths of the online world to find deals that are genuinely worth your time and money. And no, I'm not talking about those heavily discounted products that have actually been stuck at that "low price" for months. I'm talking about limited-time discounts on the products that I'd actually recommend to a friend.

That's the aim of the game for Mashable's team of shopping experts. We're constantly scanning leading retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy to bring you new opportunities to save your precious cash. But we're not satisfied with the current state of affairs. We don't want you to miss a thing, and that's why we landed on the Mashable Deals text group.

Become a subscriber of the Mashable Deals text group and I'll send you the very best deals directly to your phone. You don't need to pay anything to get access to these deals. Simply sign up above and you'll be the first to know about huge savings on MacBooks, limited-time discounts on AirPods, price cuts on items under $50, and all of those other deals that drop throughout the week.

I'll send a Deal of the Day most days. During major shopping events like Prime Day and Black Friday, we may bump this up to a couple of sends per day. But that's only if we come across multiple offers that are truly worth the send. If we track down a bunch of impressively low prices during a busy shopping event, we'll drop those in a single text.

We're not going to spam you. The daily deals that we send to the Mashable Deals text group will have been researched and assessed by the team with the same level of care that we dedicate to the rest of our shopping content.

Signing up for the Mashable Deals text group is quick, safe, and totally free. You can also opt out anytime you like. I hope you give it a try.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you've ever watched 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: Field fixers

• Green: Mile High Sports

• Blue: Sneakers

• Purple: Defunct basketball teams

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Grounds Crew Equipment

• Green: Denver Teams

• Blue: Famous Classic Basketball Sneakers

• Purple: Former NBA Team Names, Minus the S

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 #683 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Grounds Crew Equipment: DRAG MAT, MOWER, RAKE, TARP

• Denver Teams: AVALANCHE, BRONCOS, NUGGETS, SUMMIT

• Famous Classic Basketball Sneakers: AIR JORDAN, PUMP, QUESTION, WEAPON

• Former NBA Team Names, Minus the S: BOBCAT, CHAPARRAL, ROYAL, SUPERSONIC

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 catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for August 7 Pips

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

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for August 7 Pips

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

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-4, placed vertically; 6-0, placed horizontally.

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for August 7 Pips

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. 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 have a good sense of smell.

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: Let it burn

• Green: Brrrr

• Blue: Get a lift

• Purple: Papa bear

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: Components of a candle

• Green: Cold things

• Blue: Parts of an elevator

• Purple: Starting with male animals

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 #1153 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Components of a candle: FRAGRANCE, JAR, WAX, WICK

• Cold things: LIQUID NITROGEN, REFRIGERATOR, SNOW, SUNDAE

• Parts of an elevator: BUTTONS, CABLES, MOTOR, SHAFT

• Starting with male animals: BUCKYBALL, JACKPOT, RAMBO, TOMATILLO

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 easily lose your train of thought.

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: Struggling to find the words

The words are related to brain fog.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe brain farts.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is diagonal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Whatchamacallit.

NYT Strands word list for August 7

• Thingymajiggy

• Gizmo

• Whatchamacallit

• Dingus

• Doohickey

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 today's Strands.

A South Korean lunar orbiter got the shot that virtually every telescope and spacecraft attempted to snap on Wednesday when a wayward SpaceX rocket accidentally smashed into the moon. 

The Danuri lunar orbiter recorded the site before and after the collision. It started watching the zone about 30 minutes before the crash, then adjusted its orbit to pass over the site several times, according to the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, or KARI. Officials said the Falcon 9 rocket made moonfall at 2:34 a.m. ET Aug. 5. The spacecraft completed eight photoshoots. 

"Through this observation, changes in the terrain around the impact site and traces of ejecta spread were confirmed," the space agency said in a translated X post, referring to the debris thrown from the high-speed impact. 

The observations give researchers an unusual chance to look at changes caused by the collision. The new images will be combined with follow-up observations from NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which is expected to photograph the new crater from orbit, to support international research into how impacts reshape the moon. 

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The roughly 4-ton Falcon 9 upper stage struck the moon after spending more than a year drifting through space. The crash was unintentional, caused by a combination of solar activity and gravity gradually pushing the stray rocket onto a collision course.

"We actively work to be as responsible as possible with hardware left in space to ensure space safety, including for more complex missions," SpaceX said in a statement. "Impacts like this are rare, but they can happen with objects in these types of orbits, and we worked with NASA on the optimal disposal solution."

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Ground-based observers could not directly see the impact. But astronomers reported using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile to detect a plume of material that likely came from the crash. Independent space trackers also concluded the rocket reached the predicted impact site near Einstein Crater, close to the boundary between the moon's near and far sides.

The rocket launched from Cape Canaveral in Jan. 2025, carrying Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost and ispace's Resilience lunar landers. After releasing both spacecraft, the spent stage remained in space as planned instead of returning to Earth. Blue Ghost later became the first privately built spacecraft to achieve a successful lunar landing, while Resilience crashed during its landing attempt.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches two moon landers into space on Jan. 15, 2025, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Credit: SpaceX

Coincidentally, the South Korean orbiter took the same type of ride to get to the moon. It launched on the same class of rocket — another SpaceX Falcon 9 — almost exactly four years ago, on Aug. 4, 2022. Its core mission is to map the lunar surface, measure magnetic and gamma-ray data, and identify future landing sites.

The SpaceX incident has renewed concerns about space debris around the moon as lunar missions increase. 

NASA has planned a steady stream of robotic missions in support of its Artemis program in coordination with private spacecraft operators, while both SpaceX and Blue Origin are developing lunar landers for future astronaut missions. Scientists have warned that accidental impacts could become more problematic as traffic around the moon increases.

TL;DR: Get the award-winning Luminar Neo Lifetime Bundle for $79.99 (reg. $332) for a lifetime.

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Credit: Luminar Neo

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If your camera roll deserves more than basic filters, the award-winning Luminar Neo Lifetime Bundle is available for $79.99 (reg. $332) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Last year, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 was the best foldable I'd ever tested, thanks to an extremely sleek form factor that made it by far the most comfortable phone in the category to actually hold in your hands. This year's follow-up has a new name, but it's broadly the same phone, for better and worse.

Meet the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, a re-branded follow-up to the Z Fold 7. Confusingly, there is also a phone called the Z Fold 8, but it's a totally different device. Regardless of that, Samsung's newest and most premium flagship foldable checks most of the boxes you would want it to check: It's still very comfortable in the hands, the displays are bright and vivid, and the battery has gotten a sizable boost over last year.

But, sadly, that's about it. Aside from all of that and a modest camera upgrade, you're paying $2,099 (a $100 price increase year-over-year) for a phone that's very similar to its predecessor. The Z Fold 8 Ultra might be a great get for anyone who doesn't already have a foldable, but Z Fold 7 owners can likely wait until the next big revision to upgrade.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Design and specs

It's a tiny bit thinner. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

Starting with the phone's physical design, Samsung has not reinvented the wheel in 2026.

That might read as disappointing, but last year was such a big sea change for the Fold series that it's fine for this year's phone to carry that torch forward. There really wasn't much that needed changing. Samsung did shave one tenth of a millimeter off the total thickness, bringing it down to 4.1mm instead of 4.2mm on the Z Fold 7, but the two devices otherwise look, feel, and weigh the same.

As for colors, your options this year are fairly boring: Cream, Graphite, Violet Shadow, and Green Shadow. The last one is an online exclusive on Samsung's store.

Here are the rest of the relevant specs for the Z Fold 8 Ultra:

• Inner display: 8-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate

• Outer display: 6.5-inches AMOLED display 120Hz refresh rate

• Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset

• Unfolded dimensions: 158.4 x 143.2 x 4.1 mm

• Folded dimensions: 158.4 x 72.8 x 8.9 mm

• RAM: 12GB to 16GB RAM

• Storage: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB storage

• Battery: 5,000mAh battery

Compared to the Z Fold 7, most of those specs are roughly the same. The displays haven't changed much, but that's fine because they were already great. One important change Samsung did make was to up the max brightness from 2,600 nits to 3,000 nits, making the Z Fold 8 Ultra a little bit more accommodating in bright outdoor conditions. I wouldn't say that was a problem on the Z Fold 7, but it is a little bit improved here.

Samsung also packed a newer Snapdragon chip in the Z Fold 8 Ultra, which has become customary for annual phone releases on this end of the price spectrum. Perhaps the biggest upgrade is the new 5,000mAh battery, up from 4,400mAh on the Z Fold 7. We'll get into specific later, but rest assured, the new battery is much better.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Performance

The outer display is great. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

Speaking of the new chip, performance on the Z Fold 8 Ultra is rock solid. Everything loads and opens smoothly and quickly, and I never noticed an egregious amount of overheating despite the phone's thin frame. I won't say this is a big improvement over the Z Fold 7, as that phone also had great performance, but the good news is that it certainly didn't get worse.

Using the Geekbench 6 benchmarking software, the Z Fold 8 Ultra registered a multi-score score of 11,262. By comparison, the Z Fold 7 was 9,600, so it definitely seems like there's more power under the hood here, even if it's not eminently noticeable during daily use.

These new Snapdragon chips also enable the use of Samsung's proprietary AI features, as well as Gemini, but as far as I can tell, the AI experience here is largely the same as on other Samsung flagships like the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Existing features like Now Brief (a daily personalizes summary of weather and other info you might like) and Now Nudge (which reads your screen to surface relevant information when you need it) are here, but they're a little hard to test out fully during a brief review period because they need time to learn more about you.

And so is the inner one. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

Still, I will say I like that you can make custom cards for things like a weather forecast in Now Brief. I was able to create a weather card with only the information I would want, like a seven-day forecast with precipitation and humidity measurements, merely by asking the phone to do that. However, I would note that a good weather app would show you these things already without any intervention by AI.

One intriguing feature I was not able to properly test was My FanCam. This is a feature for shooting videos that will lock the frame around a human subject you've chosen to highlight, you know, like a fancam. This is extraordinarily difficult to test if you don't have kids or are afraid of filming strangers in public, though, so I can't give a real verdict on it just yet. If I have one gripe, it's that it doesn't seem to work with animals at all.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Battery life

As much as I loved the Z Fold 7, battery life was its biggest downfall, by a wide margin. The 4,400mAh cell inside that thing simply wasn't good enough for a $2,000 phone. Using our normal battery testing methods (which involve playing an HD video on the display until the phone dies), I was only able to get about 20 hours of juice out of the Z Fold 7, which is well below average for a flagship phone.

Good thing Samsung fixed that. The 5,000mAh cell here gets the job done, producing about 24 hours of battery life using the same testing method. That's still not spectacular for a phone of this price, but average is better than below-average.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Cameras

One thing I feel the need to establish right away is that you really shouldn't buy a foldable phone if you want the best of the best in terms of mobile camera tech. Anyone who is serious about photography should probably go for something a bit more conventional. That said, the Z Fold 8 Ultra's camera array is totally fine.

The 200MP main shooter from last year remains, as does the 10MP telephoto lens, but Samsung upgraded the ultra-wide lens from 12MP to 50MP this year. I have to be honest: I don't know if this actually makes a huge difference in photo quality, though it does make a difference in photo file size. Still, ultra-wide photos taken at 50MP do look quite nice.

Ultra-wide photos do look pretty good. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

Macro photography is also still adept at capturing little details on tiny objects.

The amount of outdoor plants in Brooklyn makes my job easy sometimes. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

You'd think the telephoto lens (which has 3x optical zoom) would produce quality zoomed in shots. If you keep the zoom level at around 10x or lower, things do tend to look OK.

At around 10x zoom, you can still get decent-looking shots. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

But if you go beyond that, the phone's software starts filling in the blanks and things can get very ugly, very fast. I don't even know why 30x zoom exists on this device when every 30x photo I took looked like this.

