If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

To glorify.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

EXALT

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To cut.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SHEAR

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To mess up.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

BOTCH

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A gorge.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

GULCH

Final Hurdle hint

Madness.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

CRAZE

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: Through Sept. 10, you can get a 100TB Internxt Cloud Storage Lifetime Subscription on sale for $974.97.

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Credit: Internxt

Internxt Cloud Storage Lifetime Subscription: 100TB

$974.97
$9,900 Save $8,925.03

 

Get Deal

Most cloud storage works like a rental. You pay every month to keep your files online, and the price jumps each time you need more space. Stretch that across several years and the running total dwarfs what a one-time purchase would have cost. Internxt Cloud Storage sells the space outright instead, and a lifetime subscription with 100TB is on sale for $974.97 (reg. $9,900) through Sept. 10.

100TB, no monthly fee

Using iCloud to keep your files safe? The maximum storage Apple allows you to rent is currently just 12TB — and it costs $64.99 a month. If you’re looking for a more affordable way to safeguard your precious data, providing enough space to last a lifetime, it’s time to check out Internxt Cloud Storage.

With Internxt Cloud Storage, you own your storage space. That means you can say goodbye to those hefty monthly fees and rest easy knowing you can keep all your important data in one secure space. You can also rest easy knowing Internxt’s end-to-end encryption is so secure that even the company itself can’t access your data.

It’s also GDPR compliant — adhering to strict European privacy laws — and audited and verified by Securitum. That’s a major improvement over other cloud storage services, which not only access your data but also make money from it through targeted ads and data sharing.

If you’re making the switch, Internxt offers cross-platform compatibility so you can easily integrate it across all your devices and operating systems via a desktop app, web browser app, and iOS or Android app.

Pay once to never rent your cloud storage again.

Through Sept. 10 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can get a 100TB Internxt Cloud Storage Lifetime Subscription for $974.97.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

A new national study has revealed that women face a troubling double when it comes to carrying a key component of sexual health: condoms. 

When Australian women were asked about other women carrying condoms, the two most common answers were both about her sexual conduct: that she is planning to have sex (45.4%), and that she sleeps around (38.6%). Yet, the most common answer about men carrying condoms? “Is prepared” – at 43.9%. 

Credit: Moments Sexual Health Study 2026

Key findings from the 2026 Moments Sexual Wellness Study:

• Buying condoms has gotten easier for women, but being judged for carrying them has gotten worse

• Three in four Australian women have hidden, disguised or abandoned a condom purchase

• Two-thirds of Australian women have gone without a condom because neither person had one

More here.

Additionally, the study found that Australian women aged 18-45 are still uncomfortable buying or carrying condoms. And, while more women felt comfortable buying condoms than 10 years ago, feelings of judgement for carrying condoms has actually gotten worse. 

“The stigma [around condoms] didn’t dissolve. It relocated,” said sex educator Eleanor Hadley about the findings. “We’ve spent a decade making the public part of this easier – better shelf placement, self-checkouts, more open conversation – and by our own tracking, buying condoms has genuinely got easier. But nobody was working on the private part. That’s where it has settled, and that’s where women are now paying for it.”

With an overwhelming feeling of judgement running rampant across women even throwing a pack of condoms in their regular groceries, three in four Australian women are usually either hiding them via self-checkout or disguising them within other items. 

The study also found that “Other respondents had waited until a shop was quiet, bought online to avoid buying in person, asked somebody else to buy, or gone somewhere they were less likely to be known.” Some Australian women have simply abandoned their condom purchases altogether. This has prompted condom brands like Moments Wellness to offer services like discreet condom deliveries (and even subscriptions).

With public perception working against them, women are struggling to get to a place where, as Moments puts it, “A condom should be able to sit beside coffee, deodorant or lip balm without recruiting the rest of the basket as cover.” Though we’re yet to break the stigma completely, here’s hoping conversations created by projects like Moments Sexual Health Study can help normalise being assertive with one’s own sexual health, for women, as much as men. 

About the study: Moments Sexual Health Study 2026. 1,111 Australian women aged 18–45, weighted by age, state and region. Carrying behaviour, partner response and responsibility were measured for the first time in 2026 and have no prior comparison. The 2026 wave was fielded by a different provider to the 2017 and 2021 waves. More here.

Would you believe it? Apple finally has an actual foldable phone in its lineup: the iPhone Duo.

As is customary, following the grand unveiling on Wednesday Sept. 9, the company let journalists into a space where we could experience the new devices, and you can guess which one drew the biggest crowd.

Fortunately, Apple brought more than one, so after some elbowing, persuading, and begging (mostly begging), we got a few minutes alone with the iPhone Duo. Here's what it's really like, at first glance.

It’s surprisingly smooth

Fold it halfway, and the iPhone Duo becomes a very expensive clock and photo frame. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The iPhone Duo works amazingly well. Starting with that mesmerizing animation that blends one display into the other when you fold or unfold the phone, everything on the iPhone Duo looks and feels as if Apple has been doing foldables for years. It's early days (hours), I know, but everything I tried to do on the phone felt natural and happened very quickly.

The larger display is glorious to look at, and it immediately makes your old iPhone feel very cramped in comparison, especially if you launch something like Photos, which makes it so much more enjoyable to browse through your photo collection.

Position the iPhone Duo this way, and apps will split to make the best use of the space. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Flip it vertically (while unfolded), and it feels like, well, a very big iPhone, but I can totally see myself reading books, or magazines, or browsing the web this way. Netflix, in particular, has been upgraded to work with the foldable display, and I was happy to see that whichever way I turned the phone, and whether I folded, unfolded, or half-folded the display, the app knew what to do, and playback continued.

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I'll need a lot more time to see how other apps (especially third-party apps) behave on the iPhone Duo. But I'm pretty certain already that Apple has done a great job adapting iOS to work with a foldable display.

A foldable phone has more than two states — folded and unfolded — with several in-between positions, and Apple thought of that, too. If you fold it halfway and place it on a desk, the iPhone Duo will become a (very expensive) digital clock and calendar. You can also have two apps working side by side, or one above the other, depending on the orientation. Again, and to my surprise, I never experienced a moment when the phone didn't know what to do with an app, or when things became slow, weird, or jittery.

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The design gets almost everything right

The iPhone Duo’s crease is there, but it’s easy to miss. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The crease didn't bother me. It exists, but I could barely see it. For practical purposes, I didn't notice it, and the display looks gorgeous from all angles. The laminated display has multiple layers designed to keep it functional and durable through repeated folding and unfolding. It also has a matte finish that I prefer to the glossy finish on a regular iPhone's display.

As for the design and its somewhat unusual form factor, I think Apple got it right. When folded, it's a bit more square than a regular phone, but I could get used to it. Unfold it, and it's basically a thinner, more elegant iPad mini. It's the sweet spot, and I could easily see this being my primary phone. Holding it fully unfolded feels a bit odd, as you're probably smearing greasy fingerprints across the outer display, but I don't really see how that could be avoided.

When unfolded, it's the thinnest iPhone ever. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

For the first time, Apple is using an under-the-display camera on the iPhone Duo. The way it works is pretty sleek; it's nearly (but not completely) invisible until you need it, and it appears and disappears with a cool little animation. Its slightly off-center position can look a little odd when the display is unfolded, but I don't think it'll matter much in actual use.

One thing that makes me worry, though, is how slippery the iPhone Duo's edges are, which makes it a bit harder to unfold, even with two hands. I've yet to try it with a case, but I think a grippy case will be a must-have. With a phone that costs $2,000, you'll probably want a case anyway.

The wait begins

The iPhone Duo may be here in the demo room, but the rest of us will have to wait until Oct. 23. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The iPhone Duo is launching in October, roughly one month after the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, which will be available in just over a week. This means our review will come a little later. That's fine, as it will give developers time to adapt their apps for the Duuo. As far as I could tell, the only third-party app that's been fully overhauled to work nicely on the Duo is Netflix.

For now, it's definitely the most interesting iPhone Apple has launched in years, and I'm looking forward to spending more time with it.

Apple has raised the prices of its iPhone 16, 17, 17e, and Air, quietly making the changes to coincide with its announcement of the new iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max, and foldable Duo. Some of them are now even more expensive than they were at launch.

Historically, the release of a new iPhone has been accompanied by a price cut on older models, making the devices more attractive to savvy shoppers. Unfortunately, it seems as though their patience has instead been punished this year, with multiple past iPhones getting a $100 bump in price instead.

The iPhone 16 had been available for $699 before Apple's event on Wednesday, having received a $100 price cut when the iPhone 17 was released last year. That reduction has now been reversed, putting the iPhone 16 back up to $799 — the same price it was when it launched two years ago in 2024.

Meanwhile, the iPhone 17, 17e, and Air are now more expensive than they were at launch. The budget iPhone 17e was originally available for $599 when it was announced in March this year, but will now set you back $699. Apple's iPhone 17 launched at $799 last September, but its price has now been increased to $899. Finally, the iPhone Air launched at $999 alongside the iPhone 17, but will now cost buyers $1,099.

To top it off, the newly announced iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are also $100 more expensive than last year's 17 Pro and Pro Max at launch, starting at $1,199 and $1,299 respectively. 

Some commentators had expected Apple to launch the iPhone 18 Pro at $1,099, absorbing higher manufacturing costs to keep it in line with the iPhone 17 Pro's pricing. It was a reasonable conclusion to draw considering Apple's past pricing trends. However, it seems the tech giant isn't prepared to reduce its profit margin quite that much this year. (Apple's recent Q3 2026 results reported a net quarterly profit of $29.8 billion, with net iPhone sales having increased 22 percent to $54.25 billion.)

While unwelcome, Apple's price hikes aren't a complete surprise. The AI boom has significantly increased demand for memory chips, driving up manufacturing costs as tech companies compete for limited supplies. In June, Apple's former CEO Tim Cook told the Wall Street Journal that though the company was trying to "mitigate" the impact on customers, "price increases are unavoidable."

Bloomberg subsequently reported last month that Apple was preparing to raise the prices of its iPhones, having already done so for other products such as the iPad Air, MacBook Air, and Mac Studio.

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

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Periodic table

• Green: House accessories

• Blue: Jersey rock hits

• Purple: Up-to-date

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Chemical elements

• Green: What you might see sticking out of a window

• Blue: Bruce Springsteen classics

• Purple: Ending in synonyms for "Happening now"

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

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #1186 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Chemical elements: ACTINIUM, KRYPTON, LEAD, SULFUR

• What you might see sticking out of a window: AIR CONDITIONER, CATIO, CLOTHESLINE, FLOWER BOX

• Bruce Springsteen classics: ATLANTIC CITY, BADLANDS, BORN TO RUN, THUNDER ROAD

• Ending in synonyms for "Happening now": ADULT CONTEMPORARY, ALTERNATING CURRENT, REPRESENT, SEXTANT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Actinium meaning

A rare, soft silver radioactive chemical element.

Krypton meaning

A colorless, odorless chemical element and noble gas.

Lead meaning

A toxic dark gray chemical element.

Sulfur meaning

A bright yellow chemical element.

Atlantic City meaning

A popular coastal New Jersey city.

Badlands meaning

Dry, eroded area of land that has gone unused.

Born to Run meaning

A popular 1975 song and album released by Bruce Springsteen.

Thunder Road meaning

A 1975 Bruce Springsteen hit song.

Air conditioner meaning

A machine used to cool down a space.

Catio meaning

An enclosed outdoor space used to house pet cats.

Clothesline meaning

An outdoor rope connected at two points used to hang up wet clothing.

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Flower box meaning

A long, rectangular box used to hold and display flowers or other plants in a window.

Adult contemporary meaning

A genre of music consisting of slow to mid-tempo songs.

Alternating current meaning

An electric current that reverses direction and changes magnitude over time.

Represent meaning

To act on behalf of.

Sextant meaning

A navigation tool used to measure angles.

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

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

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints describe awards.

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: Victory lap

The words are related to success.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe awards.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is We Have a Winner.

NYT Strands word list for September 10

• Pennant

• Prize

• We Have a Winner

• Trophy

• Medal

• Crown

• Laurels

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 sarcastic.

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:

Ironically.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter Y appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter D.

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...

DRYLY

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.

Hope is the epic monster movie that The End of Oak Street failed to be. Bear with me; this is more than a "they're both monster movies" comparison.

Both films focus on a humble neighborhood under siege by rampaging beasts. Both feature gruesome violence as mankind gets swatted down the food chain. Both center on heroes who are alarmingly bad at recognizing danger. But only one satisfies as eye-popping entertainment with something worthwhile to say.

Where The End of Oak Street was a clumsy Spielberg pastiche lacking sense and humanity, Hope is a rollicking, action-packed thrill ride that roars with the intensity of Hollywood blockbusters without compromising its unnerving commentary.

Why choose between thought-provoking cinema and a bonkers popcorn movie? Na Hong-jin's Hope is both.

Hope is a Jaws descendant that deserves the title.

From South Korean writer/director Na Hong-jin (The Wailing, The Yellow Sea) comes a monster movie that steals smartly from Spielberg's Jaws, without feeling like a rip-off.

Like Jaws, Hope kicks off with a small town police chief — in this case, Bum-seok (Hwang Jung-min) — who finds a curious corpse in the rural lands outside of his town. Local hunters have called him over a dead cow, whose side is sliced wide open with confoundingly large claw marks. Could it be a bear? A tiger? Or spies from North Korea looking to sow confusion?

While the chief heads into town to investigate further, his cousin, a brash young hunter named Sung-ki (Zo In-sung), leads others into the woods to investigate. Like Brody from Jaws, Bum-seok is determined to protect his people from this mysterious beast, but he is alarmingly ill-equipped to manage it.

Na sets up some subtle visuals that suggest this ineptitude as soon as Bum-seok struts onscreen. The cow carnage before him suggests a foe that is massive, mighty, and savage. By contrast, Bum-seok wears a sharply pressed policeman's uniform, with flared pant legs that accent his kicky little leather boots. He is a man of order, not chaos. So, much like the sea-fearing Brody on Quint's boat, Bum-seok becomes a fish out of water in his own town when the monster comes calling.

Like Spielberg, Na takes his time revealing the full majesty and horror of this monster. Nearly an hour passes before the beast is revealed onscreen. But along the way, Na gives his audience plenty to scream over.

Hope is an exhilarating, surprising, and totally gnarly action movie.

Police outpost chief Bum-seok (Hwang Jung-min) looks for a monster in "Hope." Credit: NEON

For the film's first leg, Na binds his audience to Bum-seok, in both quest and perspective. Like him, we are eager to understand this creature, more eager perhaps to see it for ourselves. But Na toys with us. When Bum-seok gets back to town, he realizes the monster is already here.

He races through its path of destruction, past shattered market stalls, crumbling walls, and bloodied corpses that litter the street. He follows the sounds of smashing, gunfire, and screams. His neighbors rush past him, firing an array of heavy artillery. And still, he is always too many steps behind to see what's causing this destruction. Our idea of the monster is shaped by details in the wreckage, like how big a hole it leaves in a concrete wall or how far it throws an entire pick-up truck.

This frenzied pursuit sequence spins through streets, battered businesses, and down gulleys. Along the way, Bum-seok will be mocked for his confusion and team up with a reluctant ally, who carries a bow and arrow. And in every frame, the excitement mounts. By withholding the monster, Na urges the audience to be children again, with our imaginations running wild at the bump in the night.

Critics out of the film's world premiere at the Cannes International Film Festival were divided about the computer animation that brings Hope's creatures to life. IndieWire reported the film got a new cut and a polish on its CGI since then. Having not seen the Cannes cut, I squealed with absolute joy when the first monster was revealed in the theatrical release of Hope. And for all those critters that came after, I was likewise giddy.

Sure, not all of the GCI is seamlessly composited into the locations of town and forest that Hope traverses. But Na's collection of creatures is intriguing and unexpected, brought to life by captivating animation that makes these bumps in the suspension of disbelief pass in forgettable flickers.

Hope pivots hard in its second act.

Not long after the monster is revealed, Bum-seok teams up with rookie cop Sung-ae (Squid Game's Hoyeon), who's got a brash mouth to match her booming assault rifle. After a jaw-dropping car chase that makes The Bourne Identity look like Driving Miss Daisy, they finally, fatally fell the monster. But we're only over an hour into this 156-minute movie. So, what next?

Well, for one, Na will lead us back to the woods, where Sung-ki and the other hunters are about to have close encounters of their own. More action will spark there, while back in town, Bum-seok chases answers to all the questions raised by the monster attack. Here, Na weaves in new characters, who are quirky and influenced by small-town superstition. (Think Widow's Bay.) And as they find answers, Bum-seok and Sung-ae find disturbing truths about who's really to blame for the devastation before them.

In the second half, Hope allows its audience more room to breathe than it does its human heroes. Comical monologues about hunting and defecation keep things light, even as the realizations turn dark. From there, Na pulls us out of Bum-seok's perspective, to one more knowing, and empathetic.

The looks Na grants of the monsters are no longer strictly to scare us. The following conflict between man and beast becomes one where we not only revel in the outrageous and brutal action that turns armed men into ribbons of flesh and rivers of blood. But we are also urged to consider the origins of this violence — in between the screams and laughter that Na earns with each new chase or challenge.

Hope is confusing, but strategically so.

The absolutely outstanding action sequence of monster-made mayhem should be reason enough for genre fans to buy a ticket. Na's vision of action makes room for thrills, surprises, scares, and laughs with generous abandon. Yet Hope offers more than an absolutely outrageous spectacle.

Again, I point to the failings of The End of Oak Street. Yes, it too offered violent beasts and gory action sequences. But the disdain — or maybe indifference — that American filmmaker David Robert Mitchell had for the family at the center of his movie makes watching them less fun and more torturous. The fact that they never got any better at recognizing the threat around them felt more an insult to the audience than a rich terrain for slasher trope scares.

By contrast, Hope has an empathy for its foolish humans, even as it presents them in brief sketches. Unlike Jaws, we never learn much about the police chief's life outside of this very bad day on the job. When Sung-ae is introduced, it's with a fearless attack on the monster, and virtually no context about her character. Likewise, other locals will pop into the plot, only to disappear for a stretch, then return as a corpse (or part of one).

There were moments where I felt my brain leaping to bridge the gap between what I saw and what I knew. But here's the thing: 1) These little details don't matter, and 2) the confusion Na causes with such leaps reflects the confusion his townsfolk are enduring as they try to survive. The details of their backstory are not as crucial to who they are in their actions and to each other. Essentially, the first half of Hope urges us to look for clues of what is going on. The second half suggests that we might have been focusing on the wrong ones.

All this leads to a climax that is rigorously exciting, with a chase scene that had my heart thumping so hard it should count as a cardio workout. Here is where Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, and Taylor Russell pop up in surprising roles I won't spoil here. But if you know they're in it going into the movie, there's no mistaking them onscreen.

Admittedly, not every sequence needs the time Na gives it to play out. Some beats feel redundant, especially in the final sequence. There, it seems either Na is second-guessing his audience's capacity for understanding, or is indulging in the sci-fi flourishes of Hope. But in any case, Hope's runtime flies by.

Chasing the audience across a village marketplace, through mountainside forests, into stranger caverns, and down a seemingly endless highway, Na offers a monster movie that is unique, captivating, and explosive fun. His monsters and men are sketches, but beautifully realized through a terrific cast and thoughtful visual effects that spur our imaginations rather than offer easy answers. What Na has made here is a marvel that smartly plucks from Spielberg's playbook to create something fresh, fun, and challenging.

I didn't just laugh, gasp, scream, and squeal watching this movie. I was thrust full-bodied back into what it was like being a kid seeing a Godzilla movie or Jaws for the first time. I've seen hundreds or thousands of movies and monsters since then. But with a keen awareness of audience and a passion for action and creatures, Na brought it all back. Hope made me feel like a kid again as I watched it, then dared me to confront the hard truths at its heart. Through that journey, Hope becomes the kind of movie that doesn't let go, and cheers to that.

Hope was reviewed out of the Toronto International Film Festival. It opens in theaters in the U.S. on Sept. 9.

After so many months of speculation, Apple finally unveiled the foldable iPhone Duo. After the "Surprise and Shine" keynote wrapped, one of Mashable's senior reporters even got to check out the device in a crowded Apple Park demo room.

View this post on Instagram

The iPhone Duo will be officially released on Oct. 23, and you'll have to wait until then for a proper review. However, I have spent a lot of time with the device's biggest competition, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8.

So, how do these two flagship foldables compare?

iPhone Duo vs. Galaxy Z Fold 8: Cost

Before the Apple iPhone event, rumors pegged the iPhone Duo's price somewhere between $2,000 and $2,300, so the final $1,999 price tag was a pleasant surprise. Of course, that's still a massive investment for most people, as is the Z Fold 8, which has a starting price of $1,899.99. Both phones come with 256GB of storage and can be upgraded with more.

The 2TB version of the iPhone Duo will cost a whopping $3,199, whereas the Z Fold 8 doesn't have a 2TB version.

iPhone Duo vs. Galaxy Z Fold 8: Design

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a boxier design. Credit: Joe Maldonado / CNET Group

To be honest, I wasn't sure what to make of the iPhone Duo's design based on the leaks. The rounded corners and D-shaped outer display reminded me of the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold, and not in a good way. However, after its big reveal, I have to admit that I was totally wrong: I think Apple nailed the design.

The iPhone Duo has a sleek, futuristic look, and when unfolded, it takes on a more sculptural shape. By comparison, the Z Fold 8 looks a little boxy and utilitarian.

Both phones are also remarkably thin. Unfolded, the Duo is Apple's thinnest phone ever at just 5.2mm. The Z Fold 8 is even thinner, a mere 4.5 mm when unfolded. The Z Fold 8 is also significantly lighter.

iPhone Duo vs. Z Fold 8: Displays and creases

The folding iPhone Duo on display. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

Here's how the displays compare specs-wise:

• iPhone Duo: 7.6-inch inner Super Retina XDR display and 5.4-inch outer Super Retina XDR display

• Galaxy Z Fold 8: 7.6-inch inner AMOLED display and a 5.5-inch outer display

Crucially, the iPhone Duo has Apple's premium nano-texture display. Because this minimizes reflections on the device, the crease should be even less visible on the Duo, and it all but disappears in early photos and videos of the device. The combination of Liquid Glass, Super Retina XDR, and nano texture results in a very impressive display that will be hard to beat.

That being said, the Z Fold 8 also has very impressive AMOLED displays and a nearly invisible crease. There's a reason Apple tapped Samsung to manufacture the iPhone Duo's flexible display, after all.

iPhone Duo vs. Galaxy Z Fold 8: The cameras

The camera array on the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Credit: Joe Maldonado / CNET Group

In my review of the Galaxy Z Fold 8, I noted that the device's cameras were its biggest drawback. If you want a Pro-level camera array, you'll need to upgrade to the pricier Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

In comparison, the iPhone Duo appears to make fewer compromises on its cameras. Let's start by breaking down the specs:

• iPhone Duo cameras: 48-megapixel main camera, 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera, 12MP Center Stage selfie camera, and an under-display FaceTime camera

• Galaxy Z Fold 8 cameras: 50MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP selfie camera

While 50MP might seem to automatically beat 48MP, don't be so sure. Image quality has as much to do with the phone's processor as the cameras themselves, and Apple's new A20 Pro chip sounds like a killer. However, Apple is just now introducing AI photo editing features in iOS 27 that have been standard on Samsung Galaxy phones for a couple of years.

We obviously haven't been able to test the iPhone Duo's selfie cameras yet, but this is another area where Apple has an edge.

I hated the 10MP selfie camera, which is so useless I wondered why Samsung included it at all. It merely takes up space on the inner display. The under-display FaceTime camera will probably have quality issues as well, but it won't take up precious pixel space. Apple also has an additional Center Stage selfie camera on the rear of the device. On other iPhones, the Center Stage camera has been great for taking vertical and horizontal selfies without flipping the phone in your hands, among other perks.

Apple StandBy mode

Credit: Apple

During the iPhone Duo introduction, Apple was keen to show the device acting as a smart alarm clock on a nightstand. This is part of the phone's StandBy mode, which allows you to "turn your iPhone Duo into a clock, photo frame, or a display for the weather, calendar or your favorite widgets."

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 also supports multitasking and side-by-side apps, of course. But while the Z Fold 8 is primarily designed for multitasking, the StandBy mode is a fun twist. The prospect of using your iPhone Duo as a smart picture frame while you're at your desk is certainly interesting.

We'll have to wait and see how it works IRL.

iPhone Duo vs. Galaxy Z Fold 8: Which is the better foldable?

Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

We can't answer this question until we've properly tested the foldable iPhone Duo. But some things to consider as you mull whether to preorder the device:

• The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is our favorite Android foldable released yet

• The iPhone Duo's design and camera features will be very hard to beat

• Both phones have impressive displays, though the nano-texture coating may give Apple a slight edge

• Apple emphasized that the iPhone Duo was designed for durability in the long-term, and it's IP68 dust and water-resistant; the Z Fold 8 has a slightly less impressive IP48 certification

iPhone Duo vs. Galaxy Z Fold 8: By the numbers

Want to see the full list of specs side by side?

iPhone Duo specifications:

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

• Cameras: 48-megapixel main camera, 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera, 12MP Center Stage selfie camera, and an under-display FaceTime camera

• Processor: Apple A20 Pro chipset

• Colors: White, deep blue

• Dimensions: 164.6 x 117.8 x 5.2mm unfolded / 84.1 x 117.8 x 11.3mm folded

• Weight: 254 grams

• RAM: 12GB to 24GB RAM

• Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB storage

• Charging: 60W wired, 30W wireless

• Peak brightness: Up to 3,000 nits

• Water resistance: IP68 water and dust resistant

Galaxy Z Fold 8 specifications

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

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

• 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 / 123.9 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

• Peak brightness: Up to 3,000 nits

• Water resistance: IP48 water and dust resistant

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

Ever wonder what your camera roll would look like in 1985? There’s a ChatGPT prompt for that.

The AI tool’s latest trend has social media users turning current pictures into imagined throwbacks, complete with vintage outfits, big hair and that slightly faded family-album finish.

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Want to see yourself posing for a mall portrait, heading to an arcade date or hanging out with friends at the roller rink? Start a new ChatGPT conversation and attach a clear, well-lit photo of yourself or the people you want pictured. Then describe the setting, clothes, hairstyle and lighting you have in mind.

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Don’t forget to tell it what to keep: your recognizable face, natural skin tone, age and facial structure. You’re asking for an ’80s wardrobe, after all — you still want to look like yourself.

Not sure where to start? See below for a list of prompts to try or customize. Swap in the clothes and locations you’d actually want in your photo. Thank us later.

