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Have you tried building a second brain but ended up just building a pretty folder structure? Tried Zettelkasten, PARA, and every other note-taking framework—only to abandon them all? Me too. And here’s how Obsidian’s daily notes feature finally helped me build my second brain.

TL;DR: Live stream Venezuela vs. USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic final for free on Tele Rebelde or Venevision. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 World Baseball Classic has been everything we wanted it to be. The wait for the new MLB season to start can be painful, but this tournament has provided some much-needed relief. We've had heroic individual performances, shocking results, and moments of real controversy. And now the stage is set for the final.

USA take on Venezuela for the title. USA lost in the 2023 final to Japan, so this is an opportunity to forget all about Shohei Ohtani striking out Mike Trout for the victory. This is a chance to make history in front of an expectant crowd at the LoanDepot Park. Of course, Venezuela are not going to make it easy. They've been building momentum throughout this tournament, and will come into this final with a lot of belief.

If you want to watch the 2026 World Baseball Classic final for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Venezuela vs. USA?

Venezuela vs. USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic starts at 8 p.m. ET on March 17. This fixture will take place at LoanDepot Park.

How to watch Venezuela vs. USA for free

The 2026 World Baseball Classic is available to live stream for free on a number of platforms:

• Cuba — Tele Rebelde

• Venezuela — Venevision

These streaming platforms are geo-restricted, but anyone can access for free with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Venezuela vs. USA in the World Baseball Classic 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 a location with access

4. Visit Tele Rebelde or Venevision

5. Live stream the 2026 World Baseball Classic final for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch every game from the 2026 World Baseball Classic before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to the best free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for live sport?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, 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 connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan 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 $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch Venezuela vs. USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic final for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 World Baseball Classic for free on Tele Rebelde or Venevision. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Spring Training is underway for the new MLB season. That's incredibly exciting news for baseball fans, but there's more: The 2026 World Baseball Classic is here to deliver top-quality international action from around the world.

USA lost in the 2023 final to Japan. That final will always be remembered for Japan's Shohei Ohtani striking out Mike Trout in the ninth inning to seal the game. Can USA bounce back to win its first title since 2017? This edition of the competition has already thrown out some huge performances and shocking results. Now the showpiece event is upon us as USA take on Venezuela for the trophy.

If you want to watch the 2026 World Baseball Classic for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the World Baseball Classic?

The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the World Baseball Softball Confederation. In 2026, the tournament is organized into four pools of five teams. Teams will compete in a round-robin format, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the knockout rounds.

Japan are the defending champions.

When is the 2026 World Baseball Classic?

The 2026 World Baseball Classic will take place from March 5-17. Pool rounds will be played in Miami, Houston, San Juan, and Tokyo. The quarter finals will be split between Miami and Houston. The semi finals and final will be played in Miami.

How to watch the 2026 World Baseball Classic for free

The 2026 World Baseball Classic is available to live stream for free on a number of platforms:

• Cuba — Tele Rebelde

• Venezuela — Venevision

These streaming platforms are geo-restricted, but anyone can access for free with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites from anywhere in the world.

Access free World Baseball Classic live streams 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 a location with access

4. Visit Tele Rebelde or Venevision

5. Live stream the 2026 World Baseball Classic for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch every game from the 2026 World Baseball Classic before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to the best free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for live sport?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, 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 connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan 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 $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch the 2026 World Baseball Classic for free with ExpressVPN.

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

The world of porn continues to be impacted by age-verification laws. Early in 2025, more than a third of U.S. states introduced age verification laws for online adult content. Pornhub responded by blocking users from those locations. A similar situation hit France and the UK, and now Australians are facing the same set of challenges.

The porn blocks arrived just days before new online safety codes came into effect, requiring organisations to verify the ages of users. It's the same story, with the same workaround.

If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from Australia, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Australia

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

Unblock Pornhub from Australia 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 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. There's a chance that the situation may have changed before the free trial comes to an end.

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 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan 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 $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Unblock Pornhub for free in Australia with ExpressVPN.

SAVE $500: As of March 14, the DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $1,099 at Amazon. That's $500 off the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo $1,099 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $500   Get Deal

The ban on DJI imports it naturally causing stock to drop, but it's still possible to find popular models on Amazon (for now). And you can still find deals on some of the best drones from the brand, including the DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo. This bumper bundle has hit a record-low price on Amazon this weekend.

As of March 14, the DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $1,099 at Amazon. That's $500 off the list price for a limited time.

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We have seen this low price before, but we don't know how long this sort of deal will stay live. Stock is going to dwindle at some stage. At that point, prices will surely jump. Until we reach that moment, we're going to take every opportunity we can get to shop.

This bundle includes the DJI Mini 5 Pro drone, the DJI RC 2 camera-drone remote controller, a set of filters, three DJI Mini 5 Pro Intelligent Flight batteries, three propeller sets, a shoulder bag, and more. You're getting everything you need to start flying and capturing footage in one convenient package.

The DJI Mini 5 Pro features a one-inch CMOS camera with 4K HDR filming at 60fps. You can opt for 4K 120fps for slow-motion filming, and night flying is a possibility thanks to the 360 degree Nightscape Omnidirectional Sensing and Nighttime return-to-home function.

It's a truly stellar option for content creators and anyone looking to capture epic footage.

Score the best-ever price on the DJI Mini 5 Pro this weekend.

Dyson had nowhere to go but up after its last robot vacuum. You don't even need to test the new Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai to already know that it completely dunks on the 2024 Dyson 360 Vis Nav any way you dice it.

Still, as the third Dyson robot vacuum attempt after two flop releases, there's a lot riding on the Spot+Scrub Ai's success. If it sells well, that means the 360 Vis Nav truly was just a fluke. But if the Spot+Scrub Ai can't compete with the best robot vacuums of 2026 from other brands, perhaps it's time to accept that we don't always need to force the "stick vacuum brand to robot vacuum brand" pipeline.

For the past few days, I've been trying the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai at home against top flagship Roborock and Dreame models. My first impressions are up and down so far, taking me from cheering to cursing in the span of a few minutes. Let's discuss.

Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai $1,199.99 at Best Buy
  Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Dyson What's special about the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai? Dyson's iconic green laser makes cleaning so satisfying to watch. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I had been manifesting a robot vacuum with a laser since trying my first Dyson stick vacuum with a laser in 2022, so the dust-illuminating green light is easily the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai's biggest talking point. The green light works together with AI to help the Spot+Scrub Ai find hidden stains and microscopic debris, decipher between wet and dry messes, and then adjust cleaning accordingly. Unlike many other robot vacuums, which just make a set number of passes in the specified zone or room, the Spot+Scrub Ai double-checks each spot before moving on and goes back again if necessary.

The rest of the Spot+Scrub Ai's upgrades seem huge compared to the 360 Vis Nav, but were long overdue compared to the rest of the robot vacuum market. The Spot+Scrub Ai isn't just Dyson's first roller mop robot vacuum — it's the first Dyson robot vacuum that mops at all. In classic roller mop robot vacuum fashion, the roller gets rinsed in real time to ensure that every inch of floor is being scrubbed with a clean pad. It's much less common to find a robot vacuum and mop combo that actually mops with warm water for more efficient stain breakdown, but the Spot+Scrub Ai does. (Most only wash the mop with hot water, but clean with room temperature.)

It wouldn't be a Dyson without a bright color scheme. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable Must the transparent dustbin publicly showcase your home's dirt? Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Spot+Scrub Ai also finally adds a self-emptying dock (those have been ubiquitous for half a decade), and washes and dries the roller mop. An AI-powered HD camera brings small obstacle avoidance technology to the Spot+Scrub Ai's resume, but it doesn't send or record images (so no livestream pet camera).