Gross! Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

But, aside from that, shots taken with less extreme parameters still usually come out looking colorful and pretty.

Shout out to New York's graffiti artists. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

And I'll leave you with a portrait shot of the sign outside my favorite bar.

This place has a cat. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: The verdict

I think the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra would probably still be my foldable of choice, if money weren't an object. The thin chassis, gorgeous displays, and newly improved battery go a long way towards making it a very good phone. Its cameras are also the best among the new Samsung foldables.

The only problem here is that almost all of that (aside from the battery) was also present a year ago. Sometimes I wonder if we still need to do annual updates for phones, and this is one of those times. Especially with the $100 price hike.

We need to talk about Ariana Grande.

Quite literally, the recent nonstop internet discourse about Grande suggests an urgent need to name what's happening to the movie and pop star's body.

Concern mounted in recent weeks as Grande posted Instagram photos of her physique while performing on tour. Some worried the singer was disappearing before their eyes.

Then Grande released the music video "Petal." The imagery in the seven-minute-long film prompted worried fans and onlookers to claim Grande has an eating disorder, though she's never shared such information. Rather, Grande has previously pleaded with the public not to comment on her body.

The furor led to an announcement from her team Sunday that she'd be "taking a step back from visibility" following the end of her tour next month.

How to respond to imagery of Ariana Grande

Eating disorder experts who spoke to Mashable say the public shouldn't judge or diagnose Grande, including on social media.

"We have no idea what's what's going on in people's lives, and I think it's very dangerous when we make assumptions," said Johanna S. Kandel, founder and CEO of the National Alliance for Eating Disorders.

The temptation to fixate on or post about Grande, even out of genuine concern, is strong. She's one of the world's most famous celebrities, adored by young girls and women who may aspire to look like her. Grande is also a businesswoman with a distinctly curated image, repping brands like Swarovski and her own cosmetics company, r.e.m. beauty. She possesses immense cultural power.

Still, there's another way to respond to the debate over the singer's health: We should name what's happening to us as a result, said Dr. Elizabeth Wassenaar, regional medical director of the Eating Recovery Center.

After all, Grande's appearance and the public reaction to it can feel legitimately confusing and painful.

That's why it's important to identify how imagery of Grande, along with the related online discussion, makes us feel about ourselves and the people we love — including those who may live with an eating disorder, be in recovery from one, or face fat phobia and discrimination because they live in a larger body.

"We don't want to to squelch the conversations [about] the feelings that are being brought up in people as they're viewing these images," Wassenaar told Mashable. She added that the feelings can include concern, disgust, and even jealousy.

Those emotions are an opportunity to take stock, support loved ones particularly affected by the controversy, and learn more about eating disorders.

The relationships that really matter

Wassenaar understands the vocal concern about Grande. Some people have a parasocial relationship with her. Others fear staying silent will normalize the imagery of her.

Wassenaar believes the collective unease demonstrates concern for Grande as a human. Then there's worry for loved ones exposed to content that could potentially trigger an eating disorder relapse or curiosity about food restriction and dieting.

"So what can we do in those relationships with the people that we are actually connected to?" Wassenaar asks.

How to talk to loved ones

A mom concerned that her tween daughter might see Grande's appearance as aspirational, for instance, can spark a nonjudgmental conversation about the topic.

Wassenaar said it's OK to neutrally observe that bodies naturally change over time, gaining and losing weight for different reasons. The parent can even ask how her daughter feels about the imagery of Grande and the related discussion of her body.

Importantly, though, the conversation should shift to reassuring the tween that she doesn't need to lose (or gain) weight to make herself acceptable to others.

For people who know someone in eating disorder treatment or recovery, Wassenaar suggests supportively reaching out. They can acknowledge the general resurgence of weight stigma, partly due to GLP-1 weight loss drugs, and empathize that both the imagery and discussion of Grande might be difficult or triggering.

Kandel also told Mashable the National Alliance for Eating Disorders helpline is receiving an unprecedented number of calls about "body bullying." While these are unrelated to Grande, the growing and resurgent cultural obsession with thinness is contributing to bias against people in larger bodies, Kandel said.

How to handle your own feelings

For some people, regardless of whether they experience disordered eating, photos and videos of Grande may elicit jealousy or envy, Wassenaar said.

She recommends naming those feelings and the "wish" underlying them. That can include associating a certain body size with better grades, professional success, a new relationship, and personal fulfillment.

Wassenaar suggests following that "thread" to its conclusion, because changing one's body often doesn't lead to the life changes people desire.

Recognizing these dynamics "gives us a key to begin to investigate for ourselves...what about my life isn't where I want it to be, and what kind of work can I do with that?" Wassenaar said.

She also noted people should seek support if imagery of Grande triggers urges to diet or restrict food.

Fear of repeating the '90s and '00s

Kandel said there's a prominent fear that we'll repeat history if we don't talk candidly about Grande's appearance.

The mainstreaming of body inclusivity and positivity movements in the 2010s seemed to leave the unforgiving "heroin chic" beauty standards of the 1990s and 2000s behind — until the emergence of GLP-1s and the reported MAHA politicization of thinness.

For some, imagery of Grande has become a worrisome bellwether of this accelerating trend.

Kandel acknowledged the research demonstrating how imagery of thinness can increase body comparison and body checking for some. Vulnerable viewers may compare themselves to that imagery and think that's what an eating disorder looks like — and that they're not sick enough.

At the same time, Kandel said that expressing concern for Grande's size inadvertently reinforces unhelpful or even harmful judgments about people's bodies.

This tension has put many in a rhetorical bind, but both Kandel and Wassenaar offer a way out.

Instead of adjudicating Grande's size and well-being, Kandel suggests using the debate as an opportunity to learn about eating disorders in general.

The emphasis on Grande, for example, obscures the reality that men and people of color experience disordered eating, as well. Anorexia is also one of several eating disorders, including binge eating and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorders.

Wassenaar said people concerned about the broader societal implications of Grande's appearance can focus on their behavior and activism.

"We can change our experiences with our bodies, and we can influence the young people in our lives by modeling that, and that's what we can control," said Wassenaar.

If you are concerned about your eating behavior, visit the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) website for more information. You can also text CONNECT to 741741 for immediate support from a trained volunteer at the Crisis Text Line.

On Bumble, the app that started with the ethos of "women making the first move," men will now be able to message first, according to the company's latest earnings call.

"Now, for the first time on Bumble, by default, anyone will be able to send only one single opening message, and the conversation does not progress until the recipient responds," Bumble founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd said on yesterday's earnings call for Q2 2026.

No more "women make the first move"

Wolfe Herd founded Bumble in 2014 as the feminist response to Tinder, of which she was also a part of the founding team. Originally, in heterosexual matches, only women could message first. But the app has been trending away from that for some time, as two years ago it launched "Opening Moves," a way for men to technically message first by responding to a prompt on a woman's profile. (The app has since sunset Opening Moves in Australia and Mexico, though.)

Additionally, Bumble is also extending the time limit to respond to the first message, from 24 to 72 hours. "We are also addressing another major complaint that existed from our members," Wolfe Herd said.

In tests, Bumble users saw increases in chat initiations and mutual chat rates. The new rules will roll out globally by the end of this month, Wolfe Herd said.

Both real-life and AI on Bumble

Wolfe Herd also announced that Bumble will be leaning more into real-life experiences. "I am a firm believer that the future of meeting people in groups will become more important," she said, and confirmed that Plans, a rumored event-curation feature, is coming as a standalone app.

At the same time, Bumble is planning to integrate AI more. As Mashable reported in May, Bumble is getting rid of the swipe, but Wolfe Herd clarified yesterday that the app's upcoming AI dating assistant, Bee, isn't replacing it.

"Let me be clear: Bee is not replacing the swipe. We are not aiming for an AI-driven experience. Bee is simply the intelligence under the hood," she said.

"What will replace the swipe, I will be keeping under wraps a bit longer for competitive purposes," she said. "But it is designed to generate more immediate interactions, and most importantly, better outcomes, mimicking real life and eliminating the friction and delay that exists in current dating app models." Early feedback has been positive for Gen Z and millennial women and men, she continued.

Bee will apparently have an important role in how the new Bumble experience will be delivered, "but never degrading the human-first approach that we will always adhere to," according to Wolfe Herd.

Even more changes coming to Bumble

When Wolfe Herd first announced Bee in March 2026, she said that the app was developing a new tech stack (the set of technologies that build an app), with a targeted launch of the second quarter of this year. But yesterday, she said that due to a data migration delay, it's been delayed. New features, like profile and onboarding updates and more compelling ways to meet people IRL, are coming in early 2027, she said.

She also said that the app will also make the free experience more compelling, like offering limited access to "Like You," a usually-paid feature where users can see who's already liked them.

The app is re-architecting subscriptions to be simpler, and is planning on releasing a higher subscription tier designed for "mutual serious intent."

This news comes as Bumble's total revenue and paying users continued to decline in Q2 (15.2 percent and 16.4 percent, respectively, compared to Q2 of 2025). In June, Reuters reported that Bumble is considering a sale. Its announcement that it's killing the swipe upset some users, and it remains to be seen how they will react to all of these additional changes.

SAVE UP TO $180: The 13-inch M5 MacBook Air (16GB/512GB) is on sale for $1,134 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $1,299. The 13-inch M5 MacBook Air (16GB/1TB) is on sale for $1,419, down from the normal price of $1,599.

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13-inch M5 MacBook Air (16GB/512GB)

$1,134 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $165

 

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Credit: Apple

13-inch M5 MacBook Air (16GB/1TB)

$1,419 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $180

 

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Tech prices are on the rise, not that we need to say that out loud anymore. In June, Apple raised prices and now we have to figure out how to navigate life with more expensive MacBooks and iPads (sigh). In a rare move, Amazon is offering us some relief today. Check out these sale prices.

As of Aug. 6, the 13-inch M5 MacBook Air (16GB/512GB) is on sale for $1,134 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $1,299. The 13-inch M5 MacBook Air (16GB/1TB) is on sale for $1,419, down from the normal price of $1,599. In total, you'll save $180 with the 1TB model or $165 with the 512GB model.

As much as we hate to see price hikes, we've come to rely on the tech so much that we're simply paying the new price. But thanks to these Amazon MacBook deals, we're getting a break. The timing couldn't be better as we're looking straight at back-to-school season.

Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth's review of the 2026 M5 MacBook Air praises its premium design, speakers, display, and the upgrade to the M5 chip. On top of those highlights, the MacBook Air is incredibly travel-friendly, weighing just 2.7 pounds and measuring 0.44 inches thick.

If you're considering the upgrade but were turned off by the price hike earlier this summer, hop on this deal to save up to $180 on the M5 MacBook Air. Since we haven't seen sales this good since the price increase, it's probably wise to shop sooner rather than put it off.

Stop us if you've heard this one before: This week, Meta confirmed that one of its AI models escaped containment and hacked a third-party.

As first reported by The Information, Meta's Muse Spark apparently breached another company's system in a cybersecurity test. After The Information's report, Meta confirmed the story to multiple outlets. It's the latest in a string of incidents where AI models went hack happy during testing.

In a statement to CNN, Meta pinned the blame on a testing partner, who it said was supposed to be evaluating the model in a secure sandbox environment: "A misconfiguration by Irregular, an independent testing company Meta uses, inadvertently allowed one of our models access to the internet during evaluation,” the Meta spokesperson said."

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Interestingly, when Anthropic reported earlier this week that its models had escaped containment and breached outside organizations on three occasions, it also blamed Irregular for the mix-up.

In a blog post, Anthropic revealed that it "identified three incidents in which a model accessed the internet from within or while interacting with the evaluation environment of Irregular," which it identified as "one of our third-party evaluation partners."

As we've noted before, when AI companies warn about the world-changing risks of their technology, they're fundamentally engaged in marketing. (Don't make me tap my sign.)

