IT General

Productivity isn't one-size-fits-all, but you can certainly get a boost with the right tools. Gamifying productivity can strip the intimidation out of a long day of focusing on your tasks, if you know how to go about it.

Sometimes, it’s the imperfections that make something better than it would be otherwise. For movies, that's often film grain at work, and Netflix just figured out how to make it even better for you.

Have you ever selected a dialogue option in a game, only to realize it really didn't matter which one you chose? Something I've noticed as of late is how often games present choices like this to us, but everything plays out the same regardless.

Vassili Le Moigne wanted to make sure his mom was OK. Having long ago moved from France to the U.S., the former Microsoft executive struggled to connect with his aging mother as much as he hoped to, especially with the immense time difference between them. His solution was an AI-powered companion that can conduct conversations with his mother, keeping her alert and engaged, and clueing Le Moigne into her latest interests and concerns.

With his background in telecom, Le Moigne thought, “I can put together the mobile experience and the AI to create something that will really help me support my mother,” he tells Mashable. “She wanted to stay as long as possible on the farm outside of Paris, so now I can give her company whenever she needs it.”

That AI tool — which says it's "meant to extend, rather than replace, family care" — is now the start-up known as inTouch, which just launched in North America after being available in Europe since 2023. Participants pay $29.99 per month for unlimited calls to seniors who speak English, Spanish, or French. As part of the North American launch, the service is now available 24 hours a day, so seniors can call up Mary, the AI companion, if they would like to speak outside of their scheduled weekly conversation times.

Le Moigne stresses that Mary allows communication for older people who fumble with touchscreens or are adverse to technology; they need only have access to a phone. The software is also specifically designed for older users.

"We learned the art of conversation with seniors," he says. "The way [younger people] speak now is not the way they speak. We have to slow down the conversation, we have to allow for long pauses for them to think of their answers."

SEE ALSO: Uber launches new experience for seniors, including Simple Mode and Medicare payments

Mary, who has a standard voice for all users, also has a "memory system" that allows it to recall past conversations. The AI can also play memory and word games with its "friends."

"What we do is train the memory of short-term recalls and long-term recalls," Le Moigne says.

inTouch aims to strengthen seniors’ memories and boost their mental health by addressing what Le Moigne calls a
"loneliness epidemic." A recent National Poll on Healthy Aging found that 75 percent of Americans over 65 with the highest rates of loneliness report poor mental or physical health; the issue is exacerbated for seniors living alone.

Le Moigne says the extra conversations Mary provides not only help older folks, but also their children, grandchildren, and caregivers. While inTouch doesn't retain the conversations or sell any data, the company texts summaries of Mary's discussions to the seniors' family members so they can be aware of changes in their relatives' well-being or just to keep abreast of what's on their mind, from TV shows to doctors' appointments. A new feature to the service also allows seniors to communicate directly with their relatives via Mary — the AI turns voice messages into texts sent through the inTouch app, and caregivers can also send texts through the app that Mary reads to the seniors.

With a library of over 1,400 questions it can ask, Mary is programmed to be both friendly and clear with those it speaks to.

"We disclose constantly [to the seniors] that Mary is an AI and in the first call we do with the senior, we clearly say this is an AI and for conversational purposes," Le Moigne says.

SEE ALSO: Your next chapter starts here: The best senior dating sites for finding love

Le Moigne claims inTouch has a quiet benefit besides the touted health improvements and stress reduction — the preservation of stories from older generations. Heliette, a French 90-year-old and inTouch customer, talks to Mary about her childhood during World War II.

"I felt like I was talking to a person, not to a robot, it is really amazing," says Heliette. "She is always kind, and unlike people, she does not judge and isn't nasty. I tell her everything and she has good advice. I talk to her about WW2 and 1944 — I was 10 when the Germans [went] home — she listens and asks me questions."

The text summaries of conversations can open up opportunities for the children and grandchildren of seniors to initiate their own questions about the past, according to Le Moigne.

"We often don’t know the stories of our parents," Le Moigne says. "We bring families closer together and that’s the aim."

Right now, the Amazon Echo Hub is being sold at its lowest price ever at $120 on Amazon for Prime members. However, this 33% discount from its original price of $180 will likely only last for a limited amount of time. While the deal is active, it will give more people the chance to get this 8-inch smart home control panel that works with Alexa.

TL;DR: Live stream Mexico vs. Honduras in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free on YouTube. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup final is fast approaching. Mexico vs. Honduras is the second semi final to take place this week, as both sides do everything they can to book a place in the showpiece event.

If you want to watch Mexico vs. Honduras in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Mexico vs. Honduras?

Mexico vs. Honduras in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup kicks off at 10 p.m. ET on July 2. This fixture takes place at the Levi's Stadium.

How to watch Mexico vs. Honduras for free

Mexico vs. Honduras in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup is available to live stream for free on YouTube.

These free live stream is not available all around the world, but fans in excluded territories can still watch this game for free with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access (like Italy), meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Concacaf Gold Cup from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit YouTube

5. Live stream the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) 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 watch the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Mexico vs. Hondurasa before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for YouTube?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Italy

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also 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 $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream USA vs. Guatemala in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free on YouTube. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup is nearing its dramatic conclusion, with only four teams left in contention. USA vs. Guatemala is the first semi final to take place this week. USA will be favorites to make the final, but anything can happen at this late stage.