For a classic 1985 makeover

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"Using my uploaded photo, imagine me in an American snapshot taken in 1985. Preserve my recognizable identity, facial features, natural skin tone and current age. Give me a distinctly mid-1980s hairstyle suited to my hair texture, an oversized patterned shirt, high-waisted jeans and period-appropriate accessories. Place me outside a neighborhood record store with a window display of vinyl records. Use direct camera flash, subtle analog grain, slightly faded colors and soft photographic detail. Add a small red-orange date stamp reading ‘09 09 85’ in the lower corner. Avoid modern objects and any other added text.”

For a group photo

"Use the uploaded reference photo to recreate our group hanging out in an American suburban living room in 1988. Preserve each person’s individual facial features, age and natural skin tone. Give us distinct casual outfits with denim, patterned sweaters and colorful shirts. Include a wood-paneled wall, a patterned sofa, a cassette player and a boxy television. Arrange us naturally, as though a friend has just taken a quick flash photo."

For a solo studio portrait

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"Use my uploaded photo to create a realistic portrait of me at an American shopping-mall photography studio in 1986. Preserve my recognizable facial features, natural skin tone, age and facial structure. Give me a denim jacket over a simple T-shirt and a softly feathered hairstyle suited to my hair texture. Use a mottled blue studio backdrop, soft portrait lighting and subtle film grain. The finished image should feel like a print from a family album.”

For a road-trip photo

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"Create a realistic photograph of me standing beside a parked 1980s American coupe at a roadside stop in 1987. Use my uploaded photo to preserve my recognizable face, age and natural skin tone. Give me straight-leg jeans, a tucked-in T-shirt, a lightweight windbreaker and sunglasses resting on my head. Use late-afternoon sunlight and the slightly faded colors of a printed vacation photo. Keep visible cars, signs and accessories appropriate to the year."

For a couple

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"Using our uploaded photo as the reference, create a candid picture of us on a date at an American arcade in 1985. Preserve both people’s recognizable faces, natural skin tones, ages and facial structures. Dress us in casual denim, colorful tops and period-appropriate sneakers. Include arcade cabinets, softly glowing screens and a direct camera-flash effect. Keep our poses relaxed and our skin texture realistic."

For a roller-rink night

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"Transform my uploaded photo into a realistic snapshot of me at an American roller rink in 1984. Keep my identity, age, facial structure and natural skin tone consistent with the reference. Dress me in a colorful athletic top, high-waisted shorts, striped socks and quad roller skates. Place me beside the rink railing with colored lights and skaters in the background. Use subtle motion blur behind me and the look of a flash photograph."

If the first result needs work

Love the outfit, but the face looks a little off? Tell ChatGPT exactly what needs fixing. For example: "Bring my face closer to the original reference. Keep my original face shape, eyes, nose and smile. Leave the outfit and background as they are."

If it went a little too big on the hair and clothes, try: "Make the clothing and hair more understated, like an ordinary weekend snapshot from 1985."

Once you get a version you like, you can keep the look and change the location. OpenAI recommends making small, targeted revisions and spelling out what should stay the same.

Of course, this isn’t ChatGPT’s first social media makeover. We’ve seen the caricature trend turn users into cartoon versions of themselves, and the "make it more" trend had people repeatedly asking ChatGPT to exaggerate images until things got ridiculous. This time, the assignment is a little more nostalgic.

Before you post, check faces, hands and background details against your original photo. Some participants in a Reddit discussion of the trend have complained that the results don’t really look like them, so take a second look! Then comes the real decision: whether to leave that hairstyle in 1985 or bring it to your next salon appointment.

Apple's new foldable iPhone Duo can do many things, including side-by-side screen multitasking and hands-free video viewing at different angles.

Yet the company also pitched the $1,999 device as a "delightful bedside clock" during its Apple Event 2026 presentation on Wednesday.

Craig Federighi, Apple's senior vice president of software engineering, said the Duo has the "ability to wake you up with a gentle glow timed perfectly with your alarm."

In the imagery shared by Apple, the partly folded Duo rests on a nightstand — exactly where numerous health and wellness experts say it should not be.

Why you shouldn't sleep with your phone

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine, for example, recommends keeping your phone in another room and relying on a digital clock instead. That's because research suggests sleeping next to a phone can worsen sleep quality in different ways.

First, there's the temptation of one last scroll, whether that's to check your social media feed or browse a shopping app for last-minute deals. Five minutes can quickly turn into 50, whittling down the amount of sleep you get.

Then, even if you expect pre-bedtime screentime to be relaxing, there's always the risk of mental stimulation that keeps your brain buzzing well after the phone is off for the night.

Experts also suspect that nonstop notifications during the day prime people to anticipate them at night, too. On its own, that dynamic may diminish sleep quality. But so will checking your phone after you've randomly woken up.

Apple surprises with pitch to use Duo as alarm clock

The emphasis on Duo as a bedside clock is surprising coming from Apple, given the company's emphasis on health and wellness. Among Apple's announcements on Wednesday were a raft of new Apple Watch health features designed to optimize and maximize physical well-being.

The new Apple Watch Ultra 4, for example, debuts a readiness feature that analyzes metrics like recent activity, training load, and — you guessed it — a sleep score to determine how a user should tackle their day.

Perhaps Apple has been rattled by the growing popularity of smart or screen-free alarm clocks like the Dreamie, Hatch Sleep Clock, and Hatch Restore 3, which can displace the smartphone as the first and last device people interact with every day.

Yes, you can really sleep without your phone

Whatever the case, sleeping without a phone in your bedroom isn't as nerve-wracking as it seems.

My own recent attempt at this led to one of the best nights of sleep I've ever enjoyed — and a permanent shift in my behavior. My phone stays in another room overnight and I use a screen-free alarm clock. To catch any emergency calls, I put my phone in do-not-disturb but turn the ringer on and all the way up so favorites can break through the silence if needed.

It can feel like an annoying hack just to get a peaceful night's rest, but it's far better than waking up, reaching for my phone, and getting pulled into text or email messages before I'm even out of bed.

At a glance:

• The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are $100 more expensive than last year's Pro models; pre-orders begin Sept. 12 ahead of a Sept. 18 launch.

• The iPhone 18 Pro features a new A20 Pro chip to better support AI features and Siri AI.

• While the design is largely the same, the new phones come in four color options: burgundy, black, silver, and glacier blue. Last year's iPhone 17 Pro didn't have a black option.

• The new phones have major camera upgrades, including a physical variable aperture, smart focus tracking, cinematic video effects, and improved low-light photography.

The new iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple's most powerful smartphone model, was officially announced on Wednesday at the big "Surprise and Shine" event.

And if you take a look at the device, you may notice that — aside from the new color options — the new iPhone Pro Max looks a lot like the old iPhone Pro Max.

It's true. Visually, the iPhone 18 Pro Max sports a very similar design in the same-sized body as its predecessor, the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

However, when it comes to the iPhone 18 Pro Max, it's what's on the inside that counts.

So, before you pre-order the new iPhones, here's the head-to-head between the two devices.

Cost

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are priced at $1,199 and $1,299, respectively. That means the phones both arrive with a $100 starting price increase over last year's model, which isn't too bad given the global memory crisis.

This is the one area where the iPhone 17 Pro models had a clear advantage.

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Color options

The iPhone 18 Pro Max comes in black, silver, glacier blue, and burgundy. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

Let's get the aforementioned color options out of the way first. Visually, this is the big difference between the new iPhone 18 Pro Max and the old iPhone 17 Pro Max.

The iPhone 18 Pro Max comes in four colors. There's a new burgundy and glacier blue, as well as a silver color that looks to be a slightly different shade than the iPhone 17 Pro Max's silver. And finally, a black model returns after being conspicuously (and controversially) absent from the iPhone 17 Pro Max options.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max comes in silver, deep blue, and the viral cosmic orange color options. So, if you were really drawn to that Halloween-esque orange color, this fall, it's all about burgundy.

Display, size, and design

As mentioned, these phones have the same overall design. Both of these Apple smartphones sport a 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR display in an aluminum body.

The height, width, and depth of the iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro Max are exactly the same. The only real difference between the two here is in their weight. The iPhone 18 Pro Max is slightly heavier than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, weighing 8.78 ounces versus 8.22 ounces, respectively.

Why is the new model heavier? Likely because of the larger battery and new variable aperture components.

Cameras

Credit: Apple

This is the first big difference between the two devices.

Yes, the iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro Max both have a 48MP Pro Fusion camera system with a 48MP Fusion Main lens, 48MP Fusion Ultra Wide lens, and 48MP Fusion Telephoto lens. 

However, the iPhone 18 Pro Max introduces a physical variable aperture on its main camera lens. This provides way more control when it comes to lighting and depth of field, and it will make a noticeable difference in the quality of the photo and video output.

In addition, the iPhone 18 Pro Max has smart focus tracking, cinematic mode video effects, and improved low-light video. There's also a new image authentication feature called Apple Reference Image that verifies that the image was captured by the iPhone camera and isn't AI-generated.

Credit: Apple

The new iPhone 18 Pro Max has new Pro Controls features as well, which gives users the ability to manually tweak lens aperture, shutter speed, white balance, and more.

Battery

Another huge difference between the two devices is the battery. In fact, Apple says that the iPhone 18 Pro Max has "the largest increase of battery life ever on iPhone."

The iPhone 18 Pro Max can last for 45 hours of video playback on a single charge. That's 6 more hours than its predecessor.

Dynamic Island

Credit: Apple

Visibly, you may not be able to notice this, but the physical cutout on the iPhone 18 Pro Max display, where the Dynamic Island is housed, is smaller than on the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

The sensor region where the cutout is located is roughly 16.57mm. On the iPhone 17 Pro Max, this region was 20.76mm.

Why does that make a difference? By shrinking the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple was able to add a third activity display within the feature. So, even though the physical Dynamic Island is smaller on the iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple is able to pack more into the feature because of this. And this 3-in-1 Dynamic Island is only available on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max models.

Processing power

Credit: Apple

The biggest and most unappreciated difference will be what powers the devices.

Apple says it completely redesigned its Silicon chipset, with the A20 Pro chip, to make it its most powerful and most efficient iPhone yet. In addition to that, it completely redesigned its vapor chamber system in order to keep the iPhone 18 Pro Max cool and deliver the highest possible thermal performance.

While the iPhone 17 Pro Max's A19 Pro chipset is certainly powerful in its own right, the A20 Pro chip was designed at a time when Apple is simultaneously launching many of its new Apple Intelligence features, such as the completely reimagined voice assistant Siri AI.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

Weeks after announcing its sale to AI image-generator Midjourney, astrology app Co-Star revealed it's launching a dating app for book lovers called Readme.

First reported on Sept. 4 in journalist Emily Sundberg's newsletter, Feed Me, Readme (unrelated to Feed Me) is for "people who read (or want to date people who read)." It's the brainchild of Co-Star's founder and CEO, Banu Guler, and strategist and cultural analyst Emily Segal. Guler shared the news on X on Tuesday:

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"Obviously everyone knows that existing dating app culture is profoundly broken," Segal told Sundberg. Dating app fatigue and cynicism are well-documented, but while many singles are sick of the apps, they don't know where else to turn.

"Readme emerged from a running observation between me and Banu, that even though our friends were constantly in bookstores, we never actually saw anyone have that meme-famous 'meet cute at a bookstore' experience," Segal continued.

The two realized they could create something themselves that would mimic that experience, and believe that someone's taste in books tells you a lot more about their true spirit "than an awkwardly workshopped line on a conventional dating app profile." (Segal recently coined the term "tasteslop," which has a three-pronged definition: Slop made out of things considered tasteful; Tasteful things deployed in service of slop; and repeated discussion in the tech world about the significance of taste.)

Segal told Sundberg that Co-Star users have wanted a dating app, but that astrology, which is Co-Star's main focus, "is only one piece of the puzzle."

It's unclear how the cosmos will play into Readme, but considering it's an offshoot of one of the most well-known astrology apps, it'd be surprising if the zodiac was absent. And fans of Co-Star have claimed the app has "read them to filth," so the name might be a nod to that. Whether AI will factor into the app is also in question, given that Midjourney now owns Co-Star.

The launch party is happening this week, where surely more details will be revealed.

The iPhone 18 line and first foldable iPhone are officially here, which means brand new cases are, too.

The first few weeks after a new phone's release can mean more limited case options. The good news? iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max phones are compatible with iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max cases. The foldable iPhone Duo, however, is another story. As the iPhone Duo size is completely unique, the case options are limited to just Apple and a few other brands as of launch day.

Still, we gathered up the best cases available for the new iPhones so far, whether you're looking for something cute, something protective, or something that brings the best of both worlds. Check them out below.

Note: Most iPhone Duo cases on this list have live product pages, but aren't available to order just yet. We'll keep this list updated as they become available.

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max cases

Opens in a new window

Credit: Casetify

Casetify Impact Case in Dark Cherry Jelly

$64 at Casetify

 

Shop Now

Why we like it

This look won't be for everyone, but Casetify's Dark Cherry case feels kind of perfect for the new burgundy colorway (especially as it was rumored to be called "dark cherry" before its release). If you're not a fan of this design, Casetify already has plenty of others available for the 18 Pro and Pro Max.

More iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max cases

• Smartish Wallet Case — $34.99

• Casely Blue Hydrangea Case with MagSafe — $35

• Otterbox Figura Series — $39.99

• Velvet Caviar Polka Dot case — $40

• Apple Silicone Case — $49

• CaseMate Jelly Pop Carolina with MagSafe — $50

• Casetify Cloud Case — $52

• Casetify Ripple Case — $56

• Apple TechWoven Case — $59

• Nudient Bold Case — $60

• Casetify Impact Case — $64

• Otterbox Defender Series — $69.99

iPhone Duo cases

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Credit: Apple

Apple iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand

$129.99 at Apple

 

Learn More

Why we like it

Apple's iPhone Duo Folio case isn't available just yet, but we're intrigued by the design. The kickstand allows for the phone to stay propped up when folded or open, bringing together the best parts of a phone and mini tablet experience. Yeah, $129.99 is steep, but hey, so is $3,199.

More iPhone Duo cases

• Casely Shell Shocked (with MagSafe) — $40

• Velvet Caviar Midnight Stars — $40

• Velvet Caviar Snoopy Moods — $45

• dbrand Grip Case — $54.90

• CaseMate Floral Gems MagSafe — $60

• Otterbox Lumen Series — $69.99

• Spigen Ultra Hybrid Pro S (Mag Fit) — $69.99

• Apple iPhone Duo Case — $79

• MagBak Elite — $89

• Thinborne iPhone Duo case — $89.69

• Otterbox Defender Series Pro XT — $89.99

• Spigen Slim Armor Pro (Mag Fit) — $89.99

Want more tech 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.

See what our readers guessed would happen at today's Apple event in our Big Guessing Game.

Everywhere you can preorder the new Apple Watches:

---

Apple Store

Apple Watch Series 12 (GPS, 42mm)

$399

Pre-Order Here

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Apple Store

Apple Watch Ultra 4 (GPS + cellular, 49mm)

$799

Pre-Order Here

New iPhones weren't the only devices Apple announced during its "Surprise and Shine" event Wednesday. The company also revealed two upgraded smartwatches, and they're both available for preorder right away.

The lineup includes the new flagship Apple Watch Series 12 and the premium rugged Apple Watch Ultra 4. (Apple didn't revisit its budget Apple Watch SE 3 this time around.) Shoppers can now purchase them through the Apple Store ahead of their joint release on Friday, Sept. 18. We'll update this story with other major retailers' preorder listings once they go live.

Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 pricing

The Apple Watch Series 12 is available with rubber, textile, and stainless steel band styles. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

Notably, neither Apple Watch received a price hike from the previous generation:

• Apple Watch Series 12 — starting from $399 in two sizes (42mm or 46mm)

• Apple Watch Ultra 4 — starting from $799 in one size (49mm)

Like always, the Ultra model comes standard with cellular connectivity. It's an optional $100 upgrade on certain Series 12 variants, depending on the case style.

Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 features

Apple calls the Ultra 4 "the ultimate sports and adventure watch." Credit: Apple

Both new Apple Watches run on the new S11 chip and include a new Health Sensing System with improved sensors. Apple said this system captures more accurate, continuous heart rate data and enables a "Readiness" score that tells the user how intensely they should exercise based on recent activities.

The S11 chip also enables "Audio Intelligence" features that utilize the watches' built-in microphones. Coming later this year, these include Sound Recognition alerts and Live Rewind conversation transcriptions. (To address privacy concerns, Apple said the watches don't record or store audio.)

The new Apple Watches' Readiness score tries to predict your bandwidth for future workouts. Credit: Apple

The Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 will both work with Apple's newly redesigned Health app for iPhones, which also launches later this year.

The Series 12 is rated for up to 24 hours of battery life, while the Ultra 4 can last up to 50 hours per charge. That jumps to a whopping 84 hours in low power mode.

Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 colors

Here's a closer look at the Apple Watch Series 12's new ceramic finish. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

The Series 12's case will be available in three finishes and multiple colors:

• Aluminum (dark bronze, light gold, black, or space gray) starting from $399 with optional cellular connectivity

• Titanium (radiant gold or natural) starting from $699 with cellular connectivity

• Ceramic (pearl white or night blue) starting from $899 with cellular connectivity

Rubber, textile, and stainless steel bands are available for the Series 12.

The Ultra 4's case just comes in black titanium or natural titanium. It can be paired with an Alpine Loop, Trail Loop, Ocean Band, or Titanium Milanese Loop.

The Apple Store is also selling special-edition Hermès variants of both smartwatches, starting at $1,399 for the Series 12 and $1,499 for the Ultra 4. The latter is available with a new extendable Grand H titanium band for $3,149.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

On Wednesday, Apple announced a cornucopia of new products. The iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Duo, AirPods 5, Apple Watch Series 12, and Apple Watch Ultra 4 are all coming soon, and that's very exciting.

But what about after that? It turns out Apple still probably has some tricks left up its sleeve for the rest of 2026, as the rumor mill anticipates several new product launches before the end of the year. They may not all be as monumental as a foldable iPhone, but some of them are still pretty exciting.

Here are the Apple products we expect to see before the end of 2026.

Two new MacBooks, including one with a touchscreen

Apple tends to launch new MacBook laptops between the annual iPhone event and the end of the year, and 2026 is looking no different. Two new MacBooks, in particular, stand out as products we'll see before the calendar turns.

The first is a MacBook Pro with an M6 chip, which was reported by Bloomberg earlier this year. We admittedly don't know a whole lot about this device yet, but the new chip should come with noticeable gains in performance and battery efficiency, if nothing else. This may not be a particularly revolutionary new MacBook model, which is fine, because the next one might be.

To be more specific, we're expecting a "MacBook Ultra" to launch this year. Reports and Apple's own beta software indicate it will have a touchscreen, which would be new for the MacBook line. It's possible this one will slip into early 2027, but fingers crossed it doesn't, as it'll reportedly have Dynamic Island in an OLED display and a thin chassis.

A new Apple TV 4K

Reports from the likes of Bloomberg's Mark Gurman also suggest we'll get a new Apple TV 4K refresh this year. It's been four years since the last one, so Apple's set-top box is probably due for an upgrade. The main things we know right now are that it will apparently use Apple's in-house WiFi/Bluetooth N1 chip for network connectivity, and it might have a redesigned Siri remote. It could also get Siri AI support, if that's your thing.

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HomePod Mini

You'll never believe this, but yet another report from Gurman earlier this year suggested some more Apple smart home products are on the way in 2026.

First, a new HomePod Mini is allegedly coming this year. It would be the first since all the way back in 2020. It's said to support Siri AI, contain the same N1 chip as the Apple TV 4K, and it might even come in a red color. Exciting! Those changes are on top of expected improvements, like better sound quality.

Home Hub

Last but certainly not least, Apple may have a brand new smart home product called Home Hub launching this year.

This one is supposedly a HomePod-esque device that also has a 7-inch display. It will use facial recognition to know who it looking at the display and change what it's showing, accordingly. Naturally, you'll also be able to do FaceTime calls, play music, display a gallery of your photos, and more. Reports also suggest it'll have a unique operating system that blends elements of homeOS and tvOS.

As always, things can change, and some of these devices might slip into 2027. But if you were worried that Apple was done after the "Surprise and Shine" event, worry not.

What about the iPhone 18?

If you were looking for the iPhone 18 at the iPhone launch event, then you would have been disappointed. Unfortunately for shoppers who want to spend less than $1,000 on a new phone, this is one device we do not expect to launch in 2026. Rumors point to a spring 2027 release date for the base model iPhone 18.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

Good news, everyone! Apple's Polishing Cloth is "compatible" with the iPhone Duo.

Mercifully confirmed on Apple's website, the tech giant's microfibre cloth is ready to wipe clean its first foldable smartphone, which was announced at Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event on Wednesday — among many, many things.

Following the event, Apple added its new devices — iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max — to the webpage listing its most Emperor's New Clothes of products. The Polishing Cloth is technically compatible. We're just giving you the facts.

CONFIRMED. Credit: Apple / Mashable screenshot

Apple recently lowered the price on its Polishing Cloth, cutting that $19 price tag into a still-lofty-for-a-cloth $9. Considering the price of the new iPhone Duo, maybe buyers will want to just throw one in for fun.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

See what our readers guessed would happen at today's Apple event in our Big Guessing Game

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

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Credit: Apple

T-Mobile: Free iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro

 

Get Deal

Apple just announced a new lineup of phones, including the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, and the long-awaited folding iPhone Duo. Notably missing was the base model iPhone 18, which is rumored to be released in spring 2027. If the Pro models seem like overkill and you're not quite sold on a folding Apple phone yet, sticking with the iPhone 17 is your best bet for now.

And if you switch to T-Mobile or trade in your existing phone, you could get the iPhone 17 or iPhone 17 Pro for free. All of these deals are live now:

• iPhone 17e — free when you switch to almost any qualifying T-Mobile plan (no trade-in required).

• iPhone 17 — free on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan when you turn in an eligible trade-in device.

• iPhone 17 Pro — free when you bring your existing number over to an Experience Beyond plan (no trade-in required).

T-Mobile requires you to pay local sales tax on the phone's full retail value upfront, along with a standard $35 device connection fee per line at checkout. Are these really "free" deals when you need to pay something upfront? It's a gray area, OK? Anyway, it's a small price to pay for a new iPhone.

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

Apple just announced the $1,199 iPhone 18 Pro and the $1,999 foldable iPhone Duo. If you were hoping to soften those prices by trading in your current phone, however, Apple may have some bad news for you.

Following its "Surprise and Shine" event, Apple updated its trade-in program and lowered the maximum amount it will pay for previously eligible iPhone models.

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An iPhone 16 Pro Max is now worth up to $610, down from $720. The iPhone 16 Pro took an even larger hit, dropping from as much as $630 to $510 — a $120 reduction. Some depreciation is expected whenever Apple releases a new generation of iPhones, but the timing is particularly notable because Apple had raised trade-in values for many of these same devices just last month. In August, the iPhone 16 Pro Max jumped from $695 to $720. Following this week's event, it's down to $610.

The cuts continue throughout Apple's older lineup. An iPhone 15 Pro Max is now worth up to $455, down from $530, while the iPhone 15 Pro fell from $420 to $370. Maximum trade-in values for the iPhone 14 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro dropped to $360 and $285, respectively.

Here are some of the most notable changes:

• iPhone 16 Pro Max: Up to $610, down from $720

• iPhone 16 Pro: Up to $510, down from $630

• iPhone 16 Plus: Up to $430, down from $485

• iPhone 16: Up to $430, down from $480

• iPhone 16e: Up to $270, down from $310

• iPhone 15 Pro Max: Up to $455, down from $530

• iPhone 15 Pro: Up to $370, down from $420

• iPhone 15: Up to $305, down from $335

• iPhone 14 Pro Max: Up to $360, down from $405

• iPhone 14 Pro: Up to $285, down from $335

Apple also added last year's iPhone 17 lineup to the trade-in program. The iPhone 17 Pro Max is eligible for up to $885, while the iPhone 17 Pro tops out at $785. Both the iPhone Air and standard iPhone 17 are worth up to $585.

Interestingly, those starting values are more generous than what Apple offered for the previous generation when it became eligible for trade-in. Last year's iPhone 16 Pro Max, for example, initially topped out at $700, compared with $885 for the iPhone 17 Pro Max today.

There may also be a small silver lining for anyone trading in a less-than-pristine device. Apple is reportedly becoming more forgiving of minor cosmetic damage, including small chips or cracks in the display. That could mean some damaged iPhones receive better assessments than they would have under the previous system, even as maximum trade-in values decline.

And the reductions aren't universal. They primarily affect iPhones. Every eligible iPad gained value, with the iPad Pro jumping from $720 to $905. Most Macs also received increases: The MacBook Pro rose from $855 to $1,315, while the Mac Studio climbed from $1,305 to $1,460. Apple Watch values were generally reduced or left unchanged.

Of course, these figures represent the most Apple will offer, not guaranteed payouts. The final amount depends on the device and its condition after inspection. Still, the timing stings: Apple's newest iPhones are more expensive, while many of the devices customers might use to help pay for them are suddenly worth less.

Apple announced its latest rugged wearable, the Apple Watch Ultra 4, during its "Surprise and Shine" iPhone event on Wednesday. It's joined by the new flagship Apple Watch Series 12, some new AirPods, the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, and the long-rumored foldable iPhone Duo.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 will start at $799, the same price as last year's Apple Watch Ultra 3. It also has the same design as its predecessor, but adds faster performance, a longer battery life, and new health and fitness features. Here's a rundown of its upgrades.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 introduces new Health Sensing System, S11 chip

Credit: Apple

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is the latest iteration of Apple's biggest, most durable, and most expensive smartwatch. In a press release, the company called it "the ultimate sports and adventure watch" and "the most comprehensive wearable across health, fitness, and safety."

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 supports a new Health Sensing System that takes more accurate, continuous heart rate readings. That includes more heart rate variability (HRV) measurements to gauge cardiovascular stress and recovery indicators, Apple said. Users will be able to compare their daytime and nighttime HRV measurements.

The Health Sensing System also adds a Readiness fitness score that tells the user how prepared they are for certain workout activities based on past training sessions.

Credit: Apple

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 will work with iPhones' newly revamped Health app (out later this year), which will have a Longevity tab and use vision-based AI models to analyze users' movements for flexibility, balance, and more.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 runs on the new S11 chip, which will power new "Audio Intelligence" features (also coming later this year). These include a "Live Rewind" tool that can transcribe 15 seconds of conversations, "Siri Recap" conversation summaries, and "Sound Recognition" alerts for users who are deaf and hard of hearing.

Credit: Apple

Privacy-wise, Apple said Audio Intelligence features "do not create or store audio recordings," and that raw audio is processed separately from the rest of the system before it's deleted. Apple, on-board apps, and even the user themselves can't access it.

The Health Sensing System, redesigned Health app, and Audio Intelligence features will also be available on the standard Apple Watch Series 12.

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 will offer up to 50 hours of battery life, up from 42 in the previous generation. In low power mode, it maxes out at 84 hours per charge. Apple said its "charging is now faster than ever," with just 15 minutes on an outlet translating to 18 hours of use.