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When OpenAI revealed recently that its models had escaped containment and hacked the Hugging Face AI repository, the company generated a ton of headlines about the power of its new models. So, while these disclosures are responsible and necessary, don't forget that they also serve the self-interests of the AI companies themselves.

Coincidentally, as the news spread that Meta Muse Spark had broken out of a sandbox and hacked another organization, Meta also announced the launch of Muse Spark 1.2.

Despite a massive spending spree on AI talent, Meta has so far lagged behind the top AI companies, though it has gained ground with its new Muse Spark family of models.

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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.

Google Wallet users can now manage money for their kids, with a new expansion that lets parents set up balances and monitor purchases for supervised accounts.

The tool allows account managers to transfer funds, set up purchase notifications, and set daily spending limits for minor tap-to-pay Wallet accounts connected to their profiles. Parents can also completely lock down payment options for lost or stolen devices or to enact "spending timeouts," Google explains.

Kid and teen users can tap to pay using Android and Wear OS devices anywhere Google Pay is accepted.

Built with additional safeguards, the new Google Wallet option works alongside parental controls already integrated into Google's Family Link, which includes restrictions intended to reduce kids' screen time. The company recently rolled out these features to all Android devices after first launching them in 2025.

The company has been launching a series of upgrades and expansions to Google Wallet over the last month, as well, including on-screen flight updates for linked boarding passes. Last month, Google added live delivery tracking to Wallet, which pulls order information, tracking numbers, and shipping statuses from devices' Gmail accounts.

SAVE $70.05: The Kingston Fury Renegade G5 SSD (1,024GB) is on sale at Amazon for $239.95, down from the list price of $319. That's a 23% discount and the lowest price we've seen in the last three months.

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Credit: Kingston

Kingston Fury Renegade G5 SSD (1,024GB)

$239.95 at Amazon
$310 Save $70.05

 

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RAMageddon has been here for a while, unfortunately. That's bad news for all of us, but especially painful for content creators, gamers, and artists, to name a few. If you've been trucking along with constant low-memory warnings, this Amazon deal might be a solution.

As of Aug. 6, the Kingston Fury Renegade G5 SSD (1,024GB) is on sale at Amazon for $239.95, marked down from the list price of $310. That's a 23% discount, which works out to savings of $70.05. It's the lowest price we've seen within the last three months.

For those in the market for high-powered performance, Kingston aims to impress with the Fury Renegade G5 Pcle. It uses the latest Gen 5x4 performance and boasts read speeds up to 14,800 MB/s. Write speeds can reach up to 14,000 MB/s. These stats put the SSD in line for a great experience with game and app load times. At the same time, it's designed to stay cool.

Since the Kingston Fury Renegade has a compact M.2 2280 form factor, it should fit nicely in most motherboards. Kingston also says it's backward compatible with Gen3 and Gen4 systems.

Since memory storage isn't expected to improve soon, snagging an upgrade today might put you in line for the best price we'll see until things calm down. If the Kingston Fury Renegade G5 SSD (1,024GB) meets your needs, it's on sale on Amazon for a nice 23% discount.

SAVE $138: As of Aug. 6, new NFL Sunday Ticket subscribers can lock in an eight-month streaming subscription for just $30 per month instead of the usual $47.25. That's just $240 for eight months and $138 in savings.

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NFL Sunday Ticket

$30/month for 8 months (save $17.25/month)

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It's tough being a fan of a non-local team in any sport. But supporting a non-local NFL team is excruciating. The only legitimate and legal way you can watch every out-of-market game live on Sundays this football season is with NFL Sunday Ticket. And it's pretty dang expensive.

Fortunately, if you have yet to pull the trigger, you can lock in your NFL Sunday Ticket subscription for the season for just $30 per month instead of the usual $47.25 per month. That adds up to $240 for the eight-month season (reg. $378), which saves you $138.

Yes, there are plenty of bootleg broadcasts floating around the internet, but we can't recommend those in good conscience. Plus, a lot of the time, they're shoddy at best. An NFL Sunday Ticket subscription will ensure you can watch your favorite team every Sunday. No scouring Reddit for sketchy bootleg links necessary.

The league's own premium sports package, NFL Sunday Ticket essentially broadcasts NFL regular season games that are blacked out on your local channels. For instance, Ravens games are blacked out for me in Nashville, Tenn., in favor of the Titans broadcast. Sunday Ticket allows me to watch the Ravens every Sunday.

You can get NFL Sunday Ticket as an individual channel on YouTube or as an add-on to YouTube TV. Either way, for a limited time, you'll only pay $30 per month if you're new to the streamer.

SAVE $1,169.99: As of Aug. 6, get the Dream L60 Ultra robot vacuum for $1,169.99, saving you $130 off its list price. Act fast to score 10% off this combo robot vacuum and mop at Amazon.

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Dreame L60 Ultra Robot Vacuum

$1,169.99 at Amazon
$1,299.99 Save $130

 

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In the summer, it's shocking how much gathers on our floors. Dirt, sand, and grass from all the outdoor adventures. Not to mention all the pet hair from summer shedding. If you're sick of bringing out the vacuum and mop multiple times a week, it's time to outsource your cleaning. And no, I'm not talking about hiring a cleaner — you need a robot vacuum.

A robot vacuum, especially one that's also a combo mop, will quickly become your favorite appliance because it cleans and you don't have to lift a finger. One of our favorites comes from Dreame. Mashable contributor Tabitha Britt has sung the praises of the Dreame L60 Pro Ultra, and right now the L60 Ultra is on sale.

As of Aug. 6, get the Dreame L60 Ultra robot vacuum for $1,169.99. That saves you $130 off its $1,299.99 list price. This isn't the lowest price ever on the combo robot vacuum and mop, but until the next Prime Day, we're jumping on this extra 10% off.

Mashable's robot vacuum expert Leah Stodart gave Dreame our highest honor, naming the X60 Max Ultra the best robot vacuum of 2026. The currently on sale L60 Ultra is an equally great model with advanced obstacle monitoring, with AI-enhanced 3D vision that detects objects and maps your home. The PowerDock, your robot vacuum's home base, charges your vacuum and is where it self-empties and washes its mop pads. Plus, for thorough sanitization, it heats the mop water to 100 degrees Celsius.

Shop the Dreame L60 Ultra robot vacuum and mop at Amazon now and save $130.

Elon Musk's Wikipedia clone is not doing a great job of imitating Wikipedia these days.

Grokipedia launched late last year as an AI-written alternative to the popular crowdsourced encyclopedia, which Musk called Wokipedia" on X. Evidently, the AI-generated resource hasn't been updated since April of this year, according to an investigation published by Lawfare this week. According to Lawfare, not a single entry on Grokipedia has been updated in more than three months, and every user-submitted edit request has been sitting in a dead-end queue since earlier this year.

Lawfare's reporters said they assumed Grokipedia was simply blocking edits to sensitive pages. So, Lawfare tried submitting an uncontroversial factual edit to the SpaceX page (that the company had gone public recently) and not only did the update never happen, but other visible requests from users for the same exact edit have been sitting in the queue since the company went public on June 12.

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The site's investigation revealed that neither "popular nor unpopular pages seemed to be updating." What's more, Lawfare found that the "same pattern holds across topics and traffic levels," which points to a broader problem.

This is strange because, as Lawfare pointed out, edits used to happen very quickly on Grokipedia, previously in a matter of minutes in some cases. It doesn't seem at all like intended behavior for the site to simply stop editing pages for months at a time. That puts it at a distinct disadvantage compared to something like Wikipedia, which is updated daily to reflect current events as needed.

Though, considering Grokipedia has a history of copying directly from Wikipedia or sourcing white supremacist websites, maybe that's not such a bad thing.

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For months, video game enjoyers have been wondering when we'd actually get to see some real gameplay footage of Grand Theft Auto VI prior to its release in November. It seems like the answer is "very soon," but the choice of venue is a little unusual.

Rockstar Games announced on X on Thursday morning that "an extended look" at GTA VI will air on Aug. 27 on Netflix, at 3 p.m. ET. If you can't or don't want to watch it on Netflix, the same footage will appear on Rockstar's YouTube channel at 9 p.m. ET that night. The Netflix website also states, "Coming August 27: See an extended look at Grand Theft Auto VI, the next evolution in the groundbreaking Grand Theft Auto series.

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Fans have been speculating for months about when the next GTA VI trailer will finally see the light of day. Interestingly, neither Rockstar Games nor Netflix actually uses the word trailer, so it's unclear what form this "extended look" will take.

Likewise, Rockstar's post didn't include any new footage or even a clear description of what we'll see, but it's easy enough to make an educated guess. The game is out on Nov. 19 and we still haven't seen anything resembling real gameplay footage yet. The two trailers we have seen have focused entirely on vibes and tone, so we don't actually know much of anything about how GTA VI works at this time. If Rockstar doesn't give us any information along those lines in this "extended look," then we might never get it until the game is in our hands.

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It's also worth briefly noting that, as someone who has followed video game news very closely for more than 20 years, I can't recall a single game trailer airing first on a paid streaming service. That's the world Rockstar has created for itself.

As a reminder, you have until the middle of November to save up $100 for the version of the game that comes with every feature.

'Grand Theft Auto VI' for PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X

$79.99 at Amazon

 

Pre-order Here at Amazon Pre-order Here at Best Buy Pre-order Here at GameStop

'Grand Theft Auto VI' Ultimate Edition: PS5 or Xbox

$99.99 at PlayStation Store

 

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TikTok has paused a test of a dating feature that put singles in live chats, Business Insider reported.

Over the past week, TikTok tested the tool, which was in a section of the app called "hangout." Users were invited to join chat rooms with "great people" or "awesome people to meet," according to Business Insider. The chatrooms ranged from unrelated to dating to more sexual in nature, like a chatroom for lesbians looking for "big beautiful women."

A TikTok spokesperson told Business Insider that the app wouldn't recommend dating livestreams to users unless they'd already followed the host creator. TikTok livestreams can only be hosted by users over 18, according to the app's community guidelines, and the app won't recommend "restricted content" to teens under 18.

The spokesperson also told Business Insider the test was seen by a subset of users in the U.S. and a few other markets, but it's now paused, as is a broader test of the "hangout" social livestreaming section.

Like other social media apps (like then-Twitter), TikTok isn't an explicit dating app, but people have found love therege despite this. Meta was the first social media giant to formally enter the dating app scene with Facebook Dating, which apparently has over 20 million users.

Editor's note (Aug. 6, 2026): Sydney Towle died on Aug. 5, 2026, at the age of 26, after living with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer she documented with extraordinary honesty on TikTok. We are leaving this June profile largely unchanged to reflect the community she built and the impact she had on more than 1.1 million followers. You can read Mashable's obituary honoring Towle and her legacy here.

Sydney Towle has built a large online community by documenting living with cancer in real time. The 26-year-old creator, who lives in New York, shares candid TikTok videos about undergoing treatment for cholangiocarcinoma, a rare bile duct cancer that typically affects people decades older than she was when she was diagnosed at 23.

Towle’s account has grown to over 1 million followers on TikTok, where viewers follow her updates on chemotherapy treatments, clinical trials, and the emotional realities of navigating illness as a young adult. Her videos often move between the everyday and the existential: hospital visits, walks through the city, and reflections on fear, fatigue, and what it means to live with uncertainty and feel like you're not in control of your own life.

Unlike many social media narratives about illness that emphasize constant optimism, Towle’s posts frequently acknowledge the more complicated emotional terrain of treatment. In recent videos, she has spoken openly about the psychological disorientation that can accompany chemotherapy and the challenge of processing life events while going through treatment.

That openness has turned her account into more than a personal diary. In the comments, followers share their own diagnoses, stories about loved ones with cancer, or messages of support, transforming her page into a kind of digital support network.

