Technology

TL;DR: Live stream Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (Game 2) in the 2025 NBA Finals for free on YouTube. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

At what point are we going to stop underestimating the Indiana Pacers? At almost every stage of the 2025 NBA Playoffs, we have expecting them to fall short. But after another miraculous comeback in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, are fans finally starting to believe?

If you want to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (Game 2) in the 2025 NBA Finals for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (Game 2)?

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (Game 2) starts at 8 p.m. ET on June 8. This game takes place at the Paycom Center.

How to watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (Game 2) for free

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (Game 2) in the 2025 NBA Finals is available to live stream for free on YouTube.

This content is geo-restricted to India, but anyone can access this free live stream with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in India, meaning you can live stream the 2025 NBA Finals from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

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

4. Visit YouTube

5. Watch Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (Game 2) for free

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games from the NBA Finals before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for YouTube?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams on platforms like YouTube, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including India

• 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 subscription for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Indiana Pacers (Game 2) for free with ExpressVPN.

BookTok still runs the publishing industry.

Many of the books you might hear about most on TikTok aren't exactly recent. Readers get pulled into the community by watching re-reads of Harry Potter or first reads of A Court of Thorns and Roses, the gripping young adult fantasy series by Sarah J. Maas. But when a new novel comes out, BookTok can turn contemporary.

Here are the top 12 books published in 2025 so far, according to BookTok, organized alphabetically by author. How many have you read?

The Devils by Joe Abercrombie Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble The Devils by Joe Abercrombie $26.99 at Barnes & Noble
$29.99 Save $3 Shop Now

Joe Abercrombie, the author behind The First Law and The Age of Madness trilogies, among other fantasy novels, brought something new to life with The Devils. Elves — a far cry from the kind you might remember from Lord Of The Rings — threaten to eat all of the flesh in Europe, so a special team of monsters is recruited to save the world.

Oathbound by Tracy Deonn Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble Oathbound by Tracy Deonn $19.79 at Barnes & Noble
$21.99 Save $2.20 Shop Now

If you're on BookTok at all, you know about the Legendborn series. It's the third book in the series that combines the legend of King Arthur, secret societies, and the mythos of the American South.

Hungerstone by Kat Dunn Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble Hungerstone by Kat Dunn $28 at Barnes & Noble
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This novel is a feminist retelling of Carmilla, the 1872 Gothic novella that inspired Dracula.

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry $24 at Barnes & Noble
$29 Save $5 Shop Now

The newest novel from the queen of contemporary romantic fiction features her classic blend of depth, wit, and humor. You might see it referred to as BGGL on TikTok.

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney $25.99 at Barnes & Noble
$28.99 Save $3 Shop Now

This novel follows Grady Green, whose wife goes missing. He ends up moving to a small Scottish island, as one does following the disappearance of their wife, and sees someone who looks remarkably similar to his missing partner.

Deep End by Ali Hazelwood Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble Deep End by Ali Hazelwood $17 at Barnes & Noble
$20 Save $3 Shop Now

As Ali Hazelwood is known to do, she wrote another of her classic romantic comedies with two leads who might be too smart for their own good.

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix $30 at Barnes & Noble
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With Hendrix's classic mix of dark humor and supernatural chaos, this book follows a group of teens at a home for pregnant girls as witchcraft enters the fold.

Wild Side by Elsie Silver Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble Wild Side by Elsie Silver $15.99 at Barnes & Noble
$17.99 Save $2.00 Shop Now

This small-town, western, enemy-to-lovers romance features two people who hate each other and get married just to take custody of a nephew.

The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar $24.99 at Barnes & Noble
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Amal El-Mohtar is one of the bestselling authors of This is How You Lose the Time War, which sailed to the top of bestseller lists and TikTok For You Pages. This novel, at just under 150 pages, follows two sisters who cannot be apart.

Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor $25 at Barnes & Noble
$30 Save $5 Shop Now

This novel follows a disabled Nigerian American woman who writes a successful sci-fi novel, and then has to deal with the outcome of rising fame.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins $22.39 at Barnes & Noble
$27.99 Save $5.60 Shop Now

For anyone who loves a book that you can binge, it should come as no surprise that BookTok is obsessed with the newest addition to The Hunger Games. This novel, a prequel to the original trilogy, follows Haymitch during the 50th Hunger Games.

Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros $26.99 at Barnes & Noble
$29.99 Save $3 Shop Now

The highly anticipated third book of Yarros' adult romantic fantasy series, the Empyrean series, after Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, came out at the beginning of the year and set BookTok up for some spicy conversations. Dragons. Romance. Rebellion. It's got it all.

TL;DR: Live stream Alcaraz vs. Sinner in the 2025 French Open final for free on 9Now, France TV, or Servus TV. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 French Open has been a tournament to remember. We've seen some huge performances from the best players in the world, and now all that's left is Alcaraz against Sinner in the men's final. It's the final that fans really wanted — it's going to be an awesome spectacle.

