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Streaming services like Netflix and Disney Plus have huge global libraries. The only problem is accessing them from one place. Here's how to use a VPN to watch virtually everything online. 

We tested the new MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ with Intel’s Arc G3 Extreme processor. With a chip designed specifically for PC gaming handhelds, what type of gaming frame rates can you expect?

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It’s surprising how often we encounter PDFs in the real world, both at home and at work. AcePDF Converter and Editor makes it a lot easier to handle them, serving as your one-stop shop for editing and converting them.

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TL;DR: Live stream Netherlands vs. Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup showcases three huge games from the Round of 32 on June 29, including Netherlands vs. Morocco.

The Netherlands have looked really impressive in this tournament at times, but they've also shown some vulnerable flashes. Morocco, on the other hand, stunned Brazil with their quality in the group stage and notched up comfortable wins against Scotland and Haiti. All of which makes this an interesting matchup. You could easily imagine this contest taking place much later in the tournament.

If you want to watch Netherlands vs. Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Netherlands vs. Morocco?

Netherlands vs. Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 9 p.m. ET on June 29. This fixture takes place at Monterrey Stadium.

How to watch Netherlands vs. Morocco for free

Netherlands vs. Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

ITVX 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 the UK, meaning you can unblock ITVX to live stream the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Netherlands vs. Morocco for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend 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 ITVX

5. Watch Netherlands vs. Morocco for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN 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 access free live streams of the 2026 World Cup without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Netherlands vs. Morocco (plus more World Cup fixtures) before recovering your investment.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money-back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• 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 10 simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of the World Cup.

Live stream Netherlands vs. Morocco in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free.

It's been a week since President Trump signed an executive order directing a whole-of-government push on quantum computing — funding it, securing its supply chains, building its workforce, and making sure adversaries like China don't get there first.

This marks a significant federal commitment to a technology that is either the next great computing revolution, or the most expensive science experiment in history, depending on the expert opinion. But one thing it can do: replace AI as the carrier of long-term hopes for the tech industry.

This would be the right moment for a switch, as the vibe shifts on AI itself: models are more expensive to train, returns are harder to demonstrate. Investors who have sent AI stock soaring may soon be looking for the next big thing to believe in.

Quantum computing — with its theoretical promise of solving problems that would take classical computers millennia — is a real and genuinely fascinating technology. It's just a lot more complicated, and further away, than the White House-led hype suggests.

What is quantum computing?

Your laptop processes information in bits. Tiny switches in a computer see data in binary code: either as a 0 or a 1. Quantum computers swap those out for qubits, which can exist as 0, 1, or a combination of both at the same time — a property called superposition.

Which, if we can harness it, would fundamentally supercharge everything a computer can do.

As IBM describes it, think of solving a maze. A classical computer tries every path until it finds the exit. A quantum computer, by using the interference patterns of qubits — the way their probability waves cancel out wrong answers and amplify right ones — can zero in on solutions without brute-forcing every option.

Add entanglement, where qubits become so linked that measuring one instantly tells you about others, and you have a machine that approaches certain problems in a completely different way than anything humanity has built before.

For one thing, researchers say, a fully functional quantum computer would likely mean the death of Bitcoin.

What can it do?

Still, the most credible near-term applications are in science and industry, not consumer tech. Quantum computers are particularly well-suited to simulating molecular behavior — which could dramatically accelerate drug discovery and materials science — and to crunching complex optimization problems in finance and logistics.

According to IBM, the field is projected to grow into a $1.3 trillion industry by 2035, with major players like Google and Microsoft, as well as startups like IonQ, already investing heavily.

An MIT report from 2025 found that quantum computing patents have grown fivefold over the last decade, venture capital hit a new high of $1.6 billion in 2024, and demand for quantum skills has nearly tripled since 2018.

Business executives, the report noted, are increasingly "quantum curious" — in part because watching AI explode taught them not to sleep on the next big thing.

Why is there a 'but'?

The gap between what quantum computers can theoretically do, and what they can actually do right now, remains enormous.

According to IBM, current quantum processors are fragile, error-prone, and require cooling to temperatures colder than outer space to function. A researcher on r/Physics who works in quantum information put it plainly: the commercial use cases are "speculative at best," and the classical computing baseline is "shifting so fast it's impossible to get a read on the gap."

