IT General

It's a special lunar night tonight, it's the September Full Moon, and a total lunar eclipse.

Let's find out what's happening with the moon tonight, Sept. 7.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Sunday, Sept. 7, the moon phase is Full Moon, meaning 100% will be lit up to us on Earth, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

This Sunday’s moon is a Full Moon, so your skies will be nice and bright. Even with the naked eye, you can spot many features on its surface, including the Aristarchus Plateau, Copernicus Crater, and Mare Crisium. Dig out your binoculars if you want to spot the Grimaldi Basin and the Gassendi Crater, and get a telescope to see the Fra Mauro Highlands.

A total lunar eclipse also happens the same day, but it won’t be visible in America, sadly.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Oct. 6.

What are moon phases?

According to NASA, moon phases are caused by the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, which changes the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much of it is lit up by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating 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.

Last Quarter (or Third 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.

FREE HARRY POTTER LEGO: Build a Harry Potter Butterbeer Truck model at participating stores and take it home with you for free. Find participating stores here.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Free Lego Harry Potter Butterbeer Truck Learn More

It's a poorly kept secret at this point, but for anyone still not in the know, you should be aware that Lego regularly runs make and take events in which fans can pick up exclusive models for absolutely nothing. You do need to get up and actually visit a store, but that's a small price to pay for something that money cannot buy.

Lego has run these popular make and take events throughout 2025, and the schedule is showing no signs of slowing down. The next free giveaway takes place on Sept. 7. On this date (from 12-2 p.m.), you can build a Harry Potter Butterbeer Truck model at participating stores and take it home with you for free. Check participating stores here before setting out in search of your free model. We don't want you to waste a trip.

SEE ALSO: Our 15 favorite Lego sets, sourced from actual Lego fans

This event is intended for participants aged 6+ years, and the free model is available on a first-come-first-serve basis, at participating locations, while supplies last. The only catch is that participants are limited to one build each, but that feels fair.

By taking part in this event, you're getting an exclusive item that's not available for purchase. We know that exclusivity appeals to all the dedicated Harry Potter fans out there.

The best Lego deals right now: Best Box deal Lego Classic Large Creative Brick Box (10698) $39.97 (save $20.02) Get Deal Best Botanicals deal Lego Botanicals Orchid (10311) $39.95 (save $10.04) Get Deal Best Star Wars Deal Lego Star Wars Plo Koon’s Jedi Starfighter Microfighter (75400) $14.97 (save $22.03) Get Deal

TL;DR: Live stream England vs. South Africa (ODI Series) for free on ICC.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Cricket fans around the world will be eagerly anticipating the 2025 Asia Cup, but before we get to this electric competition, there's the small matter of South Africa's tour of England. There are three ODIs and three T20Is on the schedule, and fans can watch all the action without spending anything.

If you want to watch England vs. South Africa (ODI Series) for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is England vs. South Africa (ODI Series)?

South Africa's tour of England starts with three ODIs:

• England vs. South Africa (ODI 1) — Sept. 2 at Headingley Cricket Ground

• England vs. South Africa (ODI 2) — Sept. 4 at Lord's Cricket Ground

• England vs. South Africa (ODI 3) — Sept. 7 at The Rose Bowl

It is possible to live stream every ODI on this schedule without spending anything.

How to watch England vs. South Africa (ODI Series) for free

England vs. South Africa (ODI Series) is available to live stream for free on ICC.TV.

This free live stream on ICC.TV is only available in select regions (see full list of territories here), but anyone can live stream South Africa's tour of England for free with a VPN. These helpful tools can hide your IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with free access (like France). This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can live stream on ICC.TV from anywhere in the world.

