SAVE $133: As of June 30, get the Samsung 1TB 9100 PRO SSD for $206.99 at Amazon. That's down from its usual price of $339.99, saving you over $100.

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Credit: Amazon

Samsung 1TB 9100 PRO SSD

$206.99 at Amazon
$339.99 Save $133

 

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Storage is expensive. You can add that to a veritable treasure trove of other pricey PC parts and components that cost too much, especially RAM.

And it's only getting pricier, so the best time to get a hard drive, especially if you plan on playing some of the year's biggest video games, is now. Though Prime Day may be over, we still found a great deal on an SSD you can use to make sure you're ready for any game that comes your way, as well as photos, videos, or whatever you like to store on your computer.

As of June 30, get the Samsung 1TB 9100 PRO SSD for $206.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $339.99. That's $133 off and a discount of 39%.

This internal SSD is a whopping 1TB, so it offers plenty of storage space for gaming, photos, videos, files, or backups. It boasts read speeds of up to 14,700MB/s as well as random read/write speeds of up to 1,850K/2,600K IOPS, which means it's zippy enough to recall files and help load content that'll serve you better than an external hard drive, if that's what you're in the market for.

The only downside here is, if you aren't as savvy with computers as you wish you were, you do have to install this SSD. So if you're uncomfortable with popping your case open and putting it in yourself, you may want to opt for an external hard drive instead. If that doesn't bother you though, this is an excellent offer for an SSD that will serve you well, especially if you're planning on future-proofing your setup.

Samsung is preparing a true onslaught of foldable phones this July, and now we've gotten our first detailed look at all of them.

Android Headlines posted the images on Tuesday, and even though these are technically images of cases that will be offered with these phones at launch, some of them do show the phones inside the case.

Perhaps the most interesting in this bunch is Samsung's rumored wide foldable phone. According to the outlet, this phone will actually be called the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8. The successor of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will be called the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and it will be positioned as the most advanced foldable phone Samsung has to offer. Finally, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is the compact, flip-style foldable that follows the Galaxy Z Flip 7.

In the images, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a dual camera system on the back, and a punch-hole style selfie camera on the front. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 also has a dual camera on the back, while the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra comes with a triple rear camera.

The cases on offer include a dark grey one with a kick-stand and aramid fiber-style pattern (this one comes in several color combos), several solid color cases including a white and a purple option, and a couple of joyful ones with cartoon character prints. The options are similar for all phones, though the aramid fiber cases are missing for the Flip phone.

As for what these phones will actually be like, check out our overview of rumors and reports for both the ultra-wide Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

SAVE OVER $100: As of June 30, the Lenovo Slim 7i Aura Edition laptop (Core Ultra 7 Processor 256V, 16GB Memory, 1TB Storage) has returned to its lowest-ever price of $999.99 at Amazon.

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Credit: Lenovo

Lenovo Slim 7i Aura Edition

$999.99 at Amazon
$1,155.64 Save $155.65

 

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If buying a new laptop has been at the top of your mind — whether for work, school, or fun — Amazon still has some solid discounts available after Prime Day. The Lenovo Slim 7i Aura Edition laptop (Core Ultra 7 Processor 256V, 16GB Memory, 1TB Storage) is one of the best, down to its lowest-ever price at Amazon.

As of June 30, this Lenovo Slim 7i Aura Edition laptop is on sale for $999.99 at Amazon. That's just over $150 off its typical price of $1,155.64, but it won't be at this price for long. A timer has already begun on the store page that's counting down through June 30, so now is the time to take advantage of this deal before it's gone for good.

If you enjoy the portable feel of a laptop, the Lenovo Slim 7i Aura Edition is the perfect fit for those on-the-go. It starts at just 2.82 pounds and features a thin design, which makes it nice and easy to slip into a bag or backpack to take with you on the commute. This particular model comes with 16GB of memory, a Core Ultra 7 processor 256V, and 1TB of storage, alongside up to 17 hours of battery life.

That's certainly not all, though. The Lenovo Slim 7i Aura Edition also has a beautiful screen, whether you're watching something or scrolling through a project for work. It boasts DisplayHDR True Black 500, 600 nits peak brightness, and WUXGA resolution at 60Hz so you can experience a smooth, sharp, and colorful picture.

This deal on the Lenovo Slim 7i Aura Edition laptop (Core Ultra 7 Processor 256V, 16GB Memory, 1TB Storage) runs out after June 30. Act fast to save at Amazon.

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

TL;DR: The LG 27GX790B-B 27-inch UltraGear OLED gaming monitor is on sale for $699.99 at Amazon, down from its $999.99 list price.

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Credit: LG

LG 27-Inch Ultragear QHD OLED Gaming Monitor

$699.99 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $300

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OLED gaming monitors are rarely where you go looking for budget upgrades, but Amazon’s latest LG UltraGear deal gives you a pretty serious price cut on one of the fastest 27-inch screens in LG’s current lineup. 

As of June 30, the LG’s 27-inch UltraGear QHD OLED gaming monitor (the 27GX790B-B model) is on sale for only $699.99 at Amazon — with a limited-time deal cutting $300 from its $999.99 list price. 

Shipped and sold by Amazon directly (instead of a third-party seller), free delivery is set for July 5 at the time of writing, or as soon as July 2 for Prime members. Amazon also shows a used “Like New” option for $664.99 through Amazon Resale, if you want to save as much as possible. Anyone wanting the new model directly from Amazon will want to stick with the $699.99 listing. 

This UltraGear is built around a 27-inch QHD OLED panel with a 2560x1440 resolution, giving you a sharper picture than 1080p without asking your PC to push full 4K. If you’re either new to PC gaming or upgrading from a much older rig, this is a very nice middle ground. 

If you’re the type who plays a lot of competitive games, you’ll be a big fan of LG’s Dual Mode: letting you switch between QHD at up to 540Hz or HD at up to 720Hz, depending on whether you care more about sharpness or pure reaction time. Add in the 0.02ms gray-to-gray response time, and games like Counter-Strike 2, Rocket League, Fortnite, and Valorant should feel seriously quick.

The OLED panel should also help with more cinematic games and streaming, with LG listing 335 nits of typical brightness, DisplayHDR True Black 500, UL Verified Perfect Black, and a 1.5M:1 contrast ratio.

That means if you’ll be playing Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced or Grand Theft Auto VI in the future, you’ll be getting richer blacks, stronger contrast, and better detail in darker scenes than you’d expect from a more standard gaming monitor. 

For keeping frames extra smooth, the monitor also supports NVIDIA G-SYNC compatibility and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. DisplayPort 2.1, dual HDMI 2.1 ports, USB-C, three USB ports, DTS Headphone:X support, and height, tilt, swivel, and pivot adjustments round out the package — so you have all the versatility you need to complete your new immersive setup and then some. 

If you fancy an extra QHD monitor, the 27-inch Odyssey G5 is now only $149.99 at Amazon. As for OLEDs, you can still grab the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 curved gaming monitor for its lowest-ever price. 

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Marvel Super Heroes Play Booster Box is on sale for $125.95 at Amazon, down from its $209.70 list price.

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Credit: Magic: The Gathering

Magic: The Gathering Marvel Super Heroes Play Booster Box

$125.95 at Amazon
$209.70 Save $83.75

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Magic: The Gathering and Marvel fans have already seen this Play Booster Box bounce through a few decent discounts, but now that the expansion is officially out, Amazon has pushed even harder with a new record low price for this sealed 30-pack display box. 

As of June 30, the Magic: The Gathering Marvel Super Heroes Play Booster Box has been cut in price at Amazon to just $125.95. Compared to its $209.70 list price, that saves you $83.75 and takes 40% off the box — its lowest-ever price confirmed by price tracker camelcamelcamel. Shipped by Amazon directly, you can get standard free delivery for July 5 (at the time of writing), or as soon as July 1 for Prime members. 

That price brings the box down to about $4.20 per Play Booster before tax, which is a pretty big drop from the launch day and preorder prices we were seeing just a few weeks ago. 

Walmart has the same box listed for $125.95 through marketplace seller Cataclysm Games and fulfilled by Walmart itself, with some other seller listings starting slightly lower. TCGplayer is even cheaper on paper, with listings as low as $119.99 plus $4.99 shipping. That’s a total of $124.98, only $1.24 above the trading card selling platform’s estimated market price of $123.75. 

If you’re only just learning about this new set of cards, the Marvel Super Heroes expansion brings Marvel’s roster into Magic: The Gathering, with heroes and villains jumping from the comics to the battlefield. Players can build around their favourite characters, equip them with recognisable gear, and lean into MTG’s usual strategy-heavy battles across casual games, drafts, and Limited play.

Inside the box, you’ll get 30 Play Boosters, with 14 Magic cards in each pack. Every pack includes one Traditional Foil card and one to four cards of rare or higher rarity, plus a mix of uncommons, commons, and a land card. There’s also a small chance of finding a Foil Borderless Mythic Rare, while Traditional Foil Land replaces the regular land in 20% of boosters.

Preorders for Magic: The Gathering's Reality Fracture Play Booster Box are on sale for $10 off at Amazon. What’s more, the Magic: The Gathering Foundations Jumpstart Booster Box is on offer for under $100. 

TL;DR: Slurpee Day is back this summer, landing on Saturday, July 11. Customers can grab a free small Slurpee drink from participating 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes stores nationwide.

Summer is quite literally heating up, but 7-Eleven is here to help you stay cool with the return of its mega-popular Slurpee Day. And better yet, the iconic drink is turning 60 this year, so 7-Eleven has a couple more surprises in store for customers.

Landing on Saturday, July 11 (that's 7/11, by the way), Slurpee Day will kick off at participating 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes stores nationwide, with each handing out free small Slurpee drinks to celebrate. If you want to get in on the fun earlier, you can actually score a free large Slurpee drink on July 10 if you make a minimum $20 purchase through the 7NOW delivery app.

There's also a brand new flavor to enjoy this year: Mountain Dew Confetti Chill. If you're curious what that tastes like, 7-Eleven says it "blends bright citrus flavor with notes of sweet vanilla icing, giving fans a zesty lemon cake treat in frozen drink form." It's only available until Aug. 29, so summertime will be your big opportunity to taste this chilly new release. The fun certainly doesn't stop there, though.

Select 7-Eleven and Speedway stores will also be hosting a Slurpee Date experience on Slurpee Day. Whether you're planning to share a Slurpee with a partner or grab one with a friend, this experience will include a photo-op bench, commemorative keepsakes, and limited-edition, bedazzled Slurpee “S” double straws that are "inspired by the brand's diamond anniversary," per the press release.

Romantic, right? Credit: 7-Eleven

What better way to spend a summer day? Don't miss out on all the fun of Slurpee Day on July 11.

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

SAVE $165: As of June 30, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic is on sale for $334.99 at Amazon. That's down from $499.99 — a 33% discount.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic

$334.99 at Amazon
$499.99 Save $165

 

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The Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic has dropped to $334.99 at Amazon, marking the lowest price since its launch — a rare dip that puts it well below its usual retail range and makes this one of those “don’t think too hard, just grab it” smartwatch deals.

The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic keeps a traditional watch look while packing in modern smart features. It has a bright display that’s easy to read in different lighting, and a rotating bezel that lets you move through apps and menus without constantly swiping.

The watch also focuses on everyday health tracking that’s easy to follow. It can monitor sleep more closely, give you a daily Energy Score based on rest, activity, and heart rate, and guide runs with coaching that adjusts to your stats like heart rate and oxygen levels. It also supports blood pressure tracking when calibrated with a cuff.

The Galaxy Watch 8 Classic includes a built-in AI assistant that lets you handle simple tasks using voice commands, so you don’t always need to pull out your phone. Overall, it’s built to handle a full day of use while keeping the experience simple and practical on the wrist.

Grab the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 Classic at Amazon while it’s still $334.99.

Pokémon fans are some of the luckiest when it comes to fun merch, collectibles, and all-ages toys. Earlier this year, we got the first ever Pokémon Lego sets, and in celebration of the little studs turning 30, we have the Pokémon G-SHOCK watch from Casio.

The watch, case, and outer box are all collectible-level of goodness. Credit: Casio

Unlike some themed merch, G-SHOCK went with an excellent but subdued look with the new watch. That's pretty awesome if you're hoping for a fun watch that's also suitable to wear to work. Here's everything we know about the new collab that celebrates Pokémon's 30th birthday.

Features of the new Pokémon G-SHOCK GA110PKM

Let's start with the looks of the Pokémon G-SHOCK. In terms of celebrating the franchise, the watch has a handful of excellent details. There's the Poké Ball inspired inset dial sitting at 9 p.m. with a Pikachu indicator hand, engraving on the back of the watch face, and Pokémon adorned on the watch band.

Engraving on the back case. Credit: Casio

Pokémon adorn the watch band, including Mew, the Mythical Pokémon. Credit: Casio

As if we needed things to get even better, the watch comes in its own packing shaped like a Poké Ball that's well worth displaying on its own, and the outer box features all 30 Pokémon.

Specs of the Pokémon G-SHOCK GA110PKM

Pikachu on the inset dial is arguably the most adorable feature. Credit: Casio

The LED light is perfect for dark conditions. Credit: Casio

If you're interested in some technical information, G-SHOCK made this edition with the same quality and attention to detail we've come to rely on from the brand. It's both shock resistant and magnetic resistant. It's also safe to take in water up to 200 meters deep. Casio says expected battery life is about two years, and it uses a CR1220. In total, it comes in at a lightweight 72 grams.

How to pre-order the Pokémon G-SHOCK GA110PKM

Starting on Wednesday, July 1, you can pre-order the new Pokémon watch from Casio for $270. If you can't wait that long and you live in New York, you can snag the watch from the G-SHOCK SOHO flagship store. Casio also says the watch will be available at select jewelers.

Casio's press release doesn't indicate whether this is a limited edition watch. But given the brand's popularity and the fandom behind Pokémon, we wouldn't be surprised if stock sells out quickly. Be sure to set yourself an alarm for Wednesday if you're hoping to wear one of the best Pokémon collabs to ever drop.

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Credit: Casio

Pokémon G-SHOCK (GA110PKM)

$270 at Casio

 

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Erling Haaland has been one of the most popular players so far this FIFA World Cup, both on the pitch and off it.

But with the Norwegian striker's Snapchat already going viral, another video recently started doing the rounds that looked set to top all memes that came before it. In the clip, Haaland is sitting in a restaurant at a table by a mirror, eating. He turns to his left, sees himself in the mirror, and appears to give himself a jump scare before quickly going back to his food.

It's a clip so perfect it seems to good to be true, which is exactly what it is.

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

The viral clip of Haaland eating isn't real

Judging by the comments, and the number of shares that clip has had on other platforms, a lot of people seem to think it's real. But as one person pointed out, the footage appears to be an AI edit of this video from TikTok comedy duo Jin Long and Qui Qui.

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

That video, in which Jin Long plays a character (you can see multiple examples of him playing the same character on their TikTok page), was uploaded on June 15.

It appears that someone has edited the video — likely using AI — to superimpose Haaland over Long.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Chaos Rising Booster Bundle is on sale for $50.26 at Amazon, down from its $59.99 list price.

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Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Chaos Rising Booster Bundle

$50.26 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $9.73

 

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Chaos Rising prices have been all over the place, but what's new with the Pokémon TCG? Now you can pay just over $50 to buy its coveted box of six packs. 

As of June 30, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Chaos Rising Booster Bundle is on sale from $50.26 at Amazon. Compared to its $59.99 list price, that saves you $9.73 and takes 16% off the sealed box. 

The lowest Amazon listing is sold by Collectors Expedition and shipped by Amazon, with free delivery listed for July 17-29 at the time of writing. If you’d rather buy directly from Amazon, the next listing is only one cent more at $50.27, sold and shipped by Amazon directly with faster delivery showing for July 9-12. 

Whichever way you go, you’ll still be getting six titular packs from the Mega Evolution set’s Chaos Rising expansion — working out to about $8.38 per pack before taxes, based on the $50.26 price.

That isn’t the cheapest Chaos Rising price across the whole trading card market. TCGplayer currently lists sealed Booster Bundles from $38.95 plus $2.99 shipping, totalling $41.94 (four cents under market price). Walmart is another backup, selling the box from $45.84. We should note that the third-party seller in this case has a poor record, so buy at your own risk. 

For the best pulls you can get in Chaos Rising with your Booster Bundle, this expansion has plenty of high-value single cards you can get out of any of these packs (or buy individually from TCGplayer): SIR Mega Greninja ex, Mega Hyper Rare Mega Greninja ex, Cinccino ex, Mega Dragalge ex, and Mega Floette ex.

For even more from this expansion, you can still grab the Pokémon TCG’s Chaos Rising Elite Trainer Box on sale at Amazon. Plus, preorders for the upcoming Pitch Black 3 Booster Pack Blister are now $5 off at Amazon. 

SAVE $180: As of June 30, Bose QuietComfort headphones are on sale for $179 at Amazon. That's down from $359 — a 50% discount.

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Credit: Bose

Bose QuietComfort Headphones

$179 at Amazon
$359 Save $180

 

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The Bose QuietComfort headphones are down to $179 at Amazon, dropping from $359 for a 50% discount that saves you $180. This is also the lowest price we’ve seen this year.

Available for a limited time, this deal is for anyone looking for premium noise-canceling headphones at a low price.

In Mashable's review, Samantha Mangino says the Bose QuietComfort headphones became her daily go-to, noting she’s used them “daily since I got them” for over a year. Her biggest praise goes to comfort — she says she can wear them all day with no ear fatigue, even with glasses and earrings, and finds them just as comfortable as the more expensive Ultra model.

In Mashable’s Bose headphones roundup, the QuietComfort headphones were named a runner-up, highlighted as a strong value option in Bose’s lineup. Our team says they deliver “top-tier sound in a more affordable package,” making them a solid choice if you don’t want to spend over $400 on the Ultras.

Grab the Bose QuietComfort headphones on Amazon — because silence hits different with ANC this good.

SAVE $600: As of June 26, the Samsung 48-inch S90F Smart TV (2025) is down to $797.99 at Amazon. That's down from $1,397.99 — a 43% discount on list price.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung 48-Inch Class S90F Smart TV

$797.99 at Amazon
$1,397.99 Save $600

 

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The Samsung 48-inch S90F has dropped to $797.99 at Amazon, down from $1,397.99. That cuts $600 off its regular price for a 43% discount. That also marks the lowest price we've seen so far for Samsung's 2025 OLED model. Considering this is an OLED model with premium features and a sub-$800 price tag, this deal is well worth considering.

