IT General

When the Nintendo Switch 2 launched, I thought for sure that Mario Kart World would be console's racing game of choice for the foreseeable future. However, one of God's most perfect creatures might have something to say about that.

I'm talking about Kirby, of course. Perhaps the single most lovable little dude in video game history (he's flawless and I won't hear otherwise) is speeding onto Switch 2 in November with Kirby Air Riders, a surprising follow-up to a cult classic Nintendo GameCube game from 20 years ago. Yesterday, I had the chance to get some hands-on time with the wacky vehicular nonsense dispenser that is Air Riders. Nintendo also showed off the game during a 45-minute livestream, and after this brief preview, I came away impressed and very hungry for more.

To put it succinctly, this is a video game for people who like it when brightly colored BS is happening all over the screen at all times. I am one of those people.

SEE ALSO: Review: I can't stop playing my Switch 2, a fabulous follow-up to an all-time legend Kirby Air Riders is deceptively simple Come on, that's just the 'Super Smash Bros.' victory screen. Credit: Nintendo

As I mentioned already, Air Riders is a sequel to 2003's Kirby Air Ride. Rather excitingly, it's directed by Masahiro Sakurai, who you may know as the dude behind Super Smash Bros. He actually created Kirby way back in the day, and Air Riders is his first direct involvement in a Kirby game in two decades. (If those details are bringing out your inner Nintendo nerd, then you'll want to watch the Kirby Air Riders Direct livestream with Sakurai.)

As a sidenote, can you imagine being able to tell people you created Kirby? I'd never shut up about it.

Don't try to make sense of what's happening in this photo. Credit: Nintendo / YouTube

Anyway, the Smash energy is off the charts in Air Riders. The menus look and feel almost identical to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and it has a potent pick-up-and-play quality that is evident from the first time you put your hands on the controller. Like the GameCube original, this is a racing game where your vehicle accelerates for you. No need to hold down a button or anything like that. You just focus on steering and attacking your rival racers, which is for the best because it only takes about 10 seconds in any given scenario for Air Riders to become a chaotic mess of candy-colored explosions occurring at very high speeds.

One other central mechanic taken from the 2003 game is a brake button that also acts as a boost. You can hold it down to build up a big burst of speed, but of course, doing that will slow you down for a second. It's useful for rounding corners, but not so much on a straightaway. When you're not drifting, you can pick up speed by attacking NPC enemies on each course or riding on a shiny line left behind by other racers that stays on the track for a few seconds.

I'm exclusively playing as Gooey. Credit: Nintendo

Where Air Riders diverges from its original source material is that there are a bunch of other playable characters besides Kirby. Series favorites like King Dedede and Meta Knight are here, of course, and they're joined by various enemies and villains from other Kirby titles. Each character has their own stats and their own special move, which is activated by the press of a button at the player's discretion as long as their special meter is full. Specials can range from big screen-clearing attacks to gigantic speed boosts, so figuring out which one you like the most will be paramount to success.

I was honestly not a huge fan of the original Air Ride because it was mechanically thin, but adding a whole roster of racers with unique traits and special moves adds a couple of much-needed layers of complexity to races. It feels adequately divergent from Mario Kart World, which is vital since the two games are coming out so close to one another. I honestly think Air Riders might have a higher skill ceiling and a little more going on overall than Mario Kart, which is cool.

As one would expect from a game starring Kirby, the music I heard in the demo was also fantastically catchy, and the visuals are gorgeous all around. It's a very, very fun game to look at and listen to as well as play.

City Trial is a contender for best multiplayer mode of the year Sometimes big spike balls just fall all around you for no reason. It rules. Credit: Nintendo

Another way Air Riders takes after its predecessor is that the actual races aren't really what you're there for. I did have fun in the two short races I got to play, but City Trial is where the real action is.

For the unfamiliar, City Trial is a returning mode from Air Ride that's like a mix between a racing game and a battle royale, to use the parlance of our times. Up to 16 players can roam freely around a big sandbox level with a bunch of different areas to explore for exactly five minutes. During those five minutes, it's up to you to find a machine you like (there are a bunch of different ones and they all feel very different from one another), ride around the map collecting power-ups that slowly build up different stats, and prepare your machine for the endgame.