If you want to watch Alcaraz vs. Sinner in the 2025 French Open final for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Alcaraz vs. Sinner for free

Alcaraz vs. Sinner in the 2025 French Open final is available to live stream for free on a number of platforms:

• Australia — 9now

• Austria — ServusTV

• France — France TV

These services are geo-restricted, but anyone can access these free streaming platforms with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another country, meaning you can stream the 2025 French Open for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2025 French Open for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for 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 Australia, Austria, or France

4. Connect to 9Now, Servus TV, France TV

5. Watch the 2025 French Open 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 they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Roland-Garros without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to live stream Alcaraz vs. Sinner (plus the rest of the 2025 French Open) before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for sport?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds

• 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 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month subscription for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream Alcaraz vs. Sinner in the 2025 French Open final for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Scan anything, anywhere, with this lifetime subscription to iScanner, now £18.78 (reg. £149.56) with code SCAN.

Opens in a new window Credit: BP Mobile iScanner App: Lifetime Subscription £18.78
£199 Save £180.22 with code SCAN Get Deal

Raise your hand if you've ever had to rush to the library to print something. If most of us don't have the space for clunky printers, chances are we also don't keep a scanner at home. That's what iScanner is for.

This iOS app transforms your iPhone or iPad into a handy little scanner that works for basically any document type. Scan anything, anywhere, with this lifetime subscription to iScanner, now £18.78 (reg. £149.56) with code SCAN through June 1.

No more wasted desk space

Even if you're one of the few with a physical scanner still in your presence, you can now clear some counter space thanks to iScanner. And while you're at it, you can throw away that dusty old filing cabinet, too. 

iScanner is the number one US-based scanning and document management tool, letting you knock items off your to-do list from anywhere. Need to save a receipt for taxes? Do you have a contract you need to digitise? You can scan any document using just the phone on your iOS device. 

Students, entrepreneurs, educators, and stay-at-home moms alike will all find endless uses for a scanner in your pocket. The AI-powered tools ensure your documents' borders are detected and automatically adjusted while also straightening scan pages and ditching curves and skews. 

Thanks to AI, you can also use iScanner to help you solve complicated math problems.  Or put its OCR technology to the test and let it help you decipher text in up to 20 languages.

Once things are scanned, the app becomes a full PDF editor and file manager. Edit your scans, including signing them, adding text, or auto-filling them with custom templates. Then, use the file manager's folder via drag and drop to keep them safe and organised. 

Scanning something confidential? You can also protect files and folders by locking them with a PIN. 

Get a lifetime subscription to iScanner, now £18.78 with code SCAN.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon for free on ServusTV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 MotoGP season is delivering incredible entertainment on a consistent basis. Forget all about F1 and turn your attention to a form of racing with unpredictable finishes, daring moves, and jaw-dropping moments from the best in the world.

The battle at the top of the standings is intense. The Márquez brothers are still in first and second position going into the Grand Prix of Aragon, with former champion Francesco Bagnaia in third. Marco Bezzecchi claimed the victory in the British GP, making it five different winners from seven races this season.

If you're interested in watching the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon?

The MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon takes place at MotorLand Aragón. The 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon race starts at 8 a.m. ET on June 8.

How to watch the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon for free

The MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon is available to live stream for free on ServusTV.

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

Unblock ServusTV by following this simple process:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

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

4. Connect to ServusTV

5. Watch MotoGP for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (2-Year Subscription + 4 Months Free) $139 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access MotoGP live streams without fully committing with your cash. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for MotoGP?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking ServusTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Austria

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is protected

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Watch the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Aragon for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Germany vs. France and Spain vs. Portugal are available to live stream for free. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There will be some people out there who desperately need a break from all the football. We've only just made it through domestic campaigns, so we get where they are coming from. But there is another group out there who think very differently. This band of dedicated football followers quite simply can't get enough, so the final and third-place playoff of the UEFA Nations League will be welcomed with open arms.

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

What is the UEFA Nations League?

The UEFA Nations League is a biennial international football competition played by the senior men's national teams of the member associations of UEFA. The defending champions are Spain.

When is the UEFA Nations League?

The league phase games of the fourth edition of the UEFA Nations League was played in the autumn of 2024. The finals take place in June 2025.

How to watch the UEFA Nations League for free

Fans can live stream the UEFA Nations League for free on these platforms:

• France — L'Equipe and TF1+

• Germany — ARD / ZDF / RTL (RTL will show half of the German games, with remaining fixtures shared between ARD and ZDF)

• Italy — Rai

• Netherlands — NOS / NPO (all Dutch games plus finals)

• UK — ITVX (final)

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

Access free live streams of the UEFA Nations League by following these simple steps:

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

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with free coverage of the UEFA Nations League

4. Visit your favorite free streaming platform

5. Watch the UEFA Nations League for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

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

What is the best VPN for the UEFA Nations League?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

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

TL;DR: Watch the 2025 MotoGP World Championship for free on ServusTV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Are you looking for thrilling and unpredictable racing? No we're not talking about F1, unless you like regular pit stops, safety cars, and the same driver winning most weeks. We're talking about a form of two-wheel racing where anything could happen.

