IT General

TL;DR: Hasbro has announced a new multi-year partnership with Nintendo to create toys based on The Legend of Zelda franchise. The first three 6-inch action figures will debut at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 before the toy line officially launches in 2027.

Nintendo and Hasbro are officially joining forces to bring The Legend of Zelda to the toy aisle.

The companies announced a new multi-year licensing partnership on July 16, with the first products set to launch in 2027. Fans won't have to wait that long for a sneak peek, though — the first three 6-inch action figures will make their debut at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, which runs from July 23-26.

What can fans expect?

Hasbro hasn't revealed the figures just yet, but it has confirmed that the first wave will include three 6-inch-scale collectibles inspired by The Legend of Zelda. The reveals will take place during San Diego Comic-Con next week, with more details about the lineup expected closer to the toys' 2027 release.

“For decades, The Legend of Zelda franchise has captivated fans through its deep lore, unforgettable characters and enduring sense of discovery,” said Billy Lagor, President Toys and Board Games at Hasbro. “By combining Nintendo’s iconic storytelling with Hasbro’s leadership in action and role-play, we’re delivering toys that invite fans to play, explore and forge their own epic adventures.” 

While specific characters haven't been announced, fans will be hoping to see familiar faces like Link, Princess Zelda, and Ganondorf from Nintendo's long-running fantasy series.

This marks the first major toy partnership between Nintendo and Hasbro for The Legend of Zelda. Nearly 40 years after the first game launched in the U.S., The Legend of Zelda remains one of Nintendo’s most popular franchises.

If you've grabbed drinks with any single friend lately or scrolled through TikTok, you know the general consensus: dating apps are exhausting. App fatigue is very real, and it makes finding a genuine connection online feel like a second full-time job. As someone who's been testing and reviewing dating apps for years, I get asked one question over and over: Which dating apps actually work?

My answer is always the same: The only real "hack" is choosing the right app for what you actually want. Someone on eharmony is looking for a ring, while users on hookup apps like Tinder are... well, you know what they're looking for. You can't bring casual energy to a serious platform and expect good results, and vice versa.

"Dating apps can feel overwhelming because there are so many of them, but the truth is the platform matters a lot less than the mindset you bring to it," Davide De Pierro, author of The Letters I Never Sent, tells Mashable. "You can download all of them if you want, but eventually you still have to show up as yourself, which is the scary part, but also the freeing part. Because once you do that, you don’t have to keep track of which version of yourself you’re pretending to be. If you’re honest about who you are and what you want, the right connection can happen anywhere."

So, before you delete your profiles and swear off romance forever, take a breath. Despite the burnout, dating apps are still one of the most reliable ways to meet a partner. A 2025 SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus found that 65 percent of people aged 18 to 29 have used a dating app, and a 2023 Pew Research Center report found that one in five young people met their significant other on one.

You just need the right tool. That's why I swiped, matched, and messaged my way through dozens of platforms to find the best dating apps of 2026. Whether you're looking for a serious commitment or just a casual weekend fling, these are the only apps worth downloading this year.

If you need even more personalized advice, check out our guides to the best dating apps for men, women, and the LGBTQ community.

The dating apps I'd skip (and why)

You'll probably notice a few popular apps are missing from my list. That’s intentional. Part of my job is to filter out the platforms that aren't worth your time, money, or sanity. An app doesn't get my recommendation just because it's well-known — it has to be effective and safe.

Here are a few popular dating apps I'd skip:

• Plenty of Fish (POF): I know this one shows up on a lot of lists, but in my opinion, it's a dating app ghost town. POF launched as a dating site back in 2003, and it shows. In my experience (and based on widespread user feedback), the platform is filled with bots and scams, and the odds of finding a quality connection are stacked against you. Unless you enjoy sifting through fake profiles, I think your time is better spent elsewhere.

• Raya: Raya is basically the Soho House of dating apps. It's exclusive, expensive, and not for the average person. You have to fill out an application to use it, and the vetting process can take anywhere from a few days to a few years. While it might be great for networking or bagging an influencer, it's just not a practical recommendation for most people who are simply looking for a date. (See also: The League.)

• Niche "hookup" sites (like BeNaughty, Fling, etc.): There's a chance you've seen ads for sites like these, which promise quick, no-strings-attached fun. Based on my research and countless user reviews, I'd advise you to steer clear. These platforms are notorious for being overrun with bots and having questionable billing practices, with users reporting unexpected and hard-to-cancel subscription charges.

JD Vance sat down with controversial podcaster Joe Rogan for a three-hour interview on Wednesday, covering topics as sweeping as how the vice president finds photos of Joe Biden eating ice cream "suggestive" to his refusal to eat corn dogs in public.

"You have to be a very manly man to be able to confidently eat a corn dog," Vance said. "That's between me and my kitchen."

On The Daily Show, Michael Kosta unpacked the interview, including said corn dog comment.

"That's between you and your kitchen?" he responded. "Yeah, that's right, JD's not one of those losers eating corn dogs in public. He's eating his corn dogs alone over his sink in the dark. Who's making a fool of himself now? Why do you have this gay panic, dude?"

Kosta also rips into Vance's discussion of the ongoing U.S. war with Iran as well as the vice president's boast that he doesn't shop for his own groceries anymore, saying instead, "People go to the grocery store for me."

"Maybe you should go to the grocery store," Kosta said. "You might learn some stuff. Like, oh, were beans always $85? No, they weren't, and it's actually your job to fix it."

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

Everything is getting more expensive these days, but that doesn't mean you need to spend $1,200 to get a decent smartphone.

Even in the age of RAMageddon, there are solid deals to be found on phones for $700 or less.

Companies like Apple, Samsung, Google, and OnePlus have all released such budget or midrange handsets in the past several months. So if you're in the market for a quality smartphone that won't break the checking account, here's our pick of the best currently available options.

SEE ALSO: Why don't people recycle old smartphones? Apple iPhone 17e It's not the best iPhone, but it's still an iPhone. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Price: $599

Apple's iPhone 17e is one of the more pricey phones on this list — but paying an extra $100 to get the benefits of Apple ecosystem has long been worth the scratch.

For that price, you get a dang good smartphone. It's powered by the A19, one of the newer chips in Apple's portfolio, meaning it can access pretty much all current and near-future Apple Intelligence features while maintaining solid performance. Battery life is similarly good enough for the price.

You will be compromising on camera and display quality if you go with the 17e instead of a pricier model. But if that's less important to you, even a compromise iPhone can stand out amongst this budget-level competition.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPhone 17e $599 at Apple
  Get Deal Google Pixel 10a Maybe the best color lineup of the bunch. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

Price: $499

Google's Pixel A-series line has been a mainstay on "best budget smartphone" lists for years. That's thanks to Google's ability to make each release shockingly close in quality to the flagship phone it's based on.

The Pixel 10a doesn't quite reach that level, but it's still a nice device. Google's renowned camera quality is largely intact on the Pixel 10a, to go along with a newly flat backside that can sit totally flush on your desk — something even a flagship Samsung phone, with its camera bulk, can't manage.

Faster wired and wireless charging are also neat additions to the Pixel 10a, as is a brighter display. You won't get the latest and greatest Google Tensor processor or all of Google's AI features — but at $499, there's still plenty of bang to the buck.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel 10a $499 at Google
  Get Deal Samsung Galaxy A57 5G It's not the best phone on this list, but it's still alright. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

Price: $549

Samsung's Galaxy A57 5G is probably the least good phone on this list. But if you want to live in the Samsung ecosystem, you could still do a lot worse.

