IT General

Spotify free users can now search and play specific songs with an actually decent update announced Monday.

Detailed in a company blog post, the audio streamer now lets non-paying users play any track or podcast by searching directly for it, a feature previously only available with the paid tier, Spotify Premium.

Ad-supported accounts had to previously shuffle through albums or playlists to reach a particular song, with six skips allowed per hour. Mashable sister site CNET tested the updated free tier and found this skip rule no longer applies.

SEE ALSO: OMG, Spotify actually launched lossless audio, and it comes with Premium tier

Spotify free users can also play songs and podcasts shared by friends, removing the hurdle when sharing a Spotify track link to a friend without a Premium account (this also applies to artists sharing tracks). Free users have always had the ability to create playlists, but now the tier has access to the custom cover art tool launched in 2024. Plus, last year, Spotify made its algorithm-generated daylists available to free users.

Featured Video For You This deep sea robot just dove down Earth's deepest trench

So, what's the point of paying £11.99/$11.99 per month for Spotify Premium, then?

The free update comes after Spotify announced lossless audio for Premium users, a long-promised feature, and the testing of custom transitions in playlists for this tier. Free accounts also still don't have access to 15 hours of monthly audiobook streaming, offline downloads, track queuing, ad-free listening, or the AI DJ feature, but the newly launched chat feature is available to both free and Premium users over 16.

Though free users can't queue songs, you can join collaborative Jams that a Premium user has started, and per Monday's blog post, Spotify has officially unlocked its lyrics feature for free users (these were previously paywalled).

SAVE $300: As of Sept. 16, the MacBook Pro M4 (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) is on sale for $1,299 at Amazon. This is $300 off its list price of $1,599.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro M4 $1,299 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $300 Get Deal

Whether it's for work or play, a MacBook is a great investment for Apple users. Some models even get great discounts on a regular basis, which are well worth jumping on if you're looking to upgrade for less. As of Sept. 16, the 2024 MacBook Pro M4 is on sale at Amazon for its best-ever price.

The 2024 MacBook Pro is marked down to $1,299 right now at Amazon. This is a $300 discount, but what makes it even better is it's a return to its lowest-ever price. If you've had it on your radar, now is the time to grab it.

SEE ALSO: Apple's M4 Mac mini is a compact powerhouse, and it's $100 off at Amazon

The 2024 MacBook Pro is fitted with the M4 chip, offering incredible performance for any task. Its 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display provides plenty of color and crisp picture quality and it has up to 24 hours of battery life to keep you going all day. This particular model comes with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD.

We even consider it the best splurge pick in our roundup of the best MacBooks, with Mashable's Dylan Haas saying, "The M4 version of the MacBook Pro is by far the fastest and most powerful laptop that Apple has released to date, so of course it's on our list."

Don't miss out on this excellent deal on the 2024 MacBook Pro (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) at Amazon. It's not the only MacBook model on sale right now, either. The 15-inch M4 MacBook Air is also discounted for under $1,000 at Best Buy.

Keke Palmer's third appearance on First We Feast's Hot Ones was certainly one to remember.

After calmly dispatching all 10 increasingly spicy wings, in the closing moments of the episode, the One of Them Days actor takes a second to address host Sean Evans' previous comment that he had a crush on her during his appearance on Chicken Shop Date.

"There's one more thing I'd like to say, Sean, 'cuz I saw an interview where you said like I was your favorite guest, you know and all this really sweet stuff," Palmer says. "I know we've just had some wings, but I thought that maybe we could just have a quick smooch to see if there's a spark?"

The resulting "smooch" is every bit as adorable as you'd expect.

Messes happen, and it can be hard to keep all of your floors clean. Whether you have hardwood, tile, throw rugs, plush carpet, or linoleum, there's not always a one-size-fits-all way to keep them all clean. You probably need multiple ways to clean each one. The solution may be a 2-in-1 floor cleaner, such as the Dreame H15 Pro CarpetFlex.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 2, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: To hunt

• Green: They share a number

• Blue: They have pigmented dye

• Purple: Famous bunnies

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Keep tabs on

• Green: One in a dozen

• Blue: Things with ink

• Purple: ___ Rabbit

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #828 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Keep tabs on: FOLLOW, MONITOR, TRACK, WATCH

• One in a dozen: DONUT, JUROR, MONTH, ROSE

• Things with ink: PEN, PRINTER, SQUID, TATTOO MACHINE

• ___ Rabbit: ROGER, TRIX, VELVETEEN, WHITE

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 2, 2025

Are you also playing NYT Strands?