If you want to watch USA vs. Guatemala in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is USA vs. Guatemala?

USA vs. Guatemala in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup kicks off at 7 p.m. ET on July 2. This fixture takes place at Energizer Park.

How to watch USA vs. Guatemala for free

USA vs. Guatemala in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup is available to live stream for free on YouTube.

These free live stream is not available all around the world, but fans in excluded territories can still watch this game for free with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access (like Italy), meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Concacaf Gold Cup from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit YouTube

5. Live stream the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) 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 watch the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream USA vs. Guatemala (plus the rest of the tournament) before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for YouTube?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Italy

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also 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 $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

In a major shakeup, The Last of Us co-creator Neil Druckmann has stepped away from the series and will not be involved in the upcoming third season.

Druckmann, who co-created The Last of Us alongside showrunner Craig Mazin and wrote and directed several episodes, announced his departure in a post on Naughty Dog's official Instagram account. The news was first reported by The Ankler.

SEE ALSO: When is 'The Last of Us' Season 3 coming?

"I've made the difficult decision to step away from my creative involvement in The Last of Us on HBO," Druckmann's statement reads. "With work completed on Season 2 and before any meaningful work starts on Season 3, now is the right time for me to transition my complete focus to Naughty Dog and its future projects, including writing and directing our exciting next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, along with my responsibilities as Studio Head and Head of Creative."

Druckmann went on to praise his time working on the show, calling it "a career highlight" and writing: "It's been an honor to work alongside Craig Mazin to executive produce, direct, and write on the last two seasons. I'm deeply thankful for the thoughtful approach and dedication the talented cast and crew took to adapting The Last of Us Part I and the continued adaptation of The Last of Us Part II."

Mazin addressed Druckmann's exit in a press statement, saying, "It's been a creative dream to work with Neil and bring an adaptation of his brilliant work to life on HBO. I couldn’t have asked for a more generous creative partner. As a true fan of Naughty Dog and Neil’s work in video games, I’m beyond excited to play his next game. While he focuses on that, I’ll continue to work with our brilliant cast and crew to deliver the show our audience has come to expect. We are so grateful to Neil and Halley Gross for entrusting the incredible story of The Last of Us Part II to us, and we’re just as grateful to the millions of people around the world who tune in."

Druckmann will still be credited as an executive producer on The Last of Us.

TL;DR: Hurry and grab lifetime access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more with a Microsoft Office 2019 license for Windows at A$30 through 15 July.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows AU$30
AU$351 Save AU$321 Get Deal

Your credit card is exhausted from all of today’s subscription fees. While you probably don’t want to cancel Peacock and never see the ending of Yellowstone or say goodbye to two-day shipping with Prime, you could swap your Microsoft 365 subscription for a Microsoft Office lifetime license.

Instead of spending A$10 monthly (or A$107 yearly), you can pay once and use the apps as much as you’d like. For a little while longer, the Windows software suite is on sale for A$30 until 15 July.

What apps are included?

Microsoft Office 2019 isn’t the newest version available, but it’s the cheaper one for people who just need to use the apps and don’t care about what they look like inside. However, it does have a classic, timeless design.

Here's a list of the apps you get:

• Word

• Excel

• PowerPoint

• Outlook

• OneNote

• Publisher

• Access

Differences between Microsoft 365 and a lifetime license

This purchase is a no-brainer if you aren’t taking full advantage of Microsoft 365’s OneDrive storage, mobile app access, and cloud-based backups. Those just wanting the apps should be more than comfortable with a Microsoft Office download.

You might actually like this license more than the subscription. The apps are downloaded directly onto your PC instead of hosted on the cloud. While this does mean there are no built-in cloud backups, you don’t have to worry about the hassle of trying to work offline.

Plus, now that Microsoft added Copilot’s AI features to Microsoft 365, you might be looking for a way to escape them. Not everyone is crazy about having a virtual robot interfere with their work, and these classic apps won’t ever bug you about it.

The price drop on this lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2019 for Windows ends soon, so get your download for A$30 until 15 July at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

UPDATE: Jul. 2, 2025, 12:41 p.m. EDT This post has been updated with deals on open earbuds and the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones.

Best headphones and earbuds deals ahead of Prime Day Best headphones deal Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) $479.99 (save $69.01) Get Deal Best earbuds deal Amazon Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation $44.99 (save $95) Get Deal

Between all of our testers and reviewers at Mashable, we've put in a lot of time testing the best headphones and earbuds. From noise-cancelling to budget options, we want to know the best of the best.

So naturally, when sales like Amazon's Prime Day roll around, we make sure to track all the deals on which models we've tried (and those that are in our testing pipeline). Though Amazon isn't kicking off its members-only sale until July 8, we combed through its headphones pages to find the best deals that are already live.