Live stream England vs. South Africa (ODI Series) 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 a location with access (like France)

4. Visit ICC.TV

5. Live stream England vs. South Africa (ODI Series) 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 aren't free, but leading VPN providers do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you'll be able access free live streams without actually spending anything. This is a temporary fix, but it gives you enough time to stream England vs. South Africa (ODI Series) 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 live streaming sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for ICC.TV?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to live stream 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 always secure

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• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months of coverage for free — 61% off list price. This deal includes a year of unlimited data backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month subscription for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream England vs. South Africa (ODI Series) for free with ExpressVPN.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new 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.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable 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. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for September 4, 2025 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: Success

• Green: Around the field

• Blue: Once played for the Jets

• Purple: Could be an NHL team

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: A Successful Effort

• Green: Areas on a Football Field

• Blue: Starting QBs Who Changed Teams This Offseason

• Purple: Starts with an NHL Team in Singular Form

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 #349 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• A Successful Effort - ACCOMPLISHMENT, ACHIEVEMENT, EXPLOIT, FEAT

• Areas on a Football Field - END ZONE, MIDFIELD, RED ZONE, SIDELINE

• Starting QBs Who Changed Teams This Offseason - DARNOLD, FIELDS, RODGERS, SMITH

• Starts with an NHL Team in Singular Form - CAPITALIZE, FLAMETHROWER, JETER, KINGDOM

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? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

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

Pips is the newest game in the New York Times catalogue. Released in August 2025, the new game 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 onto 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 for how Pips is played. Like dominoes, the tiles 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.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 6, 2025

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for September 6, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 7 Pips

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

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

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 7 Pips

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

Number (11): Everything in this red space must add up to 11. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally; 6-0, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this light blue space must add up to 10. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 7 Pips

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

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

Number (6): Everything in this orange space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 2-3, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this dark blue space must be different. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically; 5-3, placed horizontally; 4-0, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed vertically.

Greater than (15): Everything in this red space must be greater than 15. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

Less than (3): Everything in this purple space must be less than 3. The answer is 2-0, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically; 4-0, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must equal 3. The answer is 5-3, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed vertically; 3-4, placed horizontally

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

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.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 2, 2025 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: What Simone Biles might do

• Green: Animated royalty

• Blue: Found in Microsoft Word

• Purple: Used to describe shapes

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Gymnastics moves

• Green: Disney princesses

• Blue: Fonts

• Purple: Geometry adjectives

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 #819 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Gymnastics moves: AERIAL, ARABESQUE, ROUNDOFF, SPLIT

• Disney princesses: ARIEL, AURORA, MERIDA, TIANA

• Fonts: ARIAL, GEORGIA, IMPACT, VERDANA

• Geometry adjectives: ANGULAR, AREAL, LINEAR, VOLUMETRIC

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 2, 2025

Are you also playing NYT Strands?

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

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

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands 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.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

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 preferrined pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 2, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 2, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Coming of age

The words are part of a Jewish celebration.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words help celebrate a 13-year-old.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is BarMitzvah.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for September 7

• Barmitzvah

• Torah

• Synagogue

• Rabbi

• Lchaim

• Party

• Thirteen

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

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

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

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

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.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 2, 2025 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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 2, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A vocal range.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter T.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. 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...

TENOR

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 2, 2025

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 today's Wordle.

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Top-tier.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

PRIME

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Getting older.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

AGING

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Upright.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 4 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

STOOD

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To lengthen.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for August 4 Hurdle Word 4 answer

WIDEN

Final Hurdle hint

A bookkeeper

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

CLERK

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

TL;DR: Sterling Stock Picker is an AI-powered stock education tool that helps you invest with confidence, and it’s only $55.19 for life right now.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sterling Stock Picker Sterling Stock Picker: Lifetime Subscription $55.19
$486 Save $430.81 Get Deal

Getting started in the stock market can feel like gambling when you don’t know where to begin. But investing isn’t just about luck. With the right tools, you can reduce risk, make informed decisions, and build a smarter portfolio over time.

Sterling Stock Picker is designed to help you do exactly that. It gives you straightforward, data-driven insights about when to buy, sell, hold, or avoid a stock. Investing in Sterling Stock Picker is pretty easy right now. Instead of costing $486 for a lifetime subscription, it’s only $55.19, but that won’t last much longer.

How to make smart investments

Sterling Stock Picker’s North Star technology simplifies complex market data so you don’t need to be an expert to understand what to do next. You also get support from Finley, an AI-powered financial coach built with OpenAI’s technology. Finley helps you make sense of stock trends, delivers personalized recommendations, and keeps you updated with real-time market analysis.

