IT General

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.

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for June 22 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: Seen on CNN, CBS, etc.

• Green: Found in the American founding document

• Blue: Popular series

• Purple: Opposite of right

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: News announcement

• Green: Nouns from a famous line in the Declaration of Independence

• Blue: HBO shows

• Purple: What "Left" might mean

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 #742 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• News announcement: BULLETIN, FLASH, REPORT, WIRE

• Nouns from a famous line in the Declaration of Independence: HAPPINESS, LIBERTY, LIFE, PURSUIT

• HBO shows: ENTOURAGE, EUPHORIA, INSECURE, SUCCESSION

• What "Left" might mean: DEPARTED, PORT, PROGRESSIVE, REMAINING

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 June 22

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

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

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

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 June 22 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 22 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Fragrant abuse

The words are smell-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are ways to describe bad smells.

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 That Stinks

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for June 22

• Foul

• Rank

• Malodorous

• That Stinks

• Reeking

• Pungent

• Smelly

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 the latest Strands.

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

Devotion.

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

PIETY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To snatch.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 22, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

WREST

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A stone.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 22 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 22, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

TOPAZ

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Intoxicated.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for June 22 Hurdle Word 4 answer

DRUNK

Final Hurdle hint

To take.

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

GLEAN

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

VidCon is many things: a networking hub, a fandom free-for-all, a content factory, and the internet’s annual IRL fever dream. Each day brings moments that make you laugh, cringe, take notes or immediately start filming a reaction on TikTok.

This year's VidCon is no exception. Whether it's an appearance from a top-tier creator, a panel quote that instantly enters stan lexicon, or a wholesome fan interaction caught on camera, VidCon 2025 promises to deliver. You can expect creators meeting longtime fans, influencers speaking candidly about life online and brand-building, and more than a few moments that will have the entire Anaheim Convention Center buzzing.

SEE ALSO: What to expect from VidCon 2025

From the convention floor to backstage with your fave creators, Mashable is rounding up what goes down here.

Here’s the tech creators are using at VidCon 2025 

VidCon is an annual gathering for video creators, especially YouTube creators, and this year Mashable joined the fray. Our digital culture and shopping reporters are on the ground at the Anaheim Convention Center to check out the top panels and events — and to talk to as many creators as possible.

So, what's trending among the trendsetters?

We kept our eyes peeled for gadgets, tech accessories, cameras, and cute carry-alls as we roamed the VidCon 2025 convention room floor. Keep an eye on our new In My Bag series for more influencer-approved product recommendations.

Here's a recap of some of the tech products we spotted at VidCon 2025, the simple gear Naomi Hearts uses
to create TikTok magic, and Mikey Angelo’s 3 essential tools for creating viral content. Also, here are the content creation tools creator Nicole Rafiee uses to create content for the chronically online.

VidCon hosts its first Hall of Fame awards with Rhett & Link, Tyler Oakley and more

VidCon 2025's opening ceremony honored trailblazing creators Hank Green, co-founder of VidCon and half of the Vlogbrothers channel; Rhett & Link, hosts of Good Mythical Morning and founders of Mythical Entertainment; Grace Helbig; Tyler Oakley; Joey Graceffa; Rosanna Pansino; and Smosh co-founders Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox.

Mashable reporters were in the room as the Hall of Fame inductees took to the stage to offer thanks and insight to their longevity as creators.

Super keen VidCon attendees chant 'let us in'

Enthusiastic early bird attendees stood outside the Anaheim Convention Center doors on Thursday morning, channelling their eagerness into a simple chant: "Let us in."

Mashable senior culture reporter Christianna Silva captured the moment in a video:

'Hawk Tuah' girl Haliey Welch's live recording of 'Talk Tuah' podcast gets messy

Hailey Welch, better known as 'Hawk Tuah' girl, held a live recording of her podcast Talk Tuah with co-host Chelsea Bradford and guest Whitney Cummings on Thursday night. Unfortunately it quickly devolved, with around half the crowd leaving before the end.