The Samsung S90F focuses on making everything you watch look cleaner, brighter, and sharper without making you think too much about settings. The TV automatically adjusts picture and sound depending on what’s on screen, whether that’s movies, sports, live TV, or gaming, so you spend less time tweaking default settings.

The smart TV also helps improve lower-quality content, helping older shows and everyday streams look sharper on a 4K screen. Samsung also puts a lot of emphasis on brightness and contrast here, so darker scenes retain more detail while brighter parts of the image stand out without washing things out.

For gaming and sports, the TV is built to keep fast movement looking smooth. The 144Hz refresh rate helps fast-moving scenes look smoother and less blurry, making sports, racing games, and quick camera movements easier to keep up with. Gaming features can also help reduce screen tearing, so gameplay feels cleaner and more responsive.

Grab the Samsung 48-inch S90F on Amazon if a premium TV has been sitting on your wishlist for a while.

SAVE OVER $80: As of June 30, the Sony 50-Inch 4K Bravia 3 TV is on sale for $518 at Amazon. That's $81.99 off its list price of $599.99.

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Credit: Sony

Sony 50-Inch Class 4K Ultra HD Bravia 3 LED TV

$518 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $81.99

 

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Even though Prime Day is done, Amazon still has some great deals floating around.

In fact, there are some new record lows on TVs. We've spotted some options worth checking out post Prime Day, including the Sony 50-Inch 4K Bravia 3 TV. As of June 30, it's back to its lowest-ever price at Amazon.

This Sony 50-Inch 4K Bravia 3 TV is normally listed for $599.99, but Amazon has knocked its price down to $518. Ultimately, this saves you just over $80, but you'll want to be quick to grab it at this price. Since it's marked as a limited time deal, it won't stick around for long.

It's a great time to grab a new TV. There are so many exciting shows dropping on streaming services this summer. This Sony Bravia 3 TV is sure to make them shine, with support for 4K HDR and Dolby Vision for a crisp, colorful visual boost, alongside Dolby Atmos to treat your ears. And since it's a Google TV, you can access all of those new shows on streaming services right from the home screen.

On top of that, this Sony Bravia 3 TV even has special features for PlayStation 5 users: Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode. These help optimize picture quality when gaming or streaming.

Don't miss out on this limited-time offer on the Sony 50-Inch 4K Bravia 3 TV.

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

SAVE OVER $180: As of June 30, the Shark AV2501AE AI robot vacuum is on sale for $269.99 at Amazon. That's a 41% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Shark

Shark AV2501AE AI

$180.57 at Amazon
$649.99 Save $469.42

 

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Looking for a robot vacuum deal that’s actually a good deal? How about this latest Amazon discount on the Shark AV2501AE AI. Normally $450.56, it's down to a new low price of $269.99 at Amazon This deal saves you over $180. 

It has a powerful suction designed to pick up everyday dirt and debris across all floor types. It also has a feature called Matrix Clean Navigation, helping it take multiple passes over areas to make sure tough dirt is fully lifted, and that no area is left uncovered.

It uses 360° LiDAR vision to map your home accurately, letting it navigate methodically around furniture and obstacles while being able to adapt to changes in your space. It also comes with a self-emptying base that holds up to 60 days of dirt and debris, and a HEPA filtration system captures and traps 99.97% of dust and allergens.

And there’s no need to hesitate if you have pets at home. This robot vacuum is designed with pet owners in mind. Strong suction partners with a self-cleaning brushroll to help pick up and detangle embedded pet hair. 

You can find this robot vacuum deal at Amazon right now.

SAVE $100: As of June 30, the Dyson Airstrait is on sale for $399.99 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Dyson

Dyson Airstrait

$399.99 at Amazon
$499.99 Save $100

 

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Dyson is famed for its Airwrap, but the brand makes far more styling tools than just its beloved blowout dryer. If you prefer a straight look, meet the Dyson Airstrait. This styling tool uses high-pressure airflow to dry and straighten hair simultaneously.

As of June 30, it's $100 off at Amazon. That brings the price down to $399.99. This is also the lowest-ever price for this device according to camelcamelcamel.

So, how does it work? Instead of relying on traditional hot plates, this Dyson tool uses high-pressure airflow to straighten hair as it dries, with precisely heated air distributed evenly through strands for a smoother finish.

It's designed to protect hair health, and is engineered to style without extreme heat damage when used in wet-to-dry mode. The airflow is intelligent too, automatically adjusting depending on how you’re using it. For example, it produces a higher airflow when styling and then senses when hair is not between your arms. It then reduces airflow when not in use for a quieter experience.

This Dyson deal is available at Amazon now, but only for a limited time so don't miss out.

SAVE $400: As of June 30, the 55-inch Samsung Frame TV is on sale for $697.99 at Amazon. That's a 36% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Samsung

55-inch Samsung Frame TV

$697.99 at Amazon
$1,097.99 Save $400

 

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Prime Day has been and gone, but there are some great deals lingering if you're still looking for a bargain.

If a new TV is on your wishlist, you'll be pleased to know that the 55-inch Samsung Frame TV is currently at its lowest-ever price at Amazon. Normally $1,097.99, right now you can score $400 off the list price. That brings this popular TV down to $697.99.

This TV's main selling point is its ability to blend seamlessly into your home. It's not just a regular TV, because when it's not in use it can take the appearance of a piece of artwork. The slim design mounts flush against the wall like a real picture frame, with interchangeable bezels that allow you to customize the look to suit your décor.

When you are watching the TV, it gives you incredibly vibrant picture quality with AI-enhanced picture and sound. It also supports smooth motion and gaming features including VRR and refresh rates of up to 4K 144Hz, so it's a great choice for fast-paced sports, films, and gaming.

Get this TV deal at Amazon now.

The 2026 World Cup knockout stage has kicked off in style. Already we've seen a dramatic late goal from Canada to eliminate South Africa, tense action from Brazil, and shock exits of Germany and Netherlands.

Today, June 30, showcases another batch of exciting fixtures, including the likes of France and Mexico.

It all kicks off at 1 p.m. ET, with three games across the afternoon and evening.

FIFA World Cup schedule today: June 30

• Ivory Coast vs. Norway (Dallas Stadium) — kickoff at 1 p.m. ET

• France vs. Sweden (New York New Jersey Stadium) — kickoff at 5 p.m. ET

• Mexico vs. Ecuador (Mexico City Stadium) — kickoff at 9 p.m. ET

How to watch FIFA World Cup games today

Watch Ivory Coast vs. Norway

Norway's superstar striker Erling Haaland was benched for their last game, but he'll be back in full force for this Round of 32 match. Haaland's powerful presence means Norway are as good as they've ever been, but Ivory Coast are one of those teams that can sting anyone unexpectedly.

Live coverage will be on Fox and Fox One. Peacock will carry the live Spanish-language coverage.

Watch France vs. Sweden

France have looked better than any team in the tournament so far, even when they took their foot off the gas in the last group game against Norway — a patchy effort that still saw them win 4-1. Sweden could prove tricky competition though. They have major firepower in Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres and determination to overcome their 5-1 loss to Netherlands.

Live coverage will be on Fox and Fox One. Peacock will carry the live Spanish-language coverage.

Watch Mexico vs. Ecuador

Co-hosts Mexico won all three group games and haven't conceded a single goal so far. With electric support in Mexico City, they'll be fired up for another win. But Ecuador have tenacity and guts — as we saw when they scored a shock late winner against Germany in the group stage — and they'll be sure to take the fight to the Mexican squad.

Live coverage will be on Fox and Fox One. Peacock will carry the live Spanish-language coverage.

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Credit: Fox One

Fox One (3-Month Subscription)

$39.98
$59.97 Save $19.99

 

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Credit: Peacock

Peacock (Spanish Language)

Starting at $10.99/month

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More live streaming options

Live TV cable replacement

Not interested in signing up for a standalone streaming service like Fox One or Peacock? You can sign up for a live TV cable replacement service, like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV.

These services carry over 100 live channels, but run off a WiFi connection. You'll get live access to Fox and FS1, plus a whole lot more. Here are some options to consider:

• YouTube TV — 10-day trial, then $67.99/month for 3 months

• Fubo Sports — 1-day trial, then $45.99/month for 1 month

• Hulu + Live TV — 3-day trial, then $89.99/month

Watch the World Cup for free with a VPN

It's possible to watch the World Cup for free on international services like ITVX, BBC iPlayer, NOS, or RTÉ. Our global World Cup watch guide can walk you through the process.

You will need a VPN to live stream the World Cup on these free streaming services. We recommend ExpressVPN — a Mashable-tested service and an Official Tournament Supporter of the FIFA World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Europe — as our VPN of choice for sport. It offers servers in 105 countries, a user-friendly app available on all major devices, a speedy connection, and up to 10 simultaneous connections.

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Credit: ExpresVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN

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Mikey Angelo has experienced VidCon from both sides of the camera.

The creator attended his first convention as a fan, idolizing early YouTube stars like Fred and dreaming about one day making videos of his own. Now, five VidCons later, Angelo is walking the convention floor as one of the featured creators and reflecting on how dramatically the internet has changed since those early days.

In this VidCon edition of Creator Playbook, Angelo opens up about building a career by documenting the unfolding of internet culture. His monthly musical recaps have become a staple for followers looking to catch up on everything that happened online, but behind each song are hours of scrolling, note-taking, and deciding which moments deserve a place in the final cut.

"It's basically me regurgitating my own For You Page," he tells Mashable in our VidCon studio.

That constant internet connection comes with its own challenges. Angelo speaks candidly about creator burnout, why he struggles to disconnect from social media, and how he balances keeping up with trends without simply chasing them. Rather than participating in every viral moment, he says he'd rather document them in his own voice — a strategy that's helped him stand out in an increasingly crowded creator economy.

The conversation also explores his hopes of returning to long-form YouTube, his ambitions as a songwriter beyond internet recaps, and why the word "creator" no longer fully captures what many online personalities do today.

Watch the full Creator Playbook interview above.

TL;DR: Live stream Ivory Coast vs. Norway in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage rolls on with another action-packed day from the Round of 32. First up is Ivory Coast vs. Norway, a fixture that's tough to predict.

Ivory Coast showed real guts in the group stage, taking a fight to Germany and beating both Curacao and Ecuador. Norway had two impressive performances in the group stage against Iraq and Senegal thanks to goal-scoring machine Erling Haaland, who netted four across those games. But Haaland was benched for their last group game against France and Norway took a 4-1 loss.

If you want to watch Ivory Coast vs. Norway in the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Ivory Coast vs. Norway?

Ivory Coast vs. Norway in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on June 30. This fixture takes place at Dallas Stadium.

How to watch Ivory Coast vs. Norway for free

Ivory Coast vs. Norway in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer to live stream the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Ivory Coast vs. Norway for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Watch Ivory Coast vs. Norway for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2026 World Cup without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Ivory Coast vs. Norway (plus more World Cup fixtures) before recovering your investment.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money-back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of the World Cup.

Live stream Ivory Coast vs. Norway in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 Tour de France for free on SBS on Demand. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

We know there's a lot of sport taking place right now and your schedule is probably stacked with live action from the World Cup and Wimbledon, but can we suggest making a little time for the Tour de France. It is the world's most prestigious cycling race, after all.

This edition of the Tour de France is shaping up to be pretty special. Tadej Pogacar is seeking a record-equalling fifth Tour de France title, but he's going to face stiff competition from his rival Jonas Vingegaard and new star Paul Seixas. It's going to be a fascinating ride over the next few weeks.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 Tour de France for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is the Tour de France?

The Tour de France is an annual men's multi-stage bicycle race held in France (and often passing through nearby countries). This famous race forms part of the Grand Tours (alongside the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España).

The defending champion is Tadej Pogacar.

When is the 2026 Tour de France?

The 2026 Tour de France is the 113th edition of the event. This year's event takes place from July 4-26.

How to watch the 2026 Tour de France for free

The 2026 Tour de France is available to live stream for free on SBS on Demand.

SBS on Demand is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone from around the world can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the 2026 Tour de France from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Tour de France for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Connect to SBS on Demand

5. Stream the 2026 Tour de France from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

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

Get Deal

The best VPNs for unblocking streaming sites are not free, but they do tend to offer free trials and money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Tour de France without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you time to follow the 2026 Tour de France before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for Tour de France?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for accessing free live streams from around the world, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, as well as platforms like Linux, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, and routers

• Strict no-logging policy

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream the 2026 Tour de France for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Fritz vs. Draper in Wimbledon 2026 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The first round of Wimbledon includes some really interesting matchups, but Fritz vs. Draper might be the best of the bunch. It's harsh on Fritz to be matched up with a player like Draper at this early stage, but Draper is still trying to come back from a long-term injury. Draper has missed the Australian Open and French Open this year, so he's bound to be a little rusty.

If you want to watch Fritz vs. Draper in Wimbledon 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

How to watch Fritz vs. Draper for free

Fritz vs. Draper in Wimbledon 2026 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free live streams on sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Wimbledon 2026 for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Live stream Wimbledon 2026 for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees and free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you plenty of time to live stream Wimbledon 2026 before recovering your investment. It's a sneaky trick, but it works.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for Wimbledon, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for Wimbledon?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms like BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of Wimbledon.

TL;DR: Live stream Blockx vs. Zverev in Wimbledon 2026 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Wimbledon has started with a number of really entertaining contests, and we're expecting more of the same from Blockx vs. Zverev. The German finally won a Grand Slam at the French Open earlier this year. Will that open the door to more trophies?

If you want to watch Blockx vs. Zverev in Wimbledon 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

How to watch Blockx vs. Zverev for free

Blockx vs. Zverev in Wimbledon 2026 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free live streams on sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Wimbledon 2026 for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Live stream Wimbledon 2026 for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees and free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you plenty of time to live stream Wimbledon 2026 before recovering your investment. It's a sneaky trick, but it works.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for Wimbledon, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for Wimbledon?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms like BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of Wimbledon.

TL;DR: Upgrade to Windows 11 Pro for $9.97 (reg. $199) through July 1 and save roughly $189 while getting advanced security, productivity, and business features.

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Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft Windows 11 Pro

$9.97
$199 Save $189.03

 

Get Deal

Some upgrades just feel right. This is one of them.

If your PC has been running a little sluggish or you’ve been meaning to bring your system up to speed, Windows 11 Pro is just $9.97 (reg. $199) through 11:59 p.m. PT on July 1 as part of this Deal Days extension — a rare, time-sensitive offer that rewards quick, savvy decisions.

This isn’t about chasing trends; it’s more about giving your computer the modern foundation it deserves. Windows 11 Pro brings a sleeker UI, better multitasking, and enhanced security — all in a one-time lifetime license.

Think of it as the difference between driving a reliable car and suddenly upgrading to one with a smarter dashboard, smoother handling, and built-in security features.

For professionals, creators, and power users, this upgrade also unlocks features like Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, BitLocker encryption, and seamless Azure AD integration — tools that make a real difference when you’re working across projects or managing sensitive data.

And yes, Windows 11 comes with Copilot, Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant that can summarize pages, change settings, or even help you generate code on the fly. It’s like having a co-pilot (literally) inside your OS.

But you don’t need convincing — you already know a smart upgrade when you see one. Get Windows 11 Pro for just $9.97 (MSRP $199) through July 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Lock in a year of safer internet with this NordVPN Standard 2026 VPN and Cybersecurity 1-year subscription, on sale now for just $29.99 (reg. $69.99) with code SECURE.

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Credit: NordVPN

NordVPN Standard 2026: 1-Year Subscription (10 Devices)

$29.99
$69.99 Save $40

 

Get Deal

Free Wi-Fi is super convenient… until you realize who else might be using the network. You can’t see hackers and cybercriminals stealing your data, but it can certainly happen. Give yourself peace of mind with this NordVPN Standard 2026 VPN and Cybersecurity one-year subscription. It gives you VPN protection and a few other security features, all for just $29.99 with code SECURE.

If you want to take control of your cybersecurity, it’s time to check out NordVPN Standard. It makes protecting yourself online as easy as one click.

This NordVPN Standard VPN lets you enjoy a safer internet experience wherever life takes you — from home to work to vacation. An encrypted connection keeps your data hidden from hackers and thieves. You can also enjoy browsing without borders by choosing from more than 7,000 servers in over 100 countries.

This deal gets you more than just a VPN connection; you’ll also get access to built-in cybersecurity features that make you even safer. NordVPN Standard scans your downloads for malware and other harmful files, and even blocks any dangerous links you encounter. It also includes ad and tracker blocking and a dark web monitor that flags when your information appears in a breach.

A one-year subscription to NordVPN Standard lets you safeguard up to 10 devices simultaneously. And it works across desktop, mobile, streaming devices, and even on your router.

Stay safer online with this NordVPN Standard 2026 VPN and Cybersecurity one-year subscription, on sale now for just $29.99 with code SECURE.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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

The best streaming deals to watch "The Devil Wears Prada 2" at a glance:

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Watch now

Buy or rent "The Devil Wears Prada 2" at Prime Video

$24.99 or $19.99

Shop Now

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Hulu annual subscription

$119.99 per year (save $23.89)

Get Deal

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Hulu and Disney+ bundle

$11.99/month for 6 months ($12.99/month thereafter) (save $11.99/month)

Get Deal

---

Watch later

Hulu Student

$1.99 per month (save $10 per month)

Get Deal

---

Watch later

Hulu (with ads)

free for select T-Mobile customers (save $11.99 per month)

Get Deal

Two decades after Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway stepped into their groundbreaking roles as Runway editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly and assistant Andy Sachs, the two are back with what Mashable's reviewer calls a "perfect sequel."

The Devil Wears Prada 2 reunites the core cast from the original, which also includes Stanley Tucci as Nigel Kipling and Emily Blunt as Emily Charlton, as well as director David Frankel and writer Aline Brosh McKenna. It also adds a killer supporting cast and a revolving door of star-studded cameos. The result is a glitzy and glamorous sequel that follows the lead of the beloved original.

As Mashable's Shannon Connellan puts it, "It's unmistakably The Devil Wears Prada, but make it 2026."

It hit theaters in May and folks flocked to see it on the big screen. If you haven't seen it yet or you can't wait to see it again, you can officially watch The Devil Wears Prada 2 at home. Here's what you need to know.

What is The Devil Wears Prada 2 about?

In general, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is about the state of journalism in 2026. But specifically, it follows Andy's return to Runway magazine 20 years after her time as Miranda Priestly's assistant following a mass layoff from her newspaper. Miranda's facing hardships herself in the new publishing industry and Andy's spark is just what Runway needs.

