Technology

Time goes on, and technology changes. Many of us (who aren’t retro enthusiasts) have done many things for last time without realizing it. Here is a list in honor of the tech we no longer use and the things we no longer have to do.

Uber has announced a multi-million dollar partnership with U.S. electric vehicle maker Lucid and robotics company Nuro. The three companies plan to deploy at least 20,000 robotaxis "in dozens of markets around the world" over the next six years, starting in a major U.S. city in 2026.

The ride-share app announced the news on Thursday, saying that the Lucid vehicles will be owned and operated by Uber or its third-party fleet partners. The vehicles, which will be equipped with technology developed by Nuro, will be available to riders "exclusively" via the Uber platform, as per the company's press release.

SEE ALSO: Smooth, silent, strange: What it's really like to hail a robotaxi

As a part of the deal, Uber is investing $300 million in Lucid and an undisclosed — but "significant" — amount in Nuro, according to the Financial Times.

Uber said the collaboration between the three companies will "[deliver] a fully integrated robotaxi experience developed for comfort, safety, and scale."

"Autonomous vehicles have enormous potential to transform our cities for the better," said Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber. Khosrowshahi said the partnership will "safely bring the magic of autonomous driving to more people across the world."

Nuro will lead the safety efforts behind building the vehicle, using simulations, supervised on-road testing, and closed-course testing.

The move crystallizes Uber's intention to make its mark in the world of autonomous vehicles, which could have big implications for the thousands of gig workers who book rides through Uber. Just yesterday, the company announced a deal with Baidu, a company that runs one of the largest robotaxi fleets in China. The two are partnering up to deploy robotaxis across Asia and the Middle East, with a potential expansion to Europe.

Tesla has also been testing its own robotaxi service, most recently in Austin, Texas.

SEE ALSO: FTC sues Uber over 'deceptive' Uber One subscriptions

In a bit of news that is in no way indicative of the direction our culture is heading, Elon Musk's xAI is hiring an engineer dedicated to creating anime girls.

The company has a listing with the job title "Fullstack Engineer - Waifus." A waifu is word used by anime fans refer to a female character that people view romantically. It's basically a Japanese version of the English word "wife." The listing said xAI is "looking for exceptional multimedia engineers and product thinkers who want to make Grok's realtime avatar products the best in the world." The pay range: $180,000-$440,000 per year.

SEE ALSO: xAI launches Grok 4, right after the AI chatbot spewed hate speech

The job listing comes on the heels of Musk's Grok releasing its first avatars, which were an anime girl called Ani and a red panda called Rudi. As Mashable's Stan Schroeder wrote, Ani is, by default, very flirtatious with users and can go full NSFW.

If the job listing is any indication, we can only expect more of the same from xAI moving forward.

Netflix's Assassin’s Creed live-action series adaptation is officially coming, announced by Ubisoft on Thursday.

According to Ubisoft's blog post, Netflix has greenlit the TV adaptation of the historical action-adventure game series with Roberto Patino (DMZ, Westworld) and David Wiener (Halo, Homecoming) acting creators, showrunners, and executive producers.

Ubisoft and Netflix first announced the project's development in 2020.

"We've been fans of Assassin's Creed since its release in 2007. Every day we work on this show, we come away excited and humbled by the possibilities that Assassin's Creed opens to us," said Patino and Wiener in a joint press statement.

SEE ALSO: 'Assassin's Creed Shadows' is the best one in years, sometimes in spite of itself

"Beneath the scope, the spectacle, the parkour and the thrills is a baseline for the most essential kind of human story — about people searching for purpose, struggling with questions of identity and destiny and faith. It is about power and violence and sex and greed and vengeance. But more than anything, this is a show about the value of human connection, across cultures, across time. And it's about what we stand to lose as a species, when those connections break. We've got an amazing team behind us with the folks at Ubisoft and our champions at Netflix, and we're committed to creating something undeniable for fans all over the planet."