The Aphmau of it all This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. More VidCon highlights from this week

Here's a look at more of what happened and tips creators shared at VidCon Thursday:

• Haliey Welch recorded a live Talk Tuah podcast. It got messy.

• Top creators share their success secrets

• Best moments from VidCon Thursday

• YouTube experts decode the algorithm for you

• How to increase retention on your videos

• Writing a video script for YouTube, TikTok, and more

• 6 ways to measure your metrics as a creator

• Tips to protecting your privacy as a creator

• All of Mashable's coverage so far

Mashable will be live at Anaheim Convention Center this week covering VidCon 2025. Check back in the days ahead at Mashable.com, where we’ll be talking to your favorite creators, covering the latest trends, and sharing how creators are growing their followings, their influence, and making a living online.

You might know Naomi Hearts from her hilarious comedy skits, her mouthwatering food videos, or her head-turning fashion content — but chances are, if you’ve spent any time on social media, you’ve definitely heard of her. With 1.1 million TikTok followers, 116K fans on Instagram, and nearly 5,000 subscribers on YouTube, Hearts has carved out a vibrant corner of the internet all her own, and her audience is nothing short of obsessed.

Now in her fourth year as a Featured Creator at VidCon, Hearts continues to bring her signature sparkle and energy to the convention floor. We caught up with her at Meta Night Out to get a peek behind the curtain and find out what gear she actually uses to keep the content flowing.

Naomi Hearts at Meta Night Out during VidCon 2025. Credit: Mashable A handheld fan Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon JISULIFE Handheld Mini Fan, 3 IN 1 USB Rechargeable Portable Fan $15.29
$17.99 Save $2.70 Shop Now

Let’s face it: VidCon can get hot, in every sense of the word. Like many creators on site, Hearts swears by her trusty handheld fan. "That’s all you need," she says. It’s her secret weapon to stay cool and camera-ready through long days of panels, meet-and-greets, and filming on the go.

Videoleap app

When it comes to editing, Hearts doesn’t mess around. "I use an app called Videoleap," she shares. "I like it more than any other app, personally."

She uses it mainly to cut Instagram Reels and short-form content, but it’s powerful enough for long-form editing, too. For Hearts, it’s all about speed, simplicity, and keeping her edits sharp and scroll-stopping.

An iPhone-only setup Apple iPhone 13 Pro $999.99 at Verizon
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No DSLR. No laptop. No problem.

Hearts shoots and edits everything on her iPhone 13. She says she "never" uses a traditional camera. She prefers the back camera for its higher quality, especially for intros and polished clips, but often switches to the front camera for spontaneous, face-to-face chats with her followers. It's a full-on mobile production studio in the palm of her hand.

Mashable will be live at the Anaheim Convention Center this week, covering VidCon 2025. Check back in the days ahead at Mashable.com, where we’ll be talking to your favorite creators, covering the latest trends, and sharing how creators are growing their followings, their influence, and making a living online.

You've probably heard of Mikey Angelo, the creator with over 7 million followers across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. He's best known for crafting catchy songs that cleverly weave in his deep knowledge of pop culture and current events.

And if you've seen his videos, you’ve definitely noticed the bucket hat. He wears one in nearly every clip — and now has hundreds stacked in his closet.

At VidCon 2025's Meta Night Out, we caught up with Angelo to learn more about the tools he uses to create the content we can’t stop watching.

We chatted with Angelo at VidCon's Meta Night Out in 2025. Credit: Mashable Mini tripod Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon UBeesize Phone Tripod Pro S, Premium Flexible Phone Tripod with Wireless Remote $12.98
$14.99 Save $2.01 Shop Now

Angelo uses a basic tripod he bought off Amazon, but it plays a key role in his workflow, especially when he's on a tight deadline.

"If I'm like 'Oh, no, I have a draft due today that I haven't filmed, and I'm not at my regular place, my [mini tripod] always comes in handy," he said.

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All of Angelo's videos are shot on his iPhone — no fancy camera setup here. And yes, he uses the front-facing camera. "I always use the selfie side," he added.