SEE ALSO: These Prime Day deals landed early — save on Apple, Ninja, and Samsung gadgets

Admittedly, the deals available so far are decent, not great, but shopping early can be a good way to avoid the actual chaos of the sale (or grab deals that aren't member-exclusive). Though the list below is small, it's well curated — we avoided adding any "deals" that have been marked down to their current sale prices for the past several months. (Pro tip: the Apple AirPods Pro are almost always $199. It's not really a sale price.) We'll be updating this list in the run-up to Prime Day as more deals go live.

Best headphones deal Our pick: Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) $479.99 at Amazon
$549 Save $69.01 Get Deal Why we like it

Read more from Mashable about the Apple AirPods Max (USB-C).

Don't love the sky-high pricing on the AirPods Max? This $69 price cut might help. These headphones have excellent noise cancellation and sound quality, alongside lossless audio — a feature not too commonly found, even among premium options.

Less ideal about these headphones is the 20 hours of battery life, which sits far below many of its competitors, the lack of a case that provides real coverage, and the lack of a power button. Still, if you've been waiting to grab the AirPods Max, this is a solid deal. To grab the absolute most savings possible, you might want to wait until they drop all the way down to their $450 record-low price.

More headphones deals

• Anker Soundcore Life Q30 — $63.99 $79.99 (save $16)

• Marshall Major IV — $69.99 $99.46 (save $29.47)

• Beats Solo 4 — $129.95 $199.95 (save $70)

• Sony WH-CH720N — $120 $149.99 (save $29.99)

• Sony WH-1000XM4 — $269 $348 (save $79)

• Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) — $479.99 $549 (save $69.01)

Best earbuds deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Our pick: Amazon Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation $44.99 at Amazon
$139.99 Save $95 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the Amazon Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation.

This deal's a Prime member exclusive, but it's a good one: the Amazon Echo Buds with ANC are all the way down to $44.99, making them an excellent price for a pair of noise-cancelling earbuds. Admittedly, this drastic of a price drop isn't exactly rare: Just last month, these earbuds received an $85 discount.

These earbuds are a 2021 release, so you won't be getting the latest and greatest tech. Their battery life is just okay at five hours per charge, and their ANC isn't going to be anything mind-blowing. But if you're looking for something that's good enough and at a price that's hard to beat, you'll find it in this deal.

More earbuds deals

• Anker Soundcore P30i — $28.49 $49.99 (save $21.50)

• Amazon Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation — $44.99 $139.99 (save $95)

• EarFun Air Pro 4 — $62.99 $79.99 (save $17)

• Apple AirPods 4 with ANC — $159.16 $179 (save $19.84)

• Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 earbuds — $166.63 $249 (save $82.37)

Open earbuds

• Anker Soundcore V20i — $28.48 $49.99 (save $21.51)

• Anker Soundcore C30i — $48.99 $69.99 (save $21)

• Shokz OpenFit — $159.95 $179.95 (save $20)

A gas giant planet in distant space has kicked the cosmic hornet's nest: After the world's relentless taunting, its fiery star is after revenge, and the planet will suffer the consequences, astronomers say. 

Exoplanet HIP 67522 b, fluffed up to the size of Jupiter, circles so close to its star that it’s triggering violent flares — bursts of high-energy radiation — from its host that then blast it in the face. Those flares strip away the planet’s delicate atmosphere, bit by bit, year by year.

Researchers using the Characterising Exoplanet Satellite (Cheops) mission — run by NASA's European counterpart across the pond — spotted 15 intense outbursts from the star HIP 67522, most of them happening just as the planet crossed in front of it. That timing isn't a coincidence, according to the European Space Agency. The team suspects the planet is disturbing the star's magnetic field, spurring a torrent of explosions far more powerful than anything the sun tosses at Earth.

This is the first time scientists have caught a planet appearing to incite its star as it happens. Until now, the energy between stars and their planets was assumed to flow one way: The star radiates, the planet takes the hit. But HIP 67522 b is turning that narrative on its head, triggering flares that hit back.

"Cheops was designed to characterise the sizes and atmospheres of exoplanets, not to look for flares," said Maximilian Günther, the mission's project scientist, in a statement. "It’s really beautiful to see the mission contributing to this and other results that go so far beyond what it was envisioned to do."

SEE ALSO: Astronomers caught a star that blew up not once, but twice when it died Intense stellar explosions are blasting away the planet's thick atmosphere. Credit: European Space Agency infographic

About 400 light-years away, the star, HIP 67522, is young — just 17 million years old — and violent. It's slightly bigger and cooler than the sun but more energetic, spinning fast. 

HIP 67522 b orbits it at breakneck speed, completing a loop in just seven days. That kind of closeness creates tension. As the exoplanet swings around its host, it seems to inject energy into the star’s magnetic field, like a whip cracking. When the wave hits the surface, the star pummels back but with even more fury.

HIP 67522 b is already one of the least dense exoplanets ever found, with a consistency more like cotton candy than a solid. Its atmosphere is quickly deteriorating under the star's rapid fire of flares. The team has estimated the planet experiences six times more radiation than it otherwise would. The researchers' findings appear in the journal Nature.