The A57 has some problems. It can have poor WiFi connectivity in awkward network environments. The face ID unlock is too slow. And if you're looking for Galaxy AI features, you won't find many here.

But it's still only $549 and comes with a good display, solid performance, and nice battery life. If you don't need all the fanciest, newest bells and whistles out of a phone, you'll do just fine with an A57 5G.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy A57 5G $549.99 at Samsung
  Get Deal Nothing Phone 4(a) Pro Maybe the coolest looking phone here. Credit: Adam Doud/Mashable

Price: $499

Nothing has been one of the most interesting phone manufacturers in the past few years. The British design-centric firm ignores the highest-end features in its affordable phones, focusing instead on style and cool.

The Nothing 4(a) Pro fits in this category. For just $499, you get a huge 6.8-inch AMOLED display with a blazing fast 144Hz refresh rate and a 5,000mAh battery — not to mention a fun LCD "Glyph Matrix" on the rear.

Sure, you're getting a midrange Snapdragon chipset and a maximum of 256GB of storage, but those are acceptable tradeoffs for such a cheap phone. If you'd rather have a great display and great battery life than all the latest AI features, Nothing may be the one you want.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nothing Nothing Phone 4a Pro $499 at Nothing
  Get Deal OnePlus 15R OnePlus is always reliable. Credit: OnePlus

Price: $699

The most expensive phone on our list, the OnePlus 15R almost got lost when it launched in the middle of December last year. Mashable didn't get a chance to review this one — but our colleagues at PCMag did, and they had plenty of kind things to say about it.

$699 is almost out of midrange price territory, but you get plenty of nice things for that price. Gaming is great on this phone, since the OnePlus 15R's 6.8-inch display can go all the way up to a 165Hz refresh rate. It has an impressive enough resolution and maximum brightness. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset is also one of the more powerful ones you'll find in any phone in this price range.

OnePlus cut some corners in terms of cameras and mmWave 5G support — but otherwise, this might be the closest you'll get to a flagship phone at a high-midrange price.

Opens in a new window Credit: OnePlus OnePlus 15R $699 at OnePlus
  Get Deal

Among the best summer activities is the leisurely walk to get ice cream after dinner, when the sun has finally gone down, and the temperature starts to drop. Unfortunately, my bank account does not love this activity, so making it at home is far more budget-friendly. But here's the thing about ice cream makers: they take up precious counter space I don't have as an apartment dweller. Which is why the Cuisinart FastFreeze is so intriguing. This ice cream maker is far more compact and easier to store when not in use.

As an alternative to Ninja's Creami, it seems like an extremely appealing option, but does it live up to its potential? I tried the Cuisinart Fast Freeze ice cream maker myself, and here's what I think.

Cuisinart FastFreeze at a glance The Cuisinart FastFreeze set up is tall, but otherwise far smaller than an air fryer or a stand mixer. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The Cuisinart FastFreeze is a smaller, cheaper alternative to the Ninja Creami. It breaks down into easy-to-store pieces and processes half pints of ice cream in just seconds. However, the ice cream it makes is disappointing: too icy in texture and at risk of melting from overprocessing. Plus, the wand is exceptionally difficult to clean.

A perfectly apartment-sized ice cream maker The Cuisinart FastFreeze breaks down into two main components for easy storage. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The size of this ice cream maker is perfect. It comes with three half-pint freezer containers and a two-piece wand that actually spins and blends your ice cream. When all broken down, it easily fit in my cabinet, about the same size as my Nutribullet blender.

Plus, the wand breaks down into two pieces, which makes your storage options even more flexible, as it's a little too tall for reasonable storage when assembled in one piece. So if you don't want to (or, like me, can't) keep your ice cream maker on the counter all the time, the Cuisinart FastFreeze checks the box.

The freeze containers are quite small A half pint is great portion control but bad for a crowd. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

A pint feels standard for ice cream; that's what I'm used to buying and what other at-home ice cream makers produce, but the Cuisinart FastFreeze comes with half pints. If you're making single servings or splitting with one other person, for a small sweet treat, then that should be fine. However, when I invited a friend over to try out this ice cream maker, I could only get three scoops out of each pint. So if you want to feed a crowd, you'll need to make multiple half pints.

Processing time is shockingly fast The Cuisinart FastFreeze comes with five settings: Ice Cream, Sorbet, Slushy, Milkshake, or Mix-ins. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

To process the ice cream, you attach the wand to the top of the half pint, lock it into place, and select your setting, either Ice Cream, Sorbet, Slushy, Milkshake, or Mix-ins. Then you hold the power button while pressing down on the wand. It requires a bit of manual labor compared to other machines that do the spinning (or churning) for you; however, it processes the ice cream shockingly fast. And I'm not talking fast like one minute or even 30 seconds, but more like 10 seconds.

The blade spins through the ice cream in just seconds. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The first time I ran it, I was shocked by how quickly it reached the bottom of the half pint, and I thought something was wrong, but when I checked, it had fully spun. The nice thing about how quickly it runs is that it's convenient to run it again. Compared to the Ninja Creami, which takes three minutes to spin and then another minute or two on a re-spin, the FastFreeze works in a fraction of the time. This is all super convenient, but does it turn out a comparable product in that time? Not so much.

The texture of the ice cream is exceptionally disappointing

I tried four different mixes in the FastFreeze: the recommended Cuisinart vanilla ice cream base, a dairy-free protein ice cream, chocolate hazelnut frozen yogurt, and a passionfruit sorbet. The results were mixed, with a common through line: the texture was too icy.

Too much processing doesn't get rid of the ice but it does melt the ice cream. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Each batch comes out with a sort of icy texture, as if teeny tiny ice chips were strewn through the creamy mix, almost like it had freezer burn. This was especially true of the plain vanilla, frozen yogurt, and dairy-free protein ice cream. The sorbet also had a bit of iciness to it, but I was perhaps less bothered by it since that's what I expect from a sorbet texture.

The dairy-free protein ice cream was scoopable, but still icy. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

To fix the iciness issue, I thought it needed to be processed multiple times. Except that processing multiple times didn't do much to solve the iciness; instead, it just melted the ice cream further, making it a little soupy.

The chocolate hazelnut froyo faired the best in the Cuisinart FastFreeze, but was still undeniably icy. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Ultimately, the Cuisinart FastFreeze never nailed the texture, which I suspect is because it didn't have enough power or because it moves too fast, not getting enough air into it compared to a machine like the Creami.

It's horrible to clean Cuisinart recommends rinsing the FastFreeze but that doesn't feel like a thorough enough clean. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

While the texture of the Cuisinart FastFreeze ice cream is subpar, its biggest crime is actually how hard it is to clean. The half-pints are dishwasher-safe, but the part of the wand with the blade is extremely difficult to clean. The blade piece can't be submerged in water, so it can't be soaked. To fully expose the wand piece, you have to push it down, and since I don't have three hands, I can't effectively scrub the blade while pressing it down. Plus, getting into the nooks and crannies when it's not depressed is difficult; it's hard to reach every crevice.

Even though it's convenient to store and use, I never want to reach for the FastFreeze because it's so difficult to clean.