Logic Pro Apple Logic Pro X (for Mac) $199.99 at Apple App Store
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This is where the magic happens. "I do all of my production in Logic," he said. "That's where I make all the beats and all the music, and I produce my vocals on it, too."

Then, he lip-syncs along with the tune when recording the video. For editing, he turns to the InShot app to pull everything together.

Mashable will be live at the Anaheim Convention Center this week, covering VidCon 2025. Check back in the days ahead at Mashable.com, where we’ll be talking to your favorite creators, covering the latest trends, and sharing how creators are growing their followings, their influence, and making a living online.

Stargate is one of my all-time favorite movies, but somehow I missed the bus on Stargate SG-1 when it originally aired. Now that the show is easily accessible on streaming services, I've slowly worked my way through it—and I've been missing out!

In the digital world, first impressions are everything. If you have a good enough hook in a video, you can increase your audience and draw viewers in right off the bat — but it's not as easy as it looks.

At VidCon 2025, Jason Gandy, a content creator and instructor at Quantum Courses, walked an audience through exactly how to hook viewers in the first three seconds with humor, pacing, and smart edits during the panel "Hook, Line, and LOL: Making the First Three Seconds Count."

Gandy says that a bad hook leads to low view retention, but there are four ways to set up a hook that can draw people in:

1. Bold statement

   Gandy recommends making a "specific and direct" bold statement that "challenges common beliefs, promises value or benefits," and, eventually, your video should back that up. "Open with something shocking or provocative," Gandy said.

2. Ask an intriguing question

   These questions should "spark curiosity and hook viewers into watching the rest of your video to find the answer." They should create an emotional pull for your viewer and hint at the payoff.

3. Humor

   Creators can also "open with a quick, relatable, or unexpected joke," but make sure you keep it short and snappy. You can use gestures and props to add more humor to these first three seconds, too.

4. Storytelling

   Gandy also recommends opening with a "brief narrative or story that captivates emotions, sparks curiosity or relates to your viewer's experiences." If you start with a story, keep in mind that you'll need to keep it short and relatable.

"In order to hook viewers with any of the methods we've discussed so far, you have to use pacing and fast cuts," Gandy said. This "creates an engaging experience" for viewers. Use audio cues like music and sound effects, visual cues like b roll and animations, and tight editing.

Gandy didn't touch on visual hooks, but plenty of users on TikTok have recommendations for exactly how to do that — like pulling your camera out of a drawer, opening it like a book, or grabbing your phone out of a fridge.

To find more examples of good visual hooks, think about the videos that have drawn you in quickly, and study how that creator accomplished that. You can also search "hooks" on TikTok.

Mashable will be live at the Anaheim Convention Center this week, covering VidCon 2025. Check back in the days ahead at Mashable.com, where we’ll be talking to your favorite creators, covering the latest trends, and sharing how creators are growing their followings, their influence, and making a living online.

At VidCon, creator Peet Montzingo was joined by Imani Barbarin, Briel Adams-Wheatley, and Pat Valentine of the Valentine Brothers at the panel, Accessibility for All: Creating Inclusive Spaces Online and IRL.

The panel came together to discuss their experience as creators advocating for disability rights. Pat Valentine makes videos with his brother Zach, who was born with Down syndrome, and represented the duo on the panel, while Imani Barbarin and Briel Wheatley-Adams were able to speak to their own experience.

SEE ALSO: Here are the highlights from VidCon 2025 this week so far

When asked how accessibility overlaps in their personal and professional lives, Barbarin said, "I personally view accessibility as imagination and practice. I think that disabled people are some of the most creative people on the planet, because we have to adapt every single day to our environment."

Valentine noted, "Being accessible as a community and as society is really just honoring voices, listening to disabled people, and including them in everyday life and everyday conversations."

While Wheatley said, "Everyone has a disability, if they want to admit it to themselves or not, whether that's physically, mentally, or emotionally, and we all deserve to be somewhere and everywhere.

