Technology

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

Lightheaded.

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

WOOZY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A glimmer.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 11, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SPARK

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A thread.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 12 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 12, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

FIBER

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A popular hedgehog.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for June 12 Hurdle Word 4 answer

SONIC

Final Hurdle hint

Wide open.

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

AGAPE

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

In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in a Los Angeles federal court, entertainment giants Disney and Comcast’s Universal have teamed up to take on Midjourney, the generative AI image platform, accusing it of copyright infringement on a massive scale.

The at-times blunt lawsuit doesn’t mince words, arguing that Midjourney is a “bottomless pit of plagiarism.”

The complaint claims Midjourney effectively raided the studios’ libraries, illegally training its AI to generate uncanny recreations of iconic characters like Star Wars’ Darth Vader and Frozen’s Elsa, without so much as a licensing deal or permission. NBCUniversal’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Kim Harris, told Reuters the case is about protecting “the hard work of all the artists whose work entertains and inspires us and the significant investment we make in our content.”

By helping itself to Plaintiffs’ copyrighted works, and then distributing images (and soon videos) that blatantly incorporate and copy Disney’s and Universal’s famous characters—without investing a penny in their creation—Midjourney is the quintessential copyright free-rider and a bottomless pit of plagiarism,” the suit argues, according to a copy of the suit obtained by Deadline. “Piracy is piracy, and whether an infringing image or video is made with AI or another technology does not make it any less infringing. Midjourney’s conduct misappropriates Disney’s and Universal’s intellectual property and threatens to upend the bedrock incentives of U.S. copyright law that drive American leadership in movies, television, and other creative arts.”

Mashable recently tested the top AI image generators, and our testing revealed that Midjourney readily produced deepfake images featuring a recognizable Disney character. In fact, every single AI image generator we tested produced a similar deepfake with little to no resistance.

Midjourney’s legal defense isn’t off to a promising start, either. The suit cites a 2022 Forbes interview in which Midjourney founder David Holz casually admitted that the company doesn’t bother getting consent from living artists or anyone whose work remains under copyright. The quote, now immortalized in the court filing, could come back to haunt the AI company.

"There isn’t really a way to get a hundred million images and know where they’re coming from," the founder told Forbes. "It would be cool if images had metadata embedded in them about the copyright owner or something. But that's not a thing; there's not a registry."

This isn’t Midjourney’s first brush with legal heat. A year ago, a federal judge in California found that a group of 10 artists suing Midjourney, Stability AI, and others had plausibly argued their copyrighted work was scraped, stored, and potentially monetized without approval. That lawsuit is still making its way through the courts, as are similar suits against OpenAI and Meta. While Disney and Universal are some of the first Hollywood studios to take on the AI industry, the New York Times, along with a growing list of news organizations, has sued OpenAI.

For now, the issue of copyright law and AI training remains in a legal grey area, which means the Disney and Universal lawsuit could have big implications for the wider generative AI field.

Founded in 2021, Midjourney makes money through paid subscriptions and, according to the studios, brought in $300 million in revenue last year.

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

The Life of Chuck is a story of life, love, dance, and death. Adapted from a Stephen King novella by horror auteur Mike Flanagan (Midnight Mass, House of Usher), the new film brandishes a star-studded cast including Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Benjamin Pajak, Annalise Basso, and Mark Hamill. Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko spoke to the lot about one particularly eerie element of this critically heralded film.

In The Life of Chuck, the titular character, Chuck Krantz, discovers there's a door in his childhood home that, if opened, reveals a premonition of death. It could be that of a loved one or your own. So, if presented with such a terrible temptation, would you open the door?

Flanagan was quick to admit he would, saying, "I wouldn't be able to help it!" Gillan called it "the ultimate spoiler" before deciding "my answer is no to that." Ejiofor, who plays her ex-husband in the film, agreed. "If there's nothing you can do about it," he explained, "Then why?"

Benjamin Pajak, who plays a young Chuck opposite his onscreen grandfather Mark Hamill, was torn, suspecting it would depend on the moment of this temptation.

Hiddleston, who plays the grown Chuck, mused, "The challenge is not to open the door, but to live with what's behind the door. Which is that none of us are getting out alive."

Hear the full answers from the cast in the video above.

The Life of Chuck is now playing in theaters everywhere.