Is the Cuisinart FastFreeze worth it? The FastFreeze has promise but its execution is just okay. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Cuisinart's FastFreeze has a ton of promise. Its design makes it exceptionally easy to use and store. So, for apartment dwellers who've held off on buying an ice cream machine due to space constraints, the FastFreeze is finally a device designed for small spaces.

But for ice cream aficionados, the FastFreeze will ultimately be disappointing. The ice cream texture it produces is lackluster and often icy. If you really want to feel like you're making ice cream at home, you're better off investing in the Ninja Creami, which nails a creamy, smooth ice cream texture.

Cuisinart FastFreeze frozen dessert maker $98.69 at Amazon
$119.95 Save $21.26   Shop Now at Amazon

FIFA is giving the World Cup final its first Super Bowl-style halftime show, and the lineup is almost as crowded as the pitch.

Justin Bieber, BTS, Madonna, and Shakira will headline the performance during Sunday’s final between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium. Burna Boy, conductor Gustavo Dudamel, and the PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay will also appear, along with characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin curated the show.

What time is the World Cup halftime show?

The World Cup final kicks off Sunday, July 19, at 3 p.m. ET, and the halftime show should begin sometime around 3:45 to 3:50 p.m. ET, assuming the match starts on time and there are no major delays. FIFA and Global Citizen have not announced an exact start time for the performance because, unlike the Super Bowl, soccer does not stop at a perfectly scheduled point. The first half lasts 45 minutes, but additional stoppage time will push halftime back by several minutes.

Viewers primarily interested in the music should tune in before 3:45 or risk missing the opening of the show.

The performance itself will last 11 minutes, but the full halftime break could reportedly be considerably longer since crews will need time to build and remove the stage. Broadcasters are preparing for the usual 15-minute interval to stretch to as long as 30 minutes.

Not everyone is thrilled about that possibility, especially given the sport’s history. Soccer’s rulemaking body, the International Football Association Board, normally limits halftime to 15 minutes and even rejected a 2021 proposal to extend it to 25, citing concerns about player welfare and the risks of keeping athletes inactive for too long.

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Some fans also see the extended break as another attempt to turn the World Cup into a Super Bowl-style American television spectacle, with the entertainment (and controversial ad breaks) becoming almost as important as the game.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. How to watch the World Cup halftime show

The halftime show will air as part of the World Cup final broadcast. English-language coverage is available on Fox, while the game can be streamed through Fox One and the Fox Sports app. Fox’s pregame coverage begins at noon ET, three hours before kickoff.

Spanish-language coverage will air on Telemundo and stream on Peacock. Peacock Premium and Premium Plus subscribers have access to all 104 World Cup matches live in Spanish, including the final and its halftime performance. You can also check out Mashable's guide to watching the 2026 World Cup online for free, which includes tips for global readers and VPN users.

The halftime show supports the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million to expand access to education and soccer programs for children around the world. FIFA says more than $50 million has already been raised, including $1 donated from every ticket sold during the tournament.

The U.S. team did not make the World Cup final, but "The Star-Spangled Banner” apparently did.

On July 14, FIFA announced that Grammy award–winning singer and talk show host Jennifer Hudson will perform a “special rendition” of the anthem before the World Cup final on Sunday, July 19, at New York New Jersey Stadium (better known as MetLife Stadium).

The announcement immediately left some soccer fans asking the same question: Why is the American anthem being performed at a game that does not include the United States?

The answer is less about the two teams playing and more about where they are playing.

Why is Jennifer Hudson singing the U.S. national anthem?

Jennifer Hudson is performing "The Star-Spangled Banner" as part of FIFA's pre-game ceremony in New Jersey — a separate event that takes place before the match itself begins on the field.

The event, scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ET, 90 minutes before kickoff at the stadium in New Jersey, is designed to celebrate the tournament's journey across three host countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Since the final is being held on American soil, Hudson’s performance is meant to represent the host country before Spain and Argentina take the field.

Not everyone online is convinced by that explanation. After all, the United States is sharing hosting duties with Canada and Mexico, which has left some fans wondering why their national anthems are not being performed, too.

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After Hudson's performance concludes, the match will proceed with the standard international soccer protocol. Both Spain and Argentina will still perform their own national anthems before kickoff.

Hudson is one of several celebrities participating before kickoff. The pre-game event will be headlined by Post Malone. Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, Laura Pausini, and streamer IShowSpeed are also scheduled to perform, while Tom Cruise will make a still-unspecified special appearance.

The idea of performing the national anthem at the World Cup isn’t completely unprecedented (though rare). When the U.S. last hosted the men's World Cup in 1994, saxophonist Kenny G played “The Star-Spangled Banner” during the closing ceremony before Brazil and Italy faced off in the final.

Even so, the online confusion makes sense, especially from the perspective of the elaborate production FIFA has built around the final match, especially regarding the halftime show.

Who is headlining the halftime show?

Madonna, Shakira, BTS, and Justin Bieber will headline the first World Cup halftime show in history: an 11-minute performance, which was curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. Burna Boy, conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay, and characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets will also participate.

The performance supports the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which is raising money to expand access to education and soccer programs for children.

The reported extension has drawn criticism from soccer fans who see it as another attempt to import the structure of American sports into the World Cup.

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FIFA has already faced complaints during this tournament about entertainment-heavy opening ceremonies and hydration breaks, which some viewers believe are being used to create additional television advertising opportunities.

That push makes more sense when you look at what FIFA stands to gain in the United States — FIFA expects to generate a record $13 billion during the current World Cup cycle. There is a lot of money riding on getting American viewers, including people who do not normally watch soccer, to tune in.

So far, that strategy appears to be working. Fox’s group-stage broadcasts averaged more than 5 million viewers, nearly double the audience for the same stage in 2022. The U.S. team's matches also drew much larger Spanish-language audiences on Telemundo and Peacock than they did during the previous World Cup.

In that context, Hudson singing the American anthem feels less random. The American team may be out of the tournament, but the American audience, and the money attached to it, are still very much in the game.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. How to watch the World Cup final and closing ceremony

Spain and Argentina will play in the World Cup final on Sunday, July 19, at New York-New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

The closing ceremony begins at 1:30 p.m. ET, while the match is scheduled to kick off at 3 p.m. ET.

English-language coverage will air on Fox and stream through Fox One and the Fox Sports app.

Spanish-language coverage will be available on Telemundo and Peacock. Peacock has confirmed that all 104 matches, including the final, are streaming live in Spanish.

Astronomers found the missing giant architect of a famous young star system — a world that lines up almost eerily well with what theorists had predicted but had never seen. 

This exoplanet, about 63 light-years away in space, appears to be the long-hidden sculptor of the Beta Pictoris system, carving up the star's surrounding junkyard of dust, rock, ice, and gas. 

For years, models of the system hinted that something big was creating a sharp inner edge of the debris disk — something other than the two exponentially larger planets known to be circling the star based on direct images. That's what makes its detection all the more impressive: The key wasn't searching for a faint dot on the outskirts of a bright star with a camera. They found it by the chemistry of its atmosphere.

The results prove astronomers can discover an exoplanet just by comparing its detailed light fingerprint to known planetary patterns in places where imaging fails. That approach opens a new avenue to detecting worlds buried in dusty, high-glare places, said Jean-Baptiste Ruffio, the principal investigator of the first observations used for the study. 