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

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

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 2, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 2, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Riding high

The words are things needed for an adventure.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are associated with suspended cables.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is veritcal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Ziplining.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for September 16

• Carbinger

• Helmet

• Cable

• Ziplining

• Pulley

• Harness

• Gloves

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 today's Strands.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

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 September 2, 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 September 2, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Not right-handed.

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 L.

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...

LEFTY

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 September 2, 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 today's Wordle.

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 September 16, 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 Strands hints, answers for September 16, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 16 Pips

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed vertically

Number (11): Everything in this space must add to 11. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically, 2-6, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add to 4. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed horizontally

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 16 Pips

Number (4): Everything in this space must add to 4. The answer is 2-2, placed vertically; 0-5, placed vertically

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed vertically

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically; 0-5, placed vertically; 5-2, placed vertically

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 6-3, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 16 Pips

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add to 4. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed horizontally; 1-2, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically; 1-2, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this red space must add to 10. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically; 2-5, placed horizontally.

Greater than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally.

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

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for September 16, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Performance labels

• Green: Basketball-related

• Blue: Critical athletic observation included

• Purple: Same second word

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Golf scoring terms

• Green: WNBA

• Blue: Sports that have judges

• Purple: ____ Cup

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #358 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Gold scoring terms - BIRDIE, BOGEY, EAGLE, PAR

• WNBA - ASSOCIATION, BASKETBALL, NATIONAL, WOMEN'S

• Sports that have judges - DIVING, FIGURE SKATING, GYMNASTICS, SKATEBOARDING

• ____ Cup - AMERICA'S, RYDER, STANLEY, WORLD

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

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

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

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

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, Sept. 16, 2025:

AcrossCatch, as a ride

• The answer is Hitch.

Where Moscow (pop. 25,435) can be found in the U.S.

• The answer is Idaho.

Where Paris (pop. 24,476) can be found in the U.S.

• The answer is Texas.

Where Belgrade (pop. 3,250) and Stockholm (pop. 250) can be found in the U.S.

• The answer is Maine.

Letters after kays

• The answer is ELS.

Down"I'll have another card," in blackjack

• The answer is Hit Me.

Optimal

• The answer is Ideal.

Some rides from the airport

• The answer is Taxis.

Jackie of martial arts films

• The answer is Chan.

Garden watering aid

• The answer is Hose.

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

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

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

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

Jimmy Kimmel and John Oliver have had a post-Emmys debriefing, discussing The Late Show with Stephen Colbert's widely celebrated win for Outstanding Talk Series. Though Kimmel's own show was also nominated in the same category, he seemed largely relieved that Colbert won instead. However, Oliver had a slightly different take on the situation.

"The right thing to happen was for [Colbert] to win. The funniest thing to happen would have been if you had won," Oliver told Kimmel. "Most of me wanted him to win. A part of me, the part of me that I like more, just wanted to see your face go, 'Oh, no. Not like this.'"

SEE ALSO: Why Stephen Colbert got a standing ovation at the Emmy Awards

Colbert received multiple standing ovations during the 2025 Emmy Awards, the audience showing him significant support in response to CBS' cancellation of the Late Show in July. The Late Show's final episode will air next May, meaning that Sunday's award ceremony may have been its last opportunity to take home an Emmy.

"I was like, 'Oh shit,'" said Kimmel. "'If we win, this is a disaster.'" 

"You would have been fucked," agreed Oliver. "He had his whole staff there with him. You'd have been booed onto the stage…. You can see why a part of me, that as I'm saying it is now getting bigger, did kind of want that to happen." 

CBS has been widely criticised for axing the Late Show after more than 30 years on air, with some (including Colbert) suspecting the move was an effort to gain President Donald Trump's favour — and thus his approval for the Skydance/Paramount merger. Colbert has been a vocal critic of Trump, the president stating that he "absolutely love[ed] that Colbert got fired."