The MotoGP World Championship is where the real action can be found. Every week you see the best riders in the world go wheel to wheel with their rivals, throwing their bikes into corners with absolutely no sense of self preservation. It's an awesome spectacle, and it doesn't need to cost you anything to watch.

Want to watch the 2025 MotoGP World Championship for free from anywhere in the world? We have all the information you need.

What is MotoGP?

MotoGP is the oldest established motorsport world championship, with the inaugural season taking place in 1949. Races last approximately 45 minutes, without pitting for fuel or fresh tires.

SEE ALSO: How to watch F1 live streams online for free

The likes of Ducati, Honda, and Yamaha do battle for the constructors' championship. Jorge Martín is the defending champion.

When is the 2025 MotoGP World Championship?

The 2025 MotoGP World Championship features 22 races held all over the world between March and November:

1. Thai MotoGP — March 2

2. Argentine MotoGP — March 16

3. Americas MotoGP — March 30

4. Qatar MotoGP — April 13

5. Spanish MotoGP — April 27

6. French MotoGP — May 11

7. British MotoGP — May 25

8. Aragon MotoGP — June 8

9. Italian MotoGP — June 22

10. Dutch MotoGP — June 29

11. German MotoGP — July 13

12. Czech MotoGP — July 20

13. Austrian MotoGP — Aug. 17

14. Hungarian MotoGP — Aug. 24

15. Catalunya MotoGP — Sept. 7

16. San Marino MotoGP — Sept. 14

17. Japanese MotoGP — Sept. 28

18. Indonesian MotoGP — Oct. 5

19. Australian MotoGP — Oct. 19

20. Malaysian MotoGP — Oct. 26

21. Portuguese MotoGP — Nov. 9

22. Valencia MotoGP — Nov. 16

The good news for fans is that it's possible to live stream the MotoGP World Championship for free in 2025.

How to watch the 2025 MotoGP World Championship for free

You can stream the 2025 MotoGP World Championship for free on ServusTV.

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

Unblock ServusTV by following this quick and easy process:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

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

4. Visit ServusTV

5. Watch MotoGP races for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees. By using these money-back guarantees, you can watch MotoGP live streams without fully committing with your cash. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select races without actually spending anything.

What is the best VPN for ServusTV?

ExpressVPN is tough to beat when it comes to streaming live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Austria

• 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

• Impressive streaming speeds without buffering

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the 2025 MotoGP World Championship for free with ExpressVPN.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for June 8 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: To keep going

• Green: Heard on Wall Street

• Blue: Celeb facts

• Purple: Used to describe finances

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

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

• Yellow: Persist

• Green: Animal metaphors in economics

• Blue: Sidebar info on a person's Wikipedia page

• Purple: Homophones of slang for money

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #728 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Persist: HOLD, LAST, STAND, STAY

• Animal metaphors in economics: BEAR, BULL, DOVE, HAWK

• Sidebar info on a person's Wikipedia page: BORN, EDUCATION, OCCUPATION, SPOUSE

• Homophones of slang for money: BRED, CACHE, DOE, LUTE

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 8

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 8 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 8 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: On Broadway

The words are theater-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are parts of a musical.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Its Showtime

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for June 8

• Singing

• Cast

• Score

• Its Showtime

• Costumes

• Dancing

• Lights

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for June 8 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for June 8, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A signed renter's document.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter E appears twice.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter L.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

LEASE.

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 8

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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

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

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

To respond.

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

REACT

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A section of a film or play.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 8, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SCENE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Spacious.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 8 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 8, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

ROOMY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Muscle.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for June 8 Hurdle Word 4 answer

BRAWN

Final Hurdle hint

Related to computers.

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

CYBER

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

NASA’s longest-running Mars mission has sent back an unprecedented side view of a massive volcano rising above the Red Planet, just before dawn.

On May 2, as sunlight crept over the Martian horizon, the Odyssey spacecraft captured Arsia Mons, a towering, long-extinct volcano, puncturing a glowing band of greenish haze in the planet’s upper atmosphere. 

The 12-mile-high volcano — nearly twice the height of Mauna Loa in Hawaii — punctures a veil of fog, emerging like a monument to the planet's ancient past. The space snapshot is both visually arresting and scientifically enlightening.

"We picked Arsia Mons hoping we would see the summit poke above the early morning clouds," said Jonathon Hill, who leads Odyssey's camera operations at Arizona State University, in a statement, "and it didn't disappoint."  

SEE ALSO: An enormous Martian cloud returns every spring. Scientists found out why. Arsia Mons sits at the southern end of a towering trio of volcanoes called the Tharsis Montes. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech

To get this view, Odyssey had to do something it wasn’t originally built for. The orbiter, which has been flying around Mars since 2001, usually points its camera straight down to map the planet’s surface. But over the past two years, scientists have begun rotating the spacecraft 90 degrees to look toward the horizon. That adjustment allows NASA to study how dust and ice clouds change over the seasons.