Engineering bottlenecks, such as error correction, qubit stability, and scaling, also remain major unsolved problems. IBM says it's targeting 200 logical qubits by 2029 and 2,000 by 2033. These are timelines that make quantum computing a decades-long project, not an imminent revolution.

Why is the Trump administration suddenly all in?

Last week, President Trump signed Executive Order 14413, directing a sweeping whole-of-government push to accelerate quantum computing research, secure domestic supply chains, expand the quantum workforce, and prevent adversaries — China specifically holds 60 percent of global quantum patents, per MIT's report — from gaining a strategic edge.

The order establishes a new effort to build a quantum computer at a Department of Energy facility and sets aggressive timelines across multiple agencies.

It's a legitimate national security concern, dressed up in the language of a tech boom. Like fusion power, quantum computing is real and will matter — probably a lot — but the current moment looks a lot like the early AI hype cycle. Expect lots of startups with "quantum" in their name to launch as a result.

Meta is finally preparing to roll out usernames on WhatsApp so users no longer have to share their phone number on the app. And users can reserve their preferred username right now.

WhatsApp has been integrating usernames into the platform for more than a year now, after the feature was discovered in a beta version of the app.

Now, it seems Meta is finally ready to roll out the new feature as WhatsApp is now letting users reserve usernames. 

"It’s time to reserve your WhatsApp username," reads a blog post on WhatsApps' website.

To reserve your WhatsApp username, simply open up the WhatsApp mobile app, go to your account settings, and tap "Username" under the "Your account" section.

"Usernames are coming soon," reads the window that opens up. "Reserve yours today."

Users can then choose to create a new username or use their Instagram or Facebook username.

WhatsApp users should reserve their chosen username as soon as possible. However, it seems users who just want to use their Facebook or Instagram username have no need to rush. WhatsApp confirmed in a post that the company "knows that some people like creators, small businesses, and organizations may want to maintain a consistent presence online" and so "for them, we reserved an option to claim their existing Instagram or Facebook username on WhatsApp."

When I attempted to register my preferred username, it said it was unavailable, but I could log in to Instagram or Facebook and choose it if it was the same username I used on those platforms (it was). Once logged into my Instagram account via WhatsApp, my preferred WhatsApp username suddenly became available.

Usernames have long been requested on WhatsApp. Users are forced to use their phone number as their WhatsApp identity, which creates obvious problems if they want to keep their phone number separate from their WhatsApp presence.

With more than 3 billion users on the platform, WhatsApp usernames will likely go fast, so if you don't already have your preferred username reserved via Facebook or Instagram, you should probably go register it now.

Alex, Aaron, and Andrew of the Wassabi Brothers have experienced the creator economy from three different vantage points.

Alex and Aaron came of age alongside YouTube, when uploading videos was simply a hobby. There were no brand deals, no creator economy, and no expectation that making content could become a full-time career. Andrew, meanwhile, represents a new generation of creators, navigating an internet shaped by TikTok, Shorts, livestreaming, and Gen Z trends — so much so that he's often the one teaching his older brothers which phrases have already fallen out of fashion.

That mix of perspectives makes for an insightful conversation in this edition of Creator Playbook, where the trio reflects on how dramatically the creator landscape has changed and which lessons have remained surprisingly timeless.

The brothers discuss why subscriber counts aren't the defining metric they once were, why community matters more than ever, and how they're continuing to experiment with new formats as audience habits evolve. They also open up about creator burnout, the return of long-form video, and why adaptability has become one of the most valuable skills a creator can develop.

Despite coming from different generations of the internet, the brothers agree on the fundamentals: stay consistent, keep experimenting, and don't let one disappointing upload stop you from creating.

"Everybody sucks at first," Alex, who has over 11 million subs on YouTube, tells Mashable. "Just keep going."

Watch the full Creator Playbook interview above.

The future of the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is looking bright. Literally.

According to a prolific Samsung leaker known as Ice Universe on Weibo, Samsung is incorporating an AMOLED display into the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 that's expected to reach a brightness of a whopping 5,000 nits.

