IT General

AI doesn’t have the best reputation. From accusations of plagiarism to cheating students, there are plenty of negative headlines when it comes to using AI. However, when used properly, AI can be a beneficial and valuable part of your workflow and can even boost your productivity.

The key is using AI within its limits. A recent Gallup study found that 40 percent of U.S. workers are now using AI tools at work, which means the other 60 percent is at risk of getting left behind. Just look at another recent study, which shows that workers who use AI (within the boundaries of its capabilities) can boost their productivity by upwards of 40 percent, while those who use AI outside of those boundaries reduce their performance by 19 percent. In short, as long as you use AI to help you do your job, you have the opportunity to increase your gains by a hefty amount, but if you let AI take the wheel, it’ll have the opposite effect. 

With all of that in mind, the other important part of using AI to increase your productivity is finding the correct AI tools. Below is a list of tools that can help out in various ways, from creativity to productivity, and many of them come from names you already know. 

AI Chatbots

Let’s get the most obvious tool out of the way first: the humble AI chatbot. You can find these everywhere. ChatGPT is the most famous, along with Google Gemini, Claude, Grok, and many others. They are mostly interchangeable, especially since each new release from each company leapfrogs the competition, until the next update is released. However, the most famous is currently ChatGPT, and there are tons of guides on how to optimize it for your workflow. 

So, what can a chatbot do for you? Loads of things, it turns out. The chatbot itself is basically a giant summary of everything the AI was trained on, so the best use case is asking it questions and getting ideas, suggestions, or answers to those questions. You can also automate AI to perform tasks for you, have it check or assist you in writing computer code, and summarize PDFs. The list is far too long to put here, but if you wanted to get into AI, looking into chatbots is a good first step. 

Most Adobe products have AI built in

Adobe has some of the most popular and powerful creativity apps in this space, and many of them have AI built right in to enhance existing functionality. For example, in Adobe Acrobat, Adobe has put in an AI assistant that you can talk to for help navigating large PDF files. You can ask it questions about the contents, ask it for a summary, or ask it to identify specific details. It not only does these things, but provides citations for them, so you can quickly review the relevant sections yourself to make sure the AI didn’t get it wrong. 

The more creative stuff has AI as well. An example of that is Actions in Photoshop. When you use Actions, Photoshop will use AI to analyze the image and then deliver a list of recommended edits. All you have to do is accept the recommendations, and Photoshop applies them automatically. Photoshop can also use AI to remove objects from images, turning what was once a complicated, multi-step process within Photoshop into something that takes a minute or two. 

Adobe keeps a handy list of all of its AI tools within its apps if you want to see all of the other possibilities. 

Microsoft Copilot

Microsoft Copilot could technically be listed under the AI chatbots above, but we think it’s unique enough to get its own mention. Copilot is built on OpenAI’s GPT models along with Microsoft’s Prometheus. It’s also built directly into Windows PCs, meaning there is no complex download or installation setup. (For once, there's no Apple equivalent to Copilot, which means Windows has the AI edge for the moment.) Plus, it’s nice to be able to use a chatbot without the need for a web browser. So, on the surface, it functions like a chatbot and can be used like one if you wish. 

On top of that, Copilot is also built into various Microsoft apps, just like Adobe does with its apps. It’s built into the Microsoft 365 suite and can interact with many of the apps there. Microsoft is also working on AI agents for PC that will give you the power to do things like asking the AI to change settings or open apps on your behalf. Since this particular AI tool is built into Windows, you might as well give it a try and see if you like it. 

Grammarly helps with your writing

Of all the tools on this list, Grammarly is the one I use the most. I can usually nail my grammar without any help, but I’ve always been iffy on punctuation, and Grammarly has helped with that immensely. This tool has been around for ages, and I generally use it most often as a browser extension. For the most part, Grammarly analyses your writing in real time and then gives you suggestions on how to fix it. Its word replacement suggestions can make your writing a little stiff for my tastes, but I haven’t missed a comma in years, and that’s all I really care about. 

In recent years, Grammarly has also experimented with generative AI. It works mostly like an AI chatbot of sorts. You ask it to help you write a topic and give it some contextual information, and then Grammarly’s bot helps you write something up. You edit it to your tastes and then ship it. This is something the company generally markets to businesses, but it is available for personal use as well. 

Otter.ai

One that you’ll have in almost every professional setting is talking, and a lot of it. Otter.ai helps with this by giving you a quick, easy way to transcribe almost any social interaction in your work environment so you can read back through it later if you need to. Once transcribed, you can ask Otter’s AI chat to summarize or find specific parts for you, making it quite easy to comb through the information to find what you need. 

You can mash the two together with the brand’s AI channels, which lets you ask the AI questions about prior meetings and also with your teammates at the same time, giving you access to both people and transcriptions at the drop of a hat. Between meetings, presentations, and even things like keynote addresses or college lectures over Zoom, there are plenty of ways Otter.ai can be helpful. As a journalist, it's hugely helpful for quickly transcribing conversations, but that's just one of its many use cases.

NotebookLM

Alongside meetings, research is a fact of life for many jobs, and NotebookLM is actually pretty wonderful for this. The idea is pretty simple. You take your sources, be they PDFs, Google Drive links, YouTube videos, or even just pasted text, and you dump them all into NotebookLM. From there, you can ask the AI questions, and it’ll use your sources specifically to find the answers. The AI can go outside of your sources as well, but will tell you when it does. You can even turn everything into a summarized podcast and listen to the information. 

This one is nice because it’s not restricted to a web browser. There are apps available for phones as well, so you can do this on your phone if you’re on the go. Using AI outside of a web browser is a big deal for me, at least, and interacting with it in a native app is much nicer in some cases. If your work requires you to pore through a lot of information, NotebookLM is worth a shot. 

FeedHive

In an increasingly social media-driven world, AI can help you manage that kind of stuff as well. FeedHive is about as good as it gets in this space. On the surface, it’s a social media management platform. You can post from various accounts, manage your DM inbox, schedule posts, and do all of that. That alone is handy for businesses or influencers. However, there are some AI tools included that can help in other ways. 

FeedHive can also view things like analytics to follow post engagement, activity, and more data about each post. It then uses AI to help you plan your posts for when your followers are the most active, along with the right hashtags to help you get the most engagement. There isn’t any data to show how successful this is, but any edge can be helpful when you’re competing against tens, or even hundreds, of millions of people. This one is mostly for business or influencer use, but beginners in this space can definitely use the data to help them.

Remember: Think beyond ChatGPT

There are a ton of other ways to use AI at work, such as generating images or as a companion bot to lift your self-esteem on rough days. While researching this article, we found a surprising number of people who use AI chatbots just to have something to chat with while working from home or studying alone deep into the night. Such interactions can also be helpful, as having something to bounce ideas off of and giving you digital high-fives can help make things feel less lonely and monotonous. 

Whatever AI productivity tools you decide to use, it’s important to make sure that you’re always doing your own work. The Internet has taken a dim view of companies and individuals using AI to create things, and so as long as you do it ethically, you should be okay. 

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

Jeremy Allen White trades The Bear's kitchen for a recording studio in the upcoming Bruce Springsteen biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.

SEE ALSO: 2025 movie preview: All the films you'll want to know about

Written and directed by Scott Cooper, and based on Warren Zanes' book Deliver Me From Nowhere, the film joins a long line of musical biopics. Just last year, we saw Timothée Chalamet earn raves (and an Oscar nomination) for his turn as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, while the novelty of Better Man's CGI chimp version of Robbie Williams put a refreshing spin on the genre. And of course, who could forget Sam Mendes' four upcoming Beatles biopics, starring internet boyfriends Paul Mescal, Harris Dickinson, Barry Keoghan, and Joseph Quinn?

But for now, it's fellow internet boyfriend White's turn in the biopic spotlight. The Emmy and Golden Globe winner portrays Bruce Springsteen during a pivotal moment of his life: the recording of his 1982 Nebraska album, when he was just on the cusp of global superstardom. Springsteen recorded it on a four-track cassette recorder in his New Jersey bedroom, and according to Deliver Me From Nowhere's first trailer, the album presented him with a chance to reckon with his past, including his relationship with his mother and father (Gaby Hoffman and Adolescence's Stephen Graham).

Watch the full trailer above to hear White performing songs from Springsteen's Nebraska, as well as a rousing rendition of Springsteen's eternal classic, "Born to Run." What do you think, does The Bear make a good Boss?

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere also stars Jeremy Strong, Paul Walter, Hauser, Odessa Young, Marc Maron, and David Krumholtz.