For general vibe and decor purposes, I can't say that I'm thrilled with the look of the dock. The three canister situation is bulky (just like the robovac itself) and unnecessarily industrial. But if you think this design is loud, just wait until you hear the self-emptying noise. FWIW, I do appreciate the built-in detergent tank and bagless dustbin.

SEE ALSO: Shark's new scrubbing-centric robot vacuum finds stains with a UV light. I tested it against other top robot mops.

Despite so many new features, Dyson surprisingly didn't hike the price from the 360 Vis Nav. The Spot+Scrub Ai costs $1,199.99, matching the debut price of the 360 Vis Nav when it came out in 2024. I'm glad that Dyson realized that the 360 Vis Nav was comically overpriced, which is probably why it's not hard to find it on sale for more than 60 percent off.

Is the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai's cleaning really that smart?

The Spot+Scrub Ai started out by acing several of my standard litter box cleaning tests for all robot vacuums. I have an uncovered self-emptying litter box (crystal litter) in the bathroom and a Litter-Robot Evo (clumping grass seed litter) in the kitchen. Both areas get pretty covered in tracked litter after even a day, but I pour extra on the floor for the initial test. The Spot+Scrub Ai finished with about 98 percent debris and dust pickup of each litter type, spinning around to use the laser to check for lingering particles before officially marking the area as complete.

Though the Spot+Scrub Ai is round (not D-shaped like 360 Vis Nav), the roller mop doesn't shy away from wall edges. I watched it scoot right up against baseboards, the open laundry closet door, and the washing machine. It even hugged the toilet as well as I could hope for in such a tight area.

The roller mop extended to scrub closely around walls, doors, and the oven. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The first wet spill obstacle course included splatters of chunky salsa and a red wine spill on hardwood. The Spot+Scrub Ai bodied the salsa, picking up a surprising amount on the first pass. It turned around and came back the other way to grab the few chunks that were flicked out of the way at first. Overall, the Spot+Scrub Ai+ had to have made about five passes over the same spot of hardwood floor after I assume it noticed that some salsa, a piece of dry cat food, or a speck of litter was left behind. In the app, you can follow along on the map to see where a stain has been detected. That part had me cheering out loud.

When it's thorough, it's thorough. But when it's not...

But that level of precision was missing when the botvac approached the spilled red wine. It wasn't the actual roller mop that blundered this spill, but the two spinning side brushes that are typically associated with dry debris.

The Spot+Scrub Ai's whole ethos is using artificial intelligence to clean on its toes, right? There's been so much hype surrounding the joint slay of the AI camera and green light to make tweaks to cleaning in the moment — to the point that they straight up included it in the title of the vacuum. So I feel like it's valid to assume that the Spot+Scrub Ai is smart enough to not make a mess worse. If it sees a puddle in the path ahead, wouldn't it make sense to pause the spinning dry brushes so that they don't further slosh the spill around?

The original wine puddle was pretty far away from the rug. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The Spot+Scrub Ai+ managed to smear the wine around the rug flap (and ignore the powder). Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Instead, I witnessed the Spot+Scrub Ai drive right over the spill with side brushes spinning full speed ahead, spattering wine in the vicinity on the floor as well as all over the underside of the vacuum. (Liquid seeping into the interior parts is a recipe for your robot vacuum to stop working.) Those side brushes, now soaked in wine and salsa, don't get washed in the dock like the actual roller mop does.

You can imagine my surprise when I heard the "cleaning complete" announcement, just to look down and see the abandoned puddle smeared to the corner of my kitchen Ruggable, plus a pile of spilled protein powder on the rug completely ignored. Dyson claims that the Spot+Scrub Ai relies on photographic evidence of mess removal before heading back to the dock. How was this missed? And what if the rug wasn't machine washable?

Other factors I'm keeping an eye on

Mopping fail aside, I have a few other concerns with the Spot+Scrub Ai. While I've accepted that roller mop robot vacuums are the tallest type of robot vacuum mop combo, the Spot+Scrub Ai is so thick and cumbersome that it limits the reach of the fancy AI cleaning features. It doesn't fit under the Litter-Robot step where a ton of litter gathers, whereas the ultra-slim Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete smoothly slides under with several inches to give. The Spot+Scrub Ai kept getting stuck under my kitchen cabinets, battling with this drawer for a minute straight. Similarly, the Spot+Scrub Ai ended up scraping some gross brown gunk off the bottom of the dishwasher because the squeeze was that tight.

The Spot+Scrub Ai is so tall that it literally dragged this drawer open. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I'm also wondering if the Spot+Scrub's weight contributes to its struggles to lift safely over rug corners.

The Spot+Scrub Ai has displayed mediocre rug and carpet performance so far. It did a satisfactory job with cat hair in the living room, but left behind more than a few sprinkles and tortilla chip crumbs on the same rug. Its 18,000 Pa suction power is a tad low for a $1,199.99 robot vacuum. I can't help but compare it to the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow, my current favorite roller mop robot vacuum. It costs $999.99 (as low as $849.99 on sale) and has 20,000 Pa suction.

SEE ALSO: The new Eufy C28 is the most budget-friendly roller mop robot vacuum. I tried it against the top 2 in its class.

No, the Curv 2 Flow doesn't have the laser feature. If you're really sold on the laser and roller mop aspects, I have a better way for you to spend $1,199.99 on a vacuum setup: Spend $599.99 on the Eufy C28 robot vacuum (15,000 Pa) and $599.99 on the awesome Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones instead.

Dyson baked a lot of customizable settings into the Spot+Scrub Ai's app, so I'm open to the possibility of cleaning and navigation getting better as we both make adjustments over time. But for now, I'm not sure that the Spot+Scrub Ai is the comeback story that Dyson needed in this market.

But first, the elephant in the room

The lukewarm rivalry between Shark and iRobot heated up for a second in March 2025, when iRobot went rogue and overhauled the entire Roomba lineup outside of its usual release schedule. But the last-ditch effort to get people excited about Roombas again didn't work. Once iRobot's lack of acquisition interest dwindled down to zero potential buyers, iRobot filed for bankruptcy in December 2025. Ownership of the brand was surrendered to its manufacturer, Picea.

Let's break down why Roombas were considered the best for so long, and where iRobot went wrong.

SEE ALSO: Robot vacuums vs. stick vacuums: Shopping advice from someone who has both Where Roomba wins: Small obstacle avoidance and more variety

Shark's family of robot vacuums is definitely growing. But the variety in the Roomba lineup offers slightly more flexibility for mixing and matching staple features like smart mapping, mopping pads that automatically avoid carpet, self-empty docks that also wash and dry the mopping pads, and most importantly, small obstacle avoidance technology.

SEE ALSO: As an anxious cat mom, I love my robot vacuum with a livestream camera

For much of 2024 and 2025, there were more Roombas to choose from because iRobot released new robot vacuums more frequently than Shark. The Roomba range seriously widened when iRobot randomly overhauled the Roomba lineup with eight new models in March 2025. That was certainly an interesting move, considering new Roombas had typically been announced in August in years past. That turned out to be a last-ditch effort to save iRobot as we knew it from bankruptcy.

iRobot released a bleak financial report the same week it released that flood of Roombas. I still decided to test most of them at the time — I thought it'd be interesting to see if these new Roombas could make iRobot a competitive brand again.

The 2025 Roombas all have LiDAR towers — a first for iRobot. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Yes, you can still buy a Roomba online despite the bankruptcy filing. The newest Roombas released last March are all available and often discounted. The best options that I've tested include the Roomba 105 (a standalone model with smart mapping) that has permanently dropped to $149 and the Roomba Plus 505 Combo (self-washing and -drying mopping pads, small obstacle avoidance) for as low as $499 on sale.

iRobot thankfully diverted from the traditional flat mopping pad with its 2025 overhaul. Now, the Roomba Plus 405 and 505 Combo use dual spinning mopping pads — a design that the majority of iRobot customers prefer, iRobot told me in a press briefing. The Roomba Max 705 Combo was actually one of the first mainstream roller mop robot vacuums, which debuted months before that became a major trend at CES 2026. Still, the Max 705 Combo wouldn't be a worthwhile purchase over better roller mop robot vacuums like the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow or the Eufy C28.

