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Seth Meyers' "Day Drinking" segment never fails to disappoint, but his latest episode with Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers feels like it takes things to a whole new level.

In the 17-minute clip above, Meyers joins the Las Culturistas co-hosts for a variety of drinking-themed games, from testing how well they know each other to acting tearfully on cue.

The key takeaways? Matt Rogers has one hell of a singing voice, and Meyers can really rock a glittery vest.

It takes a surprising amount of calculation to become a goofy guy. 

You have to do stand-up for thirteen years, even if the response is lukewarm. You have to study acting, music, comedy, and theater. You need a measured belief in the mystical — manifestation plus hard work. You have to go viral and post on social media every other day. You have to be a student of the internet and play into the algorithm with tactical precision. You must tour frequently, do yoga, and eat low-acidity fruits and vegetables.

To be a goofy guy, you also have to be an incredibly dedicated person.

At least, that’s the truth for 38-year-old comedian and content creator Morgan Jay, who coined the term "goofy guy" to capture his mix of lighthearted crowdwork, musical performance, and playful irreverence. Clips from his live show, where he sings and interacts with his audience using a microphone and autotune, have helped him reach 5 million Instagram followers and 7.5 million TikTok followers. 

In one clip, he talks to a guy named Ethan and asks the crowd, "Do we fuckin’ love Ethan?" That clip received 140 million views. In another, more recent clip, he asks a couple who had never met before if they would "make love tonight." Nearly three million people have watched it on TikTok, and another 204 million have watched it on Instagram Reels. 

This isn’t a case of getting lucky. It’s success with intention.

Morgan Jay Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Morgan Jay

Featured Video For You Morgan Jay knows exactly what he’s doing

To be clear, Jay isn't the only comedian who takes show preparation seriously — most comedians do. He follows a long line of comedians like Aziz Ansari (he records each of his performances, listens or watches them, takes notes, and makes changes immediately between sets), Todd Barry (he likes to go on stage hungry), and Jerrod Carmichael (he listens to jazz, to enjoy the "freedom within structure" also mirrored in standup comedy). But Jay has also done something unique: figured out not only how to make his comedy work online but also how to make a live show genuinely fun to watch on TikTok — so fun that people want to show up in person, too.

"Every song I write has a structure built into it to do crowd work," he tells Mashable. After every show, he has a meeting with his team to talk about what worked, what didn’t, and of course, which "moments we can clip." He takes notes, hands off the footage to an editor, who cuts it down and sends it back. Together, they decide what to post.

He tells me this over a video call from his house in LA, where art dots the walls around him — four of his guitars; one-line drawings turned to sculptures; works of pinks and oranges and blues. The ceilings are tall, and natural light floods the space when he opens the curtains to his left. 

"I'm a firm believer, and I know this may seem like woo-woo or whatever, but I am a firm believer [that] if you make space for better things the universe will provide," Jay says. "Obviously, you need to meet the universe halfway… I was doing all the work, and I had a lot of experience. A lot of things just kind of came together at the right time, and it worked out."

He's wearing a Khruangbin band tee — the rock trio nominated for Best New Artist at the 2024 Grammys — and a silver chain. He isn't fidgeting, which is no small feat for a musician being asked to sit through a multi-hour interview on his computer, but Jay is, after all, an actor who trained at NYU Tisch School of the Arts and the Stella Adler Studio of Acting. When he thinks, he leans his head on his hand. And Jay thinks a lot.

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Rewind a few years and you'd find him giving bike tours in New York City or interning on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. He appeared on NBC’s Bring the Funny, a show he (and many others) thought would be his big break — "but it didn't go anywhere." He spent a decade doing stand-up. 

"I had a lot of almosts and maybes," he says. "I almost got booked to be one of those talking heads on those shows like, I Love the ‘90s. I was almost a recurring character on [The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon]. I had all these almosts, dude. I just felt, for a long time, I felt passed up."

Morgan Jay Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Morgan Jay Morgan Jay Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Morgan Jay

In 2017, he quit his job at the Apple Store ("the truth is they were going to fire me") to pursue comedy full-time, and he was doing just fine. But in October 2019, when he started posting on TikTok, he met virality.

"I had a friend who worked at TikTok, and he was like, 'Hey, you should post to this app.' And I was like, 'Bro, I don't want to,'" Jay says. That's a pretty relatable instinct — artists like Halsey, FKA twigs, and Charli XCX have all complained about the pressure to post on the app, and even smaller artists have talked about the creative drain that social media poses. But it wasn't the creative drain Jay was avoiding; he was already posting on Instagram, and the idea of adding another site to the list of platforms he had to post on sounded unappealing. "I don't wanna be posting. It's so many posts to post, dude. I don't wanna do it."

Eventually, his friend convinced him. His first post that went viral was a video of him at a Wendy's singing about chicken nuggets. 

"It got 300,000 views, and I got 17,000 followers overnight," he says, admitting his shock at the time. He had just finished editing a comedy special, but once the pandemic hit, “nobody wanted to see it, nobody cared.” So he clipped it, subtitled it, and started posting regularly. He had a backlog of material and quickly got into the habit of posting every other day. And it worked.

Morgan Jay Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Morgan Jay

From an outside perspective, TikTok changed his life. For years, he chased traditional industry validation — late-night spots, festival showcases, TV gigs. “I wanted that for so long,” he says. “And it wasn’t until I blew up on social media that I started getting those accolades and that recognition.”

Now, he sells tickets worldwide. He recently appeared on Apple TV+’s Stick and landed roles in NBC’s St. Denis Medical and J. Pinder’s action-comedy Cotton Candy Bubble Gum, which premiered at SXSW. Next up: a rom-com opposite Chloë Grace Moretz and Anthony Ramos called Love Language, directed by Joey Power.

He is constantly thinking about how to evolve — how to keep his audience engaged and momentum going. He allows phones at his shows, he posts on social media with algorithmic precision, and he responds to comments with a strategy. "When you respond to a comment, respond with a question, because then they'll answer the question and that creates more conversation,” he says. “If somebody leaves a negative comment or judgment, or criticism, leave it up. Don't take it down. Let your fans fight it out for you, because that just creates more engagement."

Morgan Jay Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Morgan Jay

But in the end, he's not relying on social media — he says his mailing list is far more important to him than his Instagram or TikTok accounts — he's just using it as a tool. Jay's career isn't a sprint, but a marathon, and one he's already winning.

"When I was selling, like, 200 tickets, I was very content; I was very happy. And I was like, 'If this is the rest of my career where I make X amount of dollars, I sell X amount of tickets, I tour, then great.’ This is more than I could have really hoped for. It's such a blessing to even get to this part," he says. He just announced his biggest venue yet — one that seats "about 6,000 people" — because he thought, "Sure, yeah, let's try it out. Let's see what happens."

Morgan Jay Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Morgan Jay

Beyond touring, Jay is working on an original series with A24 and Cut To, a project he’s writing, starring in, and producing.

"I'm just going to try to collect another Infinity Stone and see if I can make something that has value and that people enjoy," he says. "And if they don't, that's OK. If you can do one thing really well, people will trust you to do other things really well. It shows that you have a certain level of discipline, a certain level of ambition. I'm just going to trust myself and trust the people around me and come up with something worthwhile." 

"Dude, at this point in my career, I consider everything else just like a bonus, an extra thing."

From YouTubers and TikTok stars to streamers and podcasters, Mashable talks to creators about how they built their platforms, the gear they swear by, and the trends they see coming next. Read more of our creator coverage to discover the internet's most exciting voices.

Tineke "Tini" Younger is someone my grandmother would call a spitfire. She knows what she wants, yes, but she also has the confidence to fully turn away from what disinterests her. She's hardworking. She's curious. And, as she sits across from me on camera from her house in Augusta, Georgia, she's craving something sweet — a consequence of her pregnancy.

"I noticed I want to eat more sweet stuff than savory. I just sat down and ate half a birthday sheet cake in one sitting," she told Mashable.

