Technology

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 July 16 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for July 16 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Tech accessories

The words are tech-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are iPad accessories.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Tablet.

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

• Speaker

• Stand

• Folio

• Case

• Tablet

• Keyboard

• Stylus

• Charger

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 July 16 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 July 16, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Bold.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter N.

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...

NERVY.

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 July 16

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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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 Mini crossword answers, hints for July 16, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Review

• Green: Cycling shirts

• Blue: Same school

• Purple: Half a name

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

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

• Yellow: Evaluate

• Green: Tour de France jerseys

• Blue: University of North Carolina alumni

• Purple: First words of Big Ten nicknames

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #296 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Evaluate - ASSESS, GRADE, RATE, SCOUT

• Tour de France jerseys - GREEN, POLKA DOT, WHITE, YELLOW

• University of North Carolina Alumni - CARTER, HAMM, JORDAN, PEPPER

• First words of Big Ten nicknames - FIGHTING, GOLDEN, NITTANY, SCARLET

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

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

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

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

Despite being a lifelong appreciator of Nintendo games, Donkey Kong as a character has never resonated with me all that much. I blame 1999’s Donkey Kong 64. 

The first attempt at a 3D platformer starring Nintendo’s simian superstar came out when I was a kid with an insatiable curiosity for video games. It also sucks to an almost unbelievable degree. DK64 is a grimy and unpleasant mess, loaded with tedious collectibles that notoriously take dozens of hours to accumulate. (Don’t play Donkey Kong 64. I hated it then and I hate it now. That’s my review.)

Oh yeah, I guess I’m here to review another game, huh? Well, Donkey Kong Bananza is just about the opposite of 64 in every way that matters. The first big post-launch Nintendo Switch 2-exclusive will be a welcome reprieve from Mario Kart World for early adopters, thanks to its beautifully elegant movement mechanics, delightfully destructible environments, and a new(-ish) companion character for Donkey Kong who almost steals the show by herself.

In other words, they finally made a good 3D platformer starring Donkey Kong, and anyone who bought a Switch 2 at or around launch should probably pick it up. Mario Kart is great, but this is the Switch 2 game you’ve really been waiting for. Scott Stein, editor at large at our sister site, CNET, gave his own review of the amazing game, and he agrees.

SEE ALSO: Free Nintendo Switch 2 upgrades for Switch 1 games are better than expected Donkey Kong Bananza gives DK a new best friend It's worth it to look at their faces every now and then. Credit: Nintendo

Bananza comes from the same internal team at Nintendo that developed Super Mario Odyssey, which is exemplified by its storytelling that prioritizes charm and good vibes over lore and dialogue.

It’s essentially a reboot for the Donkey Kong character, and he's given a brand new design that, frankly, makes the one that's been in use for the past 30 years look…not great by comparison. Bananza begins with DK (who is a miner in search of banana-shaped rocks) being helplessly sucked down into a world that exists beneath the planet’s surface. Before long, DK links up with Pauline, a 13-year-old human girl who rides around on his shoulder as the two dive deeper into the underworld in hopes of finding a way back up to the surface.

Yes, this is the same Pauline who was Donkey Kong’s kidnapping victim in the original Donkey Kong arcade game. No, Bananza does not take even one second to address whatever “continuity errors” you might think exist here. Nintendo doesn’t care and neither should you. They made Pauline a kid and made her friends with DK this time because they thought it would be fun. They were right.

What a star. Credit: Nintendo

As expressive and hilarious as the new Donkey Kong is most of the time, Pauline is the secret sauce that makes Bananza work on a vibes level. Giving our beloved ape a human companion who can speak for him in cutscenes and who offers goofy little insights every now and then helps add a lot of personality to the proceedings. What’s even better is that Pauline is perfectly believable as a 13-year-old girl; she feels three-dimensional, expressing a wide array of emotions throughout the story, all while occasionally cracking the kinds of corny jokes that young teens are wont to crack. Her personal journey, which revolves around her increasing confidence in her magical singing abilities, is also pretty endearing.

I hope I’m not succumbing to recency bias here, but I do think this version of Pauline is one of the best companion characters in a Nintendo game in a long time. 

Bananza revels in recklessness  Credit: Nintendo

Of course, this is a 3D platformer, so there are only a small handful of cutscenes in Bananza and the story’s not really what anyone is here for. I am pleased to report, in that case, that the 3D platforming on offer here is airtight, with lots of room for player freedom and highly enjoyable movement mechanics.

Nintendo’s big gimmick here is that Donkey Kong can use his substantive fists to pound through sand, rock, stone, gold, and most of the other materials that make up each of Bananza’s sprawling, open-ended levels. If you know there’s a Banandium Gem (this game’s main omnipresent collectible) behind a wall that’s in front of you, most of the time, you can just punch the wall until there isn’t a wall anymore. This is one of the most self-evidently fun game mechanics I’ve seen all year. Who doesn’t love busting up levels?

That said, this could have easily gone sour. There’s another world, not far from this one, where Bananza is a confusing mess of a game full of bugs and camera problems that make its destructive gameplay burdensome rather than delightful. However, somehow, some way, the Odyssey team figured out how to make all of it just work. It’s surprisingly hard to get lost thanks to a very effective map and intuitive level design that subtly encourages the player to wreak havoc in certain areas without outright holding their hand. And if you do get a little too reckless and find yourself unable to progress, you can simply restore all the terrain you destroyed with a button in the pause menu.

Explosions good. Credit: Nintendo

I’m not surprised that the destructive elements of Bananza are fun, but I am pleasantly surprised that they’re as elegant as they are. There are lots of potential interactions between different materials in Bananza, as you can pick up soft dirt and throw it at hard surfaces to create platforms or harness the explosive properties of gold (don’t think too hard about it) to clear out surfaces that are too hard to punch through. 

Shockingly, this never really becomes confusing at any point in the roughly 15-20 hours it takes to wrap a bow on the game. If you find yourself needing a certain material to progress, it’s always somewhere nearby. What’s more impressive is that you hardly ever need to stop and think about it, as Bananza’s visual language is clean enough that you can usually figure out what to do in any given situation just by scanning it with your eyes for a few seconds. 

Combat is also a lot more fun here than it normally is in 3D platformers. You can really feel the immense weight of DK’s punches as they land on enemies, especially in situations where a punch sends an enemy careening into another enemy for a double kill. I do have one minor criticism here, though, which is that a few of the early-game boss fights are a bit too basic and easy for my liking. There were some that I beat in literally about 30 seconds. Bonanza makes up for this in the back half with some extremely good late encounters, but still, I wasn’t sold on the boss fights in the first few hours.