Not for nothing, iRobot heard the cries of the anti-mop crowd on Reddit and released a vacuum-only version of one of its more powerful models, the Roomba Max 705 Vac. A lot of people simply don't want to deal with tanks or anything soggy at all, but finding a vac-only robot vacuum typically means settling for a super basic model — all of the most advanced robot vacuums are automatically hybrids nowadays.

The Roomba Max 705 Combo has a paint roller-esque mop and a wooden dock. Credit: iRobot The new Roomba Plus 405 Combo has two spinning mopping pads — a first for iRobot. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

iRobot's mastery of small obstacle avoidance does provide some leverage over Shark — it's some of the best small obstacle avoidance I've experienced from any brand I've tested at home. The Roomba Combo 10 Max, the Roomba Plus 505 Combo, and both 705 models have the special small obstacle detection camera system, which helps to avoid small obstacles that less-advanced robot vacuums would typically eat, like a phone charger, extension cord, rogue sock, or pet waste. In short, it solves the main gripe that many robot vacuum non-believers have: robot vacuums get stuck so often that they're more trouble than they're worth. I first experienced it when reviewing the Roomba j7+ and Combo j7+ and could never go back to the habit of pre-tidying.

SEE ALSO: 'Why does my robot vacuum suck now?' Well, when's the last time you cleaned it? Where Roomba loses: No recent innovations, still too expensive

iRobot isn't the pioneer it once was.

The self-emptying, smart mapping Roomba S9+ was a huge deal when it came out in 2019, and the Roomba j7+'s small obstacle avoidance set a new standard for robot vacuum navigation in 2021. Its star power was so influential that "Roomba" became the colloquial generic term for any robot vacuum.

But somewhere down the line, iRobot stopped innovating in the ways that justified its steep price points. Roombas started costing way too much for the brainpower or cleaning performance they offered. I saw the Roomba flop era coming from a mile away. iRobot tried to rectify its overpriced tendencies with the eight new Roombas in March 2025, but even those didn't sell well enough to save iRobot from bankruptcy.

Neither basic nor premium Roombas are super cost-efficient

So while I'll give credit to Roomba for getting more practical with its prices, Shark still does budget-friendly better. For instance, I think that the perfect starter robot vacuum is one with smart mapping and self-emptying, with suction power being less of a priority as long as it's sufficient for light daily upkeep. In Roomba world, the cheapest option for this is the Roomba 105 + AutoEmpty Dock, going for $449.99 at full price or $249.99 on sale. In Shark world, the same capabilities can be secured for as low as $199.99 on sale with the Shark IQ RV2302AE.

Either way, there are definitely more powerful cheap robot vacuums than both of those out there. It's the same story on the premium end of the spectrum: The fanciest Roombas still cost too much given their skills. The Roomba Plus 505 Combo that I tested comes to mind. Its debut price of $999.99 was comically high, and I think its recent price cut in half to $499.99 shows iRobot coming to terms with its pricing still. It didn't have any glaring drawbacks, but it's certainly not the strongest robot vacuum you could find for 500 bucks.

SEE ALSO: What is the best robot vacuum for pet hair? After testing, my cats and I chose 4 top picks for 2026 so far.

Most egregiously, even the most powerful Roomba doesn't stand a chance against the most powerful contenders from other brands. On its face, the Roomba Max 705 Combo sounds like a beast: It has "175 times the suction power of a 600 Series Roomba" and is coined as the most powerful 2-in-1 Roomba. But iRobot, which is quietly revealing Pa suction power measurements for the first time, has confirmed that the Roomba Max 705 Combo has 13,000 Pa suction power.

The Roomba Plus 505 Combo. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

That means that even the best Roomba for pet hair or carpet is significantly weaker than the other flagship robot vacuums out there — still a relevant point, even if it's not a direct comparison to Shark. 2026 flagship vacuums like the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete and the Roborock Saros 20 series both hit a new record of 35,000 Pa. It's not hard to find a robot vacuum with 15,000+ Pa with self-washing and drying mopping pads for less than $700. As a refresher, the Roomba Max 705 Combo costs $1,299.99 at full price or as low as $799.99 on sale.

Will my Roomba still work now that iRobot went bankrupt?

iRobot does not expect the company's restructuring to disrupt app functionality, customer programs, or ongoing product support. That's comforting news to people who already have a Roomba. But for those still deciding if they should buy a Roomba, that's not a worthwhile option right now.

Where Shark wins: Spot cleaning, affordability, and the UV light

Shark robot vacuums haven't exactly been known for their innovation. Historically, it felt like the Sharks were several months to a year late on premium features that all of the other brands had. So the genius packed into the Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal 2-in-1 that dropped in March 2026 was a pleasant surprise. The UV Reveal uses a real UV light to detect invisible stains on the floor that a robot vacuum using AI cameras or plain LEDs may not see.

The Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal 2-in-1. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

One memorable moment from my testing is the UV Reveal finding and mopping up dried cat puke that another premium robot vacuum mop combo didn't thoroughly scrub the week before. It's a game-changing feature for mopping hardwood floors.

So yes, the Shark UV Reveal breathed life into an otherwise just OK lineup of Shark robovacs. But for everyone trying to spend less than $1,299.99 on a robot vacuum, are the other Shark robot vacuums worth it?

I've always found Shark to be in tune with what the average person is willing to spend on a robot vacuum. The brand consistently offers core capabilities like smart mapping and mopping at affordable price points, topped with a straightforward user experience that doesn't involve a million high-level app functions. It's a particularly enticing brand for first-time robot vacuum owners.

The Shark Matrix RV2310 is a reliable little vacuum. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Shark's more approachable price points don't necessarily mean it skimps on cleaning performance, though. Shark Matrix vacuums clean in a grid pattern, approaching the area several times from multiple angles to grab anything it may have missed in the first pass or two. According to Shark, Matrix mode dishes out 30 percent better carpet cleaning than the older RV Shark models. For Shark 2-in-1 robot vacuums, a mop in Matrix mode vibrates 100 times per minute to scrub at stains that likely wouldn't budge from a single pass of a cheaper robot mop or a paper towel. Matrix mopping always comes in clutch for keeping up with the constant layer of shoe prints by my front door.

SEE ALSO: Shark CryoGlow mask review after 10 months: The only way I'll ever stop using this is if Shark releases a new one

Shark even extends the Matrix cleaning mechanism to most of its super-affordable models, making any of the RV2310 or RV2300 models a solid choice for a budget robot vacuum. Shark's spot cleaning has been such a streamlined, reliable feature in every Shark robot vacuum I tried. My ultimate spot cleaning test is the area outside either of my cats' litter boxes — even the cheap Shark robot vacuums always got to the right spot and cleared the kitty litter before I walked in there with bare feet.

Every other big brand had at least one model with self-washing and -drying mopping pads far before the Shark PowerDetect Pro series hit the scene in September 2024. They originally cost between $999.99 and $1,199.99, which seemed reasonable (at the time) compared to the models that cost $1,599.99. Both Pro models can now be found on sale for around $699.99.

The Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

For good measure, the PowerDetect models are also equipped with large wheels that hoist the vac over carpet to keep it dry during mopping mode. Those hydraulics put the PowerDetect robot vacuums in the small group of robot vacuums that have never gotten stuck on one of my rug corners or scrambled up my bath mats.

But there are smarter robot vacuums out there for that same $699.99 or less.

Where Shark loses: Small obstacle avoidance and slow releases

Shark's biggest shortcoming is that it takes forever to release new robot vacuums, and that staggered schedule often leaves it playing catch-up with other brands. Brands like Roborock and Dreame seem to drop new crops of robot vacuums twice in the time period that Shark introduces a single new model.