The series will likely centre on the franchise's core opposition between two covert factions: the Assassins and the Templars, who wage war across time and historical periods, with the protagonist able to access and relive these ancestral memories through a machine called the Animus. However, there are no details on which time period the TV series will be set in or whether the narrative will begin with the game's original 12th century protagonist Altaïr. Justin Kurzel's awful 2016 Michael Fassbender-led film hinged around a new character, Aguilar, an assassin in 15th-century Spain. My two cents: let Kassandra, Evie Frye, or Fujibayashi Naoe lead this time.

All we do know? Nothing is true, everything is permitted.

Women's health app Flo will soon bring features specifically for perimenopause to its 76 million monthly active users.

Previously, Flo focused on reproductive health, and called itself a period and ovulation tracker, and a pregnancy app. Now, Flo is branching out to help people track symptoms of perimenopause, the transitional period between menstruation and menopause. The new in-app offering will be called "Flo for Perimenopause," and provide personalized guidance for those who are in, about to enter, or curious about this stage of life.

SEE ALSO: Women's health app launches massive survey on female orgasms

In a 2024 survey Flo conducted of 1,446 U.S. women aged 34-49, 54 percent said they don't feel adequately informed about perimenopause and its potential symptoms and effects on their health. Another, smaller survey from Flo (of 337 women in the U.S. aged 35-54 who said they were going through perimenopause), 72 percent said their symptoms limited their life experiences. Self-esteem, sex, and social lives were the top-affected areas.

Flo for Perimenopause will allow users to track and manage their symptoms, like cycle irregularities, hot flashes, mood changes, fatigue, and sleep disturbances. This is similar to how Flo already tracks and manages users' periods. Users can also receive a "Perimenopause Score," which is a tool to evaluate and help users understand the impact of perimenopause symptoms.

Credit: Flo Health Credit: Flo Health

Flo users will also be able to get support from medical experts and OBGYNs and connect with other users in an anonymous in-app feature called Secret Chats. The app will also feature educational content made in collaboration with over 100 medical experts.

"A tool like Flo for Perimenopause could be truly transformative for the many women I see who arrive confused, overwhelmed, and unaware of what their bodies are going through — simply because no one ever taught them what to expect," said Dr. Sameena Rahman, a board-certified OBGYN, sex-med gynecologist, and menopause specialist, in Flo's press release.

Flo for Perimenopause will be available to all users starting July 21.

AI data-labeling company Scale AI is laying off 200 employees, following a dramatic month with Meta.

Scale AI is cutting 14 percent of its workforce, and will also end work with 500 global contractors, Bloomberg reported. This comes after Scale AI received $14.3 billion of investment from Meta and simultaneously lost its CEO Alexandr Wang to Meta's superintelligence group as part of the deal.

According to an internal memo from Scale AI's interim CEO Jason Droege viewed by Bloomberg, the layoffs are due to its data labeling business scaling too quickly, which led to bureaucracy and "unhelpful confusion about the team’s mission." The memo also cited "shifts in market demand."

Meta's poaching of top AI talent to gain a competitive edge over its rivals has had a strong orbital effect over the AI industry, including pulling Scale AI under its influence. Meta's investment in Scale AI gives it a 49 percent stake in the company, which has reportedly caused OpenAI and Google cut ties with the data-labeling company due to competing interests. Scale AI is known for labeling and annotating training data, which is a crucial part of developing AI models. Scale AI and OpenAI previously had a longstanding relationship, which goes back to when Wang and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman were roommates during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mark Zuckerberg was reportedly disappointed with Meta's Llama models, which prompted him to personally recruit top AI leaders and researchers for an ambitious project to develop AI superintelligence. Employees from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and Apple have left to join Meta's new team, shaking up the entire industry.

A Scale AI spokesperson told Bloomberg that the company's layoffs are part of a restructuring to focus on enterprise and government contracts. The company plans to hire hundreds of people later this year for these efforts.