"There was an unexpected bright source of light within the Integral Field Unit imaging, but we've learned not to trust bright blobs in [space] images," said Ruffio, a University of California at San Diego research scientist, in a statement. "By obtaining a spectrum at the same time as the image, we were able to quickly confirm our suspicions."

SEE ALSO: Astronomers find a needle in a haystack 18,000 light-years away

A spectrum is the pattern you get when you spread light out into its component colors or wavelengths — a detailed rainbow that reveals what an object is made of.

Astronomers found the planet, Beta Pictoris d, in data from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope while they were trying to study another planet in the system. Webb didn't just take a picture; it broke the star's light into thousands of colors, turning the scene into a grid of tiny rainbows.

The discovery of Beta Pictoris d. Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI / Ralf Crawford illustration

In that sliced-up light, the team saw tiny dips at the exact colors where gases such as methane, carbon monoxide, and water vapor absorb light in a giant planet's atmosphere. That pattern didn't look like dust or random noise, said Aidan Gibbs, lead author of the paper published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

"We weren't looking for a new planet," Gibbs said in a statement. "Then, this telltale signal appeared in the data where we didn't expect it."

The way these scientists uncovered Beta Pictoris d could shape how future planet hunts are done. Traditional searches lean on powerful cameras and masks, known as coronagraphs, to block the star's glare, but those broad images can struggle mightily with a bright, dusty disk. 

Another facet to this story is that, at roughly the same time, a separate team, led by Ben Sutlieff of the University of Edinburgh and Markus Bonse of the European Southern Observatory, found the planet with the Very Large Telescope in Chile. They're calling their detection the faintest exoplanet ever imaged from a ground observatory. While their success may seem counterintuitive, the ground-based telescope had an advantage to snap a clearer photo than Webb because it used a unique infrared filter. Their work, an achievement in its own right, also appears in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Beta Pictoris d is perhaps just double Jupiter's mass. Sitting at roughly a Neptune-like distance around its own star, the planet had escaped everyone's notice for quite some time. The Webb team observed that the planet's speed matched an object bound to the star, Beta Pictoris, not a background star. Follow-up observations with another Webb instrument sensitive to longer wavelengths confirmed the signal and helped narrow down the planet's relatively cold temperature and distant orbit.

Earlier studies suggested such a planet could jostle dust and icy bodies into tilted orbits and help create a bright clump of carbon monoxide gas in the disk. The new detection doesn't solve every detail, but it strongly supports the idea that a single hidden giant has been shaping much of what astronomers see in the famous system.

Adding a third giant world puts Beta Pictoris in rare company. Out of thousands of known exoplanets, only a handful of systems have more than one planet that astronomers can actually see in images. Until now, only the HR 8799 system was confirmed to have more than two. 

"This discovery adds another piece to an already fascinating planetary system," Gibbs said. "Beta Pictoris has long served as a laboratory for understanding how planetary systems form and evolve, and now we have another planet helping us tell that story."

When Christopher Nolan announced that he'd be following up Oppenheimer with The Odyssey, I viewed it as him doing a full 180.

SEE ALSO: 'The Odyssey' review: Christopher Nolan turns an epic myth into a movie masterpiece

On the surface, the works couldn't be more different. The former: a biographical film examining the most devastating technological development of the 20th century. The latter: an adaptation of Homer's seminal poem, teeming with monsters, gods, and adventure. The Odyssey represented something new for Nolan, an opportunity to explore epic fantasy and wind the clock back thousands of years before any of his other films are set.

Yet despite these drastic shifts in genre and setting, Nolan has managed to craft the perfect companion piece to Oppenheimer. In his hands, and especially in the film's conclusion, Odysseus (Matt Damon) comes to occupy a similar space to Cillian Murphy's J. Robert Oppenheimer, both ingenious men reckoning with the horror of what they've wrought on the world.

Christopher Nolan puts Odysseus and Oppenheimer in conversation. Matt Damon in "The Odyssey." Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures

Even though the character of Odysseus is thousands of years old, he's right in the mix with Nolan's lineup of male leads, including Oppenheimer. Like any Prototypical Christopher Nolan Man, both are brilliant and highly competent. Odysseus, more so than Oppenheimer, also joins Inception's Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Interstellar's Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) in the Nolan club of men fighting through impossible odds to get to their families.

For Oppenheimer and Odysseus alike, the most famed example of their intelligence is a scheme that ends a war. Oppenheimer's invention of the atomic bomb marks a key step on the road to the conclusion of World War II. Odysseus puts a definite stop to the Trojan War with his ruse of the Trojan Horse.

SEE ALSO: Should you see 'The Odyssey' in IMAX?

But another hallmark of the Nolan Man is that his brilliance is bound to become a burden. Such is the case with both Odysseus and Oppenheimer. Yes, they manage to stop a large-scale conflict. Yet in doing so, both have broken the world.

With The Odyssey and Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan looks to the apocalypse. Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures

Throughout The Odyssey, Nolan emphasizes the importance of Zeus' Law, which demands that hosts treat all guests with respect, as any of them could be a god in disguise. At the same time, he also highlights a new threat sweeping across the Mediterranean: the mysterious Sea Peoples, who have been terrorizing coasts since the Trojan War ended, and who were real-life groups of Bronze Age seafarers whose role in the collapse of the Bronze Age is a source of debate among historians.

Nolan brings these two ideas together in The Odyssey's revelatory conclusion, in which Odysseus, disguised as a beggar, tells his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) the truth of the Sack of Troy. It is no heroic legend, like the bard's (Travis Scott) speech that opens the film. Nor is it a war hero's rousing tale, like Menelaus' (Jon Bernthal) description of the events to Telemachus (Tom Holland). Instead, it is a pained recollection of brutal destruction, which has weighed on Odysseus for 10 years. His visions of Athena (Zendaya) are not of the goddess counseling him, but rather, her taking the form of a slaughtered Trojan priestess as a punishing reminder of his actions.

Entering Troy as a gift and then killing its inhabitants represents the absolute violation of Zeus' law, Odysseus tells Penelope. In turn, that has broken civilization's social order. The men from the sea aren't unknown enemies. They're Odysseus, his men, and the rest of the Greek army, burning villages and terrorizing their inhabitants in their desperate journey home. For Odysseus, this wave of violence signals the beginning of the end of the Bronze Age, and it all comes down to him and his trick.

Odysseus' penitence eerily echoes Oppenheimer's conclusion, in which Oppenheimer and Albert Einstein (Tom Conti) discuss the construction of the atomic bomb, years after its devastating impacts on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

"When I came to you with those calculations, we thought we might start a chain reaction that would destroy the entire world," Oppenheimer tells him.

"I remember it well," Einstein says. "What of it?"

"I believe we did," Oppenheimer says.

Cue the film's haunting final sequence: a montage of missiles and explosions devouring the whole world, while Oppenheimer watches. Compare it to the last shot of The Odyssey, in which the Trojan Horse goes up in flames, signaling the destruction of Zeus' Law and the burning of the world as we know it.

With each ending, Nolan considers the apocalypse. Not what comes after, but rather its slow, unavoidable arrival. Not by natural forces either, but by human hands: dangerous technology that's used for the greatest harm, or a trick that fractures every code humanity holds dear.

The common thread of humanity's penchant for self-destruction turns The Odyssey into a sequel of sorts for Oppenheimer. In turn, that same thread likewise binds Oppenheimer to its own Nolan predecessor, Tenet.