SEE ALSO: 20 of the best AI courses you can take online for free

If you’re not sure how to build your portfolio, Sterling makes that easy, too. The Done-For-You Portfolio Builder factors in your goals and risk tolerance, then creates a balanced portfolio tailored to you. From there, you’ll receive ongoing suggestions and insights to help keep everything aligned with your investment strategy.

Whether you’re new to investing or want a more efficient way to manage your portfolio, Sterling Stock Picker offers a practical, intelligent solution.

Use code SAVE20 to get a Sterling Stock Picker Lifetime Subscription on sale for only $55.19. Sale ends Sept. 7 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Produce your next nonfiction manuscript with this AI-powered nonfiction book generator; a lifetime subscription to Youbooks is on sale for just $49 (reg. $540).

Opens in a new window Credit: Youbooks Youbooks AI Non-Fiction Book Generator: Lifetime Subscription $49
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Are you someone who always has creative ideas but lacks the know-how to bring them to life? With the help of AI, the time to share your ideas is now. Youbooks is an AI nonfiction book generator that can help craft polished, ready-to-publish non-fiction books. For a limited time, you can grab a lifetime subscription for just $49. 

Break free from writer’s block with Youbooks

Say goodbye to the days of staring at a blinking cursor. It’s time to live guilt-free from daydreaming for too long. Youbooks takes your ideas and turns them into thoughtfully crafted manuscripts up to 300,000 words while keeping your unique voice in mind. Are you a history teacher with a hot take on the Roman Empire, but little time to spare? 

Upload samples of your writing style and any supporting evidence, like research, documents, transcripts, and memos, to inform your soon-to-be book. Youbooks is powered by popular AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Llama to conduct real-time research, ensuring your book is both historically accurate and true to you.

SEE ALSO: Get lifetime access to this incredible AI image generator for under $50

Let’s be clear: Youbooks isn’t just for historians. Do you have an interesting life story? It’s time to turn it into a memoir. Are you a content creator? Create passive income by creating books and guides on your expertise.

No matter your niche, when you have your manuscript in hand, Youbooks grants you full commercial rights. So, set up shop and publish, distribute, and sell your book without looking over your shoulder. With a lifetime subscription, Youbooks lets you crank out as many books as you’d like, surpassing the limitations of other AI writing tools on the market. 

Just know, you’ll only have 150,000 credits to use towards writing and source uploads, but the credits replenish every month! Each credit equals one word or uploaded source word. 

Bring your ideas to life with the help of a lifetime subscription to Youbooks’ AI-Powered Nonfiction Book Generator, now $49 (reg. $540).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Switching to Linux can feel overwhelming, but choosing the right desktop environment makes all the difference. If you want something intuitive, reliable, and welcoming, the Cinnamon desktop environment may be the perfect starting point.

Video games have a long history of referencing, homaging, and sometimes plainly ripping off films. Without the cinematic influences of Scarface, Starship Troopers, and The Matrix, we wouldn't have games like Grand Theft Auto, Halo, and Max Payne.

Even the most devoted comedy nerd may not realize how many truly iconic comedies of past and present might never have existed if it weren't for a single theatrical production. Everything from Only Murders in the Building and Schitt's Creek to SCTV and Saturday Night Live can be linked back to a 1972 Toronto production of Godspell, which boasted such not-yet-famous performers as Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Victor Garber, Andrea Martin, Dave Thomas, Jayne Eastwood, and Paul Shaffer. 

Incredibly, over its much raved about (and protested) 14-month run, not a soul thought to video record this production for posterity. So, 53 years later, documentarian Nick Davis aims to bring us back to this pivotal time and place with the preposterously and perfectly titled You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution, Spread Love & Overalls, and Created a Community That Changed the World (in a Canadian Kind of Way). 

For the sake of brevity (and sanity), we'll refer to the film simply as You Had to Be There going forward. As in, You Had to Be There is so stuffed with interviews with comedy icons, remarkable anecdotes, and cheeky revelations that it's manna from heaven for comedy nerds. 

You Had to Be There has an incredible obstacle and even more incredible interviews. 