It’s a good time to just move around these levels The forest level is great. Credit: Nintendo

One major reason why Super Mario Odyssey was so well-regarded is that its basic platforming mechanics are gorgeously intuitive and versatile. Bananza is no different.

The simple act of moving from place to place as DK is a great time in and of itself. He’s got a great roll move that you can use to pick up speed either on the ground or in the air, and you can even punch in the middle of a roll. DK can also climb most vertical surfaces with no limitations, creating lots of fun level design opportunities that the game definitely takes advantage of. Animations flow together beautifully so nothing ever feels rigidly mechanical. 

Admittedly, it takes about half an hour to get used to how it all works. There are four face buttons on a Switch 2 controller, and three of them are dedicated to different types of punches here. It just doesn’t control quite like any other recent big-name platformer I’m aware of. But once you get the hang of it, it feels incredible to effortlessly bound around these levels in a way that feels appropriately animalistic.

Sorry to Bother You (2018). Credit: Nintendo

Pauline isn’t just a cosmetic partner for Donkey Kong, though, as her singing abilities allow for the use of Bananza forms. These transform Donkey Kong into different animals (such as a swole zebra or a beefy ostrich) with different use cases. The Zebra can run really fast, making it perfect for crossing platforms that crumble beneath your feet, while the ostrich can glide over large gaps. You can even switch between forms on the fly for fun platforming combo opportunities.

Bananza forms add a lot of great variety to Bananza’s moment-to-moment action, but I wish I could say the same for the game’s upgrade system. There’s a very basic skill tree here that includes passive upgrades for DK and his various Bananza forms, as well as some very useful abilities you can only unlock there. You unlock skill points by collecting Banandium Gems, which is admittedly a smart way to incentivize thorough exploration.

Still, something about this just didn’t sit quite right with me. It feels a little tacked on, and many of the upgrades feel like things you should just have access to by default. Bananza forms in particular feel underpowered when first unlocked, which is a weird and disappointing dynamic for a 3D platformer. I don’t think the presence of the skill tree or its shortcomings will be enough to significantly hinder anyone’s enjoyment of Bananza, but I also can’t imagine it being anyone’s favorite part of the game, either.

Bananza one-ups Mario Odyssey in one key area Hey, I know that guy! Credit: Nintendo

I loved Mario Odyssey, but I had (and continue to have) a major hang-up with it: The pacing is nuts. Mario’s first trip through most of the game’s levels is generally linear and a little rushed, with the expectation that you’ll go back and clear them out later after you’ve left for the next story beat. It created a strange feeling of being pushed through the game faster than I would have liked.

Bonanza is not a significantly longer game by any stretch of the imagination, clocking in at 13 hours before I saw the end credits in my playthrough. But it feels much more satisfying to me because, for the most part, you can see all of a given level the first time you go there. There is a linear critical path through them all, but there are also tons of fun side activities to do and (almost) nothing feels like it’s off-limits or being held back for an endgame collectible hunt. 

As a result, I felt way more fulfilled when I saw those end credits, even though I knew I would continue playing the game because I have a sickness that can only be cured by collecting shiny things in 3D platformers. I’ll need more time to ruminate on whether or not I think Bananza is a better game overall than Odyssey, but in this regard, it certainly is. 

I should also note before we're finished here that Bananza does have one more tiny little problem: performance. For the most part, the game runs at a nearly locked 60 frames per second, but there are occasional bits of slowdown. In my experience, almost all of these occurred during moments when I didn't actually have control over DK, like during short transitional cutscenes. It does rear its head during some more intense gameplay sequences, though overall, I didn't find it horribly distracting at any point.

Is Donkey Kong Bananza worth it?

There’s so much I haven’t even gotten to, such as the outstanding soundtrack (Pauline’s vocal themes in particular are killer) or the abundance of incredibly fun one-off challenge levels that you can find scattered around each world. Honestly, I’d rather you all experience those things for yourselves because I think Bananza is absolutely a worthwhile investment for any Switch 2 owner. You likely already knew that and didn’t need me to tell you.

It’s not only the first good 3D platformer starring Donkey Kong, it’s just a damn good one in its own right thanks to a unique set of mechanics that make it more about punching than jumping. Combine that with clever level design and a wonderfully charming pair of heroes at the center of the story, and you get the Switch 2’s first stone-cold banger. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Donkey Kong Bananza $69.99 at Amazon
Get Deal

Like many people, I mostly play games to relax. But even after trying countless cozy farming sims and chill puzzle games, I've found that nothing helps me unwind quite like a stressful challenge.

It's my birthday and I'm sitting in a posh restaurant in the Cotswolds, UK, enjoying lunch with my parents. As I take a bite of my crab cocktail, my mother leans across to tell me something, but I can't hear a word. The hushed timbre of her voice is drowned out by the not-so-dulcet tones of a family on a speakerphone call at the next table.

The conversation at our table stops dead, our voices impossible to hear over the tinny sound of the caller whose voice is playing full-blast to an unwilling audience. None of us asked for this. Multiple diners at their table raise their voices to be heard over each other on the call. Not to be a diva on my birthday (if not today, when else?), but I didn't come to spend hundreds on a fancy lunch to sit and listen to strangers' family conference calls.

SEE ALSO: Why is everyone using their phones in movie theaters?

My next move? Well, I do as any passive aggressive Brit does: I sigh loudly to convey my exasperation. It doesn't work. I relent: I ask our lovely waitress if we can move to a table outside in the sunshine — success, she's just laid a table on the terrace. Crisis averted. Birthday celebrations firmly back on track (kind of). We won't talk about the man sitting in the middle of the restaurant lawn who also took a phone call on speakerphone to his doctor. Love to eat my £36 chicken in mushroom sauce to the soundtrack of your private medical information. By this point I was bemused, and two glasses of wine deep and ready to dissociate from reality.

Unless you've got Pedro Pascal on the line, I don't want to hear it.

In all seriousness: when did speakerphone conversations in restaurants become acceptable? Unless you've got Pedro Pascal on the line, I don't want to hear it.

Six days later, it's my dad's birthday and we're surveying the menu in our local restaurant when I hear familiar sound just behind my head. "Darlingholmahaan...Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday..."

This time, it's TikToks at full volume. Is this some sort of sick joke? I turn around to get a good look at the culprits: a table of two men who are idly scrolling through their phones, not an AirPod in sight. Not again. Another meal with the tinny sound of another person's phone irritating my eardrums. As my father announced, "What is the world coming to?"

Important caveat: d/Deaf people and people with disabilities who use speakerphone for accessibility reasons are, of course, excluded from this conversation on etiquette.

Featured Video For You 'I was cloaked.' What it's like to be blocked and stood up by your Hinge date.

Can we establish some ground rules for telephone etiquette while dining out?

1. Unless you have a very good reason, get the hell off speakerphone at the table. No one wants to hear your loud-ass phone call.

2. If you need to take a call, leave the table to minimise disruptions to your fellow diners.

3. If you can't tear yourself away from TikTok for longer than the duration of a dinner (and don't feel like talking to your companion), put your damn AirPods in.

4. No headphones? Scroll on silent mode and read the closed captions.

5. More broadly: consider whether the noise emanating your phone is a nuisance to others. Reflect on how you may feel?

Am I suddenly a curmudgeon? Am I Hugh Grant ranting about backpacks and water bottles? Maybe so! But, honestly, if this is the new normal in restaurants, I'm going to stay home.

SAVE $44: As of July 16, the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X CPU processor is down to $274.99 on Amazon — 14% off and the lowest-ever price.

Opens in a new window Credit: AMD AMD Ryzen 9 5950X $274.99 at Amazon
$319 Save $44.01 Get Deal

If you've been sitting on an older Ryzen chip, planning on building your first PC gaming rig, or holding off on upgrading because next-gen processors were blowing past your budget, this AMD Ryzen CPU deal could be perfect for you.

As of July 16, the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X CPU is on sale for only $274.99 with a limited-time deal going on at Amazon — shaving $44 off its list price and marking an all-time low for the 16-core, 32-thread powerhouse since it launched in late 2020, according to price tracker camelcamelcamel.

Originally launched as AMD’s flagship chip for the AM4 platform, the Ryzen 9 5950X still manages to punch well above its weight in 2025. Even with AMD’s newer 7000-series (and now 9000-series) chips on the market, the 5950X remains a reliable go-to for juggling high-end gaming and productivity tasks — especially for those sticking with the AM4 socket.

SEE ALSO: Looking for cheaper food delivery? DoorDash gift cards are on sale at Best Buy

Delivering 100+ FPS in today’s most popular titles, this chip is no slouch, even by today’s standards. Its 4.9 GHz max boost clock, 72MB of cache, and full unlocked overclocking support make it an easy pick for gamers, streamers, and creative professionals alike. Just keep in mind that it doesn’t come with a cooler, and AMD recommends a liquid cooler to keep thermals in check — but if you’re shopping in this tier, that’s probably already on your radar. 

Sure, the newer Ryzen chips support DDR5 and slightly higher IPC, but with PCIe 4.0 support and compatibility with X570 and B550 motherboards, the 5950X still has plenty of life left for high-performance setups without forcing a full platform upgrade.

When fully equipped, you’ll have more than enough power to play the latest PC games like Monster Hunter Wilds, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered.

The best tech deals right now, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

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In a move commenters described as having "Craig Ferguson vibes," Stephen Colbert and Joaquin Phoenix spent the last moments of their Late Show interview in awkward silence.

The Eddington star joined the host for a chat on Tuesday night, and requested total silence as a bit. Of course, the more the silence goes on, the more the audience laughs, the harder it becomes for Colbert not to break.

When Phoenix breaks the silence around 35 seconds in, Colbert reminds him that Robert De Niro did it better.

Megan Stalter's Late Show interview is one of the most gloriously chaotic things you'll see online today.

The Too Much/Hacks/Cora Bora star and internet queen sat down with host Stephen Colbert to chat about her new Lena Dunham-penned Netflix show, breakfasting in London, and coming up in the Chicago comedy scene. But if you think the interview will be a straightforward chat, you haven't been paying attention to Stalter's comedy or her Too Much press tour vibes.

From discussing Stalter's self-made tour merch corset to the art of being a waitress with only one table, Stalter and Colbert careen through a chat that has commenters confused and fans delighted.

The HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Pro is not the mouse for me, but that’s actually its strength. It packs quality components into a package designed for underserved small hands. This gives it an edge that it otherwise may not have amid stiff competition in the high-end gaming mouse market.

SAVE $15: As of July 16, the Amazon Fire Stick 4K is on sale for $34.99 at Amazon. This deal saves you 30% on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire Stick 4K $34.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $15 Get Deal

The Amazon Fire TV Stick is one of those handy devices that, once you have it, you can't live without it. One of Amazon's most popular devices, it negates the need to throw out your older TV in favor of a more expensive model. With this device, you can turn your TV (or laptop) into a smart TV for under $35.

And as of July 16, you can get the Fire Stick 4K for just $34.99.

SEE ALSO: Save over $2,500 on this enormous 100-inch Hisense U7 Mini-LED TV at Amazon

For those not in the know, the Fire TV Stick is a streaming device that plugs into your TV (or laptop) and lets you access platforms like Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, and more. All you need is an HDMI port, and you're good to go.

The Fire TV Stick comes with a remote that has Alexa built in, so you can use voice control to search through multiple streaming platforms at once. You can also use it to communicate with other smart home devices you own, such as a robot vacuum.

There's no over-the-top setup to worry about either; these handy remotes are so simple to use. Just pop the device into your TV or laptop HDMI port, and that's it. You have instant access to a range of streaming platforms as well as many live channels and apps.

Grab this deal from Amazon and give your older TV a new lease of life.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $79.98 (List Price $99.00)

• Apple 2025 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop — $849.00 (List Price $999.00)

• Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Dreame X40 Ultra Robot Vacuum With Removable and Liftable Mop — $699.99 (List Price $1399.98)

SAVE $13: As of July 16, the Lmcpa Switch 2 hard shell case is on sale for $12.99 at Amazon — that's 50% off its list price of $25.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lmcpa Lmcpa Carrying Case for Nintendo Switch 2 (2025) $12.99 at Amazon
$25.99 Save $13.00 Get Deal

Reliable Switch 2 cases outside of those from Nintendo have been a little inconsistent in terms of quality and pricing, but arguably the most decent budget-friendly third-party cases are now on sale for a limited time. As of July 16, the 7.9-inch Lmcpa Switch 2 Hard Shell Carrying Case is on sale for only $12.99 — 50% off its $25.99 list price. 

Built to house your Nintendo Switch 2, 20 game cartridges, and various accessories like added Joy-Cons and cables via its top mesh storage pocket, this hard EVA shell case is made of durable ballistic nylon that combines durability with style.

SEE ALSO: Looking for cheaper food delivery? DoorDash gift cards are on sale at Best Buy

Your Switch 2 fits snugly in the interior’s spatial grooves. The exterior protects everything from any accidental drops and bumps you might encounter when getting really into Mario Kart World.

The soft micro-fibre lining of the interior does feel a little odd to the touch, but that slight irritation is worth knowing you’ve got that added layer of protection. Even when my case fell off the kitchen counter and out of my bag a couple of times, there was no damage whatsoever. The plastic carrying handle itself feels high-quality, and the added drawstring makes pulling your console out easier — so you barely need to touch said micro-fibre anyway.

And although the case itself is a little bit chunky, it does strike that fine balance between being able to pack in extra accessories and games without going overboard on size.

As I keep taking my case out to switch my cartridges from Super Mario Odyssey to Donkey Kong Bananza, I always feel easy knowing this nifty case will keep my Switch 2 safe if it slips out of my grasp.

Amazon has listed this as a “limited time” deal with no timeline, but the retailer has only allocated the price cut to a certain number of units — with 45% already being claimed at the time of writing. So act fast to secure this low price.

The best tech deals right now, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $79.98 (List Price $99.00)

• Apple 2025 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop — $849.00 (List Price $999.00)

• Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Dreame X40 Ultra Robot Vacuum With Removable and Liftable Mop — $699.99 (List Price $1399.98)

Astronomers have detected the signal of a colossal black hole in deep space that likely formed when two already-large black holes crashed into each other billions of light-years away.

The result is a colossal cosmic object about 225 times heavier than the sun — by far the most massive ever observed through gravitational waves, or ripples in the fabric of spacetime. Before now, the record holder for a black hole merger detection using this method weighed in at just 140 times the sun.

The discovery, announced on July 14, comes not from NASA but a collaboration of observatories around the world, including two U.S. National Science Foundation–funded observatories in Louisiana and Washington. The newfound black hole has defied expectations for its unusual size, based on known ways that stars collapse. 

"We have theories of how black holes form when stars die, and those theories are fine for black holes that are five times the mass of our sun, or 10 times, or even 50 times," wrote Mark Hannam, a Cardiff University scientist who led the research team, on his Substack, The Fictional Aether. "But once you get to about 60 times the mass of the sun, some funky nuclear/quantum/whatever processes come into play, and the star blasts away lots of its mass, and you can't form a really massive black hole. That carries on until you get to really massive stars." 

SEE ALSO: Astronomers caught a star that blew up not once, but twice when it died This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Black holes are some of the most inscrutable phenomena in outer space. About 50 years ago, they were little more than a theory — a kooky mathematical answer to a physics problem. Even astronomers at the top of their field weren't entirely convinced they existed. Today, not only are black holes accepted science, some supermassive ones are getting their pictures taken by a collection of synced-up radio dishes on Earth. 

Unlike a planet or star, black holes don't have surfaces. Instead, they have a boundary called an "event horizon," or a point of no return. If anything swoops too close, it will fall in, never to escape the hole's gravitational clutch.

"Nothing can escape a black hole, not even another black hole," Hannam explained, "so what's left is: a bigger black hole."

The most common kind, called a stellar black hole, is thought to be the result of an enormous star dying in a supernova explosion. The star's material then collapses onto itself, condensing into a relatively tiny area. Physics predicts a gap in the sizes of black holes that can form this way. That gap — between about 60 and 130 times the mass of our sun — should be largely empty. 

One of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory, or LIGO, detectors, in Hanford, Washington. The second detector is located in Livingston, Louisiana. Credit: LIGO

But this merger, designated GW231123, is breaking the rules, according to the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration, which together has detected about 300 since 2015. It involved two black holes estimated to land in the mass gap. Furthermore, researchers say there's something else puzzling about the event.

"The black holes appear to be spinning very rapidly — near the limit allowed by Einstein's theory of general relativity," said Charlie Hoy, a University of Portsmouth scientist, in a statement. "That makes the signal difficult to model and interpret."

One possible explanation is that at least one of the colliding black holes was not born from a collapsing star, but from another prior black hole merger. This would require extreme environments where merged black holes could stick around long enough to crash again.

The event could point to new ways the universe forms black holes that scientists are only beginning to understand.

Artificial intelligence companions have gone mainstream amongst teens, according to a new report.

The findings may surprise parents familiar with AI chatbot products like OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini, but haven't heard about platforms that specifically allow users to form friendships and romantic relationships with so-called AI companions.

The latter category includes products like Replika, Nomi, Talkie, and Character.AI. Some of the platforms are for users 18 and older, though teens may lie about their age to gain access.

A nationally representative survey of 1,060 teens ages 13 to 17 conducted this spring by Common Sense Media, an advocacy and research nonprofit in the U.S., found that 52 percent of respondents regularly use AI companions. Only 28 percent of the teens surveyed had never used one.

SEE ALSO: Why experts say AI companions aren't safe for teens — yet

Teens don't yet appear to be replacing human relationships "wholesale" with AI companions, said Michael Robb, head of research at Common Sense Media. The majority are still spending more time with human friends and still find person-to-person conversations more satisfying.

But Robb added that there's reason for caution: "If you look, there are some concerning patterns beneath the surface."

How teens use AI companions

A third of teens said they engaged with AI companions for social interactions and relationships, doing things like role-playing and practicing conversations. They also sought emotional support, friendship, and romantic interactions.

In the survey, teens ranked entertainment and curiosity as top reasons for using an AI companion. Yet a third of those who use AI companions have opted to use them to discuss important or serious issues, instead of a real person. Robb said this tendency points to potential downsides of AI companion use.

Though some AI companion platforms market their product as an antidote to loneliness or isolation, Robb said the technology should not replace human interaction for teens. Still, without conclusive proof of what happens to teens (and adults) who come to rely on AI companions for vital connection, technology companies may still lean into the idea that use of their product is better than feeling alone.

"They're happy to fill that gap of knowledge with a hope and a prayer," Robb said.

He also suspects that, like with social media, there may be some youth who benefit from practicing certain social skills with an AI companion, and other young users who are more susceptible to a negative feedback loop that makes them more lonely and anxious and less likely to build offline relationships.

A new report from Internet Matters, a London-based online youth safety nonprofit, suggests that's already happening amongst children in the United Kingdom who use AI companions.

Children defined as vulnerable because they have special education disabilities or needs, or a physical or mental health condition, particularly use AI companions for connection and comfort, according to survey data collected by Internet Matters.

Nearly a quarter of vulnerable children in the survey reported using general AI chatbots because they could talk to no one else. These children were not only more likely to use chatbots, they were also nearly three times as likely to engage with companion-style AI chatbots.

The report warned that as children begin to use AI chatbots as companions, "the line between real and simulated connection can blur." That may lead to more time spent online.

Earlier this year, Common Sense Media described AI companions as unsafe for teens under 18. Robb said that tech companies should put in place robust age assurance measures to prevent underage users from accessing AI companion platforms.

Red flags for parents

Parents concerned about their teen's AI companion use should look for the following red flags, Robb said:

• Behavior indicating that the teen is replacing human relationships with AI relationships.

• Excess time spent on AI companion platforms, especially when it displaces activities like sleep, exercise, and in-person socialization.

• Emotional outbursts when denied access to an AI companion.

Robb also suggested that parents discuss AI companion use with their teens, and any concerns both parties may have. These concerns could include disturbing statements or responses that AI companions can make and the sharing of personal information by a teen, including their real name, location, or personal secrets.

A quarter of AI companion users surveyed by Common Sense Media said they'd communicated sensitive information to their companion. Robb said it's important for teens to understand that personal details are often considered proprietary data owned by the companion platform once shared by the user.

Even when it's been anonymized, that information may help train the company's large language model. It could potentially show up in marketing copy or conversation scenarios. In a worst case scenario, personal data could be hacked or leaked.

For example, as Mashable's Anna Iovine reported, 160,000 screenshots of direct messages between an AI "wingman" app and its users were just leaked thanks to an unprotected Google Cloud Storage bucket owned by the app's company.

Robb encourages parents to set boundaries around AI use for their children, such as prohibiting specific platforms or the sharing of certain personal details.

"It's totally fine for a parent to have rules about AI, like the way they do with other types of screen uses," Robb said. "What are your own red lines as a parent?"

TL;DR: See the sun, moon, and stars from your phone with Hestia, the first smartphone-based telescope, now for $259.99 (reg. $299).

There’s an app for everything — and now there’s even one for exploring the cosmos. Hestia is the first-ever smartphone-based telescope with an app that lets you see the universe both day and night. And right now, this cutting-edge device can be yours for just $259.99 — $40 off the usual price.

Turn your smartphone into a smart telescope with some help from Hestia

Gone are the days of massive telescopes that cost a small fortune. You can now see the stars with Hestia, a Kickstarter and Indiegogo-funded telescope that pairs with your smartphone. Just attach it to the included tripod and align your phone’s camera with the ocular using the companion Gravity app.

Once you’re set up, you can pick a destination and the app will help you explore it. The Hestia offers 25x magnification and enhanced clarity with 5x the resolution of standard smartphone viewing so you can see stunning details of lunar craters, sunsports, and more.

Unlike old-school telescopes, the Gravity app lets you choose between day and night mode, so you can check things out at any time of day. A patented six-lens optical design directs the light right into your smartphone’s camera.

There are no batteries or chargers required, and the Hestia is waterproof and temperature resistant. All you need is your smartphone to get started. Your Hestia will come with a premium tripod, solar observation kit, a visor to reduce daylight glare, and a transport case so you can explore from anywhere.

Get ready to explore the skies with Hestia, now for only $259.99 (reg. $299).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: VAONIS Hestia: First Ever Smartphone-Based Telescope (Ultimate Pack) $259.99
$299 Save $39.01 Get Deal

TL;DR: Use code READ20 to score Headway Premium, the app that makes daily reading fun and sustainable, for just $47.99 (reg. $299.95).

If you’ve ever wished you could get the key takeaways from popular nonfiction books without committing hours to read each one, Headway might be worth a look — especially while it’s on sale for only $47.99 (reg. $299.95) with code READ20 for a lifetime subscription.

What’s Headway? It’s the app that makes daily reading possible, thanks to its gamified design (which is very motivational) and its library of thousands of titles, which it distills into 15-minute reads that are accessible right from your phone.

You’ll find summaries of titles in productivity, business, self-improvement, psychology, and more. You can also opt for the audio option if you’d rather listen to them while commuting or cleaning up around the house. The app also includes personalized learning paths and spaced repetition tools, which can be useful if you’re trying to build new habits or retain key concepts from books.

The subscription gets you lifetime access to the premium tier, meaning no monthly fees, and there’s new content added regularly so you can keep learning. It’s available on iOS and Android and comes with a 4.4-star rating on the App Store from over 60,000 users.

This kind of app isn’t for everyone — it won’t replace the depth of a full book or the joy of leisurely reading. But if your to-read list is longer than your calendar allows, or you’re looking for a way to sample a book before committing, it could be a time-saver.

And while there are other summary apps out there, many charge ongoing monthly fees or limit content without a subscription. With Headway, you’re getting full access for life, for less than what most platforms charge in a single year.

It’s not clear how long the discount will last, but you can grab this Headway lifetime subscription for just $47.99 (reg. $299.95) when you enter coupon code READ20 at checkout — that’s less than the cost of a few hardcovers.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Headway Headway Premium: Lifetime Subscription $47.99
$299.95 Save $251.96 Get Deal

TL;DR: For just $60, you can have lifetime access to Pok Pok, the kids’ games app that’s inspired by the Montessori method and makes screen time healthy for them.

Opens in a new window Credit: Pok Pok Pok Pok: Lifetime Subscription $59.99
$250 Save $190.01 Get Deal

Not all screen time is created equal — especially for kids. If you’re a parent trying to balance digital play with meaningful, imagination-driven learning, Pok Pok offers a different approach. And for a limited time, you can get a lifetime subscription for only $59.99 (regularly $199.99).

Pok Pok is an award-winning app designed for children ages 2 to 7. Instead of loud sounds, ads, or endless level-ups, it offers a quiet, open-ended digital playroom filled with interactive scenes, creative tools, and gentle animations. Think digital toys rather than traditional games — there are no scores, no instructions, and nothing to win or lose. Kids can explore and experiment at their own pace.

It’s intentionally designed to support creativity, problem-solving, and independent play — making it a solid option for parents who want something screen-based but not overstimulating. Wondering why? That’s because Pok Pok is based on the Montessori method, which was developed by Dr. Maria Montessori in the early 1900s.

That means that every game is child-safe, ad-free, and regularly updated with new content and features. As a result, your child will be encouraged to follow their curiosity and even develop practical life skills. Pok Pok has also received recognition from Apple and Common Sense Media for its thoughtful, child-first design.

That said, this isn’t a catch-all replacement for books, toys, or hands-on play. But if you’re already navigating how to make screen time more intentional (and less of a negotiation), Pok Pok might help take some of the pressure off.

Normally, access to the full version is available only through an annual subscription. But this deal offers a one-time purchase for lifetime access — meaning no renewals, no surprise charges, and all future updates included.

Don’t miss out on this deal for one of the most thoughtfully designed app built specifically for early learners. Treat your kids to a lifetime of educational and curiosity-driven Pok Pok games for just $59.99 while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Make your PDFs easier to work with on Mac. This PDF Expert lifetime license offers editing, conversion, merging, and even search and signing functionality for any PDF — and it’s only $80.

Opens in a new window Credit: Readdle PDF Expert Premium Plan: Lifetime Subscription (Mac) $79.97
$139.99 Save $60.02 Get Deal

Let’s be honest: working with PDFs isn’t anyone’s idea of fun. Whether you’re trying to fill out a form, edit a document, or combine files, the built-in tools on a Mac don’t always make it easy. That’s where PDF Expert comes in. Right now, a lifetime subscription to the premium version (which is fully compatible with Mac) is down to $79.97 (reg. $139.99), but only while supplies last.

PDF Expert is a powerful, Mac-only app that lets you do pretty much anything you need with PDFs. Its interface is sleek, the tools are straightforward, and the price is about as low as you’re likely to see for a full-featured PDF editor.

Edit text and images directly in the file? Check. Sign documents without printing them out? Check. Merge files, highlight text, add comments, convert PDFs to Word or Excel? All in there. It even has OCR (optical character recognition) to search or copy text from scanned documents.

You could piece together some of these features with free online tools, but if you’re doing PDF work regularly — whether for contracts, school, or freelance gigs — it’s a lot more efficient to have it all in one place. And unlike most PDF software that locks key features behind pricey subscriptions, this is a one-time payment.

If you’re someone who only opens a PDF once in a blue moon, you might not need something this robust. But if you’ve ever wished editing a PDF was just a little less annoying (and a lot more intuitive), this deal’s worth a look.

Don’t wait too long to act on this deal. Get your PDF Expert lifetime license for Mac for just $79.97 (reg. $139.99) while inventory is still available.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

About 43 minutes into a livestream, Dr. Alok Kanojia, known more familiarly online as Dr. K, asks streamer and voice actor LilyPichu if she'd rather talk about a recent breakup or where she got the idea she's not good enough.

Even for those well-versed in the more parasocial nature of livestreaming, it's a surprisingly vulnerable scene. But for Dr. K and his guest, it's expected, with this therapy-esque interview being one of the several formats he's brought to Twitch and YouTube.

Credit: Mashable composite: Tharon Green; Dr. Alok Kanojia/Inna Kot/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Instagram/Youtube/Twitch

The Harvard-educated psychiatrist got his start on his Twitch channel HealthyGamer_GG in 2019. These days, that channel has 667,000 followers, while his YouTube channel has 2.94 million subscribers. On it, you'll find videos on all things mental health, with titles including "Why You're Struggling With Discipline," "Stop Letting Social Anxiety Control You," and "Getting a Girlfriend is NOT an Achievable Goal."

In addition to the content he creates, Dr. K is also the co-founder and president of the company Healthy Gamer, where folks can find mental health guides, coaching, and community. In addition to the Healthy Gamer comment sections, there's a Healthy Gamer Discord and an active subreddit with 143,000 members. He also wrote the book How to Raise a Healthy Gamer.

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

Below, we caught up with Dr. K to hear more about the experience of building this community up — and the lessons he's learned along the way.

Why did you start making videos?

 What I found in my office with my patients was that everyone was facing the same problems. And most of what I was doing was not therapy with my patients. It was educating them. So I started to realize that what people are missing is an understanding of how they work: How does the mind work? Where does depression come from? How do we get depressed? Where does anxiety come from? I was like, OK, I'm having the same conversation like 15 times in a week. So I started to develop talking points. And then I was like, "OK, can I just share this with everybody, and would it be helpful?" And that's what I started doing, and it turned out that it is helpful.

When you considered how to share that information, was making YouTube videos the first thing that came to mind?

 No. I started streaming on Twitch. I'm a gamer, and I really love teaching, so that's where we started out. And then I think what we realized on Twitch is that things only live there for 30 days. And a lot of the questions, like, if someone asks about how do I cut back on pornography use, that stays an important question for years. So we really started focusing on YouTube to create a storehouse of resources for people.

When you started out, was it just you running the show?

Yeah.

What was that like?

 I had an intern help me set up my camera. Then, quickly within the first two months, I looked at the metrics. My goal was to have 100 concurrent viewers by one year in. So I was like, "OK, if I can have like five new viewers by the end of the month, like that'll be a win." And then it started going really fast. Within the first 45 days of my first stream, I had two or three people starting to help me out, because they started building emoji and helping me with managing chat, moderating things, and moderating a subreddit. Those are people who are actually here with me today; they were some of our first five employees.

Within those first 45 days, how many people were coming to the stream?

My first stream had 20 to 30 concurrent viewers, which is very unusual, I think. I also did a collab super early on, and people showed up and were like, "This is pretty cool." So it started spreading and then we grew very rapidly. We started with 30, and I think within six, eight months, maybe within a year, we were up to 40,000 concurrents. That was crazy.

After that first year, how did you navigate that growth?

Our numbers kind of dropped, but we also did this on purpose. I started to realize that a lot of people were coming to us for the wrong reasons. They were coming to us for voyeurism instead of to learn, because sometimes people would get emotional on stream and things like that.

I started streaming to try to help people and that's the north star. I would rather help one person a lot than entertain 10 people.

As we shifted towards being more value-oriented as opposed to entertainment-oriented, our numbers dropped. I still think that if we had gone like the entertainment route, [the numbers] would be better, but I don't think we'd be having the impact. I started streaming to try to help people, and that's the north star. I would rather help one person a lot than entertain 10 people. There are plenty of people out there to entertain; the field is plenty saturated.

What was the selection process for who you interviewed?

 For people who are community members, it's just: Are you struggling with something that a lot of people are struggling with? Let's talk about it. With creators, it's kind of all over the place. We don't honestly care about the size of the creator — we'll do things with gigantic creators, and we'll do things with like tiny creators. It's really about the problems that they want to talk about.

The other thing that's really important is what our community tells us. If they say, "Hey, you should do a collaboration with this person," or you should do something, then we are likely to do it because our community knows us and what we bring to the table, and so we're driven by them more than anyone else.

More generally, how do you decide on your content topics?

There are a number of things. When I was in residency, you're working like 80 to 100 hours a week, every week, for like four years. And so there's this idea that when you're done with residency, it gets easier. The crazy thing is that I learn way more than I have in the history of my career. I'll read between 100 and 400 pages of scientific literature a week.

In residency, I would do that in a month because I had to. So I read a ton because there's so much research out there, and that's a chunk of my inspiration. I also read a lot of spiritual texts and have a lot of spiritual practice; that's a bunch of my inspiration.

And then there's like, things happen on the internet, which is another source of inspiration. So we just had this video about why women prefer beta males. So someone on our team sent me this tweet that was this Twitter argument between men and women about whether women are more attracted to super cut dudes.

I feel like I saw this one.

Yeah, so someone on my team said, "Hey, have you seen this? What do you think about this?" And I was like, "Let's find out." I did a literature search and found something really fascinating. Then we made a video about it, and it went great.

There's a lot of stuff that people are debating about, worrying about, and struggling with, and so we think about how we can offer an evidence-based perspective to help people navigate what the hell is going on.

The way to offer that perspective could be research-oriented, like a video or an interview. So, do we just want to talk to someone about what it's like to date nowadays or the existential threat of AI? Oftentimes, there's a lot of stuff that if there isn't [data about it], if there aren't studies to explain it, then we'll just talk to a human.

When did you start to scale up the Healthy Gamer team? How did you decide it was time?

I was CEO for six months. I suck at being CEO and [my wife's] fucking amazing. So she took over as CEO, and it was really challenging in a lot of ways, but it was also great in a lot of ways.

That's when we really started to scale. I had a group of people who were helping me out, and we weren't paying them, so those became our first five employees.

[My wife also] started thinking about monetization, started thinking about like how to get people salaries, how to get people competitive salaries. We hired our first employee in April of 2020. We're now up to a team of like 30 employees. Then we've got 150 coaches. And then we've got other contractors, so we're up to like 200. And it all started with one [employee] five years ago. So that's really when we started to kick ass and take names.

Did you go through learning curves after bringing on a team and adjusting your workflow to working with a group?

 Yeah, absolutely. I'm lucky because in medicine you learn how to work with teams, right? One of the most important things I learned in medicine is listening to nurses.  As a doctor, I know way more medicine than a nurse does, but the nurse knows the patient way more than I do.  So even if you're the boss, you listen to the people who are, quote unquote, under you because they know things you don't know.

 The biggest thing that I've learned as a content creator is that the more we've grown, the farther down the reporting structure I go. So with the content director, I am their boss on paper, but in practice, I'm their employee. When my content director is like, "Hey, I want you to make a video about this," I say, "Yes, sir." That was kind of strange, but recognizing that I'm a resource and all of these people have jobs, and in order for them to do their jobs, they need me to do certain things.

And I think that's hard for a lot of people from an ego perspective, but if you have your domain, I'm a resource, and if you need me to do something, I will do it.

You're a mental health professional and a mental health creator who has communities of people online who seek your help. Do you get burned out or deal with any empathy burnout?

What do you mean by empathy burnout?

Basically, a lot of people come to you with mental health problems — do you ever find yourself taking that stress on?

That doesn't really happen to me. I've been working for five years, and I had my first vacation of about two weeks; it was amazing. After five years, I worked six to seven days a week. I'm not saying this because I'm like, "Oh, I'm great."

The main thing is that we just don't understand how our empathy battery works. Empathy burnout can be fixed if you figure out how to fill up your gas tank. What is the gas station of your life? So, I think there are a couple of helpful things that we learn as psychiatrists. The first is to understand that there's only so much that you can do.

This lesson is something that a lot of creators do not understand. You are limited in your capacity for what you can do...there's nothing you can do that will make a video go viral.

A lot of creators do not understand this lesson: you are limited in your capacity for what you can do. You can put forth most of your effort. Absolutely. Work hard, work six days a week. But there's nothing you can do that will make a video go viral. Can you try to make it go viral? Absolutely. That attitude is how you work five years without a day off. It's really focusing on the things that you can do.

The other big thing that I do is take care of myself every day. If I drive a hundred miles, I go to the gas station every day. I don't wait until I'm at E because there are going to be times when things pile up.

I imagine some creators struggle to identify when their meter is down and getting close to E. How did you even learn to read that?

I know it's weird, but it's the wrong question.  The question is, how do you fill up your tank, and are you doing it every day?  The problem is that everyone waits until the gas tank is empty to fill it up, and then, of course, you're going to get in trouble. It's not about focusing on empty; it's about focusing on staying full.

 If anyone who looks at what you've done with Healthy Gamer wants to make content that helps people and create a community in the way you have, do you have any advice?

Do it.  There is no shortage of people who need your help, and each human being has a unique set of genetics, a unique set of circumstances, a unique set of experiences. So you can help other people in a way that no one else can.

The second thing is that it's going to be hard. It's going to suck and you're going to fail a lot, and that's OK. As you fail the first time, the second time, the third time, then you'll figure out how much your heart is really in this. And it's OK to try something and recognize even though [you] want to help people, if it's not working for you, that's OK too. It doesn't make you a bad person to not want to help people. You'll help people later in life — that karma will come to fruition — it may just not be your time. So I'd say give it a shot.

The other thing is to try to really do your best. Focus on iteration, focus on improvement. It's about, "What did I do today? How can I be better tomorrow?" I think people are way too goal-oriented. The goal is over there, right? And I'm over here. So focus on the next step you're going to take and the next step you're gonna take and the next step that you're gonna take. In my practice with my patients and in my private coaching clients, I have a ton of creators who are 10, a hundred times bigger than I am. And I think that we see something that's really interesting, which is that basically all the super successful creators focus on what's next, not what's at the end.

So what's next for Healthy Gamer?

 I have a panel in two hours, a couple of podcasts, some thoughts that I want to write down, and I'm going to try to swim today.

Spend a few minutes on TikTok or YouTube, and chances are you’ll run into one of those viral police bodycam videos. A tense traffic stop with racist undertones. A surprise arrest. A drunk, entitled woman gets her fifth DUI. A rookie officer catches a corrupt superior in the act. These clips look real enough to pass at a glance, but some of the bodycam videos currently going viral on TikTok are staged.