Check out the full trailer:

How to watch The Devil Wears Prada 2 at home

Credit: 20th Century Studios

The Devil Wears Prada 2 opened in theaters nationwide on May 1, 2026. If you missed out, no biggie; it's now officially available to watch at home in a couple of different ways. As of June 30, 2026, you can buy it or rent it on digital and on July 31, you can stream it. I've broken down the details below.

Buy or rent on digital

The Devil Wears Prada sequel officially makes its at-home debut via video-on-demand retailers on June 30, 2026. You can purchase it for your digital library for $29.99 or rent it for $5 less. Pro-tip: If you wait about a month to buy or rent it, those prices will likely drop significantly.

Here are some quick links to buy the film on digital:

• Apple TV — $29.99 to buy, $24.99 to rent

• Fandango at Home — $29.99 to buy, $24.99 to rent

• Prime Video — $29.99 to buy, $24.99 to rent

Stream it on Hulu

The Devil Wears Prada 2 will make its streaming debut on Hulu on July 29, 2026, about a month after its digital release. Despite its $678 million box office success, that three-month window from the theater to streaming is right on par with other 20th Century Studios films.

Hulu subscriptions start at $11.99 per month (thanks to a late 2025 price hike), but there are a few different ways you can save. We've rounded up the best ongoing Hulu streaming deals below.

The best Hulu streaming deals

Best Hulu deal for most people: Hulu annual subscription

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Credit: Hulu

Hulu (with ads) annual subscription

$119.99 per year (save $23.89)

Get Deal

An annual Hulu plan is your best bet for cutting back on the cost of a subscription. You'll pay for a year up front for $119.99 (which breaks down to $9.99 per month) instead of $143.88. That's about 16% or just shy of $24 in savings. It's not the biggest discount ever, but every dollar counts.

Best bundle deal: Get Hulu and Disney+ for 50% off

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Credit: Hulu / Disney+

Hulu and Disney+ (with ads)

$11.99 per month (save $11.99 per month) for six months

Get Deal

The Disney bundle plans are the best deals in the streaming world, hands down. For a limited time, you can sign up for a six-month subscription to both for only $11.99 per month (reg. $12.99 per month). That means you'll get one streaming service completely for free for six months. After the six-month promotional period, you'll pay just a dollar more per month — still a damn good deal if you ask me.

Best for students: Hulu Student

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Credit: Hulu

Hulu Student (with ads)

$1.99 per month (save $10 per month)

Get Deal

College students can slash 83% or $10 per month off a Hulu with ads subscription. Sign up through the Hulu Student promotional page and verify your college email address via SheerID, and the price will drop from $11.99 to just $1.99 per month. The deal is valid as long as your student status can be verified.

Best for T-Mobile users: Hulu (with ads) free for select customers

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Credit: T-Mobile / Hulu

Hulu (with ads)

free for select T-Mobile customers

Get Deal

The only way you can get Hulu for free in 2026 is through T-Mobile's Go5G Next and Experience Beyond plans (you'll also get Netflix for free and Apple TV+ for $3). If you're already on one of these plans, head over to the T-Mobile promo page and choose "redeem now" to claim the offer. Just enter your T-Mobile number and account details to sign up for Hulu.

TL;DR: Live stream Mexico vs. Ecuador in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage continues with Mexico vs. Ecuador, an exciting matchup that could go either way.

Tournament co-hosts Mexico have looked really strong so far, winning all three group games in convincing fashion. Ecuador have real fighting spirit, demonstrated when they pulled off an unexpected win against Germany.

Can Ecuador do it again and secure a spot in the Round of 16? Or will Mexico continue their dominant run?

If you want to watch Mexico vs. Ecuador in the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Mexico vs. Ecuador?

Mexico vs. Ecuador in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 9 p.m. ET on June 30. This fixture takes place at Mexico City Stadium.

How to watch Mexico vs. Ecuador for free

Mexico vs. Ecuador in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock ITVX to live stream the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Mexico vs. Ecuador for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit ITVX

5. Watch Mexico vs. Ecuador for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2026 World Cup without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Mexico vs. Ecuador (plus more World Cup fixtures) before recovering your investment.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money-back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of the World Cup.

Live stream Mexico vs. Ecuador in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free.

TL;DR: Live stream France vs. Sweden in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Just days into the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and we've already been served up some shocking fixtures. And there's more to come, including France vs. Sweden.

France are one of the favorites to win the whole tournament and looked superb in the group stage, winning all three fixtures and scoring a total of 10 goals. Kylian Mbappe and his teammates look unstoppable.

Sweden have been promising under new coach Graham Potter but results at the World Cup have been inconsistent. France will fancy themselves to win this but Sweden have something to prove and boast world-class players in Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres.

If you want to watch France vs. Sweden in the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is France vs. Sweden?

France vs. Sweden in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 5 p.m. ET on June 30. This fixture takes place at New York New Jersey Stadium.

How to watch France vs. Sweden for free

France vs. Sweden in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock ITVX to live stream the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream France vs. Sweden for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit ITVX

5. Watch France vs. Sweden for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2026 World Cup without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream France vs. Sweden (plus more World Cup fixtures) before recovering your investment.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money-back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of the World Cup.

Live stream France vs. Sweden in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Tuesday, June 30, 2026:

Across

Big party

• The answer is Bash.

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

Pricey variety of beef that translates to "Japanese cow"

• The answer is Wagyu.

Unwelcome sound at 7 a.m., perhaps

• The answer is Alarm.

Really make excited

• The answer is Revup.

Get ready (for)

• The answer is Prep.

Down

Farm machine that bundles hay

• The answer is Baler.

Plant used to make mezcal

• The answer is Agave.

Pancake topper

• The answer is Syrup.

Prominent feature of a camel

• The answer is Hump.

Bend out of shape, as wood

• The answer is Warp.

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

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

Despite the huge interest in its yet-unannounced products, Apple has traditionally done a pretty good job keeping its secrets under wraps until launch day.

That may change this year, as hackers made off with photos of the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro, lists of components used in the device, as well as supplier data.

According to Reuters, a ransomware group stole data from Apple's Indian supplier Tata Electronics.

Tata disclosed the hack last week, as more than 200,000 files started circulating on the dark web, including component design papers for older iPhones, and Tesla parts (Tesla is also one of Tata's partners).

The new documents, which have been reviewed by Reuters, could prove far more damaging, as they contain supplier info on "hundreds" of iPhone 18 Pro components, including details on chips, batteries, and cameras.

The leaked files also have photographs of iPhones undergoing drop tests, including, most likely, those of the iPhone 18 Pro. Reuters say the images show a "slab-shaped, grey handset with a three-rear-camera setup and an Apple logo," though the agency says it was unable to identify the model number of the device with certainty.

Over the last couple of years, Apple shifted a big chunk of its iPhone production to India in an effort to become less reliant on China. The freshly leaked files coming out of India will likely put a strain on Apple's relationship with Tata, though neither Apple nor Tata officially commented on Reuters' findings.

Anthropic has partnered with California to provide state government agencies a discount on its AI tools such as chatbot Claude. Announced on Monday, the agreement will see state workers use Claude for a "wide range of tasks," including analysing information and drafting documents, in an effort to increase efficiency.

"AI should not replace the human work of government; it should help our workers move faster, solve problems more effectively, and deliver better results for Californians," California governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement.

Under the partnership, Anthropic will provide Californian state agencies and local governments with access to Claude at a 50 percent discount. The Californian AI company will also offer government workers free training, as well as support and advice from Anthropic's developers on how to use AI in their work.

California's partnership with Anthropic is intended to facilitate increased adoption of AI by its government workers. Claude is just the first "AI productivity tool" that will be offered to all California state agencies though a new shared portal, which will gather multiple such tools for government use.

"CDT [California Department of Technology] is partnering with departments across the state to leverage the state’s purchasing power to make it easy to procure new tools, fast and for the best price," said California State Chief Information Officer and CDT director Chris Given.

California state government agencies have already been using Claude prior to this week's deal. The state government previously used Claude to facilitate its surveying of Californians' views on AI, though exactly what role it played in this is unclear. Claude was further used to develop the AI tool Poppy, created specifically for state workers dealing with common business needs. California's DMV is using Claude as well, apparently to "improve customer service and lower wait times."

"As state employees, our goal is to provide our fellow Californians with the best possible service," said Government Operations Agency Secretary Nick Maduros. "To do that, we need to make sure our teams have access to the best modern tools, including Claude and other emerging technologies."

Some AI algorithms can have practical uses, such as ones designed to identify patterns in given datasets for further examination by humans. However, generative AI chatbots are notorious for hallucinating false information, landing users in hot water after failing to independently verify the output. Multiple legal professionals have faced severe penalties after being caught using generative AI to draft documents which are riddled with errors.

Anthropic has admitted that its AI models aren't infallible or completely accurate all the time. As such, it stands to reason that anyone using Claude should double-check all its output by researching and factchecking it themselves, especially if it's being used for important government work. However, considering that such diligence could very well reduce efficiency and increase employees' workloads rather than lessen them, the question is whether anyone will actually take such care.

Anthropic's rocky recent history with the Trump administration

Despite California embracing Anthropic, the AI company has recently had a much frostier response at the federal level. 

In February, President Donald Trump claimed Anthropic was run by "Leftwing nut jobs" and ordered all federal agencies to stop using its technology. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei stated that the rift was because the company refused to comply with demands from the Department of War that it remove safeguards against using AI for mass domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons. (OpenAI stepped in to take on the contract instead, sparking significant backlash online.)

The Trump administration subsequently labelled Anthropic a "supply chain risk" and potential national security danger in March, making it the first U.S. company to receive such a designation. Earlier this month, the U.S. government further ordered Anthropic to suspend access to its recently released Claude Fable 5 and Claude Mythos 5 AI tools by anyone who is not a U.S. entity (including foreign nationals residing in the U.S.), forcing the company to take them down altogether.

Trump's ire against Anthropic appeared to ease less than a week later, after the U.S. president encountered Amodei at the G7 summit and found him "a nice guy." Even so, as the relationship between Anthropic and the Trump administration currently stands, a federal partnership seems unlikely in the immediate future.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you watch international soccer.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight, and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

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

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

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

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

• Yellow: Basketball moves

• Green: Inside the arena

• Blue: Baseball champions

• Purple: Unfinished movie

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Actions with a Basketball

• Green: Found at the Top of an Arena

• Blue: World Series MVPs

• Purple: First Words of Football Movies

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 #645 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Actions with a Basketball: DRIBBLE, PASS, PIVOT, SHOOT

• Found at the Top of an Arena: BANNERS, CATWALK, LIGHTS, SPEAKERS

• World Series MVPs: DENT, KNIGHT, SPRINGER, VIOLA

• First Words of Football Movies: FRIDAY, GRIDIRON, REMEMBER, VARSITY

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

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

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

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

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

How to play Pips

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Easy difficulty hints, answers for June 30 Pips

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

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

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

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for June 30 Pips

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically.

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

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

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 1-6, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for June 30 Pips

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 6-3, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed vertically.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 4-6, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (15): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

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

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

To tweak.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

ALTER

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A leg workout.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SQUAT

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Put into place.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

AFFIX

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Large fruit.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

MELON

Final Hurdle hint

A parody.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

FARCE

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're an environmentalist.

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: Partitions

• Green: Cold sports

• Blue: Reduce, reuse...

• Purple: Sports recruitment

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

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Dividing structures

• Green: Participate in some winter Olympics

• Blue: Common recyclables

• Purple: What "Draft" might refer to

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #1115 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Dividing structures: FENCE, GATE, HEDGE, WALL

• Participate in some winter Olympics: CURL, LUGE, SKATE, SKI

• Common recyclables: BOTTLE, BOX, CAN, NEWSPAPER

• What "Draft" might refer to: BREEZE, ON TAP, RECRUIT, SKETCH

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're a cinephile.

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: "And... action!"

The words are related to film.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe a film set.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

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

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is That's Showbiz.

NYT Strands word list for June 30

• Director

• Cast

• Crew

• Producer

• Editor

• That's Showbiz

• Writer

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a dog lover.

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

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

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

A small dog.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter P appears three times.

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

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter P.

The Wordle answer today is...

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

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

PUPPY

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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

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

NASA's new prototype rover ERNEST is made to test technologies for moon and mars exploration.

Discover how modern banking apps help parents teach their kids financial responsibility in an increasingly cashless world. Learn how to set spending limits, assign chores, and build smart money habits from childhood to the early adult years.

South Korea’s World Cup exit did not just end with a sad locker room and fans yelling at their TVs. It has made its way across the president's desk.

After South Korea’s elimination from Group A on Saturday, June 27, head coach Hong Myung-bo resigned the next day, ending a turbulent second stint in charge of the national team.

"I deeply apologize to the Korean public who supported our team. Today, I am stepping down," Hong said in a press conference. "Taking this job was never an easy choice, but from the moment I accepted it, my only focus was to fulfill my duties responsibly until the end."

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But the fallout from the loss did not stop with him.

On Sunday, June 28, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for a formal government investigation into the team’s disappointing tournament, while fan anger spilled from social media into real-world security concerns ahead of the squad’s return home.

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On paper, South Korea’s tournament wasn't all bad. The team opened with a 2-1 win over Czechia before losing 0-1 to Mexico, which meant the final group match against South Africa mattered: A win would have put South Korea in a much stronger position to advance, and even a draw could have helped its case under the expanded World Cup format, which allows the eight best third-place teams to reach the Round of 32. Instead, South Korea lost 0-1, finished third in Group A with three points, and had to wait for other results to learn whether that would be enough. Spoiler: it wasn’t.

It was Hong’s lineup choice against South Africa, though, that enraged fans the most. In the match South Korea needed to rescue its tournament, Hong left Son Heung-min out of the starting lineup, saying afterward that he planned to use him later when South Africa was tired. Son came on at halftime, but by then South Korea was already chasing the game.

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Hong later admitted he would not make the same decision again, but by then the damage had already been done. And the wave of hate from home that has gone far beyond standard post-tournament disappointment.

Reports out of South Korea have described online death threats against Hong, heightened police security ahead of the team’s return to Incheon International Airport, and furious fan reaction across social media.

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Fans are especially frustrated because South Korea had enough talent to expect more. The team included Son Heung-min, one of Asia’s biggest soccer stars, along with European-based players like Lee Kang-in and Kim Min-jae. Son Heung-min, the team’s captain, has posted a lengthy apology on Instagram, asking supporters not to direct excessive criticism and hurt toward the players.

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Hong's return as head coach in 2024 had already been controversial, with fans questioning whether the Korea Football Association had run a fair hiring process. The sports ministry previously alleged that the KFA had not followed its own procedures, including reportedly "a reasonable interview process."

President Lee made clear that he sees the collapse as more than a bad coaching spell. In a statement posted to social media, Lee said he felt "not just confusion but utter bewilderment" over the result and argued that South Korea’s early exit reflected deeper problems with leadership and personnel decisions.

"When favoritism and cronyism take precedence over competence in selecting a commander, the result is as predictable as fire burning paper," Lee wrote.

Lee also pointed to the taxpayer money and state resources used to support the national team, making the case that the World Cup failure was not just a private soccer matter. Because public money goes into the team’s participation, he argued, the public is owed a clearer explanation of what went wrong. He called on the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to investigate the circumstances around the exit, analyze the causes, and propose reforms to prevent a repeat.

If that sounds like an unusually dramatic response to a World Cup exit, it is not entirely without precedent.

The closest comparison may be France in 2010, when Les Bleus imploded at the World Cup in South Africa after Nicolas Anelka was sent home and the players boycotted training in protest. The disaster quickly moved beyond the locker room: then-President Nicolas Sarkozy publicly condemned the team’s behavior, captain Thierry Henry was brought to the Élysée Palace, and France’s parliament held hearings into the national team’s failure.

For Hong, this ending is especially complicated. As a player, he remains one of the most important figures in South Korean soccer history, having captained the country during its historic run to the 2002 World Cup semifinals. As a coach, though, both of his World Cup stints with the national team have ended in group-stage disappointment: first in 2014, and now again in 2026.

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There were security concerns around Hong's return home. It seems to be just as rowdy as they expected, according to video footage from the airport at 4 a.m., where fans were waiting in the Arrivals hall armed with insults.

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This, alarmingly, is not the first time South Korean fans have quite literally thrown eggs at their home team.

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For South Korea, the World Cup may be over, but its clear a very dramatic postmortem is just getting started.

Reports say Samsung will expand its Galaxy S27 line to four phones with the addition of the new Galaxy S27 Pro. It's designed for those who want Ultra-level power in a smaller body. Here's everything we've heard, including a privacy feature that debuted on the Ultra.

Streaming services like Netflix and Disney Plus have huge global libraries. The only problem is accessing them from one place. Here's how to use a VPN to watch virtually everything online. 

We tested the new MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ with Intel’s Arc G3 Extreme processor. With a chip designed specifically for PC gaming handhelds, what type of gaming frame rates can you expect?

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TL;DR: Live stream Netherlands vs. Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup showcases three huge games from the Round of 32 on June 29, including Netherlands vs. Morocco.

The Netherlands have looked really impressive in this tournament at times, but they've also shown some vulnerable flashes. Morocco, on the other hand, stunned Brazil with their quality in the group stage and notched up comfortable wins against Scotland and Haiti. All of which makes this an interesting matchup. You could easily imagine this contest taking place much later in the tournament.

If you want to watch Netherlands vs. Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Netherlands vs. Morocco?

Netherlands vs. Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 9 p.m. ET on June 29. This fixture takes place at Monterrey Stadium.

How to watch Netherlands vs. Morocco for free

Netherlands vs. Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock ITVX to live stream the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Netherlands vs. Morocco for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit ITVX

5. Watch Netherlands vs. Morocco for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2026 World Cup without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Netherlands vs. Morocco (plus more World Cup fixtures) before recovering your investment.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money-back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of the World Cup.

Live stream Netherlands vs. Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free.

It's been a week since President Trump signed an executive order directing a whole-of-government push on quantum computing — funding it, securing its supply chains, building its workforce, and making sure adversaries like China don't get there first.

This marks a significant federal commitment to a technology that is either the next great computing revolution, or the most expensive science experiment in history, depending on the expert opinion. But one thing it can do: replace AI as the carrier of long-term hopes for the tech industry.

This would be the right moment for a switch, as the vibe shifts on AI itself: models are more expensive to train, returns are harder to demonstrate. Investors who have sent AI stock soaring may soon be looking for the next big thing to believe in.