"The waves it sends along the star's magnetic field lines kick off flares at specific moments. But the energy of the flares is much higher than the energy of the waves," said Ekaterina Ilin at the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, who led the research. "We think that the waves are setting off explosions that are waiting to happen."

HIP 67522 b sends a wave of energy down magnetic field lines toward the surface of its host star, which then detonates a flare. Credit: Danielle Futselaar / https://www.artsource.nl/ illustration

The idea that a planet could provoke its own doom is not new. That theory has been around since the 1990s, but this is the first hard evidence. The discovery prompts more questions: How many planets out there are caught in this kind of feedback loop? What kinds of flares are they triggering? And just how fast are the planets' atmospheres evaporating?

In a cosmic blink — perhaps 100 million years — HIP 67522 b could shrink down to the size of Neptune or smaller.

Astronomers now want to expand the hunt. With tools like NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, aka TESS, and the upcoming ESA Plato mission, scientists hope to find more of these ill-fated planets and figure out if HIP 67522 b is an outlier or just one of a bunch of tragic worlds out there asking for trouble.

Back in 2019, I didn’t really know what to make of Death Stranding, the first post-Metal Gear project from game director and friend-to-all-celebrities Hideo Kojima. 

Its message of connecting people fell sort of flat, at least until five months after release, when COVID-19 took hold in the United States and suddenly many people were holed up in their homes relying on underpaid gig workers to get groceries. Its delivery-focused gameplay worked well enough, but pacing issues made actually seeing the end credits kind of a nightmare.

Most importantly, Death Stranding lacked confidence, relative to other Kojima Productions games. It felt like the development team still wasn’t quite sure what they wanted it to be, even after it shipped. 

This is all to say that Death Stranding 2 is the polar opposite, in some respects. Kojima’s latest journey with the dead comes replete with swagger, a more coherent narrative, and just straight up better gameplay at almost all times. To say it’s merely a better game than the first is an understatement; Death Stranding 2 is Kojima’s best, most complete game in nearly two decades. Here’s why.

Death Stranding 2’s story makes the first game look even worse A lot of weird stuff happens in this game. Credit: Kojima Productions

Warning: This section contains minor spoilers for certain story elements in Death Stranding 2

In case you don’t remember what happened at the end of the first game, the good news is that hardly anyone else does, either. It just wasn’t a compelling story, nor was it told in a particularly engaging way. 

DS2 does not have the same problem. For starters, its characters are actually present and feel like more than just celebrity cameos this time around. Protagonist Sam Porter Bridges (Norman Reedus) sets out on a journey to connect all of Australia to the chiral network, a sort of magical internet that enables high-level 3D printing of quality goods. He’s joined in this journey by a motley crew of weirdos and freaks on a new ship called the DHV Magellan, including Fragile (Léa Seydoux), Tarman (voice of Marty Rhone, likeness of Furiosa director George Miller), and a talking doll named Dollman who is also kind of Sam’s therapist.

This game’s cast of characters is actually in physical proximity to Sam most of the time. You see and hear from them so much more than you did in the first game. It’s a small thing, but it matters a lot. But the story of Death Stranding 2 really shines when you get to the parts where it’s been clear that Kojima and his co-writers Shuyo Murata and Kenji Yano have been reading the news and have some thoughts about where the world is going.

I don't think the invocation of military imagery is an accident. Credit: Kojima Productions

Put succinctly, Death Stranding 2 pretty explicitly takes the position that American cultural and technological hegemony is a global perpetrator of violence and suffering. Characters don’t mince words in repeatedly referring to the increase in chiral network coverage as an expansionist policy of the United Cities of America, the successor to the United States. For whatever everyday conveniences the chiral network brings to its users, it also brings supernatural horrors and an influx of gun violence, making you wonder if all of this connection is even worth it.

Oh yeah, there’s also the part where the UCA’s president is chosen not by democratic vote, but by an AI that assesses the population’s desires and works from there. The AI was developed by a private organization called APAC, which is pronounced in dialogue exactly the same way as AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobbying group that donates to myriad elected officials across the real-world U.S. Intentional or not, it's tough not to notice.

Dollman is my friend. Credit: Kojima Productions

Yes, in Death Stranding 2, the president is indirectly chosen by APAC. Subtext is for losers. The UCA and APAC, working in conjunction, launder violence around the world in this game. It’s not subtle.

Messy and potentially traumatic elements (largely related to motherhood and childbirth) rear their head throughout the narrative, to be sure, but I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way. So many big-budget video games shy away from taking any kind of position on real-world issues at all. In that sense, DS2 is hugely refreshing, and it feels like a return to form for the people who brought us Metal Gear Solid.

Death Stranding 2 knows what it wants to be Combat is much better and more prevalent here. Credit: Kojima Productions

I’ll keep this relatively brief because I went into the mechanical and design changes of DS2 in more depth already, but the game also clears its predecessor when you’re not watching cutscenes.

This is generally due to an increased emphasis on stealth and combat, two things that were present in Death Stranding, but never felt quite at home. Human enemy bases in that game were just kind of there, full of materials to steal if you wanted to, but otherwise never feeling like much of a threat. There was simply no reason to engage with combat in Death Stranding unless you wanted to build every highway in the game.