The 24-year-old chef and content creator is wearing an off-the-shoulder gray top, her hair pulled back, and a heart necklace — a birthday gift from her husband. It matches a ring she can't currently wear due to her hands swelling from being pregnant with twins, but you might be more familiar with her standing in her kitchen, clad in an apron. She started posting videos on TikTok of herself cooking for her then-boyfriend in 2021. The boyfriend is now her husband, and in the five years since the series began, she's appeared on the second season of Next Level Chef, hosted a YouTube show on Gordon Ramsay's Bite Originals channel, and published her cookbook, aptly titled Cooking for my Boyfriend.

Featured Video For You How Tini Younger perfected her viral mac 'n cheese and found a culinary career The mac 'n cheese that divided the internet

Her viral breakthrough, however, came in the form of a polarizing three-minute TikTok in which she shared her mac 'n cheese recipe. The video, which she continuously updates, has amassed over 101 million views and 9.6 million likes and led to coverage in Rolling Stone, BuzzFeed, the Today Show, and more.

In the video, she uses Cavatappi pasta, a spiral-shaped pasta that catches the cheese in its curves — a choice that led to a nearly 50 percent spike in Cavatappi sales in comparison to the year before Younger's video, according to Nielsen data reported by Forbes. The comments on the TikTok are overwhelmingly positive: "In Tini we trust 🫡" and “Girl yessss!! 🤌🏼🔥🫶🏼.”

"That recipe took me four years to perfect," Younger said. "If you go on my TikTok, and if you go all the way down to like 2021 and 2022, I'm making different variations of that mac 'n cheese. I'm experimenting and [asking my then-boyfriend] Antoine, 'Is this the best mac 'n cheese you've ever had?' And he's like, 'not yet.'"

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She worked on the recipe until she got "Antoine's approval" as the best mac 'n cheese he'd ever had — creamy, cheesy, not too powerful, not too seasoned. She said having Antoine as her taste-tester is key. "I can't get better if I don't get honest feedback."

But the viral mac 'n cheese wasn’t without its controversy. Some users called the recipe overhyped, and others said Tini — a white woman — was appropriating Black American culture with the dish.

To be clear, macaroni and cheese has deep roots in Black American cuisine. James Hemings, a formerly enslaved man who became America’s first French-trained chef, is largely credited with introducing mac ‘n cheese to the U.S. in the late 18th century, according to The Guardian. However, it's difficult to pin down. Monticello, where Hemings cooked as an enslaved person, argues that "pasta specifically baked with cheese had already become a popular dish in France" before Hemings penned the recipe on Monticello's menu. He reportedly made the dish with a roux, The Guardian reported, which is the same technique Younger uses today.

Ultimately, Younger says she isn’t taking credit for creating mac 'n cheese — she’s just sharing her version of it. Even now, her instinct is to say, "Either make the mac 'n cheese or don't."

Though the one thing that did upset her was people saying the only reason she uses spices in her cooking is because of Antoine, who is Black.

"When I first started TikTok [in 2021], people were giving [Antoine] all the credit for the cooking," she said, "They were like, 'He taught her how to cook.' I'm like, 'No, this man wasn't even using salt and pepper on his chicken before he met me.' He'll tell you that. So I just kind of had to prove myself to people."

When culinary school changed everything

Proving herself was nothing new for Younger. She grew up in Maryland with a mom who baked occasionally, a dad who liked to "cook" — she used air quotes for that — and a grandmother who rarely stepped foot in the kitchen. Her siblings weren't particularly interested in cooking, and neither parent was particularly skilled in it. She didn't take an interest in cooking until it was a way to get out of class. 

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Younger said she struggled in school due to a learning disability, and as a result, became what she calls “disruptive.” In middle school, she hid behind the gym to avoid class. In high school, she set off stink bombs — sometimes to cheat on a test, sometimes just to watch people react to the scent of sulfur in the narrow hallways. 

Then, in her junior year, everything shifted. Through a program at her public high school, she enrolled in a local trade center for teens. One of the options: culinary school. She signed up mostly to avoid academics and ended up discovering her passion. 

"[My learning disability] took me a little bit to figure out. You're not dumb — it's just a different way of learning. I can soak up information, just when it comes to food," she said.

There was one problem: Her GPA wasn’t high enough. The culinary program required a 2.0, and Younger didn’t have it. But the chef in charge of admissions called her anyway and encouraged her to apply.

Although she started the program "just to get out of class," she discovered almost immediately that it was something she enjoyed and wanted to get better at. "Everything flipped," she said. She went from earning D and C grades to earning As and Bs. She stopped picking fights with people. She felt freedom and excitement, and she "loved every second of it."

Cooking for the cameras

Fast-forward a few years, Younger was preparing to enter a Disney culinary program when another opportunity came up: Next Level Chef, the Gordon Ramsay reality competition show. Two weeks before she was due to leave, she was offered a spot on the show. She made a deal with herself: If she placed in the top 10, she’d keep pursuing food content full-time because she thought she could make a consistent paycheck from it. If not, she’d go to Disney. She finished eighth.

Once again, Younger's life changed. She got an agent. She met some of her best friends. She had a YouTube show on Gordon Ramsay's Bite Originals channel. And she learned something important. "Every time someone talks about [Gordon Ramsay], I'm like, 'Well, first, he smells really good,'" she said. (For the record: it's Creed cologne.)

Now, she's prepping for another Thanksgiving season — this time, with two babies on the way. She doesn’t have any major pregnancy cravings yet, and while she hasn’t picked out specific recipes for her future kids, she’s got one request: “They better not be picky eaters. There’s no way. They’re going to be eating Wagyu ground beef.”

In just a decade, Younger has gone from stink bomb connoisseur to mac 'n cheese aficionado. She’s met her idols, published a cookbook, married her boyfriend and favorite food tester, became a better and more well-trained chef, and found success doing what she loves — all while proving to the world, and to herself, that she knows exactly what she’s doing.

From YouTubers and TikTok stars to streamers and podcasters, Mashable talks to creators about how they built their platforms, the gear they swear by, and the trends they see coming next. Read more of our creator coverage to discover the internet's most exciting voices.

Arun Maini, aka Mrwhosetheboss, says he was a shy, lanky, acne-prone 14-year-old when he uploaded his first video to YouTube. His big brother had just bought him his first phone, and he was geeking out. That first vlog, a shaky, sometimes out-of-focus overview of a long-since-forgotten phone, surprised him (and his skeptical classmates) by garnering tens of thousands of views in short order. It also showed Maini what was possible on YouTube. 

To take you back in time to 2011, the most-watched YouTube videos of the era were "Friday" by Rebecca Black, Yosemitebear Mountain Double Rainbow (all the way!), Annoying Orange Wazzup!?!?!?!, and The Old Spice Man.

Maini, now 29, is one of the most successful tech YouTubers in the world. Since he posted that first video, he’s created one of the most-followed technology YouTube channels on the platform. Along the way, the Brit picked up a Guinness World Record, achieving yet another childhood dream.

Today, he has 21.6 million subscribers on YouTube, with 7.6 billion views across 1,800 videos. That’s an incredible hit rate for a YouTuber — the equivalent of 4.2 million views per video. He also has 2.5 million followers on TikTok, 1.8 million followers on Instagram, and 1.7 million on X.

Maini spoke to me this September from his home in London. Shortly after our virtual interview, Maini flew to Cupertino, California, for the Apple Event 2025. He's already given his viewers a first-hand look at the all-new iPhone Air, a video that’s racked up 16,000 comments in just six days, as of this writing.

Watching Maini's videos is like watching a charming, slightly nerdy friend show you all the cool new stuff they just bought and can’t stop talking about. His videos are always informative but never feel like homework, even when he’s breaking down complicated specifications or the cameras inside the new Pixel 10 Pro smartphone.

These days, countless 14-year-olds dream of becoming successful YouTubers. Maini’s path provides a clear road map for other aspiring creators. His success didn’t come overnight from a viral video but after years of careful, disciplined work to grow his channel, one video at a time.