Quantum computing — with its theoretical promise of solving problems that would take classical computers millennia — is a real and genuinely fascinating technology. It's just a lot more complicated, and further away, than the White House-led hype suggests.

What is quantum computing?

Your laptop processes information in bits. Tiny switches in a computer see data in binary code: either as a 0 or a 1. Quantum computers swap those out for qubits, which can exist as 0, 1, or a combination of both at the same time — a property called superposition.

Which, if we can harness it, would fundamentally supercharge everything a computer can do.

As IBM describes it, think of solving a maze. A classical computer tries every path until it finds the exit. A quantum computer, by using the interference patterns of qubits — the way their probability waves cancel out wrong answers and amplify right ones — can zero in on solutions without brute-forcing every option.

Add entanglement, where qubits become so linked that measuring one instantly tells you about others, and you have a machine that approaches certain problems in a completely different way than anything humanity has built before.

For one thing, researchers say, a fully functional quantum computer would likely mean the death of Bitcoin.

What can it do?

Still, the most credible near-term applications are in science and industry, not consumer tech. Quantum computers are particularly well-suited to simulating molecular behavior — which could dramatically accelerate drug discovery and materials science — and to crunching complex optimization problems in finance and logistics.

According to IBM, the field is projected to grow into a $1.3 trillion industry by 2035, with major players like Google and Microsoft, as well as startups like IonQ, already investing heavily.

An MIT report from 2025 found that quantum computing patents have grown fivefold over the last decade, venture capital hit a new high of $1.6 billion in 2024, and demand for quantum skills has nearly tripled since 2018.

Business executives, the report noted, are increasingly "quantum curious" — in part because watching AI explode taught them not to sleep on the next big thing.

Why is there a 'but'?

The gap between what quantum computers can theoretically do, and what they can actually do right now, remains enormous.

According to IBM, current quantum processors are fragile, error-prone, and require cooling to temperatures colder than outer space to function. A researcher on r/Physics who works in quantum information put it plainly: the commercial use cases are "speculative at best," and the classical computing baseline is "shifting so fast it's impossible to get a read on the gap."

Engineering bottlenecks, such as error correction, qubit stability, and scaling, also remain major unsolved problems. IBM says it's targeting 200 logical qubits by 2029 and 2,000 by 2033. These are timelines that make quantum computing a decades-long project, not an imminent revolution.

Why is the Trump administration suddenly all in?

Last week, President Trump signed Executive Order 14413, directing a sweeping whole-of-government push to accelerate quantum computing research, secure domestic supply chains, expand the quantum workforce, and prevent adversaries — China specifically holds 60 percent of global quantum patents, per MIT's report — from gaining a strategic edge.

The order establishes a new effort to build a quantum computer at a Department of Energy facility and sets aggressive timelines across multiple agencies.

It's a legitimate national security concern, dressed up in the language of a tech boom. Like fusion power, quantum computing is real and will matter — probably a lot — but the current moment looks a lot like the early AI hype cycle. Expect lots of startups with "quantum" in their name to launch as a result.

Meta is finally preparing to roll out usernames on WhatsApp so users no longer have to share their phone number on the app. And users can reserve their preferred username right now.

WhatsApp has been integrating usernames into the platform for more than a year now, after the feature was discovered in a beta version of the app.

Now, it seems Meta is finally ready to roll out the new feature as WhatsApp is now letting users reserve usernames. 

"It’s time to reserve your WhatsApp username," reads a blog post on WhatsApps' website.

To reserve your WhatsApp username, simply open up the WhatsApp mobile app, go to your account settings, and tap "Username" under the "Your account" section.

"Usernames are coming soon," reads the window that opens up. "Reserve yours today."

Users can then choose to create a new username or use their Instagram or Facebook username.

WhatsApp users should reserve their chosen username as soon as possible. However, it seems users who just want to use their Facebook or Instagram username have no need to rush. WhatsApp confirmed in a post that the company "knows that some people like creators, small businesses, and organizations may want to maintain a consistent presence online" and so "for them, we reserved an option to claim their existing Instagram or Facebook username on WhatsApp."

When I attempted to register my preferred username, it said it was unavailable, but I could log in to Instagram or Facebook and choose it if it was the same username I used on those platforms (it was). Once logged into my Instagram account via WhatsApp, my preferred WhatsApp username suddenly became available.

Usernames have long been requested on WhatsApp. Users are forced to use their phone number as their WhatsApp identity, which creates obvious problems if they want to keep their phone number separate from their WhatsApp presence.

With more than 3 billion users on the platform, WhatsApp usernames will likely go fast, so if you don't already have your preferred username reserved via Facebook or Instagram, you should probably go register it now.

Alex, Aaron, and Andrew of the Wassabi Brothers have experienced the creator economy from three different vantage points.

Alex and Aaron came of age alongside YouTube, when uploading videos was simply a hobby. There were no brand deals, no creator economy, and no expectation that making content could become a full-time career. Andrew, meanwhile, represents a new generation of creators, navigating an internet shaped by TikTok, Shorts, livestreaming, and Gen Z trends — so much so that he's often the one teaching his older brothers which phrases have already fallen out of fashion.

That mix of perspectives makes for an insightful conversation in this edition of Creator Playbook, where the trio reflects on how dramatically the creator landscape has changed and which lessons have remained surprisingly timeless.

The brothers discuss why subscriber counts aren't the defining metric they once were, why community matters more than ever, and how they're continuing to experiment with new formats as audience habits evolve. They also open up about creator burnout, the return of long-form video, and why adaptability has become one of the most valuable skills a creator can develop.

Despite coming from different generations of the internet, the brothers agree on the fundamentals: stay consistent, keep experimenting, and don't let one disappointing upload stop you from creating.

"Everybody sucks at first," Alex, who has over 11 million subs on YouTube, tells Mashable. "Just keep going."

Watch the full Creator Playbook interview above.

The future of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is looking bright. Literally.

According to a prolific Samsung leaker known as Ice Universe on Weibo, Samsung is incorporating an AMOLED display into the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 that's expected to reach a brightness of a whopping 5,000 nits.

Nits are the standard unit of measurement for the brightness of a display or screen. And for those unfamiliar with it, 5,000 nits is really, really bright. To really drive home the potentially record-breaking brightness of the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, let's compare it to other devices. 

According to Mashable's sister site CNET, most consumer-level televisions have a maximum brightness between 1,000 and 1,500 nits.

Both the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and current Galaxy Watch Ultra reach a maximum display brightness of 3,000 nits. The latest Apple Watch Series 11 reaches 2,000 nits, and the Apple Watch Ultra 3 can reach 3,000 nits.

The title of brightest display on a smartwatch currently belongs to Garmin's flagship $2,000 smartwatch, the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro. The microLED display on the Fenix 8 Pro reaches a maximum of 4,500 nits. That's really bright, but if Ice Universe is to be believed, Samsung is planning to beat it.

To really put things into perspective, let's look at TCL's flagship television model, the TCL X11L SQD Mini-LED, which has what is largely considered to be one of the brightest TV displays. The 85-inch model has a maximum brightness of 10,000 nits. The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 reportedly has a 1.5-inch circular AMOLED display, which can get half as bright as an 85-inch TV set.

Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event is next month and the company will very likely officially announce the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 there, along with a release date. We'll find out very soon just how bright this smartwatch can get.

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that police must obtain warrants to conduct wide searches of cell phone data at crime scenes, also known as "geofence" searches.

In its ruling on Chatrie v. United States, the justices said that Americans are entitled to privacy with the location data their phones track, even if they consent to sharing it with tech companies like Google and Apple.

The case involved Okello T. Chatrie, a man convicted of robbing a Virginia bank in 2019. Prosecutors obtained a warrant for a geofence search that captured location data near the bank around the time of the robbery and, as a result, identified Chatrie as a suspect. Geofence searches draw a digital fence around a crime scene and pull data from all digital devices within that space.

Even with the warrant, Chatrie's lawyers claimed the government sought an "overly broad set of data that violated the Fourth Amendment," the New York Times reports. The Fourth Amendment protects Americans from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government.

The Justice Department claimed the government did not need a warrant to view anonymous location data, especially since users had already acquiesced to tech companies tracking that data. A majority of the justices disagreed.

"An individual has a reasonable expectation of privacy in records about his cell phone’s location, and police intrude on that constitutionally protected interest when they demand the information — even though for only a limited time, and from a third-party tech company," Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the majority. Kagan was joined in the decision by Justices Roberts, Sotomayor, Jackson, Kavanaugh, and Gorsuch (the latter agreed with the ruling but not its rationale, according to the Times).

Most smartphone track user location every few minutes, though users can view, edit, and delete that data. Google Maps is one of the most common ways Big Tech tracks movements, with more than 1 billion daily users. Chatrie's lawyers argued to the justices that his location data was private since it was password-protected.

Google has tried to get ahead of the legal complications surrounding data tracking. The company announced three years ago that it would store location data on individual phones rather than on Google servers, allowing it to avoid complying with location requests.

Even though Google found a workaround, the government has requested such location data from other companies, including Apple, Microsoft, Snapchat, and Uber.

While the justices ruled on the broader legality of the government seeking private data, they did not rule on the warrant used in the Chatrie case, instead sending it back to an appeals court.

If there was one thing content creator Sidney Raskind knew for sure when he graduated high school, it's that he didn't want a desk job.

It took him a little longer to realize that he had even more clarity than that — he wanted to be a YouTuber (spoiler alert: he did it). Mashable caught up with him at VidCon 2026 to learn more about the journey that behind his graduation, to the content that helped him break through and go full time — life hacks and, as Raskind's says in nearly all his videos, things he didn't know until he was in his 30s.

What kept him going?

"I used to say spite," he joked with Mashable reporter Bethany Allard. But more than proving that he could escape the clutches of a desk job, Raskind knew he had a passion, and one that he could find success with. Especially since the barrier to entry for making videos online wasn't too high.

"When I came to the very first VidCon, I was, I was looking on stage and I thought, 'I can do this, too,'" he said.

With 4.6 million followers on TikTok and the title of being a featured creator at VidCon, it's clear Raskin was on to something. As for folks who hope to one day make it too, Raskind offered this:

" My biggest piece of advice is something that Seth Rogen said, which is, 'If you stop, you won't, you will always not get there. But if you keep trying and you keep going, then there is a possibility that you will get there.' It took me 15 years to figure out the content format and general understanding until it worked, and I just never stopped stopping, as they say in 'Popstar'."

You can watch the whole interview above, and for all things VidCon, Mashable has you covered.

Google just launched a new version of Android. It might take a bit to install, so you might as well brush up on what it has to offer while you wait.

Android 17 officially launched earlier this month, so if you have a Pixel or Samsung phone, you might as well get the download started. It brings several new features to play with, so without wasting any more time, let's dig in. Here are some of the top Android 17 features to anticipate as you watch that install progress on your phone screen.

Bubbles enable better multitasking

Timely! Credit: Google

A couple of these updates are intended for or best used on foldables or other "large screen devices," as Google calls them. The first one of these is Bubbles, an easy way to multitask on your mobile device.

All you have to do is long-press an app icon to turn it into a floating window that you can move around and resize as needed. It can live on top of another open app, so if you want to livestream a World Cup game in one window and react to it with your homies in a group chat at the same time, you can do that. It sounds very intuitive and useful, which is what we want to see out of any free software updates.

Better gaming on foldable devices

That looks handy. Credit: Google

Speaking of foldables, Google has also enhanced the gaming experience on these devices with Android 17. If you have something like a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, you can orient it in landscape mode and use a new layout where the game is displayed on the top half of the screen, while a virtual controller is on the bottom half. A lot of mobile games overlay virtual controls on top of the gameplay, but this would theoretically allow you to game without all that stuff getting in the way. Another win for foldables.

Record screen reactions for your social feeds

Everyone has to react to everything all the time. Credit: Screenshot: Google

We live in a world where everything warrants a reaction for social media. These days, that often takes the form of someone talking into their selfie camera in front of an image of whatever they're reacting to. With Android 17, you can do that easily. Google says it takes "just a few taps" to overlay yourself on top of an image or viral clip, at which point you can get to yapping about it. That engagement won't generate itself, folks, but Android 17 comes pretty close to doing it all for you.

Enhanced parental controls

Parental controls are not necessarily "exciting" according to the dictionary definition of the word, but they are good and important. With Android 17, Google has added some much-needed new safety features for kids. They originally launched on Pixel devices late last year, but now they're available for everything that runs Android.

With these features, you can do things like filter Google Play downloads, set a time for the device to lock down every night, and set screen time limits for the young ones. None of these are revolutionary, but they are vital to making sure your kid doesn't develop a debilitating screen addiction.

Lock down your lost phone

This might save a lot of headaches for people. Credit: Google

Lastly, we have another feature that may not be "exciting" in the traditional sense, but will absolutely save lots of money and prevent lots of stress for Android device owners.

Mark as Lost is a new feature that will allow you to remotely lock down a missing phone using Find Hub. Even if the amoral brigand who pilfered your device has your PIN, they won't be able to open the phone without your biometrics. You may not be able to get the phone back, but they won't be able to do anything with it, either.

A first-round match at Wimbledon is not usually treated like the main event. Serena Williams’ return is one of the exceptions.

Williams, 44, is set to play 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint on Tuesday, June 30, in her first Wimbledon singles match since 2022, and tennis fans are abuzz with anticipation.

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Williams has not played a singles match since the 2022 U.S. Open, where she "evolved away" from professional tennis after a third-round loss to Ajla Tomljanovic. In the years since, she has had a second child, expanded her business life, and moved into the kind of post-tennis chapter most fans assumed was permanent.

The comeback did not come out of nowhere. Williams has been inching back onto the court since 2025. But the singles decision, according to Williams, was not automatic. At her pre-tournament press conference, she said Wimbledon had held a wild card for her and that she was still unsure until the final days before the draw.

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Part of the hesitation, Williams said, came from what returning to professional tennis required off the court. To compete again, she had to re-enter tennis’ anti-doping testing pool and make herself available under the sport’s whereabouts rules, which require players to provide a daily one-hour testing window and keep officials updated on where they can be found.

Williams told reporters that the process has been "grueling," especially as someone balancing tennis with children, travel, and running multiple businesses. She said she understands why testing is necessary, but argued that parts of the system feel unreasonable for players whose lives do not fit neatly into one location or one schedule.

Ultimately, though, "I thought I should really take this opportunity,” Williams said. “Who knows if I’ll ever make it here again? This could be it.”

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Williams has won seven Wimbledon singles titles and 23 Grand Slam singles titles overall. This time, though, Williams has said her expectations are different. She has talked less about chasing history and more about enjoying the chance to compete again.

Tennis players have spoken about the comeback as a major moment for the sport. Novak Djokovic called it "inspirational" and "epic," while Aryna Sabalenka said Williams' return is bringing more eyes to tennis. Online, fans have followed her practice sessions, press conference quotes, wild-card news, and even prediction-market movement around whether she would actually take the court.

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But the reaction has not been entirely celebratory.

Williams’ wild card has also reopened a debate about access and fairness at Grand Slam tournaments. Wild cards are discretionary entries, meaning tournaments can award them to players who do not qualify strictly through ranking. In Williams’ case, Wimbledon left its final women’s singles wild-card spot open before giving it to her.

That decision has frustrated some fans, who argue that a player active on tour could have used that spot, and Williams should remain retired.

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

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On the other hand, Williams' draw is also bringing eyes to her opponent, Maya Joint. Joint was born after Williams had already won several Grand Slam titles, and she has spoken about Williams with nothing but respect.

“It’s an honor,” Joint told the WTA. “I always dreamed about playing Serena Williams, and if you’d told me 10 years ago that I’d be playing her first round at Wimbledon, that’s just crazy.”

Nevertheless, a win over Williams at Wimbledon would be career-cementing for her.

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The result could become a Serena comeback moment, a Maya Joint breakout, or simply an early look at what this version of Williams can still bring to the court. Either way, it has already become bigger than a normal first-round match, and us at Mashable will be tuning in.

TL;DR: Live stream Germany vs. Paraguay in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage is now well underway. Next on the schedule is Germany vs. Paraguay — one of three big knockout fixtures taking place on June 29.

Germany looked good in their opening group game, dismantling Curacao 7-1. But the Germans — four-time World Cup winners — looked shaky against Ivory Coast then lost to Ecuador 2-1.

They'll be looking for a decisive win to prove the tough times are over (don't forget, they failed to get to this point at the last two World Cups). Paraguay are certainly beatable, but nothing is certain at this level and Paraguay looked solid in the group stage.

If you want to watch Germany vs. Paraguay in the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Germany vs. Paraguay?

Germany vs. Paraguay in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 4.30 p.m. ET on June 29. This fixture takes place at Boston Stadium.

How to watch Germany vs. Paraguay for free

Germany vs. Paraguay in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer to live stream the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Germany vs. Paraguay for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Watch Germany vs. Paraguay for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2026 World Cup without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Germany vs. Paraguay (plus more World Cup fixtures) before recovering your investment.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money-back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of the World Cup.

Live stream Germany vs. Paraguay in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free.

A well-known leaker in the gaming hardware space claimed this week that it costs Sony nearly $1,000 to make its upcoming PlayStation 6 console. If true, the console's eventual retail price could be significantly higher.

According to KeplerL2, a leaker known for accurate gaming hardware leaks, Sony's costs to manufacture its upcoming PlayStation 6 console recently went up by $200. Kepler2 reported earlier this year that, due to rising costs, the PlayStation 6's bill of materials was at $760. So, the leaker now says that ever-increasing costs have pushed the manufacturing cost of the PlayStation 6 to a whopping $960.

The AI boom continues to cause massive supply issues for computer chips, storage, and memory worldwide. That's led to a wave of price increases in the gaming world, with all of the big console makers raising prices. Most recently, Microsoft announced that it will raise prices on the current generation of Xbox consoles by as much as $150 starting in August.

Supply chain experts interviewed by Mashable say that the memory shortage known as RAMageddon could get worse before it gets better. That's bad news for gamers looking forward to the next generation of consoles, like the highly anticipated PlayStation 6. For instance, the soon-to-be-released Steam Machine console recently arrived with a whopping $1,049 price tag.

How much the Sony PlayStation 6 could cost

What does this report mean for gamers? Basically, it's highly unlikely that Sony would sell the PlayStation 6 for below cost. In fact, gaming news outlet Kotaku points to a recent Sony Q&A posted on its corporate website where the company says they're not looking to sell the console for less than it costs Sony.

“As for pricing, it is not realistic for us to absorb all the component cost increases, and we have already implemented some price increases outside of Japan," Sony said in reply to a question about pricing for its next generation video game consoles. “As a principle, we do not intend to sell hardware at significant losses.”