Credit: Apple

The Apple Watch Ultra 4's case comes in the same standard colors as the Ultra 3 — black titanium and natural titanium — but its Alpine Loop, Trail Loop, and Ocean Band come in new hues. A luxe Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 4 variant will be available with a new extendable Grand H titanium band for $3,149. (It otherwise starts at $1,499.)

The Apple Watch Ultra 4 is set for release on Friday, Sept. 18, and preorders begin today.

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Credit: Apple

Apple Watch Ultra 4

$799 at the Apple Store

 

Pre-order Here

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

At Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event, newly minted CEO John Ternus unveiled the long-anticipated foldable, the iPhone Duo. Before we got to that big announcement though, Ternus and the Apple team showed off the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max. The iPhone announcements ended there with no regular iPhone 18 announced.

Apple CEO, John Ternus, showed off the iPhone Duo. But the regular iPhone 18 wasn't mentioned. Credit: Apple

The tech giant instead focused on three premium iPhone models, with the iPhone 18 Pro starting at $1,199 and the iPhone Duo starting at $1,999. This breaks from Apple's September tradition of releasing the full lineup of iPhones. Apple likely didn't want to overcrowd its announcements, especially with the high-profile launch of the iPhone Duo. But does that mean Apple is skipping the regular iPhone 18?

Going into the event, there were already rumors that Apple wasn't going to release the regular iPhone 18 just yet. Instead, the iPhone 18, along with the 18e and a new iPhone Air, is rumored to be coming March 2027. So if you wanted a more affordable iPhone model, you'll potentially need to wait another six months.

Until then, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will be available for preorder Sept. 12, while the iPhone Duo will be available for preorder Oct. 16. Plus, Apple still has the iPhone 17 and 17e available for purchase.

Apple took the wraps off its latest hardware lineup today, closing the book on months of leaks, dummy units, and supply chain chatter with an event at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park. The keynote marked John Ternus's first turn on stage as Apple's CEO, following Tim Cook's move to executive chairman after 15 years running the company.

For his first keynote after taking charge just a week ago, Ternus made sure to make viewers aware of how deeply Apple Intelligence is threaded throughout the Apple ecosystem.

And there was plenty to weave it through. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max arrived with a new burgundy finish replacing last year's divisive cosmic orange, massive battery gains, and a camera system that finally delivers on manual controls and a variable aperture. To outdo the iPhone Pro's turn into a pocket-sized DSLR, Ternus dropped one of Apple's most exciting product announcements in years: the iPhone Duo.

Now that the keynote has wrapped, here's a rundown of everything Apple announced, how it stacks up, and what's worth knowing before you decide whether to upgrade.

iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max

Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

Apple's Pro smartphone lineup gets what the company describes as its "most advanced camera system yet," built around a 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera with variable aperture — a first for iPhone. Six "laser-cut blades" automatically adjust across four aperture settings to manage depth of field and lighting, while a new sensor is designed to improve low-light shooting and group-photo detail.

A new "Pro controls" interface lets photographers manually adjust aperture, shutter speed, and white balance, and check exposure with an onscreen histogram; an API also lets external developers access the aperture range. The phones also introduce Apple Reference Image, a feature that captures signed sensor data processed through Apple's Private Cloud Compute to create an unalterable reference photo alongside the main image. In plainer terms, it's basically a digital negative that confirms what was in the original shot vs. the edited one.

Both phones run on the new A20 Pro chip, built on a 2-nanometer process with a 6-core CPU, 7-core GPU, and a 16-core Neural Engine that Apple says doubles the AI processing power of the previous A19 Pro. The Dynamic Island has also been redesigned to display up to three Live Activities at once.

Battery life sees a notable jump, particularly on the Pro Max, which Apple says can deliver up to 45 hours of video playback in eSIM-only configuration, which is the largest battery-life increase in iPhone history, according to the company. The phones also introduce Apple's next-generation C2 cellular modem, which the company says delivers faster uploads than its predecessor while using 15 percent less power.

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max come in black, silver, glacier, and a "dangerously chic" burgundy. Rest in peace, cosmic orange. Both phones are also getting a $100 price hike with the 18 Pro and Pro Max starting at $1,199 and $1,299, respectively.

Pre-orders begin Sept. 12, with availability starting Sept. 18.

iPhone Duo arrives: Price, release date revealed

Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

It's been awhile since Apple launched a phone that genuinely excited the growing audience of tech skeptics. To wrap the keynote, Ternus introduced iPhone Duo, Apple's first foldable phone. Ternus and company are very confident about Duo, taking shots at the likes of Samsung and Motorola, contrasting it with their foldables as "two phones stuck together."

When opened, the Duo has a 7.6-inch inner display and, according to Apple, is the thinnest iPhone ever made; when closed, a 5.4-inch outer display offers 90 percent of the iPhone 18 Pro's screen area. Both screens share the same aspect ratio, so content scales consistently between them, and a nano-texture finish is designed to cut glare and minimize the visibility of the fold crease.

Folded, it's about the size of a passport, with rounded corners and a continuous frame that genuinely looks unexpectedly cool in person.

iPhone Duo runs on the same A20 Pro chip as the Pro models and includes dual batteries that Apple says work together to deliver up to 44 hours of video playback using the outer display alone. The folding form factor enables several camera-specific features, including Smart Take, which uses on-device AI to automatically capture a photo when it detects subjects posing, and Duo FaceTime, which lets a nearby person join a video call through the outer display and camera.

Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

iOS 27 has been adapted specifically for the device, moving controls to the side of the screen to preserve vertical space and introducing Split View, which allows two apps to run side by side on an iPhone for the first time.

iPhone Duo is available in Star White and Night Sky finishes, starting at $1,999. Pre-orders open Oct. 16, and ship on Oct. 23.

AirPods 5 improves ANC, sound quality

Credit: Apple

The 5th-gen AirPods are here with Active Noise Cancellation, with the company saying the feature removes up to 50 percent more external noise than AirPods 4 with ANC. A new multiport acoustic architecture and an updated Adaptive EQ are designed to improve sound quality, while Apple Intelligence-powered Live Translation lets wearers hear conversations translated into their preferred language.

The standard AirPods 5 are priced at $129, while a version with a wireless charging case, longer battery life, and on-stem volume control is priced at $149.

Credit: Apple

Both are available for pre-order now and will ship on Sept. 18.

Apple Watch Ultra 4 and Apple Watch Series 12 add new health features

Credit: Apple

Apple refreshed both ends of its watch lineup, the Series 12 and Ultra 4, around a shared new Health Sensing System that the company says provides the most accurate heart rate sensing of any wearable.

Powered by the new S11 chip in both models, the watches measure heart rate every 5 seconds throughout the day, while heart rate variability is now measured every 5 minutes. Both watches also introduce a "readiness" feature that combines recent activity, training load, vitals, and sleep data into a daily 0-10 score paired with one of four recommendations: Recover, Pace Yourself, Ready, or Go For It.

The S11 chip also enables a new Audio Intelligence suite on both watches, built on Apple Intelligence and Private Cloud Compute. It includes Sound Recognition, which alerts deaf or hard-of-hearing users to sounds like sirens, alarms or doorbells; Live Rewind, which replays the previous 15 seconds of conversation as a text snippet with a double press of the Digital Crown; Siri Recap, which generates summaries, not transcripts, of conversations; and Shazam-based music identification.

Apple says that the audio conversations on your watch are processed on-device and deleted immediately afterward. The company also stated that summaries don't identify who's speaking and that users must opt in to each feature individually.

With watchOS 27, both models also gain access to Siri AI through a new Siri app and a dedicated Siri Modular watch face. Where the two models diverge is on ruggedness, battery life, and design.

The Ultra 4 comes in a neat titanium finish in this Hermès variant. Credit: Apple

Apple Watch Ultra 4, aimed at athletes and outdoor use, offers up to 50 hours of everyday battery life and up to 84 hours in Low Power Mode, with a Max Extended Workout mode that can track outdoor activity for up to 45 hours; it comes in natural and black titanium, starting at $799.

Apple Watch Series 12 delivers 24 hours of everyday battery life, with a 25 percent boost to 10 hours during outdoor workouts, and comes in 42mm and 46mm sizes across aluminum, titanium, and a new ceramic option, starting at $399.

Both watches can be pre-ordered right now and will ship on Sept. 18.

Redesigned Health App

Credit: Apple

Apple is also updating its Health app, arriving later this year on iPhone, with a new Insights tab that summarizes daily health data and a Longevity tab that introduces "Health Age," a metric that estimates how a user's health indicators compare with their chronological age.

The app will let users schedule lab tests covering more than 50 biomarkers for $119 at Quest Diagnostics locations across the U.S., and will add at-home movement assessments that use the iPhone camera and vision-based AI models to evaluate flexibility, strength, and balance.

The Health app is also adding support for logging perimenopause and menopause within Cycle Tracking, along with notifications for users 40 and older who show cycle patterns suggestive of perimenopause.

Siri AI features arrive soon

Credit: Apple

It's finally here. After two long years since it was announced (which is an eternity in gen-AI development and scaling), Apple's revamped Apple Intelligence Siri will be released with iOS 27 later this month.

Similar to other AI-powered digital assistants, Siri AI is framed as a personal chatbot and assistant that draws on personal context, i.e., your messages, emails, photos, and other on-device information to answer questions, take action based on what's on a user's screen, and carry out tasks in third-party apps. It is rolling out in beta with iOS 27 across iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone Duo, Apple Watch Ultra 4, and AirPods 5.

Much of what Siri AI can do on iOS 27 was covered at its reveal at Apple's WWDC event back in June. The short rundown of Siri AI capabilities on iPhone is onscreen awareness and a camera-integrated mode that can answer questions about what a user is looking at.

On iPhone Duo, an all-new Siri app preserves conversation history synced through iCloud. On Apple Watch, Siri AI is accessible through a new Siri app and a dedicated Siri Modular watch face. On AirPods, users can respond to Siri hands-free using head gestures.

Apple said the assistant relies on on-device processing and its Private Cloud Compute system to handle more complex requests while keeping personal data encrypted and inaccessible to Apple.

Apple Intelligence, which underpins Siri AI along with features like Live Translation and the Health app's insights, becomes available with iOS 27 on Sept. 14 for supported devices set to one of 16 supported languages, including English, Spanish, French, German, Japanese and Korean, among others.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park. See what our readers guessed would happen at today's Apple event in our Big Guessing Game.

UPDATE: Sep. 9, 2026, 5:43 p.m. EDT This article has been updated with some original photos from the Apple event.

Apple’s "Surprise and shine" keynote today made the $1,999 iPhone Duo look almost impossibly seamless. But now that people at Apple Park are actually opening, closing, folding, and gaming on the device, we have a better idea of what Apple’s first foldable looks like in real life.

The short version: It looks impressively thin, the software responds quickly as the phone changes shape, and the crease isn’t quite as invisible as Apple’s presentation suggested (though it comes pretty close). Here are some early glimpses we’ve spotted so far — first and foremost from Mashable's Senior Editor, Stan Schroeder, who’s on the ground at the Apple event.

Mashable’s Stan Schroeder holds the unfolded iPhone Duo, showing its thin profile and subtle center crease. Credit: Mashable, Stan Schroeder

Mashable’s Stan Schroeder tests the iPhone Duo’s camera on its large inner display. Credit: Mashable, Stan Schroeder

Early reactions were largely enthusiastic. Tech creator Max Weinbach called the iPhone Duo the "bar none best foldable," and was taken by the under-display camera, calling it "wild." "I wasn’t expecting that."

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Tech reviewer and Mashable 101 honoree iJustine, or Justine Ezarik, showed how compact the fully opened device looks when held in two hands, writing that the product is "amazingggg."

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Ezarik also demonstrated what it looked like to watch Netflix's "Clips" feature, which provides a vertical video feed, as well as an episode of Wednesday.

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She also showed off the Duo’s camera, including how the foldable design and outer display can be used while framing a shot.

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YouTube streamer IShowSpeed was similarly captivated while trying the phone during a livestream, repeatedly folding and unfolding it as viewers in the chat reacted, who were also impressed.

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A clip posted by journalist Geoff Keighley specifically highlighted the sleek animation when folding the Duo from its larger, tablet-like display into its compact outer screen. "I thought the transition to the inner display was just for show, but it’s so cool it’s as advertised in-person," replied one user.

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Keighley also tested games running across the open display in three perspectives enabled by the hinge. "Pokémon Go and watching TikToks on one mobile device is gonna be cool," wrote another user.

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The responses online haven't been universally glowing. Some people compared the shape to Microsoft’s Surface Duo or a Nintendo DS. Others questioned whether games would stutter as the display moved between positions.

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Senior Editor at Gizmodo, Ray Wong, gave a different perspective of the Duo, taping it from several angles as he opened and closed it. Viewed straight on, the 7.6-inch display looks nearly continuous, but tilt the phone toward an overhead light, and a subtle vertical crease becomes visible through the center.

"Can definitely see the screen crease at certain angles,” Wong wrote. Replies largely agreed that some kind of crease remains unavoidable on a folding screen, although several people noted that lighting and viewing angle appear to make a substantial difference. "They are magicians, not Gods!" one user pointed out.

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Another felt completely differently, writing, "Wow. the crease is really seamless."

If you want to unfold the iPhone Duo for yourself, you’ll get your chance when it reaches customers on Oct. 23.

View pricing on iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro

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Preorders begin 9/12

Apple iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max

Starts at $1,199

Learn More

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Preorders begin 10/16

Apple iPhone Duo

Starts at $1,999

Learn More

Rumors of Apple's foldable iPhone have been flying for years, but now we finally have it confirmed: the iPhone Duo is coming this October. At Apple's Sept. 9 event, the tech giant announced the full collection of new iPhones coming, which includes the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the foldable iPhone Duo.

September marks the start of fall, the school year, and, of course, the new iPhone. For years now, Apple has launched its new iPhones in September, and this year is no different. Though, we didn't get the base model iPhone 18 this September — it's rumored to be released in spring 2027. Maybe your old iPhone is finally on its last leg, or perhaps you've just been waiting for the foldable iPhone, but either way, if you're ready to buy an iPhone, it's almost time.

Here's the pricing breakdown:

• iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max (burgundy, glacier, silver, and black) — starting at $1,199

• iPhone Duo (star white and night sky) — starting at $1,999

While we know the breakdown of the new iPhones' pricing, neither is available for preorder yet. So, when are you able to secure one of the new models for yourself?

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are available in a stunning new burgundy. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

When are the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max available for preorder?

While the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max were unveiled at Apple's event on Sept. 9, neither is currently available for preorder.

Preorders for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max begin Saturday, Sept. 12. Devices will then be available as soon as Friday, Sept. 18.

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max come in four new colors, including burgundy, glacier (a light blue), silver, and black. The iPhone Pro starts at $1,199 while the Pro Max starts at $1,299.

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Credit: Apple

Apple iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max

$1,199 at Apple

Preorders begin Saturday, Sept. 12.

Learn More

When is the iPhone Duo available for preorder?

For the iPhone Duo, you'll need to wait a bit longer. The first foldable iPhone from Apple won't be available for preorder until Friday, Oct. 16. The Duo will then be available as soon as Friday, Oct. 23.

The newest iPhone comes in the colors star white and night sky (navy). Models begin at $1,999 for a 256GB model, while the 2TB model comes in at $3,199.

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Credit: Apple

iPhone Duo

$1,999

Preorders begin Friday, Oct. 16.

Learn More

How to buy the new iPhones

Buying an iPhone has historically been straightforward. You can either pay in full for the device through Apple or at your mobile retailer. Apple has also featured payment plans through its Apple Card, and most mobile carriers feature monthly payments rather than an upfront lump sum. While this remains true for the new iPhones, Apple has launched a new way to buy its phones.

With the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo, you can now lease both phones. Just like a car lease, you won't technically own the device, instead paying a monthly fee to use it. These leases from Apple span 24 months and let you upgrade your device at any point.

Leasing the iPhone 18 Pro begins at $34.99 a month, and the iPhone Duo begins at $57.99 a month.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park

Apple just wrapped its biggest iPhone launch event in years. Today, on Sept. 9, the tech giant hosted its "Surprise and Shine" event, and Mashable will be reporting live from Apple Park all week. At the event, Apple finally unveiled the iPhone Duo, its first-ever foldable iPhone. The event also set the stage for the grand debut of Siri AI. Plus, new CEO John Ternus stepped into the spotlight for the first keynote of the post-Tim Cook era. It's an event that's been years in the making.

Thanks to months of leaks and rumors, we had a fairly good idea of what to expect from the Apple Event, where we learned about the new iPhone 18 Pro lineup, iOS 27, Siri AI, the AirPods 5, the Apple Watch Series 12, and more.

You can re-watch the keynote via the CNET Apple Event livestream. We'll also be sharing real-time updates on all of the day's news, behind-the-scenes videos, and product announcements in this live blog.

Want more tech 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, and see what our readers guessed would happen at today's Apple event in our Big Guessing Game.

The rumour mill can rest, as Apple’s foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, has been unveiled. And competitors are already hitting social media with pure cheek.

Announced at Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event on Wednesday, the tech giant's expensive new folding device was the talk of Cupertino, California, and beyond. Apple's answer to the foldables of competitors like Samsung and Google, the iPhone Duo has a 7.6-inch inner display that can fold in half.

Following the reveal, Apple competitor Samsung, which revealed its own Galaxy Z Fold 8 in July, hit X with an unsubtle tweet.

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But it wasn't just smartphone makers freaking out about Apple's new foldable. The team behind Duolingo, the language app, apparently realise it shares a name with the device, with the official account spiralling about SEO and @ing new Apple CEO John Ternus.

"It's called the iPhone WHAT???" a Duolingo tweet reads.

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Jumping on the bandwagon, American dictionary Merriam-Webster threw in a tweet. "Not to brag, but our product has been foldable since 1828," the official account wrote, with quintessential "just gonna leave this here" energy.

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The iPhone Duo is undeniably Apple's buzziest device announced today, and Mashable's Olivia Tauber has all the details.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park. See what our readers guessed would happen at today's Apple event in our Big Guessing Game.

It's finally here. The long-rumored, highly anticipated first-ever foldable device from Apple has arrived.

And it's the most expensive iPhone ever.

Apple unveiled the foldable known as the iPhone Duo at its big "Surprise and Shine" iPhone event on Wednesday. And Apple seems to have delivered. The sentiment across the internet seems fairly positive.

If you're an Apple fan, you'll probably want an iPhone Duo. Maybe that is, until you see the price.

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999 for the 256GB storage model. That's the most expensive starting price for an iPhone ever, but it's actually cheaper than the rumored price previously reported by analysts. There was an expectation that the iPhone Duo base model could have launched at as much as $2,300.

However, if you're looking to max out the iPhone Duo to its highest storage capacity of 2TB, you might be in for some sticker shock.

A 2TB iPhone Duo will set you back $3,199. That's the most expensive iPhone ever. Period.

The 2TB iPhone Duo is a whopping $700 more than the brand new iPhone 18 Pro Max with 2TB of storage. 

In fact, the 2TB iPhone 18 Pro Max, which will retail for $2,499, is even less expensive than the 1TB iPhone Duo, which will launch at $2,599. That's a difference of a whole terabyte, and you're still paying $100 more for the iPhone Duo with half the storage space.

Apple fans will certainly be paying a premium for the company's first-ever foldable device.

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Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event Wednesday brought the announcement of a new iPhone lineup as expected, plus the first-ever foldable iPhone, but true to the name of the event, Apple had another release ready to go: the AirPods 5.

The new earbuds will officially be available on Friday, Sept. 18, but preorders are live as of Sept. 9. The earbuds are available in two models: the AirPods 5 and AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case. Both feature active noise cancellation (a deviation from the AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC), and lower price points of $129 and $149, respectively (compared to the AirPods 4's $129 and $179).

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Credit: Apple

Apple AirPods 5

Starting at $129

Pre-order Here

New features on these earbuds include:

• 50 percent more active noise cancellation power than the AirPods 4 with ANC

• Lower price points, with the AirPods 5 starting at $129 (the same price as the non-ANC AirPods 4) and the AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case starting at $149 ($30 less than the AirPods 4 with ANC)

• New multiport acoustic architecture for improved sound quality

• Battery life of up to five hours with ANC and an on-ear volume stem control on the more expensive AirPods 5

We'll update this story as major retailers' preorder listings go live.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

Apple’s first foldable iPhone comes with a radically different design — and a $1,999 starting price — but it retains one of the iPhone’s most familiar charging features.

Yes, the iPhone Duo supports MagSafe and Qi2 wireless charging at up to 25W. Apple says the phone can wirelessly charge to 50 percent in about 30 minutes when used with a MagSafe or Qi2 charger and a compatible power adapter rated at 35W or higher.

That support extends to Apple’s new accessories for the foldable device. The iPhone Duo Case and iPhone Duo Folio with Kickstand both contain built-in magnets that align with MagSafe and Qi2 chargers. In other words, users won’t have to remove the case whenever the phone needs a charge.

The two-part Duo Case wraps around both sides of the foldable phone and will be available in Sand and Navy Blue for $79. Apple’s $129 Duo Folio comes in Navy Blue and Taupe and includes a kickstand that can hold the phone at different angles for reading, watching videos, or making FaceTime calls.

Both accessories, along with the iPhone Duo, go on sale for preorders on Oct. 16. Availability starts Oct. 23.

Credit: Screenshot: Apple

How fast does the iPhone Duo charge?

If wireless charging isn’t fast enough, the iPhone Duo can reach 50 percent in around 20 minutes over a wired connection. Achieving that speed requires a USB-C cable rated for at least 60W and a compatible USB Power Delivery adapter.

Wireless charging takes around 10 minutes longer to reach the same level. Apple conducted its MagSafe testing with a 40W Dynamic Power Adapter, although the company says an adapter rated at 35W or higher is required for the fastest supported wireless charging speed.

Actual charging times will vary based on the adapter, temperature, settings, and how the phone is being used.

What is the iPhone Duo’s battery life?

Instead of trying to fit a single large battery around the folding display, Apple placed high-energy batteries on each side of the iPhone Duo. Software then manages them as a single dual-battery system.

Apple rates the Duo for up to 31 hours of video playback on its 7.6-inch inner display or up to 44 hours on the smaller 5.4-inch outer display. With usage divided evenly between the two displays, Apple estimates up to 24 hours per charge.

The phone’s A20 Pro chip and custom vapor chamber also help manage power and heat during gaming, multitasking, and AI workloads.

What else should you know about the iPhone Duo?

The $1,999 iPhone Duo is Apple’s first book-style foldable smartphone. When closed, it is roughly the size of a passport and provides a 5.4-inch outer display. Opening it reveals a 7.6-inch screen—the largest display Apple has put in an iPhone.

The Duo supports Apple Pencil via USB-C, runs two apps side by side, and can save app pairings for later use. Its hinge also lets the device support itself for hands-free video, FaceTime, time-lapse recording, or StandBy mode.

Other features include Touch ID in the side button, two 48-megapixel rear cameras, Spatial Audio, Ceramic Shield protection, and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. It comes in Star White and Night Sky, with storage options ranging from 256GB to 2TB.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

See what our readers guessed would happen at today's Apple event in our Big Guessing Game.

Apple revealed the AirPods 5 wireless earbuds on Wednesday at its "Surprise and Shine" keynote event.

The AirPods 4 were announced two years ago, and the new version features some key upgrades. Like their predecessor, the new AirPods 5 come with two models. Unlike the previous gen, both feature active noise cancellation — but this doesn't result in a price hike.

In fact, the lower-tier model features ANC for $129, matching the price of the non-ANC model of the AirPods 4. The higher tier model goes for $149, which is $30 cheaper than the $179 AirPods 4 with ANC. This is especially notable in a time where most Apple prices have only gone up — including on the newly announced iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max.

The AirPods 5 and AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case are available for preorder now, with a release date of Friday, Sept. 18.

Here's what we else know about the newest addition to the AirPods lineup.

The Apple AirPods 5 features better noise cancellation, lower prices

The volume stem on the AirPods 5 with wireless charging allows for more on-device control. Credit: Screenshot / Apple

We were expecting new AirPods with cameras at the September Apple event, but an update to the regular AirPods was also rumored in recent weeks.

The Apple AirPods 5 come with notable new features, including:

• Two models with and without ANC, priced at $129 and $149

• Updated adaptive EQ, which helps power better spatial audio

• 50% more active noise cancellation than the AirPods 4

• Improved transparency mode for a more natural sound

• On the $149 model, a wireless charging case, and volume adjustment on the earbud stem

AirPods 5 vs. AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case

Despite the name, there's more of a difference between the two AirPods 5 models than just their charging cases.

• Battery life: The$149 AirPods 5 feature five hours per charge with ANC, besting the battery life of the AirPods 4 with ANC by one hour. With the case, these earbuds offer 22 hours of battery life.

• Volume control: For the first time on non-Pro earbuds, the stem of the AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case has a force sensor volume swipe control on the stem.

• Wireless charging: The case on the more expensive AirPods 5 can be charged with an Apple Watch charger, Qi-compatible charger, and USB-C charger (which was available on the AirPods 4 with ANC).

Open-ear AirPods?

Technically, non-Pro versions of the AirPods have always been open-ear earbuds. That said, AirPods don't follow the model of most other open earbud models (that is, cuff or ear hook style buds).

Yes, there isn't an ear tip that sits in the ear canal, but the earbud is situated more as a semi-in ear bud than most other earbuds, which leave the ear canal completely unobstructed.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

With Apple Intelligence, you don't need to worry about emails or texts or calendar alerts. You can clear your skin and track your health stats and even generate entirely new realities.

And with Siri AI's Recap and Live Rewind, debuted at the Apple September iPhone event, it'll keep track of your memories, too.

What do Live Rewind and Siri Recap do?

Announced Wednesday, Apple's new AI-powered audio features catch ambient audio of your live conversations in the background, analyzes them, and throws summaries, highlights, and direct quotes right back at you.

Forget the directions the stranger gave you? Siri's got you. Missed the thing your boss said? Siri is a great assistant. Didn't pay attention to the emotional story your best friend just recounted? Um — Hey Siri?

Apple's data collection feature calls to mind hardware devices like Pocket and Plaud, and AI recording and note-taking apps like Granola, which have become popular in Silicon Valley. The tool stirred immediate privacy concerns among Apple fans, with some likening it to a covert recording device — and once again calling to mind future data-mining technologies featured in Netflix sci-fi drama Black Mirror.

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When activated, Live Rewind uses that ambient recording ability to recount the last 15 seconds of audio captured in your vicinity, which can be saved to your device or described back to you instantly. Recap actively takes notes on conversations throughout your day, then offers up AI-generated summaries of what happened.

It's part of a fleet of Audio Intelligence features debuting with the new microphone aboard the Apple Watch Series 12 and Apple Watch Ultra 4, including enhanced sound and music recognition.

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Do these features collect your personal data?