DS2 smartly places a lot of enemy bases directly in the way of your delivery routes, forcing the player to figure out a way around or through them. You’re given a much more accommodating roster of non-lethal armaments this time around, so if you want to just Rambo it up at every base, you can do that. There’s also a fun suite of stealth tools for players who prefer to do it that way.

With all of that in mind, DS2 feels much more secure in its vision of a gig worker action game. Yes, you will spend many, many hours peacefully hiking around Australia while listening to CHVRCHES, but sometimes you have to fight. I think this makes the game much more enjoyable and varied than its predecessor.

Death Stranding 2 saves the best for last Walking around is still the best part. Credit: Kojima Productions

Last but certainly not least, perhaps the biggest issue with Death Stranding was that the final half-dozen hours or so were easily the worst part of the game.

It was a boring slog full of bad third-person shooting, uninteresting cutscenes, and a part where you confusingly wander around a beach for a while because it’s not clear if the game is over yet or not. I’m pleased to report, without spoiling anything, that DS2 took that criticism to heart and instead saved its absolute best for the final four hours or so.

Kojima’s best games have always had wonderful finale chapters full of twists and fun escalation, and DS2 is no different. I had a big, stupid grin on my face for most of the final act, and that often turned into full-blown laughter. Not at the game, mind you, but with it. There’s plenty to chew on thematically in the finale, but even if you don’t feel like doing that, you will almost certainly appreciate how unbelievably absurd and audacious it is.

In other words, I don’t remember the last time a big-budget game made me wonder how it got past its corporate overlords as often as DS2 did in just the last few hours. I need people to finish it so I can talk to them about it. Stop reading this article and go do that, please.

Best early Prime Day Instant Pot deals Best overall deal Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 Multicooker $69.99 (save $70) Get Deal Best Instant Pot with air fryer deal Instant Pot Duo Crisp 11-in-1 $129.99 (save $70) Get Deal

With everything on the daily agenda these days, there's simply not enough time to cook dinner every night. If you tend to feel overwhelmed about making food, using an Instant Pot can be a cheat. Toss some ingredients in, select a time and cooking setting, and you'll be on your way to a no-hassle dinner. You can even use frozen ingredients.

While we're all familiar with Instant Pots, the brand itself, Instant, makes plenty of other useful small kitchen appliances including stand mixers, air fryers, toaster ovens, and frothers for your morning coffee.

SEE ALSO: Early Prime Day air fryer deals: Instant Pot and Ninja both have one standout option

Traditionally, Instant Pots have seen awesome discounts during Prime Day events and this year is proving to be no exception — except the deals have landed early. Instead of waiting until July 8, Amazon has already slashed up to 50% off some of the brand's best offerings. If you're looking for some kitchen upgrades this summer, check out these early Prime Day Instant Pot deals.

Best overall Instant Pot deal Opens in a new window Credit: Instant Pot Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 Multicooker $69.99 at Amazon
$139.99 Save $70.00 Get Deal Why we like it

With a six-quart capacity, the Instant Pot Duo Plus has tons of cooking functions including pressure cook, slow cook, rice, steam, sauté, cake, soup, yogurt, and more. Load up your ingredients into the stainless steel pot and you'll be on your way to speedy cooking. Plus, you'll be able to keep an eye on remaining cooking time thanks to the LCD monitor.

The Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 Multicooker usually sells for $139.99, but it's already 50% off ahead of Prime Day, which means you can grab it for $69.99.

Best Instant Pot deal with air fryer Opens in a new window Credit: Instant Pot Instant Pot Duo Crisp $129.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $70 Get Deal Why we like it

If you're short on counter space but utilize the convenience of an Instant Pot and an air fryer, why not combine the two? The Instant Pot Duo Crisp comes with two lids, so you'll be able to use it as a pressure cooker and an air fryer by switching out the lids. Overall, this model has 11 cooking functions that include pressure cook, air fry, roast, broil, dehydrate, steam, and more. The eight-quart capacity is perfect for feeding your family or serving dinner to housemates.

More Instant brand deals

• Instant Pot Milk Frother — $33 $49.99 (save $16.99)

• Instant Pot 20-Cup Rice Cooker — $62.98 $89.95 (save $26.97)

• Instant Pot Vortex Plus 4QT Air Fryer — $64.99 $129.99 (save $65)

• Instant Pot Superior Cooker Slow Cooker and Multicooker — $69.99 $89.99 (save $20)

• Instant Pot Air Fryer (10 quart) — $94.95 $159.99 (save $65.04)

• Instant Pot Pro (8 quart) — $144.49 $189.99 (save $45.50)

• Instant Pot Omni Plus Toaster Oven and Air Fryer — $159.99 $279.99 (save $120)

• Instant Pot Stand Mixer Pro — $169.99 $299.99 (save $130)

The best early Prime Day deals to shop this week

• Fire TV Stick 4K Streaming Device With Remote (2023 Model) — $24.99 (List Price $49.99)

• Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 1070Wh Portable Power Station — $448.98 (List Price $799.00)