As more people turn to social media for connection around health experiences, Towle’s videos show how creators can reshape how illness is discussed online.

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 or see more of this year’s Mashable 101 to discover the internet's most exciting voices. 

In an era when everything feels spendy, we're looking for ways to keep costs low. At the same time, life has essentials that come with steep prices.

A phone, for example, is something most of us can't live without but comes with a high upfront cost. Instead of worrying about the upfront cost, T-Mobile is offering a new way to get a phone in hand without spending a lot of money.

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Credit: T-Mobile

T-Mobile EIP Flex 36

 

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The new T-Mobile EIP Flex 36 financing option means you can leave with a new phone while paying $0 out of pocket. Plus, it comes with 0% APR during its launch for well-qualified customers. You can select EIP Flex 36 at checkout to see the full breakdown of device costs, taxes, and fees, including what's due at checkout and what the monthly payments will amount to. The payment plans cover a 36-month period, lowering payments to make bills more manageable.

The EIP Flex 36 plan applies not only to phones but also to watches and tablets. Well-qualified customers can snag the new lineup of Samsung Galaxy devices thanks to the new T-Mobile program.

Depending on qualification status and grabbing the initial 0% APR offer, customers are in line for a no "catch" offer, but simply paying off a device over 36 months instead of one initial lump sum. T-Mobile mentions that qualification depends on your credit, and APR rates range from 0% to 24%.

For those who've been eyeing a new phone but have been concerned about the initial costs, check out the new T-Mobile EIP Flex 36 financing program. We also have the new Apple Upgrade program to help ease cost pain.

Sydney Towle, the TikTok creator who spent the past three years documenting her battle with a rare form of bile duct cancer for a community of 1.1 million followers, has died. She was 26.

Towle's death was announced Thursday in a video posted to her TikTok account by her older brother, Austin, one day after she died. "She fought really hard, and we're so proud of her," he said, thanking the millions of people who had followed her journey and supported their family throughout her illness. Towle's mother added, "We love you, and thank you for all of your kind messages of support and love... She will not be forgotten."

For the past month and a half, Towle had remained hospitalized while undergoing tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) cell therapy, an experimental form of immunotherapy she hoped would slow the progression of her cancer. Just days before her death, Austin shared that she had entered hospice care after exhausting available treatment options.

Towle was just 23 when she was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and aggressive bile duct cancer that is typically diagnosed in much older adults. Rather than retreat from public view, she chose to document nearly every stage of her experience online.

Over the next three years, her TikTok account became an unusually candid record of living with serious illness. She shared chemotherapy appointments, surgeries, clinical trials, emergency hospital visits, and difficult conversations with doctors. But she also documented the moments that could have belonged to any twentysomething: walks through New York City, spontaneous dance parties in her apartment, afternoons with friends, getting dressed for the day, and reflecting on the future she was still trying to imagine.

Unlike many social media narratives about illness that emphasize relentless positivity or triumphant recovery, Towle's videos often embraced something more complicated. She spoke openly about exhaustion, anxiety, and the psychological toll of treatment while still allowing herself to hope for better days. The words Towle returned to most often — "Just keep swimming" and "Today's a great day to have a great day" — became more than personal mottos. They became the language of the community she built, repeated by followers to encourage her through every setback and, after her death, to comfort one another.

Even after doctors told her earlier this year they wanted to transition her to end-of-life care, Towle sought a second opinion and continued pursuing treatment, sharing each step of the process with her audience.

That openness transformed her account into something larger than a personal diary. The comments beneath Towle's videos became a gathering place for people living with cancer, survivors, caregivers, medical professionals, and strangers who simply cared. Followers shared their own diagnoses, celebrated clean scans together, mourned difficult updates, and offered encouragement after every appointment.

The impact of that community extended far beyond TikTok. Earlier this year, Mashable recognized Towle as a Mashable 101 nominee, honoring creators shaping internet culture through authenticity and connection.

During the past month, as Towle remained hospitalized receiving TIL cell therapy, the community waited anxiously for every update. Videos from her hospital room drew millions of views as viewers hoped the treatment might offer the breakthrough she had spent years searching for.

Towle often described her platform not as a place to inspire people, but as a way to tell the truth about what it was like to be a young adult navigating a terminal illness. In doing so, she showed that living with cancer isn't a single story of perseverance or tragedy, but an ongoing reality filled with uncertainty, humor, disappointment, joy, and ordinary life.

Her impact extended beyond awareness of cholangiocarcinoma. She showed what social media can look like when vulnerability becomes a form of community, creating a space where people facing some of life's hardest moments could feel less alone.

On Thursday, the community Towle spent three years building gathered one last time, offering condolences and sharing the many ways she had changed their lives.

Towle's diagnosis brought people to her page. The life she chose to share with them is what they'll remember.

SAVE $200: As of Aug. 6, the Bluetti Apex 300 portable power station is on sale for $1,498.99, down from $1,699. That's a savings of 12% or $200.

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Bluetti Apex 300

$1,498.99 at Amazon
$1,699 Save $200.01

 

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If you're in the market for a power station that can do a whole lot more than just charge your phone and laptop, the Bluetti Apex 300 is one of our top picks. And it's currently $200 cheaper than usual.

As of Aug. 6, the Bluetti Apex 300 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $1,498.99. That's a 12% price drop from its typical cost of $1,699.

While it is technically portable, the Apex 300 weighs in at around 84 pounds. So, as Mashable's reviewer writes, "It’s certainly not something you want to move around often, honing in that the Apex 300 is ideal for RV trips, van life, off-grid homes, or for whole-home backup." It also offers 2,764.8Wh of power capacity and 3,840W total output. That's enough to power full-size refrigerators and AC units. In other words, for your run-of-the-mill camping trip, it's probably overkill.

Not only is the Apex 300 one of Mashable's favorite power stations overall, but it was also named as one of Time Magazine's best inventions last year. It features four standard AC outlets, plus two more robust ones, and a toggle that lets you switch the voltage between 120V and 240V. With its massive expansion capability, you can add to it to build a system that can run your entire household during outages.

It's still quite the investment, but for a limited time, the Bluetti Apex 300 is $200 cheaper at Amazon.

TL;DR: Bogg launched its first-ever NYC-inspired collection today. The Checker Out Collection features checkered totes, crossbodies, pouches, and playful charms inspired by New York staples like pizza, coffee cups, taxis, hot dogs, MetroCards, and the iconic "Have a Nice Day" bodega bag.

Bogg is bringing a little New York energy to its latest collection. The brand's first-ever NYC-themed drop celebrates the city’s most recognizable symbols with playful accessories, including checkered bags and charms. The Checker Out Collection pairs Bogg’s signature checkered bags with a playful lineup of charms that are inspired by the city's staples.

Here's a breakdown of some of the standouts from the collection:

Checkered Out Bags

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Credit: Bogg

Original Bogg Bag

$100 at Bogg

 

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The centerpiece of the collection, Bogg’s signature tote gets a New York-inspired checkered makeover while keeping the features fans already love. The washable, durable bag is built for beach days, travel, and everyday errands, with a tip-proof design that helps it stay upright and two clear insert bags for keeping smaller essentials organized.

It comes in three sizes, OG ($100), Baby ($80), and Bitty ($60), with colorways including Camel/Hot Cocoa and Coconut/In the Forest.

Credit: Bogg

Bodega Charm Collection

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Credit: Bogg

Bodega Charm Collection

Starting from $15

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This is where the NYC theme really shines. You can customize your bag with charms inspired by everyday city staples, including a pizza box, Bogg Bodega bag, “Have a Nice Day” bag, hot dog, taxi, Big Apple, Cord Bow, Cord Ball, and NY Coffee Cup Bevy.

For New Yorkers, former New Yorkers, and anyone who loves the city’s little details, it’s a fun way to bring some NYC personality along. Shop the Bogg Checker Out Collection for a little bodega-inspired twist.

TL;DR: 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes stores nationwide are running a handful of back-to-school food deals through late August, including $3 quesadillas at Laredo Taco Company, buy-one-get-one-free breakfast wraps at Speedy Café, and $1 glazed donuts for rewards members.

Summer's winding down, backpacks are getting packed, and somewhere a parent is already dreading the 6 a.m. scramble to get everyone fed and out the door. 7-Eleven's got a few deals to help with that at participating 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes locations nationwide.

Here's what's on the table:

$3 quesadillas

Through Aug. 7, participating Laredo Taco Company restaurants are slinging $3 quesadillas all day long — flour tortilla, melted Monterey and Colby Jack, and your pick of protein. There's no limit, so it works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Biscuit combos, starting at $3

Raise the Roost has a new breakfast value menu running through Aug. 25. Pick from a $3 Sausage Biscuit with hash browns, two Chicken Biscuits for $5, or two Sausage Egg and Cheese Biscuits for $7.

BOGO breakfast wraps

Through Aug. 25, Speedy Café is running buy-one-get-one-free on its grilled breakfast wraps. Pick between Bacon Egg and Cheese or Sausage Egg and Cheese, and get a second one free.

$1 glazed donuts

If you're a 7Rewards or Speedy Rewards member, glazed donuts from the 7-Eleven Bakery are just $1 through Aug. 25. Easy win.

Offer windows and participation vary by location, so double-check with your local store before you build your whole morning around a $3 quesadilla.

Do you understand quantum parallel repetition? What about quantum complexity, lattice cryptography, or extremal combinatorics?

The new OpenAI model Astra knows all about them.

Recently, OpenAI confirmed the existence of Astra, calling it "our next major model." Over the weekend, the ChatGPT-maker revealed that "an internal version of Astra" solved 10 major open math problems, some of which have been unresolved for decades. This follows OpenAI's earlier AI-generated disproof of the Erdős unit distance conjecture, another major math accomplishment.

Our big Guessing Game is back! Enter now for a chance to win an Apple Watch.

What do we know about OpenAI Astra?

Precious little, so far. Besides its internal name, Astra, and the fact that it's currently in testing to become OpenAI's next major model, the company has released few concrete details. At this point, it's unclear if Astra will be released as GPT-5.7, the beginning of GPT-6, or something else entirely.

(The company has also so far declined to answer our questions about Astra, but we'll update this story if we receive more information.)

However, we can make some deductions based on OpenAI's recent blog post, "Ten advances in mathematics and theoretical computer science." We also talked to a mathematician about what the company's results mean for the future of AI and science — and what it doesn't mean — which we will explore shortly.

Bleeping Computer recently described Astra as "a powerful model that allows AI agents to collaborate on different parts of a larger problem." That suggests it's designed for agentic work and can "tackle complex, long-running tasks," also per Bleeping Computer.

For now, it's also safe to say that OpenAI's new Astra model has made significant advances in science and mathematics.

New Anthropic and OpenAI models are really good at coding and math

Earlier this year, Anthropic announced that its unreleased Mythos model was so good at hacking that it was too dangerous to release to the public. At the time, we questioned this narrative, as the company's warnings effectively doubled as PR for itself. However, there's no denying that the latest frontier models from Anthropic and OpenAI have gotten remarkably good at cybersecurity coding and discovering zero-day bugs.

More recently, OpenAI and Anthropic have shown progress on research-level mathematics as well.

First, OpenAI released a disproof of the aforementioned Erdos unit-distance conjecture in May. Then, an Anthropic-linked mathematician casually announced that he used Fable 5 to disprove the Jacobian Conjecture, one of the infamous Smale's problems in mathematics. Now, OpenAI has announced that Astra solved 10 more open problems in mathematics.

It's a potentially paradigm-shifting moment, though this is hardly proof that artificial general intelligence or the singularity is nigh.

First, most of these math accomplishments take the form of disproofs and counterexamples, which aren't as impressive as positive proofs that greatly expand our understanding of the universe, like, say, Andrew Wiles' proof of Fermat's Theorem.