SAVE $100: As of Sept. 16, the 27-inch ASUS TUF gaming monitor is on sale for $229 at Amazon. This is 30% off its list price of $329.

Opens in a new window Credit: ASUS ASUS TUF 27-Inch 1440P Gaming Monitor $229 at Amazon
$329 Save $100 Get Deal

There are still plenty of exciting games set to be released this year, and if you prefer to play on PC, you're going to want a high-quality gaming monitor to experience everything at its best. If you've been thinking about an upgrade, Amazon has a few models on sale right now, including the 27-inch ASUS TUF gaming monitor.

Currently down to its best-ever price according to price tracker camelcamelcamel, the 27-inch ASUS TUF gaming monitor is marked down at Amazon to $229. This is a 30% discount from its list price of $329, making for $100 in savings.

SEE ALSO: The best gaming laptops of 2025: Check out our top picks

This 27-inch ASUS monitor boasts a QHD (2560 x 1440) display, so your favorite games will pop with plenty of color and details for you to enjoy while you play. It also features an overclocked 260Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and ASUS Extreme Low Motion Blur Sync technology which helps your games look smooth and clear.

Now's your chance to take advantage of this limited-time deal on the 27-inch ASUS TUF gaming monitor at Amazon. And if you're looking to drop some cash on an even bigger model, Amazon's offering a nice discount on the LG 45-inch Ultragear 5K2K OLED Gaming Monitor right now as well.

SAVE OVER $1: As of Sept. 16, the Pokémon TCG Black Bolt Booster Bundle is $48.50 at TCGPlayer, compared to $50.01 at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Black Bolt Booster Bundle $48.50 at TCGPlayer
$50.01 Save $1.51 Get Deal

The Black Bolt expansion brings back the fan-favorite Unova region, and if you’ve been waiting for the right moment to pick up extra packs, this is it. TCGPlayer currently has the Black Bolt Booster Bundle for $48.50, undercutting Amazon’s $50.01 listing. It’s not a massive discount, but any saving on sealed product adds up fast if you’re building a collection.

On Amazon, you’re looking at just over $50 for the same bundle. That makes TCGPlayer the better pick today, keeping a little more in your pocket for your next league night or binder splurge.

SEE ALSO: Where to buy Pokémon cards in 2025 — avoid overpaying or missing out on new sets

Inside the box, you’ll find six booster packs from the Scarlet and Violet — Black Bolt set, plus a code card for Pokémon TCG Live. That’s six shots at pulling the powerful Zekrom ex or some of the gorgeous special illustration rares.

The appeal here is broad: players will love the chance to chase competitive-ready cards like Serperior ex, while collectors will want the Poké Ball-patterned parallels and Mythical Pokémon artwork. It’s a small bundle that scratches both itches.

At just under $50, this deal is an easy pickup if you’re looking to dive into Black Bolt without springing for a larger box. With a lower price than Amazon, it’s a solid value play for both collectors and competitive players.

Most valuable Black Bolt and White Flare Pokémon cards Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / The Pokémon

Don't fancy leaving it to chance? You can just buy the top chase cards for the best market price on TCGPlayer right now:

1. Victini – 171/086 – SV: Black Bolt
   Near Mint Holofoil: $431.98
   Market price: $446.04
   Most recent sale: $549.99

2. Victini – 172/086 – SV: White Flare
   Near Mint Holofoil: $390
   Market price: $432.16
   Most recent sale: $400

3. Zekrom ex – 172/086 – SV: Black Bolt
   Near Mint Holofoil: $378.27
   Market price: $398.49
   Most recent sale: $377

4. Reshiram ex – 173/086 – SV: White Flare
   Near Mint Holofoil: $367.95
   Market price: $369.17
   Most recent sale: $353.21

5. Zekrom ex – 166/086 – SV: Black Bolt
   Near Mint Holofoil: $210.99
   Market price: $208.89
   Most recent sale: $200

6. Reshiram ex – 166/086 – SV: White Flare
   Near Mint Holofoil: $180
   Market price: $178.19
   Most recent sale: $175

SAVE $55: As of Sept. 16, the Amazon Fire Max 11 is on sale for $174.99 at Amazon. That's a 24% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire Max 11 $174.99 at Amazon
$229.99 Save $55 Get Deal

Need a new tablet? How does a deal on the Amazon Fire 11 Max sound? And it's not just a great deal, it's the lowest price it has been in 2025.