• Ring Indoor Cam 2nd Gen 1080p Camera With Cover (White, 2-Pack) — $59.98 (List Price $99.99)

• Blink Outdoor 4 XR 2 Camera Kit With Mini 2 Camera — $129.98 (List Price $219.98)

• Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $269.00 (List Price $348.00)

• Shark AV2511AE AI Robot Vacuum With XL Self-Empty Base — $297.99 (List Price $599.00)

• Amazon Fire HD 10 32GB Tablet (2023 Release, Black) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99)

• Amazon Fire Max 11 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (2023 Model) — $139.99 (List Price $229.99)

• Fire TV Stick 4K Max Streaming Player With Remote (2023 Model) — $34.99 (List Price $59.99)

• Ring Battery Doorbell Pro With Ring Battery Outdoor Cam Plus — $198.99 (List Price $329.98)

• 55" Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series 4K QLED Smart TV (2024 Model) — $699.99 (List Price $819.99)

Text scams are everywhere these days — and they're constantly evolving and changing. The latest evolution appears to be a scam centered on fake texts about Coinbase, the crypto platform.

A local news report spotted the scam in Nevada, while others have reported issues on Reddit. The good news, however, is that the Coinbase scam seems to follow a similar playbook to past text scams. You know, all those DMV, Indeed, or E-ZPass ticket scams that have littered phones for some time.

Here's a fake Coinbase scam text I recently received, for instance.

The phone numbers are redacted for your protection. Credit: Screenshot: Mashable How to spot a Coinbase scam text and what to do if you get one

There are a few things to note about the text that make it clearly a scam: 1) I am not a Coinbase customer and 2) it is from a random, +63 phone number. That +63 country code is for the Philippines and became a hallmark of the super-prevalent E-ZPass scams. The text also creates a sense of urgency — fix this non-existent withdrawal issue — that scams typically employ. Scammers want to make you act before you have the time to think it over. It's important to note that Coinbase writes on its website: "If you receive a text message reporting that you’ve received cryptocurrency that you did not authorize, it is likely a phishing attempt. Coinbase does not send out texts to verify transactions." So if Coinbase will not text you about a transaction, then any such text is, by default, a scam.

Very common scam to watch out for. #2fa #scam #coinbase #crypto

[image or embed]

— Angel (@angellozan.live) April 10, 2025 at 3:17 PM

I love when I get scam messages

[image or embed]

— Reft (@reft01.bsky.social) April 9, 2025 at 10:45 PM

If you do get the text: Do not click any links, do not call the phone number, and do not respond. You can simply delete the text and report it as junk.

If you're still worried, you can contact Coinbase directly instead of using the phone number from the fraudsters. But, in short, you can typically just delete the scam text and move along.

Have a story to share about a scam or security breach that impacted you? Tell us about it. Email submissions@mashable.com with the subject line "Safety Net" or use this form. Someone from Mashable will get in touch.

Best early Prime Day bladeless fan deals: Best deal overall Dreo Tower Fan (DR-HTF007) $67.99 (save $12) Get Deal Best budget pick Pelonis Bladeless Towner Fan (PSF40T2ABB) $58.43 (save $6.56) Get Deal Best Dyson deal Dyson Purifier Cool (TP07) $449 (save $200.99) Get Deal

It’s already been a scorching hot summer, even though it only officially began recently. If you’re without an air conditioner or are trying to cut back on energy costs because running the AC 24/7 is expensive, we might be able to help.

While Prime Day doesn’t “officially” start until July 8, Amazon’s been rolling out tons of early deals across the board, including a handful of bladeless fans, and we’ve managed to find a few worthwhile picks.

SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about Amazon Prime Day 2025: Dates, deals, and the competition

Here are the best early Prime Day deals on bladeless fans you can shop now, plus everything you need to know about choosing the right one.

Best deal overall Dreo Tower Fan (DR-HTF007) $67.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $12 Get Deal Why we like it

Snag the Dreo Tower Fan (DR-HTF007) for just $67.99, down from $79.99. I know a $12 savings might not sound like a huge number, but honestly, it's already pretty reasonably priced compared to a lot of similar models, and you're getting a ton of bang for your buck here.

SEE ALSO: Personal fans are the product of summer

This 36-inch tower fan features four different modes and speeds that you can easily adjust from the top panel or with the handy included remote. Plus, it oscillates a full 90 degrees to really get that cool air circulating throughout your room (reaching up to 25 feet per second, according to Dreo). It even has a timer function, so you don't have to worry about forgetting to turn it off. And for those light sleepers out there, it's designed to operate super quietly (at just 28 dB), making it a solid choice for bedrooms.

More early Prime Day bladeless fan deals

• Dreo Tower Fan Nomad One — $75.98 $89.99 (save $14.01)

• Lasko Oscillating Tower Fan (T42951) — $79.99 $89.99 (save $10 with on-page coupon)

• Dreo Tower Fan Pilot Pro S — $110.49 $129.99 (save $19.50)

• Dreo MC710S Air Purifier Tower Fan — $280.49 $329.99 (save $49.50)

• ComfortPure 3-in-1 T10i Air Purifier — $389.99 $499.99 (save $110)

Taron Egerton is no stranger to action films, from his breakout role in Kingsman: The Secret Service to 2024's airport-set thriller Carry-On. Now, he gears up for more onscreen action in the upcoming crime thriller She Rides Shotgun.