With a dismaying dearth of footage of the show itself, Davis instead relies on a two-pronged approach to usher audiences down memory lane for a bevy of comedy legends. First off, he offers interviews with much of the cast from the show's run, including Short, Levy, Thomas, Garber, Martin, Eastwood, Shaffer, Avril Chown, Don Scardino, Valda Aviks, and Rudy Webb. 

Many of them are now in their 70s, and they have the refreshing give-no-fucks air that is perfect for documentaries, looking back with fondness and candor to a time when everything felt possible — and vaguely terrifying because of that. Davis' thoughtful collection of interviews takes us back to 1972 Toronto, where the stuffy culture of the Canadian city was set alight with the arguably sacrilegious clown show that was Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak's Godspell, a musical that depicted the story of Jesus Christ through parables and willfully silly theatrics.  

Short, who laid out a lot of this history in his addictive memoir, I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend, proves an especially great interview, in part because of his lifelong dedication to keeping records of his work. However, You Had to Be There is most fun when the cut leaps from one individual interview to another, creating the sense that we're at a dinner party with some of the coolest people on the planet — recounting a party we weren't invited to. It's enchanting and bittersweet, especially as they talk about those who can't join the fun anymore, like Gilda Radner. 

You Had to Be There is a movie for comedy lovers by comedy lovers, which means Davis won't spend extra screen time reminding audiences who his subjects are, or what they suffered. The expectation is that you know the broad strokes.

Radner's friends remember her, warts and all, but warmly, putting forth chiefly that even when she struggled with disordered eating and terminal cancer, she was a light for all around her. (For more — and and more complicated — stories of Radner, do read Martin's book, as they dated for years and remained close for decades after.) 

For a greater sense of history beyond the personal, Davis invites some famous faces inspired by these groundbreakers for interviews. These talking heads include Lin-Manuel Miranda, Janeane Garofalo, Heidi Garner, and Mike Myers. This works to swiftly pave a path of legacy and brings some added star power without derailing the narrative.

You Had to Be There employs animation to fill the gaps. 

With little footage from the troupe's time in Toronto to pull from, Davis opts for animation in reenactments. This way, the audience won't be distracted by how well other actors are playing or impersonating modern comedy icons. By favoring a style of animation that's reminiscent of '70s cartoons like Schoolhouse Rock! and Scooby-Doo, Davis gifts us visuals that emotionally and artistically tie back to this era and its sense of free-love, optimism, and creative moxie.

Animators thoughtfully recreate the costumes from '72's Godspell, documented in promotional photos, and create caricatures of the twentysomething theater kids. This animation enhances the mischievous tone of many of the interviews. For instance, there's one story about how Levy's chest hair became a problem for producers, who feared a hirsute Jesus would be inappropriate for kids in the audience. (Remember how we noted 1972 Toronto was stuffy?) Well, as Short and Levy set up the story — one giddy, the other wry — the reveal of the compromise is illustrated through the cartoon as a sensationally silly punchline. 

You Had to Be There gets serious, too.

Of course, looking back not only on this production but on 50-some years in show business, not all the stories are funny. Props to Davis, who gives voice to one player in particular, actress/singer Avril Chown. She uses this platform to finally share her story, which includes a harrowing tale of abuse that came after Godspell's cast had taken their final bow. Before she recounts her heartbreaking experience, she asks simply, "How much blood do you want to give for something you love?"

Rather than feeling exploitative or like a tangent, this sequence provides a counterbalance to the more convivial stories of showbiz. Because of course, clowns make us laugh, but sometimes they cry. To show only one side of this would be to sanitize comedians, actors, and performers who built their careers and legacies on taking risks. 

Simply put, You Had to Be There gifts audiences plenty of laughs, and so much more. This is not some fluffy celebration of comedians or even Godspell. Davis and company have come together to craft a documentary that is both informative, historical, entertaining, and deeply humane.

These stars let us into this time of their lives in such a sublimely personal way that by the film's final revelation — a long lost clip of one song's performance —  the audience gasps with excitement — just as its subjects do. The most incredible thing about You Had to Be There is that this film makes you feel like you were there, and these friends are your friends too. 

You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution, Spread Love & Overalls, and Created a Community That Changed the World (in a Canadian Kind of Way) was reviewed out its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. 