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 Alien franchise has always been terrifying, but each horrific Xenomorph encounter comes with a silver lining: Hey, at least it didn't happen on Earth! (Aside from the Alien vs. Predator films, of course.)

However, FX's upcoming Alien: Earth does away with that silver lining entirely, asking what would happen if Xenomorphs arrived on Earth. The short answer: nothing good!

SEE ALSO: Summer TV preview: All the TV shows you need to know, and where to stream them

Created by Noah Hawley (Fargo), this prequel series kicks off when a Weyland-Yutani deep space research vessel crash lands in Earth's Prodigy City, named after the Prodigy Corporation, one of Weyland-Yutani's rivals. A space ship smashing into a major metropolis is already a catastrophe by itself, but things go from catastrophic to "oh no, the world is screwed" once it turns out the ship was carrying not one, not two, but five hostile alien life forms from the deepest reaches of space. Among them is the Xenormorph, along with new creatures guaranteed to give you nightmares.

While the crash is a disaster for the entire world, Prodigy CEO Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin) views it as an opportunity for profit. He wants to take control of whatever Weyland-Yutani found, so he sends a squad of soldiers to investigate the ship.

But these soldiers aren't ordinary humans. They're hybrids: humanoid robots who've been implanted with the consciousness of sick human children. Yes, that's different from Alien's synthetics, which have artificial consciousness in addition to a robot body.

As the soldiers, led by Wendy (Sydney Chandler), close in on the crashed USCSS Maginot, the stage is set for an epic showdown between aliens and synthetics. For Earth's sake, let's hope the synthetics come out on top.

Produced by Alien director Ridley Scott, Alien: Earth also stars Timothy Olyphant, Alex Lawther, Babou Ceesay, Adrian Edmondson, David Rysdahl, Essie Davis, Lily Newmark, Erana James, Adarsh Gourav, Jonathan Ajayi, Kit Young, Diêm Camille, Moe Bar-El, and Sanda Yi Sencindiver.

Alien: Earth premieres Aug. 12 at 8 p.m. ET on Hulu and FX.

If you've been on TikTok the past few days, you probably have a very specific song by Pinkpantheress stuck in your head.

Pinkpantheress says the song is about buying illegal drugs or using a male escort, but you wouldn't know that by the way TikTok users have approached the viral trend. Instead, they're using "Illegal" by Pinkpantheress to talk about the intricacies of their relationships — as intricate as you can get in a 13-second video, at least.

It goes like this: One person records shaking hands with another while they lipsync the first line, "My name is Pink and I'm really glad to meet you," and overlay it with text like, "I grew up with strict parents."

The camera shifts, and the other person records shaking hands to, "You're recommended to me by some people" with more text overlayed that shows how the two people are different, like "I grew up with chill parents."

It shifts back to the first person, hands still shaking, to, "Hey! OoOooOooOooo is this illegal?" with an acknowledgment that they're dating now.

And then back to the other person who lipsyncs, "Hey! OoOooOooOooo it feels illegal." That's it. That's the whole trend.

The joke is: "is this illegal?" — meaning, "this feels so different it must be wrong." For instance, one by couple creators Taylor and Sophia that reads, "*raised in a water only family*," then "*raised in an appetizer and soda family*," followed by "is this illegal?" and "it feels illegal."

The sound has been used in over 841,000 TikTok videos, including a Huddy video with 37 million views, a video by Brooke Monk with over 21 million views, and even one with Pinkpantheress herself that has over 36 million views, among other viral videos with the sound.

According to TikTok's Creator Search Insights, it's one of the top trending videos on TikTok and has been steadily increasing reach since July 15. Some users are calling it the "illegal trend" which is predominately searched by women aged 18 to 24 years old, according to TikTok's Creator Search Insights.

Of course, some people are doing it completely independent of the trend and just... playing the song behind whatever b-roll they have on their camera, like this guy from Love Island.