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere hits theaters Oct. 24.

SAVE 17%: The Oura Ring Gen3 is on sale at Amazon for $249, down from the standard price listed at Oura of $299. That's a savings of $50 and a sale price that matches the record-low at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Oura Oura Ring Gen3 $249 at Amazon
$299 Save $50 Get Deal

Fitness trackers come in tons of varieties these days. You can grab a smartwatch that tracks your metrics, a smart scale, and even sleep earbuds that offer sleep analysis. But if you're looking for a sleek and discreet fitness tracker, it doesn't get any better than a smart ring — and a top-of-the-line model is on sale today.

As of June 18, the Oura Ring Gen3 is on sale at $249 at Amazon, down from the normal price listed at Oura of $299. That's a 17% discount that saves you $50. This price also matches the record-low price at Amazon.

SEE ALSO: My favorite rowing machine is on sale at Amazon for over $250 off

On Mashable's list of the best smart rings, the Oura Ring 4 takes the top spot. But, as if often the case, the previous version still offers plenty of features while coming in significantly cheaper. Thanks to today's sale price on the Oura Ring Gen3 of $249, you'll save $100 compared to the price of going with the Oura Ring 4. One of the major differences between the two models is the shorter battery life on the Gen3. However, the Gen3 ring is still slated to get about seven days of battery life before you'll need to recharge.

The Oura Ring 3 syncs to the app on your smartphone to deliver health metrics like resting heart rate, heart rate variability, temperature, and your blood oxygen level. Of course, it also tracks fitness and your sleep, giving you better insight into overall health.

If you've been waiting for the Oura Ring Gen3 to dip back to its lowest price ever, today is your lucky day. Snag the smart ring while it's $50 off at Amazon and beat the chaos that'll come with Prime Day.

The best tech deals to shop this week

• Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With MagSafe USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $99.00 (List Price $99.99)

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (Wi-Fi, 40mm, S/M Green) — $199.99 (List Price $299.99)

Netflix's Ginny and Georgia had a rocky start from insensitive jokes about seizures to the infamous "Oppression Olympics" scene and being called out by Taylor Swift. However, two seasons later, Sarah Lampert's series has evolved into a show that, while still delightfully chaotic at times, provides one of television's most authentic and nuanced portrayals of mental health — in particular, depression.

Over its run, Ginny and Georgia has evolved from a mother-daughter dramedy into a powerful vehicle for mental health discourse. The series follows single mother Georgia Miller (Brianne Howey), her biracial teenage daughter Ginny (Antonia Gentry), and son Austin (Diesel La Torraca), who move to the picturesque town of Wellsbury, Massachusetts. Despite her projected positivity, a harsh past shaped Georgia, with the protagonist experiencing childhood sexual abuse, domestic violence, poverty, and teen pregnancy, not to mention sending two of her ex-husbands into the afterlife (one intentionally, one accidentally).

But she'd be damned if she let her children endure any of the same struggles, whatever toll it takes on her own mental health.

SEE ALSO: 6 things teens say they really need for their mental health

Both leading mental health advocacy organisation Mental Health America and registered psychologist Dr. Taji Huang, who specialises in self-harm behaviour, weighed in on every script and episode involving mental health. Through characters like Georgia and Marcus (Felix Mallard) the show portrays the complexities of mental health and debunks stereotypes. It reminds us that everyone can be fighting an invisible battle. Someone's exterior can say they're OK but inside they're begging for support.

Ginny and Georgia Season 2 concluded with Georgia being escorted in handcuffs from her fairytale wedding to the town's mayor, Paul Randolph (Scott Porter), accused of another man's murder — this time, Tom Fuller, Georgia's terminally ill neighbour. And while most episodes of Season 3 focus on Georgia's court case — arguably a weakness for the season — the series takes time to peel back the layers of characters it has spent seasons building.

Ginny and Georgia digs deep into the different experiences of depression Karen LeBlanc as Lynette and Brianne Howey as Georgia Miller. Credit: Courtesy of Netflix

While series like The Fosters, Sex Education, Heartstopper, and Skins have explored teen male anxiety and depression, few shows have dedicated as much screen time to it as Ginny and Georgia through Marcus' character arc. That's despite the crucial reality that 22.3 percent of boys aged between eight and 16 have a probable mental health disorder according to NHS England data. Having confided to Ginny about his depression in Season 2, Marcus continues to navigate it in Season 3, describing his mental state in episode 6: "You can't outrun a shadow, especially when that shadow lives in your head." Ginny and Georgia uses its exploration of teen male depression to challenge stigma around masculinity and mental health, and show the many different faces depression can take. 

Featured Video For You 'Heartstopper’s Joe Locke and Kit Connor talk teenage vulnerability

In Season 3, the spotlight is shared between Marcus and Georgia's experiences with depression, as we uncover more of her past and see beyond her carefully crafted exterior. Through Georgia, Ginny and Georgia demonstrates how mental health challenges don't discriminate based on outward appearance — even the most seemingly unshakeable individuals battle internal demons. British mental health charity Mind found that only 46 percent of women were confident talking about their mental health in comparison to 54 percent of men. Like many characters this season, Georgia's forced to confront difficult truths, including the unhealthy coping mechanisms she's developed to survive — mechanisms that have influenced her parenting. When Georgia learns that Austin witnessed her kill Tom, she spirals. This discovery shatters Georgia's self-justification for her actions as necessary to create a safe life for her children. "I failed. I wanted to give you a good life. I wanted to open every door for you that never opened for me," she tells Ginny. "It wasn't some outside force. It was me. I did it."

Georgia finds the words to describe her experience with suppressed trauma and depression through talking to Marcus about in episode 6, saying. "I haven't felt like this since I was a kid, I'd forgotten. But it's like it had been waiting for me." Specifically, Season 3 explores how intergenerational trauma — the passing down of psychological or emotional trauma — creates a cycle that impacts multiple generations, even when one tries to break free from it. 

Brianne Howey as Georgia and Antonia Gentry as Ginny. Credit: Amanda Matlovich / Netflix

Ginny and Georgia is not the first show to explore this. Shows like Unprisoned examined how trauma flows from parent to child to grandchild, and This Is Us revealed how unprocessed pain can lead to fear-based decisions affecting everyone around you. Pachinko and Dear White People explored intergenerational trauma through the lens of racial identity and the different responses to trauma and survival. These narratives rarely delve so deeply into a young person's perspective despite it being found in a 2015 study that depression rates were 1.7 times higher among the children of women who experienced severe child abuse compared with children of mothers who had not endured such abuse. In Ginny and Georgia, this is explored in the final episode as Ginny tells her mother: “You think it’s all on you. But it’s not. We carry the weight too. We always have.”

Many TV characters only recognise their generational trauma as adults but Ginny and Georgia uniquely shows how trauma manifests in real-time rather than just looking at it from an adult perspective. Georgia's attempts to protect her children often cross their boundaries, betraying their privacy. In Ginny's therapy session in Season 2, she describes her mother as a "force" that leaves her sometimes feeling like there isn’t enough room for her. Georgia's fear of perpetuating the cycle she experienced as a child ultimately does more harm than good. The consequences become clear in Season 3's final episode as Ginny steps into the role of her mother's protector, making choices that sacrifice Austin's mental health and what remains of both of their innocences. 

Ginny and Georgia Season 3 explores therapy further than previous seasons Brianne Howey as Georgia and Antonia Gentry as Ginny. Credit: Amanda Matlovich / Netflix

While therapy was central to Season 2 during Ginny's struggle with self-harm, Season 3 explores what happens when therapy alone isn't sufficient for everyone. Though the show doesn't explicitly name the therapeutic approaches used, traditional talking therapy continues to help Ginny in Season 3 as she applies her coping tools to prevent relapse while dealing with her mother's arrest. 

However, Georgia, initially resistant to any form of therapy, has a pivotal moment during her call to Ginny’s therapist, Dr. Lily (Zarrin Darnell-Martin) when she unknowingly partakes in a level of psychodynamic therapy. In Season 2, Georgia blatantly dismissed therapy, claiming that in the South they "shoot things and eat butter" instead of treating their mental health seriously. Until Season 3, Georgia stands by how "dangerous" she considers the idea of trusting others with personal problems. But as she reflects on her unloving childhood, she becomes more receptive to the idea of therapy. When Dr. Lily tells Georgia that her kids "need you to fix yourself so that you can be what they need," Georgia's agreement marks a crucial shift in her character.