It used to be that public Wi-Fi hotspots were few and far between. These days, however, you have to scroll through a list of choices as every store, restaurant, and public restroom offers you "free" Wi-Fi.

AI company Anthropic has agreed to settle a lawsuit from authors. The cost: $1.5 billion.

A judge still needs to approve the settlement, but lawyers representing the group of authors celebrated the major update in the case.

"As best as we can tell, it’s the largest copyright recovery ever," Justin Nelson, a lawyer for the authors, told the Associated Press. "It is the first of its kind in the AI era."

The authors' class-action lawsuit argued that Anthropic took pirated copies of the book to train its AI chatbot, Claude. The lawsuit covered about 500,000 works, meaning the total payout could come in around $3,000 per work, should the settlement be approved.

SEE ALSO: Anthropic let Claude run a shop. Let's just say the AI agent is not a business tycoon.

Aparna Sridhar, Anthropic’s deputy general counsel, emphasized to Ars Technica in a statement that the court found "Anthropic’s approach to training AI models constitutes fair use."

"Today’s settlement, if approved, will resolve the plaintiffs’ remaining legacy claims," Sridhar told Ars. "We remain committed to developing safe AI systems that help people and organizations extend their capabilities, advance scientific discovery and solve complex problems."

Should the settlement ultimately be approved, it could prove to be an important landmark in the fight against AI companies. Many artists, publishers, and creatives have sued AI companies, including famous authors George RR Martin and John Grisham, who, among others, sued OpenAI, claiming it infringed copyrights to train its model.

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

One of the most versatile and popular wallpaper apps ever made is unfortunately only available to Windows users. This has been a sore point for Mac users for a while, and with good reason, given what this app offers in terms of collections and functionality.

When you spend top dollar on a phone, you might reasonably expect that you’re getting all the bells and whistles. That’s not the case. There’s quite a bit now that you’re more likely to find on a budget or mid-range phone than a $1200 flagship.

TL;DR: Live stream Sabalenka vs. Anisimova in the 2025 US Open final for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 US Open finals are finally here, and the first showpiece event looks like a classic.

Sabalenka vs. Anisimova is so difficult to predict. Sabalenka is gunning for her fourth Grand Slam title and second in this tournament. Anisimova is yet to win a Grand Slam, but she has already dispatched the likes of Świątek and Osaka in this year's draw. We're expecting a tense contest between two players who seem to be peaking at just the right time.

If you want to watch Sabalenka vs. Anisimova in the 2025 US Open final for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

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An Amazon-backed AI firm is looking to recreate the lost footage of a Hollywood masterpiece.

The Hollywood Reporter published a detailed look at the efforts from the firm Showrunner to use generative artificial intelligence to reconstruct the missing 43 minutes — footage that was burned by studio execs — from the 1942 Orson Welles film The Magnificent Ambersons.

Wrote the Reporter:

"Showrunner’s endeavor will deploy a fusion of AI and traditional film techniques to reconstruct the lost footage. This includes shooting some sequences with live actors, with plans to use face and pose transfer techniques with AI tools to preserve the likenesses of the original actors in the movie. Extensively archived set photos from the film will serve as the foundation for re-creating the scenes."

Showrunner has said it will not commercialize the end results because it doesn't have the rights to the Welles film. The Welles estate publicly disapproved of the project, while also noting that it does allow the use of AI for voiceover commercial enterprises.

"In general, the estate has embraced AI technology to create a voice model intended to be used for VO work with brands. That said, this attempt to generate publicity on the back of Welles' creative genius is disappointing, especially as we weren't even given the courtesy of a heads up," a spokesperson for the estate told Variety. "While AI is inevitable, it still cannot replace the creative instincts resident in the human mind, which means this effort to make Ambersons whole will be a purely mechanical exercise without any of the uniquely innovative thinking or a creative force like Welles."

The Magnificent Ambersons was Welles' follow-up to Citizen Kane, widely considered one of the best films ever made. An NPR story from 2023 noted that the studio cut Ambersons down from 131 minutes to just 88 minutes, leaving just 13 of 73 total scenes untouched. Those lost minutes have become a focal point for film buffs who wish to see the film as Welles intended.

Now, it seems we may have a version of it — created by AI, not Welles himself.