SAVE $200: As of July 17, get the Hisense 75" Class QD7 Series Mini-LED 4K TV for $599.99, down from its usual price of $799.99 at Amazon. That's a discount of 25%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Hisense 75" Class QD7 Series Mini-LED 4K TV $599.99 at Amazon
$799.99 Save $200 Get Deal

Ready to bring a new TV home? Whether you're looking to enhance the way you watch your favorite movies and TV shows or you want a display to enjoy new video games on, you can't go wrong with a discounted screen. And right now you can get an especially sweet deal on a large TV that can take center stage in your home and shine wherever you put it.

As of July 17, get the Hisense 75" Class QD7 Series Mini-LED 4K TV for $599.99, down from its usual price of $799.99 at Amazon. That's $200 off and a discount of 25%.

SEE ALSO: What's the best time of year to buy a TV? Yes, there's an answer.

This 4K smart TV boasts a native 144Hz refresh rate and a Mini LED screen with up to 500 nits of peak brightness. Its QLED hues blend together with quantum dots to give you high color accuracy with over a billion shades to make sure you get the most realistic picture possible. Further, it supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos to enhance your experience, especially in the audio realm, even further.

It has Fire TV integrated with it so you can use both Alexa with its included remote to press and ask questions, find and launch content, and use all of your favorite streaming apps straight from the TV. Choose from all of your favorite platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and more that you can use straight from the TV itself without the need for a streaming stick.

If you've been looking for a new TV to change the way you enjoy content, this one is both affordable and a bargain at this price, though it likely won't be around forever. Better snag this one while it's still available.

Best tech deals

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

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

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

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

Animation legend Genndy Tartakovsky has captivated audiences of all ages with projects like Dexter's Laboratory, Samurai Jack, the Hotel Transylvania series, and Primal. However, his upcoming film Fixed is decidedly for the older crowd.

SEE ALSO: The best Netflix movies of 2025 now streaming

That's because the entire movie hinges on dog Bull (voiced by Adam DeVine) realizing his owners are about to have him neutered, separating him from the balls he loves so much. And you'd better believe that Fixed animates Bull's testicles, along with other parts of his anatomy. Seriously, if you've ever yearned to see the famed "butthole cut" of 2019's Cats, then Fixed is the movie for you.

Panicking over his upcoming castration, Bull sets out for one last big night on the town with his doggy friends Rocco (Idris Elba), Fetch (Fred Armisen), and Lucky (Bobby Moynihan). Squirrel-killing rampages and trips to dog strip clubs (yes, really) ensue. But amid all the R-rated carnage, will Bull be able to accomplish his true goal: telling neighboring dog Honey (Kathryn Hahn) that he's in love with her?

Brazen in its crassness but still oddly sweet, Fixed was trapped in development hell for years. In 2024, it was shelved by Warner Bros. Discovery, a move the company pulled with other completed projects like Batgirl, Coyote vs. Acme, and Scoob! Holiday Haunt. That meant distribution for the project fell back on Sony Pictures Animation, which has collaborated with Netflix before on projects like The Mitchells vs. The Machines.

Fixed is now less than a month out from release after years of setbacks, and you can get a taste of its nasty madness in the trailer above.

Fixed hits Netflix Aug. 13.

TL;DR: Watch Sweden vs. England in Women's Euro 2025 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Women's Euro 2025 knockout rounds continue with Sweden vs. England. A lot of fans were expecting England to top their group, but their opening day defeat at the hands of France meant they had to progress via a second-place finish. That does mean they avoid Germany at the quarter-final stage, but it's not all good. Sweden just beat Germany 4-1, so they'll be coming into this game with a lot of confidence.

If you want to watch Sweden vs. England in Women's Euro 2025 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Sweden vs. England?

Sweden vs. England in Women's Euro 2025 kicks off at 8 p.m. BST on July 17. This fixture takes place at the Letzigrund.