In that film, the Protagonist (John David Washington) works with the secret organization Tenet to prevent a future apocalyptic attack. Tenet agents use code phrases to identify one another, opening with the line, "We live in a twilight world."

The phrase suggests the sun is setting on the world as the agents know it. They live in constant anticipation of the oncoming night brought on by the future attack. The same can be said for Oppenheimer, staring into a future of nuclear destruction he helped bring on. Or Odysseus, leaving a world he tricked into crumbling, chasing the sun west into a literal twilit world.

The three-film run of Tenet, Oppenheimer, and The Odyssey serve as Nolan's unofficial apocalyptic trilogy, especially the last two. (You can also throw in Interstellar and its tales of climate crisis for good measure.) In each movie, he asks, how does humanity live knowing we are the architects of our own demise?

There is no easy answer — not for Oppenheimer, not for Odysseus, and not for Nolan. Yet as he considers these questions in film after film, one thing becomes clear: It is better to acknowledge the problem, painful as it may be, than to push it down. One cannot be Oppenheimer, compartmentalizing his role in an atrocity. One cannot be Odysseus, eating lotus flowers and forgetting. One has to face the future, dark though it may be, head on.

The Odyssey is now in theaters.

TL;DR: Pay $29.97 instead of $219.99 for a lifetime Microsoft Office Professional 2021 license and own Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more — this offer ends in two days.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License $29.97
$219.99 Save $190.02   Get Deal

This is your last chance to ditch Microsoft 365’s subscription fees for good. Until July 19 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can grab a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2021 for 86% less than its usual retail price. Simply pay once, download the full software suite, and never worry about renewals again.

We know what you’re thinking, but rest assured, this isn’t some stripped-down lite version either. It’s the real deal. Whether you’re writing reports, crunching numbers, building presentations, managing emails, or wrangling databases, the lifetime version of Microsoft Office has you covered.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

It’s a one-time download for one Windows PC, so once it’s yours, it’s yours. The full pro-level toolkit, minus the stress of a subscription. Plus, with instant license delivery and free customer support, getting started is as painless as your new spreadsheet workflow.

No more “trial expired” pop-ups. No more surprise charges. Just the latest versions of Microsoft’s best apps, ready to support all of your work and personal needs.

Download Microsoft Office for Windows while it’s on sale for a one-time $29.97 until July 19 at 11:59 p.m. PT (reg. $219.99). No coupon is needed.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: This ASUS router delivers Wi-Fi 7 speeds, built-in security, and a 10G port for $166.99 (reg. $249.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: ASUS ASUS RT-BE92U Tri-Band WiFi 7 Router (Refurbished) $166.99
$249.99 Save $83   Get Deal

The fastest internet plan in the world can only do so much if your router is struggling to keep up. The refurbished ASUS router with AiMesh is built for busy homes with multiple connected devices, delivering Wi-Fi 7 speeds of up to 9.7Gbps for smoother gaming, streaming, video calls, and downloads. Get it while it’s available on sale for $166.99 (reg. $249.99).

Wi-Fi 7 brings several improvements over previous generations, including Multi-Link Operation and wider 320MHz channels that help reduce congestion and improve performance when lots of devices are competing for bandwidth. Whether someone is streaming 4K or 8K video, gaming online, or working from home, the router is designed to keep connections fast and stable.

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The hardware is built to match as the 2.0GHz quad-core processor powers the router, while one 10G WAN/LAN port and four 2.5G Ethernet ports provide ample bandwidth for gaming PCs, network-attached storage, and other high-speed wired devices. Adaptive QoS can also prioritize traffic, helping reduce lag during bandwidth-heavy activities.

Coverage is another spectacular feature. ASUS AiMesh support lets you pair compatible ASUS routers to create a seamless whole-home network if you need additional range. Older will devices get support too, since the router remains compatible with Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 6, Wi-Fi 5, and earlier wireless standards.

The AiProtection Pro, powered by Trend Micro, helps guard connected devices against malicious websites and network threats, while support for WireGuard, OpenVPN, IPSec, and other VPN protocols gives users flexibility when securing their internet traffic. Parental controls are also included for households that want to manage screen time or filter content.

This refurbished model has a Grade A rating and should arrive in near-mint condition with minimal to no visible cosmetic wear. If you’re ready to upgrade an aging router, the ASUS RT-BE92U is available for $166.99 (reg. $249.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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

TL;DR: Sign up for a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels to watch select F1 races for free. Watch the Belgian GP for free with the Prime Video app.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple TV Prime Video Channel Watch the Belgian GP for free with a 7-day trial Shop Now

This season of F1 is strange for a number of reasons. The new regulations continue to result in a lot of uncertainty, which can lead to unpredictable racing. That's what we all want as fans, but even though every race has felt like a lottery, we've only had four race winners from two teams this season. That's exactly the sort of thing these new rules were designed to avoid.

What will we see from the Belgian GP? Will Kimi Antonelli recover to claim another victory? Or will Ferrari build on impressive wins at the Barcelona-Catalunya GP and British GP? I'd love to see a driver from another team make the leap. Verstappen and the McLaren duo must be chomping at the bit to claim maximum points.

SEE ALSO: ExpressVPN review: A stylish VPN service with proven privacy and a large U.S. presence

If you want to watch F1 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is the Belgian GP?

The Belgian GP is the 10th race of the 2026 F1 season. Here's the full schedule from the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps:

• Practice 1 — 7:30-8:30 a.m. ET on July 17

• Practice 1 — 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET on July 17

• Practice 1 — 6:30-7:30 a.m. ET on July 18

• Qualifying — 10-11 a.m. ET on July 18

• Race — 9 a.m. ET on July 19

Fans can follow all the action from this race weekend without spending anything.

How to watch the Belgian GP for free

I subscribe to Amazon Prime for the fast shipping, exclusive Prime Day deals, and access to Prime Video. It's this access to Prime Video that becomes all-important for F1 fans.

It is now possible to sign up for a seven-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels. F1 is exclusive to Apple TV in the U.S., so by accessing this free trial, you can watch select races for free this season. The subscription costs £9.99 per month after the trial ends, but you can cancel this renewal at any time. By cancelling ahead of the renewal, you can watch the Belgian GP this weekend without spending anything.

I subscribe to Amazon Prime, so am I really watching for free? It's up for debate, but Amazon Prime does offer a 30-day free trial period if you're new to the service. By signing up for this free trial and then gaining access to Apple TV through Prime Video Channels, you can truly watch select races for free this season.

If you've already used this hack to watch a race this season, there are some alternative workarounds.

My recommendation is to go direct to Apple TV. This popular steaming service comes with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. Alternatively, Apple One bundles Apple TV with Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness Plus, Apple News Plus, and 50GB of iCloud Storage for $19.95 per month after a one-month free trial.

The best Apple TV free-trial offer comes with purchases of new Apple devices. New subscribers can get three months of Apple TV for free after purchasing any eligible Apple product. If you're planning on buying something from Apple, you could gain access to Apple TV for a pretty large chunk of this season. You will obviously need to buy something, but if you were already in the market for an upgrade, this method makes a lot of sense.

How to live stream 2026 F1 for free in 2026 Best Apple TV Deal Apple TV 7-day free trial Shop Now Best Prime Video Deal Apple TV Prime Video Channel 7-day free trial Shop Now Best Apple One Deal Apple One 30-day free trial Shop Now

Samsung is set to capture the tech world's attention next week when it hosts its next big mobile launch event.