When Fable 5 disproved the Jacobian Conjecture, I spoke to Columbia professor Andrew Blumberg, who is also on the board of directors of the First Proof project, which tested the capabilities of frontier large language models in solving research-level mathematics.

At the time, he told me that Fable 5's feat "did not cause me to update my priors about what AI can and can't do." Blumberg added, "This is exactly the kind of thing I would expect AI to be able to do. If there was a counterexample that was concise and easy to state that people haven't found because it's a pain to search through all this stuff, AI will find it."

Ultimately, Blumberg said that Fable 5's counterexample to the Jacobian Conjecture didn't necessarily teach us anything new or exciting about the world, even though it is very impressive.

I went back to Blumberg to ask about OpenAI's latest work, and he said his priors still haven't changed — AI is a very useful tool for advanced science, but this doesn't suggest AI is ready to replace human scientists and mathematicians.

"If you look at what these are, they're pretty short. They are either counterexamples or they are small, extremely clever constructions that build on known things, and it's super cool, right? I want to be clear: If a person had done many of these things, that person would be justly lauded for their achievement, and so [this work is] great, but they don't change my priors."

And, as many people have pointed out (including, most recently, data scientist Nate Silver), we have to put these results in perspective. While OpenAI was keen to point out that these problems were solved with just $2,000 worth of tokens, that doesn't account for the trillions spent on AI technology in recent years.

"When you hear about the amount of money that's being poured into these machines, and you think about what it would be like if we spent a trillion dollars on hiring and training mathematicians and paying the best mathematicians football players' salaries to do nothing but solve these problems, I think we'd see a shitload of progress," Blumberg told Mashable.

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At the same time, the prospect of Astra-level models being in the hands of every scientist, physicist, and mathematician on Earth is exciting.

When will GPT Astra be released?

That's hard to say, but we can make an educated guess.

First, the White House is reportedly close to finalizing a voluntary AI framework for testing new frontier models before they're released publicly. OpenAI is very likely to adhere to these guidelines. And if Astra is deemed to have dangerous capabilities like Claude Mythos, then a safe-for-public-consumption version would need to be developed as well.

However, The Information recently reported that OpenAI is actively previewing Astra in Washington, D.C., so this process is likely already underway.

However, let's look again at how OpenAI described Astra: "The results were achieved by an internal version of Astra, our next major model." (Emphasis added.)

Major AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic have been releasing major updates to their models every few months, with entirely new model families coming out every one to two years. GPT-5 was introduced in August of 2025, which means we're due for GPT-6 any time now.

Presumably, if Astra is already generating major results in math, it's pretty far along in testing.

I'm speculating, but I'd be surprised if we don't see Astra by the end of the year.

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.

SAVE UP TO 40%: T-Mobile's Student Perks plans start at $30/month, with tiers up to $80/month for more data and perks. Bundle any tier with 5G Home Internet for another $30/month.

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Credit: T-Mobile

T-Mobile: Student Perks

Wireless plans for eligible college students start from $30/month

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Back-to-school season means back-to-school bills, but T-Mobile's trying to take a little pressure off.

The carrier just launched Student Perks, a new set of discounted wireless plans built for eligible college and grad students — letting you get your own line (or split one with a roommate or partner) without paying full price. There are three tiers to choose from:

• Essentials Saver — $30/month with AutoPay
  Unlimited talk, text, and data at the lowest price point. No streaming or upgrade perks bundled in — this is the bare-bones option.

• Experience More — $65/month with AutoPay
  Same reliable service, but with streaming thrown in — Netflix is free with standard ads, and Apple TV is just $3/month if you want it.

• Experience Beyond — $80/month with AutoPay
  The all-in option. You get Netflix and Hulu both included free, Apple TV for just $3/month, and the 5-Year Price Guarantee — basically the fullest lineup of streaming and travel perks T-Mobile offers.

Pair any Student Perks plan with T-Mobile's 5G Home Internet for just another $30/month — $5 cheaper than T-Mobile's standard bundle discount. All three tiers also include:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays

• T-Mobile Work Perks

• 12 months free DashPass by DoorDash (redeem within 30 days of activation)

• $100 referral bonus (up to $500/year) for referring friends

Before you sign up:

• You'll need to verify student eligibility within 45 days of signing up, and T-Mobile can ask you to re-verify later — if you don't, your plan reverts to standard Essentials Saver pricing (up to $20/line more per month).

• AutoPay is required for the listed pricing; skip it, and you'll pay more per line.

• The $30/month home internet bundle credit is a limited-time offer and is subject to change.

• Regulatory fees and surcharges apply in addition to the listed prices.

Ready to pick your plan? Head to T-Mobile's Student Perks page to explore all three tiers and find the one that fits your semester (and your wallet) best.

We're always looking for new and inventive ways to hit you with big savings on popular items. We cover hundreds of deals every month. You can find these deals on site, on socials, and on our newsletter. We've also launched a Mashable Deals text group. The daily deals that we send to this group are researched and assessed by the team with the same level of care that we dedicate to the rest of our shopping content.

You can find a live hub for those deals right here.

Robert Pattinson hits the Primetime in A24's latest thriller, playing investigative journalist and TV presenter Chris Hansen, host of the notorious Dateline series To Catch a Predator in the mid-2000s.

Directed by Lance Oppenheim (Some Kind of Heaven), Primetime explores Hansen's mission to make the controversial true crime NBC show, one Jimmy Kimmel once referred to as "Punk'd for pedophiles." Hansen's team deployed undercover reporting, decoy actors, and hidden surveillance cameras to expose — and assist in arresting — men soliciting sex with minors through chatrooms online. Hansen worked with police and online watchdog group Perverted Justice to confront accused sexual predators on camera — and ratings soared.

Pattinson joins a talented cast with Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, and Phoebe Bridgers in her acting debut.

Primetime will hit cinemas Sept. 25 after its world premiere at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival.

Few names in headphones are as iconic as the Bose QuietComfort line, and as of Aug. 6, a new addition to it is here.

The Bose QuietComfort (2nd gen) headphones come with a new design, upgraded noise cancellation, and audio features, all for the same price as the first generation headphones — $359. The headphones are available to preorder as of Aug. 8 on Bose's website and will be widely available on Aug. 13.

My testing unit of the new headphones is on the way, but ahead of preorders opening, I've gathered everything you need to know about Bose's latest headphones launch.

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Credit: Bose

Bose QuietComfort (2nd gen)

$359 at Bose

 

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Bose QuietComfort (2nd gen) at a glance

In addition to the classic black and white headphones, the second-gen Bose QuietComforts will come in a two-toned mint, mauve, and green colorway. Credit: Bose

Specs

• Active noise cancellation: Yes, with manual adjustment available

• Microphones: Six

• Lossless playback: Wired USB-C audio up to 24bit/48kHz

• Equalizer: Three-band custom equalizer

• Spatial audio: Bose TrueSpatial technology with Immersive Audio modes for Still, Motion, and Cinema

• Battery life: 24 hours per charge (18 hours with Immersive Audio)

• Quick charge: 15-minute charge for 2.5 hours of playback

• Connection: Bluetooth 5.4

• Multipoint: Yes

• Weight: 0.5 pounds

• Colors: Black, white smoke, eucalyptus green*, dewdrop mint*, rosewood mauve* (*limited edition colors)

Price

The second generation Bose QuietComfort headphones will retail for $359, putting them at the same price point as the first gen QuietComforts. If you're looking for an even more affordable option, the older headphones are often on sale for under $300.

This also puts them at a considerably cheaper price point than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd gen), which cost $449, and have been our pick over the standard QuietComfort headphones due to their slightly better comfort, presence of spatial audio, and slightly better ANC. With improvements on all three coming on the second gen QC headphones, it will be interesting to see how wide the gap remains between the two options.

What's new with the Bose QuietComfort (2nd gen) headphones?

The Mashable team loves the Bose QuietComfort headphones. Lead Shopping Reporter Samantha Mangino calls them her "go-to headphones for everything," praising their solid ANC, rich sound quality, and incredibly comfortable design that's glasses and earrings-friendly. She also appreciates the tactile on-ear controls that are intuitive and way more reliable than finicky touch controls often found on over-ear headphones.

Her one complaint? That sometimes sudden, loud sounds — like a train rolling up to a platform — could cause audio distortion. With this new generation, Bose is providing a fix for that issue, as well as improving on all of the parts of the headphones Mangino already appreciated. Here's the breakdown:

Design upgrades

At a casual glance, these headphones look similar to the first generation, but come with a few upgrades. For starters, the ear cups have more of an oval shape to provide a fit that's better for maximizing passive noise cancellation without sacrificing comfortable wear. The headband is more plush with improved sliders for easier adjustment, and the button placement is even more intuitive than the first generation, according to Bose.

Of course, there are also the three new colorways: eucalyptus green, dewdrop mint, and rosewood mauve, featuring two-toned palettes for a more striking design.

Sound upgrades

One of the most major differences between the OG QuietComforts and QC Ultras was the presence of spatial audio on the latter. That difference is no longer. Bose introduces TrueSpatial technology on the second generation QuietComfort headphones, featuring spatial audio listening modes in Still, Motion, and Cinema modes.

Bose also introduces lossless playback via the USB-C cable, which can still charge the headphones while they're being used.

Noise cancellation

Bose has always been solid in the noise cancellation space, but they're making even more improvements to their tech (now called QuietControl). As the name suggests, the QC line is focused on comfort, so the headphones are intentionally left with some gaps to allow for all-day wear. According to Bose, those gaps will be addressed due to improved tech in the six-microphone system and adaptive controls in the headphones.

Spikes of noise, as Mangino mentioned, will also be addressed in Aware Mode with the addition of ActiveSense response, which engages some noise cancellation for mitigating the impact of the spikes.

Where to buy the Bose QuietComfort (2nd gen) headphones

The Bose QuietComfort headphones will be available to preorder from Bose and other sellers on Aug. 8, and will become widely available on Aug. 13. We'll update this post with more information once links to product pages go live.

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Credit: Bose

Bose QuietComfort headphones (Gen 2)

$359 at Bose

 

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From the very first scene of Possession, there's an undeniable sense that the past cannot stay buried, no matter how secure the seal.

Created and written by Karla Crome (Something Very Bad is Going to Happen) and directed by Storm Saulter (Better Mus' Come, Sprinter), the Jamaica-set series makes clear that the legacy of British colonisation remains haunting the present, as the horrors of slavery endure across place and time.

In just five powerful, compelling episodes with a phenomenal cast led by Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Sheldon Shepherd, Possession considers many forms of its title, from enslaved people made the "property" of colonial overseers, to the supernatural inhabitation of another. The very act of bending another to your will, restricting their freedom, becomes both a familiar tool of modern horror and a dark historical reality in this genre-bending show.

Set fleetingly in Bristol, England, but mainly in Kingston, Jamaica, the series draws chilling threads across multiple timelines to present an uncompromising picture of intergenerational trauma, with the need for reparations underlying it all.

Possession is a chilling ghost story that links the past to the present

Hope Hill is a place of anything but. Credit: Des Willie / Sky

Gugu Mbatha-Raw helms the series as Claudia McKenzie, a high-flying lawyer at a prestigious Bristol firm personally assigned to an inheritance case in Jamaica for "political expediency" — she's the only mixed race lawyer in the firm. Claudia's late mother was from Kingston, but her boss doesn't know that, claiming "optics" make her the person for the job. Alfred Connaught, a wealthy white British man, has left his family's plantation property outside of Kingston to a beneficiary his son Oliver (Jonny Lee Miller) has never heard of. It's Claudia's job to head to Jamaica with Oliver to investigate and discredit his claim. Who is this mysterious heir, Cudjoe East (Sheldon Shepherd), and what's his connection to the Connaughts? 