Talking to Maini, it’s easy to see why he’s made it. While we chatted, he often paused to think more deeply before answering a question, and emphasized again and again the value of trial and error. Success, he explained, comes from paying close attention to what works and what doesn't.

"If someone asked me, 'What's the secret sauce?' It's literally: make a video. Doesn't matter if it's good or bad. Pay attention to the comments. Implement them. If they're mean, then just take the nuggets and then implement those. Do that 500 times and you're a good YouTuber."

And just think: Maini almost became a consultant.

Featured Video For You How YouTuber Arun Maini went from being a shy kid with a camcorder to 21 million subscribers How did Maini become a world-famous YouTuber? One video at a time.

If Maini hadn’t become a YouTuber, it’s easy to imagine him becoming a successful entrepreneur instead. He started his first online business at just 13.

"YouTube wasn't actually the first business I had," Maini said. "I ran an eBay business before that, when I was 12 to 13. So I was basically selling Beyblades, the kids' toys. But it was such a good exercise for me. I bought about 20 of them from China…that allowed me to get them at about $3 a unit. And then I was selling them for about $5, and then when I did that, I used that money to buy 30, and then I got a slightly better price. And then, you know, I did that again and again. I remember my biggest shipment coming in was, like, 400, and so it was a fairly substantially sized business for, you know, a 13-year-old.”

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A stolen phone put an end to Maini’s growing Beyblade empire. After accidentally buying and then re-selling a stolen phone, eBay banned Maini’s account.

After that, his focus shifted to YouTube, where Maini took a disciplined approach to building his channel. However, it took years of repetition before he finally achieved his first viral video. By then, he was in university and still doggedly uploading vlogs.

“My first viral video ever was ‘How to turn your smartphone into a 3D hologram.’ And I remember making this video and putting it live while I was at a party, and I thought absolutely nothing of it. I was making a video every few days at this point, but this video, I was a little bit drunk in the evening, [and] I remember checking my phone thinking, 'This is a little bit more views than I expected.'”

The next day, Maini woke up, looked at his phone, and realized he had too many notifications to count. It’s the type of "I’ve arrived" moment that’s become a rite of passage for serious YouTubers. "I was obsessed with YouTube at this point, like I was so obsessed with growing this channel that I had charts across my wall, and every day I was checking in on my progress. So, to suddenly see one video perform better than the 100 videos before all put together — my body wasn't ready for it. You know what I mean? I was like, squealing. I was like, running down the stairs. I called my mom. I was like, I've got an email from BBC News! They want to talk to me."

"It was probably one of the top five moments of my life, for sure," Maini said. 

Still, even with a viral video under his belt, Maini was on a conventional track: graduate with an economics degree and get a consulting job. 

"My entire life up until about the age of 21 was gearing me towards a career in consulting," Maini said. "I feel like, you know, the vast majority of people are kind of being carried [along], and I certainly was in that position. You pick subjects that you're good at, then you pick a degree that lines up with those subjects, and you drift, don't you?"

As Maini drifted, his YouTube channel was still growing. He says the turning point came when he landed an internship at the consulting firm Price Waterhouse.

"I hated it," Maini said. "I was sitting in meetings, and I was just doodling ideas for videos for when I got home. And when I looked at the two options on paper, it didn't really make sense to do YouTube, but it was one of those things where one route excites me, one route doesn't. I don't want to regret for the rest of my life not trying."

By then, Maini was no longer the shy and awkward teenager who posted that first vlog. YouTube had transformed him, and not just professionally. While the comments section under a video can be a notoriously toxic place to look for affirmation, Maini said he mined his comments to fine-tune every aspect of his videos. In the process, he found the confidence and charisma of a YouTube star.

"While viral videos don't make you a YouTuber, they can show you what's possible, and that probably changed my and my family's attitude towards what I was doing.” Crucially, Maini was also making enough money to justify the transition. "At the start, there was a lot more confusion. You know, around when I was doing my A levels, which are kind of your end-of-school exams, I remember the day before a very major one, I was filming an earphone review in my back garden, and my mom opens the door, like, ‘Arun, do you want to revise?' 'I'm doing it later, mom!'"

So, while he eventually did quit his day job, Maini’s advice to aspiring creators is straightforward: "Don’t quit your day job."

"It's very easy to want to be a YouTuber, right? When you look at it on paper, it makes too much sense, right? You do what you want. You talk about it for fun. You go travel the world. You get treated like a VIP. Who doesn't want those stat points? In reality, it's very, very unlikely, [and] you kind of just have to convince yourself you're going to become the one percent who gets to do that."

Instead, he recommends starting small and starting now.

"Make [YouTube] Shorts in your spare time, and you'll realize very quickly, either this isn't for you, it's too time-consuming, you hate editing, you hate being on camera, or you've got something here and you love the feedback cycle, and you can get better very quickly," he said.

Maini isn't a kid with a camcorder anymore

If Mrwhosetheboss sounds like a YouTube username chosen by an awkward teenage boy, that’s because it is. I asked Maini if, after all his success, he has any regrets about the username he chose 15 years ago.

He said there came a time in his early career when he asked himself this question a lot. At the time, he was being invited to speak at important tech events, and he worried people might not take a Mrwhosetheboss seriously.

“There's actually something very personable about the imperfection of it. You know, the same reason why we don't hire a massive garage and turn it into a studio. We just film videos in our house. And it's actually a big part of why people were drawn to our channel. Until we hit about 20 million subscribers, everything was shot in an attic, and that attic was my bedroom. So, yeah, there was a phase where I was questioning it and overthinking it, but would I change anything now? No."

Maini’s videos have moved far beyond the attic, in fact. His recent videos include a vlog where he gives his brother his dream car (the same brother who bought him the phone featured in his very first video — just one of the full-circle moments in Maini's life lately). In another, he spent $10,000 to buy random gadgets from Kickstarter. I asked Maini if this is the MrBeast effect, but he attributed this evolution to the nature of YouTube and the pressure to make each video bigger than the last.

"We got a Guinness World Record recently for helping to build the world's largest iPhone. And I remember that feeling really full circle for me, because as a kid, every other day, I would go to the library, and I would just pull out Guinness World Record books. Kid me would never think that one day you'll be in those books."

Maini shared that record with fellow YouTuber Matthew Perks, and that ridiculously oversized iPhone is in his basement, taking up a lot of space, as we chat. And it will probably continue to take up space for years to come. Turns out, besides winning Guinness World Records that take your YouTube career to new heights, giant phones aren’t particularly useful.

As a hugely successful YouTuber, Maini has a unique approach to separating his personal and professional life — he doesn’t. Not only do his family members sometimes make appearances in his videos, but his wife is also his YouTube channel’s general manager. Their sunny London home doubles as HQ, where a full-time team of 12 helps run the operation.

A lot has changed since Maini uploaded that first video to YouTube, but you can see glimmers of the creator he'd become in that teenage vlog. Because 15 years later, he’s still geeking out over phones on the internet — just with a few million more people watching.

From YouTubers and TikTok stars to streamers and podcasters, Mashable talks to creators about how they built their platforms, the gear they swear by, and the trends they see coming next. Read more of our creator coverage to discover the internet's most exciting voices.

Walking with Estefanía "Tefi" Pessoa feels a lot like being a kite tugged expertly through the air. I know I'm safe, tethered to the ground in some way, but it still feels like she is leading me, alongside whatever other flurries of nature aid her. Other people pass by us in a blur, glancing up to see what she's laughing at or where she's headed. It could be by virtue of the heels she's wearing — her stride is remarkably long for 5'7" — or her ability to project her voice with the ideal decibel, but Pessoa is a force.

When a fan pulled out an AirPod and said, "I love your stuff," to her as we passed by, her legs kept moving at breakneck speed, but her torso twisted mid-stride, leaping toward the fan to thank them. It seemed important to her to not only give me all of her attention, but also do the same for the fan, who was already walking away before they finished their compliment.