Said endgame involves Stadiums, which are basically little multiplayer minigames that use every part of the Air Riders mechanical formula. One of them is just a drag race that favors machines with high top speed, while another challenges players to fly as far as they can off of a big ramp, and that naturally caters to machines with a high flying stat. The strategy, then, is to collect specific types of stat boosts during the sandbox portion so you can specialize in one thing, rather than blindly collecting as many as you can. One of the cooler ideas here is that power-ups can cancel each other out if they have opposite effects; you don't want to beef up both your flight and weight stats at the same time because they're antithetical to each other, for instance.

More beautiful chaos. Credit: Nintendo / YouTube There are a lot of stats you can beef up in City Trial. Credit: Nintendo

I got to play three matches of City Trial and had a genuine blast the entire time. The five-minute duration is perfect, as it somehow flies by quickly while also delivering copious amounts of bedlam that make it feel longer than it is. Random events occur constantly in City Trial. Sometimes big boss monsters pop up that every player can work together to defeat for big rewards, while other times the opportunity to participate in a short race within the City Trial map will appear. I also encountered dangerous meteor showers and instances where every player became tiny for a while. It really keeps you on your toes, which I appreciate.

By the time the five minutes are up, you might have a machine that's so fast that you can barely control it, or so powerful that it's unstoppable in the more combat-focused Stadium minigames. No two City Trial games feel the same. It's a little magical.

I only got to play Air Riders for about an hour, but as you can probably tell, I'm very keen to play more of it. It makes Mario Kart World look sedate by comparison, which I didn't think was possible. Count me all the way in on this one.

Kirby Air Riders launches exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 on Nov. 20. You can pre-order the game now via Nintendo and Game Stop.

Pre-order 'Kirby Air Riders' Kirby Air Riders (Digital) $69.99 at Nintendo Pre-Order Here Kirby Air Riders $69.99 at Game Stop Pre-Order Here

Pips is the newest game in the New York Times catalogue. Released in August 2025, the new game puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. Like dominoes, the tiles are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 19, 2025

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 19, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Aug. 20

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

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

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Aug. 20

Equal (6): Every domino half in this space must contain 6 pips. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed horizontally.

Number (3): The domino halves in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally

Number (2): The domino halves in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically.

Number (2): The domino halves in this red space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Every domino half in this space must contain 3 pips. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Aug. 20

Number (6): The domino halves in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically.

Number (2): The domino halves in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically; 1-2, placed vertically.

Number (4): The domino halves in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): The domino halves in this space must equal 4. The answer is 6-4, placed vertically; 4-4, placed vertically.

Equal (5): The domino halves in this space must equal 5. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed vertically.

Equal (6): The domino halves in this space must equal 6. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically.

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

TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub from Alabama with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

The world of porn is in turmoil. Porn censorship has rocked the internet, and it doesn't look like the situation is changing anytime soon.

More than a third of U.S. states have introduced restrictions for online adult content. After the introduction of these age verification laws, Pornhub responded by blocking users from those locations. Now the same situation is taking place in France and the UK (although there's currently no ban in the UK).

Millions of potential users are now locked out of Pornhub. There are complicated reasons for the restriction, but the workaround is actually straightforward. If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from Alabama, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Alabama

VPNs are useful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This straightforward process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can access sites like Pornhub from anywhere in the world.

Unblock Pornhub by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to Pornhub

4. Visit Pornhub

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

The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial peiods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Pornhub without actually spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you the opportunity to temporarily retain access to Pornhub before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to sites like Pornhub, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing content restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Pornhub?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking porn sites like Pornhub, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Unblock Pornhub for free in Alabama with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2025 Lausanne Diamond League for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The World Athletics Championships are the pinnacle of the season for the biggest stars from the world of track and field. With only a few weeks left until that showpiece event, everyone will be looking to build momentum and hit peak form at just the right time. So the Lausanne Diamond League event is coming at a convenient moment.

If you want to watch the 2025 Lausanne Diamond League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Lausanne Diamond League?