Though the image is still an aerial view, the vantage point is of the horizon, similar to how astronauts can see Earth's horizon 250 miles above the planet on the International Space Station. From that altitude, Earth doesn’t fill their entire view — there’s enough distance and perspective for them to see the planet's curved edge meeting the blackness of space. Odyssey flies above Mars at about the same altitude. 

Arsia Mons sits at the southern end of a towering trio of volcanoes called the Tharsis Montes. The Tharsis region is home to the largest volcanoes in the solar system. The lack of plate tectonics on the Red Planet allowed them to grow many times larger than those anywhere on Earth.

Together, they dominate the Martian landscape and are sometimes covered in clouds, especially in the early hours. But not just any clouds — these are made of water ice, a different breed than the planet’s more common carbon dioxide clouds. Arsia Mons is the cloudiest of the three. 

Scientists have recently studied a particular, localized cloud formation that occurs over the mountain, dubbed the Arsia Mons Elongated Cloud. The transient feature, streaking 1,100 miles over southern Mars, lasts only about three hours in the morning during spring before vanishing in the warm sunlight. It's formed by strong winds being forced up the mountainside.  

The cloudy canopy on display in Odyssey's new image, according to NASA, is called the aphelion cloud belt. This widespread seasonal system drapes across the planet's equator when Mars is farthest from the sun. 

This is Odyssey's fourth side image since 2023, and it is the first to show a volcano breaking through the clouds.

"We're seeing some really significant seasonal differences in these horizon images," said Michael D. Smith, a NASA planetary scientist, in a statement. "It’s giving us new clues to how Mars' atmosphere evolves over time."

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

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Saturday, June 7, 2025:

AcrossYoga class need

• The answer is Mat.

Umlaut, rotated 90°

• The answer is Colon.

"That is shocking!"

• The answer is Oh my god.

"___ You the One?" (reality TV show)

• The answer is Are.

Egg cells

• The answer is Ova.

One of two "royal" sleeping options

• The answer is King bed.

Bar seating

• The answer is Stool.

Favorite team of the "Chicago Pope," for short

• The answer is Sox.

DownSlices of life

• The answer is Moments.

Olympic gymnast Raisman

• The answer is Aly.

Request at the end of a restaurant meal

• The answer is To go box.

Hayes of MSNBC

• The answer is Chris.

Medium for Melville or McCarthy

• The answer is Novel.

Wood used for wine barrels

• The answer is Oak.

June honoree

• The answer is Dad.

Sticky stuff

• The answer is Goo.

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.

TL;DR: Live stream Sabalenka vs. Gauff in the 2025 French Open final for free on 9Now, France TV, or Servus TV. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 French Open has really delivered. We've had so many amazing games and stunning moments from the best players in the world, and now the finals are set to be special. Sabalenka takes on Gauff in the women's final at Roland-Garros — it's going to an explosive battle between two superstars of the sport.

If you want to watch Sabalenka vs. Gauff in the 2025 French Open final for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Sabalenka vs. Gauff for free

Sabalenka vs. Gauff in the 2025 French Open final is available to live stream for free on a number of platforms:

• Australia — 9now

• Austria — ServusTV

• France — France TV

These services are geo-restricted, but anyone can access these free streaming platforms with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another country, meaning you can stream the 2025 French Open for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2025 French Open for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for 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 Australia, Austria, or France

4. Connect to 9Now, Servus TV, France TV

5. Watch the 2025 French Open 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 they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Roland-Garros without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to live stream Sabalenka vs. Gauff (plus the rest of the 2025 French Open) before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for sport?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds

• 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 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month subscription for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream Sabalenka vs. Gauff in the 2025 French Open final for free with ExpressVPN.

An asteroid discovered late last year is expected to be in our neck of space in 2032.

The good news? It's not coming for Earth. 

Asteroid 2024 YR4 is no longer visible, but NASA squeezed in one last glimpse of it with the James Webb Space Telescope in May before it slipped out of sight. The new set of observations has helped sharpen predictions about where the space rock is headed. 

Most of the rocky rubble left over from the formation of the solar system about 4.6 billion years ago is too far away to pose a threat to Earth. But the slim chance of existential crisis motivates many to join the planetary neighborhood watch, keeping an eye on the ancient asteroids and comets zooming through space. After all, no one wants to end up like the dinosaurs. 

The updated math has now bumped up the odds the asteroid will smack the moon on Dec. 22, 2032. That means the probability of a lunar collision has slightly increased from 3.8 percent to 4.3 percent.

SEE ALSO: A rocket will crash into the moon. It'll leave way more than a scar. This diagram illustrates the range of possible locations of Asteroid 2024 YR4 in yellow on Dec. 22, 2032. Credit: NASA / JPL Center for Near-Earth Object Studies

Asteroid 2024 YR4 captured a lot of headlines shortly after its discovery because it had a slim chance of hitting Earth. The object is estimated to be between 130 and 300 feet wide, large enough to be considered a "city killer." Studies of the so-called Meteor Crater outside of Flagstaff, Arizona, suggest it was created by an asteroid about 100 to 170 feet wide 50,000 years ago. 

"A similar-size impact event today could destroy a city the size of Kansas City," said David Kring, an impact cratering expert at the Lunar and Planetary Institute, in a NASA blog.

After months of tracking and refining Asteroid 2024 YR4's orbit, NASA scientists were able to rule out an Earth strike. There's no real risk to the planet in seven years or afterward, according to the agency. Now the space rock’s only potential target is the moon.

Before you lose your head, relax. It's not as scary as it sounds. The new statistics, crunched by NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, still suggest the asteroid is much more likely to miss it. Even if it were to make contact, it wouldn't cause a problem for Earth.

"In the small chance that the asteroid was to impact, it would not alter the moon's orbit," the agency said.   

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In fact, if it did smack the moon, it would probably thrill some astronomers with the chance to observe and collect data on the impact. An asteroid impact would mean a fresh lunar crater — something the battered moon is used to and could provide new insights for scientists into such collisions. 

Nations are developing warning systems and defense strategies in case an asteroid or comet should ever meander into an orbit that could jeopardize Earth. As a test, NASA launched the DART mission in 2022 to intentionally crash into a harmless asteroid. The mission succeeded in nudging Dimorphos slightly off its orbital path, proving the agency is capable of moving a hazardous space rock in the future if necessary. Researchers continue to study the asteroid to learn more about the aftermath.

Early asteroid tracking always comes with a cloud of uncertainty, but the accuracy improves with each observation. Asteroid 2024 YR4's location forecast is now about 20 percent more precise than it was before, according to NASA.

Scientists will have to wait three years — when the asteroid loops back around toward Earth — for another look. NASA plans to observe it again in 2028 to keep tracking its whereabouts. 

Despite the enthusiasm of actors in Swiffer commercials, few people are smiling at the workout that is manually mopping their hardwood and tile floors. So if you're already considering a robot vacuum because it'll take one major chore off your list, you can probably envision why a robot that vacuums and mops would be doubly worth it.

I'm not saying you can expect a hybrid robot vacuum to scrub your kitchen grout with the same tenacity you would get with a toothbrush. But mopping robots have gotten much better at mopping over the past few years. But arguably, the most pivotal shift that mopping robot vacuum cleaners have seen recently is actually related to their self-emptying docks. Past automatically emptying the dust bin, the best robot mop combos now also automatically wash and dry their mopping pads, then refill themselves with clean water from the dock. Some high-end hybrids can even dispense cleaning liquid on their own. That has been crucial in upping my own personal confidence in walking around barefoot.

SEE ALSO: Roborock Saros Z70 review: If you think you need the robot vacuum with an arm, no you don't

In theory, mopping pad maintenance should be nearly as automated as the cleaning itself. If it's too involved, you may subconsciously save yourself the hassle by avoiding mop mode — and then what was the point of getting a robot vacuum that mops in the first place?

It's now been half a decade since most top robot vacuum brands started furiously innovating their robotic mopping skills, so there are a ton of robot vacuums that mop to choose from. I've personally tested more than 20 robot vacuum and mop combos in my own apartment — halfway through 2025, I've narrowed it down to these top four robot vacuums that also wash your floors.

Other robot vacuums I've tested recently

I've tested several other robot vacuum hybrids that didn't make the cut. Some, like the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra, Roborock Qrevo Master, Narwal Freo X Ultra were top picks in this list at one point, but were merely upstaged in power and price tag value by newer models.

I've also tested some 2025 robot vacuum releases that were OK, but weren't contenders for this list. The Dreame X50 Ultra grabbed attention during its CES 2025 debut for its ability to "climb," though the fine print is that it can't scale thresholds taller than 6 millimeters (about 2.36 inches). The Roborock Saros 10 and 10R were able to hoist over the few thick doorway thresholds in my apartment just as well as the X50 Ultra. Its mopping and vacuuming capabilities are better than most mid-range robot vacuums, of course, but they weren't impressive enough for me to suggest the X50 Ultra in this list over either Saros model.

I'm also in the process of testing the new fleet of 2025 Roombas. The Roomba Combo 205 DustCompactor wouldn't be a bad pick if you absolutely can't spare floor space for a self-empty dock. But for being one of iRobot's newest vacuums, I expected it to be a much smoother, smarter navigator.

As you may have heard, the Nintendo Switch 2 launched this week. The main attraction at launch is obviously Mario Kart World, but there's another launch title I haven't heard many of my gaming compatriots talk about. So, I want to put the spotlight on a lesser-known racing game for a little bit.

Fast Fusion, from developer Shin'en, has an interesting history. It's the third game in a series that started on Wii U with Fast Racing Neo, got a little more shine with the launch of the original Switch under the name Fast RMX, and is now back to show off what the Switch 2 is capable of with Fast Fusion. Almost nobody I know has ever played these games, but I've loved all three of them.

I'll get into what makes Fusion as fun as it is in a second, but the main thing you should know is that it's just $15. If that isn't enough to sell you, keep reading.

Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Fast Fusion [Digital Download] $14.99 at Best Buy
Shop Now Fast Fusion provides affordable, high-octane thrills

In case the name didn't tip you off already, Fast Fusion is a racing game. Not only that, but it's a futuristic sci-fi arcade racer, the kind of game that was very popular in my childhood, but has fallen well out of favor in the years since. Part of this is because Nintendo refuses to properly revive F-Zero, but hey, the best one of those is on the Switch 2 GameCube app. Baby steps!

Fast Fusion does a pretty good job of carrying on that legacy, though. It's one of the fastest racing games I've ever played, straight up. You constantly feel like you're just on the edge of losing control and careening into the stratosphere, but the vehicle handling is quite tight and responsive, ensuring that any misadventures off the track are usually your fault. Amusingly, you can also perform a pretty high vertical jump at any time, which comes in handy for collecting the items that fill your boost meter sometimes.

SEE ALSO: I was ready to dismiss Switch 2 GameChat, but so far I love it

A returning feature from previous games in the series is the concept of color-switching. At any time, your car is either blue or orange, and you can change from one to the other with the press of a button. Boost pads on the ground will be (you guessed it) either blue or orange, so you need to be the right color when you drive on one, or else you'll just slow down. It's a really simple little trick that adds a nice layer of strategy to what is otherwise a game about going as fast as possible at all times.

New to Fusion is a, well, fusion mechanic. I admittedly haven't spent a ton of time with this part of the game yet, but you can choose any two vehicles from the game's roster and physically fuse them together to create a new beast with better stats. I don't yet know if this is actually a game-changer or just a neat gimmick, but it's unique, if nothing else.

Fast Fusion has classic split-screen local multiplayer, but unfortunately, as far as I can tell, the only way to play it online is via the new GameShare feature on Switch 2. This is actually pretty cool; as long as one person in a friend group owns the game, they can virtually share it with a few other folks and race each other remotely without anyone needing to download anything or pay any money. It's kind of a magic trick, but I just wish there were traditional online matchmaking, too.

But, also, it's $14.99 at Nintendo, GameStop, and Best Buy. It'd be unfair to expect a gigantic suite of features for that price. All I know is that I really like Fast Fusion and you should try to find some time for it in between sessions of Mario Kart World.

So, you’ve just picked yourself up a Samsung Galaxy S25. Congratulations! The series is dominating lists of the best Android phones of 2025 (so far), and that includes the just-released Galaxy S25 Edge, which is surprisingly decent. In any case, you read the headline, and we all know why you’re here, and that’s to get some tips and tricks on setting up your new phone. 

In general, phone setup is personal. You have your apps and potentially even games, along with your favorite wallpaper and likely some Bluetooth devices to set up. However, phones are set up to throw everything they can in your face as quickly as possible to show off all their cool features. Many of those are unnecessary for day-to-day use, and you probably don’t need them. 

So, below are the most crucial things I did when I set up my Galaxy S25 Ultra. Hopefully, they help you as much as they helped me. For the most part, taking these steps won’t do much for battery life or performance. What they will do is free up some storage space, get rid of stuff you don’t want clogging up your screens, and keep things clean. 

Customize or disable Now Brief The Now Brief isn't quite ready for primetime. Credit: Joe Hindy / Mashable

Now Brief is a neat idea, but its execution isn’t quite there yet. It’s an AI feature that takes things like your media, sports likes, Google Maps directions, Samsung Health, and other information and creates briefs that give you an overview of the day. The feature is polarizing since it can either be super useful or simply in the way. 

Every possible piece of information that Now Brief can show is enabled by default, so you’ll likely want to at least customize it, or you may want to turn it off entirely. The good news is that doing either one takes you to the same spot. Here’s how to find Now Brief on your Galaxy S25. 

• Open the Settings menu

• Find the Lock screen and AOD section and click it

• Tap Now bar

• To disable Now Brief, toggle the Now Brief setting off

This setting also controls the live notifications, which is something I left on because I get big, beautiful notifications when there is a Cleveland Guardians game about to start. If you want to customize those — and I recommend you do — you should do so while you’re here.

Uninstall your bloatware You can always add the apps again later. Credit: Joe Hindy / Mashable

This process has been fairly simple for a while now, but people are still a little skittish about trying it. The good news is that you can’t uninstall anything that’ll break your phone, and if you make a mistake, you can always re-download the app either on the Google Play Store or on Samsung’s Galaxy Store. Feel better? Great, let’s get to it. 

To find a list of all your apps, do the following:

• Open the Settings menu

• Scroll down to the Apps section and tap it

You’ll be met with a list of all the apps installed on your phone. Browse the list, and when you find an app you don’t want, tap on it. When the next screen pops up, click the Uninstall button with the trash can icon and confirm. The app will disappear from your phone. Some apps may have a Disable button instead that performs mostly the same function. It’ll still disappear from your app drawer. 

Alternatively, you can always pop open your app drawer, long-press any app you don’t want, and click the Uninstall or Disable button there as well. This is easier to get to than the Settings menu version, but ergonomically, the Settings menu method is nicer.

Create custom wallpapers with AI Wondering how to disable Galaxy AI? Credit: Joe Hindy / Mashable

Here's a neat feature made possible by Galaxy AI. You can create custom wallpapers for your new smartphone background. Here's how to do it:

• Long press a blank space on the home screen and select Wallpaper and style

• From there, select Change wallpapers and then Create with AI

• Finally, select the Generative option

Once there, you can select a template and then change some of the keywords to generate different images based on your preferences. It’s not as cool as full-blown AI image generators, but you can get some pretty cool wallpapers this way for free.

Customize your app drawer This simple change makes your everday experience better. Credit: Joe Hindy / Mashable

Speaking of your app drawer, a lot of folks don’t know how to use Samsung’s app drawer, so we’ll give you a quick primer on that. There are a few neat little options hidden here that can make your experience better, or at least more predictable. Let’s start with sorting. You can have the app drawer set to a custom order or have it sorted alphabetically. Here’s how to see or change that. 

• From the home screen, open the app drawer

• Click the 3-dot menu button in the bottom right corner

• Tap Sort

• Select Custom order or Alphabetical order.

Now that’s done, let’s look at some other settings. One thing I’ve noticed that annoys a lot of people, including me, is when I install a new app and it's automatically added to my home screen. So, let’s fix that.

• From the home screen, open the app drawer

• Click the 3-dot menu button again

• This time, click Settings

• Find the Add new apps to the Home screen selection and toggle it off

• Note, new apps still appear in the app drawer, but they will no longer be automatically added to the home screen

While you’re in there, you can customize the app drawer even further by changing the icon sizes, grid sizes, and more. You can even change it to where you have no app drawer and all the apps appear on your home screens à la the iPhone. Take a peek around there and set things to your specifications. 

Try Light Performance mode Baseline performance may be overkill for most users. Credit: Joe Hindy / Mashable

The Galaxy S25 is a powerhouse, and for gamers, that’s great. However, it may be a bit much if all you do is jam to music or scroll social media. This isn’t something I personally do, but if you don’t play mobile games or do anything intense like video editing, you can squeeze some extra battery life out of your phone with one setting. 

Here’s how to enable it:

• Open the Settings menu

• Find the Device care option and tap it

• Find the Performance profile and change it to Light

While you’re in that part of the Settings, you should note the Maintenance mode option. Should you ever need to get your Galaxy S25 repaired, you can put it in maintenance mode. This will hide your photos, messages, accounts, and apps from the tech so they can’t sift through your data. 

Enable or disable Galaxy AI features Learn how to disable Galaxy AI on your S25 smartphone. Credit: Joe Hindy / Mashable

Yes, a lot of people refer to Galaxy AI as a gimmick. However, it is a part of the phone you paid for, so you might as well try it out.

You can find nearly all of the Galaxy AI features in the Settings menu under the Galaxy AI section. Not only can you tick the features off at your leisure, but each section shows you how each Galaxy AI setting works in case you want to try it. We do recommend keeping the Live Translate feature enabled, though, since it’s genuinely awesome. 

Customize your power button Personally, I recommend using your flashlight. Credit: Joe Hindy / Mashable

This is an awesome feature and one of the first things I did on my Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Go to the Settings, then Advanced features > Side button. You can tune the double-press and long-press functionality. Personally, I go with a flashlight for a double press. If you use a digital assistant like Google or Bixby, you can leave long-press as is. If you don’t, you can change it to bring up the power menu if you want.

Do NOT disable RAM Plus

You may see a bunch of folks on Reddit suggest this. Don’t do it. For starters, RAM Plus (or functionality like it) has been in Android for years. Secondly, even if you turn it off, the OS still uses it anyway. For best results, the general consensus is to set RAM Plus to half of your RAM total. For most Galaxy S25 owners, that’s 6GB.

You can find the RAM Plus settings under Settings > Device Care > Memory.

Credit: Joe Hindy / Mashable

There are tons of other ways to customize your phone, but most of them include choosing things like keyboards, wallpapers, apps, and other such things, where there is no easy answer for any one person. Some people like Samsung’s keyboard, while others prefer Gboard, and yet others prefer SwiftKey. However, the tips and tricks above should help most people get the best experience out of their new Galaxy S25 phones. 

The Ring Nebula is a well-known space icon shaped like a doughnut about 2,500 light-years away in the constellation Lyra. 

But astronomers think it's been holding a secret that only the penetrating gaze of the James Webb Space Telescope, a joint project of NASA and the European and Canadian space agencies, could reveal. Using Webb's infrared-sensing MIRI instrument, scientists got a clear sightline to the small but scorching star at its center. 

The shriveled core — a white dwarf — is all that remains of the star on its deathbed, having molted its outermost layers. When researchers zoomed in, they got a surprise. Surrounding the withering star was a disk of dust, much like the kind found around new stars that are in their prime planet-birthing years. It was kind of like seeing a pregnant octogenarian in a nursing home. 

This is just the second time scientists have observed such a disk around a star at the end of its life. And though they can't actually see baby planets in their nebula images, they are now wondering if these space environments could trigger a second generation of planets, long after the original brood of worlds formed around the star. 

The discovery, published in The Astrophysical Journal, is "raising questions about their nature, formation, longevity, and potentially a second phase of planet formation," the authors wrote. 

SEE ALSO: Spectacular Webb telescope image shows a stellar death like never before The James Webb Space Telescope provides a clear view of the central white dwarf creating the Ring Nebula in the left image. Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / Raghvendra Sahai et al.

Unlike giant stars that explode into a supernova and collapse into a black hole when their time is up, a medium star gradually runs out of nuclear fuel and suffers a more prolonged death. These stars, like our midsize sun in perhaps 5 billion years, decline into so-called planetary nebulas, a confusing misnomer for the phenomenon because they have more to do with aging stars than planets. 

Scientists have discovered a few thousand planetary nebulas in the Milky Way. Those include the Ring Nebula, aka NGC 6720 and Messier 57. With Webb, the researchers could see a compact dust cloud around the central white dwarf creating it. 

"These are first seen as the gas-and-dust-rich planet-forming disks in young stellar objects, and are an integral part of the star formation process itself," the authors wrote. "Remarkably, dusty disks or disk-like structures manifest themselves again as these stars reach the ends of their lives."

Such a rare sighting is believed to have happened once before, when astronomers got a look at the Southern Ring Nebula with Webb, at wavelengths far beyond what people can see with their eyes. In the first images, astronomers were amazed to spot the true source of the nebula, said Karl Gordon, an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore.

"We knew this was a binary star (beforehand), but we effectively didn't really see much of the actual star that produced the nebula," he said during a 2022 news conference. "But now in MIRI, this star glows red because it has dust around it." 

The James Webb Space Telescope spots a dusty disk around the central white dwarf powering the Ring Nebula. Credit: NASA GSFC / CIL / Adriana Manrique Gutierrez illustration

The dust cloud around the Ring Nebula is composed of tiny grains of amorphous silicate, a glass-like substance, according to the new paper. These particles are miniscule, perhaps less than one-thousandth the thickness of a human hair. The cloud itself stretches thousands of times wider than the distance between the Earth and the sun. 

The researchers noticed something else intriguing at the center of the nebula. The white dwarf's brightness keeps changing. That might be a clue that another star is lurking in the shadows nearby, perhaps a small-but-feisty red dwarf star. While scientists haven’t directly spotted the buddy yet, they can infer it's there from patterns in the nebula.

The study could help confirm earlier findings that suggested the star had two companions — one far in the outskirts of the system and another nearby. A close star could explain the strange arcs and rings seen around the nebula. 

Wes Anderson has such a distinct style across his films, from The Royal Tenenbaums to The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou and Moonrise Kingdom, up to and including his latest film, The Phoenician Scheme, that many have tried to mimic his aesthetic online.

SEE ALSO: Every single Wes Anderson movie ranked, worst to best

Wes Anderson Palettes on Tumblr focused on the colors the celebrated American filmmaker favors. On Instagram, Accidentally Wes Anderson highlights locations in the real world that seem to fit perfectly into Anderson's filmic universe. And in 2023, TikTokkers made a trend of framing themselves as a character in an Anderson film.

But what does Anderson make of all this? Is imitation the sincerest form of flattery? Or is it flattening the art of his films into a superficial trend?

Wes Anderson responds to social media imitations of his aesthetic. Wes Anderson on the set of "The Phoenician Scheme." Credit: Do Minh / TPS Productions / Focus Features

While interviewing Anderson about The Phoenician Scheme, I asked what he makes of the online fervor around his films' looks. I specifically mentioned Accidentally Wes Anderson, as Focus Features teamed up with the Instagram account for a pair of advanced screenings of The Phoenician Scheme.

Of that account, Anderson said, "Well, the Accidentally people, they tend to [post] landscapes and objects and things. And they're all these kind of great pictures. I see them, and I get it. I understand the connection, and I'm interested. I'd like to visit this place or that place. They're just good."

However, he's less fond of other attempts at capturing his style. "If it's somebody who's imitating me [and my work], but making the people just stoic, dead expression," he said, "I don't feel that's what I do. I wouldn't print [that] take, right?"

Benicio del Toro and Mia Threapleton in "The Phoenician Scheme." Credit: Courtesy of TPS Productions / Focus Features

Anderson went onto explain he's not very online, saying, "I'm on, like, Wikipedia, and I do a ton of emails. I mean, we do so much work by emails, but I don't have any social media. And if somebody tells me, look at this thing [on social media] —  I can't even. It doesn't even tell me how to get into that. I don't have any password." His awareness of the online memes and accounts about his work is something he is mostly aware of because of friends sending him screenshots.

Still, he mused about such fan reactions, "But then I think, 'Well, what is it that I'm doing that makes you think that's what I like?' But I get, I understand. There are things that maybe if you reduce them a little bit? But whatever it is, mostly it's nice to have people be interested.

"If somebody's inspired to make something because of something I made, I like that. Because I've been inspired to make things by things other people have made. That's my main reaction, and beyond that, my main reaction is, I never look at any of this stuff."

The Phoenician Scheme is now playing in theaters everywhere.