How to watch Sweden vs. England for free

Sweden vs. England in Women's Euro 2025 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another country, meaning you can unblock free live streams on sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Unblock BBC iPlayer 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 the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Stream Sweden vs. England in Women's Euro 2025 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 leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch Sweden vs. England (plus the rest of the tournament) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for streaming sport?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Watch Sweden vs. England in Women's Euro 2025 for free with ExpressVPN.

Apple Wallet's Car Key feature is expanding to include 13 new vehicle brands.

The car key feature enables people to access their cars using the Apple Wallet on their iPhone or Apple Watch. Car keys can unlock compatible vehicles at a distance or nearby, depending on the manufacturer.

SEE ALSO: Everything we learned during Apple's WWDC 2025 keynote

The feature has already worked for models created by companies such as Volvo, Mercedes-Benz, Kia, Lotus, Hyundai, BYD, Audi, and BMW.

Now, a slew of new auto manufacturers are joining the existing list, bringing the total number of supported brands to 33. The latest additions are:

• Acura

• Cadillac

• Chery

• Chevrolet

• GMC

• Hongqi

• Lucid

• Porsche

• Rivian

• Smart

• Tata

• Voyah

• WEY

As of now, there is no timeline for when these companies will implement the Car Key feature. Apple has announced other updates to its vehicle-related products during WWDC 2025, including a new design for CarPlay and the introduction of the enhanced CarPlay Ultra.

Censorship of porn is increasing in the U.S. and elsewhere. Last month, the Supreme Court ruled that Texas's age-verification law was constitutional, for example. Age-verification laws typically require proof of age, like a government ID or facial recognition scan, to enter websites with explicit content. While free speech advocates told Mashable they won't work, as these checks can be circumvented with VPNs, they persist.

Free speech and adult industry advocates also say that such laws will chill the free speech of adults who want to watch this content. Censorship doesn't quell desires or sexual preferences, but it might make people fear being open about them.

SEE ALSO: How to unblock Pornhub for free

"Online fetish content is a key way for people to enjoy fantasies they may not feel they have access to in their personal lives," said Avery Martin, spokesperson for adult clip site Clips4Sale, which just released the top 10 fetishes growing in 2025 so far.

Map of fastest-growing fetishes on Clips4Sale in 2025. Credit: Clips4Sale

These are the fetishes increasing in popularity according to year-over-year data:

1. Pegging (+46.4 percent)

2. Farting (+38 percent)

3. Sex fights (+36 percent)

4. Femdom (+33.5 percent)

5. Cuckolding (+26.1 percent)

6. Chastity (+24.5 percent)

7. Ballbusting (+22.5 percent)

8. Pantyhose (+15.2 percent)

9. Belly buttons (+14.9 percent)

10. Foot worship (+14.4 percent)

"We publish this data because we want more people to understand that there's a whole world like them," Martin continued.

Clips4Sale named chastity as its 2025 Fetish of the Year, corresponding with the current political climate. Meanwhile, the top one pegging, or anal penetration with a strap-on, was the site's 2023 Fetish of the Year. "No matter what they profess in public, men love being dominated by women in bed," Martin said in its press release. "Unfortunately, because of the cultural taboos surrounding sexual submission, men can have a hard time discussing these desires with their partners."

Pegging is fastest-growing in the U.S. and the UK; the UK's own age-verification law will soon be in effect. But there are many more on this list as well, including cuckolding, or watching one's partner engage in sexual acts with someone else. This also plays into societal taboos — but what fetish doesn't, really?

During a time when legislatures want to squash sexual expression, discussing fetishes can be seen as radical. But as Clips4Sale's map shows, people worldwide are discovering new pleasures regardless.

TikTokkers have jumped on a trend mostly used to show off their younger, wilder days.

Scrolling through your FYP on TikTok, you've likely seen the "there was a time" trend. The beats of the trend are consistent: 1) you show someone or something as they are now, 2) you say "...but there was a time," 3) you show how they were. For lots of folks, this means showing that while, yes, they are now a parent with a 9-5, they were once a partier (or something of that ilk). For others, the posts can take on a more melancholy tone, where they remember something they miss. And, of course, there are some TikToks following the trend that are just weird and silly.