At the recent opening of Los Angeles’s newest rail station, just a few miles from LAX, politicians and members of the media gawked at the new train platforms, escalators, elevators, and a gleaming piece of art that hung over the open-air, elevated mezzanine. Downstairs from all the shiny new infrastructure, a different component of the station — a fully automated convenience store that utilizes robots to dispense sodas, snacks, and sundries to customers — elicited numerous ooohs and aaahs.

Called VenHub, the bright blue “Smart Store” operates 24 hours a day without human employees and is only accessible via a downloadable app. Once an order is placed, robots pick up the items with suction cups or finger-like grippers and deposit them in delivery windows. An alert on the app lets you know your purchase is ready, and a QR code opens the window.

VenHub CEO Shahan Ohanessian tells Mashable that the robots, named Barb and Peter after two of his friends, are designed as co-pilots that assist each other.

"If Peter’s not feeling well because of a software issue, he’ll take a rest and Barb takes over," Ohanessian says.

Water, soda, iced coffee, chips, nuts, fruit, and candy are all available at VenHubs, as are non-food items like toothpaste, Tylenol, tampons, razors, Emergen-C, and even earpods and phone chargers. VenHub’s lack of human labor at the kiosks appears to translate to lower costs for patrons, with, for example, a Fiji water bottle selling for $1.39, a Starbucks Frappuccino going for $1.89, Nature Valley granola bars priced at $4.99, and even a USB cord selling for $5.99.

Ohanessian acknowledges that his product replaces human jobs but also believes it creates new ones. In addition to employees managing the robots and automation, human workers restock the VenHubs when needed, he says.

"The store has a lot of AI and technology behind it," Ohanessian says, "[The tech will] tell [company headquarters], 'Hey, we need more water or yogurt.'"

VenHub's technology extends to its security protections, which include cameras, sensors, and bulletproof glass.

Ohanessian, a former Amazon logistics executive who began developing the idea for VenHub four years ago, says his kiosks are the future of small stores, not just in busy places like big city airports, but also in spots lacking retail options.

"There are some locations [being considered] in Texas where it’s a small community, but they just don’t have a convenience store," Ohanessian says.

Other VenHubs are currently scattered around greater Los Angeles, where VenHub is headquartered, but the company has expansions planned for Las Vegas and the East Coast (the company's website proclaims the kiosks are "engineered to withstand extreme weather conditions"). Ohanessian also hopes to make them ubiquitous throughout the nation's airports, and to partner with Los Angeles's transit agency to add more VenHubs throughout the growing (and mostly amenity-free) rail system.

"We're witnessing history, the first airport to see the first unattended smart store," Ohanessian said as his robots deposited potato chips and bottles of water. "That’s where the world is going in the years to come."

At WWDC 2025, Apple's annual developers conference, the company debuted a bold new look for Apple software: Liquid Glass.

Apple calls this its "broadest design update ever." Liquid Glass will arrive with the fall launch of iOS 26 (see also: macOS Tahoe 26, visionOS 26, iPadOS 26, et al), a free software update that delivers a suite of new features and updates to iPhones. So far, most people are understandably focused on how Liquid Glass will change their iPhone, but the new look will affect most Apple devices.

WWDC ran through iPhone updates at a rapid clip, though Liquid Glass was the clear headline. Of course, a lot of Apple users are still catching up on everything we learned at WWDC 2025. Though iOS 26 and Liquid Glass don't officially land until the fall, the developer's beta is available now, which has allowed early adopters to share screengrabs and previews of Liquid Glass on social media. Apple has also shared previews of the new look and customization options.

Thi sis what your home screen could look like with Liquid Glass. Credit: Apple

And the reactions so far have been extremely divided.

Liquid Glass is Apple's biggest redesign in over 10 years, and while it maintains Apple's signature aesthetic, it introduces new animations and personalization options. Translucent elements are the key characteristic of Liquid Glass, and widgets and other on-screen elements now bend and refract light like glass. According to an Apple press release, "This translucent material reflects and refracts its surroundings, while dynamically transforming to help bring greater focus to content, delivering a new level of vitality across controls, navigation, app icons, widgets, and more."

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At first glance, many Mashable tech reporters thought the new design looked beautiful, particularly the new clear mode. In clear mode, all of your widgets and icons become translucent, creating a feeling of openness and extra space. It's the same effect you get by adding a mirror to a room. Users will also be able to customize the appearance of Liquid Glass elements in Icon Composer, a feature available on iOS, macOS, and watchOS.

A preview of the Icon Composer settings for Liquid Glass. Credit: Apple

However, while Liquid Glass has advocates among early adopters, it has also attracted some harsh critics, who say the new design language creates confusing clashes between layers that affect readability.

In particular, critics have been focused on one aspect of the iPhone's Liquid Glass display: the appearance of Control Center. This is the swipe-down window that contains quick access to settings and utilities like Bluetooth, your calculator and flashlight, and screen brightness. And in clear mode, the design can be undeniably awkward. (Remember that these types of videos and images can be faked, so take social media posts like this with a grain of salt.)

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Remember: this is a developer's beta. The final look of Liquid Glass will almost certainly change before the fall launch. In fact, identifying bugs like this is the whole purpose of a beta.

But don't expect nuance from social media conversations. Some users say Liquid Glass would have Steve Jobs rolling in his grave, while others are equally sure Liquid Glass is the natural successor to Jobs' vision for Apple design.

So, are you on Team Clear? We've gathered some of the top reactions from X, where Liquid Glass is a big topic of debate.

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is looking to AI to solve the problem of lengthy approval processes, as the Trump administration invests in even more automation amid thousands of federal worker layoffs.

The administration wants to “radically increase efficiency” using the burgeoning technology, according to a new article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) outlining the agency's priorities. The department's plan includes using artificial intelligence to examine device and drug applications, which would reportedly shave years off of the approval process, as well as AI computational modeling to reduce animal testing. The plan also proposes requiring just one major patient study to facilitate approvals, part of an overhaul of "legacy" processes.

The article cites the success of COVID-19's Operation Warp Speed as precedent for diminished release timelines, but many professionals remain skeptical. "Rethinking our approach to AI, balancing safety and accuracy while fueling innovation, is a leading FDA priority... The FDA and our great medical profession should unite to consider fresh new approaches to the evolving health topics facing the US today." the report reads. "The FDA will take conflict of interest seriously."

SEE ALSO: OpenAI launches new, smarter model. Meet o3-pro.

The article was authored by Vinay Prasad, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), and Commissioner of Food and Drugs Martin A. Makary. Prasad and Makary have backed the department overhaul touted by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Kennedy has been on the offensive against the nation's scientists and physicians, labelling the FDA "a sock puppet of industry," clearing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s vaccine advisory committee, and pushing for a generative AI overhaul.

In May, the FDA launched its first AI-assisted scientific review pilot, intended to "reduce the amount of non-productive busywork" for FDA scientists and subject matter experts, according to Makary. That same month, experts admonished a report by Kennedy's Make America Healthy Again initiative that was allegedly riddled with fake studies and incorrect citations possibly produced by artificial intelligence.

SAVE $250: The Asus Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) usually retails for $999.99, but Best Buy has it on sale for just $749.99 (or 25% off) as of June 11. That's a new record low.

Opens in a new window Credit: Asus Asus Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $749.99 at Best Buy
$999.99 Save $250 Get Deal

Best Buy has been working hard to offset the Asus ZenBook A14's $100 tariff price hike this spring. Weeks after slashing its new $999 MSRP by $200 in late May, the retailer currently has it on sale for $250 off. That discount brings it down to just $749.99 — a 25% savings and a new all-time low.

One might recall the Zenbook A14's debut at CES 2025, where it took home our Best of CES award in the laptop category for its unique construction and long battery life. Its matte-texture chassis is made from a magnesium-aluminum alloy called "Ceraluminum" that's durable, scratch-resistant, and impervious to fingerprints, but it's no clunker. The Zabriskie Beige base configuration featured in Best Buy's deal weighs only 2.4 pounds, making it a third of a pound lighter than the new 13-inch M4 Apple MacBook Air. Other design highlights include a 14-inch OLED display and a gesture-controlled trackpad.

SEE ALSO: Best Windows laptops for 2025: Our top pick lasts longer than the M4 MacBook Pros

As for that battery life, Asus has rated this Copilot+ PC at up to 32 hours per charge. Mashable has yet to put it through our official battery life test — stay tuned — but if it can get within eight hours of that advertised number, it'll be the longest-lasting laptop we've ever tried (dethroning the 13.8-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7).

The base ZenBook A14 is powered by a Snapdragon X Plus processor that scored on par with previous-gen MacBook Airs' M3 chips when I ran it through Primate Labs' Geekbench 6 CPU benchmark. It comes with 16GB of memory and 512GB of SSD storage, which are ideal specs for a daily driver.

The best tech deals to shop this week

• Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With MagSafe USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)

• Beats Pill Bluetooth Speaker — $99.00 (List Price $149.95)

• Roborock Qrevo Master Robot Vacuum and Mop — $799.97 (List Price $1599.99)

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

TL;DR: Streamline your workflow with instant access to multiple AI tools in one place with 1min.AI’s Advanced Business Plan lifetime subscription for just A$154 (reg. A$834).

Opens in a new window Credit: 1minAI 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime Subscription AU$154
AU$834 Save AU$680 Get Deal

Tired of juggling multiple AI tools? 1min.AI brings ChatGPT, Gemini, Midjourney, and more into one easy-to-use platform that lets you take advantage of their individual strengths without the chaos of constantly switching tabs. And right now, a lifetime subscription to 1min.AI’s Advanced Business Plan can be yours for only A$154 (reg. A$834).

Put AI to work for you with this handy platform

Overwhelmed by AI? If you’re new to this booming technology field, keeping up with all the various platforms and their individual perks can be tough. That’s where 1min.AI really shines, consolidating them all in one convenient spot. Create images, optimize your website, or get help with text-based tasks on one platform, as 1min.AI takes advantage of platforms like Google AI, Meta AI, Gemini, Mistral, ChatGPT, and more.

This lifetime subscription to the Advanced Business Plan is an excellent option for helping you tackle work tasks. You’ll gain unlimited access to the prompt library, brand voice options, storage, and collaboration features for up to 20 colleagues.

An Advanced Business Plan also includes 4,000,000 monthly credits, which is enough to generate up to 1,112,500 words, create 1,186 images, upscale 741 photos, remove backgrounds from 74 images, transcribe more than 14,000 seconds of audio, and produce up to 37 videos each month.

Need help with SEO? You can research up to 5,933 SEO keywords per month with this plan. And if you need more credits, it’s easy to earn them — just visit the app, leave a review, or refer a friend.

Let AI help you take a load off with 1min.AI’s Advanced Business Plan lifetime subscription, now only A$154 (reg. A$834).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get a productivity boost with Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows, now just $29.97 (reg. $229) for life.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows $29.97
$229 Save $199.03 Get Deal

Remember Microsoft Office? It’s still around, and for good reason — it’s still packed with powerful tools that professionals rely on. It’s filled with apps that have stood the test of time, and some newbies that can really help you manage your workflow more efficiently.

Right now, you can secure a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for just $29.97 (reg. $229).

Work smarter with this affordable Microsoft Office deal

Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 equips your PC with essential tools to boost productivity. It outfits your PC with seven apps ready for everything from professional projects to personal organization.

Draft a document with Word, set up a budget with Excel, create a killer presentation with PowerPoint, and knock out some work emails with Outlook. You’ll also get access to newer additions like OneNote, Publisher, and Access. This license gives you lifetime access, with no monthly subscription fees required.

Don’t let the 2019 label fool you — this version remains powerful and modern. It’s actually been redesigned and offers improved cloud connectivity and enhanced features. You’ll get access to new presentation tools in PowerPoint, new analysis capabilities in Excel, and updated email and contact management features in Outlook.

After purchase, you’ll receive instant access to download and install the full suite directly on your PC. You need to be running Windows 10 or 11.

Give your PC an upgrade with this Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows, now just $29.97 (reg. $229).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

SAVE $30: The TheraGun Relief massage gun is on sale at Amazon for $139.99, down from the list price at Therabody of $169.99. That's an 18% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Therabody TheraGun Relief $139.99 at Amazon
$169.99 Save $30 Get Deal

Some dads have it all, which means finding a unique and thoughtful gift can be nearly impossible. If you're stumped on a Father's Day gift but need something quickly for the fitness fanatic, check out this deal at Amazon.

As of June 11, the TheraGun Relief massage gun is $139.99 at Amazon, marked down from the normal price of $169.99 listed at Therabody. That's a savings of $30 from an 18% discount. And if you snag this deal soon, the TheraGun will arrive in time for Father's Day.

A percussive massage gun can be a huge relief for dads (or anyone) who deals with muscle soreness or back pain. The lightweight TheraGun Relief aims to soothe aches and pains with an intuitive design that's easy to use. Plus, you can follow along with guided routines in the Therabody app.

SEE ALSO: Home Depot is running a massive Father’s Day Sale — get the best deals on cordless power tools

The TheraGun Relief comes with three massage attachments that come with specific purposes. The Dampener attachment is great for low-impact therapy on sensitive areas like the feet or around joints and bones. The standard Ball attachment is designed for whole-body relief, and the Thumb attachment is meant to get those hard-to-reach small areas like trigger points in the back and stubborn muscle knots.

Instead of gifting dad another set of whiskey stones, gift him the wellness-centric TheraGun Relief. It'll come in handy after a trip to the gym, a red-eye flight, or that upcoming golf tournament. But be sure to order it soon to make sure it arrives in time for Sunday.

The best tech deals to shop this week

• Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With MagSafe USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)

• Beats Pill Bluetooth Speaker — $99.00 (List Price $149.95)

• Roborock Qrevo Master Robot Vacuum and Mop — $799.97 (List Price $1599.99)

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

FREE STREAMING: T-Mobile customers can stream The Bear and other shows for free with its recently launched 'Experience Beyond' plan.

Opens in a new window Credit: T-Mobile Experience Beyond $170 at T-Mobile
$230 Save $60 Get Deal

The new season of The Bear is set to premiere on June 25, and if you'd rather not add another streaming subscription to your budget, you might want to look at your phone plan. T-Mobile is bundling a number of streaming services with its new plans, making it a great time to check your perks.

SEE ALSO: 'The Bear' Season 4, 'Daredevil: Born Again,' and more revealed in Disney+ 2025 preview

T-Mobile is continuing its popular "Hulu on Us" offer, which was previously available to Go5G Next customers, and now includes it with the new Experience Beyond plan. This gets you Hulu (with ads) so you can keep up with Carmy and the crew. The plan also includes Netflix Standard with ads, Apple TV+, and MLS Season Pass. That’s around $35 worth of streaming services at no extra charge.

The Experience Beyond plan is currently offered at $170/month, with discounts available for autopay, veterans, and first responders. If that's a bit steep, the Experience More plan at $140/month still includes Netflix and Apple TV+.

If you're looking for a more affordable route, T-Mobile's prepaid brand has a solid offer. The Metro Flex Unlimited Plus plan runs for $60/month and includes a full Amazon Prime membership. That gives you access to Prime Video hits and thousands of other movies and shows.

The best tech deals to shop this week

• Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With MagSafe USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)

• Beats Pill Bluetooth Speaker — $99.00 (List Price $149.95)

• Roborock Qrevo Master Robot Vacuum and Mop — $799.97 (List Price $1599.99)

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

GET A FREE PROJECTOR: As of June 11, buy a Samsung QN990F 8K TV at Samsung for $6,499.99 and get a free Samsung Freestyle Projector (2nd gen) with purchase ($800 value).

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung QN990F 8K TV $6,499.99 at Samsung
Get a free Samsung Freestyle Projector (2nd Gen) with purchase. Get Deal

What's a great reason to snag a new TV? When you can get a nice little freebie with it, of course. If you're ready to upgrade your home's entertainment hub with a new screen, now's the time to do it with a massive TV from Samsung. If you decide to splurge, you can add another goodie to your purchase in the form of a projector, all available from Samsung right now as a special bundle deal.

As of June 11, buy a Samsung QN990F 8K TV at Samsung for $6,499.99 and get a free Samsung Freestyle Projector (2nd Gen) with purchase ($800 value). To add the projector to your purchase, scroll down to the "Enhance your experience" section of the store page and ensure the "Get The Freestyle 2nd Gen With Gaming Hub on us" option is highlighted. It should show "$0", discounted from $799.99. Click the "Add" button and your cart should be updated with both items.

SEE ALSO: Score a 75-inch Hisense Smart Fire TV at its lowest price ever at Amazon

The Samsung QN990F TV is an 8K display with an 120Hz refresh rate that can operate at 240Hz in 4K resolution to improve its performance. You can opt for the 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch, and 98-inch models to be eligible for this deal, so you can choose the size that best fits your home or the room you're putting it in.

This TV is no slouch in the visuals department, as you can likely tell by the price. It offers HDR10+ for deeper hues, darker colors, and excellent picture quality. With support for virtual 3D surround sound, Dolby Atmos, and object tracking, it's also adept at helping you to feel like you're really part of the action.

The Samsung Freestyle (2nd gen) is a smart projector that's meant to take up as little space as possible while still offering a great alternative to your TV display. It has 180 degrees of rotation so you can figure out the best place for it in your home or outside, and can be adjusted to offer up to a 100-inch display. It offers up to three hours of battery so you can watch your favorite shows and movies, support for streaming apps, and additional smart features to help you watch and share content at your leisure.

Best TV Deals

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)

• Amazon Fire TV 4-Series (43 inches, 2024) — $329.99

• 55-inch Sony Bravia 3 4K LED Smart Google TV (2024 Model) — $648.00 (List Price $699.99)

• Hisense 85-Inch Class U8 Series Mini-LED ULED 4K UHD Google Smart TV — $1,699.99

• LG 65-inch Class UR9000 Series 4K Smart TV   — $496.99 (List Price $629.99)

A new report from the Wall Street Journal details just how far X owner Elon Musk and CEO Linda Yaccarino have gone to claw back lost ad dollars. The strategy: leverage the courts.

According to the WSJ, Yaccarino and X’s legal team have threatened to pull several major advertisers into their sweeping lawsuit against the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), accusing the group of orchestrating an industry-wide boycott of the platform. As a result of the mounting legal pressure, the WFA shut down its nonprofit initiative, the Global Alliance for Responsible Media.

The group was designed to help member companies avoid placing ads on platforms that spread harmful content.

When Musk took over the site formerly known as Twitter in 2022, nearly half of its top advertisers bailed. Musk’s overhaul of moderation and verification policies led to the reinstatement of banned far-right accounts and chaos over brand impersonation, thanks to the rollout of paid blue checkmarks without real verification. Then, another report alleged ads were being shown next to pro-Nazi content, so more brands fled. In response, X filed suit against Media Matters for America, the nonprofit that published that report.

Now, the alleged message from X’s leadership is explicit: advertise with us, or risk becoming a defendant.

Some brands, like Verizon and Ralph Lauren, have returned, per the Journal. Verizon has committed to $10 million in ad spend, with a possibility of ramping up to $25 million. Others, including Pinterest, have declined — and now appear as named parties in the WFA suit.

SEE ALSO: The X API costs developers $42K per month. Now X wants a cut of their revenue instead.

Unilever, one of the world’s largest advertisers, was originally included in the lawsuit. A few months later, after pledging an undisclosed ad spend, its name was quietly dropped, the Journal reported.

The push to reel advertisers back in comes as X continues to chase shrinking revenue. According to the report, the platform pulled in just $2.6 billion in 2024, down from $4.6 billion in 2022, the year Musk took over. The xAI merger helped push the numbers up, and X’s ad revenue is expected to grow in 2025 for the first time under Musk’s ownership.

However, it's still projected to fall short of pre-acquisition levels.

SAVE $21: Through June 20, ESPN+ is only $4.99 per month for three months, rather than the usual $11.99 per month. That's about 59% in savings and a rare discount for the streamer.

Opens in a new window Credit: ESPN+ ESPN+ $4.99/month for 3 months (save $7/month) Get Deal

Some streaming services, like Peacock and Paramount+, run deals several times a year. Others (*cough* Netflix) rarely, if ever, discount their subscription costs. ESPN+ falls into the rare category, so it's pretty remarkable that you can score a three-month subscription for more than half off as of June 11.

Through June 20, ESPN+ is only $4.99 per month for three months, rather than the usual $11.99 per month. That's $7 in savings each month, or $21 total you get to keep in your pocket. The deal is only available to new ESPN+ subscribers and eligible returning subscribers.

SEE ALSO: How to watch the 2025 U.S. Open live: Where is it streaming?

Of course, once the three-month promotional period ends, the plan will automatically jump back up to full price. Be sure to cancel your subscription prior to that date if you want to avoid the $11.99 charge.

ESPN+ is a standalone service, not a direct live stream of the ESPN network, contrary to popular belief. It does carry select live ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC games from both college and professional teams — including NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, PGA, Premier League, and more. But it also features ESPN+ Originals, like Man in the Arena: Tom Brady, Full Court Press and the Places series, on-demand TV shows and movies, like 30 for 30 and They Call It Late Night with Jason Kelce, and exclusive UFC content, like Fight Nights and pay-per-view events.

I personally use the service to stream out-of-network NHL games all season long and am pleasantly surprised by the sheer number of games I can watch. While I'm not a massive sports fan myself, I still find ESPN+ to be a worthy subscription for that alone. If you are a sports fanatic, you'll be in streaming heaven.

We don't see many deals for ESPN+ outside of the year-round Disney+ bundles, so we highly recommend jumping on this one if you're curious about the sports streaming app.

The best TV deals to shop this week

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)

• Amazon Fire TV 4-Series (43 inches, 2024) — $329.99

• 55-inch Sony Bravia 3 4K LED Smart Google TV (2024 Model) — $648.00 (List Price $699.99)

• Hisense 85-Inch Class U8 Series Mini-LED ULED 4K UHD Google Smart TV — $1,699.99

• LG 65-inch Class UR9000 Series 4K Smart TV   — $496.99 (List Price $629.99)

Whose bright idea was it to cram Father's Day right in the middle of graduation and dance recital season? There are so many distractions this time of year that you'd almost be forgiven if Father's Day totally slipped your mind. No need to panic, though; with our handpicked selection of the best last-minute Father's Day gifts, he'll never even know that you almost let the day skate by without a great gift to give. From subscriptions that keep on giving and digital gifts to physical items that can ship overnight, there's no excuse to show up empty-handed — metaphorically. Take a deep breath and scroll through these last-minute gift ideas for Father’s Day 2025.

SAVE 50%: As of June 11, you can get the Craftsman Versastack tool set (230 piece) for just $99, down from $199, at Amazon. That's a 50% discount and $100 off.

CRAFTSMAN VERSASTACK Mechanics Tool Set, 1/4 in, 3/8 in, and 1/2 in Drive, 230 Piece (CMMT45306) $99 at Amazon
$199 Save $100 Get Deal

Father’s Day is one of the most difficult holidays to shop for (at least, it is for me). When you know a man who seemingly has everything (or says he does, anyway) or claims to want nothing, it’s hard to find a gift that he’ll actually like and use. If your dad is a Mr. Fix-It, you could always spring for a new tool set.

As of June 11, you can get the Craftsman Versastack tool set (230 piece) for just $99, down from $199, at Amazon. That's a 50% discount and $100 off — and its lowest price ever. If you buy it now, it'll arrive two days before Father's Day (which is Sunday, June 15).

SEE ALSO: Best Father's Day gifts: Surprise Dad with something memorable

The Craftsman Versastack tool set includes 230 pieces, including a low-profile ratchet that has a 25 percent thinner head, a 72-tooth ratchet that delivers a five-degree arc swing, and an assortment of sockets, wrenches, and specialty bits. All of this comes in a stackable storage system that works with other Versastack products, and it’s all backed by Craftsman’s full lifetime warranty.

The best tech deals to shop this week

• Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With MagSafe USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)

• Beats Pill Bluetooth Speaker — $99.00 (List Price $149.95)

• Roborock Qrevo Master Robot Vacuum and Mop — $799.97 (List Price $1599.99)

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

SAVE $350.02: The Jackery Explorer 1000 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $448.98, down from the list price of $799. That's a whopping 44% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 1000 $448.98 at Amazon
$799 Save $350.02 Get Deal

Before you head out on a camping trip this summer, you'll need to pack the car full of all the necessities. S'mores materials are top of the list, but have you considered how you'll recharge your phone and the camp lantern? If you're in need of a portable power station, there's a great model on sale today at Amazon.

As of June 11, the Jackery Explorer 1000 portable power station is on sale for $448.98 at Amazon, marked down from the list price of $799. That's a huge 44% discount that takes $350.02 off the usual price.

If you're searching for portable power that also comes in a compact size, the Jackery Explorer 1000 is designed for you. There's even a folding handle so it's easy to carry from the car to the campsite. But the real star of the show with the Jackery Explorer 1000 is the massive power supply.

This second version of the Jackery Explorer 1000 is loaded up with a 1070Wh capacity and a 1500W output. In real life terms, that means you can power up your portable refrigerator for up to 15 hours, or the standard Starlink dish for 10 hours.

SEE ALSO: Get ready for summer: The Ninja FrostVault cooler just hit its lowest price ever

A portable power station is not only great for summer camping, but it's essential for storms that knock out your home's power. Since you can recharge your phone with the Jackery Explorer 1000, you'll be able to check with family and friends and keep an eye on the expected power restoration timeline.

Instead of dealing with a dead phone while camping, stay juiced up thanks to the Jackery Explorer 1000. It's on sale at Amazon today for under $450, which means you'll save over $350. It'll become your new favorite camping toy before you even leave home.

The best tech deals to shop this week

• Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With MagSafe USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)

• Beats Pill Bluetooth Speaker — $99.00 (List Price $149.95)

• Roborock Qrevo Master Robot Vacuum and Mop — $799.97 (List Price $1599.99)

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

The internet has proven time and again that it loves little word puzzle games. Just look at all the wildly popular games from The New York Times.

Now, it appears that Apple is trying to break into that world. iOS 26, which was announced this week at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), includes a new "Emoji Game" for Apple News+ subscribers.

The idea is that you fill in blanks with emoji to complete three phrases. The words or emoji can have double meanings across phrases, so the goal is to solve the puzzle in as few moves as possible.

Here's a preview of what the game will look like.

Credit: Apple

You drag the emoji into the blank spaces in order to solve the puzzle. Folks who are using the iOS 26 beta and are Apple News+ subscribers can start playing the game today. It seems like it'll follow a similar playbook to the NYT's game offerings — a daily, shareable puzzle that tracks your stats.

Wrote Apple in a press release:

"Users can share puzzles, track stats and streaks, and compete with others through Game Center leaderboards. Emoji Game features a daily puzzle available in the U.S. and for English-speaking users in Canada, and can be accessed from the Following tab in the News app."

If people love the Emoji Game, it could prove useful for getting people to subscribe to Apple News‌+. However, at $12.99 per month, it'd have to be a very good game.

OpenAI has a new reasoning model called o3-pro that the company says is its most intelligent yet.

On Tuesday the ChatGPT maker announced o3-pro on X, sharing some details on its improvement over o3. OpenAI highlighted better performance in "science, education, programming, data analysis, and writing" and also said reviewers rated it higher on "clarity, comprehensiveness, instruction-following, and accuracy."

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o3-pro is available in the API and to ChatGPT Pro and Team users, with Enterprise and Edu availability rolling out next week.

OpenAI's o3-pro is the newest addition to its family of reasoning models, which break down tasks into steps for ostensibly more accurate and reliable responses, as opposed to conventional LLMs. In this regard, reasoning models like o3-pro are considered better for complex tasks and OpenAI says o3-pro "excels at math, science, and coding." OpenAI posted benchmark evaluations indicating o3-pro surpasses o1-pro and o3 in these areas.

Researchers from Apple recently found some notable limitations in reasoning models, including OpenAI's o3-mini. When prompted to solve the classic Tower of Hanoi problem, which involves moving discs from one peg to another, the models struggled as complexity increased and even gave up despite having more computing power at their disposal.

The research made waves amongst the AI community as evidence that reasoning models aren't as smart as they're hyped to be. However, experts also pointed out that the research tested a very specific problem, and it didn't compare the results of humans and reasoning models on the same problems. So, it's not a definitive conclusion that AI tools are completely overhyped, but the findings do suggest that they're not necessarily the best models for every kind of task.

o3-pro has access to tools in ChatGPT, including web search, Python, visual analysis of documents, and personalized responses with memory support. But it doesn't support image generation or canvas, OpenAI's interface for working on projects, according to the release notes. Responses will also take longer because o3-pro has access to tools.

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

SAVE $1,000: As of June 11, T-Mobile is giving away a free Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus for customers who trade in any phone through T-Mobile's Experience Beyond or Go5G Next plans.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Free Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus with T-Mobile Get Deal

Phone deals are the unsung heroes of the online shopping world. They don't get the spotlight like TV deals or gaming deals, but when something decent becomes available, shoppers are interested. And that makes sense because not everyone owns a PS5 or needs a massive 98-inch TV, but pretty much everyone has a phone.

So with that in mind, we're always on the lookout for strong deals on new smartphones. And we've got a doozy for you: T-Mobile is currently offering a deal that includes a free Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus. Yep, you can get your hands on this incredible smartphone for absolutely nothing.

SEE ALSO: TikTok creator Tess Gigone does it all with an iPhone and an Octobuddy

As of June 11, T-Mobile is giving away a free Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus for customers who trade in any phone through T-Mobile's Experience Beyond or Go5G Next plans. You can turn in a broken, eligible smartphone and get a new Galaxy S25 Plus for free. It sounds too good to be true, but it's legit. The only catch is that this free phone is paid out in credits through a 24-month billing cycle, so you're locked into a contract for two years.

Head to T-Mobile to get your free Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus.

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

• Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With MagSafe USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)

• Beats Pill Bluetooth Speaker — $99.00 (List Price $149.95)

• Roborock Qrevo Master Robot Vacuum and Mop — $799.97 (List Price $1599.99)

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)