Like its other Apple Intelligence features, Apple said during its presentation that recorded conversations for Siri AI's Recap and Live Rewind are end-to-end encrypted. Devices do not collect or store actual audio recordings, the company added, and Siri will not identify specific speakers or attribute quotes to named individuals.

Raw audio data — which Apple is adamant to describe not as exact transcripts, but as notes — is not accessible by app developers, users, or Apple itself.

Apple also added built-in content guardrails, which were not elaborated on during Wednesday's keynote. According to a blog post by Apple, Recaps are designed to "omit potentially harmful content." This means mentions of self-harm and hate speech won't be included in daily summaries. Similarly, Apple says Siri will filter out mentions of personally identifiable information like financial information or "authentication data" (passwords).

"While audio is not recorded and stored, and no speakers are attributed, consider those around you where conversations might be private or sensitive," Apple wrote.

Live Rewind with Siri Recap will be available in beta this fall, starting in English.

UPDATE: Sep. 9, 2026, 1:43 p.m. This story was updated with additional information on privacy protections for Live Rewind and Siri Recap.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

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The line between a phone camera and a professional camera just got a little bit blurrier.

At its "Surprise and Shine" event on Wednesday, Apple introduced a variable-aperture main camera for both the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max — giving creators a new level of control over light, focus, and the overall look of an image.

So, what exactly is a variable aperture? Put simply, the aperture is the opening inside a camera lens that determines how much light reaches the sensor. Previous iPhones used a fixed opening, which meant the phone had to rely heavily on software to adapt to different lighting conditions. The iPhone 18 Pro can physically widen or narrow that opening depending on the scene.

Variable aperture gives iPhone creators more control over light and depth of field. Credit: Screenshot: Apple

To make that possible inside a phone, Apple developed a system of six laser-cut blades, each thinner than a human hair. Made from a specialized polymer composite, the blades are designed to be light and flexible enough to move quickly while remaining durable over time.

Credit: Screenshot: Apple

That tiny mechanical change could make a noticeable difference. In darker environments, the aperture opens to let in around 50 percent more light. In brighter conditions, it can close down to manage exposure while keeping more of the scene in focus.

And for creators, that means more control over depth of field and a more naturally cinematic look without relying entirely on digitally simulated background blur.

A wider aperture lets the iPhone 18 Pro capture more light—and more detail after dark. Credit: Screenshot: Apple

Apple is also extending that flexibility beyond the moment of capture. Creators can apply Cinematic mode effects to regular video after it has been recorded, while 60-frames-per-second support allows footage to be slowed to half speed. Together, those additions make it easier to decide on a creative treatment during editing, rather than getting every setting perfectly right while filming.

Add a cinematic look to regular video, even after you’ve captured it. Credit: Screenshot: Apple

But Apple's push isn’t only about making images look more professional. It is also tackling a growing challenge created by AI: Proving that a photograph is real in the first place.

That's where the new "Apple Reference Image" comes in. The authentication system uses information captured by the iPhone's camera sensor at the moment a photo is taken, including a unique signature at the pixel level. Think of it as a secure digital negative — a hardware-backed link between the finished image and the physical camera that captured it.

Apple Reference Image helps creators prove a photo started with a real iPhone camera. Credit: Screenshot: Apple

Here’s why that matters, especially right now. Most attempts to combat synthetic media focus on labeling AI-generated images or detecting them after they begin circulating. Apple is clearly approaching the problem from the opposite direction, and gives creators a way to demonstrate that an image originated with a real camera.

See what our readers guessed would happen at today's Apple event in our Big Guessing Game.

Photographers can use a dedicated Reference mode in the Camera app. When an image needs to be verified, Apple’s Private Cloud Compute checks its raw data, capture timeframe and identifying characteristics of the sensor while limiting the information Apple retains. An authenticated image then receives a Reference badge that can be inspected on an iPhone, iPad or Mac.

The Reference Image badge shows who captured the photo, where it was taken and the camera settings used. Credit: Screenshot: Apple

Put it all together, and Apple wants the new iPhone 18 Pros to do two things at once: Help creators make images that feel less like they came from a phone, and help them prove those images came from a camera at all.

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Apple's next big iOS update is finally on the launch pad.

At its "Surprise and Shine" event on Wednesday, Apple showed off new wares like the iPhone 18 lineup, new Apple Watches, and more. One of the smaller (but still significant) nuggets of news to come out of the event concerned iOS 27. According to Apple, users with compatible iPhones will be able to install iOS 27 on Monday, Sept. 14.

What's new with iOS 27?

If you haven't been following along, iOS 27 is the one that finally brings us Siri AI. You can now talk to Siri like you would an AI chatbot, and it's powered by Google Gemini.

Some of the most exciting changes coming to iPhones involve new AI photo-editing features, such as spatial reframing. Users will more easily be able to remove unwanted details, or even describe the edits they'd like to Siri by voice or text. Android smartphones from Google and Samsung have had a full suite of AI editing tools for a couple years now, and Apple is finally catching up. Smart photo editing will also help users make the most of the iPhone 18 Pro Max's new camera features.

Apple also included some new and subtle customization options for Liquid Glass, various small updates for apps like Health, Photos, and Notes, and more.

You can install iOS 27 by going to the Settings app, then General, then tapping "Software Update."

iOS 27 compatible devices

Of course, you can only go through that whole downloading process if you have a device that supports iOS 27. Here are the devices that work with the new iOS:

• iPhone SE (second generation or later)

• iPhone 11

• iPhone 11 Pro

• iPhone 11 Pro Max

• iPhone 12

• iPhone 12 Mini

• iPhone 12 Pro

• iPhone 12 Pro Max

• iPhone 13

• iPhone 13 Mini

• iPhone 13 Pro

• iPhone 13 Pro Max

• iPhone 14

• iPhone 14 Plus

• iPhone 14 Pro

• iPhone 14 Pro Max

• iPhone 15

• iPhone 15 Plus

• iPhone 15 Pro

• iPhone 15 Pro Max

• iPhone 16

• iPhone 16e

• iPhone 16 Plus

• iPhone 16 Pro

• iPhone 16 Pro Max

• iPhone 17

• iPhone 17e

• iPhone Air

• iPhone 17 Pro

• iPhone 17 Pro Max

• iPhone 18 Pro

• iPhone 18 Pro Max

• iPhone Duo

If you don't have one of those, you're out of luck.

After years of rumors and leaks (not to mention increasingly convincing prototypes), Apple’s foldable iPhone is finally here.

At its "Surprise and shine" keynote today, Apple announced the iPhone Duo, its first foldable smartphone. The book-style device opens to reveal a larger, iPad-like screen for apps, videos, games, and multitasking, while still folding down to fit in a pocket. As expected, the device carries a high price tag.

The iPhone Duo is expected to start at $1,999 with 256GB of storage and go on pre-sale as early as Oct. 16. It will be available on Oct. 23.

iPhone Duo features and specifications

Credit: Apple

With the Duo, Apple says it set out to make the experience feel continuous. The two sides meet inside a single frame, creating the largest display the company has ever designed for an iPhone. Apple says the open screen is 50 percent larger than the iPhone 18 Pro Max display and 80 percent larger than the iPhone 18 Pro’s.

The iPhone Duo has the following features:

Displays: A 5.4-inch outer Super Retina XDR display and a folding 7.6-inch inner Super Retina XDR display. The larger screen is designed to feel spacious in both portrait and landscape orientations, while matching aspect ratios help content transition naturally when the phone is opened or closed. Both screens include ProMotion, an Always-On display, and up to 3,000 nits of peak outdoor brightness. The inner display also has a nano-texture finish intended to reduce glare, reflections, and the visibility of the crease.

Credit: Apple

Foldable design: A book-style design built around a precisely controlled hinge that supports the center of the display throughout the opening and closing motion. Apple says the uninterrupted interior screen has no visible crease, while its FaceTime camera is hidden beneath the display. An integrated magnet array keeps the phone securely closed, while more than 100 hinge components control its movement and hold the display flat when fully opened.

Multitasking: The foldable version of iOS 27 can show two Home Screens or run two apps side by side. Users can tap the divider to save apps as a pair and return to them together later. Videos can also be pinned at the top of the display while another app remains open below. Split View can also open two windows from the same app, allowing you to compare two Safari pages at once, for example. Apple says Netflix, Zoom, and Slack are among the third-party apps already adapted for the folding display.

Credit: Apple

Apple Pencil: Apple Pencil support turns the larger interior display into a space for handwriting, sketching, marking up documents, and more precise creative work. Support for Apple Pencil with USB-C is coming later this year and will work on both displays.

Credit: Apple

Flexible viewing: The Duo can remain open at different angles for hands-free video. Fold it in the opposite orientation, and the lower half can become a keyboard, giving the phone a compact, computer-like setup. The foldable design also expands StandBy, which works on either display — even when the phone isn’t charging.

Authentication and controls: Touch ID returns in the side button, allowing users to unlock the Duo whether it is open or closed. The phone can also unlock with a connected Apple Watch. Camera Control is also included and can launch the new Siri Camera mode, which lets Siri analyze what the camera sees to answer questions and take action.

Cameras: The rear system pairs a 48-megapixel Fusion Main camera with a 48-megapixel Fusion Ultra Wide camera. The main camera can capture images at up to 48MP, shoots at 24MP by default, and includes an optical-quality 2x Telephoto option. The Ultra Wide camera also supports macro photography.

Credit: Apple

Foldable camera features: The Duo's outer display can act as a preview while someone is being photographed with the rear cameras. Smart Take uses on-device AI to recognize when subjects are posing and automatically capture the shot, while Kid Cue plays Peanuts animations on the outer screen to help get a child’s attention. Users can also take higher-resolution selfies with the rear cameras and see themselves on the outer display.

Video: The 48MP main camera records 4K video at 120 fps in Dolby Vision. Cinematic effects can be added after capture at up to 60 fps, while an updated Audio Mix can improve voices and isolate music. The Duo can also support itself for tripod-free time-lapse recording in 4K Dolby Vision.

Performance: The Duo is powered by the 2-nanometer A20 Pro chip, with a six-core CPU, seven-core GPU, and dual 16-core Neural Engine. Apple says it delivers up to 35 percent better sustained performance than the iPhone 17 Pro, with twice the AI compute power and 50 percent more unified memory bandwidth. A custom vapor chamber helps manage heat during gaming, multitasking, and demanding AI tasks.

Apple Intelligence: The larger display is designed to work with Siri AI, allowing users to keep Siri open beside another app. Siri can use personal context, understand onscreen content, search across apps, and complete related actions. Apple Intelligence also adds Spatial Reframing, Extend, and an upgraded Clean Up tool for editing photos.

Credit: Apple

Battery: A battery on each side of the Duo works as a single dual-battery system. Apple rates it for up to 31 hours of video playback on the inner display, 44 hours on the outer display, or 24 hours of mixed use. Wired charging can reach 50 percent in around 20 minutes, while MagSafe or Qi2 charging can reach 50 percent in around 30 minutes.

Audio: Two speakers — one at the top and another at the bottom — provide Spatial Audio for movies, music, and games.

Durability: Ceramic Shield protects the device, while internal structural elements are designed to make it feel solid each time it is opened or closed. Ceramic Shield 2 on the outer display offers three times better scratch resistance than the previous generation. The inner display uses a scratch-resistant coating, a custom nano-textured polymer layer, high-strength glass, and a titanium support plate. The Duo is also rated IP68 for splash, water, and dust resistance.

Materials: The enclosure is made from mirror-polished grade 5 titanium, while the 3D-printed hinge cover has a contrasting micro-blasted finish. Internal support ribs and ceramic-fiber inserts reinforce the frame.

Connectivity: The Duo is eSIM-only worldwide. Apple’s N1 wireless chip supports WiFi 7, Bluetooth 6, and Thread, while its C2 modem adds AI-assisted improvements to cellular quality and reliability, including mmWave support in the U.S.

Colors: The iPhone Duo will be available in Star White and Night Sky.

Credit: Apple

Dimensions: Apple calls the Duo the thinnest iPhone it has ever made when opened. Closed, it is similar in size to a passport, and its outer display still provides 90 percent of the screen area of an iPhone 18 Pro.

Whether the iPhone Duo becomes the next major chapter in the iPhone’s history or remains an expensive niche device will become clearer once it starts reaching customers on Oct. 23.

This is a developing story...

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The talk of the internet during this September Apple event might be the foldable iPhone, but the tech giant released a slew of other products today, including the Apple Watch Series 12.

In 2025, rumors circulated that Apple was keeping major upgrades to the Apple Watch under wraps, and that turned out to be right. The Apple Watch Series 11 only saw some minor-seeming improvements, like chip tweaks. But it also boasted a 24-hour battery life, which was significant. No FaceTime calls or Apple Intelligence camera last year, though.

What about the Series 12? Apple calls it the "ultimate device for a healthy life."

The Apple Watch Series 12 price, release date, new features

Credit: Screenshot: Apple

Priced at $399, the newest Apple smartwatch will be available for preorder today and released on Sept. 18. ultimate device for a healthy life

The Apple Watch Series 12 has the following features:

• Health Sensing System that provides a more accurate, continuous heart rate data. The new Apple Watch takes background heart rate readings every 5 seconds, which is 60 times more often than before. It also tracks HRV (how the body responds to stress and recovery) every 5 minutes, which is 24 times more than before.

• New additions include a Readiness score, whether you're prepping for a race or a busy week. Readiness analyzes recent activity, vitals, and sleep to give you a score — whether you should recover, pace yourself, or you're ready. (Notably, the Oura Ring already has a Readiness score.)

• On the Apple Intelligence front, the Apple Watch Series 12 introduces Audio Intelligence, including a host of tools thanks to the watch's built-in headphones. Sound Recognition can listen for sounds like alarms, door bells, and baby cries. Live Rewind chronicles the last 15 seconds of a conversation, while Siri Recap uses ambient listening to take notes of conversations. (Apple assured that the audio isn't recorded or stores, the audio can't be accessed, and speakers not identified. All live rewind syncs are end-to-end encrypted, apparently.) Audio Intelligence will be available in English beta later this year

The Apple Watch Series 12 comes in space gray, black, light gold, and dark bronze, and 100 percent recycled aluminum. There are gold and silver metal versions, and pearl white and night blue ceramic versions. As the Series 11, the Series 12 has a 24-hour battery life

All the health stats flow into the Health app, which is getting a redesign later this year. New additions to Health app include personalized guidance powered by Apple Intelligence, Health Age, and a new Longevity tab.

This is a developing story...

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The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are official!

Apple announced its next-generation iPhone lineup at its big September "Surprise and Shine" event on Wednesday, after months of rumors and leaks about the devices.

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will have starting prices of $1,199 and $1,299. Preorders begin on Sept. 12, and the new iPhones will officially be released on Sept. 18. 

Meet the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max specs, which include new A20 Pro

Credit: Apple

As expected, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max arrive with critical upgrades:

The new Apple smartphones will be powered by the company's latest Silicon chipset, the A20 Pro. The A20 Pro was built for AI processing, just as Apple launches the new Siri AI with iOS 27, so it will easily be able to handle Apple's most advanced new AI features. Apple said it had to completely redesign its Silicon chipset in order to create the A20 Pro.

In addition to the chip itself, Apple created a brand-new next-generation vapor chamber to keep the iPhone cool and deliver the highest possible performance.

And Apple really showcased that power during the event by focusing on Apple Intelligence and all-new Siri AI features.

New iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max colors revealed

As leaked by a few third-party case makers last week, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max will be available in four colors: black, silver, burgundy, and a light blue, which Apple is calling "glacier.

Credit: Apple

Apple's new CEO, John Ternus, specifically confirmed that the iPhone 18 Pro models will be available in an "incredibly deep black," answering users' complaints about the lack of a black colorway in the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

iPhone 18 battery life

Reports previously claimed that the premium iPhone 18 models would be receiving a big battery upgrade, and Apple delivered. Even though the iPhone 18 Pro is smaller than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, Apple says it delivers the same battery life. As for the iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple is calling it the "the largest increase of battery life ever on iPhone."

Apple says the iPhone 18 Pro provides 36 hours of video playback and 24 hours of battery life per charge. The iPhone 18 Pro Max has 45 hours of video playback and lasts 30 hours per charge. Apple also says that the iPhone 18 Pro can reach 50 percent charge in 15 minutes. Just 5 minutes of charging time result in an additional 6 hours of video playback.

Credit: Apple

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max cameras get massive upgrade

This is the big upgrade. Speculation about the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max camera upgrades has been spreading online for years. The new Pro iPhone 18 models introduce a physical variable aperture in their 48MP fusion main camera, providing users with ultimate control over depth of field and low-light photography. Apple says it included laser-cut components thinner than a human hair to pull this off.

In addition to the anticipated variable aperture, the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max have new Pro Controls for more professional photo and video outputs.

Credit: Apple

Apple also introduced Apple Reference Image, which signs photo data on each image to confirm what was actually in the shot.

Smaller Dynamic Island: The Dynamic Island has been shrunk, while simultaneously gaining additional functionality with 3-in-1 activity display.

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max prices

The iPhone 18 Pro will launch at a starting price of $1,199, while the iPhone Pro Max will start at $1,299.

Opens in a new window

Credit: Apple

iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max

Starting at $1,199

Learn More

This is a developing story...

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Last month, we reported that Apple would likely be raising iPhone prices after raising MacBook and iPad prices earlier this summer. And now that the annual September Apple event is here, we can confirm that the iPhone 18 Pro line has fallen victim to price hikes.

We speculated that Apple might raise phone prices by $100 to stay in line with Samsung's and Google's increases — or, as Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said, that Apple might feel like it could get away with higher price hikes than competitors thanks to the company's new Upgrade program. Apple's "Surprise and Shine" keynote has confirmed a $100 increase for the Pro and Pro Max models.

How much does the iPhone 18 Pro cost?

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max were announced on Sept. 9. The base model iPhone 18 will be announced at a later date. The new phones have the following MSRPs:

• iPhone 18 Pro: Starting at $1,199 (a $100 increase over the iPhone 17 Pro)

• iPhone 18 Pro Max: Starting at $1,299 (a $100 increase over the iPhone 17 Pro Max)

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

Apple's new iPhone lineup is here, and there's a burgundy gem among the available colors.

Announced at Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event on Wednesday in Cupertino, California, the tech giant's new iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Pro Max will come in a rich burgundy hue, which is as far from Cosmic Orange as you can get.

Previously rumored as "Dark Cherry," the burgundy color will be available on the iPhone 18 Pro alongside light blue, black, and silver. It's like having a dark academia wine bar in my pocket.

Apple's iPhone 18 Pro comes in burgundy. Credit: Apple / Mashable screenshot

Mashable's Matt Binder has all the details you need about the tech and specs of the new iPhones.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

Want more tech 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, and see what our readers guessed would happen at today's Apple event in our Big Guessing Game.

New CEO John Ternus is ushering in the next era for Apple, including the shiny new iOS 27 and its AI-powered features.

Debuting alongside the brand-new iPhone 18 Pro and Apple's game-changing folding iPhone Duo, iOS 27 promises a more streamlined experience across the company's app ecosystem and finally addresses some longstanding complaints.

iOS27 highlights

Apple's latest operating system is banking heavily on its new Siri AI, a supercharged version of the assistant that the company has been teasing for years. With the power of Apple Intelligence, Siri can write for you, edit photos, make custom shortcuts, and much, much more.

Siri isn't the only iOS 27 upgrade, though. Apple announced improvements to Maps and Wallet, better Camera launch and AirDrop drop speeds, and

Check out more from the new iOS below:

• Updated Liquid Glass: Apple is adding new customizable options for its Liquid Glass design.

• Alarm volume fixes: iOS 27 will let users customize volume levels for individual alarms, independent from device sound levels. For those who have woken up to a silent alarm one too many times, this is huge.

• iPhone Hand Off: Users can use one number across two phones. The feature initially launches with T-Mobile customers, with Verizon and other carriers to follow.

• Shared albums: Apple users can now add their Android and Windows friends to shared albums via iCloud, which now include options for full-resolution photos.

• Video to Photo: No need for screenshots, users can save select video frames as photos right in their camera roll.

• Apple Music: Apple is adding new transition options and refreshing its music pages.

• Apple Podcasts: Looking for a specific moment in your fav podcast? Siri now lets you search in shows as you watch.

• New keyboards: Apple is adding new keyboards for indigenous languages.

• New parental controls: First announced at WWDC, Apple users can set up Child Accounts for minors, which include a suite of new safety features for web browsing and communication.

• New Health app features: Also announced at WWDC, Apple's latest health support features for menopause and perimenopause are now rolling out.

How to get iOS27

iOS 27 is available starting Sept. 14 for compatible Apple users.

To upgrade your device, go to Settings > General, then tap Software Update. Just make sure your phone is backed up and plugged in before hitting start.

Mac users can download OS 27 (aka "Golden Gate") now. And don't worry, iPad users, you get all of the new features too, with iPadOS 27.

UPDATE: Sep. 9, 2026, 11:27 a.m. This story was updated with a specific release date for iOS27.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

SAVE $150: Amazon and Best Buy have the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) on sale for just $1,649 as of Sept. 9. That's 8% off its usual retail price of $1,799 and $50 better than its Labor Day deal.

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Credit: Apple

Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD)

$1,649 at Amazon and Best Buy
$1,799 Save $150

 

Get Deal

It's a big week for all things Apple, including Apple deals. Right now, Amazon and Best Buy are offering a very rare discount on the starlight, 15-inch M5 MacBook Air with 1TB of storage: It usually retails for $1,799, but you can score it on sale for just $1,649 — its lowest price since late June, when it got a $200 price increase.

As I've written before, decent MacBook deals have become scarcer ever since Apple raised its prices this summer. The ultraportable MacBook Air, Apple's most popular laptop, has also reportedly faced shortages in recent months. You can blame RAMageddon on both counts.

Apple's M5 MacBook Air (pictured here in sky blue) is our favorite MacBook for most people. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

This particular MacBook Air deal is especially surprising to see because the same model was only $100 off over Labor Day weekend. (I normally expect retailers to save their best, highest discounts for their holiday sales.) Also worth noting: This deal manages to beat Apple's $100 education discount, too.

The 15-inch MacBook Air is our reigning favorite MacBook for most people for its fast, versatile performance, lightweight design, and ample future-proofing. Mashable tech editor Timothy Beck Werth called it a "damn near-perfect machine," and we think it's still a good value even after its price bump. Still, waiting for a good deal never hurts. Snagging it on sale right now means you're only paying a $50 premium on its original MSRP.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

SAVE $15.82: As of Sept. 9, the Xteink X3 mini e-reader is on sale at Amazon for just $63.18 as a Lightning deal. That's 20% in savings, but you'll have to act fast.

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Credit: Xteink

Xteink X3 mini e-reader

$63.18 at Amazon
$79 Save $15.82

 

Get Deal

If you've ever wished you could slip a book into your pocket, the Xteink X3 mini e-reader was made for you. And for a limited time, it's on sale for 20% off its already affordable cost.

As of Sept. 9, the Xteink X3 mini e-reader is just $63.18 as a Lightning deal at Amazon. That's $15.82 less than its $79 price tag, but you'll have to act fast to secure the discount. You only have about 10 hours (at the time of writing) to get your hands on this deal, or until the counter bar says "100% claimed." So, don't delay pressing that add-to-cart button.

I have to be honest here; I don't particularly understand the hype of this ultra-mini, ultra-trendy e-reader. I prefer my basic Kindle, which is already small enough to fit in my purse. It also doesn't have backlighting, which means you can only read in bright settings (a personal dealbreaker for me). But surely there must be a reason this thing is popular. With a 3.7-inch screen, it's not only small enough to slip in your pocket (yes, even women's pockets), but can also magnetically attach to the back of your phone for seamless reading on the go. It'll last you up to 10 hours before needing a charge and offers 16GB of built-in memory, with up to 256GB expandable memory.

Also, like the Xteink X4 Pro that Mashable's Sam Mangino tested, the Xteink X3 is only compatible with DRM-free e-books. That means no DRM-protected books from Kindle, Libby, or other platforms. Mangino notes that articles you can upload via URL work best on these tiny e-readers. Still, for the cute mini form factor and TikTok cred, $63 really isn't a bad deal. Just be sure you know what you're signing up for.

In a shock to no one, IFA 2026 introduced the world to new tech that we cannot wait to try out. Dyson showcased the $500 squiring toothbrush during an off-site event, DJI launched a brand new 360-degree camera we have fingers crossed hard will land in the U.S., and Anker released a dizzying number of new headphones and earbuds.

But if we're being honest, there was a standout product at IFA in 2026, and it was not the humanoid robots that walked around holding hands with attendees. The robot lawn mowers won IFA 2026, and there's good reason.

Do you really need a robot lawn mower?

The robot lawn mowers are getting smarter, more efficient, and easier to use than ever before. We're long past the era of having to bury a wire boundary to the point that most robot lawn mowers are nearly plug and play. After the initial mapping, they're off doing their thing without needing any assistance.

This year, IFA held an outdoor exhibition area for robot lawn mowers to do their thing outside with real-life conditions. But to be honest, the indoor displays were much more impressive, incorporating steep slopes, obstacles, and big hurdles for the robots to show off their skills. 

In an email to Mashable, CEO at IFA Leif Linder said, "The interest in robot lawn mowers reminds me of where robot vacuums were a few years ago. What started as an interesting innovation is quickly becoming a part of everyday life," he said. "These mowers handle the yard on autopilot, adapt to terrain and weather, and give you time back every week. Robotics become truly extraordinary when they take care of your problems instead of becoming one more thing you have to manage, and robotic lawn mowers have just crossed that threshold."

Below, I've rounded up the coolest robot lawn mowers I saw at IFA 2026 and models that could be worth considering if you're over the chore of keeping the lawn manicured.

Dreame A4 AWD Pro Series

The tech mega brand Dreame keeps surprising us, in the best way possible. The brand makes one of Mashable's favorite robot vacuums for cleaning up pet hair and the affordable Dreame Chrona LED mask is a top pick. But in a corner of the brand's giant display at IFA, we got to see Dreame's lineup of robot lawn mowers. Specifically, the Dreame A4 AWD Pro Series brings about a solution to a pesky issue with robot lawn mowers: getting those satisfying perfect edges.

Dreame's robot lawn mower course features steep hills and obstacles. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

At the Dreame booth, I was able to flip the A4 AWD Pro over to check out just how the robot mower goes about achieving an edge-to-edge cut. In addition the main cutting blades, a designated blade setup hangs out near the edge, making it possible to get a clean cut that doesn't require you to follow along with a trimmer.

Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

At the time of writing, we don't have U.S. pricing or a exact launch date for the new Dream A4 AWD Pro. If you're in a hurry to snag a Dreame robot lawn mower to work on fall yard maintenance, check out the Dreame LiDAR 3500 Robot Lawn Mower A3 AWD.