Four in 10 women say they’ve tried counselling at some point in their lives according to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). Georgia's decision to try it represents more than just acceptance — it's an acknowledgment that her self-reliant approach to trauma, while helping her survive, has created new wounds in her children and reopened her own. Georgia's willingness to seek professional help shows she's ready to confront not just her past trauma, but also the ways her coping mechanisms have affected her parenting. Notably, the scene also suggests that perhaps she never rejected therapy on principle, she simply couldn't afford this necessity, both financially and emotionally — mirroring a broader reality for many people. Having spent years stealing and lying just to keep her family afloat, therapy wasn't just emotionally daunting — it was a luxury she couldn't contemplate.

Felix Mallard as Marcus in "Ginny and Georgia." Credit: Amanda Matlovich / Netflix

Within his own storyline, however, Marcus' doesn't see the same improvement going to regular therapy sessions, partaking art therapy in his studio in the Baker family’s garage ,and taking prescribed medication to cope with his depression. It's a condition he describes as like a severed arm, "You can’t see it, it’s invisible. You can’t see the severed arm." Instead, Marcus leans on self medication and substance abuse to cope, a storyline that lingers from Season 2 and eventually sees him being driven by his mother Ellen (Jennifer Robertson) to a rehabilitation centre. Despite the trend feeling otherwise with shows like Euphoria, Everything Now, and Sex Education, according to the Geena Davis Institute, less than 2 percent of young people are shown on TV with mental health issues and only 1.3 percent of prominent characters have an explicit mental health issue.

This elongated, multi-season character arc powerfully challenges the oversimplified narrative that therapy and medication are a quick fix to treating mental illness. Marcus' depression and subsequent alcoholism affect every aspect of his life, from his academic progress to his relationships and his connection with his family. Though his parents initially want to believe therapy, grounding, and summer school will help — wanting to protect both his well-being and his future — Marcus' breakdown after sneaking out to Brodie's party forces them to confront a harder truth. 

Marcus' storyline also demonstrates how his struggles affect not only him but those around him, especially his twin sister, Maxine (Sara Waisglass). In episode 9, arguably the most powerful episode of Season 3, we see Max's difficult position — maintaining her energetic exterior while her own needs are constantly overshadowed by others' crises. Though the episode touches on her potential neurodivergence through behaviors like compulsive light-clicking, it's her revelation about depression that truly resonates: "I understand how he feels because I feel it too, I just hide it better." Max's confession challenges the idea that depression always manifests as visible lethargy or sadness.

Antonia Gentry as Ginny, Sara Waisglass as Maxine, and Tameka Griffiths as Braccia Charles. Credit: Amanda Matlovich / Netflix

While the season emphasises the importance of support networks, Max paradoxically finds herself without support. Like Rue's sister Gia in Euphoria, she becomes a "glass child" — the sibling of someone with a mental illness, whose own struggles remain invisible as they set impossibly high standards for themselves to avoid burdening their already overwhelmed parents. Max’s exuberant personality and role as everyone else's support system mask her own struggles, creating a painful isolation.

Through its third season, Ginny and Georgia's portrayal of mental health continues to break new ground in television. By depicting characters struggling with depression, anxiety, and trauma in authentic ways, the show validates viewers' own experiences and challenges, helping to normalise these struggles and encourage open conversations about mental health. The series demonstrates how television can meaningfully contribute to mental health awareness while remaining entertaining. By showing both the setbacks and small victories in each character's journey, the series sends a powerful message: there's no shame in struggling, no timeline for healing, and no wrong way to ask for help.

Ginny and Georgia is now streaming on Netflix.

If you're feeling suicidal or experiencing a mental health crisis, please talk to somebody. You can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. You can reach the Trans Lifeline by calling 877-565-8860 or the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. Text "START" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET, or email info@nami.org. Here is a list of international resources.

Samsung's upcoming foldable flagships, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7, will include a Google AI Pro subscription and limited access to Veo 3 AI video generation, a new report claims.

Android Authority found some tantalizing clues for this by digging through the code of Google's latest Android app, where Samsung's new foldables are mentioned as eligible for free Google AI offers.

If this really turns out to be a free subscription for buyers of Samsung's new foldables, it'll be a very nice bonus, given that the Google AI Pro subscription costs $19.99 per month. It's unclear how long the free subscription will last, though buyers of the Samsung Galaxy S25 got six months of Gemini Advanced (the former name of Google AI Pro) for free.

Besides being a nice perk, access to Google AI Pro will likely encourage Samsung phone owners to experiment with Google's AI tools. In the case of Google AI Pro, this means access to Gemini's most capable AI model, 2.5 Pro, as well as Veo 3.

Veo 3 is Google's latest AI video generation model, and it's currently the most advanced AI video maker of its kind, delivering both realistic visuals and matching dialogue and sound effects. Per Tech Radar, this deal would give Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 customers free access to Veo 3 Fast as well as Flow, an AI filmmaking tool.

Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7, which are likely coming in July, have been detailed in numerous reports and rumors, giving us a pretty good idea of what the phones will be like. The Galaxy Z Fold 7, in particular, is likely to come with a new, 200-megapixel main camera, a large, 4,400mAh battery, and a thinner, lighter, and a more durable body. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 will reportedly also boast an ultra-thin design and will have a larger cover display and a 4,300mAh battery.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 leak reveals camera and hardware specs, new AI tools

Samsung itself teased an upcoming foldable phone in a press release in June, saying that it will be the "next chapter of Ultra," but the company didn't share any specs or details.

The exact launch date for these phones hasn't been announced yet, but it's probably happening in early July. For reference, Samsung launched its foldable phones on July 10 last year, so we're probably looking at a similar date this year.

SAVE 50%: As of June 18, you can snag a pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds FE true wireless earbuds for just $49.99, down from $99.99, at Woot. That's a 50% discount and a $50 savings. This is also the lowest price we've ever seen these buds go for.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Buds FE True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds $49.99 at Woot
$99.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal

With Prime Day just around the corner, everyone’s been rushing to Amazon to see if they can get their hands on early deals. But, IMO, the best deals you’ll find right now are actually at Woot. Case in point: The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE true wireless earbuds are half off at Woot right now (and they’re still full price at Amazon).

As of June 18, you can snag a pair of Samsung Galaxy Buds FE true wireless earbuds for just $49.99, down from $99.99, at Woot. That's a 50% discount for $50 off. This is also the lowest price we've ever seen these buds go for.

SEE ALSO: Amazon announces Prime Day 2025 dates, and the 4-day rumors are true

If you’d rather shop directly through Samsung, you can trade in an old pair of wireless or wired headphones and get up to $40 trade-in credit toward a new pair of buds.

These earbuds feature voice translation, which instantly translates languages in real-time. You can use it to call someone or while face-to-face. The Active Noise Cancellation blocks out unwanted background noise, so you can stay focused or switch to Ambient Sound mode to hear what's going on around you. You can also adjust the volume, pause audio, and answer calls with just a tap.

The best headphones and speaker deals to shop this week

• Soundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds — $19.98 (List Price $39.99)

• Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones — $59.99

• JBL Flip 6 Portable Bluetooth Speaker — $99.95 (List Price $129.95)

• Bose SoundLink Flex Portable Speaker — $149.00

• Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $228.00 (List Price $348.00)

• JBL Bar 300 5.0ch Compact Soundbar — $249.95 (List Price $399.95)

SAVE UP TO $530: As of June 18, both the 65-inch and 75-inch Amazon Omni QLED 4K Fire TVs are on sale for their lowest prices ever. The 65-inch is down to just $449.99 from $719.99, while the 75-inch is only $569.99 instead of $1,099.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon 65-inch Omni QLED 4K Fire TV $449.99 at Amazon
$719.99 Save $270 Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon 75-inch Omni QLED 4K Fire TV $569.99 at Amazon
$1,099.99 Save $530 Get Deal

Prime Day is on the horizon, officially running from July 8 through 11, but there's no need to wait if you're looking for an epic deal on a big screen TV. Weeks before the big day(s), Amazon's 65-inch and 75-inch Omni QLED 4K Fire TVs are already down to record lows.

As of June 18, the Amazon 65-inch Omni QLED 4K Fire TV is down to just $449.99 from $719.99 and the 75-inch Omni QLED 4K Fire TV is down to just $569.99 from $1,099.99. That's a savings of 38% and 48%, respectively, and the lowest prices on record by a long shot. The only catch? You have to be a Prime member to secure the discount (sign up for a free 30-day trial).