The Korean tech giant is hosting a Galaxy Unpacked event in London on July 22, and Mashable will be there, reporting live on all of the big announcements. We're fully expecting to see at least five new devices from Samsung, including the latest batch of flagship foldable phones. As per usual with Samsung, these devices haven't been leaking so much as flooding.

So, as we prepare for the big show, here's everything we know (and everything we think we know) about the Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event.

When is the next Galaxy Unpacked?

The next Galaxy Unpacked Event takes place on Wednesday, July 22 in London. The livestream will begin promptly at 9 a.m. ET. We expect all the new devices to be available for pre-order immediately after the event.

Mashable will be attending the event and hosting a live blog, so check back next week to unpack all of the day's news with us.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2: What's actually new (and what's not) Three new foldables are arriving, including the Z Flip 8, Z Fold 8, and Z Fold 8 Ultra. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Samsung's new foldable phones typically debut during a summer Galaxy Unpacked event, and Samsung recently confirmed that it will be announcing new details about its next-gen foldables on July 22.

We don't have official confirmation on which devices will be announced, but all reports indicate that three new foldable phones will arrive at Galaxy Unpacked 2026:

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8

• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 (previously known as the Z Fold Wide)

• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra

This is where things get a little confusing. You'd think the Z Fold 8 Ultra would be the new addition to the lineup, but recent reports indicate that the Z Fold 8 is actually a new device this year. Rumors for months have pointed to Samsung releasing a wider foldable this year, and it sounds like that phone will take the Z Fold 8 name, while a true successor to the Z Fold 7 will be called Z Fold 8 Ultra.

The new phones will probably arrive with price increases

Again, we don't have any official details, but it's very likely the successors to the Z Flip 7 and Z Fold 7 will indeed cost more. Most early reports and leaks indicate a price increase of $100, which is in line with the price increases we've seen from Motorola. The global memory crisis has led to price hikes for laptops, smartphones, gaming consoles, and virtually every product that requires memory, and Samsung probably won't be the exception.

Recently, South Korean outlet SEDaily reported that the starting price of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will be $2,099, a $100 price increase over the Galaxy Z Fold 7. The same outlet reported the new Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide model will start at $1,899.99. Finally, according to leaker Lanzuk (as reported by PhoneArena), the new Galaxy Z Flip 8 will likely have a starting price of $1,199, or $100 more than its predecessor.

TL;DR: Thanks to RAMageddon, do not be surprised to see year-over-year price increases for all of the new devices.

A new Z Fold 8 to compete with the iPhone Ultra Fold

Rumors indicate that the new Z Fold 8 will potentially have a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.8-inch inner display when unfolded. With a 4:3 aspect ratio, it will be a book-style foldable. These dimensions are very similar to the rumored design of the still-unannounced foldable iPhone, suggesting Samsung wants to introduce this third foldable as a direct competitor to Apple's upcoming device. It's the latest salvo in the ongoing Apple iPhone vs. Samsung Galaxy battle for smartphone dominance.

Featured Video For You More Folding iPhone Reports and Rumors

The Z Fold 8's rumored specs, via PhoneArena:

• Processor: Snapdragon Elite 8 Gen 5 for Galaxy

• RAM: 12GB

• Storage: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB

• Main display: 7.6 inches

• Cover Display: 5.5 inches

• Cameras: 50MP primary lens, 50MP ultra-wide lens, 10MP selfie lens

The new flagship: Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra The Galaxy Z Fold 7 (pictured here) was surprisingly thin and lightweight. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

As mentioned above, we think the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra will actually be a successor to last year's Z Fold 7, which we enjoyed testing. This new foldable should have a new chip and a stronger 200MP main camera on the back. Samsung is also said to have done some work to make the crease on the folding display less visible this year. Finally, a Korean news report indicated the Z Fold 8 will be slightly lighter than the Fold 7, which was already impressively thin and lightweight.

At this point, pretty much all of the specs for the upcoming devices have leaked. So, while none of these details are official, we think the Z Fold 8 Ultra will have the following specs, via PhoneArena:

• Processor: Snapdragon Elite 8 Gen 5 for Galaxy

• RAM: 12GB or 16GB

• Storage: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB

• Main display: 8 inches

• Cover display: 6.5 inches

• Cameras: 200MP wide, 50MP ultra-wide, 12MP telephoto

This week, Samsung revealed that its new foldables (which it didn't mention by name, unfortunately) will feature a new Flex Titanium technology. In short, a titanium-alloy film and a titanium plate will better support the phones' flexible display, creating a more durable device and a less noticeable crease. Samsung said more details will be revealed on July 22.

The new Z Flip 8 will look very familiar Last year's Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 on display. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

If the rumored specs for the new Galaxy Z Flip 8 are correct, this year's flip phone-style foldable will look a lot like the Z Flip 7, but with a better processor and a less visible crease.

Until recently, the rumor mill indicated that the Z Flip 8 would get a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. However, leaker WinFuture (as reported by 9to5Google) claimed that instead, the flip phone will get a new Samsung Exynos 2600 processor.

And here are the rumored specs:

• Processor: Samsung Exynos 2600 or Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

• RAM: 12GB

• Main Display: 6.9 inches

• Cover Display: 4.1 inches

• Storage: 256GB or 512GB

• Cameras: 50MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP selfie

New Galaxy Watches are also on the way

Samsung usually uses this summer event to showcase its latest smartwatch advancements, and 2026 looks no different. This year, we expect to see two new Samsung watches:

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 9

• Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2

It's generally accepted that both of these watches will see fairly incremental changes from before. There will surely be new health-tracking features, and some small design changes, with the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 in particular said to incorporate classic numbers on the watch face, a thinner bezel, and better side buttons. Most importantly, for some, it sounds like Samsung is skipping out on a new Galaxy Watch Classic this year. You'll get a base model and a premium model, and that's it, as far as anyone can tell.

Finally, don't forget that Samsung is all-in on artificial intelligence, so we expect major upgrades to the Samsung Health app and the watches' overall health-tracking features.

Could we see Galaxy Glasses make their big debut? The upcoming Galaxy smart glasses as designed by Gentle Monster (left) and Warby Parker (right). Credit: Samsung

Lastly, Samsung's long-awaited smart glasses could also make their debut at Unpacked in July. Most likely called Galaxy Glasses, we expect these specs to work similarly to the ones Meta has been releasing for a few years now. We saw a preview of these specs at Google's recently developers' conference, and we know Samsung is working with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster on the designs.

These smart glasses will not include any augmented reality or heads-up display features, focusing instead on on-board cameras and a built-in AI assistant, courtesy of Google Gemini, to provide information about what you're seeing, should you ask. We expect the first generation of these glasses to arrive in 2026, and we're holding out hope that the glasses will get a shoutout or even a proper introduction at the London Galaxy Unpacked event on July 22.

It should be a pretty packed showcase, so stay tuned for all of our coverage as we get closer to Galaxy Unpacked.

Remember: Mashable will be attending the live keynote in London, and we'll have a live blog with real-time updates on all the day's news. Don't miss it!

Based on my extensive hands-on testing and expert input, I’ve picked the best sexting apps to keep your flirtiest, dirtiest chats truly private — whether you're messaging a partner, a hookup, or a verified creator.

Because sometimes the anticipation of a hookup is even hotter than the main event. In my experience, sexting is the ultimate form of digital foreplay. It’s the glue that keeps long-distance relationships from falling apart, the spark that stops long-term couples from feeling like roommates, and — for all you singles out there — the safest way to test sexual chemistry before you ever meet up in person.

If it feels like everyone is sending spicy texts these days, you're not wrong. Some studies show that up to 88 percent of American adults have engaged in sexting at some point in their lives. For many, it's become an essential means of connection, and research shows that sharing intimate pictures can evoke, demonstrate, and reinforce trust.

You can use just about any mainstream dating app, like Tinder, Hinge, and even Hily, to find a potential sexting partner (though I think Pure is probably the best dating app for this). If you're a woman, finding a willing digital playmate is usually as easy as existing. If you're a man, it requires a little more finesse and charm, but it's definitely still possible.

But if you're going to share that side of yourself, you need to know it stays between you and the recipient. Once you've actually found someone who matches your freak, moving that conversation off the dating grid and into a secure app like Signal is the best way to go.

You've heard of safe sex. But what about safe sexting?

Remember: You can't (and shouldn't!) trust your most intimate moments to just any app. As fun as the buildup is, the sad truth is that no one ever knows for sure if their private photos will stay private once they hit send on standard messaging platforms. Sliding into the DMs on a standard social media app might feel like spontaneous fun, but in 2026, your digital footprint is forever. Plus, with Meta cracking down hard this April (wiping out Instagram accounts and posts just for hinting at sexual expression), it's obvious that mainstream platforms are becoming hostile territory for your spicy chats. If you're going to share that side of yourself, you need to know it stays between you and the recipient.

As one of Mashable's dating app experts, I've spent the last three years testing dozens of platforms to find the best sexting apps for the job. My highest priority is always user safety. I also spoke with security expert Gary Orenstein with Bitwarden, who stressed that for sharing intimate content, "privacy features cannot be optional — they’re essential." He recommends looking for apps with three key features: end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages, and screenshot detection.

For years, our number-one recommendation that hit all three of those marks was Confide. But with the app officially shutting down, Signal has become my new gold standard for secure messaging. While its "Screen Security" setting prevents screenshots on your own device, it doesn't prevent someone else from taking a screenshot of your chat on their device. However, its open-source encryption and foolproof disappearing messages still make it one of the safest options for sending nudes.

SEE ALSO: A beginner's guide to sexting

Whether you're looking for an encrypted vault to text your long-term partner, a sex-positive platform to explore new kinks, or a secure space to find someone entirely new, there's a platform out there that won't compromise your privacy. If you believe in safe sex, you should practice safe sexting, too. Here are the apps I trust to get the job done.

Recent updates to this guide:

• Signal (July 2026): Promoted to our No. 1 overall recommendation following the official closure of Confide. Its open-source encryption makes it the gold standard for secure, free sexting.

• Lovense Remote: Added as our top choice for "Group Sexting." It remains the best interactive option for couples and polyamorous groups to sync Bluetooth toys across long distances.

• FetLife: Expanded our analysis of its custom community groups, cementing its spot as the best social network for exploring niche kinks safely.

Why some popular sexting apps didn't make the cut

You've probably seen other "best of" lists recommending apps and platforms that I've intentionally left off. My goal is to recommend secure spaces where you can build genuine, mutual connections without burning through cash or risking your digital privacy.

Here's why a few common names didn't make the cut this month:

• "Paid Operator" platforms (InstaBang, Arousr, SextLocal): Many web-based platforms marketed for fast sexting don't connect you with real local users. Instead, they hire paid "chat operators" who use fantasy scripts specifically designed to keep you replying and draining your wallet per message. While there is a market for paid fantasy, I don't consider it mutual sexting. This guide prioritizes authentic, user-to-user interaction (with the explicit exception of SextPanther, which uses clearly verified, real adult performers).

• Basic Couples Messengers (Between, Paid Vaults): While apps like Between offer private spaces for long-distance couples, they lack the specific, sex-positive interactive features (like integrated toy controls, screenshot blocks, or custom timer countdowns) that make digital foreplay fun. If you want to level up your intimacy, highly interactive platforms like We-Vibe and Lovense are much better options.

TL;DR: Fandango has expanded its free streaming service by introducing guest viewing, so you can now watch thousands of movies and TV shows without creating an account or signing in.

If you've used Fandango before, you probably know it as the place to buy movie tickets or rent digital movies. Now, the company is bringing those services together under one brand while making its free streaming platform much easier to use.

The biggest update is guest viewing. You no longer need to create an account or sign in to start watching free movies and TV shows. Just open the site, pick something to watch, and press play. Fandango has also introduced a new Watch Now option that lets you jump straight into free content with a single click, instead of navigating through multiple menus.

According to Fandango, the strategy is already paying off. The company says monthly active users on its free streaming service have grown more than 300% year-over-year, while viewing hours have increased by more than 200%.

What can you watch for free?

The service now offers more than 3,500 hours of free programming, including hit movies, popular TV series, fan-favorite franchises, and live sports. Like other free streaming platforms, the service is supported by ads, so you don't need a paid subscription to watch.

Do you still need an account?

Only if you want one.

You can now watch free movies and TV shows as a guest, but creating an account still unlocks extras like building a watchlist, syncing your purchases across devices, and accessing movies you've rented or bought through Fandango. If you're simply looking for something free to watch, you can skip the signup process entirely.

Ready to watch? Start streaming free movies and TV shows on Fandango — no account required.

SAVE $1,000: As of July 17, the Roborock Saros Z70 is on sale for $999.99 at Amazon. That's a 50% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Saros Z70 $999.99 at Amazon
$1,999.99 Save $1,000   Get Deal

Robot vacuums just keep getting smarter and smarter, and that couldn't be truer with the Roborock Saros Z70.

This robot vacuum and mop combo doesn't just pick up dirt and scrub away stains, it can physically move obstacles out of its way with a mechanical robot arm. As you'd expect, a device like this comes with a hefty price tag. Normally priced at $1,999.99 at Amazon, it's not exactly a spur-of-the-moment purchase. However, right now you can save $1,000 on list price.

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So, how exactly does it work? Using dual cameras, LED lighting, and precision sensors, the arm can identify and move objects such as socks with a gentle-grip system and built-in weight sensor. It can pick up items weighing up to 300g, so even lightweight objects like your slippers can be removed from its path.

Aside from this, the Saros Z70 also uses 22,000Pa suction power to remove dust and dirt from all different floor types. It also has a FreeFlow Main Brush and a 0% Hair Tangling Side Brush to help reduce hair wrap. For mopping, it uses 200RPM spinning mops, has 30 adjustable water flow levels, and a built-in water tank to tackle tougher stains. The FlexiArm Riser Side Brush and Mop also help to reach awkward corners and edges. It also has an AdaptiLift Chassis that can adjust to different surfaces and climb thresholds up to 4cm.

This impressive robot vacuum deal is available at Amazon right now, so don't miss out on a $1,000 saving.

SAVE $140: As of July 17, the Segway Navimow i110 is on sale for $789 at Amazon. That's a 15% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Navimow Segway Navimow i110 $789 at Amazon
$929 Save $140   Get Deal

Robot helpers are becoming incredibly popular, and it's no surprise why. Vacuums, pool cleaners, and even garden mowers all make our lives a little bit easier by cutting out some of life's most tedious chores. And with summer being the season for lounging in the garden, robot lawn mowers are definitely worth considering.

As of July 17, Amazon has dropped the price of the Segway Navimow i110 robot lawn mower, dipping from $929 to $789. Nnot only is this a discount of $140 on list price, but it's also the lowest-ever price for this model.

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Setup is streamlined through a smartphone app, so getting going with this device is nice and easy. On the app, you can guide the mower to create virtual boundaries around your lawn. Its AI-assisted Assist Mapping feature can also identify lawn edges and automatically map the working area.

During operation, Navimow uses planned mowing patterns to cut grass systematically, changing direction after completing to reduce visible mowing tracks. When it runs out of battery, it automatically returns to recharge before continuing until the lawn is finished.

This is a limited-time deal at Amazon, so don't miss out.

FREE GIFT CARD: Apple is giving away gift cards worth up to $150 in its Back To School sale when purchasing select MacBooks and iPads.

Opens in a new window Credit: Mashable Apple Back To School Sale: Free gift card worth up to $150   Get Deal

Apple's Back To School promo is live, giving eligible students, parents, and staff the chance to score a free Apple Gift Card worth up to $150 when purchasing select MacBooks and iPads.

The offer runs from July 16 through Aug. 27, 2026, and is available in Apple Stores and online at the Apple Store for Education. To qualify, you have purchase an eligible device through one of these channels during the promotional period.

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If you buy a MacBook Pro, you'll get the highest gift card value of $150. If you buy a MacBook Air, iPad Air, or iPad Pro, these come with a $100 Apple Gift Card.

This deal is open to current and newly accepted higher education students, higher education faculty and staff, parents purchasing on behalf of college students, and eligible K-12 employees. This includes homeschool teachers, school board members, and qualifying PTA or PTO officers.

However, there are a few restrictions to note. Each eligible customer can only claim one gift card with a qualifying MacBook purchase and one with a qualifying iPad purchase during the offer period. And if you return your device, you'll also need to return the gift card, or its full value will be deducted from your refund if it has already been redeemed. And of course, you'll need to verify your education eligibility before completing your purchase.

Get this Back To School deal at Apple before Aug. 27.

We're not sure why exactly, but we're the midst of a flurry of national food days. Fresh from National French Fry Day and National Hot Dog Day, it's now time to celebrate National Ice Cream Day. We're not in the business of picking favorites, but come on. We'll whisper it quietly, but this is our favorite. Not only is this ice cream we're talking about, but the free deals and limited-time promotions are elite.

Sunday, July 19, is National Ice Cream Day. We're already seeing special offers from Target, Dairy Queen, Baskin Robbins, and many more popular retailers. Clear your schedule, because ice cream is on the menu all weekend.

These are our favorite National Ice Cream Day deals in 2026.

Baskin Robbins

From National Ice Cream Day through July 25, rewards members get $5 off orders of $20 or more in-app or online. On July 26, members can score a buy-one-get-one free scoop.

Blue Bell Ice Cream

Grab the limited-time Chocolate Lava Cake flavor in honor of National Ice Cream Month before it sells out.

Blue Bunny

Use DoorDash’s DashMart grocery service to secure a "buy two, save $5 deal" on soft pints and mini swirls through July 26.

Dairy Queen

Rewards members can claim a free Dilly Bar with any purchase of $1 or more in the DQ app from July 13-19.

Dippin' Dots

Score a free mini cup of any flavor at participating locations during a specific two-hour window on National Ice Cream Day (check their online locator to find one near you).

DoorDash

DashPass members get a free Wendy's Frosty with a $20 purchase and a "buy two, save $4" deal on Häagen-Dazs from July 16-22.

Friendly’s

Get a free cone or dish of Friendly’s signature ice cream on July 19. There's no rewards membership or purchase required to qualify.

GoPuff

Grab two pints of Ben & Jerry's for $8, two pints of Halo Top for $10, or 30% off Snickers and Twix Ice Cream Bar packs. FAM members can score select premium pints for just $3.50.

Graeter’s

Use code ICECREAMDAY10 for 10% off online orders from July 17-19. Sweet Rewards members can also grab a $1.56 single-dip sugar cone in-store.

Häagen-Dazs

DashPass member can buy two, save $4 until July 22.

Jeni’s Ice Creams

Visit a scoop shop on July 19 to get a free pour of the signature Fudge Sauce or brand-new Caramel Sauce with any order.

Kilwins

Enter Instagram sweepstakes between July 19-31 for a chance to win "free ice cream for a year" (awarded as a $650 gift card).

Marble Slab Creamery

Loyalty members can redeem a free small ice cream on July 19.

Salt & Straw

Build your own custom pint (three scoops with fudge, whipped cream, sprinkles, and a cherry) for $12.50 from July 17-23, plus earn double loyalty points on July 19.

Stop & Shop

Scan your loyalty card at the in-store Savings Station kiosks from July 17-23 for a chance to win a free 1.5-quart container of store-brand ice cream.

Target

Score a buy one, get one 50% off deal on all ice cream from July 12-18.

Wendy’s

DashPass members can get a free Frosty with $20+ orders until July 22.

We're three episodes into Silo Season 3 now, and the paranoia is real.

But while there are multiple reasons to feel permanently on edge in the silo itself, things are becoming just as nerve-wracking in the flashback timeline. Back in episode 1, Charles (Jessica Brown Findlay) thinks she's being followed when she goes to meet her brother, Congressman Daniel Keene (Ashley Zukerman). Now, two episodes later, we pretty much have confirmation that she was right.

So, what happens in episode 3 with Daniel's investigation into his sister's crash, and what does the mysterious gray-haired man have to do with it?

SEE ALSO: 'Silo' Season 3, episode 2's ending explained: What is Vitamin D+? When does the gray-haired man appear in Silo?

Daniel's investigation into what happened on Charles' mission takes him to a funeral of one of her fellow pilots. After speaking with the deceased pilot's father, Alameda (Joseph Balderrama), he learns that there may be a recording out there of the mission's comms. Towards the end of the conversation, two men appear on the far side of the busy room.

"That's the cap of the Nimitz," Alameda tells Daniel, before going over and shaking hands with the man in uniform.

The other gray-haired man, who is in civilian clothes, keeps glancing across at Daniel — and we've seen him before.

Where have we seen the gray-haired man before?

Eagle-eyed viewers will remember the same man appears back in episode one, when Charles is getting on the subway to meet Daniel.

She pauses just before getting on the train and sees the gray-haired man waiting on the platform. Their eyes meet. She moves down the platform and boards the train, but when she sees him in the neighbouring carriage, she panics and jumps out at the last minute. As the train passes her, she sees that he's still on board, but he doesn't look up.

Back in episode 1, it wasn't clear if Charles was just being paranoid or if she was actually being followed. Now we know the answer.

So, who is the gray-haired man?

First of all, we know who plays him: An actor named Reed Birney, who has previously had recurring roles in House of Cards and American Horror Story. In other words, the guy isn't a nobody. He's an experienced actor, which suggests his character is going to have more to do this season than just a couple of cameos.

Clearly the character isn't a nobody, either. He enters the room alongside a military captain, which suggests he's also a man of importance despite the fact he isn't wearing uniform.

So, someone who isn't in the military but who knows high-ranking members of the military? Could he be CIA or FBI? A well-connected private detective?

Time will tell, but we're guessing this won't be the last time we see his face.

Silo Season 3 is streaming now on Apple TV, with new episodes dropping every Friday.