The panel's conversation focused on navigating disability in the everyday world, and as Barbarin wisely put it, "the disability math" that is required every day to navigate the world. Much of the dialogue focused on the importance of visibility, noting how the disabled community was institutionalized during the Industrial Revolution, and the importance of listening to disabled voices rather than speaking for them.

As Barbarin put it, "Disabled people are rarely seen as reliable narrators of their own stories and experiences, and so everybody else becomes an authority upon us, and it makes it so much harder to actually advocate for ourselves against the backdrop of a society that has stolen our voices from us."

No Windows experience is complete without occasionally opening the Task Manager to figure out which application is using all of your RAM, or to end a program that has been frozen for ten minutes with no hope in sight. But it isn't even the best tool for the job—there is something else you should be using instead.

Everybody makes mistakes, but not everyone is willing to share them in the way Eric Wei, Devin Lytle, Sidney Raskind, and Evan Britton did at their VidCon 2025 panel called "F*ckups, Fixes, and Lessons Learned."

Lesson 1: Start creating with a clear mind and strategy

Devin Lytle, a creator who grew her YouTube channel to an audience of 179,000 subscribers, opened with a simple piece of advice: "Do not start a YouTube channel when you're depressed." After finding herself burnt out, struggling to find the joy in content creation, and without a clear strategy for her channel, she decided to step away from the front of the camera. " When you're starting a YouTube channel, you need to start off with a strategy. You need to start off with a clear mind and a clear head if you want to have long legs," Lytle said.

SEE ALSO: The 9 tech products you can't escape at VidCon 2025

So, how did she fix it? " I really leaned into producing and directing, and I've never been happier."

Lesson 2: Work smarter, not harder — repurpose content

No longer making content herself, Lytle now works with Sidney Raskind, a short-form creator who posts life hacks. Raskind similarly found himself in a state of burnout. It wasn't because he didn't enjoy the process of creation, but rather that three years of daily uploads left him exhausted and uninspired. Shortly after starting to work with Lytle, he decided to try re-uploading some of his content, a move he'd seen be successful with other creators in the life-hacking niche. " It was absolutely terrifying," Raskind shared.

Wei, Raskin, and Lytle talk their mistakes. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

Yet, he found that his audience didn't mind; one of his most viral videos, which had received about 17 million views upon its first upload, received 15 million more on its re-upload. " I learned how many eyeballs can be on a single piece of content that has never been seen," he said. The experience also gave him the chance to test his content with different captions and posting times to see which garner more engagement.

Lesson 3: Balance creativity with business awareness

Eric Wei, the co-founder of Karat Financial and host of the Karat Podcast, learned in his role as business owner and content creator that the two don't always mix easily. For Wei, though the Karat Podcast focuses on long-form interviews, it is also an extension of his business, Karat Financial. After putting out an episode where one creator was critical of MrBeast, whose companies Wei had been in discussions with for collaboration with Karat, he decided to take the episode down.

SEE ALSO: VidCon Tips: Writing a video script for YouTube, TikTok, and more

While he felt that the podcast was part of a creative endeavor, he also acknowledged the business implications of his decision, saying, " I occupy a role in industry where the podcast I put out can also become an implicit endorsement of what I'm doing, which can also affect the business side."

All three creators talked about the impact of burnout, with Lytle advising the audience not to announce any hiatus they may take.

"Something I like to always tell myself is that the internet is where everyone spends their free time. And so one day they may spend time with you, one day they're gonna spend time with another creator or in another space," she said. "And if you're not there, it's OK. You'll be there next time."

Lesson 4: Let audience behavior guide your direction

Britton, the founder of Famous Birthdays, also shared a piece of advice we've heard throughout VidCon: follow the audience interest. " The best way to see what people want is by seeing what they search for," Britton said.

When he started Famous Birthdays, he imagined people would be interested in finding out A-list celebrities' birthdays, but the on-site search engine showed people were curious about their favorite online creators — people who Britton and his team had never heard of. He was worried about the site losing credibility, but decided to make sure the content of the site catered to the user base. Famous Birthdays didn't become the site he wanted it to initially, but it did become one that garners 30 million monthly users.