As of Sept. 16, this tablet is priced at $174.99, down from the list price of $229.99. This deal is specific to the 64GB device with lockscreen ads, but you can pay a bit more to have those removed.

SEE ALSO: The Fire HD 10 tablet is on sale for under $90 — save $50 at Amazon right now

The Fire Max 11 is Amazon's newest and most advanced tablet, and is a huge upgrade from earlier editions. The display is top-notch and is ideal for both entertainment and work. It has a 2000x1200 resolution and a vivid display with over 2.4 million pixels. Movies, games, charts, and spreadsheets all pop with color. And on the other hand, it's also certified for low blue light, so it's easy on the eyes, especially if you're looking at the screen for long periods of time, or scrolling before bed.

You can also upgrade the tablet with various accessories, like the keyboard case and stylus pen, which can be purchased separately. It's also compatible with Microsoft 365 for all your work or study needs. And as you'd expect from an Amazon device, it has Alexa built in, so you can use it to search the web, launch an app, or control any connected devices.

With up to 14 hours of battery life, you’ve got plenty of time for streaming, browsing, or diving into an e-book. And with storage that can expand up to 1TB, there’s room for all your apps, photos, and media.

Get this great tablet deal from Amazon now.

SAVE $53: As of Sept. 16, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (refurbished) is on sale for $126.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 29% on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (Refurbished) $126.99 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $53.00 Get Deal

Is your TBR list getting longer and longer? There have been some incredible book releases this year, and it's hard to keep up. If there is absolutely no more room on your bookshelves for physical copies, why not try out an e-reader? And as of Sept. 16, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is on sale for its lowest-ever price.

This is a great deal on a refurbished device, categorized as "like new" in quality. If you're wary of buying refurbished, we promise there's no need to be. According to Amazon, this device is "refurbished, tested, and certified to look and work like new and comes with the same limited warranty as a new device." This deal is for the black and jade color options.

SEE ALSO: Stuff Your Kindle Day is live until Sept. 20 — download free dark fiction books

So why the Signature Edition? Well, this model boasts 32GB of storage, so you can fill it up with everything you want to read. The Signature Edition also makes reading in harsh lights much easier with the auto-adjusting front light. And it's waterproof, so it's the perfect companion for a day at the beach, a poolside vacation, or a relaxing in the bathtub.

For charging, you'll find it lasts around 12 weeks on just one charge, and when it does need some juice, this model is compatible with wireless charging.

Feeling motivated to tackle that reading list? Get this Kindle deal from Amazon now.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Kindle Paperwhite (Refurbished) $106.99 at Amazon
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SEE ALSO: Stuff Your Kindle Day is live until Sept. 20 — download free dark fiction books

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Astronomers have a new explanation for mysterious "little red dots" observed in the early universe: Maybe they're not crowded star clusters that upend everything scientists know about galaxies. Maybe they're actually something new.

Researchers are calling the space objects "black hole stars" — giant spheres of gas wrapped around voracious black holes. 

Normally, black holes are invisible, but gas and dust swirling toward them can get heated to millions of degrees, giving off very bright light — sometimes able to outshine a galaxy. These are usually called quasars, a portmanteau for "quasi-stellar objects." The idea here is that the same process is happening but inside a massive gas shell, according to a new study by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. 

Perhaps the band Soundgarden, which irked a few astronomers in the '90s with the dubiously named track "Black Hole Sun," got it right after all. 

"Little red dots instead appear to have much colder, and much denser, gas, so much so that they look just like the atmospheres on the surfaces of stars," Joel Leja, a Penn State astrophysics professor and one of the researchers, told Mashable. "This is super surprising and why the first study on the little red dots thought they were galaxies full of old, cool stars — they effectively look like one very luminous, cold star."