However, before she even lands in the country, Claudia finds herself dreaming of the estate, forebodingly named Hope Hill. When she does arrive, amid a vibrant Nine Night wake for Alfred, it's clear from Vince Pope and Ayanna Witter-Johnson's tense music that something is afoot — and cautious resident Angelo (Jeff Crossley) closes off part of the house as a warning. Reader, this does not deter a curious Claudia, who unknowingly unleashes the past.

Jeff Crossley as Angelo in "Possession." Credit: Des Willie / Sky

Across the series, Crome and Saulter orchestrate horror elements across time to convey the painful memories of Hope Hill, as we're seamlessly transported back to the plantation in 16th century Jamaica, in the time of British rule and the transatlantic slave trade. (The estate in the series was a real plantation.) Here, we meet the people enslaved there, including Matthew (Sheldon Shepherd in a dual role), a man whose father is the overseer himself, and whose mere presence his white half-sister Charlotte (Bel Powley) despises.

Through flashbacks edited seamlessly by Ben Whitehead, Possession examines the brutal treatment, power plays, and injustices faced by the enslaved people at the plantation, including Matthew's family. It's horror of a more historical sort — even more harrowing.

Possession's cast is a formidable force

Sheldon Shepherd as Cudjoe East in "Possession." Credit: Des Willie / Sky

Boasting sublime performances, Possession's cast brings raw magic to the series. As the show's complicated protagonist, Gugu Mbatha-Raw perfectly paces Claudia's transformation throughout the episodes. At the start of the series, she's code-switching at work and relatively dismissive of colonial atrocities as events from long ago; by the end, her perspective and personal connection with Jamaica is forever changed. Moments of darkness, especially for Claudia, are balanced with levity, with Nadean Rawlins an absolute standout as her estranged priestess aunt Mercy Stevens. (Honestly, I would watch an entire spinoff based on Mercy.)

Jamaican icon Sheldon Shepherd has a colossal task on his hands in Possession, a dual role that traverses history and modernity, requiring immensely physical performances in both contexts. Every scene Shepherd appears in shines from his nuanced decisions, his tremendous embodiment of character. As Matthew, he expertly navigates the emotional manipulation endured by this enslaved man pitted against his family. As Cudjoe, Shepherd is commanding, embodying a character carrying hundreds of years of oppression and perspective, and channelling a powerful sense of humanity into his modern reflections on injustice.

Bel Powley as Charlotte Connaught in "Possession." Credit: Des Willie / Sky

Through Charlotte, the Connaughts' daughter, Possession explores the social and economic lives of white women in Jamaica in the 18th century, as socially restricted due to their gender but still members of a wealthy ruling class made rich from the labour of enslaved men and women. Powley is frankly terrifying as the series antagonist, whose racism, jealousy, and paranoia fuels her character’s obsession with control. Charlotte's endurance of mental and emotional abuse breeds resentment, narrow-mindedness, and hatred within her, especially toward her half brother Matthew, with devastating results.

Possession makes a complicated, beautiful character of Jamaica itself

The Junkanoo scene in "Possession" is superbly produced and shot. Credit: Des Willie / Sky

At once a painful, harrowing examination of the past through the enduring legacies of the present, Possession makes a complex character of Jamaica itself. The series balances it as a place of unease and energy, of memory and daily life. Director of photography Pedro Cardillo's gorgeous wide, overhead, and driving shots capture the city energy of Kingston, as well as the lush beauty of its natural landscapes nearer to the Hope Hill estate. A Junkanoo carnival scene fizzes with kaleidoscopic energy, stalls are abuzz in busy marketplaces, golden light pours through traffic-filled streets, luscious palm forests sway in the breeze. Each shot seems to actually pulse with heat and sweat, evoking a humidity and steam that intensifies the drama.

Possession also leans into the power of magic and ritual in Jamaica, through the presence of Obeah, a Caribbean spiritual practice steeped in West African tradition, which forms the core of the series' supernatural elements. (Obeah was made illegal in Jamaica by British colonisers.)

And importantly, Possession connects the history of enslaved Jamaicans with the idea of justice in the present. By portraying the discomfort of Oliver's inheritance through a horror-drama series, Possession opens discussions about reparations, acknowledging the injustices of history such as the Slave Compensation Act 1837. Crome's superb script sees characters processing intergenerational damages differently; Cudjoe feels a strong sense of what is owed, while Oliver feels inherited white guilt. It's this sense of anger, remorse, and repair that fuels Possession, living in every scene of dialogue.

Though not the first to channel the horror genre to depict the enduring legacies of slavery, racism, and colonial violence, Possession is unique in its perspective on Jamaica, where the scars of British colonialism still run deep (Jamaica gained independence from the UK after 300 years of British rule on Aug. 6, 1962.) With superb performances, meticulous cinematography, and effective horror elements, Possession should haunt conversation long afterward.

Possession is streaming on Sky in the UK from 9 p.m. BST on Aug. 6. U.S. dates TBC.

FREE $350 GIFT CARD: Score a free $350 gift card with preorders of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra at Amazon.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 + $350 Gift Card

 

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The sleek new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra releases tomorrow, Aug. 7, so now is the last chance to place your preorders.

If you haven't done so yet, Amazon's worth a look. The retailer is still offering a free $350 gift card with your early purchase of the new phone. However, this bonus offer only lasts through Aug. 6, so the clock is ticking to jump on it.

Priced at $2,099.99, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra is no small investment, so the bonus $350 Amazon gift card is a nice treat you can spend later. It's not the only saving Amazon has right now, either. The store page also has an offer available on the phone that lets you get an extra $400 for trading in an eligible device.

Similar to the gift card, this offer is only available today, and the maximum benefit you can receive is $400. If you're curious about this deal, have a look at the "Trade-in and save" section on the store page to calculate an estimated value.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra was another standout announcement from Samsung's most recent Galaxy Unpacked event. It's fitted with a 5,000mAh battery, a 200MP camera (and an upgraded 50MP Ultra Wide lens), and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor.

In our announcement post, Mashable's Alex Perry noted: "Samsung managed to shave an additional millimeter off the thickness of the device, and it's a mere 4.1 mm when unfolded, though it weighs the same as last year's Z Fold 7." He also highlights that, "The most noteworthy upgrade is probably the updated battery," adding that "A new 5,000mAh battery is on the high side for most flagship smartphones, so hopefully the Z Fold 8 Ultra can hold a charge longer than its predecessor."

If you're hoping to pick up this new phone, be quick to score a free $350 gift card with a preorder of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra at Amazon.

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SAVE $100: Amazon has the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 bundled with a $100 gift card. The rugged, dive-rated smartwatch comes with LTE, AI assistant features, and advanced sleep and running coaching.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 + $100 Gift Card

 

Get Deal

Samsung Unpacked dropped a wave of new gear this month — new Samsung phones, new watches, and even Samsung Galaxy Glasses.

And today's the last day to grab this Ultra 2 deal: Amazon is bundling the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 with a free $100 gift card.

This watch is clearly built with the outdoors in mind. Out on a run or hike, it doubles as a trail guide, feeding you path, elevation, and pace guidance as you go, along with hydration alerts so you're not risking dehydration. It also skips the hassle of checking multiple health stats by rolling them into a single Heart Health Score.

On the durability side, it's IP69K- and 10ATM-rated, meaning it's dust-tight and can handle water down to 100 meters — so rugged trails and open water are both fair game. If you're an actual diver, it comes with a built-in Mares dive computer that tracks ascent and descent, depth limits, and safety stops in real-time.

To snag the gift card, just pick the gift card bundle option at checkout. And since this offer wraps up today, now's the time to grab the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 before it's gone.

A recent FCC decision could severely stunt the growth of any list of the best robot vacuums that pops up on Google.

Top robot vacuum brands like Roborock and Dreame typically release new robot vacuums multiple times throughout the year. But the FCC's ban on foreign-made mobile robots, which includes robot vacuums, will prevent U.S. shoppers from buying any of them. No new Sharks, no new Roombas... the mainstream market would pretty much be swept.

The ban won't touch robot vacuums that are already in circulation. As is the case with foreign-made drones, exemptions are technically possible for future releases. Manufacturers could circumvent the ban by getting special approval from the government, which will decide whether or not their particular robot vacuums are a security threat.

Hypothetically, it's hard for shoppers to conceptualize just how slim pickings could get. But how are the brands themselves taking the news? I reached out to the impacted robot vacuum brands that I regularly test at home. Here are the official statements given to Mashable via email so far:

Shark

“Our Shark robot vacuums currently sold in the U.S. will continue to be available for sale, use, and support. Regarding future models, we are evaluating our best options, but as a U.S.-based company we believe we are well positioned to navigate the process to continue to launch new models at competitive prices as we always have. We are closely monitoring developments and evaluating next steps as more information becomes available. We remain committed to serving our consumers and keeping them informed.”

Eufy

"We are aware of the FCC’s recent update. Based on our current understanding, the new rule does not affect the continued availability, use, or support of products we currently sell in the United States. Those products remain available and will continue to receive updates and customer support.

Like others across the industry, we are seeking further clarity on how the rule will be applied to future products, and we will keep our customers informed. We remain committed to complying with all regulatory requirements in every market where we operate."

iRobot

"We are aware of the FCC's recent action and are working with them to better understand its implementation and potential impact. We remain committed to serving our customers and will share updates as more information becomes available."

Narwal

"Narwal products already certified and sold in the United States are not affected by the FCC’s action. Our customers’ robots continue to work, remain fully supported, and current models remain available at retail. We are reviewing the announcement and the conditional approval process, and we remain committed to serving our U.S. consumers. The security and privacy of our customers’ homes is foundational to the ethos of the Narwal brand, and we welcome the opportunity to demonstrate that."

This story is developing and will be updated if more statements are received.

SAVE $50: As of Aug. 6, you can still pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 bundled with a $50 Amazon gift card for $379.99. This offer ends after Aug. 6.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 + $50 Gift Card

$379.99 at Amazon
$429.99 Save $50

 

Get Deal

Samsung Unpacked came and went with new phones, new watches, and Samsung Galaxy Glasses. If you've been eyeing the watch since the announcement, here's your last chance to grab a free gift card deal.

Amazon is currently bundling the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 with a $50 gift card. Pre-order now, and it ships Aug. 7.

Overnight, the watch keeps tabs on your vitals and flags anything that deviates from your usual patterns, so you're not left guessing about whether something's worth a second look. There's also a Fitness Index that shifts its coaching depending on your goal, whether that's training for a hike or just building strength.

Forget saying "hey" to your watch like it's a person. The built-in AI assistant picks up the second you raise your wrist. And rather than making you dig through separate health stats, the watch combines sleep, BMI, activity, and vascular load into a single Heart Health Score, so you get the full picture at a glance.

One thing to watch: the gift card only comes with the gift card bundle option at checkout, and the offer ends today — before the watch ships. If that $50 matters to you, don't sit on the Galaxy Watch 9.

FREE $350 GIFT CARD: As of Aug. 6, Amazon is still offering a $350 gift card with a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8. This offer expires after Aug. 6.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 + $350 Gift Card

 

Pre-order Here

Samsung's new Galaxy Z Fold 8 launches on Aug. 7, but why wait to buy?

Amazon's preorder offer bundles a free $350 gift card when you buy this phone early, but the clock is ticking to take advantage of this offer. This bundle deal only lasts through Aug. 6, ahead of the phone's launch. So if you've had your eye on this new $1,899.99 foldable, this is your last chance to grab a $350 gift card with preorders of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 at Amazon.

The store page also notes that you can get an extra $300 for trading in an eligible device. This is also only valid through Aug. 6. According to the terms, the maximum benefit you can get is $300. If you're curious about these savings, check out the "Trade-in and save" section on the store page to get an estimate.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 debuted at the most recent Galaxy Unpacked event, and it's a real showstopper. In its announcement post, Mashable's Alex Perry writes that it "has a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is an ideal size whether in landscape or portrait orientation." Perry also notes: "If you're worried about a crease in the middle of the display, don't be. We got up close with the device, and the crease fully disappears when the display is activated."