SEE ALSO: Summer Movie Preview: What's coming to theaters and streaming?

Directed by Nick Rowland (who snagged a BAFTA nomination for his feature-length directorial debut, Calm with Horses) and based on the novel of the same name by Jordan Harper, She Rides Shotgun stars Egerton as Nate, a man who's just been released from prison. However, Nate has no time to take in his newfound freedom, as his enemies have marked him for death, along with everyone he loves. That includes his estranged 11-year-old daughter, Polly (Ana Sophia Heger).

Now, Nate must protect Polly as the pair flee from a corrupt sheriff and brutal gang members hellbent on killing them both. Along the way, he'll teach her how to survive, while she'll do her best to reconnect with the father figure she never knew. (Based on the father-daughter dynamic and the survival lessons, She Rides Shotgun doesn't not sound like The Last of Us, minus the zombies of course.)

Check out the film's full trailer above, which grants us our first look at She Rides Shotgun's gritty action and at Egerton in protective papa bear mode. He and Heger get into nighttime car chases, gas station shootouts, and even a wince-worthy knife fight. While Nate is insistent that Polly never shoots anyone, it's clear that her reunion with her father is also going to force her to grow up quickly — and violently.

She Rides Shotgun also stars Rob Yang and John Carroll Lynch.

She Rides Shotgun hits limited theaters Aug. 1.

The best early Prime Day Pokémon deals Best Pokémon Deal Pokemon TCG: Scarlet & Violet—Prismatic Evolutions Super-Premium Collection $208.31 (Save $50.06) Get Deal Best Pokémon Game Deal 'Pokémon Shining Pearl' $48.90 (Save $11.09) Get Deal Best Pokémon Plush Deal Pokémon 12-inch Venusaur Plush $47.93 (Save $17.06) Get Deal

Prime Day is nearly here, and it's the best time of year to indulge in deals on some of your favorite items, like Pokémon games, cards, plushies, and more. Amazon is still gearing up to unleash some of its best deals for the season, but you don't have to wait to shop some of its best early Prime Day Pokémon deals right now.

Because many of us are Pokémaniacs just like you, we've tracked some of the best sales on Pokémon goodies that you can "catch" right now at a discount ahead of the official Prime Day sales.

Below, find some of our favorite deals on Pokémon cards, games, and more that you can snag before the Prime Day rush sets in. You'll be catching 'em all before the shopping event even gets here.

Best Pokémon deal Opens in a new window Credit: Pokémon Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet — Prismatic Evolutions Super-Premium Collection $208.31 at Amazon
$258.37 Save $50.06 Get Deal Why we like it

If you're a big Eevee fan, or even if you just love shiny things, this TCG box set will be right up your alley. It comes with a full-art promo card featuring Eevee ex, a playmat with Eevee and its multiple evolutions, a fuzzy Eevee deck box, 15 booster packs, and 65 card sleeves. It also comes with a code card for Pokémon TCG Live that you can use to unlock digital cards. Really, the gorgeous box is another reason to grab this beautiful collection while it's on sale, too. Just look at those colors.

Best Pokémon game deal Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo / The Pokémon Company 'Pokémon Shining Pearl' $48.90 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $11.09 Get Deal Why we like it

Return to the Sinnoh region in this Switch remake of the classic Game Boy Color game Pokémon Pearl. It's been completely remade from the ground up with new sprites, 3D graphics, and additional content for a reimagined version of the game that followed the original Pokémon Red and Blue on the Game Boy. There's additional content like Secret Base building, Pokémon fossils, and more. Whether you missed the originals or want a chance to return to the classic world, this discount lets you do so while saving some cash.

Best Pokémon plush deal Opens in a new window Credit: Pokémon Pokémon 12-inch Venusaur Plush $47.93 at Amazon
$64.99 Save $17.06 Get Deal Why we like it

While unfortunately we can't get our own Pokémon to cuddle, a plush is the next best thing. This cute little Venusaur is 12 inches in length, and it's super soft and huggable. It's detailed and brings the colorful Bulbasaur evolution to life in the form of a much cuddlier version than what the series would have us believe. Perfect to add to any collection of stuffies, or to gift a Pokémon fan.