Nits are the standard unit of measurement for the brightness of a display or screen. And for those unfamiliar with it, 5,000 nits is really, really bright. To really drive home the potentially record-breaking brightness of the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, let's compare it to other devices. 

According to Mashable's sister site CNET, most consumer-level televisions have a maximum brightness between 1,000 and 1,500 nits.

Both the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and current Galaxy Watch Ultra reach a maximum display brightness of 3,000 nits. The latest Apple Watch Series 11 reaches 2,000 nits, and the Apple Watch Ultra 3 can reach 3,000 nits.

The title of brightest display on a smartwatch currently belongs to Garmin's flagship $2,000 smartwatch, the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro. The microLED display on the Fenix 8 Pro reaches a maximum of 4,500 nits. That's really bright, but if Ice Universe is to be believed, Samsung is planning to beat it.

To really put things into perspective, let's look at TCL's flagship television model, the TCL X11L SQD Mini-LED, which has what is largely considered to be one of the brightest TV displays. The 85-inch model has a maximum brightness of 10,000 nits. The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 reportedly has a 1.5-inch circular AMOLED display, which can get half as bright as an 85-inch TV set.

Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event is next month and the company will very likely officially announce the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 there, along with a release date. We'll find out very soon just how bright this smartwatch can get.

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that police must obtain warrants to conduct wide searches of cell phone data at crime scenes, also known as "geofence" searches.

In its ruling on Chatrie v. United States, the justices said that Americans are entitled to privacy with the location data their phones track, even if they consent to sharing it with tech companies like Google and Apple.

The case involved Okello T. Chatrie, a man convicted of robbing a Virginia bank in 2019. Prosecutors obtained a warrant for a geofence search that captured location data near the bank around the time of the robbery and, as a result, identified Chatrie as a suspect. Geofence searches draw a digital fence around a crime scene and pull data from all digital devices within that space.

Even with the warrant, Chatrie's lawyers claimed the government sought an "overly broad set of data that violated the Fourth Amendment," the New York Times reports. The Fourth Amendment protects Americans from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government.

SEE ALSO: The FCC's proposed plan to fight spam calls puts consumer privacy in jeopardy

The Justice Department claimed the government did not need a warrant to view anonymous location data, especially since users had already acquiesced to tech companies tracking that data. A majority of the justices disagreed.

"An individual has a reasonable expectation of privacy in records about his cell phone’s location, and police intrude on that constitutionally protected interest when they demand the information — even though for only a limited time, and from a third-party tech company," Justice Elena Kagan wrote for the majority. Kagan was joined in the decision by Justices Roberts, Sotomayor, Jackson, Kavanaugh, and Gorsuch (the latter agreed with the ruling but not its rationale, according to the Times).

Most smartphone track user location every few minutes, though users can view, edit, and delete that data. Google Maps is one of the most common ways Big Tech tracks movements, with more than 1 billion daily users. Chatrie's lawyers argued to the justices that his location data was private since it was password-protected.

Google has tried to get ahead of the legal complications surrounding data tracking. The company announced three years ago that it would store location data on individual phones rather than on Google servers, allowing it to avoid complying with location requests.

Even though Google found a workaround, the government has requested such location data from other companies, including Apple, Microsoft, Snapchat, and Uber.

While the justices ruled on the broader legality of the government seeking private data, they did not rule on the warrant used in the Chatrie case, instead sending it back to an appeals court.

If there was one thing content creator Sidney Raskind knew for sure when he graduated high school, it's that he didn't want a desk job.

It took him a little longer to realize that he had even more clarity than that — he wanted to be a YouTuber (spoiler alert: he did it). Mashable caught up with him at VidCon 2026 to learn more about the journey that behind his graduation, to the content that helped him break through and go full time — life hacks and, as Raskind's says in nearly all his videos, things he didn't know until he was in his 30s.

What kept him going?

"I used to say spite," he joked with Mashable reporter Bethany Allard. But more than proving that he could escape the clutches of a desk job, Raskind knew he had a passion, and one that he could find success with. Especially since the barrier to entry for making videos online wasn't too high.

SEE ALSO: These are Sidney Raz's content essentials after nearly 20 years as a creator

"When I came to the very first VidCon, I was, I was looking on stage and I thought, 'I can do this, too,'" he said.