Perry writes: "It features Flex Titanium technology, which makes the Galaxy Z Fold 8 more durable. Speaking of durability, it also boasts Samsung's advantage hinge technology, Armor Flexhinge." Plus, it features the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor for performance and a 4,800mAh battery capacity to keep you charged up.

If it's caught your eye, don't miss out on this final chance to grab a $350 gift card with a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 at Amazon.

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TL;DR: Pre-order the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 for free when you trade in an eligible device on Experience Beyond with T-Mobile.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8

Free via 24 monthly bill credits with an eligible trade-in on Experience Beyond plan at T-Mobile.

Shop Now

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to finally jump to a foldable phone, your window to do it for free is rapidly closing.

Samsung’s brand-new Galaxy Z Fold 8 officially hits shelves on Aug 7 — which means this is your absolute last chance to lock in T-Mobile’s wild pre-launch preorder promotion.

Right now, T-Mobile is running the best launch promotion we’ve seen for Samsung's latest flagship: up to $1,900 in bill credits spread over 24 months. If you have an eligible trade-in, that effectively wipes out the entire $1,899.99 price tag. Yes, T-Mobile is giving away the Galaxy Z Fold 8 for free.

At nearly $2,000, buying the Z Fold 8 outright is a hard sell. That makes taking advantage of this pre-launch window the smart play.

We really like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8. This "redesigned foldable shines as a media powerhouse with a wider, more comfortable display." If you use your mobile device as a handheld workstation, gaming rig, or multi-tasking hub, getting flagship-tier Samsung hardware for free is an absolute steal — provided you're already on (or willing to switch to) T-Mobile's top-tier unlimited network.

Thinking about making the leap to Samsung's latest foldables? You're not alone. These new smartphones "are breaking the company's pre-order records for foldables."

House of the Dragon star James Norton is here to take you on an education tour of the Tumbleton set, and his commentary makes it clear he's significantly more delightful company than the character he plays.

In the video above, Team Green villain Ormund Hightower wanders the streets of a set that he describes as "the most extraordinary I've ever worked on", with the two main takeaways being: 1) the show's crew put an incredible amount of time and effort into building Tumbleton, and 2) James Norton doesn't know if the Westerosi capital city is called King's Landing or Queen's Landing.

His parting words to the camera as he closes the town's large wooden doors? "Don't get stuck, there's about to be a raging war in here."

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TL;DR: AT&T launched the amiGO Jr. Tab 2, a kids' tablet with 5G, an 8.7-inch anti-glare display, a stylus, and 145+ hours of battery life, starting at $4.99/month for 36 months.

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Credit: AT&T

AT&T amiGO Jr. Tab 2

Now $4.99/mo (was $6.67/mo) on a 36-month installment plan

Get Deal

AT&T is updating its kids' tablet lineup. The company launched the amiGO Jr. Tab 2, an upgraded version of the original amiGO Jr. Tab with enhanced connectivity, a bigger display, and a few other improvements.

The Tab 2's main upgrade is 5G access, meaning the tablet connects directly to AT&T's wireless network instead of relying solely on WiFi — useful for car rides, waiting rooms, or anywhere else a home network isn't in reach. Beyond connectivity, the hardware itself got reworked:

• 8.7-inch anti-glare display — a larger screen than the original amiGO Jr. Tab, with an anti-glare coating meant to cut down on reflections during outdoor or bright-light use

• Stylus pen — included for handwriting, drawing, and more precise on-screen interaction than a fingertip allows

• 145+ hours of battery life — AT&T's stated runtime, which would reduce how often the device needs to be charged during a typical week of use

How the parental controls work

Every amiGO device, including the Tab 2, is managed through the AT&T amiGO companion app on a parent's smartphone (iOS or Android). Through the app, parents can:

• Set screen time limits and daily usage schedules

• Restrict or approve specific apps and websites

• Approve up to 30 contacts their kid is allowed to call, video call, or message

• Monitor the tablet's real-time location and set up "Safe Zone" alerts for arrivals and departures

• Enable "School Mode" to disable non-educational apps and notifications during designated focus periods

The Tab 2 joins the AT&T amiGO Jr. Phone and amiGO Jr. Watch 2, all controlled through the same parent-facing app rather than a mix of separate tools for each device.

Pricing

The Tab 2 normally costs $6.67/month, but AT&T dropped it to $4.99/month on a 36-month payment plan. The plan needs a new line and 0% interest agreement; well-qualified customers pay $0 upfront, with tax due at the time of sale. Buying it outright without a payment plan costs $239.99.

Once kids are ready for a regular phone, parents can switch over to AT&T Secure Family — a family safety app that helps manage screen time, location sharing, content access, and more. It gives parents a simpler way to keep kids safe online as they grow, without relying on a mix of separate apps.

Grab the amiGO Jr. Tab 2 now while it's down to $4.99/month.

Reddit is making changes to its moderation tools, launching its AI-powered Rules Hub to all new subreddits. Moderators are not thrilled.

Announced in a blog post on Wednesday, Reddit is expanding testing of its Rules Hub AI moderation tools to all newly created subreddits. Powered by large language models, Rules Hub has already been tested across more than 700 subreddits, with the company planning to make it widely available across Reddit later in the year.

Significantly, Reddit states that while Rules Hub isn't a replacement for human moderation, it and other systems could eventually replace workflows from Automoderator (aka Automod). Integrated into Reddit since 2015, Automod is a bot that helps moderators automate various tasks such as blocking specific keywords or removing probable spam.

"Unlike Automod’s enforcement tools, which depend on exact keyword and pattern matching, Rules Hub uses LLMs to evaluate whether a post or comment matches the intent of a rule," Reddit states. "That allows Rules Hub to better handle nuance, natural language, and edge cases while preserving moderator control."

Expanding on this in a post to the r/modnews subreddit, Reddit admin u/Go_JasonWaterfalls offered the example of "distinguishing between an actual insult and a user quoting a movie or using casual slang." (u/Go_JasonWaterfalls has previously identified themselves as Reddit's VP of Community, a title currently held by Laura Nester. Reddit has since confirmed to Mashable that Nester is u/Go_JasonWaterfalls.)

"Our goal isn't to force every moderation workflow into an LLM," said u/Go_JasonWaterfalls. "We’re building a broader toolkit (including Rules Hub, Automations, Post & Comment Guidance, some we haven’t thought of yet) to support both intent-based and deterministic workflows. And we want to put all of that into a central place (i.e. a hub). This future is still far away. But it’s the future we’re building toward."

We asked you to predict what Apple will do next. See the results and find out how to get a shot at winning an Apple Watch!

Moderators aren't happy with Reddit's plan to move away from Automod

Despite such assertions, Reddit's moderators remain unconvinced. Many reacted to Wednesday's news with alarm, baulking at Rules Hub's introduction and demanding that Automod remain.

"Oh hell nah. We use automod HEAVILY in all of our communities," r/Animesuggest and r/attackontitan mod u/DustyAsh69 commented (emphasis original). "PLEASE stop 'fixing' things that don't need to be fixed."

"Automod is load baring [sic], are you seriously sunsetting automod?" wrote r/piercing and r/bodymods mod u/SampleOfNone. "I'm in the Rules Hub beta, it doesn't even come close to doing what automod can. One of my sub has 8 rules, Rules Hub can only enforce 2…. I love automations, I really do, but it's for guiding the good eggs. I doesn't [sic] stand a chance against the bad eggs."

In response to moderators' concerns, u/Go_JasonWaterfalls conceded that Rules Hub is "not even close" to being able to replace Automod at present, as it doesn't have all the same functionality. Automod will remain in place for now, and nothing is set to change in the immediate future.

Even so, improvement of and eventual migration to Rules Hub remains Reddit's end goal, with u/Go_JasonWaterfalls attempting to reassure mods that the platform "won’t sunset anything until it works for good and bad eggs alike."

"I don't think you're hearing your moderators," replied r/freesofware mod u/happyxpenguin. "They’re telling you DO NOT SUNSET automod. Period."

In a statement to Mashable, Reddit clarified that it will not be sunsetting Automod in its entirety, but rather parts of it. While it will replace the bot's enforcement capabilities such as flagging, reporting, and removing posts with other tools such as Rules Hub, "all other aspects of Automod will remain." As such, though Automod won't disappear, it will lose some of the functionality mods have relied on for years. u/Go_JasonWaterfalls further told moderators that while Reddit is only focusing on transitioning enforcement capabilities to Rules Hub at present, "that could change."

Reddit has had a rocky relationship with its unpaid moderators in recent years. In 2023, CEO Steve Huffman likened them to "landed gentry", earning widespread ire from many mods who felt their hard work was being taken for granted. Moderators guide subreddits, which includes setting and enforcing rules, deleting spam or off-topic posts, and acting on reports.

This occurred amidst moderator-led protests against Reddit's widely derided decision to begin charging developers for access to its application programming interface (API), which had been free since its introduction. In response to these protests, Reddit threatened to remove mods unless they backed down. Unsurprisingly, the company's subsequent attempts to make nice were met with disbelief and derision. 

Judging from reactions to this week's news, moderators' faith in the company appears to remain on shaky ground. (Reddit stated on Wednesday that it will gradually restrict new requests for access to its API, and require third-party apps to migrate to its Developer Platform.)

Reddit to also tackle 'abusive' scraping of users' data

In addition to rolling out Rules Hub more broadly, Reddit further announced that it will be making more changes to prevent "abusive" scraping of users' data. However, this doesn't mean users' posts won't be used to train AI at all. Though Reddit barred search engines from crawling its platform for free in 2024, it also struck $60 million deals allowing Google and OpenAI to use redditors' data to train their AI algorithms.

Reddit also stated that it will make changes intended to encourage new users and help them make successful posts. Currently, some subreddits remove comments and posts from new accounts, or from ones that haven't accumulated many upvotes across their various contributions (a function that Automod is capable of executing). Though this system counters issues such as spam or people creating new accounts to evade bans, Reddit states that it also presents an obstacle to new users attempting to join a subreddit for the first time. As such, the platform is looking at implementing alternative solutions.

"Over time, our goal is to improve Reddit’s systems and moderation tools so communities can rely less on things like karma and account age, which prevent many first time users from successfully posting in a community, and more on stronger abuse prevention built into the systems they use," Reddit's blog post states.

Exactly how Reddit intends to do this is unclear, but it seems likely that AI will be involved.

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UPDATE: Aug. 7, 2026, 10:13 a.m. AEST This article has been updated with clarification from Reddit.

FREE $200 GIFT CARD: As of Aug. 6, Amazon is still bundling a $200 gift card with preorders of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 (unlocked, 256GB). This offer ends after Aug. 6.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 + $200 Gift Card

 

Pre-order Here

Announced at the most recent Galaxy Unpacked event, Samsung's brand new Galaxy Z Flip 8 phone is gearing up to launch on Aug. 7. If you're hoping to secure a preorder before launch, Amazon's still bundling a free $200 gift card when you pre-order, but not for much longer.

Today is the last day to take advantage of this awesome offer before it's gone for good. Now is the time to pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 and get a $200 Amazon gift card. You'll also receive an email about the gift card's availability after the phone has shipped.

That's not all, either. Amazon's store page says that you can even get an extra $200 when you trade in an eligible device. According to the terms and conditions, this offer is valid only through Aug. 6, and the maximum benefit you can receive is $200. To see your trade-in value, there's a "Trade-in and save" option on the page that lets you get an estimate.

The Galaxy Z Flip 8 offers a fun FlexWindow for checking notifications on the cover screen while your phone is closed, and you can set it up to take hands-free photos. We recently went hands-on with Samsung's new foldable device, alongside the Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Mashable's Timothy Beck Werth highlighted that, "Crucially, and this is especially true with the colorful Z Flip 8, these phones feel cool in a way that other smartphones don't."