The 2025 Lausanne Diamond League takes place on Aug 19-20. This event takes place at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise.

How to watch the 2025 Lausanne Diamond League for free

The 2025 Lausanne Diamond League is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK. This process makes it look like you're connecting from the UK, so you can access BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Access BBC iPlayer by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Live stream the 2025 Lausanne Diamond League for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Learn More

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to BBC iPlayer without actually spending anything. This is not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream the 2025 Lausanne Diamond League before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2025 Lausanne Diamond League for free with ExpressVPN.

The moon is almost completely out of sight tonight, and this is due to where we are in the lunar cycle.

The lunar cycle is a series of eight unique phases of the moon's visibility. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days, according to NASA, and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth. 

So let's see what's happening with the moon tonight, Aug. 20.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Wednesday, Aug. 20, the moon phase is Waning Crescent, and it is 9% lit up to us on Earth, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

We're on day 27 of the lunar cycle, and there's really not a whole lot for us to see tonight. The only thing visible is the Grimaldi Basin, and you'll need binoculars or a telescope to see it. The Grimaldi Basin is an impact basin with an outer wall that is almost as long as the Grand Canyon, according to NASA.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Sept. 7. The last full moon was on Aug. 9.

What are moon phases?

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

New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side.

Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

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

Squeezed.

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

WRUNG

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A group of three.

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

TRIAD

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To complain.

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

GRIPE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A stallion.

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

HORSE

Final Hurdle hint

To mock.

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

TEASE

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

One thing the Alien franchise is known for is its creatively hideous array of creatures. Alien: Earth is, of course, no exception, bringing back some famous(ly horrible) monsters from movies past while adding some new (and equally nausea-inducing) critters we've never seen before.

As we find out in episode 1, there are five specimens onboard the doomed Weyland-Yutani USCSS Maginot spaceship that crash lands back to Earth. So what are these aliens, and what do we know about them so far?

1. Xenomorph

If you've seen Alien, you already know all about this one. The franchise's main antagonist, the Xenomorph takes various forms in its lifecycle: First hatching out of an egg to latch onto the face of a victim (Facehugger mode) and planting an egg inside them, gestating, then bursting out of their chest (Chestburster mode), and finally growing into the full-sized alien that stalked Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and the Nostromo crew back in the 1979 movie.

SEE ALSO: The 'Alien: Earth' burger let me live out my Xenomorph-killing dreams 2. Ticks

We see these nasty little bloaters in in episode 1 burrowing into a dead rat in the Maginot's onboard laboratory. It turns out to be a fairly gruesome foreshadowing of what they're capable of later in the episode, when they tuck into the Prodigy soldiers that head of security Morrow (Babou Ceesay) ties up inside the spaceship after it crashes on Earth. They seem to go for a vein, attach themselves, and suck their victim's blood just like an Earthly tick.

3. Flies

We don't know too much about these ones yet from the little we've seen of them in the first two episodes, but a winged version of anything from the Alien universe can't be good, can it? Let's hope they don't escape their containers.

Featured Video For You How 'Alien: Earth' pulls you into the world of 'Alien' in its opening scene 4. Plant pods, aka D. Plumbicare

The hybrids find a large, ominous-looking plant pod hanging from the ceiling of the Maginot in episode 2.

"It presents as flora, but it may be fauna," says Kirsh (Timothy Olyphant), peering at the bulbous specimen. The thing is clearly aware of its surroundings, too — after Kirsh has wandered off the petals unfurl, producing a kind of stamen on the end of a tentacle that appears to be examining Tootles (Kit Young). Ick.

In episode 3, we get more information on this plant when Kirsh looks at a computer screen in the lab with information about the specimen.

"Science officer has given tentative taxonomic classification of D. Plumbicare due to the use of plumage to lure unsuspecting prey, a stamen to sense prey, and a pattern of 'leaves' which form a mouth," reads the screen. "Though generally confined to carnivory, D. Plumbicare has been seen eating nearby flora in dire situations. Animals given to D. Plumbicare have expired in one of three ways: asphyxiation, dissolve, or exhaustion.