Tefi Pessoa Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Tefi Pessoa

Featured Video For You Tefi Pessoa wants to do it all — and somehow does

It's that kind of desire to be in two places at once that's so transparent with Pessoa. She has an advice column for The Cut aptly called Ask Tefi and a pop culture podcast, Tefi Talks, for Vox Media. She's been working on a book of essays for years. ("I am on chapter two," she laughs. "I'm moving at a glacial pace, but don't worry, every week I get a text from my literary agent, and I look at my assistant and I'm like, 'When can I do it?' They're like, 'Between 1:00 and 3:00 on Thursday.'") 

She posts anywhere from one to six videos on TikTok a day, ranging from fit checks (usually to Yo Gotti's “Down In the DM”) to pop culture explainers. She somehow finds the time to watch Rush Hour 2, love both Cardi B and Nicki Minaj in equal measure, and interview celebrities on red carpets. 

Pessoa seems to want to do it all and do it all well. Her intense creative drive and curiosity have helped her build a community of nearly two million followers on TikTok.

It might seem like Pessoa is always performing, and, in a way, she is. As we walked down Park Ave in Manhattan, we talk about the performance of womanhood, and she repeats the quote often attributed to Simone de Beauvoir: "To be a woman is to perform." It’s perhaps a paraphrase of Beauvoir’s well-known theory, "one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman," or maybe of Judith Butler's theory that gender is performative. Either way, the philosophers certainly didn't have TikTok in mind when they coined their concepts, but it still stands true.

Pessoa doesn't livestream, but she will make videos while she's eating cereal, videos with her hair in a towel and a mask on her face, and videos lying in bed. When I ask her when she feels like she isn't performing, she lets out a groan so guttural, it's hard to translate to text. But then she thinks about it and tells me it's when she's at her Thanksgiving table with her family, just after the meal, unbuttoning her pants.

Tefi Pessoa Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Tefi Pessoa

If you follow Pessoa online, you know she's close with her mom, sister, and brother. She grew up the oldest of three in Miami, where her family still lives.

"They are probably the most fun siblings ever. Everything was silly goose time. Everything was make-believe time. A lot of play," she says. But, at the same time, they were also "big movie people, big TV people." That early immersion in pop culture helped turn Pessoa into the encyclopedia of 2000s nostalgia she is today. Name a movie, a TV show, a pop star, and Pessoa can tell you their star sign and their lore. 

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It’s one of those magnificent days in New York City — a high of 78 degrees and a low of 63 — when summer is beginning to fizzle out and fall is rising up for its turn, when Pessoa and I take a walk through the Union Square Greenmarket, along with approximately one million other people. She's wearing a blue sweater, a blazer, and jeans, and her hair looks effortlessly wavy (she tells me she had it done that morning while she got in a fight with her mom, who is visiting, over baby bangs and bleached eyebrows.) 

Tefi Pessoa Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Tefi Pessoa

As we step onto the cobblestones and take in the tents of food, groceries, and flowers, we both gasp so loud that multiple people turn around to stare. She grips my arm with her hand full of multi-colored rings. In front of us are half a dozen heads of sunflowers for sale, dried out and ready to be harvested for their seeds. We rush toward them.

She turns to someone next to her and says, "Have you seen that?!" before realizing it's a stranger and their child and not, as she expected, her assistant. She quickly apologizes and tips her head back in a full-bodied laugh just as her assistant catches up to us. 

"What is that?" her Gen Z assistant asks. 

"That's how sunflower seeds are made," Pessoa says and, after a beat of silence, asks: "How did you think they were made?"

"I never thought about it," her assistant says.

Tefi Pessoa Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Tefi Pessoa

"This is why I moved from Miami to New York," Pessoa jokes, turning her attention back to me. "Because New York opens your horizons." Her assistant laughs, too, and we keep walking through the market, stopping to investigate a small basket of very small strawberries ("Tiny, tiny, tiny," Pessoa squeaks) and bouquets of beautifully arranged flowers ("Farmer's markets are where dreams are made," she says).

This, if you can believe it, is pretty much exactly what Pessoa does online for her millions of followers. She finds something long-forgotten or buried in the churn of social media gossip and explains it in a way that feels like she’s learning alongside you, not lecturing. Pessoa talks about the early aughts and its influence on culture today with the same enthusiasm and excitement that she has explaining to her assistant how sunflower seeds are harvested.

Like how she tells me that iconic photo of Nicole Kidman walking with her arms outstretched — the one long believed to capture her pure, post-divorce relief — is actually just a still from a movie. The news devastates me. She immediately apologizes for being the messenger and pulls me in for a hug. 

Tefi Pessoa Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Tefi Pessoa

She taught the entire internet about the dissolution of Fleetwood Mac, brought them through a multi-part series of Amy Winehouse's life that rivals the actual documentary, and, of course, talks about Britney Spears (Pessoa is a "die-hard" fan) as much as she can without pushing the pop star’s own boundaries. She's been telling stories, one way or another, since at least 2019, when she hosted a YouTube talk show that was later dissolved because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, she also co-hosted Prime Video’s Influenced, a talk show hosted by a panel of content creators including Pessoa, Achieng Agutu, Eyal Booker, Taryn Delanie Smith, and Cyrus Veyssi,  and interviewed everyone from Jeff Goldblum at the Met Gala to Zendaya and Timothée Chalamet at the Dune premiere.

When I spoke to one of Pessoa's friends, fellow creator Eric Sedeño, for a story in 2023, Pessoa told me he was "someone who is exactly who he is online," and said she was "not surprised so many people have gravitated toward him because he really is the kind of friend you pray for as a kid. And he kills it in a wig, bitch." When I asked her what she thought Sedeño would say about her for this article, she giggled and said, "She is so busy." When I did reach out to Sedeño, he chose to instead comment on her "palpable" energy and spirit that makes everyone "feel seen."

"I still remember the first time I met her," he told Mashable over email. "She walked in with her huge heels, long hair, and big Latina laugh and took over the entire room (in the best way). She was just such a star and still spent so much time getting to know me. She makes everyone feel like they’re part of her family, and that’s why everyone loves her."

As for the wig? Sedeño loves cosplaying her ("He could easily take my identity — easily," Pessoa laughs) because, as he put it, "I get to be the friendliest diva on the planet."

"Something about having big Latina hair is so powerful, and I think that’s why Tefi is going to take over the world one day," Sedeño said.

Tefi Pessoa Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Tefi Pessoa

These friendships — ones borne of honesty, respect, love, and maybe most importantly, humor — are foundational to Pessoa's success.

"There is a delicate balance,” she says. “There is a fine line between being a really good friend and a kind friend. A nice friend is someone that's like, ‘Oh my god, no, no, you look great.’ And you have a friend who will tell you that you have lipstick on your teeth."

For the record: Pessoa is the kind of friend who will tell you if you have lipstick on your teeth.

From YouTubers and TikTok stars to streamers and podcasters, Mashable talks to creators about how they built their platforms, the gear they swear by, and the trends they see coming next. Read more of our creator coverage to discover the internet's most exciting voices.

Taryn Delanie Smith is held together with threads of light.

As we stroll to grab coffee on a remarkably perfect September morning in New York, the 29-year-old comedian walks with an ease of confidence that seems to invite joy from strangers.

She beams with genuine glee when she's approached by a fan on the street and asks them to take a photo together. She taps New Zealand creator Julian Sewell — better known as Paloma Diamond on TikTok — on the shoulder when we walk past one another on 26th Street to effusively tell him she loves his work. ("Oh my God. I love you. You're amazing," she says, before turning to me wide-eyed, "Oh, oh my God. That was Paloma Diamond!") She tears up when she talks about her mom, her best friend, or the ways women are conditioned to be quiet and small.

Always on the cusp of overflowing — into tears, into laughter, into hugging a stranger, into wrestling with the weight of the patriarchy — she feels, at any moment, ready to burst.

Featured Video For You How Taryn Delanie Smith makes heaven feel like home Taryn Delanie Smith Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Taryn Delanie Smith Taryn Delanie Smith Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Taryn Delanie Smith / Kristina Saha Taryn Delanie Smith, Kristina Saha Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Taryn Delanie Smith / Kristina Saha

"A lot of my joy comes from the fact that I cry a lot," she tells me as we walk towards Fishs Eddy, a homegoods store known for its kitschy dinnerware, to search for something for her new house an hour and a half north of the city. "Sometimes, I think I'm loosely sewn together. I feel like there are so many big emotions in me all the time."

