IT General

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're an NBA fan.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

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

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 9, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 9, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: On the court

The words are related to sports.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe a popular American sport.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Basketball.

NYT Strands word list for December 9

• Rebound

• Block

• Basketball

• Jump

• Dunk

• Screen

• Guard

• Dribble

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

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

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

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're not always nice.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 9, 2025 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for December 9, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Malicious.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

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

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

SNIDe

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 9, 2025

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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

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

SAVE $11.04: Pokémon TCG's League Battle Deck - Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex is currently $27.24 on TCGPlayer right now, that's $11.04 less than Amazon's $38.98. This includes everything you need to battle.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company League Battle Deck - Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex $7.24 at TCGPlayer
Possible $60 Gift Card if you qualify on Amazon. TCGPlayer is cheapest otherwise. Get Deal

"Why is he sharing a premade Pokémon TCG deck as a deal?" Well, usually i'd be with you, but this is such a great gift for someone looking to get into playing the game with family and friends. You can literally rip this box open, have a 60-card deck ready to go with cool card without thinking about building a deck or finding something to replace a legal coin, damage counters and to learn the table layout while playing.

This is an entry-level product to the hobby that walks would-be trainers through the door and makes for something different to do this holiday. Breaking this deck down, Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex 081/182 is worth $1.50 each, with Team Rocket's Crobat ex 122/182 is $1.20 and the Ace Spec Scramble Switch is worth a mighty 25c. Those "chase cards" rack up to $6.15.

This sounds like a hard sell, but for an extra $21.09 you're getting the bulk to make up the rest of the deck, 6 damage counter dice, two condition markers, deck box, tournament legal coin and a strategy sheet. If you have a load of Destined Rivals bulk knocking around you could probably make a similar deck for free and have at it. But this target audience is coming in fresh with zero idea of how to play. For these people it's a great product.

The best chase cards you can pull from Destined Rivals Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / The Pokémon Company

If you fancy upgrading this deck down the line or getting some higher end cards for your collection, Destined Rivals is a great place to start. The artwork in this set is some of the best i've seen in Pokémon TCG, and there's Secret Art Rare versions of the Crobat and Mewtwo ex found in this League Battle Deck. Here's up-to-date market values per TCGplayer alongside links so you can catch your own:

1. Team Rocket's Mewtwo ex - 231/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $445
   Market price: $443.48
   Most recent sale: $477.98

2. Cynthia's Garchomp ex - 232/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $226.98
   Market price: $232.82
   Most recent sale: $225.98

3. Ethan's Ho-Oh ex - 230/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $174.90
   Market price: $175.27
   Most recent sale: $175

4. Team Rocket's Moltres ex - 229/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $120.02
   Market price: $126.13
   Most recent sale: $123.95

5. Team Rocket's Crobat ex - 234/182
   Near Mint Holofoil: $69.02
   Market price: $72.23
   Most recent sale: $68.79

Donald Trump grabbed as many press opportunities as he could to criticise Jimmy Kimmel in the run-up to hosting the Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday, calling the late night show host and longtime critic of the president "terrible" and saying, "If I can't beat out Jimmy Kimmel in terms of talent, then I don't think I should be president."

Fellow late show host Stephen Colbert's response? "You can't and you shouldn't."

In The Late Show clip above, Colbert explains his confusion over Trump talking so much about Kimmel, given that Kimmel hasn't actually hosted the event.

"I called him and Jimmy Kimmel has never hosted the Kennedy Center Honors," says Colbert. "But here's the thing: I did, the three years leading up to Trump becoming president."

Meanwhile, here's what Kimmel himself said in response to Trump.

HULU BUNDLES: Hulu is offering a range of bundle deals so you can stream from its impressive library without breaking the bank.

The best Hulu deals and bundles in December 2025: Best ESPN Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle $29.99/month for a year, then $35.99/month Get Deal Best HBO Max Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle $19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free Get Deal Best Hulu Bundle Deal Disney+ and Hulu Bundle $12.99/month with ads Get Deal Best Student Deal Hulu Student Deal Hulu with ads for $1.99/month Get Deal

There's a wide range of excellent shows and films to watch on Hulu. From The Monkey to the thrilling Alien: Earth series (check out our review here), it's a library that's full of options to keep you entertained through these darker months.

If any of these have caught your eye and have you itching to sign up for Hulu, we're here to help you get the best deal. Outside of the standard ad-supported and ad free plans, there are quite a few bundle deals available with Hulu that are worth exploring if you're looking to save some cash. This includes a great limited time offer on the new Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle. If you're a sports fan, you can sign up for this plan for $29.99 per month for a year right now.

SEE ALSO: Critics hate 'All's Fair,' but the internet has other thoughts

Considering Hulu and Disney Plus have just increased their prices, there's no better time than now to find a way to save through bundles. Below you can find details on Hulu's best bundles at the moment — alongside information on both its ad-supported and ad free plan, if you just want the basics — offering you a way to save on the service without going overboard on spending.

You can get additional streaming services thrown in at a lower cost, and what's better than that?

Best ESPN bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle $29.99/month for a year, then $35.99/month Get Deal

Alongside the big Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max bundle, Hulu also has plans for sports fans that throw in ESPN Select or ESPN Unlimited. According to ESPN, "ESPN Select includes ESPN+ content only. Fans who want ESPN+ exclusively may subscribe to the ESPN Select plan. ESPN Unlimited includes all of the ESPN networks and services, including ESPN+." For those interested in the latter, the good news is there's a promotion going on right now.

The Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle, which has ads, is currently available for $29.99 per month for a year. The Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited premium bundle without ads is available for $38.99 per month for a year.

These discounted bundles are only available for new and eligible returning subscribers through Jan. 5, 2026. Once the year is up, they'll go back to their full prices of $35.99 per month with ads and $44.99 per month without.

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle — $29.99 per month for a year (then $35.99 per month)

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle Premium — $38.99 per month for a year (then $44.99 per month)

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle — $19.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Premium — $29.99 per month

Best HBO Max bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle $19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free Get Deal Why we like it

Released last July, this is one of the best Hulu bundles available at the moment. Starting at $19.99 per month, this bundle grants you access to Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max's streaming services for a much lower price than what you'd pay for the three of them separately. It's an incredible deal to take advantage of, especially if you've already got Disney+ and HBO Max subscriptions. There are two plans to choose from with this bundle, and they are:

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (with ads) — $19.99 per month (save 42%)

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (no ads) — $32.99 per month (save 41%)

Best Disney+ bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Disney+ and Hulu Bundle $12.99/month with ads Get Deal Why we like it

If you don't want to splash out on the full Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max bundle, the next best thing is the Disney+ and Hulu Bundle. This comes with just Disney+ alongside Hulu, giving you access to each of their ad-supported streaming platforms for as low as $12.99 per month. If you're already subscribed to Disney+ or have been hoping to jump into its library, this is well worth investing in.

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle — $12.99 per month

This isn't the only Disney+ plan available with Hulu, though. For those looking to jump into an ad-free tier for the Disney+ and Hulu bundle, there's the Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium plan that'll cost you $19.99 per month instead.

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium — $19.99 per month

Best student deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu Student Deal Hulu with ads for $1.99/month Get Deal Why we like it

If you're a student enrolled at a university, you can score a Hulu (with ads) plan for even lower than the above bundles. Hulu's Student Deal gives eligible college students the ability to buy a Hulu (with ads) plan for just $1.99 per month. Hulu notes that the deal lasts "so long as student enrollment status remains verified," then it goes back up to the standard monthly price.