"Stamen also acts as a gauge of atmospheric pressure and temperature. When conditions become inhospitable or a threat to survival, D. Plumbicare closes completely. When attempting to open a closed D. Plumbicare, many kilograms of pressure were applied to no avail. Once back on Earth, further testing needed to confirm strength of leaves. A carnivorous plant, not dissimilar to the terran genus Dionaea."

5. T. Ocellus

Vying strongly for the top spot of the "most disgusting new alien" podium is this little eight-legged nightmare, seen in episode 2 burrowing into the eyeball of the Maginot's resident cat and re-animating the poor creature before attacking our hybrid friends.

We have a little more information about this one thanks to the flickering computer terminal in the downed spaceship lab that Kirsh plugs himself into, which happens to be helpfully open on a page all about the mini octopus.

"A smooth scolex features several ocular irises and a tentacle system that can grow or retract at will," reads the screen. "The tentacles carry extraordinary strength and are built to climb into and dislodge the eyes of other living organisms. Once replaced in the eye socket, T. Ocellus takes over the ocular pathways to the brain, overriding the neuro-transmissions throughout the body. More study needed to gauge inherent intelligence, though the Ocellus has shown remarkable problem solving abilities at a near-human measure. A complete surprise."

We'll continue updating this piece as we learn more about our specimens in the coming weeks...

Alien: Earth premieres Aug. 12 at 8 p.m. ET on Hulu and FX with two episodes, then weekly on Tuesdays.

There are plenty of mysteries in Alien: Earth – What's the deal with the five corporations controlling the planet? Why are there so many Peter Pan references? How exactly does this show fit in with the Alien franchise timeline? — but episode 3 gave us a brand new one.

In short, why does Wendy/Marcy (Sydney Chandler) hear sounds of distress when the Xenomorph is being operated on, which in turn appear to cause her physical pain? What exactly is going on here?

Well, while we may not be able to fully answer that question, we have already been given a pretty big clue. Let's unpack it.

SEE ALSO: 'Alien: Earth' episode 3: Inside the big Xenomorph fight What happens in episode 3?

Now safely (ish) back at the Prodigy research island, Kirsh (Timothy Olyphant) and the hybrids start examining the five alien specimens from the downed Weyland-Yutani Maginot spaceship.

Wheeling one of the eggs out into the lab, Kirsh slices it open to discover the Xenomorph in its nightmarish "face-hugger" form. Cutting into the creature, he uncovers something akin to a tadpole, which anyone familiar with the Alien franchise will know is the beginning of the Xenomorph's final stage (the one that usually gestates in a human's chest before bursting out and then growing at a rapid rate).

Featured Video For You How 'Alien: Earth' pulls you into the world of 'Alien' in its opening scene

Meanwhile, while this is happening, Wendy wakes up elsewhere in the building and hears a faint chittering sound. She walks through the corridors, presumably trying to place the noise — but as soon as the Xenomorph is removed from the egg in the lab and held down on the operating table, the noise in Wendy's head becomes so loud it causes her physical pain. She reaches the lab at the same moment Kirsh removes the tadpole, which causes her to collapse in agony.

Why does the alien surgery affect Wendy/Marcy?

So what's going on here, exactly? Does Wendy have some kind of psychic connection with the Xenomorph that allows her to feel its pain?

Well, the answer may in fact lie in a small bit of dialogue back in episode 1, which takes place shortly after Wendy/Marcy's consciousness has been downloaded into her new synthetic body.

At one point just before the hybrids go on their mission to find Wendy's brother, she's sitting in the lab taking part in an audio test that involves raising her hand when she hears a beep. The key line, which is muttered by a technician shortly before Wendy spots her brother on a nearby screen? "She's beyond our human frequencies. 75,000 hz."

This moment is almost lost due to Wendy abandoning the test shortly after, but it may actually be key to understanding why she collapses in pain during episode 3. It's not that Wendy has a psychic connection to the Xenomorphs — it's that they're making noises in a frequency that only she can hear. The audio test in episode 1 was cut short, presumably before the technicians had a chance to tweak Wendy's hearing — which means for now, she's the only one that can hear the aliens.