With 4.6 million followers on TikTok and the title of being a featured creator at VidCon, it's clear Raskin was on to something. As for folks who hope to one day make it too, Raskind offered this:

" My biggest piece of advice is something that Seth Rogen said, which is, 'If you stop, you won't, you will always not get there. But if you keep trying and you keep going, then there is a possibility that you will get there.' It took me 15 years to figure out the content format and general understanding until it worked, and I just never stopped stopping, as they say in 'Popstar'."

You can watch the whole interview above, and for all things VidCon, Mashable has you covered.

Google just launched a new version of Android. It might take a bit to install, so you might as well brush up on what it has to offer while you wait.

Android 17 officially launched earlier this month, so if you have a Pixel or Samsung phone, you might as well get the download started. It brings several new features to play with, so without wasting any more time, let's dig in. Here are some of the top Android 17 features to anticipate as you watch that install progress on your phone screen.

SEE ALSO: Google officially launches Android 17 Bubbles enable better multitasking Timely! Credit: Google

A couple of these updates are intended for or best used on foldables or other "large screen devices," as Google calls them. The first one of these is Bubbles, an easy way to multitask on your mobile device.

All you have to do is long-press an app icon to turn it into a floating window that you can move around and resize as needed. It can live on top of another open app, so if you want to livestream a World Cup game in one window and react to it with your homies in a group chat at the same time, you can do that. It sounds very intuitive and useful, which is what we want to see out of any free software updates.

Better gaming on foldable devices That looks handy. Credit: Google

Speaking of foldables, Google has also enhanced the gaming experience on these devices with Android 17. If you have something like a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, you can orient it in landscape mode and use a new layout where the game is displayed on the top half of the screen, while a virtual controller is on the bottom half. A lot of mobile games overlay virtual controls on top of the gameplay, but this would theoretically allow you to game without all that stuff getting in the way. Another win for foldables.

Record screen reactions for your social feeds Everyone has to react to everything all the time. Credit: Screenshot: Google

We live in a world where everything warrants a reaction for social media. These days, that often takes the form of someone talking into their selfie camera in front of an image of whatever they're reacting to. With Android 17, you can do that easily. Google says it takes "just a few taps" to overlay yourself on top of an image or viral clip, at which point you can get to yapping about it. That engagement won't generate itself, folks, but Android 17 comes pretty close to doing it all for you.

Enhanced parental controls

Parental controls are not necessarily "exciting" according to the dictionary definition of the word, but they are good and important. With Android 17, Google has added some much-needed new safety features for kids. They originally launched on Pixel devices late last year, but now they're available for everything that runs Android.

With these features, you can do things like filter Google Play downloads, set a time for the device to lock down every night, and set screen time limits for the young ones. None of these are revolutionary, but they are vital to making sure your kid doesn't develop a debilitating screen addiction.

Lock down your lost phone This might save a lot of headaches for people. Credit: Google

Lastly, we have another feature that may not be "exciting" in the traditional sense, but will absolutely save lots of money and prevent lots of stress for Android device owners.

Mark as Lost is a new feature that will allow you to remotely lock down a missing phone using Find Hub. Even if the amoral brigand who pilfered your device has your PIN, they won't be able to open the phone without your biometrics. You may not be able to get the phone back, but they won't be able to do anything with it, either.

A first-round match at Wimbledon is not usually treated like the main event. Serena Williams’ return is one of the exceptions.

Williams, 44, is set to play 20-year-old Australian Maya Joint on Tuesday, June 30, in her first Wimbledon singles match since 2022, and tennis fans are abuzz with anticipation.

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Williams has not played a singles match since the 2022 U.S. Open, where she "evolved away" from professional tennis after a third-round loss to Ajla Tomljanovic. In the years since, she has had a second child, expanded her business life, and moved into the kind of post-tennis chapter most fans assumed was permanent.

SEE ALSO: Serena Williams dances in Kendrick Lamar's halftime show. Yes, there's an alleged Drake connection.

The comeback did not come out of nowhere. Williams has been inching back onto the court since 2025. But the singles decision, according to Williams, was not automatic. At her pre-tournament press conference, she said Wimbledon had held a wild card for her and that she was still unsure until the final days before the draw.