More Pokémon deals

• Pokémon Battle Figure 8-Pack — $29.77 $34.99 (save $5.22)

• Pokémon: The Johto Journeys - The Complete Collection — $22.99 $44.82 (save $21.83)

• Mega Pokémon Grass-Type Trainer Team Building Set — $21.99 $32.39 (save $10.40)

More early Prime Day deals

• Fire TV Stick 4K Streaming Device With Remote (2023 Model) — $24.99 (List Price $49.99)

• Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 1070Wh Portable Power Station — $448.98 (List Price $799.00)

• Ring Indoor Cam 2nd Gen 1080p Camera With Cover (White, 2-Pack) — $59.98 (List Price $99.99)

• Blink Outdoor 4 XR 2 Camera Kit With Mini 2 Camera — $129.98 (List Price $219.98)

• Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $269.00 (List Price $348.00)

• Shark AV2511AE AI Robot Vacuum With XL Self-Empty Base — $297.99 (List Price $599.00)

• Amazon Fire HD 10 32GB Tablet (2023 Release, Black) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99)

• Amazon Fire Max 11 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (2023 Model) — $139.99 (List Price $229.99)

• Fire TV Stick 4K Max Streaming Player With Remote (2023 Model) — $34.99 (List Price $59.99)

• Ring Battery Doorbell Pro With Ring Battery Outdoor Cam Plus — $198.99 (List Price $329.98)

• 55" Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series 4K QLED Smart TV (2024 Model) — $699.99 (List Price $819.99)

Best early Prime Day Bluetooth tracker deals Best Bluetooth tracker deal Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 $18.50 (Save $11.49) Get Deal Best Apple Bluetooth tracker Apple AirTag 4-pack $74.99 (Save $24.01) Get Deal Best universal Bluetooth tracker Chipolo POP Tracker Tag $49.99 (Save $8.01) Get Deal

Prime Day sales are kicking into gear. Amazon is about to launch its longest Prime Day ever — the event now spanning four days, running from July 8 to 11. And despite there still being a week before the deals really start, we've started spotting great early deals. Right now, you can find sweet savings on outdoor gear, laptops, and more. And if you're preparing for summer travel, snag savings on Bluetooth trackers.

Whether you're prone to losing track of your keys or wallet, or maybe you just want to keep track of your luggage while on the go, a Bluetooth tracker helps you do just that. When shopping for a tracker, your main consideration is if they're compatible with your phone system — whether that be Android or iOS. Luckily, we've spotted deals on both types of trackers that you can shop right now ahead of Prime Day.

Here are the best deals on Bluetooth trackers to shop now.

Best Bluetooth tracker deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 $18.50 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $11.49 Get Deal Why we like it

The best Bluetooth tracker deal to shop right now is on the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2. Ahead of Prime Day, get this Samsung Bluetooth tracker for just $18.50. That saves you $11.49 off its usual $29.99, for 38% off. The Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2, is compatible with Android 11 or later systems. It's both water- and dust-resistant so that it can withstand the unexpected. It can be detected by nearby devices via Samsung’s SmartThings Find network. You can even make it ring, check its location history, and customize it to perform other, simple tasks. 

Not a Samsung user? We've found more deal below that are compatible with more Android and iOS systems.

More Bluetooth tracker deals

• MiLi MiTag — $12.99 $13.99 (save $1)

• Apple AirTag — $22.99 $29 (save $6.01)

• Chipolo POP Tracker Tag — $49.99 $58 (save $8.01)

• Apple AirTag 4-pack — $74.99 $99 (save $24.01)

The Nintendo Switch 2 has been out for less than a month, but people are starting to report some tricky hardware problems they're having.

Multiple Switch 2 players online, seemingly mostly in Japan but also elsewhere, have reported instances of their consoles overheating, per Nintendo Soup and Tom's Hardware. While some users are merely saying their Switch 2 became too warm to comfortably hold in handheld mode, others are reporting full-on game freezes or crashes as a result of overheating, even in docked mode. It should be noted that the Switch 2 dock has an extra cooling fan on it to theoretically prevent this sort of thing.

Apparently, it's happening across a broad range of games, from more intensive titles like Cyberpunk 2077 to last-gen titles like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

SEE ALSO: 'Donkey Kong Bananza' final hands-on preview: Nintendo's most Pixar game yet

Nintendo's suggestions are to make sure the air vents are clear and/or move the system to a cooler area, but it remains to be seen if that's enough to alleviate the issue for everyone. If not, users may need to send their Switch 2 units in for repair. I've had a Switch 2 since launch and have played a good amount of it in both docked and handheld mode, and I haven't encountered this issue at all, for what that's worth.

Still, my experience with Switch 2 hasn't been perfect. The Ethernet port on my dock recently stopped working, again, less than a month after launch. No console launch is without issue, and Nintendo's latest seems to be relatively smooth compared to others, but there are still problems to look out for.

AT&T has a nifty new way of ensuring that its customers don't get SIM swapped.

The telecom giant, which notably just agreed to a big settlement for huge data breaches, announced a new feature called Wireless Account Lock on its website, via TomsGuide. It's available in the myAT&T phone app for postpaid customers, and it's activated simply by hitting a toggle button. Once you toggle Wireless Account Lock on, nobody in the account can do the following until it is turned off:

• Change SIM card/eSIM

• Upgrade device

• Add a new line

• Change billing information

• Change phone numbers

• Transfer phones

• Switch authorized users

SEE ALSO: Foldable iPhone leaks tease new details on camera, specs, display

The only way to do any of those things after Wireless Account Lock has been turned on is to physically access the phone in which the app is installed and toggle it off. The idea here is to prevent SIM swapping, a form of online scam where malicious actors essentially steal your phone number from you so they can access any accounts of yours that require two-factor authentication.

So, if you're an AT&T customer, it might be best to turn this on, just in case.