Alien: Earth episodes drop weekly on Hulu and FX at 8pm E.T. on Tuesdays.

You need to keep your data encrypted, both on your devices and in the cloud. But, you're putting it at risk if you don't have a backup.

Truth be told, Google Chrome gets a bad rap for being a memory hog and all whatnot. But even with its flaws, it still gets a lot of other things right. For me, Chrome isn’t just where I type in a URL, it’s where my work, research, shopping, and random 2 a.m. curiosity all come together in one place.

It was only a matter of time. Sony and Arrowhead Game Studios just announced the first Legendary Warbond for Helldivers 2, which will crossover with Microsoft and Xbox's Halo 3: ODST.

SEE ALSO: Gamers shocked as Playstation's 'Helldivers 2' announces Xbox launch

Landing August 26, right before Helldivers 2’s Xbox Series X/S debut, the Legendary Warbond brings a full arsenal of Bungie’s cult-classic ODST vibes into Super Earth’s endless warmongering campaign. The pack includes four weapons (three primaries and one sidearm), four vehicle skins, an armor passive, two banners, two capes, one player title, and two armor sets that look ripped straight from New Mombasa.

The theming makes perfect sense. Both ODSTs (which stands for Orbital Drop Shock Trooper) and Helldivers are soldiers literally fired from orbit into battle, so this collab feels like destiny.

This is also Arrowhead’s first Legendary-tier Warbond, priced at 1,500 Super Credits ($15). That’s a step above the usual Premium tier at 1,000 credits ($10), but unlike a traditional battle pass, Warbonds in Helldivers 2 don’t expire. If you skip it now, you can still pick it up later.

It’s also the game’s first crossover with a Microsoft property. The last tie-in, the Killzone Warbond, sparked backlash for overpricing cosmetics, sold individually instead of as a bundle, for a total price of 2,000 SC ($20). Arrowhead eventually apologized, and this time they’ve course-corrected by offering a pricier but more traditional full pack.

Are you using KDE Plasma but feel like you're only scratching the surface? Wondering what productivity gems might be hiding in plain sight? Well, let me share five secret features that'll transform how you use your KDE Plasma desktop.

Walton Goggins is one of my favorite actors of this century. Through his authentic Southern drawl and indelible charm, his inherent talent emanates, ultimately nestling itself in the sweet spot of balancing comedy with drama while pushing the boundaries. That’s why Goggins is arguably the best character actor on television. Plus, he gives the best facial expressions in television history.

USB-C ports, which are frequently equipped with Thunderbolt support on laptops, have become one of the most important advancements in mobile PCs over the past decade. These small, unassuming ports have opened up a world of possibilities for connecting a wide range of gadgets.

In its first season, Fallout cemented itself as one of the best video game adaptations of all time. Not only did it deliver a wildly fun apocalyptic adventure that stayed true to the spirit of the games, it also racked up critical acclaim and 16 Emmy nominations, winning one for Outstanding Music Supervision.

SEE ALSO: 'Fallout' is full of details from the games — here's a handy guide

Now, Fallout's much-anticipated second season is nearly upon us, and it's taking viewers to one of the most important locations in all the Fallout franchise: New Vegas, where fan-favorite game Fallout: New Vegas takes place.

Given Fallout: New Vegas' popularity, it was only a matter of time before Fallout brought the game's post-apocalyptic take on Las Vegas to the small screen. The series confirmed Season 2 would take place in New Vegas in its Season 1 finale, when Hank MacLean (Kyle MacLachlan) headed there following his confrontation with his daughter, Lucy (Ella Purnell).

Season 2 sees Lucy and the Ghoul (Walton Goggins) hot on Hank's trail, while Maximus (Aaron Moten) and the Brotherhood of Steel gear up for battle. The first teaser for Season 2 also offers glimpses at more pre-war flashbacks to the Ghoul's former life as actor Cooper Howard. In the teaser, he heads to Las Vegas, where he meets up with Robert House (Justin Theroux), whom game players will recognize as the ruler of New Vegas.