When assembling a PC, everyone always thinks about the big three first—the CPU, the GPU, and the motherboard. After that, people tend to piece together the rest, depending on what they want. However, everyone always overlooks one component: the humble sound card.

There are many ways to build a sustainable career as a content creator, but starting off can be really tough. One of the swiftest ways to break into the algorithm is by creating viral content.

The definition of "viral" varies depending on who you ask. For one creator, 100,000 views on a video is viral; for another, virality isn't accessed until the one million viewership threshold is passed. For an individual creator, a good rule of thumb is that a video goes viral when the views on that video is significantly higher than the views on a creator's typical content. Ultimately, viral videos are measured in impact, and there are dozens of ways to measure that, too.

SEE ALSO: 6 ways to measure your metrics as a creator

Creators with viral success often say that making a video reach a new audience is up to luck, and the real work lies in maintaining those views. All the experts agree: You need a good story, you need to lead with curiosity, and you need a solid hook. But here are three tips from three creators who have done the work successfully:

Be consistent

Jenny Solares's first viral video was a song parody. At the time, her video got about 500,000 views, which felt "huge." Now, she has more than 32,000 subscribers on YouTube, 942,000 followers on Instagram, and three million followers on TikTok. Multiple videos have crossed the one million view threshold on TikTok. Her tip for creating viral content? Be yourself and be consistent.

"It's a little tough because sometimes the videos that you expect to go viral don't, and the ones that you least expect to [go viral] do. I would say not to hold back on being yourself fully. Don't be scared to put your full personality into something. And be consistent," she said.

Study the masters

Jenny Hoyos' first viral video was a hack for making a $3 burrito. Now, with 9.15 million subscribers on YouTube, 186,000 followers on TikTok, and 172,000 followers on Instagram, her videos go viral all the time. But she finds that "anything [can be] a viral video." Her biggest recommendation for creating videos that will garner huge views is to "study what other people are doing and twist it."

"Either combine trends or try and put a twist to a trend. If people are doing something in the color blue, try and do it in the color red," she said.

Be yourself

Zay Dante's videos are fun, entertaining, and musical, and they do incredibly well on TikTok. He now has 431,000 subscribers on YouTube, 1.8 million followers on TikTok, and 400,000 followers on Instagram. You might have heard his tip for creating viral content, but he says it bears repeating: "Be yourself."

"I know that is the cliche," he said. "There's never been a better example of being yourself than being online, because everybody that I know, and everybody that you know as well, is trying to feed into an algorithm to a point where it is not natural anymore. Be yourself and do the things that you find funny, not the stuff you find funny because you think it's gonna make you go viral."

I love the idea that my computer is free from spyware, and who doesn't? Who likes the idea of someone stealing their secrets? For me, the benefits of Qubes are indispensable and drastically outweigh its challenges.

VidCon is an annual gathering for video creators, especially YouTube creators, and this year Mashable joined the fray. Our digital culture and shopping reporters are on the ground at the Anaheim Convention Center to check out the top panels and events — and to talk to as many creators as possible.

So, what's trending among the trendsetters?

We kept our eyes peeled for gadgets, tech accessories, cameras, and cute carry-alls as we roamed the VidCon 2025 convention room floor. Keep an eye on our new In My Bag series for more influencer-approved product recommendations.

And in the meantime, here's a recap of all the tech products we spotted at VidCon 2025.

The creator-approved selfie light

Have you heard of the Alix Earle selfie light, or have you been living off the grid? TikTok creator Alix Earle first recommended this simple clip-on camera light in a 2022 video, and it's been an Amazon bestseller ever since. TikTok creator Sa Nguyen told Mashable that she depends on this high-powered LED light to make content for her 4.3 million followers, but you don't need to be a TikTok "it girlie" to benefit from the spotlight.

Plus, it's on sale.