Overall, Shark's lineup outside of the UV Reveal feels a little basic compared to its competitors. For instance, the original PowerDetect line was in desperate need of a successor for a while. When Shark did finally "revamp" the series in fall 2025, the upgrades were criminally underwhelming. The major difference is heated mop washing and drying for improved sanitation between mopping sessions, hence "ThermaCharged" in the title. That's not exactly a front-page headline when the vacuum is still so far behind other brands' models in the same price range.

The purple lights indicate "Dirt Detect" mode. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Another lesser-known late 2025 model, the Shark Stratos NeverTouch robot vacuum, is similarly bland. Its description mentions "ultra-powerful suction" and states that the Stratos delivers twice the suction power of the Roomba i5 Combo. A $799.99 robot vacuum is more powerful than an entry-level Roomba that came out in 2023? Yeah, I would hope so.

Shark is the lone major robot vacuum brand that hasn't really invested in small obstacle avoidance past its fanciest model. Multiple models feature Shark's NeverStuck technology to some degree, but the UV Reveal is the only one I've tested that actually felt like it was really perceiving items lying in front of it. Meanwhile, brands like Eufy, Roborock, and Dreame have prioritized small obstacle avoidance in robot vacuums at the $500 to $700 range.

The lack of agility around common items like cords, laundry, or pet toys seriously cramps the "premium" feel. This is such a staple feature in my life, as I'm sure it is for anyone whose floor might be cluttered lived in from time to time. In my testing, the Shark ThermaCharged was so inept at diverting obstacles (even large ones) that it gave up on cleaning missions instead of simply driving around a tote bag of groceries or a cordless Dyson vacuum attachment lying on the ground.

SEE ALSO: A tale of two robot vacuums with arms: How the Dreame Cyber 10 could beat the Roborock Saros Z70

In the same vein of too-basic navigation, only the most premium Shark robot vacuums automatically stop mopping when carpet is sensed. This means vacuum and mop mode aren't possible at the same time with any of the 2-in-1 Shark Matrix models, and a person needs to manually attach the water tank to switch to mopping mode. That's enough of a pain to make someone want to skip mopping altogether. Even the cheap Roomba 105 Combo can detect carpet — the first time in recent memory where a base-tier Roomba outshines a base-tier Shark.

Shark's sonic mopping system feels a bit outdated now

Shark also has yet to grow out of the D-shaped mopping pad, while every other major brand has graduated to dual rotating mops or roller mops. The sonic vibrations of the PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro and PowerDetect ThermaCharged did a solid job of wiping up small spills and shoe stains on my apartment's hardwood, but they weren't able to scrub in corners and along edges as the Roomba 405 or 505 Combo's flexible spinning mops can.

I wrote the next two sentences in January 2026, highlighting one very specific objective for the next flagship Shark robot vacuum:

"If Shark doubles down on the D-shaped pad design in its next release, it should at least give the pad more mobility to scoot out past the circular body of the vacuum — similar to what Roborock did with the Saros 20 Sonic that it announced at CES 2026."

I called it. That's exactly the type of mopping system that Shark gave the UV Reveal, and I've personally witnessed the UV Reveal's extending mop pad scrub much closer to walls than other Sharks. Unfortunately, the UV Reveal's mopping is only geared toward scrubbing dry stains or sticky droplets, not spills. (The instructions specifically say to avoid sending it over liquid.) I'm still not 100 percent sold on the D-shaped design for that reason.

SEE ALSO: How do some robot vacuums clean and navigate better than others? They're probably using AI.

Shark doesn't do itself any favors by refusing to list its vacuums' suction power in Pascals (Pa). Almost every other major robot vacuum brand measures suction power in Pa (even iRobot now), which makes comparing options easy. Shark still insists on keeping an air of mystery by solely comparing suction power to other vacuums in its own family tree, or by making vague claims like "50% better suction than the best-selling iRobot."

Where iRobot and Shark both lose: Their apps suck

Ironically, two of the most longstanding names in the robot vacuum game have the two most outdated-feeling apps. The bare bones home maps in both the Roomba Home and Shark Clean apps are far less intricate than the color-coded maps that Roborock or Eufy offer. Pausing a clean or adding an extra room to the queue is similarly clunky on both.

Our winner: Shark

Neither Shark nor iRobot is in the running to be the best robot vacuum brand overall in 2026. But if you want to pit them against each other for old time's sake, Shark is the better robot vacuum brand.

When revisiting the Shark vs. Roomba debate in January of 2026, my answer was pretty much, "Uh, is there a third option?" It was hard to get enthusiastic when neither brand had released a memorable robot vacuum in years. That changed when Shark released a robot vacuum with UV stain detection in March. The Shark UV Reveal 2-in-1 is far more innovative than the latest Roomba 405, 505, and 705 Combo models that we have to choose from. Since the rest of the Shark and iRobot lineups are a wash, I think it's safe to give Shark the top spot based on the UV Reveal 2-in-1 alone.

Now that iRobot has filed for bankruptcy, it's hard to say when we'll see a new Roomba at all. The fact that Shark isn't bankrupt is another bonus point by default, presumably putting it in a more cushioned financial position to keep putting out new products.

However, iRobot doesn't want consumers to write it off just yet — iRobot.com has a whole page dedicated to "the most exciting chapter of Roomba yet." One blurb notes its partnership with a world-leading robotics manufacturing partner (probably its new owner, Picea), vaguely teasing some sort of robotic floor care launch in the future.

There are other brands that deserve your attention

Overall, I still think that Dreame vs. Roborock is the new Shark vs. Roomba, and I highly recommend taking a look at all of the Dreame robot vacuums and Roborock robot vacuums within your budget. You're probably going to find an option that's smarter and more powerful than the Roomba and Shark vacuum cleaners in your cart.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock robot vacuums   Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Dreame Dreame robot vacuums   Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark robot vacuums   Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: iRobot iRobot Roomba robot vacuums   Shop Now

An up-and-coming creator gets offered their first brand deal. It’s enough money to pay their rent, but not nearly enough to hire a lawyer to look over the contract, so they sign it. A few months later, they see their face on a billboard or in a commercial without their consent.

This isn’t a hypothetical, says lawyer Michelle May O’Neil, whom I met at SXSW in Austin, Texas, after her panel, “Who Owns Me? Legal War Over Identity in the Creator Economy.” O’Neil is a nationally recognized lawyer, litigation strategist, and expert on NIL (name, image, likeness) topics, and she’s warning creators to pay very close attention to contracts with brands.

However, it’s not just shady contracts and legalese that can strip creators of their likeness. In the AI era, creators are also facing AI clones and deepfakes that steal their voice and image.

During her panel, O’Neil explained how creators can lose control of their online identity, and some of her examples took me by surprise. She highlighted the case of Kat and Mike Stickler, the married TikTok influencers who ended up in a bitter feud over their shared social media accounts during a messy divorce.

“As a lawyer, we say fair is a four-letter word, so there's not really a fair concept in the law. There's just the law, and it applies,” O’Neil said. “The tech is moving so fast, and the world is moving so fast, that it's difficult because there's not a lot of law that protects you, but we want to do the best we can."

So, what do creators need to know about their name, image, and likeness, and how can they protect themselves?

Please note that the content of this article does not constitute legal advice. Consult your own lawyer before making any big decisions.

SEE ALSO: The Mashable 101: The creators shaping the internet in 2025 It’s not identity theft if you give it away. Avoid the perpetuity trap.

When signing contracts with brands or social media companies, O’Neil warns creators to look for specific contract language that companies might try to sneak into a contract:

• Perpetual / in perpetuity

• All media now known or later developed

• Derivative works

• Sublicensable

• Irrevocable

O’Neil says an offending clause might look like this: “Creator grants Brand a perpetual, irrevocable, sublicensable right to use Creator's name, image, likeness and voice in all media now known or later developed.”

“If you sign a bad contract and you don't read it, and you kind of do what one of the girls at the bar the other night said [she did] to me. She said, ‘Well, I mean, I just signed the contract they gave me. Because who am I? Like, if I don't sign what they give me, I'm not going to get the brand deal.’ And I get that, but she signed away a lot of rights.”

I heard this same sentiment in a separate SXSW panel featuring YouTube icons Rhett and Link.

In a panel on the creator economy, Rhett McLaughlin said many young creators feel like they can’t say no to brand deals at first.

“If you're a brand, you might be dealing with a lot of people who are young and inexperienced, even if they might be working with somebody who's representing them,” Rhett McLaughlin said. “And then you've got, you know, people who are either working in another job and beginning doing some creating on the side, or they're just young, and $1,000 is like, ‘Oh shit, $1,000, yes! I'm just gonna say yes. Whatever you just asked me to do for $1,000, I'm gonna say yes to it.” And brands know, in a lot of situations, they can go out and just pay 40 different creators $1,000 to get a message out there.”

When I asked O’Neil what kind of recourse someone might have if they sign away rights to their likeness in perpetuity, she had a blunt response.

“If they sign it, they sign it,” O’Neil told me. "I think once you sign it, you're done. That’s why it’s important. And that's why the lawyers for those platforms, that's why they make the big bucks, right?”

Add language to contracts to protect yourself Lawyer Michelle May O’Neil speaks at SXSW 2026. Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

There are some important steps creators can take when negotiating contracts.

For instance, you could ask for a sunset clause. This way, you’re licensing your likeness for a specific period of time, not “in perpetuity.”

Creators can also ask for additional language rather than demanding brands delete specific clauses.

“Don't fight to delete the clause. Add a clause. So instead of taking out the all media clause, add an exclusion. Add a carve-out. Say, ‘Okay, you can say all media, but I want to say excluding AI-generated or synthetic representations of me.”

And speaking of AI...

Technology moves much faster than the law

We’re living in a world where deepfakes are commonplace. I reported on deepfakes in YouTube Ads depicting celebrities like Oprah and Hoda Kotb, despite all the moderation tech YouTube uses to filter bad ads. Using widely available tools, bad actors can now take a short video clip and create an AI clone of you that can do or say almost anything.

Creators need to be proactive in protecting their likeness from AI clones. Major actors and writers unions have been negotiating for AI protections in contracts with studios, but unfortunately, creators don’t have a union to rely on.

“You know, if you're gonna do an audiobook with Simon & Schuster and they don't want to agree to let you reserve your AI clone of your audio voice, maybe you shouldn't do that deal,” O’Neil said.

Again, you can also ask for specific clauses that carve out an exception for AI clones.

LLCs and trademark law

In addition to bad contracts, O’Neil warned about two other ways creators lose their identity. First, they fail to create a legal entity, such as an LLC, for conducting business. A business entity creates a wall between you and your business asset, aka your likeness and your content.

In addition, some creators fail to trademark their key franchises, trademarks, and ideas. And, crucially, they may also fail to defend their trademark, which can come back to haunt them if they ever do go to court.

Unfortunately, while there are laws in Western countries to protect a creator’s likeness or right of publicity, international protections can be much weaker — or nonexistent.

O’Neil raised the example of a recent AI deepfake video that showed Tom Cruise fighting Brad Pitt on a rooftop in a non-existent movie. She said Cruise was eventually able to get American companies to take down the video, but it remains online in many places.

And if Cruise, with all of his money and the protections of actors’ unions, can’t protect his likeness, small-time creators have almost no chance at all. 

Put the family Instagram account in the pre-nup

Finally, as in the famous divorce case of Kat and Mike Stickler, if you’re creating content with a partner, make sure you have a plan for the dissolution of that partnership. Even if you only appear occasionally in your partner’s content, make sure they don’t retain a right to your likeness in the event of a breakup or divorce. 

That might even mean putting your Instagram and TikTok accounts in a pre-nup.

AI is the problem, not the solution

Finally, AI might seem like both the problem and the solution for creators who can’t afford a lawyer. After all, plenty of actual attorneys are now using ChatGPT, even if they shouldn’t be. But O’Neil cautioned creators from relying on AI chatbots for legal advice.

Ultimately, ChatGPT is not a lawyer, and OpenAI has even been sued for practicing law without a license, most recently in March. Asking Claude, Gemini, or ChatGPT to review or redline a contract might be tempting, but ultimately, only an actual human lawyer can give you legal advice, as some people have learned the hard way.

We’re living in a brave new AI world, and the creator economy still lacks the regulations that protect businesses in other industries.

So, creators, protect yourself and your likeness, because no one else will.

Some of the quotes in this story have been lightly edited for clarity and grammar.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Astronomers have discovered the first clear example of a star made entirely of materials from one of the very first stars.

Researchers spotted the extremely ancient and chemically primitive star in Pictor II, a satellite of a satellite: Pictor II is a dwarf galaxy that orbits the Large Magellanic Cloud, which, itself, circles the Milky Way. The star's unusual makeup suggests it formed after a weak supernova of one of the original stars in the universe. 

The star, known as PicII-503, bolsters the idea that small early galaxies like Pictor II shaped the chemical evolution of larger galaxies, like our own, when the larger ones eventually absorbed those relics. The discovery reveals a stage of cosmic history astronomers can't directly see, even with powerful tools like NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. 

Scientists say relatively close examples in space like PicII-503 can serve as time capsules, providing crucial insight into how the first stars seeded the universe with the heavier elements necessary to build planets and ultimately life. 

"What excites me the most is that we have observed an outcome of the very initial element production in a primordial galaxy, which is a fundamental observation," Anirudh Chiti, a Stanford University researcher who led the study, said in a statement. 

SEE ALSO: Space-traveling microbes? An unusual experiment shocked skeptics.

In the beginning, the first stars formed when the universe was mostly composed of hydrogen and helium, the two lightest elements on The Periodic Table. When those first stars died in supernovas, they blasted out heavier elements, such as carbon, iron, and calcium. It was only after subsequent generations of stars that they began to incorporate these ingredients. 

The recently discovered star, roughly 600,000 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Pictor, has remarkably low iron and calcium elements, much lower than practically any star known outside the Milky Way. By comparison, PicII-503 has less than 1-40,000th of the sun's iron. But it also contains a relatively high amount of carbon. 

PicII-503 is the first clear example of a star containing chemicals from one of the universe's first supernovas. Credit: CTIO / NOIRLab / DOE / NSF / AURA / T.A. Rector / M. Zamani / D. de Martin

This unusual mix suggests the star formed from gas polluted by just one very early — and very weak — star explosion. The idea is that a less powerful explosion would result in heavy elements like iron staying trapped in the dead star's collapsed core, with lighter elements like carbon blasting into space. That would explain stars with low iron content but lots of carbon. 

In the new study, published in Nature Astronomy, researchers believe PicII-503 is probably more than 10 to 12 billion years old. They discovered it with the U.S. Department of Energy's Dark Energy Camera, an instrument mounted on the U.S. National Science Foundation's Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope in Chile. The facility is a program of the NSF NOIRLab.

"Discoveries like this are cosmic archaeology, uncovering rare stellar fossils that preserve the fingerprints of the Universe’s first stars," said Chris Davis, NSF program director for NOIRLab, in a statement.  

The finding hints where astronomers should look for other ancient stars, the researchers say. PicII-503 sits far from the center of its own galaxy. That may suggest the oldest and most chemically primitive stars reside in galaxy outskirts. 

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

The best Disney+ deals and bundles in March 2026: Best Hulu Bundle Deal Disney+ and Hulu Bundle $4.99/month for 3 months Get Deal Best HBO Max Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle $19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free Get Deal Best ESPN Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle $35.99/month Get Deal

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

Home to Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and more, Disney+ offers a library that's stuffed-full of shows and films to keep both adults and kids entertained. With Disney+, you can watch The Muppet Show, the upcoming second season of Daredevil: Born Again, and much more.

If you've had this streaming service on your radar but you've been unsure which plan is the best fit for you, we've got you covered with a selection of Disney+ streaming deals. This includes a great deal at the moment on the Disney+ and Hulu Bundle, which is offering the first three months for just $4.99 per month. This offer only runs until March 24, so now is the time to take advantage of this limited-time deal.

SEE ALSO: 'Wonder Man' review: All hail the MCU's latest bromance

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

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

Best Hulu bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Disney Disney+ and Hulu Bundle Get your first three months for $4.99 per month Get Deal Why we like it

For those interested in the ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu Bundle, it's currently available with a limited-time offer. Until March 24, new and eligible returning subscribers can get the first three months of the plan for $4.99 per month. Usually it costs $12.99 per month, but you're under no pressure to continue at full price after the promotional period.

• Disney+ and Hulu Bundle — Get three months for $4.99 per month, then $12.99 per month

Unfortunately, this deal does not apply to the Premium ad-free version of this plan, which is still available for $19.99 per month.

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you're a sports fan looking to add ESPN to your bundles, you're in luck: Disney offers bundles with both ESPN Select and ESPN Unlimited. According to ESPN, "ESPN Select includes ESPN+ content only. Fans who want ESPN+ exclusively may subscribe to the ESPN Select plan. ESPN Unlimited includes all of the ESPN networks and services, including ESPN+."

The Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle, which has ads, is available for $35.99 per month. The Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited premium bundle without ads is available for $44.99 per month.

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

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

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle — $35.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle Premium — $44.99 per month

Best Disney+ monthly plans

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

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

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

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

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

• Disney+ Premium — $9.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle — $7.99 per month

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

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

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

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

A messy (but formative) part of girlhood is the reckless appropriation of various trends, traditions, and cultural elements in a haphazard attempt to build an identity. For some girls, this means trading one clique for another, or jumping from band geek to cheerleader. For others, it means dabbling in witchcraft. 

30 years ago, The Craft became iconic for a generation of '90s girls who dreamed of power, beauty, and boys. A coven of four teen girls could cast spells and hexes, and the only threat to their power was one another. Now arises Forbidden Fruits, a twisted teen comedy that feels like The Craft with a girly-pop aesthetic. 

Forget the goth gear and smudged eyeliner. These witches are "mall royalty" who proudly work at a chic clothing store, and when they're not eye-rolling over customers, they're doing racy rituals and swallowing sequins as if they're psychedelics. However, where The Craft became a coming-of-age story and cautionary tale about not being true to yourself, Forbidden Fruits is more interested in gnarly twists than any kind of PSA message. 

Forbidden Fruits is a tale of rotten sisterhood.  Lili Reinhart, Lola Tung, Victoria Pedretti, and Alexandra Shipp play the Fruits in "Forbidden Fruits." Credit: Shudder

Helmer Meredith Alloway makes her feature film directorial debut with this screen adaptation of playwright Lily Houghton's Of the woman came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die. Together they scripted the adapted screenplay, which switches a Free People store for the less lawsuit-inducing "Free Eden." There, a trio of intimidatingly cool girls — known as "the Fruits" — wear daring fashions and form a clique so tight, it's suffocating. 

The bubbly blonde who favors skimpy pink clothes and endlessly seeks external validation is Cherry (Victoria Pedretti). The chill astrophysics nerd, saving up for grad school and clad in dark purples and blacks, is Fig (Alexandra Shipp). And the Queen Bee of their coven is Apple (American Sweatshop's Lili Reinhart), who has a cold stare but a heart that yearns for a "mini-me" to be her protégé. 

As in Mean Girls or Clueless, the girls spot a diamond in the rough in the film's protagonist, Pumpkin (Lola Tung). Sure, she's dangling at the bottom of the social ladder, working as a free samples girl in the food court. But there's something about her that intrigues the trio. Before you can recite the long title of Houghton's play, Pumpkin is being initiated with a ritual that involves blood, dirty panties, a bitch slap, and some fresh tears. 

However, much like the heroine of Mean Girls, Pumpkin isn't just looking to be cool with killer clothes. She has a hidden agenda, which has her low-key stalking Fig and Cherry, seeking out dirt on Apple and gossip on the she-who-shall-not-be-named ex-bestie Pickle (Emma Chamberlain). Through all this, Forbidden Fruits veers from familiar teen comedy tropes into wobbly witchiness and then some outright horror movie violence to create a film that's a wild ride, though not a satisfying one. 

Forbidden Fruits is chaotic and superficial in its influences. 

Let's begin with the Bible. The title of Houghton's play, Of the woman came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die, comes from a Bible verse, Ecclesiasticus 25:24, which essentially argues a woman's role is to be a good wife, or else she is wicked and worth only scorn. In the film's third act, Apple will wear this quote/title on a baby tee as she snarls at her coven mates. But the deeper meanings of this passage get lost amid a clash of pop culture references and shallow girl-boss talk. 

Apple's built her coven on a self-serving homespun feminism that demands they uplift other women, eliminate those who take pleasure in others' pain, and never talk to boys outside of emojis. Apple's preaching is constructed of buzzwords, while the coven's icons range from off-brand Barbie dolls to Taylor Swift, Marilyn Monroe, and Miranda Priestly. Rather than a rich tapestry, Apple's brand of witchcraft feels like a clumsy collage of ideas. Perhaps that's intentional, meant to reflect how teen girls might try on new identities like so many jeans at the mall. But it also makes it hard to get a beat on who these girls are beneath their constant posturing. 

Still, this dizzying barrage of allusions collides with an aggressively colorful world, and over-the-top performance styles push the horror comedy into a surreal space. In that setting, we, like Pumpkin, are encouraged to believe that Apple is more than an intimidating Head Bitch in Charge. She could well be a sorceress who can use magic to curse those who wrong her. Power to Forbidden Fruits — with all its style and strangeness, it is hard to predict. However, its abrupt genre shift makes for a wild climax that leads to an infuriating conclusion. 

Forbidden Fruits falls flat, protagonist first. 

Alloway and Houghton make a curious choice in centering their story on Pumpkin. Early on, it's revealed that she's spying on the Fruits, but not why. Who is it she's reporting to about their betrayals and insecurities? Her own Janis Ian? Her mom? A boy!?! 

Because we don't know, Pumpkin is presented at a distance that won't disappear until the film's third act. While Reinhart is a compelling villain, Tung is a tepid screen presence who suffers under the thin writing for Pumpkin. 

That makes Fig and Cherry, whose secrets are most swiftly exposed, more intriguing than the heroine. Shipp, who shines in movies stranger (Tragedy Girls) and more spectacular (X-Men: Apocalypse), is enchanting in Fig's kindness and nerdiness. Perretti, who went from sweet to scorchingly sadistic in You, is a deranged delight as the needy Cherry. Yet the film's third act disregards them with shocking brutality, leaving us to watch a showdown that's lost much of its flavor. Then, without spoilers, a mid-credit scene delivers a big reveal that punches a plot hole right through everything we thought we knew about Free Eden's fruity witches. 

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

While there's plenty of style in Forbidden Fruits, it's lacking in substance. Rather than digging into the toxic female friendships that can define then drain us, Alloway uses the idea as a lure for a mystery that's just not as interesting. Or maybe I'm missing something. That was the nagging feeling as I watched Forbidden Fruits. To her credit, Alloway's film, however scattershot in genre shifts and references, exudes a smirking confidence. Whether she's showcasing Apple's unique brand of mean girl power, exposing Cherry's love of cheap thrills in trendy fashion, or tearing her dolls to bits, there's an assurance in the vision, even if I can't see it. In the end, I wasn't satisfied, but got the sense that this is an inside joke I'm just not on the inside of. 