• Hulu Student Deal — $1.99 per month

Hulu's monthly plans

If you're just looking to jump straight into Hulu's library without any fancy bundles, there are a couple of subscription options to consider. The ad-supported tier comes in at $11.99 per month, but you'll get your first month free, which is a great way to test the waters and see if it's the right fit for you. If you want to go ad free, that'll cost you $18.99 per month. Unfortunately, this plan does not offer a free trial like its ad-supported sibling.

• Hulu (with ads) — $11.99 per month (get first month free), $119.99 per year

• Hulu Premium (no ads) — $18.99 per month

If you really want to go big on a streaming investment, there's the Hulu + Live TV plan. This costs a whopping $89.99 per month for its ad-supported plan, but comes with plenty to keep you busy. Hulu + Live TV (with ads) gets you access to 95+ channels, unlimited DVR, Disney+ (with ads), ESPN Select (with ads), and Hulu (with ads). If you want to go even bigger with the ad-free plan — which offers Hulu (no ads), Disney+ (no ads), and ESPN Select (with ads) alongside Live TV — it'll cost you $99.99 per month. The ad-supported plan also offers a free trial, but for just three days instead.

• Hulu + Live TV, Disney+, and ESPN Select (with ads) — $89.99 per month (three day free trial)

• Hulu Premium + Live TV, Disney+ Premium, and ESPN Select (no ads) — $99.99 per month

• Hulu + Live TV, Disney+ Premium, and ESPN Select — $94.99 per month

• Live TV Only — $88.99 per month

Wondering what to watch once you get set up with a Hulu plan or bundle? We're here to help with that as well. Have a look at our roundups of the 30 best comedies on Hulu, the 25 best sci-fi movies on Hulu, and the 26 best horror movies on Hulu to start building your watchlist. And if you're in the mood to binge-watch a show, check out our breakdown of the 25 best shows on Hulu.

The text editor is the most critical tool in a programmer's arsenal, acting as the daily workbench, primary interface, and engine for creation. For years, Microsoft's Visual Studio Code (VS Code) has dominated, becoming the default choice for millions of developers across nearly every programming language and operating system.

DISNEY+ BUNDLES: Disney+ is offering bundle deals so you can stream the best of its library at a lower price.

The best Disney+ deals and bundles in December 2025: Best ESPN Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle $29.99/month for a year, then $35.99/month Get Deal Best HBO Max Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle $19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free Get Deal Best Hulu Bundle Deal Disney+ and Hulu Bundle $12.99/month with ads Get Deal

Whether you're looking to jump into the latest superhero saga or journey to a galaxy far, far away, Disney+ is the streaming service for you.

Home to Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and so much more, Disney+ offers a library that's stuffed-full of shows and films to keep both adults and kids entertained when it matters. This includes the new Taylor Swift 'Eras Tour' docuseries, which is gearing up to drop on Dec. 12 for eager fans ahead of the holidays.

If you've had this streaming service on your radar but are unsure which plan is the best fit for you, we've got you covered with a selection of Disney+ streaming deals. This includes a great limited time offer on the new Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle. If you're a sports fan, you can sign up for this plan for $29.99 per month for the first year.

SEE ALSO: 'Percy Jackson and the Olympians' Season 2 review: Rough waters ahead for 'Sea of Monsters' adaptation

Alongside that deal, there are a few more bundles to check out with Disney+ right now, including the Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max package. This is a great investment for those who already own the other two streaming services and are looking to cut down on costs. Considering Disney+ has just increased its prices, now is as good a time as any to check out a bundle.

We've detailed all of the available bundle deals below, alongside basic information on Disney+ plans if you just want the House of Mouse's service on its own.

Best ESPN bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Disney Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle $29.99/month for a year, then $35.99/month Get Deal

If you're a sports fan looking to add ESPN into your bundles, you're in luck: Disney offers bundles with both ESPN Select and ESPN Unlimited. According to ESPN, "ESPN Select includes ESPN+ content only. Fans who want ESPN+ exclusively may subscribe to the ESPN Select plan. ESPN Unlimited includes all of the ESPN networks and services, including ESPN+." If the latter has caught your attention, it has a limited-time offer going on right now.

The Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle, which has ads, is currently available for $29.99 per month for a year. The Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited premium bundle without ads is on offer for $38.99 per month for a year.

These discounted bundles are only available for new and eligible returning subscribers through Jan. 5, 2026. Once the year is up, they'll go back to their full prices of $35.99 per month with ads and $44.99 per month without.

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle — $29.99 per month for a year (then $35.99 per month)

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle Premium — $38.99 per month for a year (then $44.99 per month)

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle — $19.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Premium — $29.99 per month

Best HBO Max bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Disney Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle $19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free Get Deal Why we like it

The Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max bundle is one of the best available at the moment. Starting at $19.99 per month, you can have three excellent streaming services right in the palm of your hand, which is a great offer to take advantage of. The $19.99 per month option is for the With Ads plan, but if you'd prefer to watch your favorite content without ads, the No Ads plan comes to $32.99 per month. Compared to what you'd pay for each of these on their own, you're saving 42% with the ad-supported plan and 41% with the ad-free plan.

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (with ads) — $19.99 per month (save 42%)

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (no ads) — $32.99 per month (save 41%)

Best Hulu bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Disney Disney+ and Hulu Bundle Disney+ and Hulu with ads for $12.99/month Get Deal Why we like it

If the Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max mega bundle feels like a bit too much, there are smaller bundle deals to check out instead. One of the most affordable bundle options the service has is the Disney+, Hulu Bundle. This brings together Disney+ and Hulu (with ads) for $12.99 per month. This is a great way to gain access to both of their libraries for only $1 more than what you'd pay for just one of the ad-supported plans on their own.

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle — $12.99 per month

If you'd rather spring for the ad-free version of that bundle, Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium is what you need. This offers both Disney+ and Hulu without ads for $19.99 per month.

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium — $19.99 per month

Best Disney+ monthly plans

Disney+ offers two standard plans if you just want the service on its own. The Disney+ ad-supported plan comes to $11.99 per month while the ad-free Disney+ Premium plan will set you back $18.99 per month or $189.99 per year if you'd rather pay annually.

• Disney+ (With Ads) — $11.99 per month

• Disney+ Premium (No Ads) — $18.99 per month, $189.99 per year

Disney+ has also created an "extra member" plan for people using your account that live outside of your household as they crack down on password sharing. If you're looking to add another person onto your account, you're only allowed one extra profile and can choose from the following add-on plans:

• Disney+ (With Ads) — $6.99 per month

• Disney+ Premium — $9.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle — $7.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium — $10.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle — $11.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Premium — $14.99 per month

There's a wealth of shows and films to check out on Disney+ after you sign up. If you want some help finding something to watch, check out our roundups of the 12 best TV shows for adults on Disney+ and the 20 best movies on Disney+ to start building out your watchlist.

Google is facing a European Union investigation into its use of publishers' online content for AI-generated search summaries like AI Overviews and AI Mode, with anticompetitive practices the primary suspicion.

Announced on Tuesday, the EU's main executive body, the European Commission, opened a formal antitrust probe into Google's practice of using online publishers' material for AI purposes — and that includes the company's use of content uploaded to YouTube.

According to the EU, the investigation will examine "whether Google is distorting competition by imposing unfair terms and conditions on publishers and content creators, or by granting itself privileged access to such content, thereby placing developers of rival AI models at a disadvantage."