SEE ALSO: Audible's Prime Day deal is live: Get 3 months of Audible Premium Plus for free

Specs-wise, it's no longer the fanciest TV in Amazon's lineup (that title now goes to the Omni Mini-LED), but the Omni QLED 4K TV is still a great budget-friendly TV. "Amazon boosts the visual appeal of its Alexa-centric Fire TV Omni with a brighter QLED panel that offers higher contrast and better color than the outgoing model," our friends at PCMag (also owned by Ziff Davis) wrote in their review of the TV.

It's basically Amazon's dupe of Samsung's The Frame TV, offering an "Ambient Experience" mode that allows you to pull up artwork, photos from your personal library, or a selection of handy Alexa widgets. You know, so your screen isn't just a black rectangle when you're not watching it. Its QLED 4K display also features local dimming, adaptive brightness, and support for Dolby Vision IQ and HDR10+ Adaptive.

Ultimately, it's Amazon's best-looking Fire TV, minus the brand-new (and more expensive) Omni Mini-LED series. And ahead of Prime Day, you can get it for a fraction of its usual price.

The best TV deals to shop this week

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $99.00 (List Price $99.99)

• Amazon Fire TV 4-Series (43 inches, 2024) — $269.99 (List Price $329.99)

• 55-inch Sony Bravia 3 4K LED Smart Google TV (2024 Model) — $698.00

• LG 65-inch Class UR9000 Series 4K Smart TV — $496.99 (List Price $629.99)

• Hisense 85-Inch Class U8 Series Mini-LED ULED 4K UHD Google Smart TV — $1,499.99

SAVE $120: As of June 18, get the Ecovacs Deebot T50 Pro Omni Robot Vacuum and Mop for $679.99, down from its usual price of $799.99. That's a discount of 15%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Ecovacs Deebot T50 Pro Omni Robot Vacuum and Mop $679.99 at Amazon
$799.99 Save $120 Get Deal

There's a better way to clean your home. You don't have to force yourself to vacuum every mess manually. You don't even have to mop if you don't want to — not when robots exist. Robot vacuums and mops are getting better and more affordable all the time, so it might be time to invest in one, especially when you can get a deal like this pre-Prime Day discount.

As of June 18, get the Ecovacs Deebot T50 Pro Omni Robot Vacuum and Mop for $679.99, down from its usual price of $799.99. That's $120 off and a discount of 15%.

SEE ALSO: The best handheld vacuums for tackling pet hair

The Deebot T50 Pro is a slim but powerful robot vacuum and mop that offers 15,000 Pa of suction and edge-to-edge cleaning. It has extendable side brushes in addition to mop heads to make sure you can get every nook and cranny of your home, as well as AI-powered obstacle avoidance so it doesn't get hung up running into a table again and again while cleaning.

It's also super thin at just 3.19 inches, so it barely has a footprint if space is a premium at your home. It can tackle just about any mess on its own as it powers through dirt and debris as well as pet and human hair trapped in your carpet with its ZeroTangle 2.0 setup. It can also switch seamlessly from vacuum to mop and handles all its own maintenance as it empties its dustbin, refills its own water, and auto-dispenses cleaning solution.

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Though 2025 won't mark the return of astronauts into deep space as NASA had hoped, launchpads still will be scorching-hot from a procession of robotic spacecraft attempting to land on the moon. 

How many of these moon landings will succeed? Will the number top the two-ish (one of which made a heckuva comeback) last year? 

Giant commercial rockets, such as SpaceX's Starship and Blue Origin's New Glenn, will likely also have several uncrewed orbital test launches as they iron out the kinks in their hardware. And while people await scientific missions to distant solar system destinations, a few probes will send home close-up pictures of planets as they snag gravitational boosts from flybys. 

Here's a round-up of space missions and cosmic events just around the bend. Bookmark this calendar and look for updates from Mashable throughout the year. 

SEE ALSO: NASA leader doubts Elon Musk will push Trump to axe moon rocket BepiColombo makes final Mercury flyby: Jan. 8

Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, but it's perhaps the most overlooked of the rocky worlds in the solar system. Hot and harder to reach than Saturn, it hasn't enjoyed the level of study that other worlds have.

But BepiColombo, a joint mission of the European and Japanese space agencies, seeks to change that. The spacecraft makes its sixth and final flyby on Jan. 8 before returning to enter orbit around the planet in late 2026. Closest approach will take the spacecraft just 160 miles above the surface of Mercury. Mission controllers will release images of the event on Jan. 9.

Two moon landers on one rocket: Jan. 15

Two small uncrewed spacecraft, one of which is carrying several NASA instruments, will try to land on the moon with a boost from the same rocket. 

Both Firefly Aerospace and Japan's ispace will ride a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket slated to leave Earth as early as 1:11 a.m. ET Jan. 15. Firefly's Blue Ghost lander was originally scheduled to lift off in late 2024, and the launch will mark its maiden voyage. The spacecraft is slated to travel for 45 days before trying to touch down in early March. 

Firefly's flight will be the first Commercial Lunar Payload Services mission of the year. The NASA program has recruited vendors from the private sector to help deliver instruments to the moon and send back crucial data.

Ispace's new Hakuto-R mission will be its second try, after it ran out of fuel and crashed on the lunar surface in April 2023. The Resilience lander is taking a long way to the moon to save on fuel, arriving about four to five months after launch.

Blue Origin's first flight for New Glenn: Jan. 16

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos will soon get a chance to see his giant rocket New Glenn launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida. 

His aerospace company Blue Origin started a countdown on Jan. 13, but launch controllers waved off the opportunity when a technical issue arose. The company will try again no earlier than Jan. 16, targeting a three-hour launch window that opens at 1 a.m. ET.

Blue Origin's goal is to reach orbit, and the company will also try to land its booster on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean so that it can be reused on future flights, though executives admit doing so would be "ambitious" on the first try. 

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. SpaceX tests upgraded Starship: Jan. 16

SpaceX is preparing to launch another uncrewed Starship test, this time with an upgraded spacecraft and 10 mock satellites to practice a payload deployment in space. 

This SpaceX launch would mark the seventh Starship test and feature a reused engine from the booster returned from the fifth test. Weather-related postponements have made it possible that Starship and Blue Origin's New Glenn will lift off for these tests on the same day. Starship's one-hour launch window opens at 4:00 p.m. CT.

NASA moon rover and orbiter delivery: Feb. 26

Intuitive Machines made history last year as the first company to reach the moon intact — though its lander, Odysseus, broke a landing leg and touched down tilted. 

The Houston-based company is now gearing up for a second moon landing — this time with the Athena lander. The mission, referred to as IM-2 or PRIME-1, will carry a NASA rover. The spacecraft will test a drill and mass spectrometer, a device that identifies the kinds of particles in a substance. Liftoff is targeted for a four-day launch window that opens no earlier than 7:02 p.m. ET Feb. 26.

Another spacecraft, NASA's Lunar Trailblazer, will also hitch a ride on this flight. The small satellite will orbit the moon to map out the locations of lunar water. 

Europa Clipper flies by Mars: March 1

After a successful October 2024 launch, the Europa Clipper spacecraft has been hurtling through space. It's on schedule to make its first flyby of Mars on March 1, where it will get a gravity assist to continue its journey. Its closest approach to the Red Planet is expected at 12:57 p.m. ET, when it will zip 550 miles above the Martian surface. The probe won't arrive at Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, for its mission until 2030. 

Scientists are intrigued by Europa because they believe it could hold double the water held by Earth's oceans. Could this small world in the outer solar system have conditions capable of supporting life? If NASA finds that Europa is a habitable place, a second Europa mission could return to determine if there are indeed any inhabitants. 

Firefly attempts moon landing: March 2 This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Following a successful launch in January, Firefly Aerospace will target a robotic landing in the Mare Crisium region of the moon, an ancient hardened lava flow, no earlier than 2:34 a.m. CT on March 2. Prior to descent onto the surface, NASA and Firefly intend to broadcast commentary, starting at 1:20 a.m. CT that morning. However, the broadcast will not include a live video stream of the spacecraft.

"Our available bandwidth will be dedicated to critical descent operations during landing," Firefly officials said on X, formerly called Twitter. 

Landing on the moon remains onerous. The moon's exosphere provides virtually no drag to slow a spacecraft down as it approaches the ground. Furthermore, there are no GPS systems on the moon to help guide a craft to its landing spot.

Blue Ghost shared a ride on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Japanese company ispace, which will try to land on the moon after a failed attempt in 2023. Its Resilience lander is taking a longer route than Blue Ghost to save on fuel, arriving in May or June. 