The staged body cam videos are the work of a YouTube channel called Bodycam Declassified, which has uploaded 35 videos over the past four months. While many of the videos are staged, the occasional legit bodycam video is mixed in for variety. The YouTube channel has more than 10.2 million views since the account was created in February.

Screenshot from a Bodycam Declassified video titled, "Cop Arrests Black Mail Carrier in Rich Neighborhood." Credit: Bodycam Declassified

The channel joins a highly trafficked corner of YouTube: police bodycam footage, itself a subgenre of the ever-expanding true crime industrial complex. These videos are usually obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests and have massive audiences. Major players like Police Activity (6.6 million subscribers), EWU Bodycam (2.02 million), Code Blue Cam (2.9 million), and Audit the Audit (2.89 million) have turned this raw, often unsettling footage into algorithm gold.

Each of Bodycam Declassified clips follows a familiar pattern: a Florida police officer engages with someone (often a person of color), a conflict escalates, and the video ends with some overt moralizing. The titles are ripped straight from a Dhar Mann video — another scripted YouTube channel known for morality plays geared toward a younger audience.

Popular Bodcam Declassified videos have titles such as:

• Stolen Valor Fake Marine Arrested by Police Officer Who Was Real Marine

• Rookie Cop Pulls Over His Powerful Sheriff

• Black Female Officer Busts Arrogant Detective For Parking In Handicap Spot

• Cop Slaps Arrogant Prince in Ferrari and Gets Suspended

• Arrogant Police Officer Pulls Over Black FBI Agent and Regrets It

Bodycam Declassified labels its videos as fictional — sort of. The channel description implies the videos are real, with a lot of hedging. "In our channel, we bring you real, unfiltered bodycam footage, offering insight into real-world situations. In some cases, we may reenact some elements to clarify key aspects of certain encounters."

However, in an email to Mashable, a member of the "Bodycam Declassified Team" stated, "Yes, the videos on our channel are fully scripted and performed by actors. This is clearly disclosed in multiple places: via watermarks in the footage, on our website, and in our YouTube channel description. Transparency has been a priority from day one."

SEE ALSO: How to identify AI-generated text

The watermark plastered all over the videos leads to a website that issues bold DMCA warnings against content theft. Here, under a section titled Content Licensing, the site makes it clear:

"Our content is NOT actual bodycam footage."

However, because the channel's content is often reposted without permission by clickfarm accounts, viewers may have no idea that they're watching staged videos.

When we contacted the email address associated with the account, the individual who responded acknowledged this problem. The individual said the channel struggles with "rampant content theft." They added, "Many of our videos have been re-uploaded without context or credit, often stripped of the disclaimers, and presented on other social platforms as real events. Despite our proactive efforts, takedown processes on many platforms are slow and inconsistent, making it harder to preserve the original intent and integrity of the content."

Still, the proof is in the details. The police cars in the videos look real enough, but the logos are fabricated and don’t correspond to any real jurisdictions. The videos lack the redactions and face-blurring typical of legally released bodycam footage. Most include timestamps that repeat across clips, indicating batch filming. The upload timeline — just weeks between "incident" and release — is far too fast to reflect real FOIA-based reporting.

Who's creating these staged police bodycam videos, and why? A Bodycam Declassified video titled, 'Mall Security Guard Thinks He's A Cop. Does Not End Well.' Credit: Bodycam Declassified

For as long as the internet’s been around, trolling and outrage bait have been a reliable subgenre of social media entertainment. The formula is simple: tap into moments that trigger easy moral outrage — mid-flight meltdowns (another booming category of scripted virality), Reddit confessionals, racist white people, and of course, police encounters.

And in conversations with Mashable, the anonymous creators of Bodycam Declassified hinted at what they want to do next: staged courtroom videos.

In a series of emails to Mashable, the creators of Bodycam Declassified described the project as "part of a larger creative initiative tied to a fictional judge show currently in development."

"We created these videos to go viral and intentionally left them unresolved to spark conversation and curiosity," a team member wrote. "The goal was always to circle back with a courtroom series where the same characters and situations are brought before a fictional judge who delivers a verdict."

The group claims to be behind "hundreds of massively viral videos across a range of online niches" and says they’re building a full-scale courtroom set inside a 10,000-square-foot warehouse, with professional designers who’ve worked on major productions like Bad Boys and Netflix’s Griselda.

"We’ve seen plenty of knockoffs already, but they miss the tone and satirical edge we’re aiming for. That’s why we’ve been deliberate in building this next phase to make sure the final courtroom product lands with the impact we’re setting up now."

A preview of a Bodycam Declassified video titled, 'Stolen Valor, Fake Marine Arrested By Police Officer Who Was Real Marine.' Credit: Bodycam Declassified SEE ALSO: AI actors and deepfakes aren't coming to YouTube ads. They're already here.

They claimed the project is self-funded and declined to provide any production details or internal pitch decks on the project.

Mashable was unable to independently verify these claims. The individual corresponding via email did not provide any identifying information, and when we reached out to Griselda's lead set designer, Michael Budge, he said he had no knowledge of this project or the channel.

Additionally, when pressed with follow-up questions about the channel — for instance, why their website's mailing address is registered to a plastic surgery clinic in Fort Lauderdale, which is also the listed address for various crypto and adult content sites — the person promptly stopped speaking to us. Not long after, the address was quietly removed from domain records.

While we were reporting this story, Bodycam Declassified uploaded a new video with the watermark "property of @curbsideconflict" — a handle that had no trace on social media or in trademark records. However, it matches the name of a just-launched YouTube channel focused on parking ticket conflicts ("Woman Refuses To Pay For Parking Because She's Attractive"). [Editor's note: Shortly before we published this story, the Curbside Conflict YouTube page was removed from YouTube, along with all of its videos.]

Another recent video on the Bodycam Declassified channel shows a real police encounter in Ohio, which ends with a woman being shot by an officer. The one before that? A scripted scene where the channel’s go-to actor-cop tickets a pregnant woman and her unborn child, followed by an epilogue claiming a judge ruled her unborn child would also be liable for the fine upon his or her birth.

You honestly can't make this up. Except, clearly, someone is.

If the creators are to be believed, brace yourself for a new wave of courtroom and parking drama ragebait — likely chopped into multiple parts by TikTok clip farmers — featuring the same characters, this time arguing their cases in front of a fictional judge.

Or, maybe they're simply making ragebait for the love of the game.