SEE ALSO: EU fines Elon Musk's X $140 million for lack of transparency

Specifically, the EU will dig into Google's AI-powered, generative search summary tools AI Overviews and AI Mode, and whether the company used web publisher content for these tools "without appropriate compensation to publishers and without offering them the possibility to refuse such use of their content."

Since Google launched AI Overviews in May 2024, researchers have found websites including news and media outlets have seen a devastating impact on site traffic. In July 2025, Google also launched AI Mode, a more conversational AI-generated search results aggregator. A Pew Research Center study from July 2025 found users are less likely to click on links when an AI summary appears in the results, with users more likely to end their browsing session.

This impact on news sites has been colossal. As Cecily Mauran reports for Mashable, "Organic search traffic from major news sites including the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Washington Post has declined according to SimilarWeb data. And smaller, independent sites say the rollout of AI Overviews has forced them to shut down their sites or entirely reinvent their distribution model as a result of declining traffic, according to a Bloomberg report. Other reports from SEO analysts found the presence of AI Overviews reduced clicks to sites, compared to traditional search results."

In the UK, MailOnline and Metro owner DMG Media told the Competition and Markets Authority (per the BBC), that AI Overviews had caused an 89 percent drop in click-through rates.

Featured Video For You Humans could soon live underwater, in these deep sea habitats

So, what's next? The EU has informed Google of the investigation and says there is "no legal deadline" for the end of the case, noting that the timeline may be impacted by "the complexity of the case, the extent to which the companies concerned cooperate with the Commission and the parties' exercise of the rights of defence."

It's just the latest Big Tech case brought forth by the EU, with Apple and Meta facing hundreds of millions in fines and a landmark €120 million fine slapped on Elon Musk's X, all for breaching its Digital Services Act (DSA). But it's also the latest case against a major tech company using material for AI training and aggregation purposes, with ChatGPT creator OpenAI facing multiple lawsuits for AI training and copyright infringement, including from publishers. 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.

The Ugreen DH2300 NAS has a budget-friendly price and all the makings of an entry-level network-attached storage device, but after trying to get my family to use it to back up their pictures and data, it might still be too technical for a mass audience.

Trump hosted the Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday, and was quick to compare his own hosting abilities with that of his least favorite host, Jimmy Kimmel — who he described as "terrible" and "horrible."

"That is very hurtful," Kimmel says in the clip. "I thought we were friends. I don't know what's going on. He is really fixated. I'm starting to think he might have a crush on me."

Kimmel goes on to play a clip of Trump saying, "If I can't beat out Jimmy Kimmel in terms of talent, then I don't think I should be president."

"Agreed," Kimmel responds. "I'm with you. I don't think I've ever agreed with anything more than that."

SAVE OVER $100: As of Dec. 9, the 11-inch Apple iPad Air (M3, 128GB, WiFi) is on sale at Amazon for $449.99 after clipping the coupon on the store page. Normally it's listed for $599, so this saves you $149.01.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Air 11-inch with M3 chip $449.99 at Amazon
$599 Save $149.01   Get Deal

If you've been hoping to score some deals on Apple devices before the holidays, Amazon still has some discounts to look through. In particular, if an iPad is on your shopping list, the 11-inch Apple iPad Air (M3, 128GB, WiFi) has dropped to $449.99 with the help of a coupon on the Amazon store page.

This model of iPad Air is usually listed for $599, so this discount price - which will appear at checkout after ticking the coupon price box on the store page - saves you $149.01 overall. It's also only $0.99 away from its lowest-ever price, according to price tracker camelcamelcamel, making now a great time to grab it. This discount applies to all available colors at the time of writing as well, so you can pick out your favorite.

SEE ALSO: From AirPods to espresso machines, everything the Mashable shopping team bought during Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025

We're big fans of this iPad Air, with it even landing a spot on our list of the best iPads as the "best pick for most people." Mashable's Samantha Mangino notes in this roundup that, thanks to the M3 chip, "it has the same processing power as a MacBook, scoring 11,464 on our Geekbench 6 test. AKA, it packs a lot of power into a more affordable package."

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!

Alongside its boost in performance, this iPad also features a sleek 11-inch Liquid Retina display that makes whatever you're watching, reading, or scrolling through look crisply detailed and colorful. This particular model comes with 128GB of storage as well, so there's plenty of space to fill with your favorite apps.

Don't miss out on this great deal on the 11-inch Apple iPad Air (M3, 128GB, WiFi) at Amazon. It's not the only option on sale right now, either. If you want to splash out on a fancier model, you can also save on the 13-inch M4 iPad Pro at Amazon.

TL;DR: The Deeper Connect Air Portable Decentralized VPN Travel Router is on sale for $169 with free shipping (order by Dec. 15 for holiday delivery).

Opens in a new window Credit: Deeper Connect Deeper Connect Air Portable Decentralized VPN Travel Router $169
$219 Save $50   Get Deal

If you’re shopping for someone who travels often — whether for work, remote gigs, or pure wanderlust — this is the kind of gift that instantly makes their life easier.

The Deeper Connect Air is a portable, decentralized VPN router that brings fast, secure, subscription-free browsing wherever they land. And right now, it’s available for just $169 (down from $219) with free shipping. Order by Dec. 15 if you want it wrapped and ready in time for Christmas.

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!

What makes this device so useful is how much digital stress it removes. Airport Wi-Fi acting sketchy? Hotel network wide open? Café hotspot overloaded? The Deeper Connect Air quietly handles all of that.

It delivers military-grade encryption, 300Mbps speeds, and no monthly VPN fees, ever. Just plug it in, and you’re protected — no configuration, extra apps, or complicated setup.

It’s also ideal for entertainment on the road. The device lets you bypass geo-restrictions on streaming platforms, keeps ads from slowing things down, and handles up to five devices at once. For families, it includes one-click parental controls; for digital nomads, it supports 80+ Web3 features and even offers blockchain-based node access.

Because it uses decentralized VPN (DPN) technology, there’s no single server tracking your usage. You’re connecting through 80,000+ global nodes, which means stable access to virtually any region — and far less risk than public networks.

For frequent travelers, remote workers, students abroad, and anyone who would rather not use unsecured WiFi, this pocket-sized router is both practical and surprisingly powerful.

With no ongoing fees, it’s a smart tech gift that pays off every time they open their laptop on the go.

Get the Deeper Connect Air Decentralized VPN Router while it’s just $169 (reg. $219) with free shipping.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Shopping for gifts for gamers is a double-edged Master Sword. On the one hand, there are so many cool games, consoles, and accessories to choose from. But that's also the tricky part: There is so much gaming-related merchandise to choose from, to the point where you might feel under-leveled for the "simple" task of picking that just-right gift — especially if they're a long-time player who already has all of the obvious gaming gear. That's where we come in.

To help you on your side quest to find a respectable present for someone who loves video games, we've compiled a massive list of more than 50 gamer gift ideas for 2025 — including a bunch of games we've played and products we've tested ourselves. If you're gifting on a budget, you'll do well with a few months' worth of their favorite video game subscription service or a copy of one of the best video games of 2025 (recommended by Mashable's own Alex Perry). Leveling up over the $100 mark expands your options to high-end peripherals, while $200 and above unlocks current-gen consoles, or if you're really nice, a whole new PC.

Of course, mega fans of specific franchises can never get too much displayable merch. We've peppered in some collectibles, stocking stuffers, and Christmas gifts that they may not have yet, like Nintendo-themed LEGOs or a Diablo-themed Tarot deck.