Intuitive Machines attempts moon landing: March 6

On the heels of Firefly Aerospace's moon landing attempt, competitor space company Intuitive Machines will try to touch down just four days later.

The landing is slated for 11:32 a.m. CT on March 6. Intuitive Machines will provide live event coverage, starting at 10:30 a.m. CT / 11:30 a.m. ET. The company's lander, Athena, will attempt to descend on Mons Mouton, a plateau at the moon's south pole. Before landing, the spacecraft is expected to orbit the moon for about one week.

SpaceX tests Starship following explosion: March 6

Coming off the heels of a Starship test that ended in an explosion and a scrubbed launch on March 3, SpaceX will try to fly the rocket and empty spacecraft again as early as 5:30 p.m. CT March 6. 

The upcoming launch will be the eighth for Starship and feature several hardware changes following January's mishap. During the previous test, two flashes occurred near one of the ship's engines shortly after booster separation. A post-flight investigation determined that strong vibrations led to fuel leaks that were too much for the ship's vents to handle, leading to fires that eventually triggered the flight termination system. 

Launch of new astrophysics observatory: March 11 This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

NASA intends to launch an astrophysics observatory to create a map of the entire sky in 3D. The mission, SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer), will orbit Earth while studying hundreds of millions of stars and galaxies, showing them in 102 invisible "colors." 

One of the main goals of the mission is to learn more about cosmic inflation, a brief but crucial phase of the Big Bang that contributed to the universe's expansion. It will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California as early as 11:10 p.m. ET on March 11. Live launch coverage will begin at 10:15 p.m. ET. NASA’s PUNCH (Polarimeter to Unify the Corona and Heliosphere) probe is hitching a ride on the same rocket and will be the first to image the sun’s corona and solar wind together to better understand them as a connected system.  

European spacecraft Hera flies by Mars: March 12

Back in 2022, NASA deliberately crashed a spacecraft into a harmless asteroid to practice thwarting a space rock, should a hazardous one ever be on a collision course with Earth.

The European Space Agency is providing a follow-up to that test, known as Hera. The mission's spacecraft launched in October 2024 and will rendezvous with Dimorphos, the slammed asteroid, in 2026. But this March, it will also have a quick pop-in with Mars, closest approach at 7:51 a.m. ET, and one of the Red Planet's two moons, Deimos. Mission controllers will use the opportunity to collect data on the Martian moon. The agency plans to host a webcast image release from the flyby at 6:50 a.m. ET the next day, March 13.

Boeing astronaut crew returns home: March 18

Two astronauts whose eight-day visit to the International Space Station turned into a more than eight-month layover are expected to return to Earth in March. 

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have been waiting for their ride since the space agency decided not to send them home on the spaceship they rode in on. That test vehicle, Boeing's Starliner, landed empty without any problems, but NASA hadn't wanted to risk it after the capsule experienced propulsion issues in space. 

The pair was supposed to return in a SpaceX Dragon capsule in February, but NASA announced at the end of 2024 that the flight would likely be pushed back to March. Wilmore and Williams, who were integrated into Crew-9, will fly back to Earth after the next crew arrives at the space station, allowing for a brief hand-off period. Crew-10 launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on March 14. Due to weather concerns later in the week, NASA has decided to move up the Crew-9 return. Their spaceship is expected to undock at 1:05 a.m. ET on March 18. A splashdown landing would follow at about 5:57 p.m. ET that evening.

Katy Perry and others head to space: April 14

Blue Origin will send an all-female crew to the edge of space in its next civilian astronaut mission. The flight will be the eleventh carrying passengers on the New Shepard rocket to the Kármán line, where Earth's atmosphere and outer space meet.

Katy Perry, CBS Mornings' Gayle King, and Jeff Bezos' fiancée Lauren Sánchez will join former NASA rocket scientist Aisha Bowe, bioastronautics scientist and social activist Amanda Nguyen, and fashion designer-turned-film producer Kerianne Flynn on the trip. The NS-31 mission will target liftoff from the company's private West Texas launch pad at 8:30 a.m. CT / 9:30 a.m. ET on April 14. Check back here for details about the webcast as the launch approaches. 

Lucy spacecraft flies by asteroid: April 20 This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

NASA launched the Lucy spacecraft on a grand 12-year asteroid tour last fall with plans to fly by several space rocks that share Jupiter’s orbit. On April 20, Lucy will encounter a small main-belt asteroid, Donaldjohanson, as a sort of test sequence before it visits seven Trojan asteroids. The asteroid, called DJ for short, is only 2.5 miles wide, with an extremely slow rotation that takes more than 10 days to complete. 

Peak of Lyrids meteor shower: April 21-22

Meteor showers happen every year or at regular intervals as Earth passes through the dusty wake of previous comets. Each time a comet zips through the inner solar system, the sun boils off some of its surface, leaving behind a trail of debris. When the planet intersects with the old comet detritus, the result can be a spectacular show, with sometimes up to hundreds of meteors visible per hour. The debris that creates the Lyrid meteor shower originates from comet Thatcher. The Lyrids, best viewed from the Northern Hemisphere, will be active from April 17 to 26.

Peak of Eta Aquariids meteor shower: May 3-4

The Eta Aquariids meteor shower, best viewed from the southern tropics, produces strong "persistent trains" of shooting stars. The shower is the first of two each year created by Halley's Comet debris. The celestial event will be active from April 20 to May 21.

SpaceX's third Starship test of 2025: May 27

The upcoming launch will be the ninth for Starship and feature several hardware changes following two earlier mishaps this year. SpaceX intends to use a recycled booster for the first time and test releasing mock satellites into space. The company also wants to test the spacecraft’s heat shield during a fiery reentry into Earth's atmosphere.

Japanese company tries moon landing: June 5 This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

After a failed attempt in April 2023, Japan's ispace will try to land an uncrewed robotic spacecraft on the moon and deliver a rover to its surface. 

The Hakuto-R mission is gearing up for a landing near the center of Mare Frigoris at 3:17 p.m. ET on June 5 (It will be June 6 for Japan). Livestream coverage will begin about one hour earlier, at 2:10 p.m. ET, with English translation. If conditions change, the company has identified three other potential sites for its lander, dubbed Resilience. The alternative locations have different landing dates and times. 

Private astronauts fly to ISS: June 22

Four private astronauts will launch to the International Space Station for Axiom Space's fourth mission. The flight will lift off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, as early as June 22, though the company and NASA have not provided a time. Axiom plans to provide a live launch broadcast on axiom.space/live.

The partners delayed the mission on June 12, after NASA said it was working with Roscosmos to better understand leaks in the Russian segment of the ISS. SpaceX has also repaired a liquid oxygen leak discovered in the Falcon 9 rocket expected to take them there.

Axiom has said this mission will consist of about 60 scientific studies on the effects of spaceflight on the body and how to improve health and medical treatments on Earth. When the company flew its first private mission in 2022, it redefined the word "astronaut." For decades, that title was reserved for government space pilots and crew. More recently, uber-rich space tourists earned the distinction by breaching Earth's atmosphere. But with Axiom's private mission came a third possible description: Someone privately trained and sent into space to perform commercial scientific research. Axiom crews receive 750 to over 1,000 hours of training. 

Peak of Delta Aquariids meteor shower: July 29-30

The Delta Aquariids are another shower best observed from the southern tropics. Conditions will be favorable for viewing meteors in the morning. Astronomers suspect the interacting debris causing the event came from the strange Comet Machholz. The event will be active from July 18 to Aug. 12. 

Peak of Perseids meteor shower: Aug. 12-13 Perseids meteors streak across the sky over Bishop, California, in 2024. Credit: NASA / Preston Dyches

The popular Perseids, made up of remnants of comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, is usually a spectacular show for the Northern Hemisphere. The meteor shower is active from July 17 to Aug. 23. But don't get your hopes up this year: Experts say the waning gibbous moon, more than 80 percent full, will allow only the brightest meteors to be seen. 

Europe's Juice spacecraft flies by Venus: Aug. 31

The European Space Agency's so-called Juice mission is scheduled to fly by Venus on Aug. 31, though exact times and distances will be determined closer to the event. "Juice" is a wonky acronym for Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer.

The mission will study Jupiter's moons, including Europa, Callisto, and particularly Ganymede. These moons have intrigued scientists for years because they're thought to have liquid oceans trapped beneath icy shells. Before reaching Jupiter, the spacecraft will make flybys of Earth and Venus to get enough energy to slingshot to the outer solar system, reaching Jupiter in 2031.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Astrobotic attempts moon landing, again: fall

Astrobotic Technologies tried to become the first commercial company to land on the moon last year, but it lost its chance just a few hours into the flight because of a fuel leak. The company will try again this fall with its Griffin lander. 