Opens in a new window Credit: Newmowa Newmowa 60 LED High Power Clip-on Light $25.49 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $4.50 Get Deal The vlogger's secret weapon: The DJI Osmo Pocket 3

We first reviewed the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 gimbal camera when it was first released in 2023, and it's still the undefeated champion of gimbal cameras. Any time we attend an event with a lot of influencers, we know we'll see this pocket camera everywhere, and so it was at VidCon 2025. Mashable Shopping Reporter Sam Mangino said she's spotted this popular camera all over the Creator floor, where "folks seem to be using it to vlog on the floor." This 4K camera is small enough to slip in your pocket, yet it can take professional-quality video in vertical and horizontal formats.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Osmo Pocket 3 gimbal camera $799 at Amazon
Shop Now A personal fan

You know what's cute? Ghost lashes. You know what's not? Sweat. And as the world gets warmer, sweat is a very serious problem for folks dedicated to streaming as much of their daily life as possible. As Mashable reporters walked the VidCon 2025 convention floor, one gadget was inescapable: handheld portable fans.

Opens in a new window Credit: Gaiatop Gaiatop personal handheld fan $7.99 at Amazon
$9.99 Save $2 Get Deal Canon PowerShot V10

The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 is a godsend for creators who shoot outdoors and in crowded spaces, but it's also expensive. For creators at VidCon 2025 looking for something more economical, the Canon PowerShot V10 is the weapon of choice. This video camera can stand up by itself at any angle and is compact enough to take anywhere.

Opens in a new window Credit: Canon Canon PowerShot V10 camera $399 at Amazon
$429 Save $30 Get Deal A Sony vlogging camera

It's a tough question for creators: Canon or Sony? Both companies make more-than-capable video cameras for content creators, but creators have told us they enjoy using the Sony ZV-1F Vlog Camera for Content Creators and Vloggers. It has a built-in microphone array with a wind shield, and the Ultra-wide 20mm lens is ideal for filming YouTube videos in particular. If you need a pro-quality vlogging camera for under $500, it's one of the best.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony ZV-1F Vlog Camera for Content Creators and Vloggers $498 at Amazon
Shop Now The editing software of choice? Final Cut Pro

TikTokkers can keep CapCut. At VidCon 2025, it's all about Final Cut Pro. For Apple users who shoot and edit their own content, this Mac video editing software is indispensable. So far, it's the single most-recommended product we've encountered in conversations with creators. A subscription will set you back $299.99, but there is a free trial to test it out.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Final Cut Pro $299.99 at Apple
Free trial available Shop Now A portable hard drive

Creator Nicole Rafiee told us she relies on the SanDisk 1TB Portable SSD to store all her content, and she's not the only one. Not only is this an extremely popular hard drive (Amazon sells more than 8,000 monthly), but you'll also find it in the bags of Mashable's own reporters and editors.

Opens in a new window Credit: SanDisk SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD $99.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $30.00 Get Deal A flexible yet durable tripod

Photographers and videographers love this Joby tripod, and it's been a very common sight on the convention floor at VidCon 2025. (See if you can spot it in our review of the GoPro Hero 13 Black camera.) You can pick it up at Amazon or your photography retailer of choice.

Opens in a new window Credit: Joby JOBY GorillaPod 3K Ballhead Tripod Kit $69.99 at Amazon
Get Deal A professional microphone

Look, we love an adorable little pocket mic as much as the next person. But if you're really trying to succeed as a YouTuber or TikTokker, sometimes you need to upgrade your hustle – and your equipment. Mashable Shopping Reporter Samantha Mangino says she's seen this microphone all over VidCon so far.

Opens in a new window Credit: Rode RODE VideoMic Pro+ Camera-Mount Shotgun Microphone $294 at BH Photo & Video
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Mashable will be live at Anaheim Convention Center this week covering VidCon 2025. Check back in the days ahead at Mashable.com, where we’ll be talking to your favorite creators, covering the latest trends, and sharing how creators are growing their followings, their influence, and making a living online.

Mashable reporters Christianna Silva, Bethany Allard, and Samantha Mangino contributed to this article.

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Microsoft Authenticator, a popular app for generating 2FA codes and storing passwords, has supported password autofill for years. However, that is all going by the wayside. Here's how to save your passwords, and what you can use instead.