SAVE $19.50: Pokémon TCG's Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box is currently $87.49 on TCGPlayer right now, that's $19.50 less than Amazon's $106.99. But if you manage to qualify for Amazon's Visa card, you'll get an instant $60 gift card to knock down the ETB price to $46.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box $106.99 at Amazon
Possible $60 Gift Card if you qualify on Amazon. TCGPlayer is cheapest otherwise. Get Deal

Elite Trainer Boxes are some of the most popular sealed Pokémon TCG products on store shelves right now, with Phantasmal Flames being no exception. It's got Mega Charizard X slapped all over it, including the 65 included deck sleeves, themed dice and tournament legal coin. There's every chance to pull one of four Mega Charizard X ex cards, including the Secret Illustration Rare, Gold Hyper Rare, Hyper Rare and regular ex Ultra Rare. Although the odds are harsh, there's nine booster packs to help mate the magic anyway.

SEE ALSO: Pokémon TCG's Mega Evolution Enhanced Booster Box is over $20 cheaper on TCGPlayer, but Amazon offers a gift card

So, there's two ways to grab the Phantasmal Flames Elite Trainer Box right now. Well, three if you happen to hate money. First up, if buying it for the full fat price on Amazon for $106.99, which you really shouldn't do. Instead, you can try and qualify for an Amazon Visa card to score a free and instant $60 gift card, with zero need to use the Visa card itself to knock down the ETB to a tidy $46.99.

If you'd sooner not tempt fate with having a credit card within arms reach, well done for admitting as much. TCGPlayer has the best vanilla price right now at $87.49 including delivery, which is a cool $19.50 off Amazons price point. That one is a no-brainer, right?

The best chase cards you can pull from Mega Evolution and Phantasmal Flames Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / The Pokémon Company

If you want to save even more money over ripping endless boosters to get your chase card this holiday, the chances are it's going to work out cheaper in the long run just buying it. The good news is the majority of Pokémon TCG has found a new floor value-wise, with prices across the board tanking right now. TCGPlayer is owned by eBay and is armed with vetted and rated sellers for peace of mind buying these gems. Here's the top five chase cards available right now in Mega Evolution and Phantasmal Flames packs, including up-to-date market values and links to catch one for yourself:

1. Mega Charizard X ex - 125/094
   Near Mint Holofoil: $599.99
   Market price: $600.94
   Most recent sale: $659.99

2. Mega Charizard X ex - 130/094
   Near Mint Holofoil: $411.85
   Market price: $402.30
   Most recent sale: $429

3. Mega Lucario ex - 188/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $371.99
   Market price: $396.09
   Most recent sale: $350

4. Mega Gardevoir ex - 187/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $285
   Market price: $310.28
   Most recent sale: $305

5. Mega Gardevoir ex - 178/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $209.90
   Market price: $208.60
   Most recent sale: $204.98

In May, at its annual Google I/O conference, Google announced a new product called the "Android XR glasses," without saying much about the specs or giving us a launch date.

Now, Google is ready to share more. In a blog post, the company clarified that it's actually working on two types of smart glasses, both developed in partnership with Samsung, Gentle Monster, and Warby Parker.

SEE ALSO: Google's Year in Search 2025: The most interesting part is how we searched

The first product is what Google calls "AI glasses," which do not have a display. Instead, they use a built-in speaker, microphones, and camera, to let you interact with Google's AI assistant Gemini and take photos. If you're thinking this is similar to Meta's Ray-Ban glasses, you are correct. The glasses are coming "next year," Google said.

Featured Video For You Are foldable phones worth buying in 2025? As a tech editor, I say heck yes

The other product is a tad more interesting. Google calls them simply "display AI glasses," and these are the ones that the company spoke about in May. They also have an in-lens display which can privately show you stuff like turn-by-turn navigation, translation captions, and more.

The display isn't visible to anyone but the wearer. Credit: Google

The company also shared a couple of short videos, showing the display AI glasses in action. However, Google didn't share a launch date for the glasses with the built-in display.

Both pairs of glasses will run on Google's Android XR, an operating system for what Google calls "extended reality devices," which includes headsets and smart glasses. The first Android XR headset is the Samsung Galaxy XR, which launched in October 2025.

Australia's social media ban for children under 16 will come into effect this Wednesday, Dec. 10. Platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube have already begun disabling users' accounts to comply with the new law.

Approved by Australia's Senate earlier this year, the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act requires social media platforms to take "reasonable steps" to prevent Australians under 16 from holding accounts. A platform will be subject to this requirement if its primary purpose is to enable online social interaction between multiple users, it allows them to interact with some or all other users, and it lets them post content.

"Delaying children’s access to social media accounts gives them valuable time to learn and grow, free of the powerful, unseen forces of harmful and deceptive design features such as opaque algorithms and endless scroll," said Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant in a statement last month. 

"But I’ve also said consistently that age restricting social media is one important tool in our holistic approach to online safety. Ultimately, all online platforms should be building less harmful, age-appropriate experiences through safety by design."  

Failure to comply with Australia's new law could see social media platforms slapped with fines of up to $AU49.5 million ($US33 million). Fortunately, the legislation is specifically targeted at tech companies, and neither children nor their caregivers will be penalised if they circumvent a platform's restrictions to access social media anyway. Parents are reportedly already helping children evade the ban by using their own credentials, while a poll found almost a third would be willing to assist their child in getting around the restrictions on YouTube.

Nevertheless, Australia's new law means social media platforms must work to prohibit account holders under 16. Here's how they're responding.

Facebook, Instagram, and Threads Credit: Meta

Last Thursday, Meta began removing access to Facebook, Instagram, and Threads accounts belonging to Australians under 16, as well as blocking them from creating new ones. They will still be able to use Messenger, which doesn't fall under Australia's social media ban, but without a connected Facebook account. 

Meta stated that impacted users will be given the option to download their content before the ban comes into effect. They will also be prompted to update their contact information, enabling Meta to reach out and reinstate their accounts once they turn 16. If they are mistakenly caught up in the ban, users can verify their age through third-party provider Yoti, or by providing their government ID or a video selfie.

Though Meta is working to comply with the ban, aiming to remove all impacted users from its services by Dec. 10, the tech giant has made clear that it doesn't agree with it. Meta has instead argued for legislation requiring app stores obtain parents' approval before allowing children under 16 to download apps. This solution would have parents establish a child's age and relevant restrictions while setting up their phone, rather than require them to complete age verification multiple times for different apps.

"Teens are resourceful, and may attempt to circumvent age assurance measures to access restricted services," Meta wrote in a November blog post. "Realistically, we can only do so much to determine age without requiring everyone to provide a government ID — which isn’t safe, poses significant privacy risks, and could lead to identity theft."

TikTok Credit: Mashable composite: TikTok

TikTok also addressed the ban last week, stating that it will deactivate the accounts of Australian users between the age of 13 and 15. (The video sharing app already does not allow users under 13.) Further, any content they have published will no longer be visible to other users.

Impacted users will be given the option to download their information, and can either confirm that they are 16 or older, let their account be deactivated, or delete it entirely. If they choose not to delete their account, they can sign up for a reminder that it is available to them again once they turn 16. 

TikTok states that it uses multiple methods to verify users' ages, including credit card authorisation, providing government ID documents, and employing facial age estimation services from Yoti.