Originally, this mission was supposed to carry a NASA rover to drill for ice at the lunar south pole. But VIPER — short for Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover — was canceled due to cost overruns. Griffin will still launch without the rover as a flight demonstration of the lander and engines.

Peak of Orionid meteor shower: Oct. 22-23

The Orionids meteor shower marks the return of activity caused by Halley's Comet debris. In recent years, the displays have been pretty lackluster, but a waning crescent moon rising near dawn means moonlight won't obscure the shower in 2025. The celestial event will run from Oct. 2 to Nov. 12.

Peak of Southern Taurids meteor shower: Nov. 3-4

The Southern Taurids make up a complex meteor shower. Usually, the displays are weak, but Taurid meteors are more numerous sometimes. Known as a "swarm year," 2025's event could offer more fireballs as Earth plows through a group of pebble-sized fragments from the Comet Encke. But given the moon's phase, there's a good chance moonlight will interfere with viewing most Taurids. Activity will go from Oct. 13 to Nov. 27. 

A Dream Chaser spaceplane, Tenacity, is expected to launch to the International Space Station in 2025. Credit: Sierra Space Peak of the Leonids meteor shower: Nov. 16-17

The Leonids are some of the fastest-moving meteors, traveling up to 44 miles per second. The debris that causes the show comes from Comet Tempel-Tuttle, but the displays are usually pretty weak. The exceptions are years when the showers become so-called "meteor storms," but that won't likely happen again until perhaps 2035. The shower will be active from Nov. 3 to Dec. 2. 

Peak of Geminids meteor shower: Dec. 12-13

Widely regarded as the best meteor shower of the year, the Geminids can be seen from most any part of the world, especially the Northern Hemisphere. The Geminids are denser meteors, allowing stargazers to see them as low as 29 miles above ground before the cosmic dust burns up. The shower will be active between Dec. 1 and 21.

This year the moon will have a waning crescent phase, which rises around 2 a.m. local time. Prior to that, views should be moon-free. You could glimpse bright meteors by facing a direction with the moon at your back, according to the American Meteor Society.

Peak of Ursids meteor shower: Dec. 21-22

The Ursid meteors are caused by debris from Tuttle's Comet, which orbits every 13 years. This shower, often overlooked because of its close timing to Christmas, can only be observed in the Northern Hemisphere. Because of a new moon at the shower's peak, moonlight won't interfere with the show. The event will be active from Dec. 16 to 26. 

Other possible missions in 2025

• A NASA-funded science mission seeks to get to the bottom of how solar radiation strips away the tattered Martian atmosphere. Called Escapade, the mission will involve two Mars orbiters built by Rocket Lab. The flight was previously scheduled for October aboard Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket, but the inaugural flight was delayed. NASA and Blue Origin are now in talks for a new launch date for that mission in 2025.

• Sierra Space has been working on a spacecraft with the nostalgia of NASA's space shuttle program. Dream Chaser, a cargo space plane capable of runway landings, is set to launch for the first time to the ISS for a resupply mission sometime this year. 

• Following Intuitive Machines' second mission in early 2025, the company will shoot for another later in 2025 or early in 2026. If successful, the lunar landing mission, IM-3 or PRISM, will deploy rovers and study a so-called "lunar swirl."

• NASA is teaming up with India's space agency on a mission to study Earth's land and ice, involving the NISAR satellite, which will scan all of the planet's surfaces twice every 12 days to measure changes. The satellite will launch from the Indian Space Research Organisation's space port, the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, on India's southeastern coast. It was supposed to liftoff this spring, but neither agency has provided an update on the mission's status.

SAVE 66%: As of June 18, you can get the Bose 550 Dolby Atmos WiFi Bluetooth Soundbar (certified refurbished) for just $169.99, down from $499, at Woot. That's a 66% discount and a $329.01 savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose 550 Dolby Atmos WiFi Bluetooth Soundbar (Certified Refurbished) $169.99 at Woot
$499 Save $329.01 Get Deal

Investing in a soundbar is a big decision. They aren't cheap, and you want to make sure it's compatible with all your other devices. Although I’ve found several deals on Amazon Fire TV soundbars, I’ve been holding out for a discount on a Bose, Sonos, or Sony product, in particular. Today, my patience finally paid off; Woot just dropped a major deal.

As of June 18, you can get the Bose 550 Dolby Atmos WiFi Bluetooth Soundbar (certified refurbished) for just $169.99, down from $499, at Woot. That's a 66% discount and $329.01 in savings. And don't let "refurbished" scare you — certified refurbished items are typically tested thoroughly and come with a warranty, making them a smart way to save. Yes, it’s a 2023 soundbar — but for less than $200, it's hard to complain.

SEE ALSO: Amazon announces Prime Day 2025 dates, and the 4-day rumors are true

The 550 is compact, but still delivers that signature Bose sound quality. It features Dolby Atmos technology for immersive, realistic sound, and built-in WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, so you can easily stream your favorite songs or podcasts. AirPlay 2, Chromecast, and Spotify Connect are also supported. And with SimpleSync, you can pair the soundbar with compatible Bose headphones or speakers for a true surround sound experience.

If you're looking to seriously upgrade your TV's audio without breaking the bank, this is a deal to jump on.

The best headphones and speaker deals to shop this week

• Soundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds — $19.98 (List Price $39.99)

• Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones — $59.99

• JBL Flip 6 Portable Bluetooth Speaker — $99.95 (List Price $129.95)

• Bose SoundLink Flex Portable Speaker — $149.00

• Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $228.00 (List Price $348.00)

• JBL Bar 300 5.0ch Compact Soundbar — $249.95 (List Price $399.95)

SAVE $550: For a limited time, the DJI Power 1000 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $449, down from the list price of $999. That's a 55% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Power 1000 portable power station $449 at Amazon
$999 Save $550 Get Deal

We have to wait a few more weeks to shop epic deals during Amazon Prime Day, but that doesn't mean the deals are on pause. That's especially true if you happen to go camping or live in an area that's prone to power outages. If that's the case, Amazon has a pre-Prime Day treat for you.

As of June 18, the DJI Power 1000 portable power station is on sale for $449 at Amazon, marked down from the usual price of $999. That works out to a 55% discount that shaves a massive $550 off the portable power station. But you'll want to hurry because this is an Amazon lightning deal, which means they'll only offer this sale price for a specific number of units. Today's deal also beats the sale price we spotted last week by $100.

You know them as one of the best drone brands, but DJI also makes one heck of a portable power station. The DJI Power 1000 doesn't mess around with performance thanks to its 1024Wh power supply with plenty of charging outlet options. That means you'll be in good shape for recharging phones when camping, keeping the refrigerator going during a power outage, or using the skill saw in the backyard.

Since the DJI Power 1000 weighs about 32 pounds, DJI included ergonomic carrying handles on both sides. In a pinch, you could even use the portable power station to do weighted squats while camping.

SEE ALSO: The Anker Solix C1000 portable power station is down to under $450 at Amazon

If you wind up in a power outage situation at home, the DJI Power 1000 is optimal for keeping a lamp on in the living room as well as the refrigerator chilling this week's grocery haul. It'll also mean you can still get quality sleep if you use a CPAP. Operating at just 23 decibels, the DJI Power 1000 is designed to be quiet enough to use while sleeping.

When it comes time to recharge the DJI Power 1000 portable power station, expect to get a full recharge in 70 minutes or 80 minutes if you've utilized the option to recharge via a solar panel.

Rather than watching your cell phone battery tick down to 1%, take the DJI Power 1000 portable power station on your next camping trip. While it's on a lightning deal at Amazon, the power station is down to only $449, which takes a whopping $550 off the normal price. Plus, it'll be useful year-round if your home tends to lose power.

The best tech deals to shop this week

• Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With MagSafe USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $99.00 (List Price $99.99)

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (Wi-Fi, 40mm, S/M Green) — $199.99 (List Price $299.99)

It’s not every day we get to see a visual of the entire Sculptor Galaxy, located approximately 10-11 million light-years from Earth, in all its kaleidoscopic splendour.

Luckily for us, astronomers have created a magnificent visual map of the spiral galaxy, also known as NGC 253, using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope (ESO’s VLT) located in Chile. In a new study published in Astronomy and Astrophysics, researchers used the Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) instrument on the telescope to valiantly observe the Sculptor Galaxy for 50 hours. Then, they merged 100 images into one dazzling map.