SEE ALSO: Webb telescope snaps sparkling photo of a giant star blasting jets across the Milky Way

When the "little red dots" were first discovered in 2022, scientists thought the objects might be galaxies as mature as the Milky Way, which is about 13.6 billion years old. That's because galaxies tend to get redder as the stars within them age. 

But that interpretation was mind-boggling, given astronomers are seeing the dots as they were when the universe was just a few hundred-million years old. How, then, could they have grown up so fast?

The universe is believed to have begun 13.8 billion years ago, shortly thereafter forming the first stars and galaxies. Their ancient light still travels through space, albeit at infrared wavelengths — invisible to human eyes, but Webb can detect them with its sensitive instruments. By capturing light that has traveled for billions of years, Webb is essentially a time machine, giving scientists a glimpse at the past. 

The new study, published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, involved taking data from 4,500 distant galaxies. During that yearlong survey, the team nicknamed the most extreme object they found "The Cliff."

The Cliff's signal looked like that of a star, the researchers said, but Webb revealed it as twice as strong as anything seen before. The Cliff seemed too small for a galaxy — only about 40 light-years wide — and it wasn't giving off X-rays, making the star cluster explanation even less likely.

The study instead showed the red glow could be a supermassive black hole in disguise, pulling in material so quickly that it surrounded itself in a hot ball of hydrogen gas. That ball changes the appearance of the black hole’s surrounding light so that it looks more like a star. That's how the team came up with the name "black hole star."

A research team has a new idea about little red dots spotted in the early universe by the James Webb Space Telescope. Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI / Dale Kocevski

But mysteries remain. The scientists also see signs of very hot, fast-moving material in the same small region.

"How can very hot gas and very cool gas all happily coexist in the same tiny volume of space?" Leja asked. "It’s a big puzzle, and the pieces don’t yet all fit together."

Future observations, especially looking for atoms and molecules that can only form at these cooler temperatures, will help test the idea. If confirmed, black hole stars may hold the secrets to how the very first black holes were able to grow so fast in the early universe. No one yet knows the origins of gigantic black holes at the centers of galaxies. This may represent the first phase of their formation.

"This is why we do large projects like James Webb — we always hope to observe something shocking. It means we really are going to learn something new, in this case maybe a lot of new things," Leja said. "It is just the most exciting thing for people like me."

Let's face it: many people are using AI assistants like ChatGPT now. It's become the go-to tool for making work easier, streamlining life admin and so much more, with 14 percent of Brits using AI at least six times per week, according to a recent YouGov survey. But it's still surprising how quickly people have taken to using AI in their personal lives and particularly their romantic lives.

In fact, according to the 2025 Singles in America study, 40 percent of people are using AI to help craft their dating profiles and one in four are using AI to filter matches, write messages, or reflect on dating habits.

And the use of AI doesn't stop once you're in a relationship, at least not according to an influx of TikTok users who have admitted to using ChatGPT to help them settle arguments with their partner. Influencer @isabella.lux captioned a video stating that she recorded an argument with her partner into ChatGPT, "and it said I was right." There are plenty of other TikToks with similar captions, and it's a conversation that's happening online in other ways, too. Model Jordan Rand made a video claiming that she had to use ChatGPT to win an argument between her and her boyfriend because "he would literally rather believe a robot than believe [me]."

AI assistants are already embedded into people's romantic relationships, but are they genuinely a helpful way to resolve conflict? Mashable spoke with experts and people using ChatGPT to mediate conflict in their relationships to find out.

ChatGPT as couples therapy

24-year-old Samantha* has been using ChatGPT as part of her five-year relationship for the past four months. After using ChatGPT for things like recipe ideas and work tasks in her professional life, she realised it might be a helpful way to navigate a language barrier between her and her partner. 

SEE ALSO: AI has entered the therapy session — and it's recording you

"I started using it when I was having conflicts with my partner, who isn't a native English speaker, so sometimes our conflicts don't come to [a] common ground," she tells Mashable. Quickly, Samantha's use of ChatGPT wasn't just about communication, but emotional support too. "I was using ChatGPT to vent all my anger and frustration, just like a journal, and then I'd ask for advice on how to express myself calmly and clearly," she says. 