Forbidden Fruits was reviewed out of the 2026 SXSW Film Festival; it will open in theaters on March 20. 

Following on from the wide range of Pi Day food deals that dropped last week, another batch of freebies and discounts are going live for St. Patrick's Day. And you don't need any luck to score these offers from restaurants across the country. We're seeing promotions on beer, doughnuts, smoothies, and so much more going live on March 17.

We've checked out everything on offer from the likes of Krispy Kreme, 7-Eleven, Burger King, and more. Check out our favorite deals below.

St. Patrick's Day 2026 food deals7-Eleven

7-Eleven is offering $17 off $30 orders with the promo code LUCKY7. This offer is available in the 7-Eleven app. You can also get a free small Slurpee with the purchase of any 7-Select Replenish beverage.

Applebee’s

Get $6 Emerald Escape, $6 Pricklycane, or $4 Parade Punch Mocktails on March 17.

Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar

Dine in on St. Patrick’s Day to get Irish nachos for $8.95 with a Guinness for just $3. You can also get all-day drink deals like $4 draft beers, $3 wine pours, $4 house margaritas, $5 Shaken Monday drinks, and $5 Bloody Marys.

Biggby Coffee

50% off any Irish Cream beverage on St. Patrick’s Day.

Burger King

Royal Perks members can get a large order of onion rings for $2.

California Tortilla

Get free small chips and queso, small chips and salsa, or just small chips with purchases at California Tortilla on March 17. If you are ordering in-store, say “Lucky Cheese” when you check out. For online or in-app orders, use the promo code LUCKYCHEESE at checkout.

Cinnabon

Cinnabon rewards members can get any size and flavor of Lemon-O’nade for $1 when they buy any baked good.

Dairy Queen

Order the new Mint OREO Blizzard Treat or the Mint Crunchin’ Cookie Dipped Cone on St. Patrick’s Day.

Del Taco

Rewards members can enjoy a buy one, get one free offer on Epic Fresh Guacamole Burritos when ordering online or through the app. There is a limit of one offer per guest.

Gopuff

Spend $40 or more on alcohol to get $10 off your order using the code LUCKY10. This code is valid through March 17.

Krispy Kreme

On March 17, visit a store and wear green to get a free Green O'riginal Glazed doughnut. You can also score a dozen Green Original Glazed Doughnuts for just $12.

Marco’s Pizza

Get $3 off any size Specialty Pizza with the code LUCKY.

McAlister’s Deli

Rewards members can get a $1 Lucky Lemonade with any entrée purchase.

Outback Steakhouse

Get a Bloomin’ Onion and a drink for $10 on St. Patrick’s Day. To qualify, mention the “$10 Bloom and Beverage” deal to your server at participating U.S. locations.

Paris Baguette

Get a free pastry when you buy any beverage on March 17.

Pollo Campero

Through March 19, Campero Rewards members can get a BOGO 3-piece deal in the Pollo Campero app.

White Castle

Craver Nation members can buy one combo, get one free through St. Patrick's Day.

TL;DR: Krispy Kreme is giving away free Green O'riginal Glazed doughnuts on March 16-17. No purchase is necessary to qualify. Simply wear green in-store or via the drive-thru to score one free doughnut per customer.

The number of free food giveaways at the moment is off the chart. You're not going to be able to completely ditch the grocery order, but you can eat your way around Dairy Queen, Ben & Jerry's, and 7-Eleven over the next few weeks and not spent a cent.

Krispy Kreme is the latest retailer to drop a free giveaway, but there's a catch. No, you don't need to spend anything to qualify. You just need to wear green.

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To celebrate St. Patrick's Day, Krispy Kreme is bringing back its popular Green O'riginal Glazed Doughnut. And on March 16-17, Krispy Kreme is handing out one free Green O'riginal Glazed Doughnut per customer who wears green in-store or via the drive-thru. Unlike a lot of these "free" promotions, there's no purchase necessary.

And there's more, because 4,000 customers will be randomly selected to receive a "Lucky You Golden Dozen Pass." This includes a whole year's supply of Original Glazed doughnuts — one dozen per month from April 2026 to March 2027.

So dig into your closet and find that green item you've been saving for this special occasion.

Shark vacuums shine at spot cleaning, but have a big blind spot

Scheduled full-room cleanings are a huge part of the convenience of a robot vacuum. The other half has to do with unexpected messes that need to be dealt with right now, with as little clicking around in an app as possible.

In my at-home testing, Shark robot vacuums are extremely straightforward and reliable spot cleaners. Setting a zone for a one-time clean in the Shark app is as black and white as dragging a square in the designated spot cleaning tab. The Shark knows to shift itself into Matrix cleaning mode for any spot cleaning situations, and automatically goes over the spot multiple times from multiple angles. Many other budget robot vacuums won't take a second look unless you remember to toggle the number of cleaning passes from one to two. Matrix cleaning automatically covers one of my tips for making your robot vacuum work better.

SEE ALSO: I've tested 25+ robot vacuum and mop combos, including CES 2026 models. Here are the top 6 to buy.

Is dependable spot cleaning a Shark-only skill? Of course not. But Shark robot vacuums still get credit for doing it while staying firmly in the budget robot vacuum category, and they're on sale frequently.

On the other hand, Shark's one big blind spot (literally) is small obstacle avoidance technology. Shark only has one robot vacuum that can reliably steer clear of cords and small pieces of laundry, and it's the most expensive one. Meanwhile, brands like Roborock, Eufy, and Dreame have afforded that capability to a handful of their mid-range robovacs.

SEE ALSO: 'Why does my robot vacuum suck now?' Well, when's the last time you cleaned it? New robot vacuums announced at CES 2026

Shark didn't do CES 2026 in January, but it did finally release a new robot vacuum and mop combo in March 2026: The Shark UV Reveal 2-in-1. I'm directly testing it against the top CES vacuum releases like Roborock Saros 20 and Qrevo Curv 2 Flow, the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete, and the Narwal Flow 2.

Best early Big Spring Sale deals Best Apple deal Apple AirPods Pro 3 $209.99 (save $39.01) Get Deal Best robot vacuum deal Roborock Q10 S5+ $299.99 (save $250) Get Deal Amazon device deal Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus $24.99 (save $25) Get Deal Sony headphones Sony WH-CH720N $98 (save $81.99) Get Deal

The sun is shining past 6 p.m., which means spring is nearly here, and Amazon is ready to celebrate.

On March 16, the retailer officially announced the third annual Amazon Big Spring Sale. Deals will be live for an entire week, from March 25 to 31, keeping in line with the schedule from last year's sale.

Also, as in years past, the deals featured in this sale will reflect the spirit of the season: Camping and yard care supplies, cleaning items from disinfectant wipes to robot vacuums, spring fashion, and other household essentials will be the major featured deals. While that does mean less of an emphasis on tech than Amazon's other sales like Prime Day and Black Friday, we still anticipate a selection of worthwhile savings on devices. Last year's spring sale brought savings on Amazon's devices like Kindles, Apple deals on MacBooks and iPads, and markdowns on headphones and TVs.

SEE ALSO: When is Amazon's Spring Sale in 2026? Amazon just announced official dates.

Already, we're starting to see early savings roll out on those exact product categories, from Fire sticks and Sony headphones to Roborock vacuums and Ninja kitchen appliances. Most deals are available whether or not you have a Prime membership — a major benefit of the Big Spring Sale is that, unlike Amazon's other Prime member-focused sales, a majority of the deals are available for anyone to purchase. That said, those with a Prime membership will be able to "unlock exclusive savings with Prime-exclusive Best Deals featuring the 'Prime Spring Deal' badge," according to Amazon.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite audio brands for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card

Once it kicks off, the sale will also feature daily deal drops, on categories from spring cleaning to beauty.