"Every day, we suspend thousands of accounts globally because we don't think our age requirements have been met," wrote TikTok. "We also encourage parents to have conversations with their teens to make sure they have been truthful about their age. If an Australian parent believes their teen may have provided an incorrect date of birth, they can report this in-app and online. We understand that these changes may be upsetting, but they are necessary to ensure that TikTok complies with Australian law."

Snapchat

Snapchat has argued against its classification as an age-restricted social media service, claiming that 75 percent of time Australians spend on the app is messaging and calling. Nevertheless, the Australian government maintains that Snapchat falls under the ban's purview, forcing the video sharing app to comply.

From Dec. 10, Snapchat will lock accounts belonging to Australians under 16. Notably, this is distinct from deactivating them. Locked accounts will remain locked for three years, unless the user verifies that they have turned 16 and has it reinstated. Users can verify their age via third-party provider k-ID, either by providing their government ID or by submitting to facial age estimation. Alternatively, users can complete age verification by connecting their Australian bank account.

Once the three-year lock expires, impacted users' Snapchat accounts will be deactivated. Deactivation gives users 30 days to download their data, which is then permanently deleted after 60 days. Fortunately, Snapchat users can still download their data while their account is locked, giving them three years to do so. Snapchat has also reminded users to cancel any subscriptions they may have to Snapchat+ or Memories+ via the App Store or Play Store. 

Unfortunately, Australian teens' Snapchat Streaks won't be preserved while their accounts are locked.

"[D]isconnecting teens from their friends and family doesn’t make them safer — it may push them to less safe, less private messaging apps," said Snap. "We continue to advocate for more privacy-conscious solutions, such as mandating age verification at the device, operating system, or app store level."

YouTube Credit: Google

YouTube was poised to get an exemption from the ban earlier this year, with owner Google arguing that it is "a video sharing platform, not a social media service, that offers benefit and value to younger Australians." This exemption was subsequently reversed in July, forcing YouTube to ban Australians under 16.

As a result, YouTube will automatically sign out all Australian users under 16 on Dec. 10, including supervised pre-teen and teen accounts. These users' YouTube channels will become inaccessible from this date, preventing them from uploading, commenting on, or monetising videos. Their channels will also no longer be visible to others. YouTube Kids will not be impacted by the ban.

Users can download their YouTube and Youtube Music data via Google Takeout, as well as permanently delete their channel if they so choose. If they don't delete it, Google will hold on to their data until they turn 16 and can re-enable their account, reinstating their uploads and comments.

Significantly, YouTube does allow users to view content without logging in. As such, the ban primarily impacts the ability for YouTube users to upload content, as well as access features such as likes, subscriptions, private playlists, and memberships.

"As the Social Media Minimum Age Act requires kids to use YouTube without an account, it removes the very parental controls and safety filters built to protect them — it will not make kids safer on our platform," said Google. "These are the unfortunate consequences of a rushed legislative process that failed to allow for adequate consultation and consideration of the real complexities of online safety regulation."

Twitch

Like YouTube, Twitch initially seemed as though it would get an exemption from Australia's social media ban. This changed late last month, when the Australian government added it to its banned social media list.

Twitch has not yet announced what steps it will be taking to specifically comply with Australia's new laws. However, the platform already does not allow users under the age of 13, and has minimum age requirements which vary by region. In addition to requesting users' birth dates when they create an account, Twitch enforces these age limits via on-device facial age estimation conducted by k-ID. 

As such, it seems likely that Twitch may request Australian users use such methods to verify their age when logging in, as well as when they sign up for a new account. Twitch streams are still available to watch without logging in, however viewers won't be able to access features such as chatting and subscribing.

Reddit

Though Reddit is reportedly gearing up to challenge Australia's social media ban in court, it will likely be a while before any potential action bears fruit. In the meantime, u/LastBlueJay from Reddit's Public Policy team has outlined how it is complying with Australia's ban in a post to subreddit r/RedditSafety. 

All Australians with Reddit accounts will be required to verify their age, both by supplying their birth date as well as via a third-party age verification service. Reddit states that this may involve supplying their government ID or taking a selfie. Accounts determined to belong to Australians under 16 will be suspended, though will have an opportunity to appeal and reattempt verification. (Reddit has always banned accounts for users under 13).

Interestingly, Reddit is also going one step further by implementing restrictions on users under 18 across the globe. These users will be served a version of Reddit with "more protective safety measures," including stricter chat settings, no access to mature content, and no ad personalisation.

While Reddit is complying with the ban, u/LastBlueJay stated that the platform "disagree[s] about the scope, effectiveness, and privacy implications of this law." Like both YouTube and Twitch, Reddit is still available for people to browse without being logged in, though users are not able to post, comment, or message others.

"We believe strongly in the open internet and the continued accessibility of quality knowledge, information, resources, and community building for everyone, including young people," they wrote in their post on Tuesday. "This is why Reddit has always been, and continues to be, available for anyone to read even if they don’t have an account. By limiting account eligibility and putting identity tests on internet usage, this law undermines everyone’s right to both free expression and privacy, as well as account-specific protections."

X

While the Australia-specific page of X's Help Centre doesn't explicitly mention the Dec. 10 ban, it does outline the microblogging platform's policy regarding young Australians.

Regardless of location, X requires users to be at least 13 years old to have an account. Restrictions are placed on accounts for users aged between 13 and 18 by default, including making their posts only visible to their followers, and requiring them to approve new followers. They can also only receive direct messages from accounts they follow.

To determine users' ages, X relies upon information such as their self-reported age, how long ago their account was created, and whether they have previously verified their identity via a third party. X uses both facial age estimation and government ID verification.

X doesn't appear to have issued any further guidance specifically addressing Australia's social media ban at time of writing. As such, it is currently unclear how it will respond to the ban, as its current measures do not appear to comply with its requirements.

"The X Rules enable minors to participate in the public conversation freely and safely, and minors should rely on the X Rules (and report to X) in order to protect themselves," reads X's Help Center page.

Kick

Australian livestreaming platform Kick has asked Australian users to verify their age via k-ID by the Dec. 10 deadline, stating that this is a mandatory requirement to continue using their service. Any accounts it determines are owned by those under 16 will be deactivated, though Kick states that users will have "clear review pathways" if they wish to appeal the decision.

"We believe in creating a safer online environment, and this change is driven by our duty of care to our users," said Kick, addressing the social media ban in a post on their website last month. "By implementing age assurance, we fulfill our legal obligations under the Online Safety Act 2021 to reduce the risk of harm to young Australians. This proactive step helps enhance the safety and well-being of our younger community members by limiting their exposure to specific online risks, such as cyberbullying, inappropriate content, and unwanted contact."

Which social media platforms are still available to Australians under 16?

Though many of the largest social media platforms will soon be off-limits to Australians under 16, not all of them are being banned. 

As previously mentioned, Meta's Messenger app will still be available, allowing kids to continue chatting to people they know. Meta's other instant messaging app WhatsApp is also exempt, as is gaming-focused voice chat app Discord.

Video game Roblox is explicitly permitted, as is the LEGO Play app and video game storefront Steam. Other platforms that won't be age-restricted are GitHub, Google Classroom, Pinterest, and YouTube Kids.

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 SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025:

AcrossApt profession for someone named Rosemary or Ginger

• The answer is Chef.

Get to go, as leftovers

• The answer is Box up.

Word that can precede Bowl or Glue

• The answer is Super.

Intense anger

• The answer is Rage.

"Cut that out!"

• The answer is Stop.

DownStephen Colbert's network

• The answer is CBS

Noted group of 24

• The answer is Hours.