Jaya, who is 26 and lives in Bristol, UK, has been dating her partner for less than a year and also often uses ChatGPT to navigate conflict. "AI is like an additional friend, like an extra person in the group chat," she says. "With AI, it's black and white, whereas with your friends they may not be able to unpick everything."

It's easy to assume that platforms like ChatGPT are an objective source of information, especially compared to friends and family, who might already have biases based on their own personal experiences and their view of your partner. But Dr. Luke Brunning, who is the co-director of the Centre For Love, Sex and Relationships at the University of Leeds, says this isn't necessarily the case: "ChatGPT might be able to draw on the wider pool of ideas about relationships and intimacy but those ideas are often bad, or rest on assumptions about gender and monogamy, which we might want to reject."

"ChatGPT might be able to draw on the wider pool of ideas about relationships and intimacy but those ideas are often bad, or rest on assumptions about gender and monogamy, which we might want to reject."

If the concern is that your friends or family might be biased towards you, rather than your partner, when giving relationship advice, this is definitely something to take into account with ChatGPT, which Forbes described as "AI's biggest yes man", because of its tendency towards agreeability. 

This is something Jaya noticed when she was initially asking AI assistants for advice: "I had to set commands to tell it to counteract the argument – you have to ask to see it from the other person's point of view. If not, it does tell you what you want to hear," she says. 

Samantha agrees that this posed an issue to her relationship, particularly because both she and her partner were asking ChatGPT for advice separately about arguments they had, but were being provided with very different feedback. To combat this, they started using it like a "couple's therapist", as Samantha describes it. "When we were together, I'd type the problem from my perspective to ChatGPT and tell it I was 'partner A', then I'd pass the phone to my partner and he'd share his perspective, telling ChatGPT it was now partner B speaking," she explains.

SEE ALSO: Score lifetime access to ChatGPT, Gemini, and more for under $80

"We take the advice with a pinch of salt, but it helps to calm the situation and prevents arguments from escalating," Samantha continues, adding: "Our arguments have been constructive rather than explosive because of using ChatGPT."

Alex Iga Golabek is a psychotherapist, and she's noticed that some of her clients who are couples have started to use ChatGPT as part of their romantic relationships. "Plenty of people [...] in my practice share that it is very difficult and scary to even approach the notion of conflict," Iga Golabek tells Mashable. "Accessing a tool that's so instant and easy to use in order to learn how to drive or create that argument in the first place, that doesn't have to be a terrible thing in the short term."

Jaya believes it can also be a useful tool for identifying toxic behaviour, to a degree. "ChatGPT sometimes says things like, 'he was gaslighting you' or 'this is manipulation'," Jaya says. "I think a lot of the reasons why people use AI assistants at the start [of relationships] is because there's uncertainty." For people who are worried about this type of behaviour in their relationships, speaking to friends and family is of course, key, particularly if it escalates. But could AI assistants provide a sounding board of sorts for people who aren't ready to do this initially, and perhaps can't afford therapy?

Using AI to referee arguments

That being said, Iga Golabek says that neither AI assistants nor therapists can act as "adjudicators" in your relationship. "I say to my clients: I'm not a judge. This isn't a court of law. This is more about trying to connect rather than overpower," she says. The danger of using ChatGPT in order to prove you're right, as some TikTok users claim to, is that solving conflicts in relationships shouldn't necessarily be about who is in the wrong. "I keep asking my clients, do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?" Iga Golabek says.  

"I keep asking my clients, do you want to be right or do you want to be happy?"

In this respect, dealing with conflict can also be a crucial part of developing a healthy relationship, which the interference of ChatGPT could potentially get in the way of. "There is value in being present and showing up in relationships to try and resolve disputes on one’s own terms," Bruning says. "Often it matters more that an idea or resolution is yours, mine, or ours than the best or most sophisticated." 

Samantha admits that ChatGPT isn't as big a part of her relationship as it used to be, partly because she was concerned that she might become dependent on it to communicate with her partner. "Over time, we've come to a point where we don't need ChatGPT anymore. It's helped us process our emotions and communicate better, but it hasn't replaced talking to each other," she says. 

SEE ALSO: 4 reasons not to turn ChatGPT into your therapist Is ChatGPT the most reliable mediator?