SEE ALSO: What is the Gen Z stare? TikTok zoomers and millennials are bickering over facial expressions

Here are a few about being settled now, but people who hit the bars back in the day.

But there are other kinds of posts using the trend, often with different TikTok sounds. Here's one about missing playing hockey.

Or there are parents posting their kids growing up.

Or there are jokes about good dogs.

Or there are people posting their previous careers.

Or, as these posts hint at, there are some folks using it to post about relationships that ended or people they have lost.

In short, the trend explores all the ways time changes us. And for many folks, that means losing their wild side.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for July 17 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Found at a university

• Green: Over the top

• Blue: Excellent

• Purple: Found in the ocean

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

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

• Yellow: Meddle

• Green: Words after "No" to mean "It's all good"

• Blue: Super ___

• Purple: Ending with fish

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #767 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Meddle: NOSE AROUND, POKE, PRY, SNOOP

• Words after "No" to mean "It's all good": BIGGIE, HARD FEELINGS, SWEAT, WORRIES

• Super ___: GLUE, MARIO WORLD, PAC, POWER

• Ending with fish: CAMISOLE, CAPE COD, DRUM AND BASS, WU-TANG

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 17

Are you also playing NYT Strands?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for July 17 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for July 17 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Find your seat

The words are show-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are seating arrangements.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Theaters.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for July 17

• Theaters

• Wings

• Orchestra

• Boxes

• Lobby

• Mezzanine

• Balcony

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for July 16 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for July 17, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Average.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter M.

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

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

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

MODAL.

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 17

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

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

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

SAVE $20: As of July 17, the JBL Charge 6 portable speaker is on sale for $179.95 at Amazon. This is 10% off and marks its best-ever price.

Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Charge 6 $179.95 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $20 Get Deal

The big summertime sale events may be winding down, but Amazon still has a few deals left up its sleeve after Prime Day. If you've been on the hunt for a solid portable speaker to take on your outdoor adventures this year, the JBL Charge 6 is currently discounted at the retailer for a limited time.

The JBL Charge 6 is normally listed for $199.95, but you can score it for $179.95 right now. This marks its best price yet according to price tracker camelcamelcamel, making now a great time to scoop it up. We even consider it the best Bluetooth speaker for most people in our roundup of the best Bluetooth speakers, so you can feel content knowing you're investing in something worthwhile.

SEE ALSO: What Prime Day deals on headphones are still live? Score Apple, Sony, Beats, and JBL cans under $100.

If you've got trips to the beach or a camping trip planned for this summer, the JBL Charge 6 can help keep the party going while you're outside. It has a portable design — that's also IP68 waterproof and dustproof — and a removable handle strap so you can easily carry it around with you. It also boasts rich sound and a long battery life of up to 28 hours so you can keep enjoying your favorite songs the whole day through.

This limited-time deal may not last for long. Don't miss out on the JBL Charge 6 down to $179.95 at Amazon.

Even though Prime Day is over, there are still some great deals floating around. Check out our breakdown of Prime Day deals that are still live to see if anything that's caught your eye is still discounted.

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

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

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

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

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

SAVE $90: As of July 17, the Ninja Foodi 10QT 6-in-1 DualZone Smart XL Air Fryer is down to $159.99 at Amazon — that’s 36% off its usual $249.99 price tag.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Foodi 10QT 6-in-1 DualZone Smart XL Air Fryer $159.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $90 Get Deal

If your air fryer has been starting to feel cramped — or worse, slowing you down — this is the upgrade you’ve been waiting for. As of July 17, the Ninja Foodi 10QT Smart XL Air Fryer is down to $159.99 at Amazon. That’s a sizzling $90 discount.