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Part of the hesitation, Williams said, came from what returning to professional tennis required off the court. To compete again, she had to re-enter tennis’ anti-doping testing pool and make herself available under the sport’s whereabouts rules, which require players to provide a daily one-hour testing window and keep officials updated on where they can be found.

Williams told reporters that the process has been "grueling," especially as someone balancing tennis with children, travel, and running multiple businesses. She said she understands why testing is necessary, but argued that parts of the system feel unreasonable for players whose lives do not fit neatly into one location or one schedule.

Ultimately, though, "I thought I should really take this opportunity,” Williams said. “Who knows if I’ll ever make it here again? This could be it.”

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Williams has won seven Wimbledon singles titles and 23 Grand Slam singles titles overall. This time, though, Williams has said her expectations are different. She has talked less about chasing history and more about enjoying the chance to compete again.

Tennis players have spoken about the comeback as a major moment for the sport. Novak Djokovic called it "inspirational" and "epic," while Aryna Sabalenka said Williams' return is bringing more eyes to tennis. Online, fans have followed her practice sessions, press conference quotes, wild-card news, and even prediction-market movement around whether she would actually take the court.

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But the reaction has not been entirely celebratory.

Williams’ wild card has also reopened a debate about access and fairness at Grand Slam tournaments. Wild cards are discretionary entries, meaning tournaments can award them to players who do not qualify strictly through ranking. In Williams’ case, Wimbledon left its final women’s singles wild-card spot open before giving it to her.

That decision has frustrated some fans, who argue that a player active on tour could have used that spot, and Williams should remain retired.

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

On the other hand, Williams' draw is also bringing eyes to her opponent, Maya Joint. Joint was born after Williams had already won several Grand Slam titles, and she has spoken about Williams with nothing but respect.

“It’s an honor,” Joint told the WTA. “I always dreamed about playing Serena Williams, and if you’d told me 10 years ago that I’d be playing her first round at Wimbledon, that’s just crazy.”

Nevertheless, a win over Williams at Wimbledon would be career-cementing for her.

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The result could become a Serena comeback moment, a Maya Joint breakout, or simply an early look at what this version of Williams can still bring to the court. Either way, it has already become bigger than a normal first-round match, and us at Mashable will be tuning in.

TL;DR: Live stream Germany vs. Paraguay in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage is now well underway. Next on the schedule is Germany vs. Paraguay — one of three big knockout fixtures taking place on June 29.

Germany looked good in their opening group game, dismantling Curacao 7-1. But the Germans — four-time World Cup winners — looked shaky against Ivory Coast then lost to Ecuador 2-1.

They'll be looking for a decisive win to prove the tough times are over (don't forget, they failed to get to this point at the last two World Cups). Paraguay are certainly beatable, but nothing is certain at this level and Paraguay looked solid in the group stage.

If you want to watch Germany vs. Paraguay in the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Germany vs. Paraguay?

Germany vs. Paraguay in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 4.30 p.m. ET on June 29. This fixture takes place at Boston Stadium.

How to watch Germany vs. Paraguay for free

Germany vs. Paraguay in the 2026 FIFA World Cup 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 the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer to live stream the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Germany vs. Paraguay for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend 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. Watch Germany vs. Paraguay for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN 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 access free live streams of the 2026 World Cup without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Germany vs. Paraguay (plus more World Cup fixtures) before recovering your investment.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money-back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• 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 10 simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of the World Cup.

Live stream Germany vs. Paraguay in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free.

A well-known leaker in the gaming hardware space claimed this week that it costs Sony nearly $1,000 to make its upcoming PlayStation 6 console. If true, the console's eventual retail price could be significantly higher.

According to KeplerL2, a leaker known for accurate gaming hardware leaks, Sony's costs to manufacture its upcoming PlayStation 6 console recently went up by $200. Kepler2 reported earlier this year that, due to rising costs, the PlayStation 6's bill of materials was at $760. So, the leaker now says that ever-increasing costs have pushed the manufacturing cost of the PlayStation 6 to a whopping $960.