SEE ALSO: Scientists spotted a giant comet spewing gas 2 billion miles from sun

ESO researcher Enrico Congiu led the study alongside Kathryn Kreckel and Fabian Scheuermann from Heidelberg University, Adam Leroy from Ohio State University, and a large team of researchers from all over the globe. In a statement, Congiu explained why the 65,000 light-years-wide system is so visually appealing to astronomers despite being a challenging task.

"The Sculptor Galaxy is in a sweet spot," Congiu said. "It is close enough that we can resolve its internal structure and study its building blocks with incredible detail, but at the same time, big enough that we can still see it as a whole system."

Alright, let's get to the good stuff. Here's one of the research team's images of the Sculptor Galaxy — and it's undeniably spectacular. "Regions of pink light are spread throughout this whole galactic snapshot, which come from ionised hydrogen in star-forming regions," reads the study image description. "These areas have been overlaid on a map of already formed stars in Sculptor to create the mix of pinks and blues seen here."

An image of the Sculptor Galaxy created using images from the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope. Credit: ESO / E. Congiu et al.

Here's another image from study, described by the research team as a "false-colour composition [that] shows specific wavelengths of light released by hydrogen, nitrogen, sulphur and oxygen. These elements exist in gas form all over the galaxy, but the mechanisms causing this gas to glow can vary throughout the galaxy. The pink light represents gas excited by the radiation of newborn stars, while the cone of whiter light at the centre is caused by an outflow of gas from the black hole at the galaxy’s core."

An image of the Sculptor Galaxy created using images from the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope. Credit: ESO / E. Congiu et al.

The Sculptor Galaxy map contains thousands of colours, a spectrum of which, the researchers explain, can help astronomers understand the system's components (known as planetary nebulae) like specific regions of dust and gas and how they all move within the galaxy. With such detailed imagery, researchers can get up really close, even to observe individual stars. "We can zoom in to study individual regions where stars form at nearly the scale of individual stars, but we can also zoom out to study the galaxy as a whole," said Kreckel in a statement.

Why is it important to identify these unique components? "Finding the planetary nebulae allows us to verify the distance to the galaxy — a critical piece of information on which the rest of the studies of the galaxy depend,” said Leroy in a statement.

There's also another image produced in the study, a more distant image of the Sculptor Galaxy, one the researchers described as a "colour composite made from exposures from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2). The field of view is approximately 3.7 x 3.6 degrees."

A colour composite made from exposures from the Digitized Sky Survey 2 (DSS2). Credit: ESO / Digitized Sky Survey 2 / Davide De Martin

Astronomers spend hours observing galactic entities like this so we're rewarded with such pretty pictures — and Mashable's science team has you covered.

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

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

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

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

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Wednesday, June 18, 2025:

AcrossHit the stores

• The answer is Shop.

Cross one's fingers

• The answer is Hope.

Here's a thought!

• The answer is Brain.

Old episode

• The answer is Rerun.

Request for a follow on social media

• The answer is AddMe.

DownTear to pieces

• The answer is Shred.

Be bad at throwing things away

• The answer is Hoard.

Drug referenced by the magic poppy field in "The Wizard of Oz"

• The answer is Opium.

Tubular pasta

• The answer is Penne.

Its sizes are measured in cups

• The answer is Bra.

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

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

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

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

TL;DR: Watch Rune vs. McDonald in the 2025 Queen's Club Championships for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Wimbledon is fast approaching, so the best players are busy preparing for the grass season at the historic Queen’s Club. There are a number of top players competing at the in the 2025 Queen's Club Championships, including Holger Rune. The talented Dane takes on Mackenzie McDonald for a place in the quarter finals.

If you want to watch Rune vs. McDonald in the 2025 Queen's Club Championships for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Rune vs. McDonald for free

Rune vs. McDonald in the 2025 Queen's Club Championships is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

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

Live stream the 2025 Queen's Club Championships 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 the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Watch Rune vs. McDonald for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (including money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Rune vs. McDonald without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the 2025 Queen's Club Championships before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to the best free streaming sites 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 BBC iPlayer?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is 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 only $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream Rune vs. McDonald in the 2025 Queen's Club Championships for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Popyrin vs. Draper in the 2025 Queen's Club Championships for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Wimbledon is just around the corner, so the best players are busy preparing for the grass season at the historic Queen’s Club. A number of top players are progressing well in the men's draw, and Popyrin vs. Draper is a particularly interesting matchup.

If you want to watch Popyrin vs. Draper in the 2025 Queen's Club Championships for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Popyrin vs. Draper for free

Popyrin vs. Draper in the 2025 Queen's Club Championships is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

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

Live stream the 2025 Queen's Club Championships 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 the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Watch Popyrin vs. Draper for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (including money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Popyrin vs. Draper without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the 2025 Queen's Club Championships before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to the best free streaming sites 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 BBC iPlayer?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is 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 only $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream Popyrin vs. Draper in the 2025 Queen's Club Championships for free with ExpressVPN.

SAVE $30: As of June 18, Apple AirPods 4 (without ANC) are on sale for $99 at Amazon. That's 23% off their list price of $129 and marks a return to their lowest-ever price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 $99 at Amazon
$129 Save $30 Get Deal

Prime Day is coming up soon, and if you're itching to pick up some new Apple tech during the four-day-long sale event, the good news is you actually don't have to wait for the start day. There are already some great deals available at the retailer, including on AirPods 4 (without Active Noise Cancelation) which are back to their lowest-ever price right now.

AirPods 4 (without ANC) are marked down to $99 at Amazon. This is a 23% discount from their list price of $129 and marks a return to their lowest-ever price according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. If they've been on your radar, now is a great time to pick them up ahead of Prime Day.

SEE ALSO: Are you 18-24? Get 6 months of Amazon Prime for free ahead of Prime Day.

AirPods 4 boast excellent sound quality so you can enjoy your favorite songs, podcasts, and audiobooks all summer long. They also have Personalized Spatial Audio that surrounds you in the sounds you're listening to, and you'll be able to listen for hours thanks to a battery life of up to five hours. You can even push it to up to 30 hours of listening time when using the charging case.

Considering they're at their lowest-ever price, there's no better time than now to pick up the AirPods 4 (without ANC). Don't miss out on this great deal right now at Amazon.

This year's Prime Day sale is a four-day-long event running from July 8-11. If you're not yet a Prime Member but want to join in on the fun, have a look at our guide on how to sign up for Amazon Prime ahead of Prime Day.

The best early Prime Day deals, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

• Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With MagSafe USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $99.00 (List Price $99.99)

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (Wi-Fi, 40mm, S/M Green) — $199.99 (List Price $299.99)

Jon Stewart's interview with the winner of the recent Pedro Pascal lookalike contest in NYC isn't like any regular interview, because it turns out the two already know each other — the contest winner, George Gountas, actually works on The Daily Show as a lighting designer.

In the clip above, Gountas describes how he came to be in the contest — someone at work told him about it, and then his wife encouraged him — before addressing Materialists star Pascal himself directly through the camera lens with a special request.

"Hey Pedro. This is Pedro #5 from New York. It would be a great, great, great gift if you could meet my wife Jenny. It would mean the world to her. We need to make this happen."

Stewart's response? "I don't see how Pedro #1 could turn down Pedro #5."

SAVE OVER $200: As of June 18, the Philips 4400 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine is on sale for $799.98 at Amazon. That's 20% off its list price of $999.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Philips Philips 4400 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine $799.98 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $200.01 Get Deal

Amazon Prime Day is right around the corner, but thankfully, you don't have to wait for the sale event to start in order to take advantage of some nice deals. Amazon already has quite a few deals worth considering. If you've been looking to pick up an espresso machine to help you start your mornings on the right foot, the retailer currently has a nice deal on the Philips 4400 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine that's worth checking out.

The Philips 4400 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine has received a 20% discount at Amazon, dropping its price from $999.99 to $799.98. It's quite an impressive machine as well, boasting 12 hot and cool recipes to choose from. It's currently listed as a limited-time deal, so if it has caught your eye, now is the time to pick it up.

SEE ALSO: Are you 18-24? Get 6 months of Amazon Prime for free ahead of Prime Day.

As mentioned before, there are 12 recipes to choose from with this Philips espresso machine: espresso, coffee, cappuccino, latte macchiato, iced coffee, americano, caffè crema, latte, ristretto, coffee with milk, iced americano, and iced espresso. It also features noise-reducing technology, so you can brew in the early mornings without waking up the whole house.