All of this vulnerability might make it seem like she's ill-suited for a life on social media, a place infamous for its casual cruelty. But she offsets it with a fair amount of humor, empathy, and a layer of exceptionally tough skin. She's used these attributes to build an audience of more than 1.1 million followers on Instagram and 1.6 million followers on TikTok, where she shares comedy videos, skits, DIY projects in her new home, and occasional glimpses of her life with her husband, friends, and Great Dane, Bruce. She also co-hosts the podcast We're Your Girls with her best friend Tiffani Singleton. 

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Still, she's likely most well-known today for playing Denise, a gum-chewing, bathrobe-wearing receptionist in heaven with a thick New York accent and her hair in a towel. Alongside Denise, she brings to life Tammy — a vengeful ghost who somehow resides in heaven — and a rotating cast of characters who pass through the pearly gates.

From Princess Diana to Whitney Houston to viewers' own departed loved ones, Denise ends up greeting us all. As NPR wrote in 2023 about her series, "What she does so intuitively well is pair grief with a dose of playfulness, and also with secularity and spirituality, authenticity and vulnerability, the personal and the universal — all combining into a potent catharsis cocktail."

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It's that mix of empathy and humor that makes those videos so fun to watch. She's willing to talk about almost anything, as long as she senses genuine openness on the other side. When she doesn’t, her guard goes up.

She, of course, is affected by the negativity that's bound to arise being an online figure, but she sees her main responsibility as cultivating a safe space — for queer people, for people of color, for people grieving, for people looking for a moment of joy. At the same time, she still tries to meet commenters who disagree with her halfway. It's a constant balancing act.

Say hello to the Mashable 101: the creators keeping the internet interesting. From meme-makers to movement-starters, these are the people powering our timelines today. Dive into the full list and find your next favorite follow.

"I don't respond to the comments that are vitriol, that are just evil," she says. "I don't respond to that because you're not coming to the table wanting to talk to me. But if they're like, 'I want what you want for our community. I just disagree with how to get there.' I'm not interested in exiling you from the community, because then how will we learn from each other? How do we have dialogue? How do we get to where we want to go? The only way out is not through, but together."

That perspective has led her to such resounding success. In a white dress and heels, with makeup and hair styled to perfection by her best friend and collaborator, Singleton ("my greatest muse"), Delanie Smith radiates a magnetic charm. It’s easy to see why over a million people are so drawn to her. 

Taryn Delanie Smith Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Taryn Delanie Smith

She grew up in West Seattle ("Oh, we love an orca!") as the youngest of four with three older brothers. At school, she was often teased and bullied by boys, but she found solace among the girls. She said she "always loved the girls" and understood where they came from, even if they got prickly.

"I know how it feels to have so many big emotions, and we live in a society that is constantly tamping women down and telling us to feel less, and be quieter, and if we do feel anything at all, we're hysterical. That would just about make anybody a little bit depressed," she says. The girls were reacting to a patriarchal world with whatever tools they had at hand; "the boys' cruelty always felt malicious."

When she started competing in beauty pageants, she felt an unexpected need to scream. Not in horror, but in a desire to take up space. "That was sort of the beginning of this bubbling up within me," she says. 

But beauty pageants are also a world built on rejection, one that mirrors the industry she works in today. As a comedian, she auditions for shows all the time without getting chosen for the job. So she's familiar with the feeling.

"Starting at 17, I was losing, super publicly in front of people, to my friends. You're competing in a beauty pageant with your homies," she says. "I got really used to, at a young age, having to clap and swallow your own disappointment of like, 'I wanted it, too. I'm not afraid to admit it. But I am really happy for my friends.'"

Of course, it was only a matter of time before she won a pretty huge title.

Taryn Delanie Smith Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Taryn Delanie Smith

After moving to New York City to pursue a degree and become a diplomat, she found herself in a receptionist job she hated and was applying for government work when she posted her first TikTok, a short montage of her life in New York City that didn’t really pick up any traction.

However, her second TikTok — a funny video about living in her kind of shitty Upper East Side apartment — went viral, accumulating millions of views within the first 24 hours.

Within the month, she quit her day job to pursue something she said she has always loved: making people laugh. For her, comedy isn’t just joy; it "feels like a form of resistance sometimes to how I'm supposed to be as a woman — to be loud, to be weird." 

"It's the only reason that I got to be this loud," she joked. "I like making people feel good. I like making people laugh. Sometimes comedy is the only way to talk about something really hard. And I like talking about the hard stuff. I do. Comedy is a really safe way to do it. It's a really exciting way to explore the whole human existence and all those bad emotions and grief, too. I like it, and I spread it like a little disease."

Later that year, she made history as the first Black Miss New York to compete with her natural hair, finishing as first runner-up for Miss America in 2023. Her advocacy work in the role focused on homelessness, and she’s currently a board member at Trinity Place Shelter, a non-sectarian transitional shelter for LGBTQ youth.

At the center of it all, Delanie Smith seems intimately concerned about her ability to Do Good. She picks up the trash on the counter at the coffee shop we go to. She tells a stranger she is "so stunning." She buys a dachshund dish for Singleton at Fishs Eddy and surprises me with a pin. She has a difficult time focusing during our conversation until a man who is visibly distressed receives help.

She introduces herself to, and knows the name of, everyone she meets when we’re together — the Mashable receptionist, the video team, the photographers, the doormen. She smiles and waves at fans with seeming genuine delight. And when she's writing comedy, she says, "the kid with the roller backpack is very much in the room." 

Taryn Delanie Smith Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Ian Moore / Mashable Composite; Taryn Delanie Smith

These days, she splits her time between writing skits as Denise or Tammy, working on her podcast with Singleton, making videos about fixing up a 234-year-old manor in Hudson Valley, and, as she puts it, being "a silly goose." In her new home, Bruce roams gleefully in the fields, and she hopes to add chickens and donkeys to the mix. 

"Sometimes, [I] lay in bed at night as somebody who thought I was gonna change the world in the human rights space — I just didn't end up doing that,” she tells me on a bench in Washington Square Park. "So you think, 'God, is what I'm doing silly? Is all this so silly? Am I silly?' And then I'm like, 'Maybe that's the whole point.' We have our own gifts, and if you find a way to use yours — even if it's silly or random or weird — to make your corner of the world better, well then, you probably did a good job."

From YouTubers and TikTok stars to streamers and podcasters, Mashable talks to creators about how they built their platforms, the gear they swear by, and the trends they see coming next. Read more of our creator coverage to discover the internet's most exciting voices.

Control who can access files, search directories, and run scripts using the Linux's chmod command. This command modifies Linux file permissions, which look complicated at first glance but are actually pretty simple once you know how they work.

SAVE OVER $20: As of Sept. 24, the Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi set is on sale at Amazon for $104.99. This is 19% off its list price of $129.99, saving you $25.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego LEGO Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi Building Set $104.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $25.00 Get Deal

Amazon has had quite a few Lego deals available lately, and its Prime Big Deal Days sale event hasn't even kicked off yet. If you've been on the hunt for something new to piece together, the incredibly cool Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi set has been discounted at the retailer, an excellent buy for Nintendo fans.

If you're looking for something a little nostalgic to piece together, the Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi set has dropped to $104.99 at Amazon. This is 19% off its list price of $129.99 and is incredibly close to its lowest-ever price of $104.

SEE ALSO: The new Lego Game Boy is peak nostalgia for '90s kids

Recommended for adults aged 18 and up (though you can assist a younger Mario fan with the build, if they're interested), the Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi set comes with 1,215 pieces that create pixelated figures of Mario and Yoshi from Super Mario World. A really fun touch to this set is it also features a handle at its base that, when cranked, can make Yoshi appear to run. There's also a dial behind Yoshi’s head that makes his tongue pop in and out, so the entire build is quite interactive.

If you're a big Nintendo fan, this is a fantastic display piece. Don't miss out on 19% off the Lego Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi set at Amazon right now.

Looking for even more great Lego sets to build? If you're in the spooky spirit ahead of Halloween, you can also save on the Lego Ideas Hocus Pocus The Sanderson Sister's Cottage right now at Amazon.

SAVE OVER $300: As of Sept. 24, the Eufy Omni C20 robot vacuum and mop is on sale for $379.99 at Amazon. This is $320 off its list price of $699.99 and marks its lowest price yet.

Opens in a new window Credit: Eufy eufy Robot Vacuum Omni C20 $379.99 at Amazon
$699.99 Save $320 Get Deal

Prime Big Deal Days may be coming up soon, but Amazon has plenty of offers already available. Quite a few robot vacuums, in particular, have dropped in price. If you've been looking to scoop something up at a discount, the Eufy Omni C20 robot vacuum and mop is down to its lowest-ever price as of Sept. 24.

If extra cleaning help has been on your mind with fall weather here, the Eufy Omni C20 robot vacuum and mop is marked down to $379.99. This is 46% off its list price of $699.99 and marks a new low price for the model according to price tracker camelcamelcamel.

SEE ALSO: How to sign up for Amazon Prime ahead of Prime Big Deal Days

The Eufy Omni C20 is built to handle a variety of messes. With the help of 7,000 Pa suction, it can pick up a variety of debris, dirt, or clumps of hair found on your floor. Its mop can tackle stains as well, thanks to 180 rotations per minute and 6N of pressure. It even has a slim, 3.35-inch size that can fit underneath any furniture you have, ensuring all the corners of your house get an efficient clean.

With the weather getting cooler, now is a great time to pick up a robot vacuum to help you out. Score the Eufy Omni C20 robot vacuum and mop for 46% off while the deal is still available.

Again, this is but one robot vacuum deal we've come across lately. Some other discounts worth checking out right now are on the Shark Matrix Plus robot vacuum and the Roborock Q7 M5+, which are both discounted at Amazon.

SAVE OVER $300: As of Sept. 24, the LG 45-inch Ultragear 5K2K WUHD OLED curved gaming monitor is on sale for $1,697 at Amazon. That's 15% off its list price of $1,999.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG 45-inch Ultragear 5K2K WUHD OLED Curved Gaming Monitor $1,697 at Amazon
$1,999.99 Save $302.99 Get Deal

PC players have plenty of excellent video games to look forward to throughout the rest of this year. If you've been feeling like it's time to upgrade your gaming monitor to get the most out of these new titles, Amazon has quite a few discounts to check out before its Prime Big Deal Days sale event. If you're hoping to splash out on a high-quality model, this offer on the LG 45-inch Ultragear 5K2K WUHD OLED curved gaming monitor is worth a look.

The LG 45-inch Ultragear curved gaming monitor is usually listed for $1,999.99, but it's marked down 15% right now to $1,697. This marks $302.99 in savings for a limited time.

SEE ALSO: How to sign up for Amazon Prime ahead of Prime Big Deal Days

For those looking to experience excellent picture quality at all times, this LG monitor boasts an OLED display and 5K2K WUHD (5120 x 2160) resolution (the "world's first" gaming monitor to have that, according to LG) so you can take in every pop of color and little detail that comes across your screen. Its 45-inch 800R curved display is great for helping you feel even more immersed in the action, and with AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and NVIDIA G-SYNC compatibility your games will look buttery smooth.

If an upgrade has been on your mind, this is a great opportunity to save on the LG 45-inch Ultragear 5K2K WUHD OLED curved gaming monitor at Amazon. And if you want to go even bigger, Acer's 49-inch EI1 curved monitor is also on sale right now at Amazon.

With some big design tweaks, bold claims about noise cancellation, and a reputation to uphold, Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 have their work cut out. Though they stop short of perfection, I’m relieved to say that Apple has stuck the landing.

Jimmy Fallon lent his support to Jimmy Kimmel after his show was suspended last week, but this week he's responded to his fellow late night host's return with a favorite joke.

"Welcome to The Tonight Show!" says Fallon in the clip above, opening his monologue. "And if you're tuning in to see what I'll say about my suspension in the last couple of days, again, you're watching the wrong Jimmy. Dad, the other Jimmy, dad."

He's made similar jokes before, and with Kimmel back on air he probably won't be stopping anytime soon.

You can see how Stephen Colbert, Jon Stewart, and Seth Meyers reacted to Kimmel's return here, and watch Kimmel's emotional return monologue here.

GoPro announced two new action cameras on Wednesday, introducing the MAX2 360-degree camera and the compact LIT HERO. Revealed alongside GoPro's new AI-tracking gimbal Fluid Pro AI, the MAX2 and LIT HERO seem to target videographers across the spectrum, facilitating either "professional-looking 360 content" or more casual, "whatever, whenever" filming.

SEE ALSO: GoPro has a new AI-tracking gimbal that works with smartphones and action cameras GoPro MAX2 360-degree action camera Credit: GoPro

GoPro made a few design changes between the 2019 MAX and the new $499.99 MAX2, centering its lenses so they're directly opposite each other rather than offsetting them to the sides. The latest addition to GoPro's series of 360-degree cameras, the GoPro MAX2 is capable of filming 360 video in 8K resolution, a considerable upgrade from the MAX's 5.6k stitched together video. A high resolution is important to ensure 360-degree footage is sharp, as many more pixels are needed to fill the wider field of view. 

Another significant upgrade to the MAX2 is the introduction of replaceable lenses — a feature also seen in Insta360's X5 earlier this year. Previously, scratching the MAX's lens would mean having to replace the entire camera. The MAX2's dust- and water-repellent replaceable lenses should make such damage less of an ordeal, as well as considerably less expensive. GoPro states that the MAX2's lenses simply twist off when they need to be removed and replaced.

Fortunately, the GoPro MAX2's removable lenses apparently haven't impacted its durability. Like the MAX, the MAX2 is waterproof to 16ft (5m) and boasts a six-microphone system to capture surrounding sound. The MAX2 does have an improved 1960mAh battery, though GoPro did not provide an estimate of how long the camera can run on a single charge.

The GoPro MAX2 will be available from Sept. 30, with pre-orders open now.

GoPro LIT HERO action camera Credit: GoPro

The $269.99 GoPro LIT HERO takes its name from its built-in LED light, which helpfully illuminates your subjects in dark environments. This light is located on the front of the LIT PRO next to its lens, GoPro's HERO series forgoing a front LCD screen as found on its HERO Black cameras. With three brightness settings, the LIT HERO also comes with a diffuser that you can attach to its light to give you less harsh, more natural lighting.

Weighing 93g, the GoPro LIT HERO is a smidge larger and a few grams heavier than the HERO. However, it offers an improved frame rate compared to its predecessor, filming at its maximum resolution of 4K at 60fps as opposed to 30fps. This still isn't quite up to par with the HERO 13 Black's 5.3K resolution at the same frame rate, and the LIT HERO it is only waterproof to 16ft (5m) as opposed to the HERO 13 Black's 33ft (10m). Even so, the LIT HERO's lower waterproofing and 4K resolution seems adequate for the vast majority of users, assuming they aren't wanting to cinematically edit their scuba diving adventures.

Billed as intended for "whatever, whenever" capture in any lighting conditions, GoPro states that the LIT HERO's LED light is able to give a "retro vibes" aesthetic to captured content. The company also claims that the LIT HERO's 1255 mAh battery allows it to continuously record for over 100 minutes on its highest video setting with the light off, or over 75 minutes with the light on high.

Again, this isn't as long as the HERO13 Black's 2.5 hours, with GoPro's popular HERO Black series still packing in more settings and features than its HERO cameras. Still, the GoPro LIT HERO offers a more affordable action camera that should be enough to address many users' needs.

The GoPro LIT HERO will be available from Oct. 21, with pre-orders open now.

TL;DR: Grab a like-new 2020 MacBook Air with the powerful M1 chip for just $384.99 (reg. $999) and stay in the Apple ecosystem without the premium price tag.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air 13.3-Inch 2020 (Refurbished) $384.99
$999 Save $614.01 Get Deal

If you’ve been eyeing a MacBook Air but can’t justify dropping a grand, this deal is the definition of “don’t miss it.” A like-new Apple MacBook Air 13.3-inch (2020) with the M1 chip is currently just $384.99 — that’s more than half off the original $999 MSRP.

Why does this matter? Because the M1 chip changed the game. With an 8-core CPU, you’ll see up to 3.5x faster performance for work, play, or side hustles. The 8-core GPU delivers up to 5x better graphics, while the 16-core Neural Engine handles machine learning like a pro.

SEE ALSO: Apple's 2025 13-inch MacBook Air just dropped to $799 — its lowest price yet

Highlights include:

• 8-core CPU + 8-core GPU for serious performance

• 13.3-inch Retina display (2560×1600 resolution)

• 256GB SSD storage

• Up to 18-hour battery life

• Silent fanless design

• Dolby Atmos stereo speakers

And yes, this is a Grade A refurbished model, meaning it’s in near-mint condition with little to no scuffing. It’s an ideal backup machine for business trips, a reliable daily driver for students or home use, or an affordable entry point into the Apple ecosystem.

If you’ve been waiting for the right time to buy, this could be it. Get a like-new Apple MacBook Air M1 while it’s just $384.99 (reg. $999).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Offcloud is your all-in-one digital toolkit — unlock sites, download anything, sync everywhere, and stay private for life at just $39.99 (reg. $209.97).

Opens in a new window Credit: Offcloud Offcloud: Lifetime Subscription $39.99
$209.97 Save $169.98 Get Deal

If you’ve ever wished the internet came with an easier button, Offcloud is pretty close. This clever platform brings together the best of downloading, syncing, backing up, and more — all wrapped into one lifetime subscription. And it’s yours for just $39.99 (reg. $209.97).

So, what makes Offcloud different? It’s not just cloud storage, and it’s not just a download manager. You can unlock streaming and file-hosting sites, grab files securely from BitTorrent, fetch from Usenet, and even back up videos from YouTube. Want that Soundcloud playlist as MP3s? Offcloud handles it.

SEE ALSO: Score Microsoft Office for Windows as a lifetime license for under $50

But here’s where it gets really handy: automation and integration. Thanks to Zapier and IFTTT support, you can automatically sync or upload anything straight into Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Amazon Cloud, or even your own NAS and FTP setups.

Offcloud highlights:

• Unlock streaming and file-hosting sites

• Securely download from BitTorrent and Usenet

• Backup YouTube videos and convert Soundcloud to MP3

• Convert entire webpages to PDFs

• Sync with Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and more

• 1TB proxy bandwidth + 50GB cloud space included

• Stay anonymous and secure with no logs

At the end of the day, Offcloud is about making the messy parts of the internet easy. Get lifetime access to Offcloud for just $39.99 (reg. $209.97) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Editors' note: This review is for the 2021 Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition. A new model was released in 2024. For the latest information, check out our review of the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (2024).

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, despite the fancy name, is a simple device. It's exactly the same as the fifth-generation Kindle Paperwhite, but it costs $40 more and has four upgrades: 32GB of memory (up from 16GB), wireless charging, an automatically adjusting front light, and no ads.

Since we already established that the standard Paperwhite is a great Kindle but also an e-reader, the focus of this review is simple: To figure out whether these four improvements are worth the extra money.

SEE ALSO: We tried every Amazon Kindle to find the best for every bibliophile A thoroughly great e-reader

My colleague Alex Perry reviewed the regular fifth-gen Paperwhite, but here are my basic impressions (coming from someone whose primary e-reader before now was a second-gen Paperwhite).

The new Kindle Paperwhite is just the right size and sits perfectly in my hand. It's also beach-ready, with an IPX8 rating, which is a big deal to me, especially when compared to my iPad mini, which officially isn't water-resistant at all.

The USB-C charging port on the bottom was a much-needed upgrade from the microUSB port on previous Paperwhites. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

I have only one beef with the device's design, and that's the fact that Amazon moved the power button to the bottom from the top, which took some getting used to. (It's worth noting that this change happened on a previous iteration of the Paperwhite.)

The new Paperwhite is a lot faster than my old model, but it could be faster still, especially when browsing through menus. The battery lasts forever, and having a USB-C port instead of the old microUSB connector is a blessing.

SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about Kindle Rewards So, what do you get for that extra $40? Compared to my ancient, 3rd generation Paperwhite, the new one is shaped a bit more like a typical book, which isn't a bad thing. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

One thing you won't get on this Kindle is ads. Compared to ads on certain other devices, advertisements on the Kindle's homescreen aren't nearly as intrusive, but I still prefer zero ads on something I paid for. You can remove the ads from the base model Kindle for an extra $20, but then the price difference between the two is a mere $20, which means you should really look at the other extras you get with the Signature Edition.

You know what they say about memory: More is always better. That said, unless you're a voracious reader or you constantly send a bunch of periodicals to your Kindle, you won't need more than 8GB. The Kindle Paperwhite SE has 32GB, which is overkill, but it is comforting to know you'll never have to worry about storage.

When this review was originally published, the Kindle Paperwhite cost $139.99 for 8GB of storage. That configuration is no longer offered, and the current base model includes 16GB for $149.99. So, there's an even smaller price gap between the standard model and Signature Edition now at $40 compared to the previous $50, making these bonus features even more worth the upgrade.

Whether wireless charging will be worth it for you depends entirely on whether you normally use it in other scenarios. All Kindles have great battery life, so you won't be charging them very often. I do have wireless chargers in my car and scattered all around the house, so the ability to just toss the Kindle onto them and have it charge is a nice, if marginal, improvement.

The MagSafe isn't the best way to charge your Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, but it works! Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

Fun fact: I tried to charge the Kindle Paperwhite SE using Apple's MagSafe magnetic charger for the iPhone, and not only does it work, but the charger sticks (though just barely) to the Kindle like it does to the iPhone. Pretty great.

The display, automated

The last big improvement on the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is the display.

The 6.8-inch, 300ppi display is sharp, crisp, beautiful to look at, and won't tire your eyes even after long reading sessions. The bezels on the sides and top of the device are far smaller than on the previous iteration, but there's still enough room to rest your fingers without accidentally flipping the page.

The display now makes brightness adjustments on its own. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

Now for the big difference between the regular and the SE version of the Paperwhite: Automatically adjusting front light. The best way to explain the importance of this feature is to think of smartphones: Literally every single modern smartphone has this feature. You don't think about it much, but if someone took the feature away, you'd definitely notice.

It's similar on the Paperwhite. The display automatically sets brightness depending on the amount of light in your environment. I like reading in very dim light, and the Kindle set the screen's brightness pretty much as I would do. The device supports dark mode (bright text on dark background), and if I switched to that, it readjusted the brightness accordingly. I love the feature, and though I could live without it, I'd be slightly annoyed about having to adjust brightness manually again.

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition battery life

A single charge should have the Kindle Paperwhite lasting up to 10 weeks. While we didn't run the e-reader for 10 weeks until it died, we can say it had excellent battery life based on our usage.

Is the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition worth it?

This may be because I'm biased from reviewing Apple devices — Apple charges an arm and a leg for upgrades and extra features — but I feel like the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is worth it.

For $50, you get no ads (a $20 value), wireless charging, 32GB, and an improved display. None of it is essential, but it does feel like you're getting a decent value for your money.

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition $151.99 at Best Buy
$189.99 Save $38 Shop Now Mashable's reviews of the current Kindle line-up

• Kindle Paperwhite 2024: I’ve tried every Kindle and the Paperwhite is the only one you need

• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 2024: The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is great but is it worth $200?

• Amazon Kindle 2024: Amazon's basic Kindle is the best e-reader on a budget

• Amazon Kindle Scribe 2024: Amazon's Kindle Scribe makes minor improvements but it's not enough

How to make the most of your Kindle

Want to learn more about your Kindle? Read through all of Mashable's guides and explainers and discover how to make the most of your device:

• The best Kindle accessories for reading in luxury

• What is Stuff Your Kindle Day? The best way to fill your e-reader with free books

• I've read hundreds of free Kindle books with Libby. Here's how.