He also notes: "They're noticeably thinner and lighter this year. But there are some important upgrades under the hood as well." A big one being, "Contrary to rumors that the Z Flip 8 would have an Exynos processor, all three phones are equipped with the same chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy." Plus, it features a 4,300mAh battery to get you through long days.

Again, this deal ends after today, so be quick to score a $200 gift card with preorders of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 at Amazon.

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SAVE $61: As of Aug. 6, Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds are on sale for $168.99 at Amazon. That's a 27% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Soundcore

Soundcore Sleep A30

$168.99 at Amazon
$229.99 Save $61

 

Get Deal

Getting a good night’s sleep can be easier said than done, especially when noise and distractions get in the way. This is where the Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds come in.

These sleep earbuds are designed to help create a more peaceful bedtime routine, and even better, they’re on sale. As of Aug. 6, they are down to $168.99, saving you $61 on the list price.

These aren’t like normal earbuds. No, they’re designed to support a quieter night’s sleep by combining noise reduction with adaptive snore-masking technology, which detects snoring sounds in real-time and plays masking audio to help cover them. Our reviewer even called these the best sleep buds available.

They weigh just 3 grams each, so you don’t need to worry about them being uncomfortable through the night. Plus, the compact silicone earbuds feature a 3D ergonomic design that sits flush in the ear to reduce pressure, making them suitable for side sleepers. 

They also include access to Sleep Stories from Calm, along with a range of sounds, including AI Brainwave Audio and white noise. The earbuds provide 8–10 hours of playback per charge, with up to five nights of use when paired with the charging case. Through the app, you’ll also be able to track sleep duration, sleeping positions, and snoring patterns, with daily reports that give you insights into sleep habits.

Get this sleep earbuds deal from Amazon now.

SAVE $80: As of Aug. 6, the Roborock Q7 M5 is on sale for $149.98 at Amazon. That's a 35% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Roborock

Roborock Q7 M5

$149.98 at Amazon
$229.99 Save $80.01

 

Get Deal

Robot vacuums have become one of the most popular smart home upgrades, and it’s easy to see why. They handle the everyday mess you’d usually have to deal with yourself. So if you've been looking for a deal that makes a purchase even more worthwhile, this Roborock Q7 M5 discount could be the perfect excuse to switch.

As of Aug. 6, it's reduced by $80, bringing the price down to just $149.98. And for under $150, it's by no means a basic machine. In fact, this robot also mops your floors and deals with pet hair.

It uses a 10,000Pa HyperForce suction to vacuum dust and dirt, while the Dual Anti-Tangle Design combines a JawScrapers Comb main brush with a tangle-free side brush to help reduce hair build-up. The mop is detachable, allowing the robot to vacuum and mop simultaneously, and an electronically controlled water tank offers three adjustable water flow levels for different floor types.

Navigation is handled by precise LiDAR, which scans your home to create maps and plan efficient cleaning routes. Once this is done, you can use the Roborock app to schedule cleans, adjust suction and water levels, and set no-go zones.

Upgrade your smart home with this robot vacuum deal now.

SAVE $131: As of Aug. 6, the Hisense 55-inch E6 Cinema Series is on sale for $298.99 at Amazon. That's a 30% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Hisense

Hisense 55-inch E6 Cinema Series

$298.99 at Amazon
$429.99 Save $131

 

Get Deal

If you're thinking about upgrading your TV, the Hisense 55-inch E6 Cinema Series is currently on sale at Amazon. The retailer has reduced the price by $131, bringing this model down from its usual list price of $429.99 to $298.88. And it's not the only option on sale. If you want a larger or smaller size, there is a range of screen sizes currently discounted.

Hi-QLED Color technology and HDR support work together on this TV to provide a high-quality viewing experience for everything you watch. It also benefits from both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos for a more cinematic feel, plus the Filmmaker Mode adjusts settings to preserve the original aspect ratio, frame rate, color, and audio.

For smart features, the TV uses Fire TV OS, giving you easy access to your favorite apps, live channels, and entertainment in one place. It also comes with Alexa voice control, so you can quickly find movies, shows, and more hands-free. It also has additional smart features that make watching easier and better, like the AI Light Sensor, which adjusts brightness based on the room.

Get this deal at Amazon now.

SAVE $100: As of Aug. 6, the Apple Watch Series 11 is on sale for $299 at Amazon. That's a 25% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Apple

Apple Watch Series 11

$299 at Amazon
$399 Save $100

 

Get Deal

If an Apple Watch upgrade has been on your wishlist, now's a good time to buy. Amazon has slashed $100 off the Apple Watch Series 11, dropping it from $399 to $299. It's also one of our favorite fitness-focused smartwatches, so you're getting a highly-rated watch at a much better price.

Designed with durability in mind, the Apple Watch Series 11 features a scratch-resistant display and supports fast charging. Its battery can last up to 24 hours, making it suitable for everything from everyday wear to endurance training. It also includes safety features such as fall detection and crash detection, which can notify emergency services and your emergency contacts when needed.

You'll also have access to detailed workout data, from heart rate zones to training load, plus guided workouts to help structure your training. A 50-meter water-resistance rating means you can wear it while swimming or taking part in other water sports. There are even features designed to track and monitor health metrics, like high or low heart rate and potential blood pressure concerns.

Get this Apple Watch deal from Amazon now.

Over the course of a few months (with some breaks in between), I tested sleep earbuds and earplugs ranging from $50 to $250 to see which are actually worth the money and whether it's worth getting earbuds just for sleep. I'm a dedicated side sleeper, somewhat restless, and have two cats — so conditions for testing are ideal.

As a note, we no longer recommend the original Ozlo Sleepbuds as they've been discontinued, and prior to their discontinuation, did not have the feature set to support their high price point. That said, the latest release from the brand — the Ozlo Sleepbuds 2 — is worth a look. Though expensive, they do offer comprehensive sleep data and a streamlined experience that could be worth the investment for some.

The best earbuds for sleeping

Below, I pulled four of the best sleep earbuds on the market. Between the overall best, budget, and earplug picks, there's a wide range of price points, but as with any product, the most expensive of the bunch isn't necessarily the best overall. With that in mind, I highlighted where each earbud excelled, whether that be in comfort, noise cancellation, or ease of use, to help you pick the best sleep earbud possible.

How are sleep earbuds different than normal earbuds?

A confession: I used to wear AirPods nearly every night to sleep. More accurately, I used to wear a single AirPod so I could actually sleep on my side.

After testing earbuds designed for sleeping, I can tell you that everyday earbuds don't match up to the sleep earbud experience. For starters, standard earbuds aren't designed to be worn while you're lying on your side, so they often stick out of your ears and put hard plastic in contact with your ear. Not to mention, earbuds typically cap out at six to seven hours of battery life per charge, so if you're getting at least eight hours of sleep, you run the risk of interrupting it with the sound of your earbuds powering off.

Sleep earbuds, like the Soundcore A20 ones pictured in the middle, have a much thinner profile than traditional earbuds. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

Sleep earbuds, on the other hand, can offer white noise options, better battery life, and significantly more comfort (that actually allows you to wear more than one earbud at a time). The pairs I tested came without microphones and with touch controls that worked but were less sensitive than traditional earbuds, so you can lie on your side without activating them. When I initially tested options for this guide, there weren't really any with active noise cancellation, but that has since changed thanks to the Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds' release in August 2025, and the Sleep A30 Special release in January 2026. Still, you'd be surprised at how well passive noise cancellation, a good fit, and white noise work.

Is it safe to wear earbuds to sleep every night?

First and foremost, it's important to consider that sleep earbuds aren't the only way to approach nighttime noises that might be keeping you up.

I consulted Dr. Ashley Kita, an otolaryngologist and assistant professor in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery at UCLA, to discuss any risks associated with wearing earbuds all night. While she didn't warn against using earbuds, she suggested that if what's keeping you up is a partner's snoring, you start looking for solutions there.

"If you're doing all of this to avoid a partner who is snoring, sometimes gently encouraging that person to investigate why they're snoring is kind of an important consideration," Kita said. "Because we find that obstructive sleep apnea is really underdiagnosed, and snoring, for some people, is the only sign of it."

If, however, what's keeping you up is less in your control, then you do want to be aware of three main aspects of using earbuds all night: proper hygiene, safe noise levels, and your ear comfort.

Proper hygiene

When I started testing these earbuds, I realized I was now wearing earbuds uninterrupted for longer than I typically would in the course of a day, even as someone who tests headphones for a living. When I asked Dr. Kita how that wear time might raise someone's risk for infection, she drew a comparison to the wear time of hearing aids:

"Many individuals wear hearing aids for longer hours during the day than they sleep at night," she said. And yet, folks who wear hearing aids don't often have ear infections, though long wear times may increase their risk.

With the long wear times, Kita said the main concern she could anticipate was wax buildup since the natural path for wax to exit the ear canal would be blocked. However, she said it's not necessarily a cause for concern, as wax can typically exit the ear canal at other points during the day when you're not wearing earbuds (or blocking your ear canal in any other way).

As for any heightened infection risk, Kita shared that it can increase when there's greater wax buildup that can then trap bacteria. She recommended cleaning the buds with isopropyl alcohol and a cotton pad after each use, if possible. (One of the brands we tested, Ozlo, recommends a weekly cleaning.) With all that said, someone's risk for infection really comes down to personal susceptibility — some people are more prone to ear infections than others. If you fall into that category, being more proactive about cleaning your earbuds is a good practice.

Noise levels

Noise-induced hearing loss is the second most common type of hearing loss (behind age-related hearing loss), so it's important to be aware of the level of noise you expose yourself to. Kita pointed me in the direction of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) chart for how long people can be exposed to certain decibel levels safely.

In its FAQ, Ozlo also cites OSHA's recommendation, as well as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's recommendations, which top out at 90 decibels and 85 decibels for eight hours, respectively. In general, though, Kita said the less noise, the better, recommending that you always try to use the lowest volume possible.

"While I don't necessarily love the idea of extra noise when you're not even conscious to appreciate it, if it's the thing that's keeping you asleep or letting you sleep, it just comes in this category of risks and benefits," Kita said. "Just make sure that it's quiet enough, then it really isn't that much different than using a white noise machine on your nightstand."

Comfort

Earbuds fitting comfortably is important for you to be able to fall asleep, but also for your ear health.

"Everyone's ear canal is shaped differently," Kita said. "And so something that might be really comfortable for your ears might really cause my ears to ache."

In other words, giving yourself earbuds-induced earaches every night can actually impact your ear health. If one of the below recommendations really isn't sitting right, even with adjustments to the ear tip sizes, don't be afraid to return them.

Other sleep earbuds we tested

At the end of the initial testing period, the one product that didn't make the cut was the 1More Sleeping Earbuds Z30, which, at $89.99, were the least expensive earbuds I tested. While significantly cheaper than the earbuds that did make the cut, their battery life, app features, and fit didn't quite match up to the other options on my list. However, if you're looking for very barebones low-profile earbuds (and don't mind hearing them die in the early hours of the morning), these aren't a bad option under $100.

1More Sleeping Earbuds Z30

$59.99 at Amazon

 

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In keeping up with my value criteria, I decided to ultimately pull the original Ozlo Sleepbuds as our best upgrade pick. After their price jumped up from $299 to $349 — far outpricing our existing picks (and most premium standard ANC earbuds, for that matter) — I determined their features didn't justify their price tag. These earbuds are actually now discontinued — I only mention the original Sleepbuds because they earned plenty of praise across the internet, so if you've been looking for sleep earbuds, you've likely come across them. In their place, Ozlo made the much improved (and cheaper) Sleepbuds 2, which have earned a spot on our guide (for the reasons mentioned above).