To consume the news is no longer a simple matter of opening the newspaper or turning on the television. Now, more than ever, America's number one news source is social media. But in a sea of infographics, how is one to find trusted sources?

V Spehar, perhaps better known by their handle UnderTheDeskNews, provides thorough and informative news in a comforting package.

While V used to take news hits from under the safety of their desk, they've come out from under the desk and are encouraging their audience to do the same. To no longer be scared of the world and instead come out of hiding. As both a journalist and a content creator, V made a promise to their audience to deliver the news in a safe way to protect everyone's emotional health. Nearly five years on the job, they're still holding up their end of the bargain even as the news cycle gets heavier each day. At VidCon 2025, we sat down with V to discuss how they've grown their platform without losing audience trust.

In 2020, V Spehar pivoted from culinary to news content and UnderTheDeskNews was born. Credit: V Spehar / Røde / Mashable I would love to know what freedom content creation has given you as a journalist?

My whole life, I thought that if I could just get this job in the industry, then I'd be set for life, and I'd be comfortable. I'd have achieved something. And when I was the director of impact for the James Beard Foundation, I felt like I had achieved that. But I didn't. When I got the big girl job, I didn't feel super comfortable or taken care of. When I started making content, I had no expectations. I just did it for fun to start off. And now I have actually created the life for myself and the financial structure for myself that no amount of doing it the right way was giving me.

I hear that from many creators. I think content creation gives people a sense of empowerment.

It is just as hard for me to be a content creator and own Spehar Entertainment, which is the LLC that everything goes through. And we chose entertainment, intentionally mocking the Fox Entertainment, because I was afraid to be like, "I'm not gonna establish myself as a media company. That's so scary. I'll just be entertainment." I work just as hard, but I have more control of myself and my time. And I come to find out I love working with people. I don't love being in a corporate structure.

You're an essential news source for so many young people. How does that affect your approach to content creation?

Because I came into this a little bit older, and I had already established successful businesses before, I knew the thing I needed to start with was a promise to the audience — What am I selling? What's the product? And the product and the promise is that I will give you the day's news and events in a kind way from a safe space. I will give you current political topics that center [on] your emotional safety to learn. And that is the north star and the ethos and the boundary and the gutters of every single thing that I make.

I've spoken to a lot of creators about how they feel like it's really important to find a niche. Do you feel like it was that under-the-desk format that gave it a certain angle?

I think that was a visual representation of the promise. And as time went on and I gained their trust. I haven't actually been physically under the desk in over a year because the vibe is still there, the promise is still there, under the desk. It was a mandatory visual representation of what I was promising, and I had to be good on that promise long enough to come out of that box. I still like being under the desk sometimes, and if something's really sad, then we go back under the desk.

When Trump got elected, I said, "OK, I'll do the first 100 days under the desk." And I did, but it was actually making people a little sad, because they were like, "Oh, we're back hiding."

When I started to be out in public, and I started doing speaking gigs or going on TV or doing different stuff, people were really unnerved by me physically standing. It would take them a while to adjust. And so I was like to get everyone used to the fact that I have a full body, and that I could be upright, because even the physical angle is so different. So I'm glad that we have come out from under the desk. There's so much world that we have to visit, and I wouldn't be able to do things like gives speeches in Springfield, Missouri for queer communities that are never seen.

The news cycle is heavy right now. How are you taking care of yourself and avoiding burnout as a creator?

I lean on the other people who are doing incredible news creation. So let's say I don't do breaking news, because Aaron Parnas does it every 15 seconds. There's a skill and a group of people that want that, but I don't feel like I have to compete with that. We know there's a 40 percent crossover between my audience and his, that if they got that story, I'm moving on.

Before Trump was president, I could report on things that were happening, even if they were difficult. For example, the fall of Afghanistan was incredibly difficult, but it was happening, and I could trust that what was being reported from the Pentagon was factual. We could watch it on television or on social media.