Segway Navimow X430 Robot Lawn Mower

You know Segway for making electric scooters a thing, but the brand has so much more on offer including a solid lineup of robot lawn mowers. At IFA 2026, the brand introduced us to the Navimow H5 Pro which has a circular mowing disc that slides out when needed to get clean edges.

A cutting deck that knowns how to get close to the edge. Credit: Segway Navimow

But a model that's already out in the U.S. also showed off at IFA: the Navimow X430 robot lawn mower. This robot can handle mowing yards that measure up to one acre, and it's zero-turn maneuvering means there's less of a chance a turn could cause damage to the lawn.

All-terrain wheels come in handy during rain. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

Another major benefit of robot lawn mowers that's apparent with the Navimow X430 is how quiet they can operate. There's no way I could stand beside a traditional gas mower and hold a conversation at a normal level, but that's easy next to the Navimow X430. The brand mentions this model stays under 68 decibels. It's also on sale at Amazon today.

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Credit: Navimow

Navimow X430

$2,249 at Amazon
$2,499 Save $250

 

Get Deal

Yarbo M Series

In an industry where features between brands can blur, Yarbo stands out. The brand is making modular robot lawn mowers that can be used as a robot lawn mower in the spring and summer and then transform into a leaf collector come fall and a snow blower in the winter. Of course, you'll need the add-on accessories to make this happen, but the versatility on its own is impressive. In addition, Yarbo models have towing capabilities.

The Yarbo M Series focuses on a compact design. Credit: Yarbo

The Yarbo is already available for sale in the U.S. as either a robot lawn mower or in several bundle options to include the leaf collector, snow blower, and trimmer.

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Credit: Yarbo

Yarbo modular robot lawn mower

$4,999 at Amazon

 

Get Deal

Roborock RockMow Z1 and RockNeo Q2

Like Dreame, we've come to love Roborock robot vacuums which means we're thrilled to see them expand into the area of robot lawn mowers. At IFA, the brand showcased two new models. The rugged Roborock RockMow Z1 has 4WD and LiDAR navigation. The more compact RockNeo Q2 has a unique feature of a WiFi repeater module in the charging base itself which helps keep a stable connection to your home's WiFI.

Most robot lawn mowers want the base to be outside, but the Roborock can be outside or inside. Credit: Roborock

We don't have U.S. launch date information or pricing on either of these models yet, but we'll keep an eye on availability. If you're looking for a Roborock model that's already available in the U.S., look to the Roborock RockNeo Q110H which happens to be on a great sale at Amazon.

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Credit: Roborock

Roborock RockNeo Q110H Robot Lawn Mower

$799.99 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $499.01

 

Get Deal

Apple's "Surprise and Shine" event is sure to be full of surprises, but the imminent launch of the new AI-powered Siri is not one of them.

The tech giant has been dangling its new, technologically advanced Siri over the heads of Apple users for years, following a 2024 announcement that Apple was overhauling its famed assistance as the company dived deeper into AI. In June, the company debuted the first glimpses of a new Siri with the first-ever Siri app, followed shortly by access to Siri AI via the iOS 27 beta.

Beta testers likened the experience to using other popular chatbots, like ChatGPT and Gemini, but with the added umph of Siri having access to your entire phone, including emails, calendar, and notes app. Apple has described it as a "truly helpful AI that’s centered around you and your needs."

Now, as Apple readies iOS 27 for rollout, the dream of a better Siri may finally come true.

Siri plus Apple Intelligence

Apple's supercharged AI Siri — now simply referred to as Siri AI — is powered by the conversational capabilities of Apple Intelligence. At this year's Apple developers' conference, the company announced that Apple Intelligence would receive its own upgrade, powered by Google Gemini models, to bring it up to snuff with competitors.

With these new models behind it, Siri can more efficiently scour the web for information, answer requests using natural language processing, and understand exactly what's on your screen. Here's a breakdown of Siri's other features:

• Dedicated app: A new app exclusively for Siri, which allows users to talk directly with the assistant in a dedicated chat space.

• Siri Camera mode: iPhone users can press the Siri button while using the camera to get live context and ask questions about what their viewfinder is capturing.

• Image Playground: A major upgrade to its previous iterations, Siri AI can now generate realistic images.

• Photo editing: With the help of Apple Intelligence, Siri can expand your images or even reframe their perspective.

• Text editing: Siri is further integrated into writing across Apple apps, including Notes, email, and text messages.

• Automatic shortcuts: Siri can create a complicated shortcut with ease, using just your description.

Credit: Apple / Mashable screenshot

How to try Siri AI

The new Siri is now available via beta and will roll out in English to Apple iOS 27 and macOS 27 users this fall. Apple explained that beta testers may face usage limits as the company continues to test Apple Intelligence capabilities.

UPDATE: Sep. 9, 2026, 10:19 a.m. This story was updated with new information about Siri AI beta and the Siri AI rollout timeline.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

SAVE $78: As of Sep. 9, get the Amazon Fire HD 10 for $76.99 at Amazon. That's a discount of 50% and the lowest price we've seen.

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Credit: Amazon

Amazon Fire HD 10

$76.99 at Amazon
$154.99 Save $78.00

 

Get Deal

If you're looking to get a new tablet but don't want to break the bank, you should seriously consider a device from the Amazon Fire family. Right now, you can score one for a significant discount, and it's well worth swooping in and grabbing, especially as it's the lowest price we've seen on this particular model all year.

As of Sep. 9, get the Amazon Fire HD 10 for $76.99 at Amazon. That's $78 off and a discount of 50%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

While this tablet isn't quite as zippy or as powerful as a member of the iPad family, it's still a great pick for under $100. It works great as a quick and easy way to browse the internet, watch your favorite shows and movies, or just keep up with friends and family. It's also perfect to give younger (but still mature) kids who need a tablet as well.

Mashable reviewer SaVanna Shoemaker called it "great for on-the-go entertainment" and labeled it an "excellent value", which means it'll worth investing in at this discount while it lasts. Since it's up for grabs for such a great price, it's likely that discount won't be around for very long, so it might be prudent to add it to your cart while it's still here.

TL;DR: The HP OmniBook 3 16 Laptop (Snapdragon X, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) is $599.99 at Staples, down from $1,149.99. That's a $550 discount.

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Credit: HP

HP OmniBook 3 16

$599.99 at Staples
$1,149.99 Save $550

 

Get Deal

I used to use only HP laptops until I got my MacBook, but according to our Senior Shopping Reporter, Haley Henschel, this unassuming laptop beats Apple and other brands for battery life.

During hands-on testing, the HP OmniBook 3 16 Laptop clocked 40 hours and 14 minutes of continuous playback on a single charge. According to Henschel, "No other laptop we've tested (PC, MacBook, or Chromebook) comes remotely close to rivaling its stamina." In fact, it ran for nearly twice as long as Mashable's top-performing MacBook Pro.

"If you're looking for the best battery life laptop of 2026, your hunt ends here," Henschel wrote, noting that its "multi-day stamina" makes it the perfect match for on-the-go workers "who hate fighting over outlets at cafés and airports." Henschel praised its huge, surprisingly colorful 16-inch display, comfy keyboard, and added that it "runs super cool and quiet" even when stressed out with tons of browser tabs.

And right now, you can get it on sale. Staples is still having its Labor Day Sale (whether the dev just forgot to take it down is neither here nor there), and the HP OmniBook 3 16 Laptop is listed at $599.99, down from $1,149.99. That's a $550 discount and a damn good deal for a laptop that can outlast a MacBook.

The premise of Abner Pastoll's horror film Nervous is sure to spark internet opinions: a woman suddenly becomes unable to hear men's voices, while women's voices sound crisp and clear. 

It's a topical hypothetical from the British-South African director of 2019's A Good Woman Is Hard to Find that harnesses the power of feeling heard, with Nervous' central character isolated and dismissed by her husband as paranoid. Nervous creates a feeling that's effectively captured through sound itself, with Pastoll's team crafting an unsettling immersive experience — though there's one element of the film that raised this critic's eyebrows.

Premiered at this year's FrightFest in London, Nervous demands to be experienced in a cinema — or at least with the best sound system you can find.

What is Nervous about?

Ko Asung and Sarah Bolger in "Nervous." Credit: February Films / Story Robot

Married couple Sarah (Sarah Bolger) and Sungsoo (Sungsoo Yune) — the actors' characters share their real names — have plans to buy a house together, so when Sungsoo decides to go house hunting himself, surprising his wife with a furniture-less rural abode outside Seoul, she feels undermined by his attempted grand romantic gesture. It doesn't help that there's a strange woman milling around the house when they arrive, and reports of stabbings and disappearances in the area being reported on the radio.

Sarah is Irish, Sungsoo is Korean, with language an awkward but steadily evolving dynamic between them. However, Sarah's feeling of isolation swells as she's often spoken for in conversations and left to her own devices as a newly minted housewife. Sarah has left her career as an investigative journalist to run the household, with Sungsoo constantly referring to her inquiring mind as a negative; as obsessive, over-the-top "here you go again" behaviour. We learn over the course of the film why Sarah tends toward such insistent investigation, but before we get there, the couple discover a creepy black record player in the attic, equipped with a completely silent album.

After listening to this supposedly empty recording, Sarah starts to lose her ability to hear men, starting with an increasingly frustrated Sungsoo. But someone she can hear loud and clear is their mysterious and alluring neighbour, Eunbyeol (The Host's Ko Asung). Is Sarah's experience medical? Or is there something more supernatural going on?

Nervous is a triumph of sound design, of course

Sungsoo Yune in "Nervous." Credit: February Films / Story Robot

For the film to work, properly immersing the audience in a sense of auditory distinction, Nervous needs impeccable sound design. Thankfully, supervising sound editor Nick Baldock (Black Mirror) and his team create a fittingly rattling ride for the viewer, in which men's voices become more muffled, women's crisp and clear. 

The task requires considerable craft from the actors, especially Bolger, with sharp editing from Pastoll, visceral foley artistry, and compelling cinematography from Jungmin Lee that plays with depth of field to determine Sarah's focus. And it's paired with some grisly body horror elements, with watch-through-your-hands gore from visual effects artists Mykola Shurin and Howard Gardner. Nervous will have you painfully aware of each and every sound after you leave the cinema.

Nervous plays with oppressed desire through a tired trope 

Ko Asung in "Nervous." Credit: February Films / Story Robot

As Sarah's focus pulls from the men in her life — her husband, doctors, friends — Nervous plays with desire through the character of Eunbyeol. It's here the film unfortunately falls into the "depraved bisexual" trope, in which Eunbyeol is presented as the temptress next door, a lust-fueled predator poised to disrupt the film's main "conventional" marriage. While Ko's bold performance brings nuance and genuine likability to the character, the film itself seems set against her through sexually charged cinematography and editing, and non-existent backstory in the script.

It's a shame the film leans into such a stale trope, as it undermines the effective central message of women feeling unheard, not believed, and being portrayed as paranoid. While Sarah's burgeoning desire is portrayed as innocuous, Eunbyeol is seen as a vamp dancing on a moral compass. Bolger and Ko's chemistry here is undeniable, but to see this stereotype still pervading 2026 cinema is frustrating.

While this element of the film is disappointing, the effect of the film overall is memorable, as a spark-igniting speculation on what it means to be heard or to truly hear others as a woman. Pastoll uses the horror genre to consider the inner workings of a couple, the idea of broken trust, and a sense of gender roles informing behaviour. Make sure you watch it at full volume.

Nervous was reviewed out of FrightFest in August 2026. Cinematic release details are TBC.

Want more film and TV news and reviews delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable’s Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts.

SAVE $240: Through Oct. 28, Xfinity Internet and TV customers can get NFL Sunday Ticket for $240 instead of $480. That's 50% in savings. Both new and returning subscribers are eligible for the deal.

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Credit: NFL / YouTube

NFL Sunday Ticket

$240
$480 Save $240

*for Xfinity TV and Internet customers*

Get Deal

I've done a few deep dives into the streaming options and requirements for watching NFL games in 2026 and unfortunately, if you want to (legally) watch out-of-market games, you're going to need NFL Sunday Ticket. I say unfortunately because it's wildly expensive at $480 for returning subscribers. There is some good news, though. If you have Xfinity Internet or TV (or are close with someone who does, perhaps), you can get the streaming service for half price.

Through Oct. 28, Xfinity Internet and TV customers can lock in the full 2026 NFL season on NFL Sunday Ticket for only $240 instead of the typical $480. The kicker is that even returning subscribers are eligible for the deal, unlike the YouTube offer for new subscribers only. Game changer.

There's a few things to note. After you sign up through Xfinity by adding Sunday Ticket onto an existing Internet or TV plan, you'll receive instructions to activate your subscription via YouTube. Once activated, you'll have to login to YouTube through your Google account and use the YouTube app to watch games on Sunday Ticket. You'll still be billed through Xfinity, though.

It's worth repeating that NFL Sunday Ticket only includes access to out-of-market NFL games on Sunday afternoons throughout the season. These are the games that are only available outside of the designated broadcast region you are in — the best and only real option for fans living in a different region than the team they want to watch. It's also a great way to keep up with your fantasy players. If this sounds like you, Xfinity's 50% off discount is the best way to sign up for less.

SAVE $15: As of Sep. 9, get the AirFly Pro for $39.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $54.99. That's a discount of 27%.

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Credit: Amazon

AirFly Pro

$39.99 at Amazon
$54.99 Save $15

 

Get Deal

Have trouble relaxing on planes? You're not alone. Something about the cabin noise, air pressure, and often your seatmate can make settling down and enjoying your flight seem like a nightmare instead of a convenient and fun way to travel. If raw-dogging your flight doesn't sound like a fun option and you want a little assistance enjoying your time in the air, there's a dongle that can help.

As of Sep. 9, get the AirFly Pro for $39.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $54.99. That's $15 off and a discount of 27%.

This Bluetooth transmitter is the perfect thing for helping you get comfortable for long (or short) flights. You can connect it to your in-flight entertainment display, set up your favorite headphones, and get comfortable without having to struggle with the airline-provided earbuds or other subpar equipment.

That means you can whip out your noise-cancelling headphones with this dongle and actually feel like you're experiencing your entertainment in a way that lets you focus on it -- or just block out the noise around you.

Mashable's Haley Henschel took this device for a spin on a flight and found that it made her long-haul flight "way less miserable." If you've got some traveling to do, or you're a frequent flier who needs help getting comfy to enjoy your time in the air, it might be a good idea to take part in this rare discount and grab your own. It definitely beats staring out the window and counting the minutes until you land.

Where to buy the new Belkin SoundForm line

---

SoundForm Dot (ANC)

$34.99 at Amazon

Shop Now

---

SoundForm Play ANC Headphones

$49.99 at Amazon

Shop Now

---

SoundForm Isolate Buds

$59.99 at Amazon

Shop Now

At IFA 2026 in Berlin, Belkin expanded its SoundForm audio family with three new budget-friendly options designed to bring premium features like active noise cancellation, dual-device pairing, and long battery life down to accessible prices. Across the whole lineup, Belkin is leaning heavily into practical daily specs — packing IPX5 sweat resistance and app-customizable EQ controls into every pair.

Here’s a dive into each of the models and what they offer: 

SoundForm Dot

For listeners after lightweight, daily-use earbuds, the SoundForm Dot line comes in two variations. The base SoundForm Dot Wireless Earbuds ($34.99) offer an ultra-affordable entry point into true wireless audio. If you want active noise cancellation, the upgraded SoundForm Dot ANC ($39.99) adds ANC while maintaining the compact design. 

Both Dot versions pack up to 30 hours of battery life, Bluetooth Multipoint for dual-device connectivity, Clear Call Quality tech, IPX5 water/sweat resistance, fast charging, three ear-tip sizes, and app-customizable EQ settings.

SoundForm Play ANC

Designed for listeners ages five and up, the SoundForm Play ANC ($49.99) bring over-ear active noise cancellation to school, travel, and gaming. They feature a durable, foldable design and include an optional 85dB Safe Sound volume limiter to keep young ears protected. 

Belkin also integrated a "Focus Boost" soundscape mode that generates Pink Noise, Seashore, or Brain Beats sounds to help kids lock in during homework or reading sessions. Battery life reaches up to 62 hours with ANC off (45 hours with ANC on), supported by a built-in microphone, USB-C fast charging, a 3.5mm wired backup jack, and RockStar Mode for audio sharing.

SoundForm Isolate Buds

The SoundForm Isolate Buds ($59.99) are built for commuters and workers who need maximum distraction blocking. They deliver up to 45dB of hybrid Active Noise Cancellation paired with three ear-tip and three wing-tip sizes to ensure a locked-in, comfortable seal. 

You get up to 32 hours of total playback time with the pocket-sized charging case, fast-charge support (10 minutes for 90 minutes of juice), Bluetooth Multipoint pairing, Clear Call Quality microphone tech, IPX5 weather resistance, and full SoundForm app EQ customization.

Head over to Belkin or Amazon to shop the new SoundForm lineup starting at $34.99 before everyone else realizes noise cancellation can actually be this cheap.

Want more tech 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, and see what our readers guessed would happen at today's Apple event in our Big Guessing Game.

SAVE $300: As of Sept. 9, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra (256GB) is down to its lowest price since launch. Snag one on Amazon for $1,799.99 down from its $2,099.99 list price — a 14% savings.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

$1,799.99 at Amazon
$2,099.99 Save $300.00

 

Get Deal

Amazon dropped the price of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra (256GB) to $1,799.99 — a 14% discount off its hefty $2,099.99 retail price. Saving a full $300, this deal marks the lowest price since launch on Samsung's premier folding phone.

The real draw of the Z Fold 8 Ultra is how easily it opens up from a standard phone into a bright, tablet-sized display built for productivity. You can run up to three apps side by side, letting you handle emails, review documents, and engage in video calls all at once without switching windows. Samsung’s built-in AI even learns your daily routines to predict and suggest the exact apps you'll want to open next.

In his hands-on testing, Mashable reviewer Alex Perry gave the Z Fold 8 Ultra a 4.2 out of 5 rating, calling it "the best foldable form factor" on the market. He noted that "the thin chassis, gorgeous displays, and newly improved battery go a long way towards making it a very good phone," highlighting that it also remains "extremely comfortable" in the hands.

His biggest praise went to the new 5,000mAh battery — a welcome bump from the 4,400mAh cell in the Z Fold 7. In Mashable's video test, it churned out 24 hours of continuous playback, fixing what Alex called last year's "biggest downfall".

Unlike earlier foldables that compromised on camera hardware, the Z Fold 8 Ultra packs a flagship 200MP main sensor paired with an upgraded 50MP ultra-wide lens, giving you crisp extreme close-ups and wide landscape shots without sacrificing detail. Performance is powered by Qualcomm's high-end Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, handling intensive mobile gaming and AI tasks with zero lag.

Head to Amazon to score the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra for $1,799.99 and get Samsung's top foldable at a far more palatable price point.

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

The Pumpkin Spice Latte has returned to Starbucks, the leaves are starting to change, and shelves are already lined with Halloween-themed decor. For the dedicated fall fanatics, 'tis the season to revisit the Emmy Award-winning animated mini-series Over the Garden Wall — aka the ultimate autumn watch with darkness and whimsy.

A dozen years after the show's debut, Over The Garden Wall is still a spooky season staple. So, in the spirit of the season, Loungefly has unveiled an all-new Over the Garden Wall collection dedicated to Wirt and his little half-brother, Gregory's trek through the Unknown. This comes after Funko's first-ever Pop! Figures inspired by the series were unveiled last month. Once again, Mashable has the exclusive first look.

The iconic mini backpacks from Funko's lifestyle brand Loungefly are basically God-tier in the fandom world. A status symbol in the form of pop culture-themed accessories. So diehard fans of Over The Garden Wall will definitely want to get their hands on these. The collection includes two exclusive mini backpacks that perfectly capture the show's whimsical nature in lavish detail: a Pottsfield embroidered mini backpack and a web-exclusive Greg cosplay mini backpack. Let's take a look.

First look: Loungefly x Over The Garden Wall Collection

Pottsfield Embroidered Mini Backpack

The front of the backpack features the lead duo: Wirt and Gregory. Credit: Loungefly

Flip over the bag to reveal The Woodsman in his signature hat and trench coat. Credit: Loungefly

First in the collection is a mini backpack dedicated to Over The Garden Wall's lead duo: Wirt and his half-brother Gregory. Its cream and olive tones, paired with the corduroy detailing, make it perfect for your fall wardrobe. On the front, you'll find Wirt and Gregory in their signature getups: Wirt in a navy blue cloak and red hat, and Greg in his overalls and tea-kettle hat with a satchel. Alongside them, of course, are the no-nonsense bluebird Beatrice and Greg's frog of many names. Elegant embroidered flowers surround them.

Flip the bag over and you'll find The Woodsman, donning his gray hat and trench coat and wielding an axe and the Dark Lantern. On the sides, you'll also find Beatrice and the many-named frog.

The Pottsfield Embroidered Mini Backpack is about 10.5 inches tall and 9 inches wide and features adjustable shoulder straps to fit all backs. It retails for $90.

Greg Cosplay Mini Backpack (Web Exclusive)

The Greg cosplay backpack features his classic overalls with actual buttons and a frog coin bag. Credit: Loungefly

The applique leaves and embossed Gregory on the back are nice touches. Credit: Loungefly

Next up, we have the web-exclusive Greg Cosplay Mini Backpack, a charming replica of Gregory's signature look. It features his classic green corduroy overalls with real buttons, a 3D molded metal brooch, a velvet ribbon, a brown satchel strap, and debossed detailing. It even comes with an adorable detachable coin bag featuring, of course, his beloved frog (aka Kitty, Wirt, Dr. Cucumber, and Jason Funderburker). The details really bring the bag to the next level, including applique flowers on the adjustable straps and a hidden Gregory silhouette on the back.

Like the Pottsfield Backpack, the Greg Cosplay option also stands at about 10.5 inches tall and 9 inches wide, and retails for $90.

How to buy the Loungefly x OTGW collection

The Loungefly x Over The Garden Wall collection is officially available for purchase on the Loungefly website as of 12 p.m. ET on Sept. 9, 2026. Head over to Loungefly.com to snag yours for the season. And while you're at it, check out the Funko Pop! figurines of these curious characters, which are coming soon.

Apple's iPhone 18 event is almost upon us, and we're still hearing new rumors about the devices just hours before the big show.

Bloomberg reporter and well-connected Apple insider Mark Gurman shared news on X on Wednesday morning about the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo devices, specifically, which colors will be available. Gurman's latest report matches months of rumors, and he says the traditional iPhone 18 Pro will be available in light blue, black, burgundy, and silver. The foldable iPhone Duo, on the other hand, will only available in dark blue and white varieties.

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Gurman is also responsible for breaking the iPhone Duo's name, which we had been calling the iPhone Fold or iPhone Ultra in the months leading up to the event on Wednesday. He's usually right about these things, so these colors seem like very safe bets.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

Want more tech 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, and see what our readers guessed would happen at today's Apple event in our Big Guessing Game.

Starbucks just announced a new collab: Starbucks x Peanuts, which, rationally, could only mean one thing — a Snoopy Glass Cold Cup.

The full 10-piece collection will be available to purchase on Sept. 15, just days before fall officially starts on Tuesday, September 22. Normally, I'm not a fan of premature pumpkin-spicing, but I'm letting this slide. I WILL be standing in line at 4 a.m. for this one. (I have two beagles, and if this isn't the cutest damn thing.)

Inspired by the 60th anniversary of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, the limited-edition drop includes drinkware (obvs), a plush, and accessories. And because Starbucks knows exactly how this is going to go (as do we all), they're enforcing a strict two-item purchase limit per customer on the Snoopy Glass Cold Cup.

The Snoopy Glass Cold Cup Credit: Starbucks

Everything in the Starbucks x Peanuts 'Great Pumpkin' collection

• Snoopy Glass Cold Cup ($39.95): The star of the collection is obvs the Snoopy Glass Cold Cup. He's wearing a pumpkin-colored beanie, a green scarf, and is adorned with a Woodstock straw topper.

• Snoopy Plush ($34.95): If you can't get your hands on the Cold Cup, you can get a cute Snoopy plush. He's wearing Starbucks green and holding what I could only assume is a PSL.

• 16-ounce Stainless Steel Tumbler ($32.95): Need another tumbler? The 16-ounce Stainless Steel Tumbler is super cute and features a Woodstock charm and a dancing Snoopy.

• Stainless Steel Cold Cup ($32.95): The Stainless Steel Cold Cup includes a straw and shows an illustration of Lucy and Snoopy sharing coffee.

• The Great Pumpkin Tumbler ($32.95): This cute coffee tumbler features Snoopy and Woodstock artwork inspired by the movie.

• 14-ounce Ceramic Mug ($29.95): If you want a collectible that includes the whole gang, you should get the 14-ounce Ceramic Mug. It also "reveals a surprise Snoopy with every sip," which maybe means that there's a Snoopy at the bottom of the mug?

• 24-ounce Cold Cup ($27.95): The 24-ounce Cold Cup is a clear, plastic cold cup covered in Snoopy and The Great Pumpkin fall imagery.

• Accessories: The drop also includes a Mini Tote ($29.95), a Bag Charm ($16.95), and an Enamel Pin Set ($14.95).

Peanuts + Starbucks collection launches Sept. 15. Credit: Starbucks

SAVE 25%: Through Sept. 11, rewards members can take 25% off pre-order books at Barnes & Noble with the code PREORDER25. Paid Premium members save an extra 10%.

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Credit: Barnes & Noble

Save 25% on pre-order books at Barnes & Noble

with code PREORDER25

Get Deal

2026 has already been an excellent year for new books, from the satirical influencer-inspired Yesteryear, to the new Dungeon Crawler Carl book A Parade of Horribles, to the supernatural horror The Caretaker. But the year is far from over and we still have plenty of new releases to add to our shelves. Why not save a little cash on those highly anticipated titles?

From Sept. 9 through 11, Barnes & Noble is giving rewards members 25% off pre-order books with the code PREORDER25. The offer is for online pre-orders only on the most anticipated nonfiction and fiction titles and you must be a rewards member to redeem the code at checkout. Fortunately, if you're not yet a member, it's free to join. There's also a paid Premium membership option available ($39.99/year), which will save you an additional 10% on pre-orders if you choose to sign up.

There are hundreds of books available for pre-order on the Barnes & Noble website, but a few standouts include I'll Believe in Anything: The Making of Heated Rivalry Season 1 by Jacob Tierney, Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel, Off the Reservation by Stephen Graham Jones, Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult, Hollywood Ending by John Green, and The Witch by Freida McFadden. Be sure to get your pre-orders in by 2:59 a.m. ET on the morning of Sept. 12 to score the 25% off discount. And don't forget the code PREORDER25.

Looking to score some deals on existing titles? Here are a few discounts I spotted on Amazon worth adding to your cart.