This means that consumers are likely looking at a $1,000 PlayStation 6 — and that's without Sony making any profit.

AI companies have only ramped up the supply and demand issues. Earlier this year, hard drive manufacturer Western Digital shared that it expects shortages to continue as the company has already sold out its storage supply for 2026 and AI companies are already buying up supply well into 2028.

Sony is reportedly still targeting a release date for the PlayStation 6 for the 2027 holiday season. However, there have been previous reports that suggested that the ongoing memory shortages could potentially push that launch date beyond next year.

Are gamers willing to buy the latest gaming console at exorbitant prices, or will it make more sense to wait out the supply issues and launch at a lower price? That's a calculation that Sony has to make.

Save 20%: As of June 29, grab the Owala FreeSip (24 ounces) for just $23.99 at Amazon. Typically, this bottle costs $6 more at $29.99.

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Credit: Owala

Owala FreeSip

$23.66 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $6.33

 

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We've made it no secret that we're fans of the Owala FreeSip.

At least half of Mashable's shopping team owns the water bottle, and for good reason. The FreeSip spout truly gives the best of both worlds experience, with a straw opening for sipping and a larger spout for swigging. Best of all, as of June 29, the 24 ounce version of the Owala FreeSip is back down to its Prime Day price of $23.99 in select colors, saving you 20% on the $29.99 list price.

Beyond having two different ways to use it, the Owala has a lot of smart design choices. There's the lockable cap that keeps the straw component covered when not in use, and the part of that lock that doubles as a handle for easy carrying on the go. There's the insulation that can easily keep water cold all day long, and the dishwasher-safe lid and straw. The main pain point with this water bottle is the base, which may not fit into every cupholder.

That said, at the time of writing you can also grab some colorways of the FreeSip Sway on sale, which has a cupholder-friendly base.

Best 4th of July mattress and bedding deals at a glance:

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Best mattress deal

Bear Original Hybrid Mattress (queen)

$834.60 (save $449.40)

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Best bedding deal

Brooklinen Classic Percale Hardcore Sheet Bundle (queen)

$352.87 (save $154.13)

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Summer is a tough time to get sleep. The sun rises earlier, sets later, and it's hot. All of that on top of a schedule filled with trips, summer camps, and backyard gatherings is a recipe for a season of bad sleep. If you're not interested in sacrificing sleep this summer, the 4th of July is one of the best times to make bedroom upgrades.

Much like Memorial Day, mattresses and bedding essentials like sheets and pillows tend to see exceptional discounts around the 4th of July holiday. That's great news for keeping high-quality sleep a priority over the summer. Here are some of our favorite 4th of July mattress and bedding deals if you're in need of a refresh.

Best mattress deal

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Credit: Bear

Bear Original Hyrbid Mattress (queen)

$834.60 at Bear
$1,284 Save $449.40

 

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Why we like it

By now you've probably heard that a hybrid mattress offers the comfort of an all-foam bed with the support of a coil mattress. The only problem is that hybrid mattresses tend to be expensive. That's not the case today thanks to the Bear 4th of July sale. The new Bear Original Hybrid is on sale for only $834.60 in a queen size, down from the normal price of $1,284.

Bear mentions that this mattress is ideal for those who like a medium-firm bed that can help regulate hot summer temps. It can also be nice for those who deal with joint pain, or side sleepers who struggle with pressure points while sleeping.

Bear has a 120-night sleep trial, so you can try out the bed at home for four months while still being eligible for a return if you don't love it.

More mattress deals

• Avocado: Save up to 15% on organic mattresses

• Brooklyn Bedding: Take to 30% off sitewide

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Best bedding deal

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Credit: Brooklinen

Brooklinen Classic Percale Hardcore Sheet Bundle (queen)

$352.87 at Brooklinen
$507 Save $154.13

 

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Why we like it

Brooklinen has become one of the most trusted brands for those who want comfortable but durable sheets. The brand's 4th of July sale takes 30% off sheet bundles like the Classic Percale Hardcore Sheet Bundle. Percale is the perfect material for summer since it's made of a breathable and natural cotton fiber. The bundle includes the classic percale core sheet set (fitted sheet, flat sheet, two pillowcases), the percale duvet cover, and two extra pillowcases. Plus, it comes in a great range of colorway and print options.

More bedding deals

• Baloo: Save $30 on weighted throw blanket + cotton duvet cover bundle

• Coyuchi: Take up to 40% off

• Cozy Earth: Take 20% off bedding bundles

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• Silk & Snow: Take 20% off all sheets

UPDATE: Jun. 29, 2026, 12:39 p.m. EDT This article has been updaded to add a statement from T-Mobile.

If you've been quietly riding out an old T-Mobile plan for the last decade or so, that ride is about to end.

T-Mobile is automatically migrating thousands of customers on legacy plans to its current lineup of plans, the company confirmed to CNET, with affected subscribers beginning to receive notification via text or the T-Life app today. The switch will take effect within the next few billing cycles and applies to both individual customers and some small businesses. (Disclosure: CNET and Mashable are both owned by the same parent company, Ziff Davis.)

T-Mobile didn't specify which plans are being retired, but per CNET, a company representative said some stretch back 10 to 15 years, including Simple Choice, T-Mobile One, and grandfathered Sprint plans from the carrier's 2020 merger.

Customers will be moved to comparable options within T-Mobile's current lineup, including Essentials, Experience More, and Experience Beyond. For some, that means a price increase, though T-Mobile chief marketing officer Allan Samson told CNET the new rate will still typically be lower than what a new customer would pay for the same plan today.

A T-Mobile spokesperson gave Mashable the following statement:

We’re retiring our oldest plans, some of which were built nearly 15 years ago – in the 3G and 4G eras, and well before our 5G network was fully deployed. Customers will transition to modern plans that provide access to America’s best wireless technology, enhanced features and a 5-year price guarantee for peace of mind. Some customers will see no change to their monthly bill, while some will see a modest adjustment. Every customer moved to a new plan will keep their current benefits while gaining improvements in network and service experiences.

What makes this move notable isn't the migration itself. As CNET notes, AT&T added fees to legacy plans in May, and T-Mobile hiked prices in March 2025. Rather, it's the fact that the company will perform the switch automatically, requiring no action from the customer and no option to stay put. If you end up on a plan you don't want, your only choices are to switch to a different T-Mobile plan or switch to a new carrier.

Internally, T-Mobile framed the move as a systems cleanup, with CNET reporting the change eliminates over 1,100 legacy billing codes.

It's been six long years, but Starbucks is finally bringing back the beloved S'mores Frappuccino for a limited-time summer run.

The blended drink makes its temporary return to menus nationwide on July 1. But if you're a Starbucks Rewards member (I'm currently at Gold status myself), you can get early access starting tomorrow, June 30. All you have to do is order this caffeinated concoction through the Starbucks app.

In addition to bringing back the S'mores Frappuccino (which features marshmallow-infused whipped cream, milk chocolate sauce, and a graham cracker topping), Starbucks is introducing two brand-new drinks: S'mores Cold Brew topped with a marshmallow-flavored cold foam, chocolate drizzle, and graham cracker sprinkles, and an Iced S'mores Chai.

View this post on Instagram

Customers on Reddit are obviously thrilled (one user commented, "MY FAVOURITE (drink) CHILD IS BACK FROM THE WAR", while another gave it a "10/10," calling it "amazing, worth the hype"). That said, the Starbucks staffers are panicking.

Over on Instagram, baristas are pointing out that this surprise drop wasn't in their summer training. And since most stores only have two blenders, a sudden rush of complex Frappuccinos is going to be pretty tough to manage. On the r/starbucks subreddit, employees echo that sentiment, noting that while the special marshmallow whip is tasty, it's also "labor-intensive" and raising concerns about how they're supposed to keep up their drive-thru times with all the new recipes.

The Starbucks S'mores Frappuccino in all its glory. Credit: Starbucks

Mashable covered the original rollout of the S'mores frapp back in 2015. Starbucks says it's been on "hiatus" for the past six years, until now.

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The Starbucks menu includes 170,000 possible drink combinations, creating challenges for its baristas. When you factor in sizes, pumps, and other personalization options, outside estimates have put the total Starbucks drink combinations at more than 300 billion. Now, with the S'mores Frappuccino and two related beverages joining the menu, there are even more.

So, just remember to be patient and tip your barista if you're ordering a complicated blended drink (making all that marshmallow whip is no joke).

The s'mores lineup is only available for a short window this summer.

As World Cup matches continue across North America, U.S. officials are targeting one of the tournament’s biggest unofficial channels: illegal streams.

On Friday, June 26, the Department of Justice announced that it had seized nearly 400 internet domains that were allegedly being used to illegally stream FIFA World Cup matches in real-time, which, according to the DOJ, is in violation of U.S. copyright law.

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The seizures were part of "Operation Offsides," an international enforcement effort led by the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center with help from Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. prosecutors, foreign law enforcement partners, FIFA, and several major media companies (NBCUniversal, Warner Bros., and the UFC, to name a few).

So if someone clicks on one of the seized domains now, they will not see a World Cup stream; they will see a law enforcement notice explaining that the site has been taken offline — “THIS SITE HAS BEEN SEIZED,” to be specific.

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The operation also extends outside the U.S. The DOJ said law enforcement actions were coordinated through the International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Network of U.S. prosecutors, with servers and domains linked to illegal World Cup streams targeted in Peru and Bulgaria. Additional disruption efforts took place in Croatia, Romania, Poland, and Colombia.

In the statement, Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva added the DOJ seized the domains to disrupt international networks “that profit from the global popularity of the World Cup.” The department also framed the action as part of the United States’ responsibility as one of the tournament’s host nations, along with Canada and Mexico, to protect the event from illegal activity.

The DOJ’s argument was not only about copyright; officials also warned that illegal streaming sites can put viewers at "significant risk."

That warning is a big part of the government’s case against illegal sports streams. DOJ officials say unauthorized streaming sites can expose viewers to malware attacks and unsecured connections that may compromise personal or financial data. The risk is not just theoretical: a 2022 report from the U.K.-based anti-piracy group Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) found malicious content on all 50 illegal sports streaming sites it analyzed, including scam ads, banking trojans, and explicit pop-ups. Viewers also face deceptive ads, scams, and extensive tracking.

So while an illegal stream may look like a quick workaround when a match is hard to find, the malware is—apparently—not optional.

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Friday's crackdown also lands in the middle of a much larger sports piracy fight. Just days before the DOJ announced the World Cup domain seizures, ACE, UEFA, UC3, and Mexican authorities said they had disrupted 44 domains linked to PirloTV, a major illegal sports streaming network focused largely on live soccer. Those domains generated more than 950 million visits worldwide each year, including about 230 million visits from Mexico alone.

After the PirloTV-linked domains were disrupted, new domains quickly appeared again. It's basically a version of pirate-wack-a-mole.

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There is a reason watching illegal sports streams is so popular right now. Sports broadcasting rights are increasingly split across traditional broadcasters, streaming apps, cable packages, and geographic markets. For fans, especially during a global event like the World Cup, figuring out where to watch every match can be confusing and expensive. Some even say the quality is better on illegal sites.

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Rights holders, meanwhile, argue that piracy pulls viewers away from licensed broadcasts, advertisers, and platforms that paid a ton of money for the rights to show the games.

Risks around the tournament go beyond illegal streams. On May 27, the FBI had warned fans about fake FIFA websites created ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Those spoofed sites were designed to impersonate FIFA and could be used to sell fake tickets or hospitality packages, collect personal information, and facilitate financial scams. Taken together, the warnings show how quickly the online ecosystem around a major tournament has been risky,

For now, hundreds of those World Cup streaming domains are offline. But sports piracy has a long history of moving from one domain to the next, especially during events with massive global demand. The latest seizure is a major enforcement action, but it is probably not the final whistle.

Grand Theft Auto VI found itself mired in a little bit of controversy regarding platform sales over the weekend.

On Saturday, IGN shared data indicating that IGN readers were pre-ordering the PlayStation 5 version of GTA VI substantially more than the Xbox Series version, by a ratio of 8-to-1. IGN's social post made it explicitly clear that this data was based on IGN's own affiliate link data, meaning it is not representative of the gaming community as a whole. For what it's worth, Mashable's own affiliate data shows a similarly stark split between PS5 and Xbox pre-orders.

(Disclosure: IGN and Mashable have the same parent company, Ziff Davis.)

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Regardless, it became enough of a story that Microsoft felt the need to respond to it. A spokesperson told Windows Central that IGN's data should not be taken as a definitive account of what's happening with GTA VI pre-orders. By Monday morning, Microsoft's GTA VI pre-order rebuttal statement was a trending Google search term.

“This doesn’t represent pre-order data. We’ve had record orders," Microsoft told Windows Central in a statement. "People should wait for real data and not clicks on affiliate links."

There's a decent possibility that two things are true here. First, Microsoft is almost certainly seeing huge numbers of pre-orders for GTA VI because it is one of the most hyped video games in many, many years (if not in the history of gaming). Second, the PS5 version most likely is being pre-ordered more than the Xbox version (even if it's not by an 8-to-1 ratio) because the PS5 has been a significantly more successful console than the Xbox Series machines. Sony has confirmed more than 93 million lifetime unit sales for the PS5, and while Microsoft does not share official sales data anymore, recent estimates put the Xbox Series consoles in the neighborhood of 35 million units.

Sony and Rockstar have also entered into some kind of marketing partnership for the game, with the developer boasting that GTA VI "plays best" on PS5 earlier this month. It's safe to assume that millions of people will play the game on Xbox, as Microsoft suggested, but it's also safe to assume more people will play the title on PS5.

After years of anticipation and repeated delays, Rockstar Games officially opened Grand Theft Auto VI pre-orders on June 25, ahead of a Nov. 19 release date.

Grand Theft Auto VI - PlayStation 5 (Code in Box)

$79.99 at Amazon

 

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Grand Theft Auto VI - Xbox Series X (Code in Box)

$79.99 at Amazon

 

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In The Bear Season 4, episode 1, Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) reaffirms his quest for The Bear to get a Michelin star. After all, if the restaurant earns one, the recognition could bring in more customers and save The Bear from financial ruin.

By the end of Season 4, The Bear has not heard whether they've earned the Michelin star. The lack of follow-through on this key plot point is just one of many ways in which Season 4 drops the ball on any kind of pacing and urgency, even though The Bear's crew are staring down a two-month doomsday clock reminding them of the restaurant's imminent closure. But every second counts, right?

Still, the Michelin star plotline wasn't entirely abandoned, because the show hints pretty hard that a Michelin inspector visited The Bear.

In Season 4, episode 3, after Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) gives a dining party the surprise of a sandwich from the Chicago Beef, he briefly connects with another impressed customer (Gary Janetti).

"You have a bunch of mind readers in here," the customer says, going on to praise Sydney's (Ayo Edebiri) new scallop dish and The Bear's "excellent vibe."

Later, he catches sight of Richie's other big surprise: turning the outside of the Beef sandwich window into a winter wonderland so that a recently cancer-free diner traveling in from Los Angeles can experience a Chicago snow in person. It's clear the customer Richie spoke to is touched by the display, which is a good thing, because he's definitely the Michelin inspector.

First, the show's outsize focus on an unnamed diner hints pretty hard that he's someone important. Second, the show drops a major, Chicago-specific hint about his role.

In Season 4, episode 2, The Bear's staff strategizes over how to spot a Michelin inspector. According to the former Ever staff and real-life Chicago restaurateur Donnie Madia (playing himself), no one knows who the inspectors are, but there are signs. Sometimes they fiddle with their reservation at the last second, or bring a celebrity as a distraction.

"You do hear things, though," Madia says. "Like they use a weird last name. Like a street in the city they're visiting."

What name does the mystery diner's driver call him as she comes to pick him up from the restaurant? None other than Mr. Clark — and Clark is a major street in Chicago! Case closed, Janetti's customer is the Michelin inspector Carmy and his team were so dreading serving.

The good news is that the inspector appeared impressed with his experience at The Bear. He enjoyed the food and the atmosphere, plus he got to witness some of Richie's surprises. Maybe he'll dock points for Richie securing him an extra sandwich from the Beef, since Madia advised staff not to pamper the Michelin inspector more than they would a usual guest. But it seems like Richie truly didn't know and was just providing a nice service, so maybe the inspector will let it slide.

The bad news? The inspector's visit has no bearing on the rest of the season. Instead, a late visit by a Food & Wine critic ends up having more of an impact.

I'm sure Michelin will come back into play in a potential Season 5. However, to front-load the season with mentions of it only never to circle back is a massive failure of pacing, as well as a sign that The Bear is confused about its own priorities. At least we'll always have that Clark Street Easter egg.

Season 5 confirms Peter Clark was the Michelin inspector.

The Bear Season 5 tries to throw viewers off the scent of the mysterious Mr. Clark. They introduce a new guest, played by Peter Grosz, who fits all the telltale signs of being the Michelin inspector. He fiddles with his reservation last-minute, switching to a two-top. He brings a celebrity guest with him, legendary Chicago weatherman Tom Skilling, playing himself. The last name on his reservation, Dearborn, is also the name of a Chicago street.

However, this man is a total red herring. Janetti's mystery diner, whose full name turns out to be Peter Clark, returns in The Bear's series finale, when he calls Carmy to congratulate him on the Bear restaurant earning two Michelin stars. (Maybe the Clark Street tie-in was just a happy coincidence?)

Whoever Mr. Dearborn truly is, I hope he enjoyed his meal at the Bear and gave it a Michelin star in his heart, even if he couldn't in real life.

All seasons of The Bear are now streaming on Hulu.

UPDATE: Jun. 29, 2026, 11:09 a.m. EDT This article was first published June 26, 2025, with the release of The Bear Season 4, and has been updated to reflect the events of Season 5.

If you survived the great Starbucks Bearista Cold Cup shortage of 2025, grab your emotional support water bottles, because we're about to do it all over again.

Starbucks just announced that it's bringing back the notoriously viral, instantly sold-out bear glass, but this time, it's getting a bright summer makeover. Enter: the Pink Bearista Glass Cold Cup.

Inspired by the Pink Drink, this limited-edition cup is pretty much destined to break the internet (though all the Gilmore Girlies were probs to blame for the beanie version selling out so quickly). The new glass features the bear wearing a little pink hat and comes with a strawberry straw topper. I fear the Stanley Stans will be to blame for this sell-out.

Starbucks is bringing back its viral bear glass with a bright, pink summer makeover starting July 13. Credit: Starbucks

The new Pink Drink-inspired Bearista cup features an adorable pink hat and a matching strawberry straw topper. Credit: Starbucks

If you don't want to pay ridiculous reseller markups on eBay this time around, here's a quick rundown on how and when to get one:

• Brick-and-mortar: You should be able to purchase one in-store at select Starbucks coffeehouses on July 13. (Starbucks is enforcing a strict two-item purchase limit per customer.) The cups will be available in the U.S., Canada, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa.

• Starbucks Shop: Starbucks Reserve members will get early access via the Starbucks Shop on July 9. Note: This is not the same thing as being a standard "Rewards member." Reserve members are the highest tier of the Rewards program. (I'm a Gold status member myself.) Reserve status members earn 2,500 stars in a single year.

May the odds be ever in your favor next month. Since I haven't hit that coveted Reserve status yet, I'll most likely be hitting up my local Starbucks until I can find one in stock.

Save 25%: Cadence's daily routine capsule set is on sale for $103 at Amazon as of June 29, knocking the price down $35 from $138.

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Credit: Cadence

Cadence Daily Routine Capsule set (7 pieces)

$103 at Amazon
$138 Save $35

 

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If you find yourself reliably scrambling for travel-size containers the night before a trip, investing in a dedicated set can help ease pre-travel stress.

That's one of the appeals of the Instagram-viral Cadence capsules, which are most recognizable as the magnetic little hexagons with the interchangeable lids for labeling your toiletries. With wide mouths for easy filling and capacities within TSA regulations, they're designed to be simple to use and to take anywhere. They're also the source of many cases of sticker shock — but as of June 29, you can grab the seven-piece Capsule daily routine set for $103, saving you 25% on the usually $138 set.

Yes, that's still a good deal more expensive than grabbing a set of a few plastic bottles at CVS. The idea behind the capsule set, though, is that you're much more likely to hang on to them than those plastic CVS bottles, due to how easy they are to fill, keep track of, and use until the very last drop. It's an upfront investment — not unlike a pair of sleep earbuds — but one that frequent travels would be likely to appreciate.

This specific set includes three small containers at 0.56 ounces, and four medium containers at 1.32 ounces. On Cadence's website, one small capsule runs for $15, while one medium capsule runs for $24. That would but the individual price of buying at $45 for three small capsules, and $96 for four medium capsules (aka, nearly the cost of this entire set), putting the total price of buying this set piecemeal at $141. At Amazon, you have your choice of five difference colorways, including eucalyptus, charcoal, pacific (blue), petal (light pink), and sand.

Tonight is the Full Moon, which as we all know, means the Moon shining at its fullest in the sky. This marks the peak of the lunar cycle before it gradually begins to wane again and head towards the New Moon.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Monday, June 29, the Moon phase is Full Moon. Tonight, 99% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

You don't need any visual aids tonight to see features on the Moon's surface. In fact, without anything you'll see the Mare Fecunditatis, Mare Crisium, and the Kepler Crater. With binoculars you'll also be able to catch a glimpse of the Clavius Crater, Alps Mountains, and the Apennine Mountains. For keen astronomy fans with a telescope, you'll also be able to spot the Apollo 12 and 16 landing spots, as well as the Rima Hyginus.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on June 29.

What are Moon phases?

NASA explains that the Moon takes roughly 29.5 days to circle Earth once, passing through eight distinct phases during that time. Even though we always see the same side of the Moon, the portion illuminated by the Sun shifts as it moves in its orbit. This changing angle of sunlight is what makes the Moon look different throughout the month, from thin crescents to half-lit shapes and eventually a fully illuminated Full Moon. The continual progression through these stages is called the lunar cycle.

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

It's almost the Full Moon, and in June it's called the Strawberry Moon. Like many of the Moon's names, this doesn't have anything to do with the visuals of the Moon (kind of like how last month's moon wasn't actually blue), but more to do with the seasonal and cultural traditions associated with June.

Want to know more about the first Moon of the summer? Keep reading to find out more.

When is the June full moon?

The Full Moon will occur on Monday, June 29. Time and Date estimates it will peak at 7:56 p.m. ET.

What is the June full moon called?

The June Full Moon is known as the Strawberry Moon.

According to NASA, this name originated with the Algonquin tribes of the northeastern United States. It marked the time in June when strawberries were ripe and ready to harvest.

So, it's no surprise it ties in with peak strawberry season, when the fruit is at its best and you start seeing punnets everywhere. Another little reminder that summer is finally kicking in.

When is the next full moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on July 29.

What are the lunar phases?

The Moon completes a full cycle of eight phases as it orbits Earth in about 29 and a half days. As it moves around our planet, sunlight falls on different parts of it from our point of view, even though we always see the same side. This changing angle of light makes the illuminated portion appear to grow and shrink, moving from full brightness to a thin glow and back again. The phases are:

• New Moon — The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (so, we don't see anything).

• Waxing Crescent — A small sliver of light appears on the right side

• 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

• 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.

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SAVE $294: As of June 29, the Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G93SC OLED curved gaming monitor is on sale at Amazon for just $854.99 instead of its list price of $1,149. That's 26% in savings.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G93SC OLED curved gaming monitor

$854.99 at Amazon
$1,149 Save $294.01

 

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If you've been wanting to upgrade to a premium gaming setup, now's a good time to make the jump, as the Samsung 49-inch Odyssey OLED G9 monitor is the cheapest it's ever been.

As of June 29, the Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G93SC OLED curved gaming monitor is on sale at Amazon for $854.99. That's 26% or $294 off its recent list price of $1,149 (originally $1,599) and its lowest price on record. Most ultra-wide OLED curved gaming monitors of this size clock in at over $1,000, so while this still seems expensive, $854.99 is actually a pretty sweet deal.

Beyond a massive amount of screen real estate at 49 inches, the Odyssey G93SC also features a steep 1800R curve, which completely envelops you as a gamer. It is worth noting that its 32:9 aspect ratio isn't compatible with every game, so you may want to double check that your favorites will work on this display before pulling the trigger. As you can imagine, it also takes up quite a bit of desktop space and takes some getting used to. Still, many Redditors have boasted that once they jumped on board the OLED ultrawide train, they've never gone back.

The G93SC packs a 240Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms response time, DisplayHDR True Black 400, and G-Sync and FreeSync Premium Pro compatibility. There's also plenty of ports on board for connectivity, including HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort, and USB Hub.

If you're ready to invest in some unforgettable gaming experiences, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G93SC is definitely a fantastic first step. And if you add it to your cart ASAP, you'll save nearly $300.

TL;DR: Live stream Brazil vs. Japan in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has entered the knockout stage. Canada are already through to the next round after scoring a late winner against South Africa, and there's more to come through the week.

Next up, Brazil are facing Japan in a match that has all the makings of a classic. Brazil can beat any team on their best day — though we still haven't seen them hit top form in this tournament. Japan have performed brilliantly in some of their group games and come into this clash unbeaten.

If you want to watch Brazil vs. Japan in the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Brazil vs. Japan?

Brazil vs. Japan in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on June 29. This fixture takes place at Houston Stadium.

How to watch Brazil vs. Japan for free

Brazil vs. Japan in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock ITVX to live stream the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Brazil vs. Japan for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit ITVX

5. Watch Brazil vs. Japan for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2026 World Cup without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Brazil vs. Japan (plus more World Cup fixtures) before recovering your investment.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money-back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of the World Cup.

Live stream Brazil vs. Japan in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free.

If you're dying to get your hands on Naomi Osaka's custom Wimbledon dress, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Nike has finally released it to the public, and for a brief, shining moment this morning, it was in stock. The bad news? By the time I sat down to write this, almost every size was sold out (right now, you can only get it in an extra small).

The dress, which Nike is charging $185 for, features seven little 3-D flowers as a nod to Kirigami (a timeless Japanese art form). It looks delicate, but it's built for actual tennis — the fabric is stretchy and sweat-wicking, and the floral details are "carefully placed" specifically so they "don't interfere with her play."

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Credit: Nike

Naomi Osaka Slam Women's Dri-FIT Tennis Dress

$185 at Nike

 

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Even Osaka herself was shocked by how fast the dress flew off the virtual shelves. "You guys selling out my Wimby dress before I even had the opportunity to wear it on court is really gagging me," she posted to Threads. "Okay fashionistas, I see you! (I got you for the walk on though)."

Osaka has been having a solid run leading up to the major, too. She just beat Elise Mertens in straight sets to reach the quarterfinals at the Bad Homburg Open. With Wimbledon officially kicking off today, we're going to see her wear this exact look on the grass courts very soon.

If you happen to wear an extra small, run over to Nike's site right now. For the rest of us, it's either wait and hope for another random restock, or bite the bullet and check resale sites like eBay (just prepare yourself for a markup).

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$47.99 (save $31.01)

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If you missed your shot to stock up on power tools during Prime Day for all your summer DIY projects, I have some good news. Several cordless power tools, including drills, jig saws, and sanders from Black+Decker are on sale at Amazon for up to 60% off.

Whether you're new to the home improvement game or looking to replace some janky old tools, there's quite a few options for you to choose from that won't break the bank. We've rounded up the ones we think are worth adding to your cart below.

Best Black+Decker cordless power tool deal

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Credit: Black+Decker

Black+Decker Mouse Cordless Sheet Sander (20V Max)

$35 at Amazon
$87.99 Save $52.99

 

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Why we like it

Ideal for anyone looking to give small projects an ultra-smooth finish, the Mouse cordless sheet sander is a compact option that allows you to work comfortably in tight spaces. A simple hook and loop system allows for quick sandpaper changes and 12K opm speed lifts various materials efficiently — like uneven wood, stain, or chipped paint. An attached dust bag also keeps your work surface visible and debris-free. Typically $87.99, it's down to only $35 at Amazon for a savings of 60%.

Best Black+Decker cordless drill deal

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Credit: Black+Decker

Black+Decker 8V Lithium Ion Cordless Drill + 43-piece Home Decor Project Kit

$28.79 at Amazon
$47.99 Save $19.20

 

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Why we like it

New to DIY projects? This cordless drill kit packs 43 pieces to get you off to a great start, including 10 drill bits, 10 fastening bits, a magnetic bit holder, a level, and screws with anchors. Hang pictures, make quick repairs, or tackle a creative project with ease, even in cramped spaces. The full kit is usually $47.99, but you can snag it on sale at Amazon for under $30.

More Black+Decker cordless tools on sale

• Black+Decker Cordless Drill/Driver (12V Max) — $34.99 $49.99 (save $15)

• Black+Decker Orbital Sander — $39.99 $52.98 (save $12.99)

• Black+Decker PowerConnect Cordless Garden Tiller Kit — $47.99 $79 (save $31.01)

• Black+Decker 5-Amp Electric Smart Select Jig Saw — $49.99 $59.99 (save $10)

• Black+Decker Matrix Cordless Drill/Driver (20V Max) — $59.99 $69.99 (save $10)

• Black+Decker Cordless Drill Driver Kit (20V Max) — $74.99 $89.99 (save $15)

• Black+Decker 10-inch Cordless Chain Saw — $99 $109 (save $10)

• Black+Decker Hedge Trimmer (40V Max) — $119.99 $139.99 (save $20)

Throughout his career, director Robert Eggers has put his spin on countless creatures from myth and legend: witches in The VVitch, vampires in Nosferatu, and even mermaids in The Lighthouse. In his next project, Werwulf, he moves on to yet another famed folkloric being: werewolves.

Written by Eggers and Sjón, who co-wrote The Northman, the film takes place in 13th-century England and stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson as a farmer burdened by a terrible, beastly curse. (Spoiler alert! It's lycanthropy.) The film's first trailer offers up a glimpse at how he came by that curse. When he was young, he followed a man into a cave, and a devilish ritual ensued. Note to self: Don't follow strange men into caves, even if they're accompanied by an adorable bird like Werwulf's strange man is.

Now, the farmer is all grown up, and his curse is wreaking havoc on his village. Werwulf's trailer doesn't showcase too much of co-star Anya Taylor-Joy's transformation — what, and spoil all the fun? — but it does offer up frightening shots of writhing bodies, corpses, and blood splatters. Plus, this being an Eggers film, it's chock-full of what are sure to be historically accurate 13th-century farmhouses and naturalistic lighting. (Unfortunately for the farmer, I'm going to guess a good chunk of that lighting will be coming from the full moon.)

Werwulf also stars Eggers regulars Willem Dafoe, Lily Rose-Depp, and Ralph Ineson.

Werwulf hits theaters December 25.

TL;DR: The Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G5 gaming monitor is on sale for $149.99 at Amazon, down from its $249.99 list price.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung 27-Inch Odyssey G5 (G51F) Gaming Monitor

$149.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $100

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Finding a gaming monitor for under $150 usually means cutting back on at least a couple of major features, but Amazon’s latest Samsung deal is a rare record-low exception. 

As of June 29, the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G5 (G51F) QHD gaming monitor is on sale at Amazon for only $149.99, down from its usual $249.99 list price — now knocked down to its lowest-ever price (as confirmed with price tracker, camelcamelcamel).

That saves you $100 in total and knocks 40% off a Samsung display that covers the main things most PC and console players need: sharper resolution, fast refresh rates, and properly adjustable stand. 

For a cent under $150, the Odyssey G5 gives you a 27-inch QHD 2560x1440 display, which has 1.7 times the pixel density of Full HD. That should make the latest games — like the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, or the recent 007: First Light — look much cleaner and more detailed without pushing you into the much higher prices attached to 4K monitors. 

The G51F also comes with an 180Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time, giving you top-tier speed for the usual fast-paced multiplayer games, like Fortnite, Overwatch, or League of Legends.

AMD FreeSync is included to help reduce choppiness, screen lag, and image tearing when gameplay gets hectic with lots of images appearing and shifting at once, while HDR10 should add brighter highlights and more nuanced shadows.

Samsung has added a few extra gaming-focused features as well, including Black Equalizer for adjusting darker areas of the screen and Virtual Aim Point for another competitive-minded touch. Auto Source Switch+ is also included, which should make swapping between connected devices a little less annoying.

The height-adjustable stand is another useful bonus at this price, with tilt and pivot support helping you set up the screen more comfortably for longer sessions. 

If you’re a gamer who’s open to making the jump to OLED, the 49-inch Samsung OLED G9 gaming monitor is still on sale for $799.99. For those who want a slightly bigger display, the 32-inch Samsung Odyssey G5 (G50F) is on offer for $189.99 at Amazon. 

SAVE $50: As of June 29, Bose QuietComfort earbuds have returned to their lowest-ever price of $129 at Amazon. That's $50 off their list price of $179.

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Credit: Bose

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds

$129 at Amazon
$179 Save $50

 

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Amazon's not slowing down, even though Prime Day is in the rear view mirror. If you're looking for good deals on earbuds, there are still some solid picks on sale at the retailer. Among them are the Bose QuietComfort earbuds, which are still sitting at their lowest-ever price.

As of June 29, Bose QuietComfort earbuds have had their price slashed to $129 at Amazon. That's $50 off, though this offer may not be available for much longer. Most models have a limited time deal tag right now, so be quick to take advantage of this awesome post-Prime Day discount.

Even if they weren't on sale right now, we think the Bose QuietComfort earbuds are worth buying. They sit on both our lists of the best wireless earbuds and best budget earbuds. In the former, we wrote that "these are a solid pair of headphones that, for $179, are an unbeatable value."

Our best wireless earbuds roundup adds that Bose QuietComfort earbuds sound quality is considered "phenomenal." Its battery life will last you through a commute, vacation, or solo listening party as well, lasting up to 8.5 hours on a single charge.

Our Bose QuietComfort earbuds review from Mashable's Bethany Allard also says, "They may not be perfect, but if the Bose QuietComfort earbuds fit your ears, you'll be hard pressed to find earbuds with better sound quality and battery life than these." So why not grab them on sale? Don't miss out on this deal on the Bose QuietComfort earbuds at Amazon.

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

SAVE $20: As of June 29, the Google TV Streamer 4K is on sale for $79.99 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Google

Google TV Streamer 4K

$79.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $20

 

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Looking for a simple way to upgrade your streaming setup? Sounds like it's time to invest in a streaming stick.

These handy pieces of tech plug straight into your TV to give you easy and quick access to apps, streaming platforms, and live TV options. And as of June 29, the Google TV Streamer 4K is on sale for $20 off the list price, now down to $79.99.

This streaming device also gives you great quality. It supports up to 4K HDR with Dolby Vision and works with Dolby Atmos-compatible speakers for more immersive, 3D-style sound. Thanks to its powerful processor, it runs fast, and it has double the memory compared to the previous generation of this device. It also includes a redesigned remote with voice control and smart home control. You can even find the remote if lost by making it ring.

And of course, you'll have access to all the major streaming apps like Netflix, Prime Video, and more. Plus, over 800 free live TV channels from apps like Pluto TV and Tubi are at your fingertips.

This Google Streamer deal is available at Amazon right now.

SAVE OVER $50: As of June 29, the Ninja FrostVault 45QT cooler is on sale for $249.93 at Amazon. That's $50.06 off its full price of $299.99.

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Credit: Ninja

Ninja FrostVault 45QT

$249.93 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $50.06

 

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Amazon's Prime Day is done and dusted, but that doesn't mean the deals are gone for good. The retailer still has a solid selection to look through, particularly on outdoor items. If you've been hoping to pick up a cooler for summertime picnics and adventures, the Ninja FrostVault 45QT cooler is still discounted, but not for long.

As of June 29, the Ninja FrostVault 45QT cooler has dropped to $249.93 at Amazon. That's just over $50 off its full price of $299.99. For a few cents extra, the lakeshore blue model is also on sale for $249.95, while both the daffodil daze and halocline green are marked down to $249.99. No matter which one you choose, you'll still score a great deal.

The Ninja FrostVault is perfect for keeping your favorite drinks, food, and snacks cool in the summer heat. This 45 quart model can hold up to 68 cans if you don't have ice packed in, or up to 40 cans if you do include ice. Its FrostVault Dry Zone is a real highlight — it's a separate section of the cooler that helps keep food cold and dry, preventing it from getting soggy or being crushed by the cans and ice.

The Ninja FrostVault can handle your most adventurous outings thanks to the durable and puncture resistant all-terrain wheels and sturdy build that provides up to three inches of insulation.

Amazon lists this as a limited time deal, so act fast to save on the Ninja FrostVault.

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

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Monday, June 29, 2026:

Across

Quiet, or a flower

• The answer is Mum.

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

N.Y.C. home of van Gogh's "The Starry Night"

• The answer is MOMA.

"Seriously? We're still doing this?"

• The answer is Again.

Pyramid inhabitant

• The answer is Mummy.

Top-tier, as celebrities

• The answer is A list

Down

Super-rich individual

• The answer is Mogul.

Savory flavor, as in kimchi and soy sauce

• The answer is Umami.

Seriously injures

• The answer is Maims.

Baby's first word, maybe

• The answer is Mama.

Parent company of The Athletic: Abbr.

• The answer is NYT.

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

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

Doordash had a rough Sunday night dinner.

The delivery company experienced online issues on Sunday, with users reporting problems with the app, including ordering and checkout, according to Downdetector. Beginning around 6 p.m. ET in cities across the U.S., the core outage persisted for approximately two hours, with reports continuing until 10 p.m. ET.

Credit: Mashable screenshot / Downdetector

A DoorDash spokesperson told Mashable: "DoorDash has resolved a technical issue that temporarily impacted the ability to place orders on our mobile app. We apologize for the brief disruption and thank everyone for their patience."

The company's help account on X has been responding to tweets. Users affected can also get help through the DoorDash app by tapping the "contact support" tool to chat with a human agent; the option is also available on desktop.

As tends to happen during an internet platform disruption, users headed to social media to vent — it especially being a Love Island night.

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

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

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

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

DoorDash's issue follows a similar technical disruption that affected the app on June 16. And it's not the only service interruption that has had the internet abuzz this month, with Disney+ and Meta platforms Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp suffering global outages.

UPDATE: Jun. 29, 2026, 4:54 p.m. UTC Added DoorDash statement.

TL;DR: Live stream Wu vs. Djokovic in Wimbledon 2026 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Wimbledon starts this week with a number of really interesting first-round matchups, including Wu vs. Djokovic.

Alcaraz continues to miss out, so the likes of Djokovic will see this as a real opportunity to lift the trophy. Of course, it's not going to be easy for the Serbia legend. He last won Wimbledon in 2022, and hasn't won a Grand Slam since 2023. Could this be his year? He'll want to start strongly against Wu before he contemplates matchups with Zverez or Sinner.

If you want to watch Wu vs. Djokovic in Wimbledon 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

How to watch Wu vs. Djokovic for free

Wu vs. Djokovic in Wimbledon 2026 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free live streams on sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Wimbledon 2026 for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Live stream Wimbledon 2026 for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees and free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you plenty of time to live stream Wimbledon 2026 before recovering your investment. It's a sneaky trick, but it works.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for Wimbledon, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for Wimbledon?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms like BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of Wimbledon.

For so many of us, Toy Story defined our childhoods. Do you have a favorite Toy Story? Is there one that stands out as the absolute best? Like me, have you had hours-long arguments with your friends about which is the definitive Toy Story? All of the Toy Story films are masterpieces in their own right. There’s not a single dud in the bunch, which is what makes them that much harder to rank. So we have to consider not only personal preference, but also overall quality, cultural impact and formula. Well, I am going to set all those arguments to rest and determine once and for all which Toy Story is the undisputed best film in the series!

Toy Story 5 is now in theaters.

TL;DR: All 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup are available to watch for free on BBC iPlayer/ITVX. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The world is watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

16 cities across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada are welcoming the best international sides from around the world as they compete for arguably the biggest prize in sport. Huge names like Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi are stealing the spotlight, but there's so much more to come from the knockout rounds. It's going to be a wild ride as top teams start to get dumped out of the competition.

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

What is the FIFA World Cup?

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

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

When is the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

The 2026 World Cup is the 23rd edition of this famous competition. This year's tournament takes place from June 11 to July 19.

How to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free

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

• Australia — SBS

• Austria — ORF and ServusTV

• Belgium — RTBF and VRT

• France — M6

• Germany — ARD and ZDF

• Ireland — RTÉ

• Italy — RAI

• Norway — NRK

• Netherlands — NOS

• Spain — RTVE

• UK — BBC iPlayer and ITVX (recommended)

These streaming services are geo-restricted, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location, meaning you can livestream the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

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

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

2. Download the app to your device of choice

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer or ITVX (recommended)

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

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN

Get Deal

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

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for the FIFA World Cup?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of the World Cup.

TL;DR: Live stream Sinner vs. Kecmanović in Wimbledon 2026 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

We know a lot of sports fans are firmly focused on the World Cup right now, but there's the small matter of a Grand Slam over the next few weeks. Yes, it's time for Wimbledon. This iconic tennis tournament is bringing together the best players in the world for a chance at glory on the grass courts.

All eyes will be on Sinner as he looks to bounce back after a disappointing French Open. He starts his campaign with a matchup against Kecmanović.

If you want to watch Sinner vs. Kecmanović in Wimbledon 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

How to watch Mensik vs. Zverev for free

Sinner vs. Kecmanović in Wimbledon 2026 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free live streams on sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Wimbledon 2026 for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Live stream Wimbledon 2026 for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees and free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you plenty of time to live stream Wimbledon 2026 before recovering your investment. It's a sneaky trick, but it works.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for Wimbledon, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for Wimbledon?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms like BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of Wimbledon.

The 2026 World Cup knockout rounds are up and running. Canada secured their spot in the next round after a last-minute winner against South Africa. Now things really heat up with some of the biggest matchups of the tournament. Is this the best day of the competition so far? We think so.

Today, June 29, features three huge knockout fixtures including top sides like Brazil, Germany, and Netherlands. Here's everything you need to know to watch live today.

FIFA World Cup schedule today: June 29

• Round of 32: Japan vs. Brazil (Houston Stadium) — kickoff at 1 p.m. ET

• Round of 32: Germany vs. Paraguay (Boston Stadium) — kickoff at 4:30 p.m. ET

• Round of 32: Netherlands vs. Morocco (Monterrey Stadium) — kickoff at 9 p.m. ET

How to watch FIFA World Cup games today

Watch Japan vs. Brazil

Is this the most interesting game of the tournament so far? It's got to be up there. Brazil always come into these tournaments with hopes of lifting the trophy, but there are plenty of doubts about this squad. Japan are going to be very tough to beat. They're unbeaten and come into this matchup with a lot of confidence after matching Netherlands and Sweden in the group stage.

Live coverage will be on Fox and Fox One. Peacock will carry the live Spanish-language coverage.

Watch Germany vs. Paraguay

Germany trounced Curaçao in their opening game and then beat Ivory Coast. That was a strong start, but they followed that up by losing to Ecuador. Do we now start doubting the Germans? They are still favorites to beat Paraguay and advance to the next round, but it's not going to be straightforward. Paraguay will make things difficult for Nagelsmann's team.

Live coverage will be on Fox and Fox One. Peacock will carry the live Spanish-language coverage.

Watch Netherlands vs. Morocco

You've got to feel for Netherlands and Morocco. This is an exceptionally tough matchup for these sides. Both sides finished on seven points after the group stage. And their reward for remaining unbeaten? A fixture that you could easily imagine as a quarter final or semi final. We can't predict the winner here. It'll come down to a moment of quality or a mistake.

Live coverage will be on Fox and Fox One. Peacock will carry the live Spanish-language coverage.

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Credit: Fox One

Fox One (3-Month Subscription)

$39.98
$59.97 Save $19.99

 

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Credit: Peacock

Peacock (Spanish Language)

Starting at $10.99/month

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More live streaming options

Live TV cable replacement

Not interested in signing up for a standalone streaming service like Fox One or Peacock? You can sign up for a live TV cable replacement service, like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV.

These services carry over 100 live channels, but run off a WiFi connection. You'll get live access to Fox and FS1, plus a whole lot more. Here are some options to consider:

• YouTube TV — 10-day trial, then $67.99/month for 3 months

• Fubo Sports — 1-day trial, then $45.99/month for 1 month

• Hulu + Live TV — 3-day trial, then $89.99/month

Watch the World Cup for free with a VPN

It's possible to watch the World Cup for free on international services like ITVX, BBC iPlayer, NOS, or RTÉ. Our global World Cup watch guide can walk you through the process.

You will need a VPN to live stream the World Cup on these free streaming services. We recommend ExpressVPN — a Mashable-tested service and an Official Tournament Supporter of the FIFA World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Europe — as our VPN of choice for sport. It offers servers in 105 countries, a user-friendly app available on all major devices, a speedy connection, and up to 10 simultaneous connections.

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Credit: ExpresVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN

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House Velaryon has been through it.

In House of the Dragon, the ancient noble house of Westeros has sat in the glow of royal power for generations, but over two seasons of the Game of Thrones sequel, we've seen patriarch Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) lose his children Laena (Nanna Blondell) and Laenor (John MacMillan), as well as his beloved wife Rhaenys (Eve Best).

But Season 3 reminds us that House Velaryon still has hope, with one shot in episode 2 that brings three generations together.

Following the bloody Battle of the Gullet, Corlys' fate is unsure. Plunged into the deep during Admiral Lohar's (Abigail Thorne) assault, the Sea Snake is nowhere to be found between Dragonstone and Driftmark. However, his sons Alyn (Abubakar Salim) and Addam (Clinton Liberty) and his granddaughter Baela (Bethany Antonia) refuse to give up hope, scouring the marine battlefield for him.

Thankfully, they're reunited, alive, and relatively well — unfortunately, they're not joined by Baela's sister Rhaena (Phoebe Campbell) for Sheepstealer reasons — and it's one of the few times we've see three generations of Velaryon on screen together in House of the Dragon. (The only other time is Lady Laena Velaryon's funeral in Season 1, episode 7, which Corlys, Laenor, Baela, and Rhaena attend).

It's a remarkable sequence, wide shots of an estranged family finally united in the wreckage of war, and one Mashable asked the House of the Dragon stars to unpack.

"In a show full of such family dysfunction, to see this unit, it just brings hope. Hope in this incredibly dark, burning show," said Salim.

"It means everything to Addam, because his whole life, that's all he's ever wanted," Liberty told Mashable. "That one shot that you saw has been Addam's dream since birth. He's always wanted to belong to a family, he's always wanted to be recognized by his father and his peers as being someone worthy of taking notice of. Unfortunately it happens in a very chaotic time with a lot of adversity, but he finds his family and his people within that chaos."

"It was an amazing scene to film, and also just filming with Beth, Abu, and Steve was just a dream come true," he adds.

The moment is one of amends for Corlys and his sons, born bastards to Marilda of Hull. The Lord of Driftmark and the Queen's Hand decides in this moment to give his sons his Velaryon name, one Alyn describes as "worth more than a mountain of gold."

"For Corlys, at least, it's the culmination of a journey from the moment in Season 2 when his wife at the time said, he is your son and he needs to be raised up just like the others. From that moment to this point is an inexorable journey, he was always going to be here," says Toussaint. "When he finally says, I'm going to give you my name, I'm going to recognize you, that's such a big deal for him. Well, it certainly has a big impact on his sons."

Baela, meanwhile, whose sister (to her knowledge) lives far away in the Vale, has just lost her betrothed Jacaerys Velaryon (Harry Collett) to the Battle of the Gullet. And though she's still a royal — her father is Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) — her sense of family is restored in this beautiful Velaryon moment.

"It was so nice, and it was also just a little bit like, finally! This kid has just been desperate for family and for people that she can see herself in, and I feel like every role model that she's had up until now has been taken away from her," said Antonia. "When we find that [Corlys] is still alive, and she's got this suddenly huge new family, and a side of herself that she can choose to go into, rather than feeling like she owes anyone anything, it was just beautiful, thinking about the prospect of her getting to know this side of herself, and her grandfather, who she loves so much.

"Obviously at the end of Season 2 we see her saying, 'I'm blood and fire, I'm not salt and sea.' I think this season she's like, 'I'm salt and sea! I'm salt and sea!'"

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

For all things House of the Dragon, Mashable has you covered.

It's all very well and good battling for years to claim the Iron Throne, but then that just opens the door to a whole new set of problems.

This is very much the case for Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) in the trailer for House of the Dragon Season 3, episode 3, which shows Team Black's leader struggling to come to grips with the weight of the crown.

And the rats are back.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes premiering Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Chaos Rising Elite Trainer Box is on sale for $89.45 at Amazon, down from its $118.99 list price.

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Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Chaos Rising Elite Trainer Box

$89.45 at Amazon
$118.99 Save $29.54

 

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Chaos Rising prices have been steadily dropping since its launch in the Pokémon TCG, and Amazon has now brought the trading card expansion’s Elite Trainer Box back under $90. That gives you more savings to put towards Pitch Black preorders.

As of June 29, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Chaos Rising Elite Trainer Box is available at Amazon for only $89.45. Against its $118.99 list price, that works out to a 25% discount, saving you $29.54 on the nine-pack collector box. This listing is shipped by Amazon but sold by BetterShopping4You, with free delivery currently listed for July 5. Prime members can get free delivery as soon as June 30 (just keep in mind that this listing is marked as a final sale, with no returns). 

TCGplayer is still lower than Amazon. Unopened Chaos Rising ETB listings currently start from $75.66 with shipping included, just above its $75.11 market price. Walmart is also cheaper than Amazon, with the same box listed for $87.95 with free shipping through a third-party seller. 

Inside the Pokémon TCG’s Chaos Rising Elite Trainer Box, you’ll get nine titular packs from the Mega Evolution expansion, one full-art foil promo card featuring Fennekin, 65 card sleeves, 40 Energy cards, a player’s guide, six damage-counter dice, one competition-legal coin-flip die, one plastic coin, a collector’s box with six dividers, and a Pokémon TCG Live code card. 

Although the expansion has been out since late May, there are plenty of valuable cards in Chaos Rising that you can pull (or buy individually on TCGplayer) — including SIR Greninja, Mega Hyper Rare Greninja, SIR Cinccino ex, Mega Dragalge ex, and Mega Floette ex.

To save even more on Pokémon boosters, you can grab the 36-pack Chaos Rising Booster Display Box for $50 off. Plus, you can buy the six-pack Chaos Rising Booster Bundle for around $50. 

SAVE OVER $100: As of May 26, the Dyson Supersonic Nural is on sale for $349 at Amazon. That's a 22% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Dyson

Dyson Supersonic Nural

$349 at Amazon
$449.99 Save $100.99

 

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Dyson still has a range of discounts at Amazon following Prime Day, and its hair styling deals are definitely stealing the show.

The Dyson Supersonic Nural is still on offer — the beloved hair dryer has dropped to its lowest-ever price. As of June 29, it's priced at $349. That's down by $100.99 from its normal list price of $449.99.

The Dyson Nural uses a network of Nural sensors to automatically optimize your styling routine. It has features like Scalp Protect mode, which automatically adjusts the air temperature to maintain a comfortable target temperature of 130°F at the scalp, so close-up drying is more comfortable and it protects your scalp from excessive heat.

Attachment learning also recognizes which styling attachment you're using and remembers your preferred airflow and heat settings, automatically adjusting to your saved preferences each time you use it. There's also Pause Detect, a feature that automatically reduces airflow and switches off the heater when the dryer is set down, before reactivating when picked up again.

This Dyson deal is still available at Amazon now, but only for a limited time.

SAVE $130.99: As of June 29, the Dyson Airwrap i.d. is on sale for $519 at Amazon. That's a 23% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Dyson

Dyson Airwrap i.d.

$519 at Amazon
$649.99 Save $130.99

 

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Prime Day may have come to an end last week, but if you're still hoping to bag a bargain on the Dyson Airwrap i.d., you're in luck.

As of June 29, the beloved hair styling tool is still at its lowest-ever price of $519 at Amazon. This limited-time offer saves you over $100 on list price.

The Airwrap i.d. is a multi-styler tool designed for both straight and wavy hair. It can give you personalized styling at just the touch of a button thanks to its six styling functions that help you dry, curl, wave, shape, and smooth hair without exposing it to extreme heat.

It uses Bluetooth connectivity to connect with the MyDyson app where you can answer questions about your hair type and length to create a more personalized and targeted styling profile. Once connected, the styler automatically tailors its settings to suit your hair and stores your preferred wrap, style, and cold shot settings.

It's powered by the Dyson digital motor V9, which spins at up to 110,000rpm. It generates the airflow needed to create the Coanda effect for styling without excessive heat. Intelligent heat control also keeps temperatures below 302°F to help protect your hair from heat damage.

Get this Dyson deal at Amazon now.

SAVE OVER $70: As of June 29, Beats Fit Pro are on sale for $128.24 at Amazon. That's a 36% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Beats

Beats Fit Pro

$128.24 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $71.71

 

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Prime Day officially came to an end last week, but Amazon hasn't dropped all the discounts quite yet.

If you missed out on picking up a bargain, you might just find a great deal still hanging about. If earbuds are what you're looking for, Beats Fit Pro are still on sale. In fact, they're at their best-ever price, down from $199.95 to $128.24. This price applies to the black and sage gray color options.

Beats audio doesn't disappoint, and these earbuds are no different. They come with three different listening modes for noise reduction: Active Noise Canceling, Transparency Mode, and Adaptive EQ. These let you choose the level of noise cancellation you want, either completely blocking out background noise or removing just enough that you can stay aware of what is happening around you.

These earbuds also have a signature flexible wingtip. It helps them stay secure inside your ear, making them a perfect choice for workouts of all intensities. They're comfortable too, and they come with several ear tip sizes so they won't cause any discomfort.

This deal might not be around for long, so head to Amazon now.

Samsung has been one of the first major smartphone makers to embrace foldable smartphones. Now, the company is reportedly looking to take the next step forward by launching a smartphone with a rollable screen.

Korea's Money Today (via SamMobile) claims that Samsung Display is in discussions to supply display panels for a rollable smartphone developed by Samsung Electronics (both companies are subsidiaries of the Samsung Group).

The details are slim; market research company Omdia reportedly predicts that the phone (with the possible name Z Slide) will have a 10-inch, rollable display, with a 16:9 aspect ration, and a 440.6 ppi resolution. According to Money Today, the phone could launch in the first half of 2028; a successor is already planned, and that one could hit the market in 2030.

We've seen rollable phone concepts before; LG was very close to launching one in 2021, but then the company shuttered its entire mobile phone division, and the phone never saw the light of day.

We've also seen several Samsung Display concepts of stretchy, bendy, and rollable phones, but most of those concepts never make it to actual phones you can buy. In the video below, you can see Samsung Display's "Rollable Flex" screen in action.

For a company of its size, Samsung has been quite adventurous when it comes to new phone form factors. Besides dominating the foldable phone market with its Z Fold and Z Flip phones, Samsung was the first major manufacturer to launch a tri-folding phone.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Pitch Black 3-Booster Pack Blister is on sale for $39.93 at Amazon, down from its $45.99 list price.

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Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Pitch Black 3 Booster Pack Blister

$39.93 at Amazon
$44.95 Save $5.02

 

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The Pokémon TCG’s Pitch Black expansion is still a few weeks away from hitting the trading card market, but we’re finally seeing some preorder discounts drop.

As of June 29, the Pokémon TCG Pitch Black 3 Booster Pack Blister (Binacle) is listed for $39.93 at Amazon. Against the current TCGplayer market price of $42.44, that puts Amazon $2.51 lower than market value. This is also the lowest price it's ever been at Amazon (confirmed with price tracker camelcamelcamel). 

This blister comes with three sealed booster packs from the upcoming Pitch Black expansion, along with a special foil promo card featuring Binacle. Each booster pack includes 10 game cards, one Basic Energy card, and a Pokémon TCG Live code card. 

At the time of writing, TCGplayer does have listings starting slightly lower. However, Amazon’s listings do include the 30-day refund/replacement option, which gives you a bit more flexibility..

Individual Pitch Black booster packs are currently selling for $19.95 on Amazon, costing $59.85 if you were to buy three. With this three-booster blister at $39.93, the cost-per pack comes down to $13.31 — saving you $6.64 each. 

Pitch Black is built around Mega Darkrai ex, with Mega Zeraora ex, Mega Chandelure ex, and Mega Excadrill ex also joining the expansion. The set includes more than 115 cards, more new Mega Evolution Pokémon ex, over 20 Trainer cards, and plenty of Pokémon and Trainer cards with special illustrations. 

Other Pokémon TCG deals are live on Amazon. You can grab the Chaos Rising Booster Bundle for around $50 and the 36-pack Chaos Rising Booster Display Box is still $50 off. 

TL;DR: Get a near-mint 2020 MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM and a 1TB SSD for $429.97 (reg. $1,999) through July 1.

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Credit: Apple

Apple MacBook Pro 2020 (Refurbished)

$429.97
$1,999 Save $1,569.03

 

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Looking for a laptop that can keep up with your storage demands? As we continue to accumulate more photos, videos, and important files, investing in a laptop with massive storage capacities is a smart move. And the only thing smarter would be making it one of Apple’s most powerful portable devices, the MacBook Pro.

Right now, you can grab a feature-packed 13-inch MacBook Pro, complete with 1TB of SSD, for just $429.97 (reg. $1,999), while supplies last.

There’s a reason the MacBook Pro has amassed such a massive fan base — this laptop has a lot to offer. A 13.3-inch Retina display features Apple’s True Tone Technology, which automatically adjusts depending on your lighting and helps reduce eye strain.

Everything you see on that vibrant screen is powered by the 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, which offers a 2GHz base speed that makes multitasking smooth and steady. With 1TB of storage, you can save all of your important files locally, without shelling out extra for cloud storage or hard drives.

A Magic Keyboard with Touch Bar offers a comfortable typing experience and easy access to shortcuts to save you time on this MacBook Pro. There’s Touch ID to keep your device safe, and four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) Ports for easy connectivity. This model also offers 10 hours of battery life, so you don’t have to worry about frequent charging.

You’re securing a massive discount due to this model’s grade A refurbished rating. That means you’ll receive a device in near-mint condition, with minimal to zero amounts of scuffing on the case.

Bring home a MacBook Pro for just $429.97 (reg. $1,999) through July 1 as part of this Extended Deal Days offer — while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get more done this summer and beyond with a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus, on sale now for $54.99 (reg. $249.99).

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Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus: Lifetime License

$54.99
$249.99 Save $195

 

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When a piña colada poolside is calling, and it’s hard to get work done this summer, you may need to call in some reinforcements. Give your workflow a little productivity refresh with Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus.

The tools you used in the ’90s have been updated and come with some new friends with this Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus lifetime license, on sale now for $54.99.

If you need a little help tackling the old to-do list, let Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus get you back on track. This suite of apps gives you six new tools to handle both personal and professional tasks, and there are no subscription fees.

This license gives you permanent access to new favorites and old staples. You’ll have Word for documents, Excel for spreadsheets, and PowerPoint for presentations. Outlook can keep your emails organized, OneNote improves how you take notes, and Access makes it easy to manage large amounts of data.

These apps are equipped with advanced features, and your lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus includes frequent feature updates. You’ll enjoy a more modern, intuitive workspace with dark mode support. There’s also a boost in cybersecurity with features that support security and regulatory requirements.

This license is tied to your device, not your Microsoft account. You’ll receive instant access to a license key and a download link. Just make sure your device is running Windows 10 or 11 before purchase.

Lock in this lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for only $54.99 now.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

SAVE $700: As of June 29, the Roborock Qrevo Slim robot vacuum and mop has been discounted to $699.99 at Amazon. This is $700 off its list price of $1,399.99.

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Credit: Roborock

Roborock Qrevo Slim Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo

$699.99 at Amazon
$1,399.99 Save $700

 

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Prime Day may be behind us now, but don't let the post-summer sale blues get you down. Amazon's still holding onto some amazing deals. Particularly if you're looking for a robot vacuum: The Roborock Qrevo Slim robot vacuum and mop is still 50% off, but only for a limited time.

As of June 29, the Roborock Qrevo Slim is on sale for $699.99 at Amazon. That's $700 off its original price of $1,399.99, and just a cent away from its lowest-ever price at the retailer. There's no telling how long it'll stay at this price, so now is your chance to save.

Now that summer has arrived and more time is being spent outside, the Roborock Qrevo Slim is a helpful pick-up to make sure your floors stay free of pet hair, crumbs, and dirt that may get tracked inside. This cleaner can scoot underneath furniture in your home to hit hard-to-reach areas. Its side brush and mop help cover corners, so every spot gets a good clean.

When it comes to vacuuming, it boasts 11,000Pa suction power with dual counter-rotating all-rubber brushes that help keep hair tangles from slowing it down mid-clean. And as for mopping, it comes with dual spinning mops that reach speeds of 200 rotations per minute to scrub up any stubborn stains. It can even lift the mop up as it moves across carpets so they don't get all wet.

Plus, with the help of a StarSight dual light solid-state LiDAR system, it maps out your home and keeps away from any items in its way as it cleans. If the Roborock Qrevo Slim robot vacuum and mop sounds like what you need, don't miss out on this deal at Amazon.

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

TL;DR: The iPhone 17e, iPhone 17, or iPhone 17 Pro are free right now with T-Mobile. Here's how to qualify for this promotion.

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Credit: Apple

Apple iPhone 17

Free when you trade in your eligible phone on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan..

Shop Now

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Credit: Apple

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Free when you switch to T-Mobile and bring your number on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan.

Shop Now

If you've been keeping an eye on tech news this week, you probably saw the grim reality: Apple just jacked up prices across its iPad and Mac lineups due to soaring AI-driven chip costs. And with experts warning that smartphone price hikes are almost certainly next, this might be the time to get ahead and upgrade.

If you want to dodge the incoming price squeeze, T-Mobile has arrived with a stellar escape hatch.

T-Mobile has dropped a fresh batch of free iPhone deals. Here are our favorites this week:

• Apple iPhone Air — free when you trade in your eligible phone on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan.

• Apple iPhone 17e — free when you port your number over from a competitor and activate a new line on almost any T-Mobile postpaid service plan.

• Apple iPhone 17 — free when you trade in your eligible phone on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan.

• Apple iPhone 17 Pro — free when you switch to T-Mobile and bring your number on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan.

T-Mobile isn't handing over these sleek devices out of the goodness of its heart. The retail cost of your new phone is offset by 24 consecutive monthly bill credits. Your monthly statement will show a standard charge for financing the phone, which is immediately balanced out by an equal credit to bring that charge to nothing.

You are signing up for a 24-month commitment with the network. If you decide to cancel your service, switch to another carrier, or try to upgrade to the iPhone 18 before those 24 months are up, the remaining unpaid balance on the phone's retail value will become due immediately.

You'll also have to cover the standard upfront taxes and a one-time $35 activation fee. But with Apple's prices actively trending upward, paying a small fee upfront to lock down the latest iPhone 17 for the next two years is one of the smartest financial moves you can make in the current tech landscape.

Score the latest iPhones for free with T-Mobile this week.

TL;DR: Live stream Wimbledon 2026 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Australian Open, French Open, and U.S. Open would all argue that they're the biggest tennis event on the schedule, but Wimbledon has that special something.

Maybe it's the fast-paced tennis on lush green surfaces. Maybe it's the crisp white outfits. Or maybe it's the copious amounts of champagne and strawberries consumed by fans. Whatever the reason, Wimbledon is hard to beat.

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

What is Wimbledon?

Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world. It is the third of four Grand Slam tennis events each year.

The defending singles champions are Jannik Sinner and Iga Świątek.

When is Wimbledon in 2026?

The 2026 Wimbledon Championships is the 139th edition of the tournament. This year's event takes place from June 29 to July 12.

How to watch Wimbledon 2026 for free

Wimbledon 2026 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free live streams on sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Wimbledon 2026 for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Live stream Wimbledon 2026 for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees and free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you plenty of time to live stream Wimbledon 2026 before recovering your investment. It's a sneaky trick, but it works.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for Wimbledon, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms like BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of Wimbledon.

Live stream Wimbledon 2026 for free with ExpressVPN.

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

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

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

How to play Pips

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Easy difficulty hints, answers for June 29 Pips

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

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

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 3-0, placed horizontally.

Number (15): Everything in this space must add up to 15. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 5-5, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for June 29 Pips

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 6-0, placed vertically.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for June 2 Pips

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

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

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

Number (16): Everything in this space must add up to 16. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically; 6-4, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed horizontally.

Number (16): Everything in this space must add up to 16. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 2-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

Megan Thee Stallion made a special appearance in Love Island USA Season 8, Episode 23, serving up some "Hot Girl Bakery" for the Islanders after a chaotic recoupling. 

Megan hosted a series of fun cake-filled challenges for the Islanders, which was much needed after Aniya was left heartbroken from giving up a connection with Carl in favor of staying loyal to KC. The Islanders, boys and girls alike, were asked to sit on cake, throw some cake (both literally and figuratively), ice some cake, and eat some cake.

As one can expect, Megan kept it real, and called out some of The Boys (KC, Caleb, Zach, Corbin, Bryce, and Sincere) for putting some of The Girls (Aniya, Jen, Kayda, Kenzie, Melanie, and Trinity) down while they were at Casa Amor — and the internet was here for it.

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There were four challenges: the first was musical chairs, the second was a cake-throwing (a change from the usual Love Island pie-throwing), the third involved icing The Boys in a cake using a giant piping bag, and the fourth was a cake-eating challenge. The rounds got increasingly heated, with the Islanders taking out some of their frustrations from the recoupling on each other. 

KC and Corbin seemed to get the most cake and icing in the face from The Girls, and even a bit from the new Casa Amor addition, Parmida.

For the icing challenge, Megan saved the best bite for last, singing Aniya's praises before letting her go all in on KC. Specifically, Megan called Aniya "the thickest, the realest, the cutest, and the prettiest," before handing her the piping bag.

"I am choosing to cream this guy because I have never felt so disrespected, put to the side, not checked up on in my entire f***ing life, and I feel like he's going to see how that feels today," Aniya said before icing KC.

Social media users loved that Megan used her presence to uplift Aniya.

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After announcing The Girls as the winners of "Hot Girl Bakery," Megan Thee Stallion revealed she had one more dessert on the menu for the Islanders: the results of the public vote that would determine which dumped Casa Amor bombshells would return to the island.

Since revenge is a dish best served cold, the newly returned bombshells made their entrances in giant cakes. These two bombshells were revealed to be Amora, who briefly explored a connection with Sincere at Casa Amor, and Carl, who had built a strong connection with Aniya in the villa.

Viewers were excited that Aniya might have a shot with Carl again.

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However, Amora's arrival might stir some trouble for Sincere and Melanie, who were already in a tense spot after having a fight earlier that day about Sincere’s behavior at Casa Amor. The cake might be gone this episode, but the post-cake regret is just getting started.

New episodes of Love Island USA premiere daily except Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT on Peacock.

The "Casa Amor" portion of Love Island USA ended with a recoupling in Season 8, Episode 21, marking the ultimate test of faith for the Islanders when it comes to their partners. One couple in particular passed with flying colors, and social media users couldn't contain their excitement.

Things weren't looking too hopeful for The Girls (Aniya, Jen, Kayda, Kenzie, Melanie, and Trinity) when Casa Amor first aired in Season 8, Episode 17, kicking off with a dramatic livestream of The Boys (KC, Caleb, Zach, Corbin, Sincere, and Bryce) receiving lap dances from the Casa Amor bombshells (Amora, Parmida, Jaiden, Tierra, Alannah, and Sydney). Things got even more confusing for The Girls when they were given the opportunity to explore connections with a boatload (pun intended) of 12 new bombshells at the villa.

Both sides were forced to rethink their existing partnerships, and were given the opportunity to either stay in their couples or choose one of the bombshells to partner up with in Episode 21. Trinity and Bryce were one of three couples who chose to stay loyal to each other, and people were moved by the duo's tear-filled reunion. 

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Some people are saying that the recoupling of Trinity and Bryce might give them a chance to be this season's winning couple.

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Two other couples also had us biting our fingernails with uncertainty because both had explored other connections during Casa Amor: Kayda and Zach, and Melanie and Sincere. Kayda explored a connection with Chay while Zach briefly spoke to Alannah (who has since been removed from the rest of the season), and Melanie explored a connection with Corey while Sincere got to know Amora.

However, both duos ultimately decided to stay coupled within their existing connections. Melanie didn't let Sincere off the hook so easily for his behavior at Casa Amor though, and social media users had some conflicting thoughts about the situation.

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While Kayda, Zach, Melanie, and Sincere reaffirmed their existing connections, Aniya did not have the same luck with KC. Aniya chose to stay local to KC, but KC walked in with Tierra — ending their connection and leaving Aniya single and vulnerable.

Aniya was devastated not only at KC's betrayal, but also because choosing KC meant that she had to give up a connection with Carl, the bombshell she had genuinely hit it off with during Casa Amor. Social media users were sympathetic to Aniya's heartbreak.

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The Girls came to Aniya's defense, calling out KC for being dishonest with Aniya. Trinity and Tierra got into an argument, with Tierra calling Trinity a "little girl." Let’s just say there wasn't much amor in the casa that night.

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The other Islanders chose to partner up with the new bombshells: Jen chose Gal, Caleb chose Jaiden, Kenzie chose Dylan, and Corbin chose Parmida (followed by a series of "boos" from The Girls).

The remaining bombshell men who did not get picked (Carl, Chay, Corey, and Ronnie) were asked to leave the villa. Bombshell women Amora and Sydney's exits were not shown on-screen.

Despite the episode ending on a heartbreaking note for Aniya, a call for a public vote on which dumped Islander (between Amora and Sydney for the bombshell women and Carl, Chay, Corey, and Ronnie for the bombshell men) should be allowed to return to the villa left viewers with some hope. 

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New episodes of Love Island USA premiere daily except Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT on Peacock.

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

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

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

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Admission.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

ENTRY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Clear.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

CRISP

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Smack.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

SPLAT

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Discovered.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

FOUND

Final Hurdle hint

Crown.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

TIARA

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

"It's our house, man."

Matt Smith declares the Targaryen energy of House of the Dragon Season 3, episode 2, as Mashable tasked the cast with unpacking the episode's biggest moments. And there are many of them.

As Team Black march back into the Red Keep, and Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) finally stares down the Iron Throne, episode 2 sees the major players of Westeros making monumental moves. In the video above, House of the Dragon stars D'Arcy, Smith, Olivia Cooke, Fabien Frankel, Steve Toussaint, Abubakar Salim, Ewan Mitchell, Gayle Rankin, Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Clinton Liberty, Tom Bennett, and Kieran Bew give us an insight into the chaos.

"The episode was just amazing on the page, and very, very electric, and so I certainly wanted to meet the bar that was set by Sara [Hess], Ryan [Condal], and the team," D'Arcy told Mashable. "But I think my instinct was that this is where a political family, one's personal and political lives being so enmeshed, can be so fruitful, because some of the personal/professional boundaries that [Rhaenyra] has to cross in order to take her her place and to take her crown are important identity thresholds.

"I wanted it to feel like a moment of personal reckoning, and I wanted to trouble the journey to the throne so much that by the time she gets there, the anticipated triumph is robbed in that moment, and that actually there's something very sparse about it, especially under the gaze of Alicent, her former friend."

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

Team Black supporters, rejoice! Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) has the Iron Throne, and King's Landing with it.

The momentous victory comes at the end of House of the Dragon Season 3, episode 2, when Rhaenyra, Daemon (Matt Smith), and the rest of Team Black's dragonriders descend upon King's Landing. Thanks to her many dragons and Alicent Hightower's (Olivia Cooke) help from the inside, it's not long before Rhaenyra wins the world's bloodiest game of musical chairs and sits atop the Iron Throne.

The entire Fall of King's Landing sequence plays out similarly to how it does in George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood, with a few exceptions, of course. Among the biggest is Rhaenyra's first interaction with the Iron Throne during her coronation.

In the book, the Iron Throne slices and dices Rhaenyra when she sits on it for the first time. According to an eyewitness account from Septon Eustace, she leaves the throne room with blood running down her legs and palm. That can only mean one thing: The Iron Throne has rejected her, and her rule won't last long.

In House of the Dragon, though, Rhaenyra leaves the Iron Throne cut-free. (She is, however, traumatized by having to behead Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), so it's not a pleasant seating experience either way.) The omission of the cuts could come down to the show's source material. Fire and Blood is written as a historical account, so everything we're reading is filtered through biased, perhaps even unreliable sources. Septon Eustace is one such source. He supports Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) over Rhaenyra, and if anyone were going to embellish Rhaenyra's coronation in a way that delegitimizes her rule, it would be someone like him.

By ignoring Eustace's account, House of the Dragon firmly legitimizes Rhaenyra's rule instead, a choice that tracks with the its very sympathetic portrayal of her. (House of the Dragon has previously brought up the idea of the Iron Throne rejecting rulers in the past, though, as the throne did cut Viserys (Paddy Considine) during his reign.)

However, the series also alludes to book Rhaenyra's experience with the Iron Throne in a clever way. Her first moments on the Iron Throne are reflected in the pool of blood left over from Otto's execution, hinting at the bloodshed that led her to this moment, as well as all the bloodshed to come. After all, we're only on episode 2 of Season 3. There are so many more episodes left for things to go wrong; we don't need a cut from the Iron Throne to let us know things are only going to go south from here.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes premiering Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.