Mr. House isn't the only major element from Fallout: New Vegas on display in the teaser for Season 2. Also present are members of Caesar's Legion, suited up for war. Plus, the trailer confirms that Season 2 will feature a major enemy from across the Fallout games: a Deathclaw. Color me scared, but also more than ready to return to the wasteland.

Fallout Season 2 premieres Dec. 17 on Prime Video.

The best Sony headphones deals at a glance: Sony WH-1000XM4 $198 (save $151.99) Get Deal Best noise-cancellers on a budget Sony WH-CH720N $98 (save $81.99) Get Deal Best on a budget Sony WH-CH520 wireless headphones $38 (save $31.99) Get Deal Best for bass lovers Sony ULT Wear noise-cancelling headphones $148 (save $101.99) Get Deal Best earbuds deal Sony WF-1000XM5 noise-cancelling earbuds $213 (save $116.99) Get Deal

It's no secret that we're big Sony fans. The audio brand's speakers, earbuds, and headphones regularly top our list of favorites. But the list of Sony headphones on its own is pretty comprehensive, with a model sitting at just about every price point.

So, which Sony headphones are the best of the best? Glad you asked. Mashable's team of experts tested just about every pair of headphones and earbuds in Sony's lineup to help you choose which ones are right for you.

We've gathered some of our top picks below to help you on your buying journey — and they all happen to be on sale. Whether you want the best of the best or something budget-friendly you can throw in your backpack without worry, we've got you covered.

Best splurge: Sony WH-1000XM6 or Sony WH-1000XM5 Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-1000XM6 noise-cancelling headphones $428 at Amazon
$449.99 Save $21.99 Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-1000XM5 noise-cancelling headphones $328 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $71.99 Get Deal Why we like it

There's no denying that Sony's latest flagship headphones, the WH-1000XM6s, are wildly impressive. They're our top pick for sound quality amongst all brands of headphones, and our reviewer said they "elevate wireless audio to heights that no other rival has yet to match." But they cost over $400, even on sale. If you don't want to drop that much money on a pair of headphones, the previous generation WH-1000XM5s are extremely similar. "The WH-1000XM5s retain many series hallmarks, including ANC, battery life, sound, and special features," our reviewer noted. The biggest downfall? They don't fold up.

Read our full review of the Sony WH-1000xM6 headphones.

Read our full review of the Sony WH-1000xM5 headphones.

Best deal: Sony WH-1000XM4 Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-1000XM4 noise-cancelling headphones $198 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $151.99 Get Deal Why we like it

If you're not pressed on getting the latest and greatest Sony tech, we still highly recommend the WH-1000XM4 noise-cancelling headphones — especially while they're on sale for less than $200 (only a few bucks away from their record-low). Overall, the upgrades generation-over-generation have been pretty minor. They still offer top-notch noise cancellation, impressive sound quality, customizable EQ, a comfy fit, and foldable cups that make them great for travel (unlike the XM5s).

Best noise-cancellers on a budget: Sony WH-CH720N Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-CH720N noise-cancelling headphones $98 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $81.99 Get Deal Why we like it

More budget-conscious shoppers seeking noise-cancelling Sony headphones should look toward the WH-CH720Ns. While they don't look quite as snazzy as the flagship headphones and lack some of Sony's key features like LDAC and Quick Attention, our reviewer said the noise cancellation and sound make up for those shortcomings. Other perks are user-friendly controls, reliable multipoint connection, and a battery life of up to 50 hours. While their list price is $180, you can regularly find these babies on sale for under $100 — including now.

Best basic headphones on a budget: Sony WH-CH520 Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-CH520 wireless headphones $38 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $31.99 Get Deal Why we like it

If noise cancellation isn't a must-have for you, you can keep a whole lot of money in your pocket by opting for the basic Sony WH-CH520s. You'll still get Sony audio quality, multipoint connection, hands-free calling, a comfortable and lightweight design, customizable EQ, and a battery life of up to 50 hours. Plus, they come in fun colors like butter yellow and pastel pink. At only $38, they're a few bucks away from their lowest price on record and an incredible value.