It's possible that an AI assistant's utility in solving relationship conflicts relies more on the person who is using it and their intentions than the platforms themselves. Jaya admits she hasn't told the man she is dating that she is using ChatGPT to help her navigate the relationship, precisely because she's concerned he might start to use it for the same purpose. "I'd worry he wouldn't go back and forth with ChatGPT, so he might not use it correctly and then ChatGPT would just agree with everything he said and he'd take that as face value," she says. 

"Why risk a relationship on a source of advice with nothing at stake themselves?"

It's important to remember that, unlike asking a friend or family for advice, an AI assistant can tell you anything, with no accountability. Unlike a person you know, you can't decide whether you respect and trust its character. "Why risk a relationship on a source of advice with nothing at stake themselves?" Brunning asks. Whatever context you use an AI assistant in, you're usually posing questions based on a lack of confidence in your own judgement and ability, whether that's in how an email reads, how a recipe might taste, or your ability to communicate with your partner.

Experts have cautioned against using AI chat tools as therapists, warning that it creates a "feedback loop" that can reinforce users' harmful beliefs and lacks the professional skills that can help people with complicated mental health issues like anxiety and depression.

According to Iga Golabek, this isn't necessarily a new concept: "When we feel unequipped or unable to believe in the value or worth of our own argument, then we turn to someone or something that we view as higher or greater than us, and humans have done that for a long time." 

What is novel is the immediate availability of what can feel like an "all-knowing" friend in your pocket. Ultimately, in a healthy relationship, you should feel able to make decisions about how you feel and how best to communicate without checking yourself, even if you get it wrong. Forgiveness and understanding are just as crucial to a long-term partnership as emotional stability and your ability to communicate. 

After all, AI assistants like ChatGPT will never truly know what it means to experience hurt or betrayal, or compassion, or make-up sex, all of which are arguably more important when approaching a difficult situation in your relationship than the ability to compile the most common dating advice littered across the internet within the space of three seconds. 

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SEE ALSO: This OpenAI-powered app can help optimize your investments

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When Apple launched the Apple Watch Ultra back in September 2022, it was a wake-up call for smartwatch makers. The Ultra looked cool with a large, bright display, it was rugged enough to withstand serious punishment as a fitness tracker, versatile enough to take it both to a mountain and underwater, and it had significantly longer battery life than the regular Apple Watch.

In the next two years, however, Apple only updated the Watch Ultra once, and the Ultra 2 was a very minor upgrade, with a brighter display, more storage, and a new chip inside.

Now, Apple has followed up with the Apple Watch Ultra 3. Once again, it's not a radical rethinking of the Ultra, but it is a more significant upgrade over its predecessor. Let's take a look at what's different.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Ultra 3 $799 at Amazon
Release date: Sept. 19 Pre-order Here Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs. Ultra 2: Price and specs

Starting with the price, it's exactly the same: $799. Of course, we're talking about the Ultra 2's price at launch; that particular version is no longer available in the Apple Store as it's been replaced by the Ultra 3, but you may find it discounted at other retailers.

Last year, Apple only added an extra color to the Ultra. This time around, the changes are more substantial. Credit: Apple

Looking at the two devices, you might think that the specs are also mostly the same, but actually there have been quite a few changes on the Ultra 3. Here are the highlights for both models:

Apple Watch Ultra 3:

• Case: Titanium

• Colors: Natural or Black

• Display size: 1,245 square mm display area

• Display resolution: 422x514 pixels

• Display brightness: Up to 3,000 nits peak brightness, 1 nit minimum brightness

• Display type: Wide-angle OLED and LTPO3

• Chip: S10 with a 4-core Neural Engine

• Storage: 64GB

• Connectivity: GPS, Cellular (5G and LTE), WI-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, satellite connectivity, second-gen Ultra Wideband chip

• Battery life: up to 42 hours of normal use, up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode

• Charging: Up to 80% charge in about 45 minutes

• Durability: Water resistance 100m, recreational scuba diving to 40m, dust resistance IP6X, tested to MIL-STD 810H standard

Apple Watch Ultra 2:

• Case: Titanium

• Colors: Natural or Black

• Display size: 1,185 square mm display area

• Display resolution: 410x502 pixels

• Display brightness: Up to 3,000 nits peak brightness, 1 nit minimum brightness

• Display type: LTPO2 OLED

• Chip: S9 with a 4-core Neural Engine

• Storage: 64GB

• Connectivity: GPS, Cellular (5G and LTE), WI-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, second-gen Ultra Wideband chip

• Battery life: up to 36 hours of normal use, up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode

• Charging: Up to 80% charge in about 1 hour

• Durability: Water resistance 100m, recreational scuba diving to 40m, dust resistance IP6X, tested to MIL-STD 810H standard

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs. Ultra 2: Design and display

Although the two devices look very similar, as you can see in the specifications above, the display is slightly larger on the Ultra 3. Apple managed to cram in a larger display by reducing its bezels. It won't be a dramatic change, but on a device this small, every square millimeter counts.

The display has slightly smaller bezels, and bettery viewing angles. It's not much, but it adds up. Credit: Apple

Apple also says the new display uses a newer version of Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide tech, which means lower energy consumption and longer battery life. It also has wider viewing angles than the one on the Ultra 2.

All that aside, you won't be buying the new model for the looks. The colors are the same - Black and Natural, the material used for the case is still Titanium, and the design hasn't changed at all. You can get a new loop (but you can do so for the old model, too), including a new trail loop design with reflective yarn along the edges, and new colors for the Ocean Band and Alpine Loop, among other options.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs. Ultra 2: Battery life Look very hard, and you just might see that the new display has a larger surface area and more pixels. Credit: Apple

This is a big one. Apple Watch Ultra wins over sports watches from companies like Garmin and Suunto with its beautiful display and access to Apple's app ecosystem. But it lags — often severely — on battery life.

The new Watch Ultra 3 charges faster and has 6 more hours of advertised battery life. That's a meaningful improvement and can make a difference for someone who runs ultramarathons or endurance races.

SEE ALSO: Garmin reveals a $2,000 satellite smartwatch to steal the Apple Watch Ultra 3's thunder

Notably, Low Power mode is the same on both devices: 72 hours.

Ultimately, it'll come down to what type of user you are. If you absolutely must have a watch that has a week or more of battery life (top Garmin models, for example, offer several weeks), then the 6 extra hours won't make you buy the new Ultra 3. But if you want an Apple Watch Ultra with as much battery life as possible, the Ultra 3 is a clear winner over the old model.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs. Ultra 2: Features

With the new Watch lineup, Apple also highlighted several new important features. But since this is a direct comparison of two Watch Ultra models, it's important to discern those that are limited to the newest hardware and those that will be available on the older model as well.

Sleep Score, which measures your health metrics during sleep, hypertension notifications, and the AI-powered motivator Workout Buddy, are all available with watchOS 26, and therefore will work on both the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Ultra 3.

Satellite Connectivity is a new feature that's not available on older models. Credit: Apple

There is, however, one key feature that is only available on the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

Emergency SOS via satellite, seen first on the iPhone, allows users to send an emergency distress message in areas where there are no cellular or Wi-Fi signals. This one makes perfect sense on the Apple Watch Ultra, as it's a device aimed at outdoor enthusiasts.

SEE ALSO: We tested the top fitness trackers of 2025: See our favorite wearables and smart rings Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs. Ultra 2: Should you upgrade?

We'll reserve our final thoughts until we get the chance to review the new Ultra 3. But on paper, it looks pretty great.

If you're looking to buy an Apple Watch Ultra for the first time, then the Ultra 3 is a no-brainer. It's a durable sports watch that works within Apple's vast app and device ecosystem, and it's not even that pricy within this category of watches. Battery life is an issue, as other sports watches offer far more, but that's been significantly improved on the Ultra 3 as well.

If you already have the Ultra 2 and are looking to upgrade, that's a tougher call. As we've laid out above, there are a number of meaningful new features, but your old Ultra 2 isn't exactly outdated yet. An upgrade over the original Ultra makes more sense, especially if you bought it in 2022, as you'll probably feel the battery life improvements.

Products featured in this guide: Apple Watch Ultra 2 $699.99 (save $99.01) Get Deal Apple Watch Ultra 3 $799 Pre-Order Here