One living abroad, informally

• The answer is Expat.

Spanish for "fire"

• The answer is Fuego.

Do some kitchen work

• The answer is Prep.

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

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 the latest Mini Crossword.

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

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

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

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

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

A prong.

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

SPIKE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Rested.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 9, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SLEPT

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Cinder.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 9 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 9, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

EMBER

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Graceful

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for December 9 Hurdle Word 4 answer

AGILE

Final Hurdle hint

A fool.

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

DUMMY

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

SAVE $20.58: Pokémon TCG's Mega Evolution Enhanced Booster Box is now down to $231.99 at TCGPlayer, which includes a Bulbasaur Stamped Illustration Rare promo card worth $17.07. The same Booster Box is going for $252.57 on Amazon, but you could get a $60 instant gift card to save more.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Mega Evolution Enhanced Booster Box. $252.57 at Amazon
Possible $60 Gift Card if you qualify on Amazon. TCGPlayer is cheapest otherwise. Get Deal

I love a good enhanced booster box just for the exclusive Illustration Rare stamped promo that's included, and Mega Evolution's is my favorite yet with Bulbasaur IR. It's also only an extra couple of dollars over the standard booster box too as far as Amazon is concerned, so this option is a no-brainer considering Bulbasaur is worth around $17.

So there's two routes to travel for trainers today. The best deal overall is seeing if you qualify for an Amazon Visa Card. If successful, trainers will catch an instant $60 gift card to use against the Mega Evolution Enhanced Booster Box. That knocks down that $252.57 price tag to $192.57.

TCGPlayer is (as usual) cheaper than Amazon right now, rocking up at $231.99 and $20.58 less over Amazon.

The best chase cards you can pull from Mega Evolution and Phantasmal Flames Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / The Pokémon Company

Of course, the challenge of actually pulling the cards you want is half the fun, but if you're like me and absolutely can't stand enjoying yourself, just buy the single cards you want. The changes are you're going to save money over ripping packs for higher-end cards, and the Illustration Rares are usually the price of a couple of boosters. So here's the top chase cards from the latest Pokémon TCG sets in Mega Evolution and Phantasmal Flames, complete with current market value information per TCGPlayer and links to catch your very own:

1. Mega Charizard X ex - 125/094
   Near Mint Holofoil: $599.99
   Market price: $600.94
   Most recent sale: $659.99

2. Mega Charizard X ex - 130/094
   Near Mint Holofoil: $411.85
   Market price: $402.30
   Most recent sale: $429

3. Mega Lucario ex - 188/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $371.99
   Market price: $396.09
   Most recent sale: $350

4. Mega Gardevoir ex - 187/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $285
   Market price: $310.28
   Most recent sale: $305

5. Mega Gardevoir ex - 178/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $209.90
   Market price: $208.60
   Most recent sale: $204.98

Like it or not, sleep is a non-negotiable aspect of being alive. We human beings require sleep to continue functioning. The problem is, for plenty of people, sleep is an elusive beast. For a gigantic list of reasons, people struggle to get enough high-quality sleep and keep that sleep schedule consistent. 

One of the main sleep disruptors is temperature. Some of us can sweat through the sheets in January, while others cannot warm up no matter how many wool duvets they add to the bed. The Eight Sleep Pod 5 aims to remedy temperature as a reason why you cannot get restorative sleep. It does this, primarily, with the Pod’s Cover, which slips over your mattress like a fitted sheet. You get to set your ideal Cover temperature, or you can let the Eight Sleep Autopilot take the wheel, which will make adjustments throughout the night.

SEE ALSO: The DreamCloud Premier mattress has no business being so affordable given its hotel-like luxury

Plenty of us have gone to great lengths to find the secret to getting great sleep, but the Eight Sleep Pod 5 has a glaring factor — it’s really, really expensive. We’re talking between $3,000 and $6,000+ for a queen-size setup, depending on how luxurious you want to go. Since that number is not one most people find easy to swallow, I slept on the Eight Sleep Pod 5 for several months to decide if I think it’s worth the price. In the end, I’ve come to love almost everything about the Pod 5, and I miss it when I’m not sleeping at home, but I did find some aspects frustrating. My detailed adventure with the Eight Sleep Pod 5 takes off from here.

Disclaimer: If you deal with chronic sleep issues, please seek out professional medical guidance before turning to any type of physical product for relief.

How does the Eight Sleep Pod 5 system work?

It’s helpful to get the whole overview of how the Pod works before I dive into what my experience was like sleeping on the system. At its core, the Eight Sleep Pod 5 is a cover that slips over your mattress much like a fitted sheet. But this cover contains a network of small tubes that pump either hot or cold water throughout. The aim here is to either warm you up or cool you down, and therefore, help you get better sleep.

The brains of this water system sit in the Eight Sleep Pod Hub, which sits next to your bed and attaches to the cover via a thick cord. Sleepers control the cover’s temperature through the Eight Sleep app or with three buttons located on the side of the cover. There’s also an autopilot mode that hands off temperature control to the app, and it’ll adjust throughout the night to what it thinks will help you sleep best.

The Pod Cover connects to the Hub, which sits near the bed. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

Besides heating and cooling, the cover has some serious smarts in the name of sleep metrics. It detects heart rate and breathing patterns, and monitors sleep stages. All of that info gets sent to the app, which then gives a detailed nightly report on sleep quality. It also has a vibration function, allowing you to set an alarm to wake you up via vibration every morning, which is really snazzy and infinitely better than a cellphone alarm.

The blanket

In addition to the cover, sleepers can add the Eight Sleep Pod 5 blanket to the setup. It works in a similar fashion to the cover with small water tubing throughout that sends either warm or cool water through the channels. The blanket connects to the cover via cords to the ports located at the foot of the cover. Conveniently, the cords tuck under your mattress, so there’s little risk of kicking the blanket cords while you sleep.

An easy click-to-connect system attaches the blanket to the cover. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

The temperature for the blanket is also controlled in the app. Since the Hub controls the temperature of both the cover and the blanket, you’ll need to select one temperature for both products.

The base

For an extra luxurious slumber, Eight Sleep sells an adjustable base to pair with your mattress, the Pod’s cover, and the blanket. The adjustable base articulates at the head and the foot, so you’re free to adjust either area to find your perfect combo. In the app, you can move the base into pre-set positions for reading, relaxing, or sleeping, or keep it flat. Getting more particular, you can adjust the head and foot to the specific degree of your liking.

At times during testing, I found the reading position to feel too upright, but the lower relax position to be too close to lying down, so I adjusted the degree of incline, which is super easy to do in the app. The Eight Sleep base also has a built-in speaker that can lull you off to sleep with the soothing sounds of a rainforest and awaken you with soft beach waves. You can also go with pink noise, white noise, or brown noise.

Choose your favorite degree on the adjustable base. Credit: Screenshot: Eight Sleep app The base can listen for snoring and adjust the head to help mitigate. Credit: Screenshot: Eight Sleep app

Another major benefit of the base is its snoring mitigation function. When the base detects snoring, it’ll raise the head area slightly. This small adjustment is undetectable, and its aim is to prop sleepers up in a better position to open their air passages, hopefully putting an end to snoring.

Since plenty of us get poor sleep on account of a partner snoring, myself included, this automatic adjustment is a lifesaver. I haven’t noticed my partner snoring in months, aside from the times we’ve been staying at a friend’s house where there was no Eight Sleep Pod provided in the guest room. Sigh.