Best for bass lovers: Sony ULT Wear noise-cancelling headphones Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony ULT Wear noise-cancelling headphones $148 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $101.99 Get Deal Why we like it

With comparable sound to Sony's flagship headphones and heavy bass, the Sony ULT Wear noise-cancellers are a force to be reckoned with. Mashable's Miller Kern reviewed the headphones when they dropped last year and was "genuinely shocked" by how great they were for the price. "True audiophiles who are picky about sound will probably still prefer the XM5s," she wrote, "But to the average person, I’d say the ULT Wears are the winners — especially for those who prioritize bass and fullness in their audio." On sale, they're less than half the price of the XM5s.

Read our full review of the Sony ULT Wear headphones.

Best earbuds: Sony WF-1000XM5 noise-cancelling earbuds Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WF-1000XM5 noise-cancelling earbuds $213 at Amazon
$329.99 Save $116.99 Get Deal Why we like it

Prefer earbuds to over-ears? The Sony WF-1000XM5s offer unbeatable sound quality, outstanding noise-cancellation, a gorgeous design, and a longer battery life than the second-gen AirPods Pro. They're essentially the XM5 flagship headphones, but in a more portable earbud form. They feature up to 12 hours of battery life, but the wireless charging case holds another 36 and comes with effective quick charging. They are pricey at 329.99, but you can find them on sale often for under $250.

Gaming handhelds that mimic nostalgic devices are a dime a dozen, but not many have attempted to recreate the classic Nintendo DS. And even though Nintendo's handheld has been off the market for a decade, it's still their best-selling console of all time. A company called Ayaneo is finally doing it, and the device runs Android.

What do horror and comedy really have in common? More than you’d think. Both genres rely on timing, surprise, and provoking reactions you can’t hold back. From Jordan Peele to Zach Cregger, comedy veterans are proving they know exactly how to scare us — and why the line between a laugh and a scream is thinner than it seems.

The wait is nearly over, as we finally have a confirmed reveal date for the Google Pixel 10 lineup of smartphones. Google will host the Made by Google Pixel 10 launch event at 1 p.m. ET on Aug. 20. And to lend some star power to the livestream, the company has tapped celebrities like Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Curry, and Lando Norris.

Google has all but confirmed that we'll see the new Pixel 10 series of phones (and more) tomorrow. You can watch the event live as it happens, and we fully expect to see the following Pixel devices launched:

• Pixel 10

• Pixel 10 Pro

• Pixel 10 Pro XL

• Pixel 10 Pro Fold

• Pixel Watch 4

• Pixel Buds 2a

We've got the full download on all the devices and news we expect from the Made by Google 2025 event, and we'll also be covering it live. After the event wraps, Mashable will be participating in a live CNET roundtable on YouTube to recap the event — don't miss it.

All the new Pixel devices we expect at Made by Google 2025

As always, this will probably be a phone-centric show, but that likely won't be all we see. Keep an eye out for a long-rumored series of magnetic charging accessories, dubbed the PixelSnap series. Plus, you know Google never misses a chance to show off new artificial intelligence features — whether they're worth showing off or not.

Pixel 10

We have a full roundup of Pixel 10 lineup rumors and leaks for your perusal, but I'll also summarize the key findings here.

Starting with the base Pixel 10, it seems like the basic design of the phones won't change all that much from the Pixel 9 series. In other words, the Pixel 9a wasn't a template for the Pixel 10. Under the hood, expect all Pixel 10 phones to use the new in-house Tensor 5 chip, which ideally will deliver better performance than the Tensor 4 in last year's Pixel phones.

Screen brightness might also be improved, while the biggest change is undoubtedly in the rear camera array. This year's base Pixel model will allegedly have a third lens, bringing it more in line with previous Pixel Pro models. It might have a 50MP main lens with a 12MP ultrawide lens and a new 10.8MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. That would certainly give the Pixel 10 a leg up on other base model flagships, which typically only have two rear camera lenses.

As we reported in July (via Android Headlines), we expect the Pixel 10 lineup to be thicker and heavier than the Pixel 9, likely to make them compatible with Qi2 wireless charging. The differences are slight, fortunately.

Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL From left to right: the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

It sounds like this year's Pro models will be incremental improvements over the versions Google launched a year ago.