Best book deals at Amazon

• And Now, Back to You by B.K. Borison (paperback) — $10.40 $19 (save $8.60)

• The Wedding People by Alison Espach (paperback) — $14.24 $18.99 (save $4.75)

• Heart of Glass by Jennifer Hillier (harcover) — $14.50 $29 (save $14.50)

• Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke (hardover) — $14.99 $30 (save $15.01)

• Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty (hardcover) — $22.10 $34 (save $11.90)

• Under Story by Chloe Benjamin (hardcover) — $22.38 $32 (save $9.62)

Everyone who misses Andrew Scott's Priest from Fleabag better prepare themselves for the upcoming series, It Gets Worse.

Created by UK comedian Leo Reich, It Gets Worse is about three university friends in London. A clip of the show recently dropped, and it already has the internet in a (figurative? literal?) chokehold.

The two-minute snippet features Reich as an adrift 24-year-old and Scott as a therapist and apparent hookup app match. Reich's character, though, uses the opportunity to speak to the therapist and laments that he feels like his life is over. But his woes are curtailed pretty quickly when the therapist kisses him.

It gets worse better: The therapist holds the 20-something by the neck and tells him, "You're just a hole for daddy." After telling him he's fine mentally, valid, and enough, he spits in his mouth.

As expected, the internet is extremely horny about this:

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The UK recently banned strangulation porn in its Crime and Policing Bill (as well as incest porn). It's now an offense to possess or publish images of strangulation and suffocation if the image is pornographic. The law states that the image is banned if it "portrays, in an explicit and realistic way, a person strangling," but doesn't go into detail about what, exactly, this means, or whether what Scott is doing in the clip would be allowed if the parties were naked.

Obviously, a UK sitcom isn't the same as pornography, but it's notable that a famed star can hold his costar by the neck and be shown at the BFI London Film Festival, while adult performers can't do the same.

Why are Windows laptops so expensive right now?

The ongoing memory crisis, aka "RAMageddon," is the main reason why Windows laptop prices have skyrocketed this year. But it also doesn't help that Microsoft reportedly raised its Windows 11 licensing fees by abnormally high rates. In other words, PC makers are spending more on both hardware and software right now, so they're making consumers eat the extra costs.

Some of our current picks have faced price hikes in recent months (see below). We've re-evaluated them and decided that they're still worth recommending at their higher prices, but will remove them from this guide if we find better-value alternatives or if their prices keep climbing to exorbitant levels.

What's new this month

In early September 2026, I updated this guide with one new pick. The Dell XPS 13 is my new favorite budget Windows laptop for its elite build quality. (It's also the best MacBook Neo rival I've encountered thus far.) It succeeds the sold-out Acer Aspire 16 AI.

I've started looking for a replacement for the Alienware 16X Aurora, our former pick in the gaming category, which is no longer available. I'm also in the process of testing a possible alternative to the Asus Zenbook A16, our current favorite 16-inch Windows laptop, which just got a $300 price hike. I still love it and think it's a decent value in the age of RAMageddon, but I want to double-check that it's still the best option out there.

Finally, I'm monitoring the availability of two of our other current picks: the Acer Swift Edge 14 AI and Intel-powered Acer Swift X 14. They were both out of stock at the time of writing but could return, so I'm keeping them on this guide for now. If it turns out they've been fully discontinued, I'll replace them with other models. (As things stand, the Dell 14S would become my top choice for students, and the AMD-powered Acer Swift X 14 AI would be my new pick for photo and video editing.)

As a quick note before we get into the picks, Mashable tests laptops on the basis of performance, battery life, design/build quality, and value. We do so using a combination of synthetic benchmarking and real-world usage. You can read more about our testing process in the "How We Tested" section.

A note about ARM-based Windows laptops

Asus' Zenbook A-series laptops are two of the best ARM-based laptops I've tried. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series chips use ARM-based architecture, not traditional x86 architecture like Intel and AMD chips. As such, their compatibility differs. ARM-based laptops don't work natively with certain specialty software (like AutoCAD), nor can they run as many PC games.

ARM compatibility issues are a non-concern for the majority of general-purpose Windows users, but they'll be dealbreakers for some demographics — PC gamers being an obvious one.

College students should also steer clear of ARM laptops. When I examined the 10 top public universities' hardware recommendations for the 2026 fall semester, I found that a couple schools explicitly advised their students against getting ARM-based laptops to make sure they can run all of their necessary coursework without emulation. (This is one big reason why I recommend the Acer Swift Edge 14 AI and Dell 14S for college students, in particular: They have x86-based Intel chips.)

The good news is that ARM compatibility has gotten better over the past couple years, and it will definitely continue to do so now that Nvidia is coming out with its own RTX Spark "superchips," which run on ARM.

What we're testing right now

The Mashable team has a bunch of other Windows laptops in hand for testing right now, including the Alienware 16 Area-51, Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i, Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1, Lenovo LOQ Essential 15, Lenovo Legion 5i, Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, MSI Prestige 16 AI+, Framework Laptop 13 Pro, Asus ProArt PZ14, Asus Zenbook Duo, and Acer Swift Air 14. Stay tuned to see if any of them make the cut for a future update to this guide.

What to look forward to

PC makers announced lots of new laptops earlier this month at IFA, a tech trade show in Berlin. The models confirmed for an eventual U.S. release are:

• Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe, a budget laptop that comes in two sizes and seven colors

• Lenovo Yoga Pro 5n and Yoga 9n 2-in-1, two creator laptops powered by Nvidia's RTX Spark platform

• Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 9 and ThinkBook 14x Gen 2, two fresh business laptops

• Acer Swift Air 16, a slim 16-incher

• Another version of the Dell 14S with more colors, less powerful processors, and a cheaper price tag

FREE MARS CANDY WITH TICKET PURCHASE: As of Sep. 9, get a free Mars candy when you purchase a ticket to see Verity starring Anne Hathaway at a Regal Theater on opening weekend.

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Credit: Regal Theaters

Free Mars Candy with Verity Ticket at Regal

 

Get Deal

Can't wait to see Anne Hathaway's latest movie in theaters? Make sure you head to Regal to get your money's worth. After starring in a string of hits like The Odyssey, Mother Mary, The Devil Wears Prada 2, and The End of Oak Street, the actress is appearing in a new theatrical adaptation of the Colleen Hoover bestseller Verity, and you have a chance to get a nice little freebie for checking the movie out as soon as it hits theaters.

As of Sep. 9, get a free Mars candy when you purchase a ticket to see Verity starring Anne Hathaway at a Regal Theater on opening weekend. That means you must purchase a ticket between Oct. 1 and Oct. 4, and you'll get one free eligible Mars candy per ticket. The movie officially hits theaters on Oct. 2, so you can preorder your tickets if you like, as long as you buy them at a Regal theater, while supplies last. This offer is only available to Regal Crown Club members as an exclusive.

Verity follows writer Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson), who's hired to ghostwrite for author Verity Crawford (Hathaway). She's given all the notes and reference materials she needs when she heads to the Crawford residence to get started, but there's something not quite right about the situation, and it all comes to light when she happens upon an extremely dark confession about Verity's husband Jeremy (Josh Hartnett).

It's always good to get a freebie when you head to the movies given how expensive everything is, so if you're headed out to see this one anyway, might as well get something sweet for your trouble!

With hours to go before Apple's "Surprise and shine" event on Wednesday, new Apple CEO John Ternus took to X/Twitter to share a short teaser video.

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Within an hour, the video had already been viewed more than 1.1 million times by X users, and Apple fans are speculating wildly about what it could mean. We'll know for sure later today, as the September Apple event livestream is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. ET later today.

The short video clip shows a bright beam of light shining down on what appears to be a camera lens. That could point to the rumored iPhone 18 Pro Max camera upgrades, which include a variable aperture.

However, considering that the tagline for the event is literally "Surprise and shine," it's always possible that Ternus is teasing something totally unexpected, like a Vision Pro 2 or Apple's long-rumored smart glasses.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park

SAVE $200: As of Sept. 9, the Dell XPS 13 (Intel Core 5 320, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) is on sale at Best Buy for only $599.99. That's 25% off its $799.99 MSRP.

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Credit: Dell

Dell XPS 13 (Intel Core 5 320, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

$599.99 at Best Buy
$799.99 Save $200

 

Get Deal

Best Buy is offering a steep discount on Dell's premium budget laptop in the wake of its recent price increase. An entry-level Dell XPS 13 with 8GB of memory and 512GB of storage is currently on sale there for just $599.99, or $200 off its newly higher MSRP. That nullifies its price bump and then some.

The global memory crisis is making all laptops more expensive, and budget models like the XPS 13 are no exception: Dell just raised the price of its MacBook Neo competitor by $100 and introduced a new base model with half the storage as before. This 512GB variant, which used to be the starting configuration, went from $699.99 to $799.99. (Note that Best Buy is still showing its original list price — this deal is better than advertised.)

The Dell XPS 13's "sky" colorway is a subtle light blue hue. Credit: Dell

Like the mega-popular MacBook Neo, the XPS 13 has a luxe all-aluminum build that makes it look and feel much more expensive than it really is. Unlike the Neo, it has a backlit keyboard and a touchscreen display with a slightly sharper resolution, thinner bezels, and a much smoother 120Hz refresh rate. It's also half a pound lighter than the Neo, weighing only 2.2 pounds.

This XPS 13 runs on a low-end Intel Core 5 320 chip that's best for basic tasks like sending emails and surfing the web. If you're a tab-happy user who likes to multitask, consider upgrading its RAM from 8GB to 16GB. (Windows 11 eats up a big chunk of its memory.) Best Buy is still selling a 16GB RAM variant at its original price of $899.99; it's now going for $999.99 on Dell's website.

Updated on Sept. 9 at 2:00 p.m. ET — Apple finally unveiled the iPhone Duo, ending months (years, really) of speculation. Read our full story on the launch of the foldable iPhone Duo.

The foldable iPhone Ultra is finally here. Wait. Scratch that. Apple's first folding iPhone is apparently not going by that name anymore. And along with a new name, the foldable will apparently be more affordable than expected, too.

On the eve of the Apple iPhone launch event, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman dropped some big news about Apple's foldable iPhone. Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 18 line, along with the foldable smartphone, at the big "Surprise and Shine" event later today.

Want more tech 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.

Apple has reportedly decided to call the foldable the "iPhone Duo."

The foldable device has been referred to by Apple insiders, analysts, and leakers for months as the iPhone Ultra, so this is a bit of a surprise. The iPhone Duo does seem to fit a bit better as a name, as it's not technically a premium iPhone 18 experience as "Ultra" tends to convey. It's a whole new product line for Apple.

If you really liked the iPhone Ultra name and are disappointed by the news, Gurman reported some additional updates that may act as a consolation for the name change.

The iPhone Duo is expected to launch with a retail price of $2,000. That's several hundred dollars less than most analysts expected. The launch price was recently pegged at around $2,300 with an average cost of $2,550.

We will know more about the iPhone Duo very shortly when Apple officially announces the foldable device at the event.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park. See what our readers guessed would happen at today's Apple event in our Big Guessing Game.

In what's become a regular Bat-Signal for tech enthusiasts, the Apple Store was down Wednesday morning.

Hours ahead of the tech giant's big Apple Event, where the new iPhone 18 lineup is expected to be unveiled, the retail section of Apple's website was showing an error.

It's not a crash, however, instead it's become an annual occurrence when new iPhones wait in the wings. And with Apple's first-ever foldable iPhone expected to emerge today, you know that storefront is getting an overhaul.

Today, Apple will hold its "Surprise and Shine" event at 10 a.m. PT at Apple Park in Cupertino, California. However, you can watch the keynote live on YouTube and follow Mashable's live updates on the ground.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

In a handful of hours, Apple is holding its big annual September event. You'd think the rumor mill would slow down at some point, but it hasn't.

Everyone expects to see new iPhones and some other fun stuff as well. Those details are more or less set in stone. There are little things in the margins, though, such as device prices, colors, and specs, that are still leaking out ahead of time. Here are some last-minute rumors to catch up on before the show at 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

We may have a name and price for the foldable iPhone

In a last-second report for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman revealed that the foldable iPhone will be called the iPhone Duo and will launch at $2,000 for 256GB of storage. That's quite a bit less than expected, and Gurman said that Apple will be eating some of the higher memory costs.

He also says the two colors for the device are white and a dark blue, and that shipments will come "as early as October." It should also have Apple Pencil support, per Gurman.

Leaked iPhone 18 Pro and Ultra cases, with one device notably missing

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Last week, a handful of third-party phone accessory makers posted renders of cases for the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max, and Ultra phones. While the renders are almost certainly not real photos of the phones, they do give us an idea of what to expect in terms of size and shape, especially for the foldable Ultra. As has been rumored for months, it appears to be a short, wide foldable with two cameras on the rear.

These iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max case leaks included four colors: deep burgundy, light gray, black, and misty blue, all of which have been previously reported as colors for those devices. The only slightly weird thing here is that there are no renders of the base-model iPhone 18. It's becoming more and more expected around the tech world that Apple will wait until next spring to launch the base iPhone 18, giving the Pro and Ultra models more time to shine this fall.

No AirPods with cameras at "Surprise and Shine" event

In the same report where he revealed the foldable iPhone's name and price, Gurman also predicted that the rumored AirPods with cameras will not be released at today's event. Instead, Gurman said the new AirPods 5 will be revealed, with the camera-equipped AirPods Pro Ultra coming soon after.

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A video of the new AirPods with cameras leaked back in August, suggesting a release is indeed imminent, even if it doesn't happen today.

Late-coming foldable iPhone specs

An earlier Gurman interview also contained some basic specs for the device, which line up with what we've been hearing for a while now. Gurman said to expect a 5.5-inch outer display and a 7.8-inch inner display. He also said the phone will have MagSafe support, which had been a big question mark prior to this interview. He compared the hinge to those on recent Samsung foldables, which means it likely won't be completely invisible, but it will be close enough.

Price hikes may not be as big as we thought

Following reports that the iPhone Duo could have an average price of over $2,500, and rumors that the new iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could see $200 to $300 price increases, the latest report from Gurman predicted softer price increases of around $100.

That would definitely be good news amid the global memory crisis, though Apple has been preparing us for iPhone price increases for months.

No major Apple Watch updates

We already reported that the new Apple Watch Series 12 (not to mention a new SE and Ultra) won't see major changes this year. However, we do have some tidbits, including the existence of a new health app designed to help the Apple Watch compete with trendy screen-free wearables like the Whoop and Oura ring.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

What would have happened to Carrie if she'd gone to school in the age of smartphones and the internet?

The trailer above for Mike Flanagan's Prime Video adaptation of Stephen King's classic novel sets out to answer that question, placing Carrie White (Summer H. Howell) into a present-day version of King's nightmarish story about a bullied girl with telekinetic powers.

Judging by the trailer, the key moments from the book have been kept. But the forever nature of the internet looks set to make Carrie's suffering all the more painfully relatable.

Following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival next week, Carrie debuts on streaming on Prime Video Oct. 7.

Blame the American school system for my rubbish knowledge of England's Peasants' Revolt in 1381 prior to seeing The Uprising. Blame writer/director Paul Greengrass for making a movie about a "no kings" rebellion joltingly boring.

Aside from a string of Bourne Identity sequels (The Bourne Supremacy, The Bourne Ultimatum, Jason Bourne), the English journalist-turned-filmmaker has favored adapting true stories into films such as Bloody Sunday, United 93, Green Zone, The Lost Bus, and now The Uprising.

His latest stars Andrew Garfield as an impoverished farmer whose whole family has died from plague. This humble everyman trusted in his king. But surrounded by power-hungry yes-men, the ruler of the land ignores the needs of his people and bleeds them dry with taxes that could literally starve them. The modern-day relevance is hard to miss even before Garfield hisses, "No kings!"

So, why does this story feel less like a protest shout and more like a shrug?

The Uprising lacks the guts of its heroes.

Thomasin McKenzie, Jamie Bell, and Andrew Garfield in "The Uprising." Credit: Focus Features

As a critic, I wish I thought less often of Blues Traveler's "Runaround." As songs go, it still slaps. But often when I'm bored by a movie, I hear John Popper in my head as if he's sitting beside me, whispering, "A bad play where the heroes are right / And nobody thinks or expects too much / And Hollywood's calling for the movie rights / Singing, 'Hey babe, let's keep in touch.'" (Hey babe, let's keep in touch.)

Which is all to say that Greengrass wants to make the Peasants' Revolt as black-and-white as possible. So, he casts a handsome, affable, and respected actor as its hero, an everyman who is defined not by his name or his family but by his job: Ploughman.

The Uprising begins with Garfield at the plough, enacting back-breaking toil within view of three modest graves, marked by hand-rigged crosses. The quiet sequence sets up that this is a hard-working family man who has nothing left to lose.

Then, this simple man faces the king's representatives, who brutally demand taxes in the form of harvests from the village that's scraping by in the wake of so much death. Ploughman himself is snagged in brutal bureaucracy as the taxman argues essentially that if the widower didn't pay the "death tax" on his wife and kids, he must pay the increased fee now, as if they were alive. But that's not the real focus of this sequence. That would be a string of sexual assaults conducted by the king's soldiers in the background.

See, if a girl is "of age," her family will be taxed more. And how the soldiers determine if she's old enough to qualify is by reaching up her skirt. Doing this once isn't enough to get the point across, or so thinks Greengrass. So nameless, weeping girls cry out one after another before crumbling into defeat, as Ploughman looks distraught and argues with a taxman. Then he snaps, declaring, "Enough!" and leaping on a soldier. The rest of the village follows, chasing the king's men away, save for the soldier that Ploughman has beaten to death. But who could blame him, right?

While some might balk at the Ploughman's violent response, The Uprising will soon introduce more radical characters, like the pro-fighting priest John Ball (Jamie Bell), the warrior Wat Tyler (Cosmo Jarvis), and a cynical nun named Alyce (Thomasin McKenzie). Their push for violence makes the Ploughman uneasy, as he again and again pushes for diplomacy, haunted by his own past violence. So, by contrast to those who seek a fight, he's almost saintly in his restraint. But more than that, he seems bored by it. Or maybe that's just me.

Andrew Garfield can't save The Uprising.

Director Paul Greengrass and actor Cosmo Jarvis during the production of "The Uprising." Credit: Betina La Plante / Focus Features

Garfield is a great actor. But Greengrass' style is is typically one of restraint, which makes little sense in a time of such political upheaval. These people are fighting for their survival on no uncertain terms, yet that primal urge to live is lost in The Uprising. Garfield's shining eyes, paired with a tense jaw, speak of his character's inner agony. It's up to Bell and McKenzie to sell us festered rage, as neither is new to the fight. Their scenes offer brief flickers of life. She seethes with a monologue about religious corruption that is stirring, albeit brief.

Bell ignites onscreen. He is Garfield's foil. Where Ploughman's brush with violence makes him yearn for peace, Bell's Ball craves the bloodshed that might scare the upper class into actual, meaningful change. Theirs is a compelling dynamic I craved more of, but Greengrass has his grim battle scenes to get to. Oh, then there's the sympathetic but useless queen mother's subplot. Katherine Waterston plays Joan of Kent, mother of Richard II (Woody Norman), a boy royal who rules with the impetuousness of youth and the cruelty of privilege. Her horror at her son's actions is, I don't know, there. But in terms of what it means in the movie? A whole lot of nothing. Greengrass also looped in the likes of Stephen Dillane, Jonny Lee Miller, and Tom Hollander for thankless supporting roles.

Tom Hollander, Woody Norman, and Katherine Waterston in "The Uprising." Credit: Betina La Plante / Focus Features

The whole of the film is draped in a bleak tone that regards revolution as inevitable yet regrettable. This maudlin perspective is reflected in a low-contrast palette, often with a faint yellow tint. It has the effect of treating The Uprising like a forgotten photograph, bleached by age. However, cinematographer Pål Ulvik Rokseth's handheld camerawork conflicts with this antiqued look. These shots, jostled by his body's motion, the breath in his lungs, the blood in his veins, give life to the film in a way that doesn't fit the rest of Greengrass' approach. And that's probably why I responded to it so much. I yearned for the energy Rokseth's cameras gave, which Greengrass' writing and direction lacked.

In shooting a story of rebellion that's hundreds of years old, Rokseth reflects the modern language of not just journalists in war zones but also average citizens recording atrocities on their phones. The "shaky cam" look reminds us that we are witnesses, not just an audience. And in that, The Uprising's cinematography asks what we will do with what we know. It's a visual call to action.

What a shame that the rest of the movie can't commit to such boldness. Instead, Greengrass gives us a bland, muddy slog with a black-and-white hero and villain, and an ending that is sure to satisfy no one.

The Uprising opens in theaters in the U.S. on Sept. 10; a UK release will follow on Oct. 9.

SAVE $350: As of Sept. 9, the JBL Bar 700MK2 Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer is down to its lowest price ever. Snag one from Amazon for $549.95, down from $899.95 — a 39% discount.

Amazon dropped the price on the JBL Bar 700MK2 Soundbar System down to $549.95 — a 39% discount off its $899.95 list price. That cuts $350 off the retail cost and marks the absolute best price ever for this heavy-hitting home theater setup.

The coolest feature of this soundbar is its detachable, battery-powered rear speakers. When you want full surround sound for movies or sports, you simply lift the end caps off the main bar and place them behind your couch. There are no speaker wires to string across your floor and no extra wall outlets needed. Once you're done watching, you snap them back onto the main unit to recharge automatically for your next viewing session.

Delivering 780 watts of total system power, this setup packs plenty of punch. The included 10-inch wireless subwoofer handles the deep low end, giving action scenes and music basslines a heavy, physical rumble in your living room. 

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Credit: JBL

JBL Bar 700MK2 Soundbar

$549.95 at Amazon
$899.95 Save $350

 

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Built-in Dolby Atmos and DTS Virtual:X bounce sound off your walls and ceiling to simulate overhead audio, while wide-dispersion tech spreads the sound evenly across the room so everyone on the couch gets a great seat.

To keep quiet conversations from getting buried during loud action scenes, the built-in voice-enhancement tech analyzes scene volume on the fly to keep speech crisp and easy to hear. When the TV is off, the system works as a standalone home speaker with built-in WiFi and Bluetooth, making it easy to stream music or podcasts straight from your phone or laptop.

Score the JBL Bar 700MK2 for $549.95 at Amazon and never ask "what did they say?" again.

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SAVE $40: As of Sept. 9, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 portable speakers are on sale for $59.99 at Amazon. That's $40 off their list price of $99.99.

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Credit: Ultimate Ears

Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4 Portable Waterproof Speaker

$59.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $40.00

 

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Amazon's Labor Day sale featured some excellent discounts, including a deal on one of our favorite portable speakers, the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4. While the sale event may be winding down, this offer is still live so that shoppers can snag this portable speaker for $59.99.

As of Sept. 9, every available color on Amazon is down to this price, $40 off the usual list price of $99.99. For some of the color variants, it even marks a return to this speaker's lowest-ever price at the retailer, making now a great time to grab it. Keep in mind that some colors are marked as limited-time deals right now, so be quick to pick up your favorite while it's still on sale.

If you're planning some outdoor excursions this fall, whether that be camping or just a cozy bonfire, a portable speaker like this is perfect for bringing music along on your journey. It has a compact, sturdy build (IP67-rated waterproof, dustproof, and floatable, according to the store page) that boasts 360-degree sound alongside a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 14 hours.

It's one we think is certainly worth picking up, earning a spot in our roundup of the best portable Bluetooth speakers as it's "a powerhouse for its size and price." And with a deal like this, it's even more worth grabbing.

If it's been on your radar, don't miss out on this opportunity to save on the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 portable speaker at Amazon.

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SAVE $150: As of Sept. 9, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 (256GB) is down to its lowest price since launch. Snag one from Amazon for $1,049.99 down from $1,199.99 — a 13% discount.

As of Sept. 9, Amazon has dropped the price of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 (256GB) down to $1,049.99 — a 13% discount off its $1,199.99 list price. This deal marks the lowest price we've seen on Samsung's latest flip phone since its release.

Samsung refined the design on this generation to make it lighter and thinner than its predecessor, so it easily disappears into a pocket. The expanded, customizable cover screen lets you respond to texts, run app widgets, and access AI shortcuts without opening the phone. You can also prop the phone up hands-free to snap photos at any angle or record video. 

It packs a top-tier Snapdragon 8 Elite processor paired with 12GB of RAM, giving you fast app loading, smooth multitasking, and quick photo processing. An upgraded 4,300 mAh battery delivers reliable daily runtime and fast-charging support. For iPhone switchers, Samsung has simplified the setup process to bring over your photos, contacts, passwords, and alarms in a few taps. 

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8

$1,049.99 at Amazon
$1,199.99 Save $150

 

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Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth gave the Galaxy Z Flip 8 a 4.25 out of 5 rating and a Mashable Selects award, calling it "an interesting phone in a time when most phones are aggressively boring." He singled out the lightweight frame, subtle crease, and customizable outer display as major wins, praising the pink colorway as "our favorite phone design in years." 

However, he did point out that the 50MP main camera is "just OK" and the 10MP selfie camera could be eliminated in favor of using the cover screen preview. Despite those minor trade-offs, he concluded that "if you don't need a 200MP camera or 8K video recording... then this phone will suit your needs just fine."

Grab the Galaxy Z Flip 8 for $1,049.99 on Amazon and snag Samsung's sleekest flip phone for its best price yet.

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If you want a good 20-minute distraction today, you could do a lot worse than watching Obsession stars Inde Navarratte and Michael Johnston taking each other on at Hot Ones Versus.

In the clip above the actors take turns asking each other questions, going head-to-head in challenges, and generally being hilarious as they battle to avoid eating spicy wings.

The highlight? It's a close call between Navarratte drawing on Johnstone's face and a particularly chaotic game of charades at the end.

SAVE $20: As of Sept. 9, the Soundcore Anker Space 2 headphones are back to their lowest-ever price at Amazon of $109.99. That's $20 off their full price of $129.99.

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Credit: Soundcore

Soundcore Anker Space 2 Bluetooth 6.1 Over-Ear Headphones

$109.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $20.00

 

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Soundcore's Anker Space 2 headphones are "proof that you don't need to spend upwards of $400 for a truly great pair of headphones," according to our review from Mashable's Bethany Allard. But what's even better is that you can get them on Amazon for even less than usual right now, which is a real treat for those who have had their eyes on the budget-friendly pair.

As of Sept. 9, Amazon has slashed the price of every available color of these headphones down from $129.99 to $109.99. Price-tracking website camelcamelcamel notes that this marks a return to their lowest price yet, though the deal may not last much longer, given it has a 'limited time deal' tag. So, if these headphones have caught your eye, be quick to grab them at this price.

Alongside their more approachable price tag, Soundcore's Anker Space 2 headphones have quite a lot to offer listeners, too. When it comes to sound quality, Allard's review highlights that they "sound balanced, clear, and generally pretty damn great" out of the box. However, the noise cancellation is "nothing astounding, but it certainly gets the job done, especially on lower-pitched hums."