SEE ALSO: Tempur-Pedic’s smart bed frame taught me I’m bad at sleeping Surprise! Setting up the Eight Sleep Pod 5 is super easy.

Since I tested the entire Eight Sleep Pod 5, which includes the cover, blanket, adjustable base, and legs for the base, I had a total of eight boxes. To say I was intimidated by the setup is an understatement. But to my absolute delight, it was super easy. Yes, it was a lengthy process that took several hours, but it was all straightforward. I had the help of my partner, but none of the elements would have been unmanageable by myself. The adjustable base is split into two sides, which makes it easier to carry into the bedroom. Perhaps best of all, the setup requires zero tools. 

Setting up the cover, blanket, and adjustable base was straightforward, thanks to the app's instructions. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

All you need to set up any and all elements of the Eight Sleep Pod 5 system is distilled water, a WiFi connection, the app up and running, and some time. I’ve assembled simple platform mattress bases that were far more complicated than the Pod 5. Phew. The app takes you through detailed setup instructions in a way that makes the entire process a cinch.

What I loved about sleeping with the Eight Sleep Pod 5

In truth, I loved a lot about the Eight Sleep Pod 5. Seattle summers have followed the global trend of getting way too hot, and most of us don’t have AC. I sleep hot to begin with, so summers have felt especially evil to me. The Eight Sleep Pod 5 made me forget what it was like to sweat the bed every single night. In my several months of testing, I woke up sweaty exactly once. Just one time I woke up drenched. Before the Pod 5, it was a rare occurrence if I didn’t wake up soaked. The difference was shocking. I also deal with migraines from dehydration, so having a sleep solution that keeps me from sweating a ton and losing a bunch of water at night has been a miracle.

Controls on each side of the bed means you don't have to look at your phone to make temperature adjustments in the middle of the night. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

My testing continued into the fall, and once the weather turned rainy and gray, I found comfort and pleasure in crawling into a pre-warmed bed each night. Napping on a pre-warmed bed also felt like I had unearthed some kind of hidden level of enjoyment in life that I didn’t have access to before the Pod 5.

The Pod 5’s base also changed my partner’s proclivity for snoring. In fact, it stopped it entirely. Not once did I wake up to shake him. I have to assume that not only did I sleep way better because of this, but he did, too.

Things I didn't love about the Eight Sleep Pod 5

Sleeping on the Pod 5 for the first two weeks or so was a journey, and I often wanted to get off the Pod train. Some nights, I woke up too cold and had to reach for my phone to bump up the temperature. (My partner preferred to make temperature adjustments with the Cover’s side controls, but I always went into the app.) Other nights, I woke up too hot and had to lower the temperature. All of that disrupted my sleep, probably more than getting sweaty would have.

In the app, select your ideal temperature for bedtime, night, and dawn. Autopilot will make adjustments, if you'd like. Credit: Screenshot: Eight Sleep app A nightly look at how autopilot adjusted the cover's temperature. Credit: Screenshot: Eight Sleep app

It took several weeks for me to get acquainted with the Pod 5 and for it to get used to my preferences. On occasion, the bed would decide a toasty +7 was optimal for my bedtime temperature, which felt like I was sleeping on the sun itself. Other nights it went with a more moderate +5. I told it +3 was my preference, but the cover did what it wanted at times. To this day, it still spurts out bedtime temperatures seemingly at random. This, however, is easy to adjust in the app.

Because the Eight Sleep Pod 5’s Blanket has water channels, it’s heavier than your normal duvet insert and cover. Personally, I love a weighted blanket, so the Pod 5’s blanket is heaven for me. My partner, however, does not like weighted blankets and is not in love with the hefty feel of the blanket. The Blanket is an add-on to the Pod’s Cover, so I only recommend going for it if you enjoy the feel of a weighted blanket.

I love the weight of the Eight Sleep blanket. My partner doesn't. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable Who might love the Eight Sleep Pod 5

After sleeping on the Pod 5 for months through several seasons, I’ve compiled a list of people who I think would get significant benefit from the Sleep Pod 5 and might be able to justify the price. They include:

• Especially hot sleepers who don’t find relief with bedding or a breathable mattress

• Cold sleepers who can’t warm up with bedding

• Those who live in a warm environment without AC

• People with persistent aches and pains

• Couples who prefer to sleep at different temperatures

• Sleepers who are dealing with hot flashes

• Those who are super interested in detailed sleep metrics

In essence, if you want better control of temperature paired with detailed sleep metrics but you don’t want a wearable sleep tracker, the Eight Sleep Pod 5 could be ideal. 

SEE ALSO: I slept on Nectar's cooling mattress for a month and still got sweaty Sizing options for the Eight Sleep Pod 5

Eight Sleep offers the Pod 5 in full, queen, king, and California king sizes. All of these sizes are capable of supporting two sleepers, with separate temperature controls on each side. However, if you sleep alone, you can indicate that during the initial setup to have the entire bed set for one sleeper.

The separate sides make the Pod easier for couples to use since temperature preferences tend to vary. It’s also ideal for when one person is napping and the other isn’t, or if your bedtimes vary. But the lack of a twin-size is a miss, in my opinion. After testing the Pod for months, I think older people who deal with pain or lower mobility are great candidates for the Pod 5, but they’ll have to be in a full-size bed or larger. The lack of a twin also means you can’t use the Pod 5 for a split king set-up, which is identical to two twins in a side-by-side arrangement. I love the idea of a split king adjustable base with the Eight Sleep Pod since this would allow each sleeper to choose their ideal base position, in addition to the temperature.

The Autopilot membership is extra

When you buy the Eight Sleep Pod 5, you’ll also need to select your Autopilot plan for the first year of ownership. The options include standard, enhanced, and elite, with varying levels of metrics and functions attached to each plan. These memberships provide access to Pod 5’s Autopilot feature, which enables your Cover to adjust the temperature throughout the night to what it deems most comfortable. Here’s the pricing breakdown for the first year:

• Standard: $199

• Enhanced: $299

• Elite: $399

Each Autopilot membership gives two users access to the plan, so you only need one plan per bed. And here’s what’s included:

• Standard: Autopilot temperature adjustments, sleep and health reports, vibrating and thermal alarms, snoring detection, and a two-year warranty

• Enhanced: Everything in Standard, but with a five-year warranty

• Elite: Everything in Enhanced plus advanced wellbeing monitoring, cardiovascular monitoring, and respiratory monitoring, like abnormal heart rates or breathing patterns.

It’s not possible to purchase the Pod 5 without signing up for one of these plans. However, after your first year, you can bail on the plan. But that means the Pod Cover will not automatically adjust temperature at night, and you’ll need to set it manually. You’ll also lose access to vibrating and thermal alarms, and you won’t get sleep tracking metrics, either. Boiled down, without the Autopilot plan, the Cover is pretty much just a fancy heated or cooling mattress cover. I fail to see much allure in using the Pod 5 Cover without the plan, so I’d factor the annual price into the overall cost of ownership.

An always-improving app that’s hungry for details

I’ll hand it to Eight Sleep — the developers put so much thoughtful design into the Pod 5 that it’s complicated to explain every feature of the bed and the app. Even a month after sleeping on the Pod 5, I would open the app to find a new area with new metrics and controls that I did not know existed.

The app is a complex beast, and I think data-driven folks will love it. Each morning, you get a comprehensive look at how you slept the previous night, including time spent in REM, deep sleep, and overview numbers that include how much time you spent asleep and how long sleep interruptions lasted.