Unlike your average single-drawer air fryer, this one’s built to handle two dishes at once without breaking a sweat. Thanks to Ninja’s DualZone Technology, you get two independent 5-quart baskets — each with its own heating system — so you can air fry wings in one and roast veggies in the other at the same time. And with the Smart Finish feature, both sides can finish together for stress-free timing. 

SEE ALSO: The best air fryers in 2025

Alternatively, you can use Match Cook to copy settings across both zones and make the most of the full 10-quart capacity.

You’ll also find a Smart Cook thermometer built right in, so you can dial in doneness — from rare to well-done — with a promise for no guesswork. Whether you’re roasting a whole 6-pound chicken or meal-prepping a week’s worth of lunches, Ninja says this fryer can handle it all with six versatile functions: Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Dehydrate, Reheat, and Broil.

If you’ve been holding out for a big-capacity, smart air fryer that can actually keep up with the mealtime chaos that comes with large families or multiple guests, this deal is well worth grabbing while it lasts. 

At nearly 40% off, the Ninja Foodi DualZone Smart XL Air Fryer brings serious flexibility and speed to your kitchen routine — at a price that’s hard to beat.

To make the most of our new Ninja Foodi, find out how to make your own homemade air fryer fries to wow your family. To complete your latest set of home upgrades, improve your cleaning with this Shark robot vacuum that's over 50% off in a limited-time deal.

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

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

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

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

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

Roblox is a popular digital space for kids and teens to congregate while playing their favorite video game, or in the platform's parlance, experience.

Now teens ages 13 to 17 who want to access a special feature designed to make those hangouts even more fun will have to verify their age via a video selfie. Roblox announced the new requirement Thursday as part of a slate of safety and privacy measures.

Once Roblox estimates the user's age — via the AI-powered age verification product Persona — and assigns a qualifying age group to their account, it allows them to take advantage of the new feature, called "Trusted Connections." Teen users can add each other as Trusted Connections, which allows them to communicate via voice and chat without filters. Still, Roblox will monitor all conversations for "critical harm," such as grooming.

SEE ALSO: Why teens are telling strangers their secrets online

If a teen wants to add an adult aged 18 or older as a Trusted Connection, they can only do so in real life through a QR scan or contact importer. When the technology incorrectly estimates a user's age, or cannot confirm their age, teens will be able to verify it by providing identification. In the future, Roblox will allow parents to give their verified consent in order to confirm a user's age.

Prior to completing this process, teens will not have access to Trusted Connections. The feature is the latest move by Roblox to make the platform safer. Last year, the company restricted direct messaging for younger users and created new parental control tools.

Roblox has long faced criticism for the ease with which some predators could engage with young users. Bad actors have a history of encouraging victims to move off Roblox to communicate on other platforms, such as Discord.

In 2023, a group of families filed a class-action lawsuit against Roblox for exposing underage users to inappropriate or explicit content and allowing them to engage in inappropriate encounters. The company disputed the allegations, but political and legal pressure has mounted on all social media and gaming platforms to improve the safety of their products.

In a blog post outlining the new features, Roblox's chief safety officer Matt Kaufman said they were designed partly to protect young users from being lured off the platform.

"This additional freedom to chat more openly with trusted connections reduces the incentive for teens to move interactions off platform, where they may be exposed to greater risk," Kaufman wrote.

In a press briefing, Kaufman acknowledged that Roblox had been evaluating age verification for a long time. He said that the company decided to introduce it now because it could debut in conjunction with "features that we really believe are something that should be limited to an older audience, 13 and older."

Up until the launch of Trusted Connections, all private communication on Roblox has moved through its filtering system, which is designed to block profanity and personally identifiable information, amongst other types of potentially inappropriate content.

Other features introduced Thursday include tools for users to better manage notifications, screen time, and privacy. Users will have access to a do not disturb mode and will be able to set a daily limit on the platform, as well as decide who can see when they're online, with an option to appear invisible.

Teens can also grant permission to their parents to view both their Connections and Trusted Connections. Additionally, parents will be able to see how much time their teen spends on the platform and receive notifications and alerts for financial transactions.