Plus, they boast a beefy battery life of up to 50 hours with ANC on and up to 70 hours with it off, plus a comfortable fit. So if you're not looking to splash out on pricy new headphones for your everyday listening, these are well worth looking into. That's especially true while they're still on sale.

And again, that may not be for much longer, so act fast to save on the Soundcore Anker Space 2 headphones at Amazon.

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Jimmy Kimmel has been on vacation since mid-June, which means there was a lot to catch up on during his return to late night.

"Donald Trump and I have one thing in common," the host says in the monologue above. "We both accomplished nothing all summer long."

Kimmel goes on to talk through some of lowlights, from Trump's Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool continuing to look green ("How are we supposed to win the war with Iran when we can't even win the war against algae, for God's sake?") to the president posting about changing the name of New Mexico to "New America" ("Listen, if there was a New America, we would all go there immediately," says Kimmel).

To finish, Kimmel presents a two-minute montage of the weirdest things the president has said while he's been away. As you can probably imagine, there's quite a bit to unpack.

SAVE $250: As of Sept. 9, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (256GB) is down to its lowest price since launch. Snag one from Amazon for $1,649.99 down from $1,899.99 — a 13% discount.

Amazon has dropped the price of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (256GB) down to $1,649.99 — a 13% discount off its original $1,899.99 list price. That lets you save $250 on Samsung’s latest flagship foldable smartphone, bringing it to its lowest price since launch.

Samsung redesigned this generation to feel less like having a heavy brick in your pocket and more like a standard smartphone when closed. Once you open it up, you get a massive, tablet-style main screen that’s bright enough to read in full sunlight. The outer and inner displays are both tuned to a wider aspect ratio, making reading books, streaming video, and typing feel completely natural instead of cramped.

Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth put the Galaxy Z Fold 8 through its paces and gave it a high 4.5 out of 5 score, along with a Mashable Choice Award. Calling it "the most exciting phone launch of the year," he noted that this stylish passport-style foldable is "undeniably fun to use and show off" and effectively "makes phones interesting again." 

The Fold 8 packs a customized Snapdragon 8 Elite processor paired with 12GB of RAM, easily handling mobile games and multi-app multitasking without skipping a beat. 

Powering everything is a 4,800 mAh battery built to last through a full day of heavy use, alongside fast charging to top you up quickly. If you’re currently using an iPhone, Samsung has also simplified the setup process so you can transfer over your contacts, photos, passwords, and alarms without losing anything in the move.

On the back, a 50MP dual-camera system lets you review photos on the large display right after taking them, and the built-in video stabilization locks onto the horizon so your video recordings stay smooth even if you’re moving around.

Timothy did point out that the 50MP cameras are "more mid than elite" and the ultra-thin frame can run "noticeably warm" under heavy workloads. Despite those minor trade-offs, he concluded that the Fold 8 is still "the best foldable I've tested yet," noting that "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."

Grab the Galaxy Z Fold 8 on Amazon for $1,649.99 today — deals at this price won't stay live long.

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SAVE $1,002: As of Sept. 9, the 65-inch Hisense S7 Canvas TV QLED Smart TV is down to $997.99 at Amazon. That is a 50% discount off its $1,999.99 list price, giving you an anti-glare art TV with a smooth 144Hz refresh rate and an included ultra-slim frame mount for under $1,000.

As of Sept. 9, Amazon has cut the price of the 65-inch Hisense Hi-QLED S7 Canvas TV down to $997.99 — a massive 50% discount off its standard $1,999.99 list price. That means you get to save $1,002 on a smart TV that doubles as a frame-ready art piece, with a high-end matte screen, a smooth 144Hz refresh rate, and an included wall mount, all at half price.

Instead of leaving a blank black screen hanging in your living room, this TV switches to an art display when you aren't watching movies. You get access to over 1,000 free artworks and photos to cycle through, and it comes with a teak wood frame and an ultra-slim wall mount out of the box, so it sits flush against your wall like a real painting. The built-in motion sensor turns the art display on when you walk into the room and shuts it off when you leave, saving power.

The main feature here is the anti-glare matte screen, which reduces harsh sunlight or lamp reflections so you get a clear picture no matter where the light comes from. You also get a sharp 4K QLED panel with Dolby Vision HDR for rich colors and deep contrast. For gamers and sports fans, the native 144Hz refresh rate keeps fast-moving action completely smooth and fluid without any annoying motion blur.

It runs on the Google TV interface, bringing all your streaming apps, live channels, and personalized recommendations to a single homepage. An automatic ambient light sensor continuously tweaks the screen's brightness and color temperature to match the lighting in your room throughout the day. 

For sound, built-in room-filling speakers use spatial audio tech to simulate overhead and surround sound effects without forcing you to buy an external soundbar immediately.

Grab this 50% discount on Amazon to turn your TV into a piece of art for under $999 while the deal lasts.

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SAVE $800: As of Sept. 9, the LG 65-Inch OLED AI 4K B6 Smart TV is on sale at Amazon for its lowest price yet, $1,199.99. That's $800 off its full price of $1,999.99.

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Credit: LG

LG 65-Inch Class OLED AI 4K B6 Series Smart TV

$1,199.99 at Amazon
$1,999.99 Save $800

 

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Labor Day may be over, but retailers don't stop dropping deals entirely until the next big sale event hits. Amazon, in particular, is still full of excellent offers, especially on tech. If a new TV has been on your mind for fall, the retailer currently has a great discount on the LG 65-Inch OLED AI 4K B6 Smart TV, which is marked down to $1,199.99 for a limited time as of Sept. 9.

Compared to this LG TV's full price of $1,999.99, this is a massive $800 discount. Not to mention, it's the lowest-ever price for this display at the retailer, according to price tracking website camelcamelcamel. What better time to grab it?

If you're not looking to go all out on screen size but don't want to grab something too small, this 65-inch LG is a great mid-range option. It boasts incredible picture quality to boot, thanks to its 4K OLED display, which brings out vibrant colors and deep contrast in what you're watching or playing. It even comes with Dolby Vision to further enhance that color and contrast, alongside Dolby Atmos immersive sound.

On top of that, there's a Filmmaker Mode with Ambient Light Technology that lets you watch movies in the format the director intended. Plus, those who love to game can enjoy a 0.1ms response time and up to 120Hz refresh rate, making on-screen action look smooth without blur or tearing.

The LG 65-Inch OLED AI 4K B6 Smart TV is currently marked as a limited-time deal on Amazon's store page, so act fast to save on it before the discount disappears.

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Jon Stewart has been unplugged from the news throughout August, and he makes the big mistake of asking "Did I miss anything?" in his first Daily Show monologue back.

Cue a montage of chaotic and depressing Trump news, from the president renewing his attack on mail-in voting to the president making threats to bomb a US ally.

"Noooo! Oh no, I'm old again!" says Jon Stewart, suddenly wearing a long white beard. "God, it never ends with this dude Trump. I've never seen one person work so much and fix so little. It's exhausting in a way that's difficult to articulate."

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On Wednesday, Sept. 9, Apple will hold its big iPhone launch event for 2026.

Apple hosts its big annual keynote event every September to unveil the brand-new iPhone lineup, but this year's event should be a little more exciting than in previous years. The company is expected to unveil a ton of products as the new CEO, John Ternus, takes center stage for the first time.

The highlight of the show should be the announcement of Apple's first foldable iPhone. However, Apple has dubbed this year's keynote the "Surprise and Shine" event, so the company may have even more up its sleeve than we anticipate.

What time is the Apple event today?

You can watch the Apple iPhone launch event on YouTube, the Apple website, and Apple TV. The "Surprise and Shine" livestream begins promptly at 10 a.m. PT.

Mashable reporter Stan Schroeder will be in the audience and reporting live, and you can also join Mashable for the CNET Apple Event livestream for a post-show breakdown.

Along with a ton of product announcements, the Sept. 9 event will also mark Ternus's first keynote as Apple's new CEO.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park

Tiny, icy worlds at the edge of the solar system are helping scientists rewind the story of how planets like Earth first came together.

These distant, city‑size bodies orbit far beyond Neptune in space and are leftover building materials from the solar system's early days. They have spent billions of years in a deep freeze, preserving clues to how the first solid worlds formed.

Until now, astronomers could only study larger members of this population, from dwarf planets like Pluto and its moon Charon down to mid‑size objects such as Arrokoth. The truly tiny ones, only a few miles wide, stayed out of reach.

In two new studies, scientists used NASA's James Webb Space Telescope to find dozens of these tiny worlds, then followed up with the Hubble Space Telescope to measure the light from their frozen surfaces.

Together, the results give astronomers the largest census of these distant objects ever made, showing how many of these tiny worlds exist and what their surfaces are made of. The observations turn a scattered set of icy rocks into a detailed look at how the building blocks of planets formed and how little they have changed. The scientific papers both appear in The Astronomical Journal.

In Webb's deep images, astronomers picked out 27 new Trans‑Neptunian Objects — the small icy bodies that orbit beyond Neptune — in a small patch of sky. Some are only about six miles wide, making this the most sensitive study of such worlds to date. From their brightness, the team inferred how common each size is.

Researchers expected that over time, crashes between these tiny bodies would change their appearance and grind them into shards. Instead, the new data show only a slight uptick in the number of small objects. That means the Kuiper Belt — the broad ring of debris beyond Neptune — doesn't consist mostly of dust and crumbs. Instead, most of its mass is tied up in objects about 120 miles wide.

The Kuiper Belt is the broad ring of debris beyond Neptune's orbit. Credit: NASA infographic

That pattern backs a "born big" view of planet construction. In the early solar system, clouds of pebble‑size material in the disk of gas and dust likely clumped and collapsed under their own gravity to form large, solid bodies in a relatively quick phase, rather than slowly growing from dust through countless scrapes with other bodies.

Equally striking, two major families of these distant worlds share almost the same size pattern down to the smallest objects Webb could detect. One group follows calm, nearly circular orbits and probably formed more or less where it now resides. The other group moves on more tilted and stretched paths and likely began closer to the sun before giant planets pushed it outward.

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This similarity hints that the process that turned dust, rock, and ice into "planetesimals" — the first solid pieces big enough to build planets — may work the same way under many different conditions. That challenges earlier thinking, which had predicted many more small chunks than Webb and Hubble actually saw: Either collisions aren't drastically reshaping these objects, or they aren't happening as often as scientists expected.

The color measurements add another key clue. The smallest members of the calmer outer‑belt family tend to have a similar reddish color to the larger bodies in that group. Earlier work links those hues to surfaces rich in complex organic compounds and certain ices that slowly darken and redden under cosmic radiation over billions of years.

"You could imagine a scenario where getting knocked around and fragmented would change the surface composition, and then you would see a different surface color," said Anastasia Morgan, a Northern Arizona University doctoral candidate who led the color and composition study, in a statement. "It's really fascinating to see that the smallest objects are somehow 'remembering' and preserving the history of how they were made."

Astronomers also watched how these tiny worlds brighten and dim as they spin. Most show only modest changes in brightness over a rotation, which could mean that extreme football‑like shapes or close pairs, known as contact binaries, are rarer than some models suggested.

Sometimes a sitcom plot line comes along that's so misguided, so confounding, so utterly ill-conceived that you stop and think, "Surely I hallucinated that in its entirety, right?"

In The Paper Season 2's case, that dishonor falls to literally everything the show does to Nicole (Ramona Young).

Season 1 of The Office spinoff paired circulation staffer Nicole up with ad salesman Detrick (Melvin Gregg) in one of the show's main romantic storylines. Nicole consistently told him their dates and hookups were casual and that there were no feelings involved. She actively encouraged Detrick to see other women, but he didn't. Their differences led to a breakup in the Season 1 finale. (Even if Nicole would insist there was nothing to break in the first place.) However, the aftermath of their split suggested Nicole was more emotionally attached than she wanted Detrick to believe, as she went to cry on journalist Mare's (Chelsea Frei) shoulder.

The storyline was a fun play on attitudes around commitment and casual dating, with its ending set the stage for a potential slow burn to bring Detrick and Nicole back together on more official terms. That is, until The Paper's second season comes along and wrecks Nicole's character.

Throughout Season 2, Nicole is a vengeful harpy out to get Detrick. She gets a promotion, then tries to use that extra power to give him extra work. (It backfires.) She reports their now-over relationship to HR rep Lisa (Lisa Gilroy), searching for any legitimization of the connection she mourned. When Lisa begins to show interest in Detrick, Nicole dresses as her — complete with dyeing her hair blonde — and rams her car into Lisa's. She also follows Detrick to Cincinnati, leading to an unsettling sequence where Detrick genuinely seems to believe she's going to do him harm.

This bizarro arc robs Nicole of any nuance or interiority, trading any meaningful development around her approach to relationships for unfunny crazy ex-girlfriend stereotypes. (In a post Crazy Ex-Girlfriend world? Really?) The main joke here — that, at her own insistence, Nicole was never really Detrick's girlfriend — is nowhere near funny enough to warrant such a prolonged storyline. Nor is it in keeping with The Paper's more optimistic tone. Even though The Paper is a spin-off of The Office, it shares more thematic DNA with shows like Parks and Recreation, Abbott Elementary, or St. Denis Medical: mockumentaries with an eye for people trying to make a difference in struggling institutions. Given that angle, The Paper's treatment of Nicole feels far too malicious, not to mention out of left field.

Really, it feels like The Paper is trying to recreate the dynamic between The Office's Kelly (Mindy Kaling) and Ryan (BJ Novak), which featured its fair share of Kelly being vindictive. But crucially, Ryan wound up also being a jerk in that on-again, off-again relationship. The pair fed off one another's toxicity. In The Paper, Detrick mainly just reacts to Nicole like anyone else would: with bewilderment, then horror. His arc is primarily focused on his burgeoning reporting skills, while her arc is all about him. To borrow a phrase from Kelly herself, I have a lot of questions about these story choices. Number one, how dare you?

The horrible mishandling of Nicole speaks to The Paper Season 2's broader issue of barely knowing how to handle its ensemble. The Paper's team of amateur journalists gelled exceptionally well in Season 1, but they're as fragmented as can be in Season 2. While the show focuses the brunt of its energy on Ned (Domhnall Gleeson) and Mare's love story — which it handles wonderfully! — the rest of its reporters are left to flounder. Adam (Alex Edelman) is a non-entity. Ken (Tim Key) disappears for episodes at a time. Oscar (Oscar Nuñez), Adelola (Gbemisola Ikumelo), and Travis (Eric Rahill) feel like a thin Greek chorus, with the latter two finally receiving the beginnings of a fulfilling story in the season's final episodes.

If you're in The Paper and your character isn't named Ned, Mare, or Esmeralda (Sabrina Impacciatore), you appear to have two choices. Wind up with a paper-thin storyline, or get saddled with a nightmarish arc like Nicole's. Given how out of character (and out of line) the latter is, The Paper Season 2 might be the one time fading into the background is a good thing.

The Paper Season 2 is now streaming on Peacock.

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TL;DR: ChatPlayground AI gives you access to 20+ major AI tools, and it’s only $55.30 through Sept. 10.

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Credit: ChatPlayground AI

ChatPlayground AI: Lifetime Subscription (Unlimited Plan)

$55.30
$619 Save $563.70

 

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Pretty much anyone who uses AI every day tends to keep two or three chatbots open at once, because no single AI model is great at every single task. Testing the same prompt in ChatGPT, then Claude, then Gemini to find the strongest answer eats up more time than most people admit, and you’re also burning through tokens that whole time. If you want a simpler solution, ChatPlayground is a new platform that gives you lifetime access to dozens of the most popular models, and you can use them all in the same window. Right now, lifetime access is just $55.30 (reg. $619).

One platform for all your AI tools

Type a prompt once, and ChatPlayground AI runs it across every model you’ve selected, then lines up the responses so you can compare them at a glance. That roster includes GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet, Gemini, DeepSeek, Llama, and Perplexity, with more added as new models come out.

Beyond comparisons, ChatPlayground AI includes prompt engineering tools to refine outputs, image and PDF chat for context-aware responses, saved chat history for ongoing projects, and AI image generation powered by leading models. There’s even a Chrome extension to integrate it directly into your browsing workflow.

The Unlimited Plan means unlimited messages per month, making it ideal for startups, product teams, marketers, and prompt engineers who run experiments nonstop. You also get priority support and early access to new features and future models.

If you’re already paying for multiple AI tools — or constantly switching between them — this consolidates everything into one streamlined platform.

Through Sept. 10 at 11:59 p.m. PT, it’s only $55.30 to get a ChatPlayground AI lifetime subscription.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: FastestVPN Pro is down to $29.97 from $600 for a limited time, with lifetime access, 15 simultaneous devices, 900+ servers, and a suite of privacy features.

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Credit: FastestVPN

FastestVPN PRO: Lifetime Subscription (15 Devices)

$29.97
$600 Save $570.03

 

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A VPN can get expensive when you’re paying for multiple devices or renewing a subscription year after year. FastestVPN Pro is currently $29.97 (reg. $600) through Sept. 10 at 11:59 p.m. PT, with lifetime access for up to 15 devices simultaneously and no recurring charges.

FastestVPN Pro offers over 900 servers across 100+ countries, unlimited bandwidth, and unlimited server switching, giving you plenty of options when choosing a connection. Your traffic is protected with 256-bit AES encryption, and its zero-logging policy means your browsing activity won’t be stored or tracked.

The Pro tier adds several privacy and security features beyond the basics. Double VPN can route traffic through two servers, while the kill switch cuts your connection if the VPN drops. There’s also a NAT firewall, built-in ad blocker, anti-malware protection, split tunneling, and IPv6 leak protection included without any add-ons.

The plan is great for households or people using a lot of hardware. You can connect phones, laptops, tablets, smart TVs, and routers at the same time, with support for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Roku, Xbox, PlayStation 4, Apple TV, and more. Dedicated streaming servers support Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime, while P2P-optimized servers are designed for downloads.

A FastestVPN Pro purchase also includes a free one-year Passhulk Password Manager subscription for storing passwords, financial details, licenses, and secure attachments in an encrypted vault.

The FastestVPN Pro Lifetime Plan is available for $29.97 (reg. $600) for a limited time only, ending Sept. 10 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Tubby Nugget may be a tiny animated blob, but he's built the kind of creator empire most humans would envy.

What began as an inside joke between creators and real-life couple Jenine Pastores and Josh Jackson has grown into a character brand with more than 14 million followers, plushies, music videos, live appearances, and ambitions that increasingly extend beyond the social feed. Seven years in, Tubby Nugget has become synonymous with a particular corner of the internet: wholesome, silly, and relentlessly optimistic.

For Pastores and Jackson, though, some of the most important lessons came from resisting the pressure that accompanies that kind of scale. As their audience grew, they briefly wondered whether Tubby needed to change to appeal to more people. Instead, they found that the further they strayed from the character's original spirit, the less authentic the content felt — both to them and to the audience.

Their advice for other creators is deceptively simple: Pay attention to the people already showing up. Reply to the five comments before worrying about getting 5,000. Don't let a number on a screen make you forget that every follower is an actual person. And when something works because it feels uniquely yours, don't abandon it just because your audience gets bigger.

For Mashable's Creator Playbook, Pastores and Jackson break down how they built Tubby Nugget's community one comment at a time, why 400 people in a room can feel way more significant than 400 likes, and why the character's future may include longer-form animation.

Credit: Ian Moore/Mashable/Getty Images

Mashable: Tubby Nugget started as something personal between the two of you. What is it like seeing something you created for yourselves become meaningful to so many other people?

Jenine Pastores: Honestly, I think it's because Tubby started as such a personal thing between Josh and me — to make my day better, to make his day better. Seeing that it's spread so far and so wide is really special. Something that made me happy is now making so many other families and kids happy.

Josh Jackson: We hadn't performed that song live in front of an audience, and to hear all the kids singing it — I mean, gosh, it was just amazing.

Has meeting the Tubby Nugget community in real life changed how you think about the audience you've built online?

Pastores: I think, if anything, we get desensitized to how many people are supporting us and are part of our community because, as the numbers grow, they seem smaller and smaller, which is ironic.

I would encourage other creators to meet their fans in person and see the faces of the people they're really encouraging, because it does change your perspective. A room of 400 people is crazy. We were pretty overwhelmed. I was like, "Can you imagine if all 14 million of our followers showed up in person?" I think it also makes us more and more grateful for what we do.

Jackson: If we get 400 likes on a post, that seems very small. But 400 people in person is just like, "Oh, this is crazy." It's always nice getting lots of likes and comments, but having that face-to-face interaction and seeing the positive effect Tubby's optimism has is just the best.

With an audience that large, how much are you thinking about the algorithm when you're deciding what to make?

Jackson: I'm not gonna lie, we don't really think about the algorithm that much. We did at one point.

We see what works well, and if it aligns with the heart of Tubby Nugget, then yeah, we'll make it. But I think anytime in the past when we've chased likes or views, it feels less authentic to us.

Pastores: And I think our audience feels that too. Our audience is a lot smarter than I think digital media might give them credit for. We make the best content when we are the most comfortable and most ourselves. It seems like our audience still resonates with us, so I'm very happy to hear that.

What would you tell a new creator who's trying to build that kind of community from scratch?

Jackson: Honestly, the way we grew early on is that Jenine would reply to every single comment. She really built that sense of community early on. Now, it's a little harder to do that, but I think especially for new creators, early on it's just like, all right, you have five comments? Reply to all five of them because that's how you're going to build community.

Pastores: Enjoy your community. Enjoy the space you have to speak with and engage them. At the beginning, we thought we needed to change because we were growing so rapidly. We were like, "Maybe not everyone is going to keep loving our content." But we felt less ourselves. I think our audience felt like we were more shy.

When we make stuff that's just Tubby, I think that's when we succeed the most. So I would definitely recommend to creators: Don't stop doing what worked at the start.

When did you realize Tubby Nugget could go from a character you made for fun to your actual career?

Jackson: I think that was pretty early on. I was still working as a motion graphics artist at the time, while Jenine focused on building the business. Then it was kind of that decision where we were like, "OK, I'm gonna quit motion graphics, and we're just gonna go in." It was a little risky. I felt like, "OK, we better be selling enough plushies to live off of."

Pastores: Honestly, I think it was mainly because our audience was asking for so much more than we could give if we continued our full-time jobs. That was the big shift. We had to ask: Does the audience want this enough for us to do this for the rest of our lives? So far, it's been seven wonderful years, and it's been great.

Tubby is the face of the brand, but the two of you have increasingly become part of the story too. When did you decide to put yourselves in front of the audience?

Pastores: I think it was our first convention. That's when people started to meet us. We would sometimes put our faces on our [Instagram] Story just to say hi to people, but we didn't think people wanted to see us. We were like, "Oh, we're a cartoon. You don't have to look at us. Don't worry."

But when we started meeting fans in person, they were like, "No, I want to know who does the animations and who does the voices."

Jackson: Tubby is very much about our relationship. The whole reason we created Tubby Nugget was because it started as an inside joke between the two of us. So we were like, "OK, well, it makes sense for us to be part of the story," because when he began, he was a representation of our relationship and our humor.

Pastores: Definitely our humor. He was just all of our inside jokes, and I was kind of blown away by how many people thought we were also funny. I was like, "Oh, good, it's not just us."

At what point did Tubby stop feeling like just a character and start feeling like a brand?

Pastores: Tubby is a brand, honestly, and that's what's so surprising to the two of us. I think his brand has just become overall wholesomeness, joy, and silliness. Some people who meet Tubby don't know who he is, but they know what he resonates with. You'll see the Tubby mascot running around, and they'll just be like, "Oh, I want to hug him. I want to play with him."

That is kind of his essence and his spirit: Just have fun. Embrace your inner child. I think we all need to be goofy sometimes.

How do you decide what Tubby Nugget should become next?

Jackson: We've been asking our audience a lot. We recently put out a poll, did a huge forum, and got all the feedback. Honestly, my favorite part of getting feedback from the audience is that we added a question where they could just tell us about themselves. That informs our decisions because we know what we like, but Tubby doesn't just belong to us; he belongs to everyone.

Getting to meet fans at VidCon or hearing from them online through the forum really gets us in vibe with our community, and we love it.

Indie animation is having a huge moment online right now. Do you see Tubby Nugget eventually becoming a longer-form series?

Jackson: It's really incredible what's going on right now with indie pilots that are just taking off. We're in the process of building a team and trying to figure out the right next move. I don't think we want to dive into it right away. We still have a lot of music videos coming up, so I think that's our next small step before we jump into a full-on TV show.

Pastores: But we are doing longer-form media this year, which is going to be very exciting. It's almost like test episodes. We have so much love for the indie animation community because we're already so much of a do-it-yourself type of animation. We've made so many friends in the space, too.

Especially coming from more formal film careers, I think seeing the way creators are getting creative about this industry and how to make a living in it is really exciting. I'm excited to make a long-form show, whether it be on traditional streamers or on YouTube.

Jackson: The path is so new. This is such a new development in the state of animation. I think it's going to get bigger and bigger, and we just hope to be part of that wave.

Also, this is not on brand, but we love Obsession. This is not on brand for Tubby Nugget at all, but it's my favorite movie of the year. I freaking love that movie.

Pastores: And Hazbin Hotel is getting so much love. It's just so exciting to see all of our favorite animators getting that kind of attention.

Jackson: I picture a Tubby-Obsession crossover where someone breaks a One Wish Willow for Tubby to love them, but he's like, "I love you anyway."

I think we could do it.

Jackson: I'm just gonna put that out there. No one's saying no to us except ourselves.

Josh, if you had a One Wish Willow, what are you wishing for right now?

Jackson: Oh, One Wish Willow? That Jenine would love me forever, more than anyone.

Pastores: That's what the ring is for.

Jackson: Oh yeah. I already got that wish. I already got that. I got you.

TL;DR: Through Sept. 10, new U.S. users can get a Babbel Lifetime Language Learning Subscription covering all 14 languages for $159 (reg. $299) with StackSocial’s code LEARN.

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Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages)

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Learning a new language isn’t easy, but it also might not be as hard as some apps make it seem. If memorizing vocab lists isn’t working for you, check out Babbel. They take a more practical approach to teaching, and there’s even an AI conversation partner who can help you practice your pronunciation.

Normally, a Babbel lifetime subscription would cost $299, but right now it’s on sale for $159 with StackSocial’s code LEARN. Check out what that gets you.

Babbel gives you lifetime access to courses in 14 different languages, and the format is designed to fit into real life. Each lesson takes around 10 to 15 minutes, so you can actually stick with it whether you’re commuting, traveling, or just squeezing in some study time between meetings.

Here are a few of the included languages:

• Spanish

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And that’s just the beginning.

Unlike other apps that focus heavily on word games or repetitive matching drills, Babbel centers its content around practical conversation topics. You’ll get lessons on travel, shopping, business, culture, and more, all developed by expert linguists and backed by academic research.

Speech recognition helps fine-tune your pronunciation, while the new AI-powered conversation partner lets you practice speaking in real time.

