Technology

TL;DR: Live stream Bayern Munich vs. Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Can anyone stop Bayern Munich from winning another Bundesliga title? And can anyone stop Harry Kane from scoring?

Bayern Munich sit at the top of the standings after four games, with a perfect record and 18 goals scored. Kane has already netted eight times this season, making it 98 competitive goals for Bayern in just 103 games. Werder Bremen would be sensible to give Kane special attention when they meet Bayern at the Allianz Arena in the fifth round of Bundesliga fixtures.

If you want to watch Bayern Munich vs. Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Bayern Munich vs. Werder Bremen?

Bayern Munich vs. Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga kicks off at 7:30 p.m. BST on Sept. 26. This fixture takes place at the Allianz Arena.

How to watch Bayern Munich vs. Werder Bremen for free

Bayern Munich vs. Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Bayern Munich vs. Werder Bremen for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Live stream Bayern Munich vs. Werder Bremen 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 most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Bayern Munich vs. Werder Bremen without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream select fixtures from the Bundesliga before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream Bayern Munich vs. Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga for free with ExpressVPN.

Apple Music is the only subscription I’ve kept active for a decade or more. To say I was pleased to see Apple add some improved organizational tools after ten years is an understatement.

SAVE $10: As of Sept. 26, the Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) is on sale for $389 at Amazon, down from its list price of $399. That's only a 2.5% discount, but a discount's a discount, right?

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) $389 at Amazon
Get Deal

Well, that was fast. Earlier this week, Amazon dropped the price of the brand-new Apple Watch Series 11 for the first time ever. Of course, right after we covered the deal, the price shot back up to full MSRP. But if you missed out, you've got a second chance.

As of Sept. 26, the deal is back. You can get the Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) for just $389 at Amazon. While Amazon isn’t showing the discount off a list price right now, we can confirm that's a $10 savings off the regular $399 price tag — and it's the lowest you'll find anywhere.

SEE ALSO: Apple Watch Series 11 review: The same, but better

And the timing couldn't be any better: we just named the Series 11 our new top pick for the "best smartwatch fitness tracker" in our guide to the best fitness trackers of 2025. As our roundup noted, the "biggest upgrade is the battery life," which is a huge factor for anyone who uses their watch for sleep tracking. A better battery means you can take full advantage of new watchOS 26 features without the watch dying in the middle of the night.

We like limited-time deals because they're an impulse buyer's best friend—and they provide some of the best savings you can find outside of specific shopping holidays. If you've ever wanted to check out a Windows 11 ARM laptop, this might be one of the best deals you can find.

System76 just dropped the long-awaited beta release for its Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS operating system. It's coming bundled with the beta milestone of the COSMIC desktop environment. COSMIC is designed to replace the customized GNOME Shell that Pop!_OS used to use, and it's built from scratch in Rust.

This week, Qualcomm unveiled its next-gen mobile system-on-a-chip (SoC), the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip.

We live in a world where tech refreshes every year. That isn’t just true for smartphones like the iPhone 17 or the Samsung Galaxy S26, but the technology inside of them as well. For Android fans, that means a new Snapdragon chipset that will power most flagship-level phones released over the next year.

For starters, the chip has already been rebranded once. Its original name was the Snapdragon 8 Elite 2, so that it followed in the footsteps of the Snapdragon 8 Elite that went into flagship phones like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. However, just like Microsoft when it skipped Windows 9 and Apple when it went from iOS 18 to iOS 26, Qualcomm decided to skip a few numbers and go straight to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. This coincides with the fact that it’s actually the fifth generation chip in the Snapdragon 8 lineup, so now the numbers make more sense. 

Here's everything we know about the new flagship mobile chipset, including when it's coming to the North American market.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5: Specs

Let’s start with the specs and compare them to the existing Snapdragon 8 Elite to give us an idea of how the chip will be different from last year. There are still some question marks about the SoC despite it being fully announced. For example, Qualcomm didn’t include the GPU name in the product brief but did mention that it was an Andreno GPU of some sort. 

• Model name: SM8850-AC

• Process size: 3nm

• Cores: 2 prime cores and 6 performance cores

• Frequency: 4.6 GHz (two cores), 3.62 GHz (6 cores)

• Cache: 24MB

• GPU: Currently unnamed Adreno GPU clocked at 1.2 GHz

• Memory cache: 18MB of Adreno High Performance Memory (HPM)

• NPU: A new Hexagon NPU with an upgraded Qualcomm Sensing Hub

• ISP: Qualcomm Spectra AI

• Modem: Qualcomm X85 5G Modem-RF

• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and UWB: Qualcomm FastConnect 7900 Mobile Connectivity System

So, right away, there are some things we can glean. The top clock speed is slightly higher than the outgoing Snapdragon 8 Elite. The Elite Gen 5 also gets the upgraded X85 modem and a host of upgrades to the core tech, like a faster GPU and NPU. 

However, it’s not an upgrade across the board. Last year’s Snapdragon 8 Elite also housed the FastConnect 7900 system, so Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and UWB specs will be the same as they were in 2025. 

The new hardware also enables some new features, such as the Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec, making it the first mobile platform to do so. In addition, the new Adreno GPU allows for mesh shading, which gives mobile game developers more efficient options when rendering games. 

Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5: Performance improvements

Qualcomm promises quite a nice little performance bump. Here are all of the promised performance improvements, although we would note that these percentages will certainly change from device to device depending on a variety of factors. 

CPU

• 20 percent single-core improvement

• 17 percent multi-core improvement

• 32 percent responsiveness improvement

GPU

• 23 percent GPU performance improvement

• 20 percent more GPU efficiency

• 25 percent ray tracing performance improvement

• With the Adreno High Performance Memory, Qualcomm is boasting 10 percent power improvement and 38 percent faster performance over the old memory

• 30 percent faster “AI inference for superior 5G performance”, which Qualcomm says will lead to a 50 percent reduction in latency while gaming

ISP, Modem, and NPU

• 4x larger dynamic range thanks to the new ISP chip

• 37 percent higher NPU performance, leading to vastly improved on-device AI performance

• Can handle AI inquiries at 220 tokens per second, up from the 70 tokens of the Snapdragon 8 Elite

• The AI-powered modem boasts a 40 percent power savings over the prior model.

In case you’re wondering if these claims hold up to benchmarks, it appears as though they do. Based on benchmark tests performed by Android Police, Hot Hardware, and others, Geekbench 6 scores appear to sit right where Qualcomm promised they would when compared to the reference hardware from a year ago. In fact, it’s good enough to put it in the same ballpark as Apple’s A19 Pro. It’s fair to say that the two platforms have more or less reached parity, at least on the benchmark side of things. 

When is it coming to America?

With mobile phones being how they are, a lot of these performance benefits will only be seen in specific use cases. For example, phones don’t lag when scrolling Instagram anymore, so a speed increase may not be noticed by casual users. However, they will notice the increased battery efficiency, and power users, like gamers, will certainly notice that their games run at more stable FPS numbers while also consuming less battery. 

The chip is expected to make it into the next wave of Android flagship devices. In fact, OnePlus has already announced the upcoming OnePlus 15 will run the Elite Gen 5. The OnePlus 15 is expected to launch globally in October, and rumor has it the flagship handset will arrive in North America faster than usual, possibly as soon as mid-November. According to OnePlus, that will make the OnePlus 15 the first phone in North America to run the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

SAVE $200: As of Sept. 26, the Samsung 75-inch Q6F QLED TV is down to just $697.99 at Amazon. That's 22% off its list price and its best price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 75-inch Q6F QLED TV $697.99 at Amazon
$897.99 Save $200 Get Deal

Samsung makes some of the best TVs on the market, so when we see a model on sale for $200 off, we have to flag it for our readers.

If you're in the market for a new TV, the Samsung Q6F QLED TV is a worthy upgrade that won't break the bank. As of Sept. 26, the 75-inch model is on sale for just $697.99 at Amazon. That's 22% off its list price of $897.99. There's no need to wait around until Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event — it's already down to its lowest price on record.

While it's not the fanciest TV on the market specs-wise, most casual viewers won't mind. It shines where it matters: good picture quality. With a 75-inch QLED display paired with HDR10+ support, you'll get vibrant colors and superior contrast. The 100% color volume with Quantum Dot technology ensures that colors stay true even in the brightest scenes. And next-gen features like AI 4K upscaling and object-tracking sound make your content more even more immersive.

The Samsung smart TV platform includes seven years of automatic OS updates. And as a 2025 model, you can rest assured that the Samsung Q6F is an upgrade that's relatively future-proof (for the next few years at least).

If you're rocking an older TV and want to upgrade without breaking the bank, the Samsung 75-inch Q6F is a solid pick at under $700.

SAVE 9%: As of Sept. 26, the 65-inch Samsung Class QLED Q7F Series AI Smart TV is on sale for $499.99 at Amazon, down from its list price of $547.99. That's a savings of $47.01, and it's the lowest price to date.

65" Samsung Q7F Series 4K QLED Vision AI Smart TV (2025 Model) $499.99 at Amazon
$547.99 Save $48 Get Deal

Fall is officially here, which means it's prime time for cozy movie nights and long Sundays spent watching football. If your current TV isn't quite cutting it, Amazon's already dropping some pretty good pre-Prime Day deals (though this one isn't labeled an official "Prime Day" deal).

As of Sept. 26, the 65-inch Samsung Class QLED Q7F Series AI Smart TV is on sale for $499.99 at Amazon. That's a $47 discount off its regular $547.99 price tag, matching the all-time low it first hit on Sept. 22.

SEE ALSO: What's the best time of year to buy a TV? Yes, there's an answer.

This TV is equipped with Samsung's Vision AI, which uses an AI processor to automatically upscale older content to sharp 4K resolution and optimize the picture and sound for whatever you're watching. With an advanced 4K QLED display powered by Quantum Dot technology, you'll be able to see a billion shades of vibrant, true-to-life color, validated by Pantone. (That's pretty impressive, IMO.)

Gamers will also appreciate the native 144Hz refresh rate for smooth motion, and the built-in Samsung Gaming Hub lets you stream games directly to your TV from services like Xbox Game Pass, no console required.

Users in the United Kingdom will soon be able to purchase an ad-free version of Instagram and Facebook.

Subscriptions will start at £2.99/month on the web or £3.99/month on iOS and Android. The exact timeline of the change is unclear, Meta writing in a statement that it would become available "over the coming weeks." The price is for each Meta account, meaning the purchase should cover a user's Insta and FB, if they use both platforms.

"The UK’s more pro-growth and pro-innovation regulatory environment will mean more choice for users, continued free access to Facebook and Instagram for those who prefer that option, and ongoing support for businesses who rely on our personalised advertising tools as an engine of growth and productivity," the company wrote.

SEE ALSO: Meta just launched Teen Accounts globally. Experts say the safety tools don't work.

The move from Meta is in response to UK regulatory efforts and guidance from the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). The idea is that people should have the ability to opt-out of their data being used in ads. The ICO said it welcomed the change.

"This moves Meta away from targeting users with ads as part of the standard terms and conditions for using its Facebook and Instagram services, which we've been clear is not in line with UK law," the office wrote in a statement. “People must be given meaningful transparency and choice about how their information is used."

SAVE $350: As of Sept. 26, get the Roborock Qrevo S5V robot vacuum and mop for $549.99, down from its usual price of $899. That's a discount of 39% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Roborock Qrevo S5V robot vacuum and mop $549.99 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $350 Get Deal

Let's face it: No one actually enjoys vacuuming. But it's a necessary evil if you want to keep a clean home. Luckily, we live in the future, and we can have robots handle that task and many others. All you need is a good robot vacuum and you can automate that cleaning responsibility so all you have to worry about it is a great-looking home. Thanks to this Amazon deal, you can score a great one right now on the cheap.

As of Sept. 26, get the Roborock Qrevo S5V robot vacuum and mop for $549.99, down from its usual price of $899. That's $350 off and a discount of 39%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: If you have pets, this Shark robot vacuum is a must-have — and it's $320 off

This robot vacuum and mop combo comes with an all-in-one smart dock that also include warm air drying. That means it can vacuum your floor, head back to the base to empty itself, and then tackle mopping and drying your floors after completion while you get on with your life. With 12,000Pa of suction, it can power through dirt, pet hair, and other debris so you don't have to, across carpets, rugs, hardwood floors, and more.

It has a zero-tangle system to help make sure no hair gets caught up in its rushes, and when it's time to mop, it has spinning heads that extend to reach hidden corners and hard-to-reach areas. It also has light sensors to help it navigate, so it's not constantly bumping into obstacles, all supported by LiDAR navigation and floor mapping with 360-degree scanning.

If you want a robot vacuum and mop that can do it all, this is it and then some. But be sure to get yours fast, as this is a Lightning Deal and will likely sell out fast.

Xiaomi's newest flagship makes the iPhone 17 look like yesterday's news.

No, not the Xiaomi 15T Pro that just came out, though that one seems good, too. I'm talking about the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max, the latest and greatest from the Chinese tech firm. This new ultra-powerful flagship has a cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset and a massive 7,500mAh battery, but the real selling point is that there's a second display on the camera plateau itself on the phone's backside. A visual effects artist recently showed us how cool an iPhone with a rear display could look, but Xiaomi went ahead and made it a reality.

On top of that, Xiaomi is clearly taking a direct shot at Apple by skipping from the Xiaomi 15 to 17 and calling it the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max. In fact, the new Xiaomi flagship even looks like something Apple could (or perhaps should) have designed.

Credit: Xiaomi

In a press release announcing the flagship, Xiaomi wrote:

Xiaomi 17 Pro and Xiaomi 17 Pro Max introduce a revolutionary dual-screen design that blends sophisticated aesthetics with intuitive, intelligent functionality. The Dynamic Back Display enhances lifestyle and efficiency under various scenarios: customizable watch faces, AI wallpapers, virtual pets, dynamic information notifications, sticky notes, and so much more.

Of course, there's just one problem: The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max is likely not coming to the United States anytime soon. Xiaomi typically prioritizes the Chinese market for these sorts of things. Still, it's cool to look at and yearn after.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. SEE ALSO: Xiaomi 15T Pro review: Predictably good

That little 2.9-inch display has a 120Hz refresh rate and can be used to calibrate selfies taken from the rear camera, interact with apps, or even to play mobile games. That huge battery is probably necessary, considering the phone has a pair of 120Hz displays, if you also include the 6.9-inch front panel. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is also the most powerful Android chipset in the world right now. In fact, there isn't a single commercially available smartphone in the U.S. that uses it yet. The upcoming OnePlus 15 will be the first to reach North America, most likely in November.

As for the rest of the specs, the new Xiaomi flagship has three 50MP cameras on the back and a 50MP lens on the front, for good measure. It also contains up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of internal storage.

Not everyone likes the camera plateau on the new iPhones, but if they had screens on them, maybe that would change.

Calibre has officially released version 8.11.1, and the biggest feature is a brand-new tab in the e-book viewer's dictionary lookup panel that lets you talk to an AI about the e-book. This should give you a quick, contextual answer, summary, or explanation without having to leave the application.

One way to make your Microsoft Workbook easier to navigate is to include a table of contents. However, you could go one step further and create a table of contents containing linked thumbnails of the worksheets in your workbook.

Toni Collette is a queer icon in that she's a cinematic diva that LGBTQ+ audiences have long worshipped. Be it her offbeat humor in Muriel's Wedding, her maternal intensity in Hereditary, or her smoking hot party girl theatrics in Velvet Goldmine, we're obsessed. So when Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko sat down with the cast and creator of Netflix's new queer drama Wayward, she asked Collette about being an icon.

"I have been told this from time to time," Collette said in a group interview with co-stars Sarah Gadon and Mae Martin, "What an honor!"

From there, Martin, who also created Wayward, dug into what it means to have a mini-series with queer characters in which their gender identity or sexual orientation isn't an issue. In Wayward, Martin stars as Alex, a trans man who's recently moved with his wife, Laura (Gadon), back to her former home in Tall Pines, Vermont.

SEE ALSO: 'Wayward' review: Toni Collette stirs tension in gnarly Netflix mini-series

There, the local reformatory school, Tall Pines Academy, is run with an iron fist by a beguiling matriarchal figure named Evelyn Wade (Collette, of course). Twisted practices within the school have besties Leila (Alyvia Alyn Lind) and Abbie (Sydney Topliffe) desperate to get out. But for all the behaviors this reform school is looking to break its students from, queerness isn't among them. So, bi Leila can explore new romances with relative freedom. Likewise, Alex and Laura are embraced by the cheery townspeople of Tall Pines. In fact, Laura's pregnancy has not only the expecting parents excited, but also Evelyn, and everyone else in town.

While creating the mysteries and drama of Wayward, Martin offers LGBTQ+ representation without falling into the tropes of conflating queerness with tragedy through painful coming-out stories or harmful homophobia. They said of this, "I mean, in my life, I feel like my queerness is one of the least interesting things about me, probably. I always want to reflect that," adding, "If you break people's walls down, then they can really relate to other aspects of the character's lives. Then you can kind of secretly sneak in your subversive stuff."

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

For Martin's onscreen role in Wayward, they said, "I think for my character, Alex, being in this town that is so progressive and welcoming on the surface, I'm really interested in how desperate he is to be accepted and belong and how badly he wants that heteronormativity and what he's willing to sacrifice."

Collette added that the queer content in Wayward "is not sensationalized. Everyone is just a person making their way, no matter what their preferences are or who they identify as."

In a separate interview with Alyvia Alyn Lind and Sydney Topliffe, the former spoke to how it was "awesome" to play a bi girl for whom sexuality was an element of but not an issue for the character. "It's not her main struggle," she explained, "It's not the reason that she's having problems in her life. She has a lot of problems in her life, but none of them really stem from that. It's not her trauma."

Lind continued, "I had a conversation with GLAAD recently, just about the statistics of bi representation in TV, and it's very unrepresented. So getting to play the character was just so incredible."

Wayward is now streaming on Netflix.

SAVE $17: As of Sept. 26, the Fire TV Stick HD is on sale for just $17.99 at Amazon. That's just shy of 50% off its list price of $34.99 and its lowest price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Fire TV Stick HD $17.99 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $17.00 Get Deal

If you're still rocking an old, non-smart TV, you can easily turn it into a smart one with a streaming stick (so long as it has an HDMI port). These compact devices plug directly into any TV and instantly put thousands of shows and movies at your fingertips. That means you can also bring it along on your travels and pick up exactly where you left off on whatever you're watching. There's plenty of streaming gadgets to choose from these days, but we recommend checking out the Fire TV Stick HD while it's on sale for half price.

As of Sept. 26, the Fire TV Stick HD Is on sale for only $17.99 at Amazon. That's just shy of 50% off its list price of $34.99 and matches its best price ever, which it hit just once before (last Black Friday). It's also $7 cheaper than it was just last week when we featured it.

The Fire TV Stick HD is Amazon's most basic streaming device, but that doesn't mean it's not capable. Just plug it in and instantly start streaming millions of movies and TV shows in full HD. Log in to all of your favorite streaming apps like Peacock, Disney+, Netflix, Spotify, YouTube, and of course, Prime Video, and you'll have access to everything all in one place. The voice-enabled remote lets you press and ask Alexa anything — to search and launch shows, to check the weather, to dim the lights in your smart home, to stream music, and much more.

If you're looking for your first streaming device and don't want to spend a ton of money, the Fire TV Stick HD is your best bet — particularly while it's on sale for under $20.

SAVE 58%: As of Sept. 26, you can get the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra Robot Vacuum on sale for $229.99, down from $549.99, at Amazon. That's a discount of 58%, or a savings of $320. It's also the lowest price we've seen on this model since November 2024!

Shark AV2501S AI Ultra Robot Vacuum with HEPA Self-Empty Base $229.99 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $320 Get Deal

We test a lot of robot vacuums, so it's a big deal when one really impresses us. When our tech editor, Timothy Beck Werth, reviewed the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1, he said it "put the competition to shame" and was "one of the best robot vacuums we've tested." While this deal is for the vacuum-only model in the same AI Ultra lineup, it shares many of the same smart features that he loved — and right now, it's on sale during what Amazon is calling a "trending Prime deal," if you can believe it.

SEE ALSO: Target announced dates for its fall Target Circle Week. Duh, it's during Prime Day.

That's right: Prime Day round two is right around the corner, and Amazon's already discounting tons of items, including the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra Robot Vacuum. You can currently get it for $229.99, down from $549.99. That's a $320 price cut and the lowest we've seen it go for since last November.

The standout feature here is what Shark calls "Matrix Clean Navigation," which forces the vacuum to clean in a precise grid, making multiple passes over dirtier areas to ensure a deep clean. Combined with its 360-degree LiDAR vision, it can accurately map your home and avoid objects, so you don't have to tidy up before you tidy up.

It's also a great option for pet owners. The powerful suction is designed to pick up pet hair from all floor types, and the self-emptying base makes this hands-free cleaning even easier. When it's done cleaning, it returns to its base and automatically empties everything into a bagless bin that can hold up to 30 days of debris.

Android Auto has made it easier to interact safely with phone features, which is why most people use it for maps, navigation, or making phone calls. But that's not all it can do. If you want to improve your commute or road trips, you'll want to check out these awesome Android Auto apps.

SAVE $25: As of Sept. 26, get the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K for $24.99, down from its usual price of $49.99. That's a discount of 50%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K $24.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $25.00 Get Deal

Fall is finally here, and if that means sitting on the couch, curled up in a blanket with some hot tea and a good movie, now's a good time to make sure your streaming situation is good to go. Why not add a streaming stick to your TV? You can get one now at an excellent price thanks to this Amazon deal.

As of Sept. 26, get the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K for $24.99, down from its usual price of $49.99. That's $25 off and a discount of 50%.

SEE ALSO: What's new to streaming this week? (Sept. 26, 2025)

This streaming stick is as easy as plugging it into your TV's HDMI port and starting to watch. It offers 4K quality with Ultra HD and support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos audio so you can feel like you're in the middle of whatever you choose to watch.

Use the included Alexa voice remote to search across 1.8 million movies and TV shows, or sift through your favorite streaming apps like Netflix, Disney+, and more. Plus, you can play Xbox games without having a console thanks to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate's cloud gaming option.

Plus, this model improves over the prior Fire TV stick with zippier performance and additional features. So if you were chugging along with an old release, now's the time to grab a new one just in time to take in the latest fall TV shows and all the movies coming down the pike.

Grab this stick for half off or get a couple to put away for the holidays. Being able to watch your favorite content in an easy, streamlined way is always a good idea.

I was at a funeral a few months ago when something was said to me that threw my status as my family's perennial singleton into sharp relief.

I was holding my cousin's new baby when a relative called out, "Get a good look at this. Because it'll be the last time you ever see Rachel holding a child."

My aunts, uncles, cousins, and even family friends turned their heads to do precisely as they'd been instructed: have a good gawp at me. Someone even took a photo to memorialise this moment.

SEE ALSO: The history of the single positivity movement goes back further than you think

It was the first good laugh I'd had during what had been an otherwise upsetting day.

That was the umpteenth time that day I'd had a comment about my absence of a partner. "Are you not married yet?" one relative asked me during the wake. "They haven't made the man for Rachel," someone else interjected. "Is that so?" I retorted.

This year, I'm celebrating 10 years of being single. A decade since I broke up with my last serious boyfriend and never looked back. This time has been an invaluable period of learning and personal growth.

That may well sound trite, but I've been reflecting on the knowledge this decade has brought me; the hard lessons reaped in moments of painful heartbreak, the experiences that brought with them unparalleled insights about myself. It's hard to distill 10 years of being boyfriend-free into one article, but I thought I'd share some of the most meaningful lessons I've learned during this time.

Some people are uncomfortable around single-by-choice women

The first lesson I learned is twofold.

The moment at the family funeral is one of innumerable interactions I've had the displeasure of enduring. In learning that my protracted singledom leaves some people scratching their heads, I also developed strategies for deflecting those comments and feeling decidedly unbothered by them. Need I remind these people that they were the ones instructing me to "D-U-M-P" the last time I had a boyfriend. Like seriously, what do you want from me?

SEE ALSO: It's time to reclaim singledom as a symbol of power

It's not just my extended family. I've noticed friends attempting to explain my status as an unattached human, inserting their own narrative each time. "I think I've figured it out," one friend informed me. "You just text guys without ever going on dates with them."

"You're so weird," another friend told me. "It's just not a priority for you right now, that's all," another concluded. The latter statement is closest to the truth. But, why is my lack of boyfriend something that requires an explanation or excuse? When was the last time you heard a couple explaining why they're not single?

When was the last time you heard a couple explaining why they're not single?

I've become very skilled at deflecting the inane questions about my singledom with vaguely witty quips. "I've actually opted for a life of feminist separatism!" is my current favourite. But mostly I just laugh loudly and drink my wine.

During a recent family gathering, a younger female relative brought up the comments I get about my lack of boyfriend. "Does it not make you really angry? Because it annoys the hell out of me." The truth is, it really doesn't. "Oh I honestly couldn't give a fuck," was my reply.

Perhaps the absence of a boyfriend makes my family and friends uneasy. Perhaps they ponder how this peculiar anomaly ended up in their family. But the only opinion I care about on this particular subject is my own. And frankly, I feel chill as fuck about being single.

There is no 'if' and 'when'

For much of my teens and twenties I told myself I’d go on a date once I’ve lost weight. I'd feel good about myself once I shed a few pounds. When I'm thin, I’ll be desirable and therefore "girlfriend material".

I, like many women and girls, ingested the patriarchal idea that to be desirable means to be thin. I have battled the perilously close relationship my weight and self-worth have had since girlhood. At school, I longed to switch places with someone else. I looked at other girls in my year who carried themselves with an air of confidence. I longed to be them. I yearned to know what it felt like to like the skin you're in. But the truth is, those girls may well have been fighting their own inner battles.

Those thoughts didn't go away. They got louder, more difficult to drown out. Sometimes they quietened down, but there was always a low hum thrumming in the background. I tried to address them in the worst way possible — by limiting my food intake. But the self-worth I had promised myself never arrived. I waited for it but it never came. I realised the change didn’t need to come from outside — it wasn’t the flesh on my body that needed to change, but the thoughts within it. My relationship with food is better now. But from time to time those thoughts rear their heads.

Loving yourself is hard. But it's the most important relationship any of us will ever have.

A few months ago, I uttered some of those thoughts aloud to two of my dearest friends. That since adolescence I'd been promising myself a life that could only be unlocked if I looked a certain way. Like a video game with a level I just couldn't get to. "Man, the patriarchy has really done a number on us," one friend replied.

"One day," my other friend cut in. "You will look back at photos of yourself and realise just how hot you once were." When she said this, I started to cry. I'd already experienced the beginnings of that during one meandering down memory lane. I'd looked through photos of myself from several years ago and felt unspeakably sad that I hadn't realised how lovely I had looked.

Like Lizzo said: "It's so hard trying to love yourself in a world that doesn't love you back."

Loving yourself is hard. But it's the most important relationship any of us will ever have.

Alone time is a precious commodity

An older man once told me to make the most of my writing career while I'm young and child-free. "Because once you have kids, you won't have time." I wondered if he'd ever say that to a male journalist.

Speaking of gender and writing, a recent Guardian piece — entitled "A woman's greatest enemy? A lack of time to herself" — really crystallised everything I've felt as a woman with a desire to write.

"A few months ago, as I struggled to carve out time in my crowded days for writing, a colleague suggested I read a book about the daily rituals of great artists," writes Brigid Schulte in the piece. "But instead of offering me the inspiration I’d hoped for, what struck me most about these creative geniuses – mostly men – was not their schedules and daily routines, but those of the women in their lives." Schulte concluded that in order to create, long stretches of alone time are vital, but "that’s something women have never had the luxury to expect."

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Since I started writing creatively during my childhood and adolescence, I have struggled with a feeling of antsy nervousness that someone was going to come along and tell me to get up and make myself useful. Even when you have two feminist parents, it takes decades of work to unlearn the socially imposed idea that writing time is a guilty pleasure — time you've stolen from other more deserving tasks.

I am not very good at multitasking. I am prone to distractions. I am, in short, a writer. In order to get any writing done outside of my 9-5 workday, I basically need enormous swaths of uninterrupted creative alone time. My weekends and evenings are spent writing, punctuated with coffee or drinks with friends. As a writer, I find that aloneness is key. Both in terms of having space to think and plan, as well as unbroken periods of free time to just sit and write the damn thing.

NO. TIME. Credit: vicky leta / mashable

As my friend pointed out, I have prioritised writing above all else in my life — with the exception of my immediate family. But that often feels like it has come at a cost. Broken friendships. Cancelled dates. Endless guilt and feelings of complete selfishness.

Corollary statement: I know it's possible to do both. There are women writers in loving relationships. I just haven't yet figured out how to do both.

The reality for me, at least, is that I find dating one enormous distraction. One that I tend to dip my toe in and out of when I have the time and energy. Maybe I'm selfish. Or maybe I'm just doing what male writers have been doing for centuries — maybe even millennia.

But avoiding distraction is not always easy, and it teaches you some brutal lessons.

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A man I used to love came to stay at my flat three months ago. What ensued was probably one of the worst things I've ever put myself through.

We'd had a fling three years ago. But that fling was re-flung one or two more times after the first fling ended. I fell in love. I usually preface that sentence with "stupidly," but I know it didn't feel stupid at the time. Those feelings, it would appear, were not returned. Against the advice of my friends and family, I said yes to seeing him during a visit to London. In hindsight, I should have heeded their warnings.

As we sat drinking wine in the wee small hours, he veered the conversation in the dangerous territory of his love life. "The thing is, I'm just really difficult to love," he told me. I — a person who had, unbeknown to him, loved him once upon a time — told him he wasn't. He snapped at me: "you don't know my experience." Perhaps not, but I do know my own.

Sometimes you feel things. Sometimes other people don’t. Don’t take it personally.

What happened next sparked an epiphany. He reeled off the important romances he'd had in recent years. My name was notably absent from the list. "Before my ex, there was no one for three years."

I nodded and made all the right noises, but my head was quietly totting up the maths. In this equation, the answer was clear: I was "no one". What had been a fallow period of unromance for him had been a phase of unparalleled heartbreak and self-torture for me.

Later, I cried down the phone to a friend as he slept peacefully on the sofa downstairs. It was a moment of realisation that I had lived an alternate reality in which I'd deluded myself that I'd mattered to someone. The truth of the matter was that I didn't make the cut of memorable romances.

Realising that he'd meant a lot more to me than I had to him was a necessary realisation, albeit a painful one.

Sometimes you feel things. Sometimes other people don’t. Don’t take it personally.

When to dump him

A few days ago I was rooting through my old things at my parents' house when I found my old diary from the year I turned 21 — which coincided with my last serious relationship.

Several pages into the diary, I came across an entry dating back to 2009, around the time I decided to end things with my last boyfriend. "Had, at this stage, decided that I needed to dump Nick," I wrote. "What a bore. Don't understand why I hadn't done it already??!"

If you'll excuse the unabashedly heartless tone of the writing (I was 21), I think I might have been onto something. Not that I took that lesson remotely to heart back then, of course. Nope, it's taken me 10 years of lingering too long in toxic situationships and turbulent casual flings to finally get the hint: you should have dumped him a long time ago.

There was the guy who was so emotionally abusive that I used to throw up after I spent time with him. That same guy who would shake his head at me when I asked a question and say my name in admonishment. That same guy who would shush me and roll his eyes at me. Needless to say, I never want to see or hear from him ever again.

There was the guy in another city who invited me to come stay with him for a few days who casually dropped in one evening that he had a girlfriend — only after we'd slept together, of course! There was even a guy this summer who didn't listen when I said I wasn't free for a date that very afternoon, who promptly showed up at my house declaring "I've come to collect you, let's go!" Sorry, what?

If there's one thing you learn from a decade of dating, it's boundaries. Boy, do I have some serious boundaries now.

Being single has taught me to be kinder to myself. Credit: vicky leta

These men all outstayed their welcomes in my love life. The one blessing is that I now know what I will and will not put up with. I know the red flags. I know the things to be wary of. And crucially, I know when to utter those delicious three words: "We are done."

Life, as we all know, is brimming with lessons. Some of those lessons are harder than others.

There have been the lightning-flash epiphanies that arrived at my lowest ebbs. Moments like the time I stood crying on a New York City sidewalk, I made a promise to myself about how I should be treated by future men in my life. There have also been more gradual educational opportunities — things that have taken years to figure out, and others I'm still working on.

Most important of all, this decade of being single has taught me to be kinder to myself.

Knowing when to silence the inner critic, how I deserve to be treated, that my value lies not in whether or not I have a partner, that alone time is precious. These are the pieces of wisdom I will carry with me for decades to come.

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This article was first published in 2019 and republished in 2025.

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