• What is Kindle Rewards? Earn free credits when shopping the Kindle store

• What is Kindle Unlimited? A library of books at your fingertips for just $12 a month

• Where to get free e-books: Load up your e-reader without spending a dime

• Prime members can get a free e-book every month with Amazon First Reads

• How to download EPUB files on your Kindle

• 8 Kindle features you should be using

• How to delete books from Kindle

Featured Video For You Kindle Paperwhite vs. Kobo Clara Colour: Which one is better?

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025:

AcrossPond gunk

• The answer is Scum.

With 8-Across, like an unlimited buffet

• The answer is All You.

See 5-Across

• The answer is Can Eat.

Opponent of Athens in the Peloponnesian War

• The answer is Sparta.

"Keep it down!"

• The answer is Shh.

DownOuts that advance the runner, in baseball lingo

• The answer is Sacs.

Put your hands together

• The answer is Clap.

Bone on the same side of the arm as the pinky

• The answer is Ulna.

Mike who voiced Shrek

• The answer is Myers.

Hippocratic ___ (doctor's pledge)

• The answer is Oath.

State with license plates that read "Greatest Snow on Earth"

• The answer is Utah.

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

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

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

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

SAVE $11.64: As of Sept. 24 the Pokémon TCG Prismatic Evolutions booster pack is $7.75 at TCGPlayer, the lowest price we've seen since launch.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Prismatic Evolutions Booster Pack $7.75 at TCGplayer
$19.96 Save $12.21 Get Deal

Prismatic Evolutions has hands down been the most popular Pokémon TCG expansion from the Scarlet and Violet era. One booster pack at launch was over $19 thanks to scalpers and The Pokémon Company struggling to print product to meet demand.

Well it seems they're catching up with Prismatic Evolutions print runs, as TCGplayer now has booster packs for $7.75 each. That's a dollar under market value and a sign of availability improving for Pokémon trainers in the west.

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

Did you know that god packs are floating around too? For those who don't know what I'm talking about, god packs are just a normal booster pack on the outside, but inside it contains every Secret Art rare from the Eeveelution line, including Eevee ex. I've never got one myself, but there's plenty of videos floating around online of trainers pulling banger after banger.

It's something I wish The Pokémon Company would do for every set, seeing as they're that rare it doesn't effect the raw value of single cards on the secondary market.

Most valuable Prismatic Evolutions Pokémon cards Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / The Pokémon Company

If you don't fancy trying your luck with a Prismatic Evolutions booster pack, you can just buy single cards instead. For example, Umbreon ex SIR is a ridiculously hard card to pull, and if you're trying to do just that it could cost a phenomenal amount of money. It's currently going for north of $1,100 right now, so it's not exactly affordable either, but the chances are you'll save money on opening booster packs.

Here's the top five most expensive Prismatic Evolutions cards:

1. Umbreon ex - 161/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $1,155.04
   Market price: $1,012.87
   Most recent sale: $1,200

2. Sylveon ex - 156/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $373.99
   Market price: $349.45
   Most recent sale: $370

3. Leafeon ex - 144/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $326
   Market price: $272.14
   Most recent sale: $266.35

4. Roaring Moon ex - 162/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $245
   Market price: $217.59
   Most recent sale: $299.99

5. Espeon ex - 155/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $219.49
   Market price: $208.04
   Most recent sale: $73.98

SAVE $11.64: As of Sept. 24 the Pokémon TCG Prismatic Evolutions Surprise Box is $43.70 at TCGPlayer, compared to $57.94 at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Prismatic Evolutions Surprise Box $43.70 at TCGplayer
$57.94 Save $14.24 Get Deal

The promos in the Prismatic Evolutions Surprise Box are pretty overlooked thanks to the army of high-value Secret Art Rares. They're pretty much the standard Eeveelution ex cards with a jazzy Prismatic Evolutions stamp on them, and they're worth more than you think.

For example, the Umbreon ex - 060/131 Prismatic Evolutions Stamp promo card is currently going for $22.26 on TCGplayer right now. So when you factor in the cost of $43.70 for the Surprise Box that includes four booster packs, it's a good deal. Especially when comparing to Amazon's current price of $57.94, it's one of the cheapest ways to get booster packs and a tidy promo card.

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

Let's not forget how epic Primastic Evolutions is. Granted, the pull rates for chase cards is brutal, but imagine one of those booster packs is a god pack with every Eeveelution Secret Art rare? Even if you pull one Secret Art rare from the Surprise Box it will have paid for itself. Good luck with that though.

Most valuable Prismatic Evolutions Pokémon cards Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / The Pokémon Company

With the sea of Pokéball and Masterball rares flooding this set and the aforementioned harsh pull rates, it's going to be easier on your wallet just throwing down the money for single cards. The top chase cards are a damn sight more expensive than other Scarlet and Violet era expansions, but it's far less of a risk if you're not bothered about opening booster packs.

Here's the five most expensive Prismatic Evolutions Pokémon cards:

1. Umbreon ex - 161/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $1,155.04
   Market price: $1,012.87
   Most recent sale: $1,200

2. Sylveon ex - 156/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $373.99
   Market price: $349.45
   Most recent sale: $370

3. Leafeon ex - 144/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $326
   Market price: $272.14
   Most recent sale: $266.35

4. Roaring Moon ex - 162/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $245
   Market price: $217.59
   Most recent sale: $299.99

5. Espeon ex - 155/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $219.49
   Market price: $208.04
   Most recent sale: $73.98

SAVE $11.64: As of Sept. 24 the Pokémon TCG Prismatic Evolutions mini tin is $20.10 at TCGPlayer, compared to $31.74 at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Prismatic Evolutions Mini Tin $20.10 at TCGplayer
$31.74 Save $11.64 Get Deal

Prismatic Evolutions is home to the most valuable Pokémon cards in the Scarlet and Violet era, and it's mostly down to it's focus on Eeveelutions. From Umbreon to Jolteon, they all have their own Secret Art rare including Eevee. It's insane, but there's also a handful of stunning SIRs outside of the fan favorite Eevee family. Cards like Roaring Moon ex SIR absolutely pop thanks to their unique artwork, and their single near mint prices reflect trainer demand.

The issue is no matter how much The Pokémon Company reprints Prismatic Evolutions, it flies straight off store shelves. A bigger worry is big box retailers charging over MSRP and market value on sealed product, which is exactly what we're seeing with the Prismatic Evolutions mini tins.

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

Prismatic Evolutions booster packs are worth around $8 each at the moment going off market value, so Amazon charging $31.74 for two boosters and a tin isn't a good look. TCGplayer currently has mini tins for $20.10, saving over $11 which could buy an extra booster pack. It's a good deal and a great opportunity to collect the full set of tins, which also feature Eevee and it's evolutions.

Most valuable Prismatic Evolutions Pokémon cards Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / The Pokémon Company

The problem with Prismatic Evolutions is the amount of Pokéball and Masterball rares flooding the set. It makes pulling top chase cards harder than previous sets from the Scarlet and Violet era, but there's hope thanks again to TCGplayer. Every chase card is south of $400, with the exception of the ever-popular Umbreon ex SIR, at current market values.

Want to skip the gamble of booster packs and snap up your favorite card? Here's the top five from Prismatic Evolutions to get you started:

1. Umbreon ex - 161/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $1,155.04
   Market price: $1,012.87
   Most recent sale: $1,200

2. Sylveon ex - 156/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $373.99
   Market price: $349.45
   Most recent sale: $370

3. Leafeon ex - 144/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $326
   Market price: $272.14
   Most recent sale: $266.35

4. Roaring Moon ex - 162/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $245
   Market price: $217.59
   Most recent sale: $299.99

5. Espeon ex - 155/131
   Near Mint Holofoil: $219.49
   Market price: $208.04
   Most recent sale: $73.98