Lessons sync across devices, so you can start on your computer and finish on your phone. There’s also an offline mode if you want to download lessons in advance. You can move at your own pace, revisit review sessions, and jump between beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels based on your comfort.

Use code LEARN by Sept. 10 at 11:59 p.m. PT to get a Babbel lifetime subscription for only $159.

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TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: Mega Greninja ex Premium Collection is on sale for $54.52 at Amazon, down from its $62.97 typical price.

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Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG Mega Greninja ex Premium Collection

$54.52 at Amazon
$62.97 Save $8.45

 

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The premium attached to buying Pokémon cards through Amazon can sometimes be substantial, but that’s becoming much less of an issue with the Mega Greninja ex Premium Collection. Right now, its latest price is only a few dollars removed from the box’s current TCGplayer value. 

On Sept. 9, the Pokémon TCG: Mega Greninja ex Premium Collection is priced at $54.52 at Amazon, versus the retailer’s $62.97 typical price. That leaves $8.45 in savings, or 13%, through third-party seller reVend. Free delivery is currently listed for Sept. 17, while the quickest shipping window runs from Sept. 11 to 15. 

Along with its assorted eight Pokémon TCG booster packs: four Perfect Order, two Chaos Rising, and two Phantasmal Flames;  this Mega Greninja ex collection also gets both a titular foil promo card for play and an oversize lenticular counterpart for display, with a themed tech sticker rounding out the extras. 

At $54.52, the Amazon cost comes to about $6.82 per booster before those additional items are factored in. 

Be that as it may, you can still save even more at TCGplayer. Against the Mega Greninja ex Premium Collection’s market price of $49.82, the lowest price listing on the dedicated trading card selling platform is only $52.98 — an extra $1.54 in savings compared to Amazon. 

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: First Partner Illustration Collection — Series 2 is on sale for $37.63 at Amazon, down from its $59.99 list price.

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Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG: First Partner Illustration Collection —Series 2

$37.63 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $22.36

 

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If the original $60 asking price put you off picking up Pokémon’s second First Partner Illustration Collection, Amazon has made the decision quite a bit easier by slipping the Series 2 box well below $40, leaving more than $20 between its current cost and MSRP. 

As of Sept. 9, the Pokémon TCG: First Partner Illustration Collection—Series 2 can be bought for $37.63 at Amazon through third-party seller Collectors Expedition. Amazon handles the shipping, while Prime members currently get free delivery estimated between Sept. 28 and Oct. 9. At the $59.99 list price, that works out to $22.36 in savings, or 37% off. 

If you want yours as quickly as possible for a slightly higher price, another listing is $39.99, with delivery shown for Sept. 10 at the time of writing. 

The centerpiece of Series 2 isn’t its pair of regular booster packs of trading cards, but the separate promo pack tucked alongside them. It contains three of nine possible illustration rare-style cards featuring starters from Johto, Unova, and Galar, covering Chikorita through to Sobble. That’s along with a themed sticker sheet, rounding out the box. 

On the other hand, if you want to save as much as possible — even going beyond Amazon — TCGplayer currently has sealed boxes for as low as $29.99 with shipping included. Going under its $29.61 market price, however, is Walmart, now selling the Pokémon TCG’s First Partner Illustration Collection—Series 2 for only $28.67.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is available to preorder for $89.99 at Amazon via invite requests, down from its initial $209.97 price.

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Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box

$89.99 at Amazon
$209.97 Save $119.98

 

Pre-order Here

Pokémon’s 30th anniversary set is already commanding hefty preorder prices, but Amazon has gone in the opposite direction with its Elite Trainer Box. There is one sizeable catch, though: getting the $89.99 price for this high-demand Pokémon box requires an invitation from the retailer. 

Nevertheless, as of Sept. 9, the Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is still listed for $89.99 at Amazon — shipped and sold directly from the retailer itself. Beforehand, we only had listings from third-party sellers available for as low as $209.97, meaning a 57% discount compared to normal, ahead of the expansion’s release date on Sept. 16.

While this is still $40 above MSRP, the $90 price is far lower than the current $178 market price on TCGplayer. 

As mentioned, however, you can’t simply add this ETB to your basket. Amazon has designated it a high-demand product with limited quantities, meaning you first need to select “Request invite.”

Successful requests receive an email with purchasing instructions and a limited window to complete the order. Amazon also says requests can remain in consideration as more stock arrives, so missing the first batch of invitations doesn’t necessarily end your chances of snagging the high-demand trading card bundle for yourself.

If you don’t wish to wait, preorders for the 30th Celebration ETB are also readily available elsewhere, but you’ll be paying well above the $170 mark. Specifically, TCGplayer is slightly undercutting the market price with preorders going for as low as $177.92.

Walmart is even cheaper, though, letting you pre-order your Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box for $174.75. 

Inside are nine 30th Celebration booster packs, a full-art Nidorina promo featuring 30 Nidorina, 16 foil Basic Energy cards, 65 sleeves, dice, a coin, dividers, a player’s guide, and a Pokémon TCG Live code. Each booster also contains one of 30 different Pikachu rare cards.

SAVE $34.19: As of Sept. 9, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is on sale for $45.80 at Amazon. That's a 43% discount on the list price.

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Roku Streaming Stick 4K

$45.80 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $34.19

 

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If your TV looks a little dated when it comes to streaming, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K is a nice, easy way to add access to your favorite streaming services. It plugs directly into your TV and supports 4K HDR streaming, with a compact design that won't take up much space.

And as of Sept. 9, it's on sale at Amazon for over $30 off the list price. Normally priced at $79.99, you can now get it for $45.80.

This streaming device doesn't just make streaming easier; it lets you watch in high quality, too. It comes with Dolby Vision and HDR10+, giving you sharp detail and rich colors across everything you watch. It also has a long-range WiFi receiver that helps keep streaming smooth and buffer-free, even on TVs in rooms farther from your router. It stays hidden behind your TV without blocking neighboring HDMI ports, so you can easily switch between streaming and gaming.

It's also a great option for travel, letting you take your entertainment with you without having to sign into someone else's device. Simply unplug the device from your own TV and plug it into the HDMI port of the TV in your accommodation.

This Roku deal is available on Amazon now.

SAVE $140: As of Sept. 9, the Eufy 11S Max is on sale for $139.99 at Amazon. That's a 50% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Eufy

Eufy 11S Max

$139.99 at Amazon
$279.99 Save $140

 

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Robot vacuums have come a long way in recent years, with models now available at a range of prices and with features to suit different homes. If you've been considering getting one, you don't necessarily have to spend a lot to get a model that handles everyday vacuuming for you. In fact, as of Sept. 9, you can get a great model for just $139.99. Meet the Eufy 11S Max. Currently on sale, you'll save $140 on this Eufy robot vacuum, which is also its best price so far this year.

It's just 2.85 inches tall, so this robot vacuum has no problem getting into those awkward spaces beneath furniture that are difficult to reach with a standard vacuum or brush. Its battery lasts for up to 100 minutes on hardwood floors, while BoostIQ Technology automatically adjusts the suction power to suit the surface within 1.5 seconds.

An infrared sensor helps the robot navigate around obstacles, and drop sensors help it avoid falling from edges or down stairs. When it needs more power, it can also automatically return to its charging base.

This robot vacuum deal is available at Amazon right now.

SAVE $150: As of Sept. 9, the Jackery HomePower 3000 is on sale for $1,349 at Amazon. That's a 10 percent discount on the list price.

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Jackery HomePower 3000

$1,349 at Amazon
$1,499 Save $150

 

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With summer winding down and colder, wetter weather on the way, power cuts can become more of a concern, particularly during periods of strong winds and storms. Having a backup power source at home can help keep essential devices running if the electricity goes out. Jackery is one of the better-known names in the power station market, with options for different power needs. And right now, the Jackery HomePower 3000 is on sale. As of Sept. 9, this model is down to $1,349 at Amazon, saving you $150 on the list price.

With a 3,600W output and 7,200W surge capacity, alongside 3,072Wh of stored power, this portable power station is built to handle a range of household essentials. That includes running things like refrigerators, fans, routers, and lights, which it can power for up to 15 hours depending on usage. According to Jackery, it can also keep a refrigerator running for one to two days during a power outage.

There are also several ways to recharge this Jackery unit. With a combination of AC and DC inputs, it can reach a full charge in about 1.7 hours, while AC charging alone takes about 2.2 hours. If you have solar panels (sold separately), it can reach 80 percent charge in roughly nine hours, and there are also options for charging via a 12V car connection or a gas generator.

This Jackery deal is available at Amazon right now.

SAVE $161.99: As of Sept. 9, the Garmin Venu 3S is on sale for $288 at Amazon. That's a 36 percent discount on the list price.

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Garmin Venu 3S

$288 at Amazon
$449.99 Save $161.99

 

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The Garmin Venu 3S is designed to track both your workouts and everyday activity, with features that cover everything from steps and heart rate to sleep and exercise. And, as of Sept. 9, it's currently available at its lowest price to date. Normally priced at $449.99, you can buy this fitness tracker for just $288 right now, saving you over $160. Not only is that a hefty discount, but according to price tracker camelcamelcamel, this is also a new low price for this watch.

It's available in four color options: French gray, sage gray, ivory, and pebble gray, although the only one available at this price is the French gray. For the others, you'll need to pay $11 more.

This Garmin watch includes several health and activity features, such as Body Battery, which takes factors like sleep, naps, stress, and workouts into account when estimating your energy levels. Sleep tracking provides a daily sleep score, along with information such as HRV status and personalized coaching.

And, of course, several sports functions let you track every kind of workout, from runs and swims to Pilates and hikes. You'll also get Workout Benefit, a feature that shows how an exercise session affects your body and recovery time, which estimates how long you may need to recover before your next workout.

Head to Amazon now to get this new low price on the Garmin Venu 3S.

An AI researcher has quit Anthropic due to ethical concerns, claiming that the technology could kill countless people within the next 10 years — if not everyone. Jacob Coxon announced his resignation in a post on X on Tuesday, criticising both Anthropic and his former employer OpenAI for the ways in which they are developing AI.

"I spent the last three years doing pretraining research at both OpenAI and Anthropic," wrote Coxon. "Neither company is acting responsibly. They are racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives."

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Both Anthropic and OpenAI have been rapidly developing and releasing new AI models as they work toward creating artificial general intelligence (AGI). Long considered the holy grail of AI technology, an AGI model would theoretically have the intellectual capabilities of a human, including reasoning, common sense, and creativity. An artificial superintelligence would surpass humans.

However, even before such milestones have been reached, there have already been multiple instances of AI models going rogue. Earlier this year, researchers testing Anthropic and OpenAI's AI models observed them act outside their parameters and hack into external organisations without authorisation. In a high-profile incident this July, an OpenAI model autonomously hacked Hugging Face, an open-source library of AI tools. At around the same time, Anthropic's Claude AI model accessed the internet from within a testing environment without authorisation, then went on to hack three other companies.

Combined with the increasing use of AI across every industry, including in weapons and surveillance, such developments have prompted serious concerns.

"The people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade," Coxon wrote. "This is not a marketing stunt. If anything, many executives and senior researchers will couch their phrasing in the press to sound sensible — but I hear the same people express fear privately. No other human activity poses this level of danger."

Want more tech 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, and see what our readers guessed would happen at the 2026 Apple event in our Big Guessing Game.

Yet despite this grave hazard, AI companies continue to forge ahead at top speed. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has said superhuman AI could be here by 2027, while OpenAI CEO Sam Altman believes it will develop AGI before the end of the year.

"A common response is 'if they truly believe this, why are they still building it?'" said Coxon. "At OpenAI, many have not deeply internalized the civilizational stakes. At Anthropic, the stakes are well-understood, but they are locked in a race to get there first — they believe no one else will act responsibly, so they must do it themselves, despite the risk."

As such, Coxon called for AI researchers to examine the ethics and implications of their work, and to advocate for change.

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While Coxon's warnings are dire, they don't appear to be baseless. Responding to his X posts, Anthropic team lead Even Hubinger confirmed that the company believes AI poses an existential threat to all human life, but has no clear strategy in place to mitigate it. 

Hubinger does consider the current risk low — at least for the next few years. However, he cautioned that the danger lies in AI models continuing to autonomously improve themselves until they evolve into a superintelligence, which "is happening faster than we thought."

"Jacob is correct here — we really do earnestly believe AI could kill all humans!" Hubinger wrote. "I personally think it is >10% within the next decade. I believe Anthropic is trying its best, but we do not yet have a plan to solve alignment for superintelligence and are not clearly on track to."

Ethical concerns about AI have prompted several resignations

Coxon is far from the first person working in AI to quit due to ethical concerns. Anthropic's safety lead Mrinank Sharma previously resigned in February, stating that the world is "in peril" from AI, bioweapons, and other interconnected crises.

"We appear to be approaching a threshold where our wisdom must grow in equal measure to our capacity to affect the world, lest we face the consequences," Sharma wrote in his widely circulated resignation letter at the time. "Moreover, throughout my time here, I've repeatedly seen how hard it is to truly let our values govern our actions. I've seen this within myself, within the organization, where we constantly face pressures to set aside what matters most, and throughout broader society too."

That same month, AI researcher Zoë Hitzig quit her role at OpenAI, stating in a New York Times opinion piece that she had "deep reservations" about the company's advertising strategy.

"For several years, ChatGPT users have generated an archive of human candor that has no precedent, in part because people believed they were talking to something that had no ulterior agenda," Hitzig wrote. "Users are interacting with an adaptive, conversational voice to which they have revealed their most private thoughts... Advertising built on that archive creates a potential for manipulating users in ways we don’t have the tools to understand, let alone prevent."

Even back in 2024, Jan Leike left his position as an executive at OpenAI, claiming that it was prioritising "shiny new products" over safety. Though he swiftly joined Anthropic, it appears as though the company is also struggling to grapple with the ethical issues surrounding AI.

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.

In Apple TV's new thriller Last Seen, police dispatcher Ian Ridley (Patrick Brammall) still grieves the disappearance of his young daughter, Maggie. By the time the show begins, it's been 11 years since she went missing. Yet in Last Seen's two-episode premiere, a series of curious events brings her case right back into the public eye.

First, residents of the fictional Australian town Port McKenna discover the remains of a young girl in a nearby forest. Then, Ian receives a call from a teenage girl he believes to be Maggie, now all grown up. So, what really happened to Maggie? Was she killed and left to rot in the woods? Or has she survived right under Ian's nose for 11 years? In its first two episodes, Last Seen lays its cards fully on the table and reveals exactly where Maggie is. However, there are still several mysteries to uncover.

Here's what happened to Maggie, along with the biggest questions Last Seen still has to answer.

Where is Maggie?

Chloe Jean Lourdes in "Last Seen." Credit: Apple TV

For much of Last Seen's first episode, Ian and his ex-wife, Debbie (Jessica Wren), agonize over whether the discovered remains could be Maggie's body. By the episode's end, they don't have a definite answer on whether they are or not, but the audience does. We know that Maggie is still alive, and that she's living on what appears to be a small homestead.

The reveal comes in the episode's final moments, when cleaner Henry Reid (Brendan Cowell), whom we meet briefly earlier on, arrives home to his wife, Jenna (Maxine Peake). Their daughter, Sarah (Chloe Jean Lourdes), heads out to check on the chickens. As she makes her way through the gardens surrounding the house, the show cuts between her and police sketches that show Maggie's hypothetical age progression. Their version of teen Maggie matches up almost perfectly with Maggie, meaning that she's alive and well.

If you had any doubts, episode 2 confirms this further. Quick flashbacks show that during Sarah/Maggie's early days at Henry and Jenna's farm, she carved her nickname "Mags" into a wall in the garden.

Who are Maggie's kidnappers, Henry and Jenna?

Maxine Peake and Brendan Cowell in "Last Seen." Credit: Apple TV

Henry and Jenna still remain somewhat of a mystery. We know that Henry is a cleaner at the police station, and that he's the brother of Donald Reid (Daniel Henshall), Ian's friend and a key figure in his journey to stay sober. In their first scene together in episode 1, Donnie mentions that he'd love to see "Sarah," but Henry is cagey, suggesting he and Jenna keep her under a tight watch.

Their tight grip on Maggie becomes even clearer in episode 2, which reveals that Henry and Jenna have an comprehensive alarm system in place and don't let outsiders — not even neighbors! — through their gate. Nor do they let Maggie outside their compound.

Apparently, Maggie's been raised to believe that, as "people of faith," she and her (fake!) family are under fire from the outside world. If she were to leave, the government would take her away and force her to attend school. These outlandish claims suggest that Henry and Jenna are religious fundamentalists, perhaps verging on cultists, who use their belief as a means of controlling Maggie and covering up their crime.

Why did Henry and Jenna kidnap Maggie?

So now we have the "who" of who kidnapped Maggie, along with the "where" of her current location. However, we still don't know the "why." Perhaps it all ties back to their religious fervor. Maybe they they believed they "saved" Maggie from a family of "non-believers."

Who is the Jane Doe in the woods?

By the end of episode 2, Last Seen confirms through DNA evidence that the body in the woods is not Maggie, but rather a Jane Doe. While that closes the case on Maggie, it still raises a ton of questions: Who was this child, and why was she discovered in Maggie's pajamas?

Maybe she was another kidnapping victim of Henry and Jenna's who passed away, and they dressed her in Maggie's clothes to convince others Maggie was dead. Or, on an even more upsetting level, perhaps she was Henry and Jenna's own child, and they've raised Maggie as a replacement. Whatever the answer, it's bound to be bleak, and Last Seen definitely has more twists up its sleeve.

New episodes of Last Seen premiere Wednesdays on Apple TV.

"Did you miss me?"

So speaks Jamie Tartt (Phil Dunster), Ted Lasso's lovably arrogant striker. In the show's fourth season, he's no longer a Richmond Greyhound. Instead, his stardom has reached new heights in Barcelona, leading him to launch an apple vodka brand. (The branding is Adam and Eve-themed, naturally.)

Jamie's vodka launch is one of the centerpieces of Ted Lasso Season 4, episode 6, which is also the show's take on a New Year's special. However, while New Year's would be the perfect time for the Apple TV series to look to the future, it remains frustratingly stuck in the past.

When Season 4 first launched, a common concern among critics was that a fourth season of Ted Lasso — which had ostensibly ended with Season 3 — had no purpose. From my perspective, the purpose seemed clear: to examine women's sports in tandem with their meteoric rise around the world. But as the season rolls on, it's become increasingly evident that Ted Lasso only views its women's sports angle as window dressing to bring the old gang together and rehash tired old storylines.

Why, three years after Ted Lasso first packed up its cleats, are we still spending time on the unfunny, unsettling relationship between Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) and Jane (Phoebe Walsh)? Why has the show trapped Roy (Brett Goldstein) and Keeley (Juno Temple) in a labyrinth of hackneyed rom-com plotlines? Even Jamie's appearance, likely a one-episode event before he returns to Barcelona, screams that the show has little idea of what to do this season other than ruminate on what came before. (Credit where credit is due: This self-reflection can occasionally work, as evidenced by the sweet discussion between Ted (Jason Sudeikis) and Michelle (Andrea Anders) in episode 6.)

Still, there is one very clear, very obvious place Ted Lasso can be focusing all the energy it's spending on dredging up the past, and that is Richmond's Lady Greyhounds. The show has invested a lot of time in Coach Alice (Tanya Reynolds), and thank goodness for that, because Reynolds is giving a dynamite deadpan performance that's the perfect foil for Ted Lasso's trademark optimism. If the show gets too saccharine, you can always count on her to cut through the sweetness.

Annelise Heywood, Rex Hayes, Jude Mack, Abbie Hern, and Tanya Reynolds in "Ted Lasso." Credit: Apple TV

The same can't be said for the rest of the team, though. Most players have one or two identifying characteristics. Gemma (Abbie Hern) is a law student by day, elite striker by night. Lizzie (Faye Marsay) is a single mother. Boots (Jude Mack) never wears her goalie gloves. Siobhan (Rex Hayes) and Niamh (Aisling Sharkey) are twins whose favorite activity is bickering. But Ted Lasso needs to go deeper with these characters to truly make them stick.

Think of all the chances Ted Lasso has missed to help us get to know the Lady Greyhounds better. On a broader level, the show highlights the sexism female athletes face, but it never acknowledges very real issues like the pay gap between men's and women's soccer players. How does this impact the relationship between the Lady Greyhounds and their male counterparts?

There are several missed opportunities for more granular character work too. During her tryout, Lizzie talks about being unable to find childcare for her son, and at the New Year's party, she mentions paying for a babysitter. Other than that, Ted Lasso doesn't spend much time examining how her newfound pro footballer status has impacted her relationship with her son. Elsewhere, both Gemma and Niamh have extra reason to be heartbroken after Richmond's close to Chelsea: Gemma because of a missed goal, Niamh because she scored an own goal while trying to deflect a shot. Yet Ted doesn't sit either of his players down for a one-on-one "be a goldfish"-style pep talk the way he did with Sam (Toheeb Jimoh) during a Season 1 scrimmage. Instead, he gives a pep talk to the entire team.

That's one of Ted Lasso's biggest problems with the Lady Greyhounds so far: treating them solely as a collective, instead of a group of individuals with rich potential. Yes, not all of the male Greyhounds were too deeply defined, but the grand majority had personalities beyond just yelling at one another. Perhaps Ted Lasso is just playing the long game with its Lady Greyhounds and will further develop them this season, but with only four episodes left, that possibility seems unlikely.

The lack of depth to the Lady Greyhounds is just one part of Ted Lasso Season 4's biggest problems. In an effort to tell a story about the future of women's sports and reunite fans with beloved characters from the first three seasons, Ted Lasso has spread itself far too thin. Now, it's in the middle of an identity crisis, caught between what the show once was and what it could be. If it could just return to basics by focusing on its core team and ditching the supersized episodes, maybe it could rekindle some of that Season 1 magic. Until then, it's been one own goal after another.

New episodes of Ted Lasso premiere Wednesdays on Apple TV.

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TL;DR: Get AdGuard’s Family Plan lifetime license for $14.97 (reg. $169.99) through Sept. 10 at 11:59 p.m. PT, with parental controls and malware protection built in for up to nine devices.

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Credit: AdGuard

AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription

$14.97
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School’s back in session, and so are the tablets, laptops, and phones every kid in the house suddenly needs for homework. More devices online means more exposure to malicious ads, sketchy pop-ups, and content parents would rather filter out. AdGuard’s Family Plan covers it under a single license for $14.97, paid once.

Instead of setting up filtering and protection on each kid’s device separately, one AdGuard license applies the same rules everywhere it’s installed. It’s the kind of thing that’s easy to set up once and forget about for the rest of the school year.

What the lifetime ad blocker covers:

• Filters inappropriate content with built-in parental controls

• Checks sites against known phishing and malware lists in real time

• Removes ads, pop-ups, and autoplay video

• Strips tracking scripts that build a profile of browsing activity

• Covers up to 9 devices across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android

• One-time purchase, lifetime access

For parents who’d rather manage one dashboard than juggle separate settings on every kid’s device, this is for you.

Activate a lifetime AdGuard Family Plan license for $14.97 before Sept. 10, and get every device in the house covered without configuring each one on its own.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Can you see anything in the sky tonight? The Moon is approaching the New Moon phase, so only a small sliver of light should be visible.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Wednesday, Sept. 9, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in Waning Crescent phase, with 4% of its surface visible.

Tonight's only real feature is the Grimaldi Basin, which should be visible with a telescope or binoculars.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on September 26.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon's appearance gradually changes as it travels around Earth, completing a full lunar cycle in approximately 29.5 days, NASA tells us. What we see from Earth depends on the Moon's position in relation to the Sun, which affects how much of its illuminated side is visible. As the cycle progresses, the Moon passes through a series of phases, from a thin crescent to a half Moon and then a Full Moon, before starting over.

The eight phases are:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you like to eat and drink before a football game.

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: BBQ equipment

• Green: Iconic Super Bowl athletes

• Blue: Seahawks stadium history

• Purple: Rearranged NFL teams

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Tailgating Needs

• Green: Super Bowl MVPs

• Blue: Names of Seahawks Stadiums

• Purple: Anagrams of NFL Teams

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 #716 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Tailgating Needs: CHAIRS, COOLER, GRILL, TENT

• Super Bowl MVPs: BRADY, BRANCH, EDELMAN, WALKER

• Names of Seahawks Stadiums: CENTURYLINK, KINGDOME, LUMEN, QWEST

• Anagrams of NFL Teams: BANGLES, SABRE, TAR PITS, TREELESS

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 the latest Connections.

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

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

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

How to play Pips

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 9 Pips

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

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 6-0, placed vertically.

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 9 Pips

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

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

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

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

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be greater than 6. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 9 Pips

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally; 5-0, placed vertically.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 5-6, placed vertically.

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

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

Number (13): Everything in this space must add up to 13. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 5-1, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

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

Bewildering meaning

Extremely confusing.

Esoteric meaning

Super niche, only understood by those in the know.

Incomprehensible meaning

Impossible to comprehend.

Opaue meaning

The blocking of radiant or something that's hard to explain.

Microbrewery meaning

Boutique brewery that makes craft beer.

Minivan meaning

Small passenger van.

Nanotechnology meaning

Materials that can be assembled at an atomic or molecular level.

Picosecond meaning

One trillionth of a second.

Arachnophobia meaning

Fear of spiders.

Halloween meaning

October 31. Also, the title of a famous slasher movie franchise.

IT meaning

A pronoun used to refer to a lifeless thing or a person of unknown sex. Also, the name of a famous Stephen King novel.

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.

Saw meaning

A power tool with toothed blades. Also, the name of a famous horror franchise created by James Wan.

Brute meaning

An adjective used to describe one's physical strength.

Electromagnetic meaning

Magnetism developed by a current of electricity.

G meaning

Symbol for gravitational, not to be confused with "g" for grams.

Task meaning

Work or an assignment that needs to be completed. Can assemble a group of people to complete.

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

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

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

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

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you like cars.

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: Unintelligible

• Green: Sounds small

• Blue: Fright Night Classics

• Purple: Invovles a little force

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: Hard to Understand

• Green: Words with "Small" Prefixes

• Blue: Horror Movies

• Purple: Words before "Force"

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

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #1186 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Hard to Understand: BEWILDERING, ESOTERIC, INCOMPREHENSIBLE, OPAQUE

• Words with "Small" Prefixes: MICROBREWERY, MINIVAN, NANOTECHNOLOGY, PICOSECOND

• Horror Movies: ARACHNOPHOBIA, HALLOWEEN, IT, SAW

• Words before "Force": BRUTE, ELECTROMAGNETIC, G, TASK

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

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

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints involve a shady areas.

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: Over and out(side)

The words are related to sun coverings.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe things found in a garden or park that provide shading.

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 Sun and Shade.

NYT Strands word list for September 9

• Gazebo

• Pergola

• Pavillion

• Canopy

• Arbor

• Bower

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.