Now, I have to hear what the White House or the Pentagon has said, fact-check it against my sources, and then also convince the audience that I am right. For example, when Pete Hegseth said he was sending 700 Marines from Camp Pendleton into Los Angeles, my contact was like, "It's not Camp Pendleton; it's Twentynine Palms, and the civilians may not know, but there's a big difference between Camp Pendleton, which is basic."

We're talking 17, 18, 19-year-olds. And Twentynine Palms, are Marines, who are 22, 23, 24, so they're still young, but they're full Marines. So I was like, OK, I'm like, they're not from Camp Pendleton, they're from Twentynine Palms, so this is what they're trained for, crowd control and riots. And people were like, that's not what Hegseth said. I say I know, but I also know I'm right.

The intent of the Trump administration, oftentimes, is to sow chaos and division and get people all worked up about something so that they can continue to push through with things that aren't happening. So I tend to try to be like, OK, Donald Trump has signed an executive order saying that trans women have to go to male prisons. Well, that's already been challenged, and it's actually already been won in court, and it never happened. So let's be calm on that one.

Do you ever feel tension between you and the audience when they're coming in with a really intense energy of panic, and you have to de-escalate while acknowledging their concerns?

So I have definitely done this more. I think there's like, being a journalist, and then there's being a creator, and creators care for the audience, the emotions, and thoughts. And journalists are supposed not to do that, so it's very tricky to walk that line, so I will give a little bit of both. So something happens, I'll be like, this is actually fucked up. If you feel like it's fucked up, it's because it is. And here's what's likely to come next. And then I can tell the truth that way.

And I have to do that a lot more than I want to, but you do have to do it because this idea of objectivity or just telling the facts, well, they don't provide facts, so you actually have to fill it in with historical evidence. Sometimes I feel like I do more history than telling them what's happening now, so that we're all kind of caught up.

As a creator, what was your experience in gaining a following? Was it one video that really took off, or a slow and steady build?

I started as a culinary creator. So I used to make cheeseburgers, all different kinds of crazy cheeseburgers and stuff you could use from stuff in your pantry.

So I was like doing that, just to try and give myself something to do in the pandemic. And I got a culinary following first. So I was like, food famous, before I switched over to doing the news. I never looked at the follower count. I always looked for return customers. I think I was trained for that from a culinary standpoint. It's like when you look at how many covers you have that night at a restaurant. We got 700 tonight. This is what it means for my staff.

But I'd be like, "Oh, Lisa's gonna be here tonight. I fucking love her". So I treat content like that. I'm always looking for my regulars.

At what point did you decide to cover the news full-time?

When I got laid off from the James Beard Foundation. So I got furloughed first, and so I really thought this dream job that I had achieved and spent so much of my time working towards would come back. And there came a point when I realized it wasn't going to come back. And also, it wasn't the same anymore, either. I had seen too much of how devalued I was to them. And then I was doing consulting work for food. I was working on, like, how we were gonna get veterans meals delivered while they were unhoused during the pandemic.

It wasn't until I actually got asked to be a featured creator at VidCon. I certainly didn't know what a featured creator was, and I didn't have management or anything. I showed up here just to do a panel or something. There were like 70,000 people who came to that first VidCon I attended. And that's when I started to be, like, this is a job, job.

Daniel from Palette Management was at my first VidCon. They were brand new at that time — I don't even know who they had signed. And he was like, "Hi, we were hoping to talk to you."

I was like, Okay. And he's like, "Where's your manager? I was like, "What do you mean?" And he's like, "Are you here alone? Oh God, oh no, don't be alone."

For content creation tools, what are the essentials you're using?

Røde Microphones. And I don't have a partnership. I don't make any money off of it. But I spent so much money on so many different pieces of equipment. So I had all the different types of lights, from the ones that go on your phone to big pancake lights. Now I have a studio light. I have all this stuff. I have all these different things, and I had all these different types of microphones, and the only ones that ever really worked were the like, plug-in earphones

I'll buy a car, but I won't buy, like, a $149 microphone. And Daniel ended up buying them for me with my money. So I started using them, and there was something about the sound quality and the way that it felt, and then I felt like I owed it to the audience to give them that superior sound.

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