Why wait for Prime Day? Don't miss out on the Philips 4400 Fully Automatic Espresso Machine marked down to $799.98 at Amazon.

This year's Amazon Prime Day event runs from July 8-11 (yep, four days!). If you're curious on how to join in on the action this year, check out our guide on how to sign up for Amazon Prime ahead of Prime Day to learn more.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

• Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With MagSafe USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $99.00 (List Price $99.99)

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (Wi-Fi, 40mm, S/M Green) — $199.99 (List Price $299.99)

"That blue umbrella is still stashed under my bed," Carletta says, recalling the fateful evening that she was declared 'cringe' by a certified Cool person. Two years ago, the policy analyst met her friends at a wine bar in New York and carried an extra umbrella in case someone forgot and got stuck in the rain. "This girl — she does ballet, has the longest eyelashes, and moves through the world effortlessly — said it was a bit try-hard and cringe of me, you bet I've never lugged another umbrella again," Carletta confesses. 

If that made you wince even a little, you're probably familiar with the apparent social prison of being caught in a cringe moment. Lately, it seems as if we're playing a complex game where you have to duck fast enough to dodge any allegations of cringe. Emojis can be cringe (the awkward grimace, the skull, the thumbs up!), liking someone's Instagram Story within seconds of posting can be cringe, calling it a Brat Summer in 2025 can be cringe — anything goes. People have published books on how to avoid being cringe in the digital age, while TikTok has multiple hashtags from #DatingCringe to #CringeFriend that have amassed tens of millions of posts. 

SEE ALSO: Has social media made sightseeing deeply uncool?

But the internet's cringe-obsession could be keeping young people from pursuing the things in life they want the most.

What does cringe mean, and why does it matter?

So what is this all-too-familiar feeling that makes you want to curl up in a ball and crawl out of your skin? "Cringe is a type of vicarious embarrassment that you feel when you or someone else deviates from a social expectation. It is usually experienced in the presence of others and makes us feel like we don't belong," explains Morgan Cope, an assistant professor of psychology at Centre College. 

While cringe itself is a social emotion, this race to curate a persona that knows what's in and what's out seems to be holding us back from developing honest and vulnerable relationships. 

Per Hinge's Gen Z report, 56 percent of young daters believe that worrying about rejection has held them back from pursuing a romantic connection, while a study from market research firm Morning Consult reveals that 51 percent of Gen Z feel too socially awkward to develop meaningful relationships. 

"The fear of cringe first impacts your relationship with yourself by creating self-doubt and then bleeds into how you interact with others by dissuading you from showing up authentically," Cope adds. In the internet era, when anyone can become a viral TikTok within seconds, we are so focused on protecting our performative image of coolness that seeking genuine friendships takes a backseat.

So, how can we overcome this anxiety of cringe purgatory and learn to be vulnerable again? Speaking to those who have battled cringe, and the experts with tips on how to refocus our priorities, Mashable has a guide to working it all out. 

Acknowledge that it's impossible to always be cool

Alina, a sales associate from London, has stopped liking strangers' Instagram Reels unless they feature puppies. "When you're scrolling on Instagram, it shows if someone you follow has liked the video — I despise this feature. I'm always scared of double-tapping on videos that are ha-ha funny at the moment but may seem cringe to someone else later. I don't want that to define me," she shares. 

In the internet era, when anyone can become a viral TikTok within seconds, we are so focused on protecting our performative image of coolness that seeking genuine friendships takes a backseat.

At a time when the average American spends over seven hours a day online, we have convinced ourselves that what we post, share, and (in this case) like is a micro-expression of who we are. In the hopes of staying on top of the social ladder, people often restrict themselves online, transforming a space that was once a shrine for silly selfies and wholesome moments with friends into a hyper-curated grid of shareable content. 

Club this with the present techno-cultural landscape where icks (turn offs) and trends change at breakneck speed, and you quickly realise, it is nearly impossible to keep up with what is or isn't classified as cringe. 

Cope reminds us, "The social expectation from people is rapidly evolving online. Even if you try to keep up with trends, the act of being cool and not cringe is always just out of reach, pushing you to endlessly participate in this self-evolution and impeding a true understanding of your own likes and dislikes." 

We need to realise that chasing this ideal is standing in the way of real conversations and long-lasting connections. After all, how can we develop authentic relationships if we're too busy jumping on the bandwagon of the latest trend? 

Lean into the intimacy of being cringe

Maybe the memes were right all along: to be cringe is to be free. If the anxiety of coming across icky suppresses our quirks and forces us to play it cool when we want to reach out, it erases the messy, honest parts of us that make us who we are. 

"Love lies in the moments we let our guard down, to have deep, meaningful relationships, we have to stop trying to be palatable," says Moe Ari Brown, Hinge's love and connection expert. This is often easier said than done, so Brown suggests taking it one little step at a time. 

"Practice micro-moments of realness, instead of going all-in immediately, start by sharing something personal. You could say, 'This is a little awkward, but I want to be honest.' These moments build trust and emotional muscle memory," the expert explains. 

It could also help to gently shift your mindset around raw, open conversations. Make a conscious effort to avoid skipping to the worst-case scenario and assuming someone will find you weird. Give them the chance to surprise you or to understand you better. 

Are you afraid of cringe, or are your friends?

Friendship coach and educator Danielle Bayard Jackson believes the first step to undoing the fear of cringe is to identify if the feeling is rooted in you or borrowed from the people around you. "The frequency matters: if I'm always afraid of being cringe or of looking foolish, that could be rooted in a deeper self-esteem issue," she says. "But if it comes up with a specific set of people, it may expose a fragility in the relationship." 

In the case of the latter, it is important to introspect on why these individuals have this impact on you. Could it be that you feel intimidated in their presence? Could it be that their actions make you feel less than? If this is a burgeoning relationship that matters to you, it may be worth having a conversation to flag how you're feeling. It is also paramount to remember that your friends are not drawn to you because of how cool you are, as cliché as it sounds, it's the deeper, gooey stuff matters a lot more. 

Okay, you did something cringe. So what? 

While we are socialised to believe that an embarrassing moment is the be-all and end-all, it is actually far from it. If someone is ready to receive and create space for a relationship, whether you use uncool emojis or outdated slang is not going to send them running to the hills. In fact, a Bumble spokesperson told Mashable that 36 percent of Gen Z believe they can move past an ick. Even if you think of the people closest to you, it's likely that you didn't build those connections by being perfect and distant. 

Carletta is trying to be more expressive, too. "The umbrella thing stays with me, but I am putting myself in more uncomfortable spots. I recently approached a girl in a cafe to compliment her outfit and only realised later that I had something in my teeth. The old me would die from the embarrassment of seeming like a friendless loser, but the new me is trying to laugh it off as cute cringe," she says.

In the moments that we feel critical of ourselves, it's important to unpack the cringe taboo and remember that we are complex, multidimensional individuals. Yes, we can do stupid, silly things that may be deemed uncool by the social powers that be, but by accepting our whole selves, we are opening up space for real, unfiltered relationships where vulnerability isn't withheld, it's invited. 

Amazon gift cards usually come with the starting balance printed on the physical card or mentioned in the email if you receive an eGift card. But what if you want to check the balance on a gift card that you previously redeemed to see if you have enough left over to splurge during the four-day Prime Day sale in 2025 (which officially kicks off on July 8)? Or maybe you want to reload a gift card you've already used up? Check the state of your gift cards before your summer shopping spree by following the steps below.

How to check your Amazon gift card balance on your desktop

Follow these simple steps to check or reload your Amazon gift card balance:

1. Open the Amazon website.

2. Click on Accounts & Lists on the top right corner of the screen.

   Credit: Screenshot: Amazon website

3. A new menu page will open on the website. Select Gift cards.

   Credit: Screenshot: Amazon website

4. Once you click, you'll be able to see the existing balance on your gift card. If you are checking the balance on an unredeemed gift card and wish to redeem it, you can click on Redeem a Gift card. You can also opt to Reload your card in this menu or check your transaction history which is listed below the gift card balance.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon website How to check your Amazon gift card balance in the app

1. Open the app and click on the account icon at the bottom of the landing page (the little person illustration). Then choose Account at the top of the landing page.

   Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

2. Scroll down until you see the Payments section.

3. In the Payments section, click on Manage gift card balance.

   Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

4. Use the new menu that opens to check your gift card balance, reload your gift card, or check past activity.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon