Technology

Did you know that palm veins were unique enough to use as a security measure on a smart lock? I didn’t, but TCL did, and I’m happy they figured it out. The TCL D1 Pro smart lock’s headlining feature is using your palm to unlock it, which is fascinating—and I liked it a lot more than I expected to.

For the past 40 years, Henry and Margaret Tanner have been crafting leather shoes by hand from their small workshop in Boca Raton, Florida. "No shortcuts, no cheap materials, just honest, top notch craftsmanship," Henry says in a YouTube advertisement for his business Tanner Shoes.

What's even more remarkable?

Henry has been able to do all this despite his mangled, twisted hand. And poor Margaret only has three fingers, as you can see in this photo of the couple from their website.

An AI-generated image recently deleted from the Tanner Shoes website. Credit: Tanner Shoes

I discovered Tanner Shoes through a series of YouTube video ads. Having written about men's fashion for years, I was curious about these bespoke leather shoemakers. In a typical YouTube ad for Tanner Shoes, a video of an older man, presumably Henry, is imposed over footage of "handmade" leather shoes, as he wearily intones, "They don’t make them like they used to, but for 40 years we did...Customers say our shoes have a timeless look, and that they’re worth every penny. But now, you won’t have to spend much at all because we’re retiring. For the first and last time, every last pair is 80 percent off."

I suspect the Tanner Shoes "retirement" sale is every bit as real as the photos of Henry and Margaret Tanner. Outside of this advertisement, I have found no online presence for Henry and Margaret Tanner and no evidence of the Tanner Shoes business existing in Boca Raton. I reached out to Tanner Shoes to ask if its namesake owners exist, where the company is located, and if it's really closing soon, but I have not received a response.

Unsurprisingly, Reddit users have spotted nearly identical YouTube video ads for other phony mom-and-pop shops, showing that these misleading ads aren't a one-off. As one Reddit user said, "I've seen ads like this in German with an AI grandma supposedly closing her jewelry store and selling her 'hand-made' goods at a discount." After I asked YouTube about the Tanner Shoes ads, the company suspended the advertiser's account for violating YouTube policies.

A screenshot of a Tanner Shoes ad featuring a likely AI "actor." Credit: Tanner Shoes / YouTube

These ads are part of a growing trend of YouTube video advertisements featuring AI-generated content. AI video ads exist on Instagram and TikTok too, but as the original and most well-established video platform, I focused my investigation on YouTube, which is owned by Google.

While AI has legitimate uses in advertising, many of the AI video ads I found on YouTube are deceptive, designed to trick the viewer into buying leather shoes or diet pills. While reliable stats on AI scams are hard to find, the FBI warned in 2024 that cybercrime utilizing AI is on the rise. Overall, online scams and phishing have increased 94 percent since 2020, according to a Bolster.ai report.

AI tools can quickly generate lifelike videos, pictures, and audio. Using tools like this, scammers and hustlers can easily create AI "actors," for lack of a better word, to appear in their ads.

In another AI video ad Mashable reviewed, an AI actor pretends to be a financial analyst. I received this advertisement repeatedly over a series of weeks, as did many Reddit and LinkedIn users.

In the video, the nameless financial analyst promises, "I'm probably the only financial advisor who shares all his trades online," and that "I've won 18 of my last 20 trades." Just click the link to join a secret WhatsApp group. Other AI actors promise to help watchers discover an amazing weight loss secret ("I lost 20 pounds using just three ingredients I already had in the back of my fridge!"). And others are just straight-up celebrity deepfakes.

An AI-generated financial advisor that appeared in YouTube advertisements. Credit: YouTube / Mashable Photo Composite Celebrity deepfakes and deceptive AI video ads

I was surprised to find former Today host Hoda Kotb promoting sketchy weight loss tricks on YouTube, but there she was, casually speaking to the camera.

"Ladies, the new viral recipe for pink salt was featured on the Today show, but for those of you who missed the live show, I'm here to teach you how to do this new 30-second trick that I get so many requests for on social media. As a solo mom of two girls, I barely have time for myself, so I tried the pink salt trick to lose weight faster, only I had to stop, because it was melting too fast."

Sadly, pink salt won't magically make you skinny, no matter what fake Hoda Kotb says. (AI-generated material) Credit: YouTube

This fake Kotb promises that even though this weight loss secret sounds too good to be true, it's definitely legit. "This is the same recipe Japanese celebrities use to get thin. When I first learned about this trick, I didn't believe it either. Harvard and Johns Hopkins say it's 12 times more effective than Mounj (sic)...If you don't lose at least four chunks of fat, I'll personally buy you a case of Mounjaro pens."

Click the ad, and you'll be taken to yet another video featuring even more celebrity deepfakes and sketchy customer "testimonials." Spoiler alert: This video culminates not in the promised weight loss recipe, but in a promotion for Exi Shred diet pills. Representatives for Kotb didn't respond to a request for comment, but I found the original video used to create this deepfake. The real video was originally posted on April 28 on Instagram, and it was already being used in AI video ads by May 17.

Kotb is just another victim of AI deepfakes, which are sophisticated enough to slip past YouTube's ad review process.

Sometimes, these AI creations appear real at first, but pay attention, and you'll often find a clear tell. Because the Kotb deepfake used an altered version of a real video, the fake Kotb cycles through the same facial expressions and hand movements repeatedly. Another dead giveaway? These AI impersonators will often inexplicably mispronounce a common word.

The AI financial analyst promises to livestream trades on Twitch, only it mispronounces livestream as "give-stream," not "five-stream." And in AI videos about weight loss, AI actors will trip up over simple phrases like "I lost 35 lbs," awkwardly pronouncing "lbs" as "ell-bees." I've also seen phony Elon Musks pronounce "DOGE" like "doggy" in crypto scams.

However, there isn't always a tell.

Can you tell what's real? Are you sure? Can you tell what's real? Credit: Screenshot courtesy of YouTube

Once I started investigating AI video ads on YouTube, I began to scrutinize every single actor I saw. It's not always easy to tell the difference between a carefully airbrushed model and a glossy AI creation, or to separate bad acting from a digitally altered influencer video.

So, every time YouTube played a new ad, I questioned every little detail — the voice, the clothes, the facial tics, the glasses. What was real? What was fake?

Surely, I thought, that's not Fox News host Dr. Drew Pinsky hawking overpriced supplements, but another deepfake? And is that really Bryan Johnson, the "I want to live forever" viral star, selling "Longevity protein" and extra virgin olive oil? Actually, yes, it turns out they are. Don't forget, plenty of celebrities really do appear in commercials and YouTube ads.

Okay, but what about that shiny bald man with a super secret technique for lowering cholesterol that the pharmaceutical companies don't want you to know about? And is that girl-next-door type in the glasses really selling software to automate my P&L and balance sheets? I genuinely don't know what's real anymore.

Watch enough YouTube video ads, and the overly filtered models and influencers all start to look like artificial people.

Can you tell which of these videos are real? Credit: YouTube / TikTok / Mashable Photo Composite SEE ALSO: How to identify AI-generated videos

To make matters more complicated, most of the AI video ads I found on YouTube didn't feature characters and sets created from scratch.

Rather, the advertisers take real social media videos and change the audio and lip movements to make the subjects say whatever they want. Henry Ajder, an expert on AI deepfakes, told me that these types of AI videos are popular because they’re cheap and easy to make with widely available synthetic lip synchronization and voice cloning tools. These more subtle AI videos are virtually impossible to definitively identify as AI at a glance.

"With just 20 seconds of a person’s voice and a single photograph of them, it is now possible to create a video of them saying or doing anything," Hany Farid, a professor at the University of California Berkeley and an expert in artificial intelligence, said in an email to Mashable.

Ajder told me there are also multiple tools for “the creation of entirely AI-generated influencer style content.” And just this week, TikTok announced new AI-generated influencers that advertisers can use to create AI video ads.

TikTok now offers multiple "digital avatars" for creating influencer-style video ads. Credit: TikTok

YouTube is supposed to have solutions for deceptive ads. Google's generative AI policies and YouTube's rules against misrepresentation prohibit using AI for "misinformation, misrepresentation, or misleading activities," including for "Frauds, scams, or other deceptive actions." The policies also forbid "Impersonating an individual (living or dead) without explicit disclosure, in order to deceive."

So, what gives?

Consumers deserve clear disclosures for AI-generated content

For viewers who want to know the difference between reality and unreality, clear AI content labels in video advertisements could help.

When scrolling YouTube, you may have noticed that certain videos now carry a tag, which reads "Altered or synthetic content / Sound or visuals were significantly edited or digitally generated." Instead of placing a prominent tag over the video itself, YouTube typically puts this label in the video description.

You might assume that a video advertisement on YouTube generated by AI would be required to use this disclosure, but according to YouTube, that's not actually the case.

Using AI-generated material doesn’t violate YouTube ad policies (in fact, it's encouraged), nor is disclosure required in most cases. In fact, YouTube only requires AI disclosures for ads that use AI-generated content in election-related videos or political content.

The synthetic content label in the description of an AI short film on YouTube. Credit: YouTube

In response to Mashable’s questions about AI video ads, Michael Aciman, a Google Policy Communications Manager, provided this statement: “We have clear policies and transparency requirements for the use of AI-generated content in ads, including disclosure requirements for election ads and AI watermarks on ad content created with our own AI tools. We also aggressively enforce our policies to protect people from harmful ads — including scams — regardless of how the ad is created.”

There's another reason why AI video ads that violate YouTube's policies slip through the cracks — the sheer volume of videos and ads uploaded to YouTube each day. How big is the problem? A Google spokesperson told Mashable the company permanently suspended more than 700,000 scam advertiser accounts in 2024 alone. Not 700,000 scam videos, but 700,000 scam advertiser accounts. According to Google's 2024 Ads Safety Report, the company stopped 5.1 billion "bad ads" last year across its expansive ad network, including almost 147 million ads that violated the misrepresentation policy.

YouTube’s solution to deceptive AI content on YouTube? More AI, of course. While human reviewers are still used for some videos, YouTube has invested heavily in automated systems using LLM technology to review ad content. “To address the rise of public figure impersonation scams over the last year, we quickly assembled a dedicated team of over 100 experts to analyze these scams and develop effective countermeasures, such as updating our Misrepresentation policy to suspend the advertisers that promote these scams," a Google representative told Mashable.

After I asked the company about specific AI videos described in this article, YouTube suspended at least two advertiser accounts; users can also report deceptive ads for review.

However, while celebrity deepfakes are a clear violation of YouTube's ad policies (and federal law), the rules governing AI-generated actors and ads in general are far less clear.

AI video isn't going away

If YouTube fills up with AI-generated videos, you won't have to look far for an explanation. The call is very much coming from inside the house. At Google I/O 2025, Google introduced Veo 3, a breakthrough new model for creating AI video and dialogue. Veo 3 is an impressive leap forward in AI video creation, as I've reported previously for Mashable.

To be clear, Veo 3 was released too recently to be behind any of the deceptive videos described in this story. On top of that, Google includes a hidden watermark in all Veo 3 videos for identification (a visual watermark was recently introduced as well). However, with so many AI tools now available to the public, the volume of fake videos on the web is certain to grow.

One of the first Veo 3 viral videos I saw was a mock pharmaceutical ad. While the faux commercial was meant to be humorous, I wasn't laughing. What happens when a pharmaceutical company uses an AI actor to portray a pharmacist or doctor?

Deepfake expert Henry Ajder says AI content in ads is forcing us to confront the deception that already exists in advertising.

"One of the big things that it's done is it's held up a looking glass for society, as kind of how the sausage is already being made, which is like, 'Oh, I don't like this. AI is involved. This feels not very trustworthy. The feels deceptive.' And then, 'Oh, wait, actually, that person in the white lab coat was just some random person they hired from an agency in the first place, right?'"

In the United States, TV commercials and other advertisements have to abide by consumer protection laws and are subject to Federal Trade Commission regulations. In 2024, the FTC passed a rule banning the use of AI to impersonate government and business agencies, and Congress recently passed a law criminalizing deepfakes, the "Take It Down" Act. However, many AI-generated videos fall into a legal grey area with no explicit rules.

It's a tricky question: If an entire commercial is made with AI actors and no clear disclosure, is that advertisement definitionally deceptive? And is it any more deceptive than hiring actors to portray faux pharmacists, paying influencers to promote products, or using Photoshop to airbrush a model?

These are no longer hypothetical questions. YouTube already promotes using Google AI technology to create advertising materials, including video ads for YouTube, to "save time and resources." In a blog post, Google promotes how its "AI-powered advertising solutions can assist you with the creation and adaptation of videos for YouTube’s wide range of ad formats." And based on the success of Google Veo 3, it seems inevitable that platforms like YouTube will soon allow advertisers to generate full-length ads using AI. Indeed, TikTok recently announced exactly this.

"With just 20 seconds of a person’s voice and a single photograph of them, it is now possible to create a video of them saying or doing anything." - Hany Farid, a University of California Berkeley professor and expert in artificial intelligence

The FTC says that whether or not a company must disclose that it's using "AI actors" depends on the context, and that many FTC regulations are "technology neutral."

"Generally speaking, any disclosures that an advertiser would have to make about human actors (e.g., that they are only an actor and not a medical professional) would also be required for an AI-generated persona in an analogous situation," an FTC representative with the Bureau of Consumer Protection told Mashable by email.

The same is true for an AI creation providing a "testimonial" in an advertisement. "If the AI-generated individual is providing a testimonial (which would necessarily be fake) or claiming to have specific expertise (such as a medical degree or license or financial experience) that affects consumers’ perception of the speaker’s credibility, that may be deceptive," the representative said.

The FTC Act, a comprehensive statute that governs issues such as consumer reviews, prohibits the creation of fake testimonials. And in October 2024, the FTC regulation titled "Rule on the Use of Consumer Reviews and Testimonials" specifically banned fake celebrity testimonials.

However, some experts on deepfakes and artificial intelligence believe new legislation is urgently needed to protect consumers.

"The current U.S. laws on the use of another person’s likeness are — at best — outdated and were not designed for the age of generative AI," Professor Farid said.

Again, the sheer volume of AI videos, and the ease of making them, will make enforcement of existing rules extremely difficult.

"I would go further and say that in addition to needing federal regulation around this issue, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and the others have to step up their enforcement to stop these types of fraudulent and misleading videos," Farid said.

And without clear, mandatory labels for AI content, deceptive AI video ads could soon become a fact of life.

Having covered virtual private networks (VPNs) for Mashable since 2019, I can tell you that "best VPN" and "paid VPN" are effectively synonyms. Getting a privacy-forward VPN with plenty of features and server locations inevitably means spending the equivalent of one fancy matcha latte per month.

So, while the word "free" is normally a red flag, there are two notable exceptions for users in search of the best free VPNs.

Among the reliable and trustworthy VPN services I've tested, both Proton VPN and TunnelBear offer free subscription tiers. They fit the bill for cash-strapped users with basic browsing needs. They only allow one connection at a time and come with lots of restrictions, so temper your expectations, but they're workable for certain use cases. More importantly, they're protected by the same privacy practices as their paid counterparts, including some vetted no-logs policies. Crucially, they're also subsidized by the paid plans: Proton VPN and TunnelBear don't make money off their free users.

SEE ALSO: The best VPNs for 2025: Tested for performance, trustworthiness, and more

Relatedly, I strongly recommend steering clear of any completely free VPNs that aren't funded by paid subscribers or subject to usage limits. At best, they're probably going to spam you with ads; at worst, some entirely free VPNs have been caught tracking, leaking, or selling user data and intentionally bundling their apps with malware. Not all of them are bad actors or evil scammers, but "exercise overcaution" is my general rule of thumb when it comes to choosing a VPN, since online privacy is the whole point of getting one in the first place. (See also: If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.)

Below, I delve into the capabilities and shortcomings of the two best free VPNs I've tried.

Proton VPN: The best free VPN for daily use Credit: Screenshot via Proton VPN What it can do

This is the free VPN I turn on when I want some extra security humming in the background while I work from a coffee shop. Proton VPN's free tier doesn't have any data or speed limits, so you can feasibly use it 24/7 — within reason. Proton may enact speed caps "in cases of excessive consumption in order to ensure service quality for all [free] users," according to its privacy policy.

Free subscribers can utilize Proton VPN's kill switch as well as its custom Stealth protocol, which is designed to bypass VPN blocks. As such, it may also appeal to journalists and activists in places that aren't friendly to the technology. They should know that the company is publicly supportive of online freedom causes: Among other initiatives, Proton VPN has opened additional free servers for users in countries known for government censorship and misinformation campaigns ahead of their elections.

What it can't do

Free Proton VPN users can't use its live chat support and don't get access to advanced features like split tunneling, its multi-hop "Secure Core" servers, or its "VPN Accelerator" speed-boosting tool. Free users are also restricted to about 2,300 Proton VPN servers in five countries — Japan, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, and the United States — and they can't pick where they land. Let's hope the server you're given isn't too clogged or located in a country you don't want to appear in: There's a waiting period between server changes that increases every time you switch. It occasionally takes me a while to land on a relatively fast, uncrowded server. (For comparison's sake, Proton VPN Plus subscribers get city-level access to over 13,600 servers in 122 countries worldwide.)

SEE ALSO: After Pornhub left France, this VPN saw a 1,000% surge in signups in 30 minutes

Since your server options are so limited, Proton VPN Free isn't ideal for general location spoofing or unblocking popular streaming services (two common secondary use cases for VPNs), unless your needs involve one of those five countries. Even then, there's no guarantee you'll get on a server in your preferred locale immediately.

Read my full review of Proton VPN.

Opens in a new window Credit: Proton Proton VPN Free $0 with no data limit Learn More TunnelBear: The best free VPN for occasional location spoofing Credit: Screenshot via TunnelBear What it can do

TunnelBear Free users get country-level server selection on its full network, so this is the VPN I boot up when I need to do some quick, one-off location spoofing. (Most recently, I used it to check if sold-out vinyl variants were still available in an artist's UK store.) TunnelBear had locations in 47 countries at the time of writing; it's not very globally diverse, but it gives you way more options and flexibility compared to the competition.

Feature-wise, TunnelBear's free crew can enable its kill switch (called "VigilantBear") and its split tunneling tool ("SplitBear"), which lets you exempt different kinds of traffic depending on the platform. You can also customize the appearance of your TunnelBear app.

What it can't do

TunnelBear Free users are capped at 2GB of browsing data per month, which means you won't be able to have it on all the time. (I managed to hit that limit in a single afternoon when I left the VPN running while I worked.) Even if you could stay connected 24/7, you wouldn't be able to stream hours of shows and movies. While TunnelBear Free is great at spoofing my location, I've never gotten it to unblock geo-restricted content on international streaming services because they've detected my VPN usage. This has also been the case when I tested TunnelBear Unlimited, its paid tier, for what it's worth.

Along similar lines, TunnelBear Free users aren't missing out on a ton of features compared to their paying comrades because TunnelBear just isn't a very robust, feature-rich VPN service to begin with. There's no multi-hop, it doesn't offer on-demand customer support, and it works on fewer platforms than other premium VPNs.

Read my full review of TunnelBear.

Opens in a new window Credit: TunnelBear TunnelBear Free $0 for 2GB of data per month Learn More

I'm one of those people who literally cannot sleep without white noise playing in the background. Otherwise, I'm stuck staring at the ceiling, trying to will myself into a slumber. Thankfully, I have a great sound machine at home that whisks me off to dreamland every night instead of allowing my hyperactive brain to wander. It's improved my overall sleep quality by quite a bit ever since I started using it, but only when I'm home. When I'm traveling, I'm pretty much out of luck — my Hatch Restore is too bulky to carry around with me, and I'm not too keen on checking a bag at the airport just so I can pack an alarm clock.

So, after countless sleepless nights in hotel rooms and vacations marred by tired eyes, I bought this teeny-tiny sound machine on a whim, and let me tell you, it may be the best $25 I've spent all year.

Sidenote: I think Babelio technically made this sound machine for babies. But you know what? I'm going to keep using it. Aren't we all just former babies, anyway?

Without the Babelio portable sound machine, I have to rely on Spotify and a really long white noise playlist, which kind of worked, but at the expense of my iPhone's battery (it dies very quick now). Unfortunately, sleep earbuds just aren't for me.

Opens in a new window Credit: Babelio Babelio portable sound machine $24.99 at Amazon
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Babelio's portable white noise machine is pocket-sized, but does just as good of a job getting me to sleep as my Hatch does at home. The circumference of the compact speaker is about the size of a quarter, making it a cinch to bring on the go. You can even add on a carrying case for it, which has a convenient little strap so you can attach it to your bag. I grabbed one of those, too, and definitely recommend it. I like how minimalistic it looks; I picked the sleek wood grain finish, but there are a lot more options to choose from.

It has a pretty short battery life — it lasted me only three nights before needing a charge — but the tradeoff for its portability is totally worth it. Plus, you can charge the device during use, so I'm never confronted with any mid-sleep interruptions.

I really dig the minimalistic, wood grain design. Credit: Dylan Haas / Mashable Hard to screw things up when there's only three buttons. Credit: Dylan Haas / Mashable

The pint-sized noise machine features 15 non-looping tracks to choose from, including white noise, pink noise, brown noise, oscillating fan, rain, waves, insects, campfire, birds, streams, and more. I usually stick to the plain white noise, but it’s nice to have the options to play around with.

It also has a programmable timer in case you’d like it to turn off automatically while you catch some Zs, and has a memory function that remembers your preferred track, volume, and time settings from your last session. I don't use this feature much at all, but I could see it being useful for a quick power nap.

This pint-sized device makes a big impression. Credit: Dylan Haas / Mashable

The cherry on top? This sound machine goes on sale quite often. At the time of this writing, it's just $16.99 on Amazon, so if you want one, take advantage of the discount. (And if you want to wait until later, it'll probably go on sale again soon.)

It's hard to believe, but this year is already halfway over.

Since January, a lot has happened in the tech world. It's a fickle, fast-paced industry, and some major products and services haven't survived past the mid-year mark.

Some of the entries on our list lived long, fruitful lives and contributed lasting legacies to the ever-evolving space. (RIP, Skype.) Others were flash-in-the-pan features or straight-up flops (we're looking at you, Humane AI Pin), destined to meet their inevitable demise. Regardless, they're all worthy of remembering for the way they impacted our lives — even if that impact was just as a punchline.

Join us as we look back at the year so far and say goodbye or good riddance to the tech that died along the way.

Humane AI Pin 

Oh, AI Pin, we hardly knew ye. After less than a year, Humane's attempt to replace the smartphone with a screenless, AI-powered werable pin came to an untimely end. In theory, the concept of an AI assistant that projected a screen on your hand or a surface sounded pretty intriguing. But Humane's execution of the AI pin was all wrong. From the beginning, reviewers panned the $700 device for myriad reasons, including its faulty projector, finicky response to hand gestures, inaccurate AI responses, and overheating issues. Returns of the AI Pin soon flooded in, and Humane shut down support in February 2025.

Humane may have failed to develop a useful AI wearable, but OpenAI is taking a crack at it. Sam Altman was an investor in Humane, and under his direction, OpenAI recently announced a partnership with Jony Ive, the iconic designer of the iPhone, to create an AI device.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Skype

Ubiquitous video calling apps like Zoom and FaceTime owe a debt of gratitude to Skype. Twenty-two years ago, the only way to call someone was through an (often) expensive phone plan. Long-distance calls were an extravagance, only made for special occasions or emergencies.

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Then, along came Skype in 2003, offering free calls between users over the internet. Not only did it disrupt the telecom industry, it made video calling a thing when it added video support in 2006. Eventually, Skype was acquired by Microsoft in 2011, and it lived an increasingly irrelevant existence as other video calling apps from Apple, Google, and the aforementioned Zoom came on the scene. In February, Microsoft announced that it would retire Skype by May and migrate users to its other video platform, Teams.

Forced retirement is a bittersweet ending. But Skype lived a good, long life, and we'll always have its legacy.

Pocket 

The OG bookmarking app is saying goodbye this year. Mozilla, which has owned Pocket since 2017, announced in May that it was shutting down the read-later platform, with support ending on July 8.

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Pocket launched in 2007 as Read It Later and grew to 30 million users, according to Mozilla. As Mashable's CJ Silva described, the app quickly became a popular service "just as social news and social bookmarking began to take off." But according to Mozilla, "the way people use the web has evolved, so we’re channeling our resources into projects that better match their browsing habits and online needs."

Change is hard, but if you want to keep your bookmarking habits, Silva recommended a bunch of great Pocket alternatives. Just think of Pocket every time you hit "save."

Zelle (kind of)

The Venmo alternative shut down its mobile app in April, but it lives on through your bank. Announced in October 2024, Zelle said it would phase out the standalone app since it only facilitates around two percent of transactions. Instead, it will focus on its money exchange service through the many financial institutions it has partnered with.

"Today, the vast majority of people using Zelle to send money use it through their financial institution’s mobile app or online banking experience, and we believe this is the best place for Zelle transactions to occur," according to the 2024 press release. And now, this plan has gone into effect.

Meta fact-checking program 

At the start of President Donald Trump's second non-consecutive term in office, Mark Zuckerberg launched his MAGA makeover. This began with ending Meta's fact-checking program for being "too politically biased," according a video announcement on Facebook. President Trump has accused social media sites of censoring right-wing content, and Zuckerberg seemingly endorsed this viewpoint in killing the program. "What started as a movement to be more inclusive has increasingly been used to shut down opinions and shut out people with different ideas, and it’s gone too far," said Zuckerberg in the video.

Instead, Meta has implemented a crowd-sourced community notes approach, like Elon Musk's X. Meta began implementing community notes across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads on March 18.

TikTok Creator Marketplace (kind of)

This is another entry that's not so much a true death but a reincarnation, if you will. TikTok shut down its Creator Marketplace, a valuable tool for creators to connect with brands for ad campaigns. Instead, it folded the marketplace into TikTok One, a new platform geared towards advertisers with a whole bunch of generative AI tools.

One of those tools is an AI avatar feature, which lets brands create AI-generated people showing off their products. How that impacts creators looking for partnerships remains to be seen. But creators have also proven to be resilient through the looming ban and trade wars.

Mr. Deepfakes

Ding dong, Mr. Deepfakes is dead. We'll gladly celebrate the shutdown of the notorious site known for hosting nonconsensual deepfake porn. As first spotted by 404 Media, the Mr. Deepfakes URL redirected to a "Shutdown Notice" in early May.

According to the message, the shutdown was forced by a service provider that "has terminated service permanently." It also said Mr. Deepfakes "will not be relaunching" and "this domain will eventually expire and we are not responsible for future use."

Just a week before, Congress passed the Take It Down Act, which made posting nonconsensual intimate imagery (NCII) a federal crime and gives stronger recourse for victims of such content. It's unclear if the shutdown was related, but regardless, regulators are paying attention to the widespread issue.

Most of us spend a lot of time and effort on staying healthy. We’re drinking water, wearing fitness trackers, trying to get good sleep, and taking our vitamins. We all know we’re supposed to limit sugar, alcohol, tobacco, bad fats, and salt, and those are all things we can personally decide to ingest. But when it comes to air, we don’t really have a choice. We must continue to inhale and exhale nearly constantly in order to continue living.

And that’s usually all good, but now that wildfire smoke is becoming more prevalent across the U.S., breathing in clean air is getting harder. If you live in an area that’s prone to wildfire smoke, it might be seeping into your home and compromising indoor air quality.

Without slathering on the doom and apocalypse vibes, inhaling wildfire smoke for extended periods of time is not good. It can cause headaches, dizziness, and eye irritation. But it can also cause serious problems like permanent lung damage, and that’s true even in healthy people, according to Yale Medicine.

If you’re not interested in that, adding an air purifier to your house is the way to go. These relatively small (and often super quiet) machines can literally suck the smoke particles out the air, leaving you to enjoy clean air while you work, make dinner, and sleep in the safety of your home.

Testing a Levoit HEPA air purifier in my living room. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable Testing the popular Coway Airmega air purifier in my home. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable Just how bad is wildfire smoke for our health?

Plenty of stuff in the air can cause us physical discomfort. Consider when the pollen counts skyrocket every spring or when we walk into a smoke-filled casino. According to the Centers for Disease Control, wildfire smoke can cause breathing issues, headaches, lethargy, coughing, and wheezing, to name a few ill effects. Those who have asthma, heart disease, or diabetes are at an increased risk of getting sick. Kids and pregnant people are also considered high-risk when it comes to getting sick from wildfire smoke.

Even if you feel fine, smoke particles are small enough to get into our bloodstream, according to Yale Medicine, and that means they have access to other organs like the heart and the liver. Over time, exposure to PM 2.5 might lead to an increased risk of cancers, heart attack, and cognitive issues.

It’s not just us humans who can struggle with smoke, but our pets, too. The American Veterinary Medical Association says that if we can see or feel the effects from smoke, our pets can as well. That's especially true for pets with cardiovascular or respiratory issues.

The benefits of an air purifier

If your neighborhood gets socked in with wildfire smoke, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends you keep windows and doors closed. Even still, it’s possible smoke can seep in under doors, through cracks, or from vents in the kitchen and bathroom. Running a portable air purifier can help cut down on harmful particles that might enter your home. 

Air purifiers work by sucking in the room’s air and sending it through a filtration system.

Most high-quality air purifiers do so with a HEPA filter (High Efficiency Particulate Air) in addition to a few other filters. A pre-filter is a great addition, and it looks similar to a screen with a fine weave. These help capture dust and hair, which leaves the more-important HEPA filter cleaner and less clogged up from larger debris that can float around in the air. A HEPA filter is capable of removing 99.97% of tiny particulate matter in the air that we can’t see, but can cause us discomfort, according to the EPA. That includes wildfire smoke, cigarette smoke, pollution from nearby traffic, pollen, and dust.

A briefing on particulate matter

When shopping for an air purifier, you’ll see many models explain that they capture particulate matter, or PM. For the most part, that’s stuff in the air that you don’t really want to inhale. We measure PM by its diameter. Either with an on-unit display or in the app, most air purifiers will track the level of PM 10 and PM 2.5 in the air. To help get a baseline of understanding, a single strand of human hair measures between 50 and 70 microns in diameter, according to measurements from the EPA.

• PM 10: Particulate matter that measures 10 microns in diameter includes dust, pollen, mold, and some wildfire smoke particles.

• PM 2.5: These tiny particles measure 2.5 microns in diameter, which is true of the majority of particles emitted from wildfire smoke. 

Since PM is so small, it can enter our bloodstream and nestle itself deep in the lungs, according to Yale Medicine.

Do air purifiers help with allergies and viruses?

Since HEPA filters are designed to scrub the air of potentially harmful particles, they can also help cut down on pollen, dust, and even viruses. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America says using a HEPA filter can reduce airborne allergens that wind up indoors. That can be from an open window, your clothes you wore to the park, or even when the dog comes home from a walk.

An air purifier with a HEPA filter can also be helpful during cold and flu season. Not all virus particles are large enough to get captured by HEPA filters. However, many are launched into the air via a cough or sneeze so those virus particles are traveling within a larger particle (what the CDC calls a respiratory droplet) which can get filtered out by a HEPA. By no means does using an air purifier mean you won’t get ill if you hang out in a room with a sick person all day, but it might reduce the likelihood.

In the age of on-demand everything, it’s no surprise that we can get “dates” (I’ll use that term loosely here) hot to go with the tap of a button. Thanks to hookup apps like Tinder and HUD, finding someone who’s interested in a quickie is just as easy as ordering a pizza or an Uber. As for the quality, well, that’s probably the same too — hit or miss, depending on the time of day, where you're located, and how hungry you are. (Who would have thought dating and DoorDash had so much in common?)

Fortunately, you’ve got me, your resident dating app expert (though I prefer modern-day Carrie Bradshaw), to guide you to the promised land, aka the best hookup apps. I’ve spent the past three years (yes, really) researching, downloading, and testing out dozens of top dating apps to find the best ones for all kinds of daters, including the one-night-stand crowd. From discrete sexting apps to dating sites for serious relationships, I've vetted them all. I also consulted a panel of sex and relationship experts to make sure my picks are solid.

Whether you’re looking for a one-night stand, a friends-with-benefits situation, or just want to explore your sexuality, the right app can make it easier to find someone who’s on the same page. Below, I’ve rounded up the best hookup apps of 2025, based on hands-on testing, expert opinions, and user reviews.

What didn't make the cut

• Feeld (removed August 2024): Following its December 2023 rebrand, Feeld became buggy and had location-related safety concerns. We decided Feeld no longer met our standards for reliability and removed it until we have more information.

• Plenty of Fish (removed January 2025): After its recent rebrand, testing revealed key features, like free messaging for non-matches, were removed. We also noticed issues with repeat profiles. Overall, it doesn't bring anything unique to the dating app table that other apps aren't already doing better, meaning we no longer recommend it as a hookup app.

I sleep hot in every season. On vacation in snowy Finland in January, I slept with the heat off and the window open and still (still) woke up drenched in sweat. No amount of cooling mattress topper or breathable percale sheets or lightweight linen pajamas has rid me of my overheating dilemma. So when Brooklyn Bedding came out with a new lineup of mattresses specifically targeted to sleep cool, I was intrigued, but skeptical.

After sleeping on a queen-sized Brooklyn Bedding CopperFlex Pro mattress ($1,332) for three weeks, I’m confident in saying this is the coolest mattress I’ve ever experienced. And not only did I never experience night sweats, it was incredibly comfortable and the price is far too low for what it offers.

SEE ALSO: The best pillows for a good night's sleep after a doomscrolling session First impressions of the CopperFlex Pro mattress

Mattresses that arrive on your doorstep neatly compressed into a cardboard box are honestly a modern marvel. Sure, we all know foam can squish down, but getting a multi-layered hybrid mattress complete with innerspring coils, like the CopperFlex Pro, delivered in a manageable box is truly awesome. That being said, I would have struggled to get that box into my bedroom alone, but after my partner and I unboxed the bed and got it onto the bed frame, setup was a cinch. 

The Brooklyn Bedding CopperFlex Pro hybrid arrives compressed and in plastic. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

The CopperFlex Pro bed is meant to measure 14 inches in height once it’s fully expanded and it was sitting at 13 inches tall after just three minutes of unpacking. After an hour that was at 13.5. And that’s where it stayed —  never making it to the full 14 inches — but that didn’t bother me at all and I was perfectly happy with a 13.5-inch tall bed.

SEE ALSO: Soundcore announced the first sleep earbuds with active noise cancellation: Here's how to preorder them

I chose the CopperFlex Pro version to test out, over the standard CopperFlex mattress, because the Pro comes with a Galciotex cooling cover. This absolutely lived up to the hype, feeling cool to the touch immediately and never retaining heat once I got out of bed. But that brings me to one of the only negative points I have about this mattress; the Glaciotex cover is slippery. My fitted sheet stayed securely on the mattress, but it slid around with me as I moved. Since cooling was my number one priority, I was willing to accept a slippery surface in exchange for a non-sweaty night.

How is the Brooklyn Bedding mattress made?

The Brooklyn Bedding lineup of CopperFlex mattresses all contain copper-infused memory foam. Copper is well-known as one of the most cooling elements a mattress can contain. It has a high thermal conductivity which means it loves to absorb heat, so there’s less heat stuck in the mattress. The hybrid design also inherently allows for better airflow. Since innerspring coils let air pass through, there’s a higher likelihood heat will find its way out of the mattress, much more so than with an all-foam bed.

Copper is also antimicrobial and antiviral. That’s a cool feature in a mattress since you can’t exactly toss the bed into the washing machine or douse it with an antibacterial cleaning spray.

Six layers of support on this hybrid bed, plus a cooling cover. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

Brooklyn Bedding introduced four versions of the CopperFlex mattress. The all-foam CopperFlex is the most affordable option, coming in at just $665 in a queen size. The hybrid CopperFlex costs $932 in a queen size, and it introduces support from innerspring coils, rather than just foam. Coil support can be ideal for people who deal with back or hip pain, since coils can target pressure relief.

The CopperFlex Pro adds in the cooling cover, and it’s also available in a memory foam version ($1,065 for a queen) and the hybrid CopperFlex Pro that I tested out ($1,332). Overall, the hybrid CopperFlex Pro uses six layers of support, one of which is an eight-inch layer of coils.

Is the CopperFlex Pro actually cooling?

Thanks to the cooling cover, the copper-infused memory foam, and the inherent design of a hybrid mattress, the CopperFlex Pro is the coolest mattress I’ve ever slept on. I never woke up feeling too hot which is really impressive given my track record of waking up drenched.

Prior to testing the CopperFlex Pro, I was sleeping on an all-foam bed which warmed up as the night progressed, so the Brooklyn Bedding mattress was a major improvement.

SEE ALSO: This dreamy tech duo can help you fall asleep naturally

My thermostat drops to 68 at night, but when testing the mattress, I let it creep up during the day, getting up to 74. I tested out the cooling ability during many mid-day naps and again didn’t wake up feeling uncomfortably warm.

It’s an understatement to say I was impressed by the cooling nature of the CopperFlex Pro. I slept at a comfortable temperature every night I tested out this bed which is something that hasn’t occurred in years.

How does the CopperFlex Pro feel?

Brooklyn Bedding says the CopperFlex Pro has a medium-firm feel, ranking it at a 7 on the mattress firmness scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the firmest. I love a firm mattress and I really hate the feeling of sinking into memory foam and getting trapped. While I don’t agree this mattress is a medium-firm, I loved the overall feel. To me, it felt more like a medium level of firmness. I initially thought oh gosh, this is too soft for me, but I ended up loving it. The upper comfort layers didn’t swallow me, so I always felt like I was sleeping comfortably on the surface of the mattress. Since the CopperFlex Pro has an 8-inch layer of innerspring coils, I figured there would be some bounce to the bed, but I noticed it had more of a responsive push back feel rather than a distinct bounce, which I really liked.

Motion isolation was another element I was impressed with on the CopperFlex Pro. Not only do I struggle with sleeping too hot, I’m a super light sleeper so motion isolation is a priority in my world. All-foam mattresses tend to do well with motion isolation, so I was a bit nervous to switch from my all-foam bed to a hybrid model. Again, I was shocked that the CopperFlex Pro did a better job at isolating motion than my all-foam bed which was genuinely a dream come true.

The Glaciotex cooling cover is both amazing and slippery. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

In terms of overall comfort, I never woke up sore or felt unsupported on the CopperFlex Pro. I primarily sleep on my stomach, but I also sleep on my side often and occasionally on my back. That combination makes shopping for a perfect mattress damn near impossible. I need something that’s firm enough to keep my hips from sinking below my shoulders and knees when I’m sleeping on my stomach. But I also need something soft enough to not make my shoulder feel squished when I sleep on my side or cause pain in my hip. Somehow, the CopperFlex Pro felt oh so comfortable in all positions. I didn’t wake up with neck, shoulder, or hip pain ever, which is not something I can say happens to me on many mattresses. Because of this, I think the bed could be a solid option for combination sleepers. That also makes it a really luxurious guest bedroom mattress since it’s likely to cater to a range of sleeping position preferences.

SEE ALSO: Oura Ring vs Apple Watch: Which health and sleep tracker is right for you?

One disappointment I noticed with the CopperFlex Pro was the lack of edge support at the foot of the bed. Brooklyn Bedding added reinforced edge support to the sides of this mattress, but didn’t extend it around the entire perimeter. When I sat on the side of the bed, I felt enough support to comfortably put on socks (although that slippery surface was working against me), but when I sat at the foot of bed, I felt like I could tumble off. If you require solid edge support at the foot of the mattress, this isn’t the bed for you.

Is it worth it?

Copper-infused mattresses and toppers tend to come with a steep price tag. The Layla Hybrid mattress costs $1,699 in a queen size and the now-discontinued Nectar Premier Copper hybrid mattress came in at $1,799. Both of those are more expensive than the Brooklyn Bedding CopperFlex Pro’s price of $1,332 for a queen. On sale, we’ve seen that price dip below $1,000 and you can save even more if you go with the memory foam version. 

When it comes to mattresses that you can score for under $1,000, the CopperFlex Pro offers an incredible value for the quality. That's even more true for hot sleepers. Considering most mattresses last for about seven years, we’re talking about under $150 per year for an awesome sleeping experience that’s both supportive, cooling, and comfortable.

TL;DR: Live stream River Plate vs. Monterrey in the 2025 Club World Cup for free on DAZN. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 Club World Cup action continues with a number of exciting games this weekend, including River Plate vs. Monterrey. The Argentinian side won their opening game against Urawa Red Diamonds. A win here would guarantee a place in the knockout rounds.

If you want to watch River Plate vs. Monterrey in the 2025 Club World Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is River Plate vs. Monterrey?

River Plate vs. Monterrey in the 2025 Club World Cup kicks off at 9 p.m. ET on June 21. This fixture takes place at the Rose Bowl.

How to watch River Plate vs. Monterrey for free

River Plate vs. Monterrey in the 2025 Club World Cup is available to live stream for free on DAZN.

The Club World Cup is free to stream all around the world, but if you're having problems accessing this streaming platform on your network, you can consider using a VPN. These tools can hide your digital location and connect you to a secure server in another location. This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so that you can secure access to free live streams from anywhere in the world.

Unblock free live streams of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup by following these simple steps:

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

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access to DAZN

4. Visit DAZN

5. Stream the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch River Plate vs. Monterrey in the 2025 Club World Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream the Club World Cup before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for DAZN?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on DAZN, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream River Plate vs. Monterrey in the 2025 Club World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD in the 2025 Club World Cup for free on DAZN. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 Club World Cup action continues with Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD.

Ulsan HD are looking for their first points of the competition. Fluminense will try to build on their opening round draw with Borussia Dortmund by taking all three points here.

If you want to watch Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD in the 2025 Club World Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD?

Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD in the 2025 Club World Cup kicks off at 6 p.m. ET on June 21. This fixture takes place at the MetLife Stadium.

How to watch Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD for free

Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD in the 2025 Club World Cup is available to live stream for free on DAZN.

The Club World Cup is free to stream all around the world, but if you're having problems accessing this streaming platform on your network, you can consider using a VPN. These tools can hide your digital location and connect you to a secure server in another location. This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so that you can secure access to free live streams from anywhere in the world.

Unblock free live streams of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup by following these simple steps:

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

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access to DAZN

4. Visit DAZN

5. Stream the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD in the 2025 Club World Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream the Club World Cup before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for DAZN?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on DAZN, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream Fluminense vs. Ulsan HD in the 2025 Club World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

SAVE $30: As of June 21, Apple AirPods 4 are on sale for $99 at Amazon. That's $30 off their list price ahead of Prime Day.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 $99 at Amazon
$129 Save $30 Get Deal

If you don't feel like waiting around for Prime Day (which runs from July 8 through 11 this year) to score some sweet savings, you can grab the Apple AirPods 4 this weekend for their lowest price on record.

As of June 21, the AirPods 4 are chilling at just $99 at Amazon, which is $30 off their list price of $129 and matches their best price ever. There's a chance we might see them drop even lower on Prime Day proper, but if you're looking to grab a pair ASAP, this is still an excellent deal. And you don't even need a Prime membership to snag it.

SEE ALSO: Get Soundcore Sport X20 earbuds for under $70 ahead of Prime Day

Make note that the sub-$100 price tag only applies to the AirPods 4 without active noise cancellation. If you want that feature, you'll have to fork over another $50. The basic fourth-generation buds feature personalized spatial audio, Siri interactions, voice isolation, a more findable and compact charging case compared to previous models, and improved bass, mids, and highs. They'll last you about five hours on a single charge, but the charging case can give you an extra 30. And with a surprisingly snug and comfortable fit, you can actually enjoy all of that listening time. They make for a great daily driver.

If this deal has you pumped for the annual summer shopping extravaganza, check out our hub for all things Prime Day. Here, you'll find everything you need to know about the major shopping event, including the best deals already live.

The best headphones and speaker deals to shop this week

• Soundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds — $19.98 (List Price $39.99)

• Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones — $59.99

• JBL Flip 6 Portable Bluetooth Speaker — $99.95 (List Price $129.95)

• Bose SoundLink Flex Portable Speaker — $129.00 (List Price $149.00)

• Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $298.00 (List Price $348.00)

• JBL Bar 300 5.0ch Compact Soundbar — $249.95 (List Price $399.95)

TL;DR: Get a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021 for only $69.97 (reg. $219.99) through July 20.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021: Lifetime License $69.97
$219 Save $149.03 Get Deal

Looking for a good, healthy dose of nostalgia? If you’re missing simpler times, why not reconnect with some old friends — the Microsoft Office suite. Yep, those ’90s staples are still around today, and better than ever.

Right now, you can score a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021 and outfit your Mac with these tried-and-true apps for just $69.97 (reg. $219.99) through July 20.

Own Microsoft Office for life — no subscriptions required

It’s challenging for computer programs to maintain their relevance over time, but Microsoft Office has managed to remain a staple for over three decades. Word and Excel are still as dependable as ever, allowing you to draft documents and whip up spreadsheets with ease on a familiar interface.

This Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021 includes classic applications like Word and Excel, as well as PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneNote. You’ll receive an instant delivery and download upon purchase, so you can start using them right away.

Unlike subscription-based versions of Microsoft Office, you pay once and enjoy them forever with this Mac license. No monthly subscription fees are required. You also have the option to work offline, eliminating the need to worry about cloud connectivity.

Make sure you meet the system requirements before purchase — macOS 13 or later, at least 4GB of RAM, and 10GB of available storage. If you have issues, you’ll have access to Microsoft’s free 24/7 customer service.

Reconnect with these productivity boosting apps with this lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021 for only $69.97 (reg. $219.99) through July 20.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: A Babbel lifetime subscription with lessons in 14 languages is only $129.99 (reg. $599) with code LEARN40.

Opens in a new window Credit: Babbel Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) $129.99
$599 Save $469.01 with code LEARN40 Get Deal

If you had all the time in the world, how many languages would you want to learn? If you want to find out, check out Babbel. They have a lifetime subscription with access to beginner and advanced lessons in 14 different languages, so you can work toward fluency or just master a few useful phrases across the board.

Right now, it’s only $129.99 (reg. $599) to get a Babbel Lifetime Subscription with code LEARN40.

What language do you want to learn?

Babbel gives you a practical way to build your language skills every day. You’ll start by learning useful conversation skills on common topics like directions, dining, shopping, and basic social interactions. If you’re getting ready to travel, that means you can learn key phrases quickly and use them while you’re abroad. If you’re working toward fluency, that means you can jump right into the language without burning through all your energy on grammar drills.

Babbel lessons are short. They typically only take 10 to 15 minutes each, so you can fit in a few throughout the day. Brush up on your German at lunch, or practice Italian while you’re making dinner.

Here’s a sample of the language selection, but there are many more:

• Spanish

• French

• German

• Italian

• Danish

Knowing a language and being able to speak it to a local are very different. It can be intimidating to practice actually speaking another language, so Babbel gives you an AI conversation partner who can help you refine your pronunciation and build confidence in your new skills.

To help you retain what you’ve learned, Babbel also has personalized review sessions that cover everything you’ve learned so far. No more forgetting as quickly as you learn.

If you want to learn a new language, then get a Babbel lifetime subscription for $129.99. Use code LEARN40 by June 30 to take advantage of this price.

StackSocial prices subject to change

TL;DR: Take advantage of an ad-free, safer internet experience with this lifetime subscription to AdGuard Family Plan, on sale now for just $15.97 with code FAMPLAN through July 20.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdGuard AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription $15.97
$169.99 Save $154.02 with code FAMPLAN Get Deal

Boost your productivity by blocking distracting ads on every device in your home. AdGuard lets you enjoy a peaceful internet experience, totally clutter-free, so you can focus on what’s important.

Right now, you can secure a lifetime subscription to the AdGuard Family Plan, which covers up to nine devices, for just $15.97 (reg. $169.99) with code FAMPLAN now through July 20.

Enjoy ad-free browsing and online safety for up to nine devices

Want to browse the web without the jump scare of pop-up ads? Wouldn’t it be nice to watch a YouTube video without having to sit through a boring video ad beforehand? AdGuard rids your internet experience of both of these things, easily blocking ads from your internet experience for good.

Aside from blocking ads, AdGuard also doubles as a privacy protection tool. It can protect you from cyberattacks, like malware and phishing sites, while also keeping your information hidden from trackers and activity analyzers.

This AdGuard Family Plan lets you protect up to nine devices, allowing them to enjoy an ad-free, safer internet experience. It works seamlessly on both Android and iOS, so you can cover smartphones, laptops, and tablets.

If you have kids in the home, the parental control feature can also come in handy. It restricts children’s access to inappropriate online content, serving as their own internet babysitter.

Enjoy a clutter-free, safer internet with this lifetime subscription to AdGuard Family Plan, on sale now for just $15.97 with code FAMPLAN through July 20.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get a much-needed productivity boost with this lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows, now only $49.97 (reg. $219.99) through July 20.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License $49.97
$219.99 Save $170.02 Get Deal

Tired of paying monthly to use basic software? Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows gives you lifetime access to eight essential apps — with no renewals, no internet required, and no hidden costs.

Right now, you can secure this lifetime license for just $49.97 (reg. $219.99) through July 20 — less than $7 an app.

Boost your workflow with lifetime access to Word, Excel, and more

Whether you’ve been paying monthly for Microsoft 365 or you’ve been living without the Microsoft Office staples for too long, Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows brings these essential tools back into your life permanently.

With these eight essential tools, you’ll be able to tackle both personal and professional tasks more easily. Draft a document in Word, build a budget in Excel, and answer emails in Outlook. You’ll also have access to PowerPoint, Teams, Access, OneNote, and Publisher.

Don’t be concerned by the year of this edition — it offers unique advantages over newer versions. This version includes redesigned features that cater to everyone from designers to data analysts. It also makes it easier to work offline, with no cloud dependency required.

Before making a purchase, ensure your PC is running Windows 10 or 11. It’s not supported by Windows 7 or 8.

Secure your own lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows for just $49.97 (reg. $219.99) through July 20.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Bring home a refurbished MacBook Pro for only $329.97 (reg. $1,499) now through July 20.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Refurbished Apple MacBook Pro (3.1GHz i5, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $329.97
$1,499 Save $1,169.03 Get Deal

Have you always thought a MacBook Pro was out of reach? Think again.

This powerhouse laptop usually costs a fortune — but right now, you can score a refurbished Apple MacBook Pro (3.1GHz i5, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for just $329.97 (reg. $1,499) through July 20, while supplies last.

Yes, this is the same MacBook Pro — just 78% cheaper

Whether you’re looking for a laptop for work, play, or something in between, the MacBook Pro offers serious performance and reliability. This laptop is equipped with a powerful 3.1GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor and Turbo Boost Technology, which enables processing speeds of up to 3.5GHz when needed.

Weighing in at just 3.02 pounds, this MacBook Pro is ready to tag along everywhere you need to go. An impressive 10-hour battery life ensures you’re not spending hours searching for electrical outlets, and four Thunderbolt 3 ports make charging and connectivity easy. The 512GB of storage allows you to download your favorite apps and save important files locally.

The handy Touch Bar feature is a limited-edition Apple feature that provides instant access to shortcuts and allows for customization based on your apps and workflows. This model also offers a Force Touch trackpad for precise cursor control, and a backlit keyboard that makes typing comfortable at night.

This MacBook Pro is available at a major discount thanks to its Grade A refurbished status. That means it will arrive in near-mint condition, with virtually no signs of prior use, while you enjoy the low price.

Take advantage of this deal on a MacBook Pro, on sale for just $329.97 (reg. $1,499) through July 20 while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Live stream Inter Milan vs. Urawa Red Diamonds in the 2025 Club World Cup for free on DAZN. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 Club World Cup continues with Inter Milan vs. Urawa Red Diamonds, a really interesting fixture between two sides that would never usually meet. The Urawa Red Diamonds are looking for their first points of the competition after losing to River Plate.

If you want to watch Inter Milan vs. Urawa Red Diamonds in the 2025 Club World Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Inter Milan vs. Urawa Red Diamonds?

Inter Milan vs. Urawa Red Diamonds in the 2025 Club World Cup kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on June 21. This fixture takes place at Lumen Field.

How to watch Inter Milan vs. Urawa Red Diamonds for free

Inter Milan vs. Urawa Red Diamonds in the 2025 Club World Cup is available to live stream for free on DAZN.

The Club World Cup is free to stream all around the world, but if you're having problems accessing this streaming platform on your network, you can consider using a VPN. These tools can hide your digital location and connect you to a secure server in another location. This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so that you can secure access to free live streams from anywhere in the world.

Unblock free live streams of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup by following these simple steps:

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

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access to DAZN

4. Visit DAZN

5. Stream the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Inter Milan vs. Urawa Red Diamonds in the 2025 Club World Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream the Club World Cup before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for DAZN?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on DAZN, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream Inter Milan vs. Urawa Red Diamonds in the 2025 Club World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Honduras vs. El Salvador in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free on YouTube. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup action continues with Honduras vs. El Salvador. Canada thrashed Honduras 6-0 in their opening game, so the pressure will be on Honduras to turn things around against El Salvador.

If you want to watch Honduras vs. El Salvador in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Honduras vs. El Salvador?

Honduras vs. El Salvador in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup kicks off at 10 p.m. ET on June 21. This fixture takes place at the Shell Energy Stadium.

How to watch Honduras vs. El Salvador for free

Honduras vs. El Salvador in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup is available to live stream for free on YouTube.

These free live stream is not available all around the world, but fans in excluded territories can still watch this game for free with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access (like Italy), meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Concacaf Gold Cup from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit YouTube

5. Live stream the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Honduras vs. El Salvador (plus the rest of the tournament) before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for YouTube?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Italy

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Curacao vs. Canada in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free on YouTube. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Canada will be favorites to top their 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup group, especially after they started so strongly with a 6-0 victory over Honduras. Next up they face Curacao, a team that drew 0-0 in their opening game against El Salvador.

If you want to watch Curacao vs. Canada in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Curacao vs. Canada?

Curacao vs. Canada in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup kicks off at 7 p.m. ET on June 21. This fixture takes place at the Shell Energy Stadium.

How to watch Curacao vs. Canada for free

Curacao vs. Canada in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup is available to live stream for free on YouTube.

These free live stream is not available all around the world, but fans in excluded territories can still watch this game for free with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Concacaf Gold Cup from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit YouTube

5. Live stream the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Curacao vs. Canada (plus the rest of the tournament) before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for YouTube?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Italy

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

If you’ve chatted with literally any single friend lately — or scrolled through Reddit for five minutes — you know the general consensus on dating apps in 2025. People are...tired.

There's a definite sense of burnout thanks to endless swiping, cookie-cutter profiles, and the sinking reality that our love lives have been gamified. Whether you like it or not, we're all competing in an oversaturated market for a first date that might go nowhere. The love/hate relationship is real, and the urge to just delete the hookup apps and try your luck IRL is strong. We get it.

SEE ALSO: How to protect your mental health while using dating apps

But for all the valid critiques, the best dating apps are still massively popular and one of the main ways people connect in 2025. So, we figured, if we’re all going to be on them anyway, we should at least know which apps are worth the potential headache. In our experience, success on the apps depends on knowing what you want and selecting the right app for the job. You'll need completely different apps if you're looking for a serious relationship over a friendly fling. (And if you're serious about dating, it may be time to graduate from free dating apps altogether.)

Which dating apps actually work?

To help you out, we took one for the team and dove headfirst into the digital dating pool, subjecting ourselves to potential rejection and questionable opening lines to find out which apps are truly worth your time. We created profiles, paid for the premium features to see what's behind the paywalls, and spent weeks getting a real feel for each one — who you'll find, what it's going to cost you, and an honest look at the good, the bad, and the just plain weird.

Think of this as your very prepared friend's brutally honest notes. Here are the top dating apps that are worth your time in 2025.