Per Android Central, their display specs might be unchanged from last year, while they might get bumps in battery size. The Pixel 10 Pro XL, in particular, could have a 5,200mAh battery, which is enormous by contemporary smartphone standards. Google might also drop the 128GB storage option from the 10 Pro XL and bump the starting price of the unit up by $100 accordingly.

Aside from that, it doesn't seem like much will change in the Pro lineup, including the camera specs, which are rumored to be the same as a year ago. Google could prove us wrong here, of course, but we can only go by what's been leaked ahead of time.

Pixel 10 Pro Fold We expect the new foldable Pixel to look a lot like the old one, pictured here. Credit: Josh Edelson / AFP via Getty Images

Last year's Pixel 9 Pro Fold was my favorite foldable yet. However, Samsung brought the heat with the Galaxy Fold 7 in July, so the competition is a little stiffer this year. (We should also get a foldable iPhone in the near future.)

It doesn't seem like there will be major design changes to the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, which might be disappointing for those who wished for something as razor-thin as the new Galaxy Fold 7. It'll have three rear camera lenses, just as it did a year ago, though the specs are rumored to be very similar to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Google is said to have bumped the battery size up to at least 5,000mAh, which should hopefully give it some more endurance, as that's been a regular complaint from Pixel users.

The two biggest rumored changes are less flashy, but not any less important than big, sweeping design overhauls would be. For starters, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold might be the first foldable with a full IP68 waterproof rating. Beyond that, Google is apparently dropping the starting price by $200, down to $1,600. It's still expensive, but that would make it cheaper than the competition.

Lastly, solid leaks point to the Pixel 10 Pro Fold weighing more than its predecessor, which could be explained by the presence of magnets. That would make the new Pixel foldable fully compatible with the Qi 2 wireless charging standard.

Unfortunately, some rumors say this phone won't be released until October. We'll find out soon enough.

Pixel Watch 4 This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Much of what we know about the Pixel Watch 4 seems to be based on leaked renders from back in April, courtesy of OnLeaks.

Judging from the renders (which are not official, of course), the new Pixel Watch could have thinner bezels while sharing the same rounded look as before. It also appears to lack traditional charging pins, which means Google may be emphasizing wireless charging this time around. There's also the possibility of new buttons on the unit itself, though we have no idea what they would be for at this time, if they even exist.

As usual, the most important changes to the Pixel Watch 4 will largely involve what it can do in terms of health tracking, and it's hard to get an idea of any of those features based purely on leaked renders.

Finally, the latest rumors point to improvements in battery life and brightness with the Pixel Watch 4, which will be running Wear OS 6. Per leaker Evan Blass, the Pixel Watch 4 will be a whopping 1,000 nits brighter than its predecessor, with 3,000 nits compared to the Pixel Watch 3's 2,000.

We'll wait until after the launch to decide if it's a worthy alternative to Samsung's Galaxy Watch 8.

Pixel Buds 2a This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

If you hated how vague the Pixel Watch 4 section was, you might want to scroll past this part.

Earlier this year, leaker Arsene Lupin published a list of possible colors for the device on X. And according to a more recent leak on X from Evan Blass, the new Pixel Buds 2a will only come in two colors — a lilac and classic black. According to that same leak, the new Pixel Buds will offer active noise cancellation (duh) and 7 hours of battery life. They will potentially lack the "Silent Seal" of the Pixel Buds Pro, which offers improved noise cancellation.

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

As always, leave some room in your mind for surprises. While Made by Google will almost certainly focus on the products listed above, there could be other teases, too.

Namely, Google could follow up on two of its biggest teases from Google I/O earlier this year. The company debuted a new pair of XR smart glasses at the event, and we could hear more about those at Made by Google. Google also gave time for Samsung's Project Moohan headset at I/O, and it was weirdly absent from Samsung's Unpacked event last week. Could we see more of Moohan at Made by Google? Maybe, but I wouldn't call it a certainty.

All will be revealed soon...

You can get the Anker Prime 240W Charging Station for a surprisingly low price of just $100 on Amazon. This is a massive discount from its regular price of $150. This impressive 33% discount makes it a no-brainer for anyone looking to get a powerful charging station for their desk.