In the meantime, Mashable's shopping team will be keeping an eye on the best deals live in the lead-up to Amazon's Big Spring Sale. Check out our early finds below:

Best Apple deals ahead of the Big Spring Sale Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 3 $209.99 at Amazon
$249 Save $39.01   Get Deal Why we like it

According to our review, Apple's AirPods Pro 3 are an "easy buy" if you've been looking for a new pair of AirPods. It's easy to see why: They have excellent ANC, eight hours of listening time per charge, a built-in heart rate monitor, and live translation features. While they hit a lower price of $184 back in February, this $39 markdown is still worth checking out.

Check out Mashable's full review of the Apple AirPods Pro 3.

MacBook deals

• Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $999 $1,199 (save $200)

• Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $999 $1,199 (save $200)

• Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,049 $1,099 (save $50)

• Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,079 $1,399 (save $320)

• Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,249.99 $1,299 (save $49.01)

• Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,499.99 $1,699 (save $199.01)

AirPods deals

• Apple AirPods 4 — $99 $129 (save $30)

• Apple AirPods 4 (with ANC) — $148.99 $179 (save $30.01)

• Apple AirPods Max — $449.99 $549 (save $99.01)

iPad deals

• Apple iPad, 11-inch (A16, WiFi, 128GB) — $299 $349 (save $50)

• Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 128GB) — $399 $499 (save $100)

• Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 128GB) — $559 $599 (save $40)

• Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M3, WiFi + Cellular, 128GB) — $599 $749 (save $150)

• Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M4, WiFi, 128GB) — $747 $799 (save $52)

• Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M3, WiFi + Cellular, 256GB) — $899 $1,049 (save $150)

• Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M5, WiFi, 256GB) — $1,199 $1,299 (save $100)

Apple Watch deals

• Apple Watch SE 3 (GPS, 40mm) — $219 $249 (save $30)

• Apple Watch SE 3 (GPS + Cellular, 40mm) — $269 $299 (save $30)

• Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) — $299 $399 (save $100)

• Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS + Cellular, 42mm) — $399 $499 (save $100)

Best robot vacuum deals ahead of the Big Spring Sale Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Q10 S5+ $299.99 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $250   Get Deal Why we like it

Mashable's robot vacuum expert, Leah Stodart, deemed the Roborock Q10 S5+ the best quiet robot vacuum on the market, and ahead of the Big Spring Sale, it's down to a record-low price.

One of the major pros of this vacuum is that it frequently drops down in price to $379.99, but this price drop to $300 is especially impressive. Stodart points to the LiDAR smart mapping performance, effective sonic mopping, small obstacle avoidance, and five-digit suction power as the standouts of this vacuum. While the vacuum itself isn't slim and the edge mopping isn't the best, this remains a killer deal.

More robot vacuum deals

• Shark AV753 ION — $149.99 $249.99 (save $100)

• iRobot Roomba 105 — $169 $319.99 (save $150.99)

• Narwal Freo X Plus — $169.99 $199.99 (save $30)

• Roborock Q7 M5+ — $249.99 $359.99 (save $110 with Prime membership)

• Mova P10 Pro Ultra — $399 $499 (save $100)

• Eufy X10 Pro Omni — $499.99 $699.99 (save $200)

• Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni — $599 $1,099.99 (save $500.99)

• Eufy C28 — $599.99 $799.99 (save $200)

• Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller — $999.99 $1,599.99 (save $600)

Best Amazon device deal ahead of the Big Spring Sale Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus $24.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $25.00   Get Deal Why we like it

Amazon never misses a chance to mark down its devices during sales, and it's starting off strong with this 50% deal on an Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus. It last hit $24.99 back in December, making this an especially affordable moment to pick up the streaming device. Once plugged into your TV's HDMI port, you'll have access to 4K streaming, WiFi 6 support for seamless streaming, access to all the major smart TV apps, and Xbox games (with no console required).

Fire Stick deals

• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $39.99 (save $22)

• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max — $34.99 $59.99 (save $25)

Echo device deals

• Amazon Echo Pop Kids — $29.99 $49.99 (save $20)

• Amazon Echo Spot — $49.99 $79.99 (save $30)

• Amazon Echo Show 5 — $69.99 $89.99 (save $20)

• Amazon Echo Dot Max — $74.99 $99.99 (save $25)

• Amazon Echo Show 8 — $139.99 $179.99 (save $40)

• Amazon Echo Studio — $189.99 $219.99 (save $30)

• Amazon Echo Show 11 — $169.99 $219.99 (save $50)

• Amazon Echo Show 15 — $254.99 $299.99 (save $45)

More deals live ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale

• BaByliss Pro Nano Titanium — $76.99 $109.99 (save $33)

• Ninja Professional Blender — $79.99 $109.99 (save $30)

• Cuckoo Micom Rice Cooker (6 cups) — $84.99 $129.99 (save $45)

• Sony WH-CH720N — $98 $179.99 (save $81.99)

• Nespresso Vertuo Pop+ — $99 $129 (save $30)

• Beats Studio Pro — $169.95 $349.99 (save $180.04)

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

Peter ___ picked...

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

PIPER

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A piece of info.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for March 17, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

DATUM

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A block of steel.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 17 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 17, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

INGOT

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To show.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

PROVE

Final Hurdle hint

A Jewish figurine.

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

GOLEM

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: Live stream the 2025-26 Champions League for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The top club competition in the world of football has to be the Champions League. There is nothing else that brings the very best teams in the world together in a battle for footballing immortality. Sure, winning your domestic league is great. But winning the Champions League is on another level.

If you want to watch the 2025-26 Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Champions League?

The Champions League is an annual club football competition organised by UEFA and contested by top-division European clubs. This year's tournament begins with a 36-team round robin group stage to determine which sides qualify for the double-legged knockout rounds, followed by a single leg final.

The defending champions are PSG.

When is the 2025-26 Champions League?

The 2025-26 Champions League is the 71st edition of the competition (and the 34th since it was renamed the Champions League). This season's tournament runs from July 8 to 30 May.

How to watch the 2025-26 Champions League for free

It is possible to live stream the 2025-26 Champions League for free on the following streaming platforms:

• Ireland — RTÉ Player and Virgin Media (select fixtures including the final)

• Turkey — tabii (select fixtures)

• UK — Prime Video (select fixtures including semi finals with 30-day free trial)

These free streaming platforms are geo-restricted, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure servers in other countries, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Champions League from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2025-26 Champions League 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 a location with free coverage of the Champions League

4. Visit RTÉ Player, Virgin Media, tabii, or Prime Video (free trial)

5. Watch Champions League fixtures for free from anywhere in the world

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 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 free live streams of the 2025-26 Champions League without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch select fixtures before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services from around the world, the fact is you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the Champions League?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, 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 connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan 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 $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a musician.

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.

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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.

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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 March 17, 2026 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: In a predicament

• Green: Song terms

• Blue: They have a thin cord

• Purple: Speedy

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Metaphors for trouble

• Green: Music theory concepts

• Blue: Things with strings

• Purple: Metaphors for quickness

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 #1010 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Metaphors for trouble: BIND, HOT WATER, JAM, PICKLE

• Music theory concepts: KEY, PITCH, SCALE, TONE

• Things with strings: BALLOON, KITE, TEA BAG, YO-YO

• Metaphors for quickness: ARROW, LIGHTNING, ROCKET, WIND

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 March 17, 2026

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

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 yesterday's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're Irish.

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for March 17, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 17, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

The words are related to a color.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe things with the same hue.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Go Green.

NYT Strands word list for March 17

• Thumb

• Flag

• Light

• Beret

• Go Green

• Pepper

• Room

• Party

• Goddess

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 yesterday's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love wearing jewelry.

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 March 16, 2026 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 March 16, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Used to fasten a necklace.

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 C.

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...

CLASP

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.

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 yesterday's Wordle.