The app also lets you see sleep biometrics, like resting heart rate, heart rate variability, snoring time, and breath rate. In addition to these detailed metrics, the app has some functions I’m pretty smitten with, like nap mode and a jet lag protocol. There’s also a special function that those who are transitioning into menopause will be thrilled about.

Hot flash mode could be a savior for those who deal with disrupted sleep from them. Credit: Screenshot: Eight Sleep app The away function in the Eight Sleep app is snazzy. Credit: Screenshot: Eight Sleep app Hot Flash Mode

About a month into my testing journey, Eight Sleep launched a new Hot Flash Mode. Once enabled, this mode lets sleepers alert the Cover about a hot flash, which will send the cover into a super quick cooling mode for a set amount of time. You get to choose the temperature drop and the duration. To make this easier than heading into the app when experiencing a hot flash, you can assign Hot Flash Mode to a button on the cover’s side.

I got to chat with Dr. Nicole Moyen, Eight Sleep’s Director of Science & Clinical Research, about Hot Flash Mode. She explained that about 80 percent of people in perimenopause will experience hot flashes, and many will go through several each night. Not only is this uncomfortable temperature spike disruptive to sleep, but Dr. Moyen also said it’s basically impossible to predict when a hot flash will occur. 

She said Eight’s Sleep’s own research has shown that simply sleeping on the Pod itself can cut the normal instance rate in half, even without using Hot Flash Mode. “We’re lowering people’s core body temperature and therefore keeping them within a narrow thermostat range that the brain needs,” she explained over our video call. But with Hot Flash Mode, sleepers can access rapid cooling in an attempt to mitigate the hot flash. Plus, the Pod will warm back up after the set time. Dr. Moyen explained that this experience is a stark contrast to how most people experience a hot flash, which involves intense heat, sweating, and getting out of bed to cool down — not to mention this is often followed by chills on account of the now sweaty bed.

I haven’t experienced the joy of hot flashes yet, but I tested out the function, and it does exactly what it should: cools you like you’re on fire. For people who deal with interrupted sleep each night for years on account of hot flashes, I can see how this feature could offer great relief. Plus, it could mean less disruption to a partner.

Away mode

When you head off on vacation or leave for the weekend and won't be around to sleep on the Pod 5, the app has an away mode. It takes you into a calendar to select when you'll be leaving and when you're returning. When setting up this schedule, you can indicate if both sleepers will be gone or just one. This'll put the bed in a dormant mode until your return. If you happen to come back earlier than expected, it's easy to push the "I'm back" option, and the Pod 5 will resume its normal schedule.

A bed that lives on WiFi

We all love WiFi, but the Eight Sleep Pod 5 is really, really in love with that connection. In fact, it hardly works without access to WiFi. That means the AWS outage took every Eight Sleep Pod offline. My bed went cold, but I was fine once I put on warmer pajamas and grabbed an extra blanket. Other users were in worse shape, and some took to the internet to complain of missing work because the bed’s alarm didn’t go off or struggling to sleep because it was too hot or too cold.

The following day, the brand's CEO, Matteo Franceschetti, posted on his X account that Eight Sleep would roll out Backup Mode, making some of the bed’s functions available via Bluetooth, bypassing the need for WiFi. If AWS crashes or your WiFi goes out, you can still adjust temperature and elevation. Some features won’t work, like the bed’s Autopilot adjustments, and the bed won’t turn on automatically at bedtime like it usually does, but you can manually set the temperature.

Eight Sleep said this new feature’s rollout would be “gradual,” and I haven’t seen any update on my Pod. But this update gives potential owners reassurance that their beds will still be able to heat or cool in the event of an outage. Keep in mind you’re still kinda screwed if the power goes out, unless you own a portable power station or have a generator for home backup.

A sad note about cleaning

You’re probably wondering how you’d go about cleaning a mattress cover that includes a network of water tubing. I sure was while I was testing. The answer is a pretty big letdown — you can’t. The Eight Sleep Pod 5 cover is not safe to clean in the washing machine. Instead, you’ll need to spot clean it as necessary with water and a smidge of soap. The Pod’s blanket is also not machine washable, and the tag notes instructions to “spot clean with a damp cloth only.

This brings me to urge caution to anyone who has pets or small kids from investing in the Pod 5. Any accident from pets, kids, or yourself (like spilled coffee or wine) could be near impossible to thoroughly and hygienically clean. Should you sweat at night (hopefully not, thanks to the temperature control), that could also soak into the non-cleanable cover.

Pair this with the premium price of the Eight Sleep Pod 5, and I’m not feeling like this is a wise splurge for those who share a bed with kids or pets. In theory, you could add a waterproof mattress protector over the Pod 5 Cover, but that could also create a barrier between you and the cooling or heating effects that cost top-dollar.

Is the Eight Sleep Pod 5 worth the price?

In a queen-size, the Eight Sleep Pod 5 with Hub and Cover sells for $3,248 with the Standard Autopilot plan. If you add the blanket and adjustable base to the setup and go with the Elite Autopilot plan, the queen-size price shoots up to $6,497. That’s a heavy lift for most people, especially considering you have to bring your own mattress to the party. 

But before I say I think the Pod 5 is too expensive, I have to point out that sleep is one of the most important pillars for us human beings. Sacrificing sleep is not smart, and the CDC mentions it's a large player in how our immune system functions and a major player in overall heart health and brain function.

With that in mind, if you cannot sleep because you’re too hot or too cold, the Eight Sleep Pod 5 might very well be worth the high price tag. If the Pod 5 allows you to get better sleep even for just one year, it works out to about $8 per night in the queen size. If we up the time frame to five years, it works out to just $1.67 per night. That’s not much for an investment in wellbeing and health.

I don’t think the Eight Sleep Pod 5 is a good investment for all sleepers, but it could be a life-changer for some. Considering some people drop more than the price of the entire Eight Sleep Pod 5 setup to spend one week on a cruise ship with Mickey Mouse (no shade — those Disney cruises look incredible), I don’t think the $3,049 price tag or even the $6,395 price for the cover, blanket, and base is all that wild. 

Sleep has the power to make a dramatic difference in almost every aspect of our waking hours, and if the Eight Sleep Pod 5 helps you get better sleep, I think it’s well worth the price. Keep in mind, Eight Sleep offers a 30-day trial, so you have some reassurance knowing you have a month of sleeping on the Pod 5 to decide if it’s a worthwhile investment.

It took me a while to fall in love with the Pod 5, but now that we’ve gotten to know each other better, I’m a big fan.

A parting note: You deserve an adjustable base

When testing the entire Eight Sleep Pod 5 setup with the temperature-regulating cover and blanket with the adjustable base, something stuck out to me: an adjustable base is a next-level sleep accessory that you need. Adding an adjustable base to your bedroom setup makes it feel like you splurged to book the first-class suite every single night. The pleasure of hanging out in bed to watch shows, read, or reply to emails while cozy in an elevated position is something I underestimated.

Sleeping with the head slightly elevated is great for those who deal with light snoring, and raising the feet is optimal for athletes or those who work on their feet all day, since it can help with blood flow. But the simple luxury of reading in bed while sitting up on a stable surface (instead of an unstable pillow pile) is a life upgrade I wholeheartedly recommend. Temperature-adjusting Eight Sleep Pod or not, an adjustable base is a life changer.

Opens in a new window Credit: Eight Sleep Eight Sleep Pod 5 $3,048 at Eight Sleep
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