The AI boom continues to cause massive supply issues for computer chips, storage, and memory worldwide. That's led to a wave of price increases in the gaming world, with all of the big console makers raising prices. Most recently, Microsoft announced that it will raise prices on the current generation of Xbox consoles by as much as $150 starting in August.

SEE ALSO: Valve's Steam Machine officially has a price, and it's a doozy

Supply chain experts interviewed by Mashable say that the memory shortage known as RAMageddon could get worse before it gets better. That's bad news for gamers looking forward to the next generation of consoles, like the highly anticipated PlayStation 6. For instance, the soon-to-be-released Steam Machine console recently arrived with a whopping $1,049 price tag.

How much the Sony PlayStation 6 could cost

What does this report mean for gamers? Basically, it's highly unlikely that Sony would sell the PlayStation 6 for below cost. In fact, gaming news outlet Kotaku points to a recent Sony Q&A posted on its corporate website where the company says they're not looking to sell the console for less than it costs Sony.

“As for pricing, it is not realistic for us to absorb all the component cost increases, and we have already implemented some price increases outside of Japan," Sony said in reply to a question about pricing for its next generation video game consoles. “As a principle, we do not intend to sell hardware at significant losses.”

This means that consumers are likely looking at a $1,000 PlayStation 6 — and that's without Sony making any profit.

AI companies have only ramped up the supply and demand issues. Earlier this year, hard drive manufacturer Western Digital shared that it expects shortages to continue as the company has already sold out its storage supply for 2026 and AI companies are already buying up supply well into 2028.

Sony is reportedly still targeting a release date for the PlayStation 6 for the 2027 holiday season. However, there have been previous reports that suggested that the ongoing memory shortages could potentially push that launch date beyond next year.

Are gamers willing to buy the latest gaming console at exorbitant prices, or will it make more sense to wait out the supply issues and launch at a lower price? That's a calculation that Sony has to make.

Save 20%: As of June 29, grab the Owala FreeSip (24 ounces) for just $23.99 at Amazon. Typically, this bottle costs $6 more at $29.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Owala Owala FreeSip $23.66 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $6.33   Get Deal

We've made it no secret that we're fans of the Owala FreeSip.

At least half of Mashable's shopping team owns the water bottle, and for good reason. The FreeSip spout truly gives the best of both worlds experience, with a straw opening for sipping and a larger spout for swigging. Best of all, as of June 29, the 24 ounce version of the Owala FreeSip is back down to its Prime Day price of $23.99 in select colors, saving you 20% on the $29.99 list price.

Beyond having two different ways to use it, the Owala has a lot of smart design choices. There's the lockable cap that keeps the straw component covered when not in use, and the part of that lock that doubles as a handle for easy carrying on the go. There's the insulation that can easily keep water cold all day long, and the dishwasher-safe lid and straw. The main pain point with this water bottle is the base, which may not fit into every cupholder.

That said, at the time of writing you can also grab some colorways of the FreeSip Sway on sale, which has a cupholder-friendly base.

Best 4th of July mattress and bedding deals at a glance: Best mattress deal Bear Original Hybrid Mattress (queen) $834.60 (save $449.40) Get Deal Best bedding deal Brooklinen Classic Percale Hardcore Sheet Bundle (queen) $352.87 (save $154.13) Get Deal

Summer is a tough time to get sleep. The sun rises earlier, sets later, and it's hot. All of that on top of a schedule filled with trips, summer camps, and backyard gatherings is a recipe for a season of bad sleep. If you're not interested in sacrificing sleep this summer, the 4th of July is one of the best times to make bedroom upgrades.

Much like Memorial Day, mattresses and bedding essentials like sheets and pillows tend to see exceptional discounts around the 4th of July holiday. That's great news for keeping high-quality sleep a priority over the summer. Here are some of our favorite 4th of July mattress and bedding deals if you're in need of a refresh.

Best mattress deal Opens in a new window Credit: Bear Bear Original Hyrbid Mattress (queen) $834.60 at Bear
$1,284 Save $449.40   Get Deal Why we like it

By now you've probably heard that a hybrid mattress offers the comfort of an all-foam bed with the support of a coil mattress. The only problem is that hybrid mattresses tend to be expensive. That's not the case today thanks to the Bear 4th of July sale. The new Bear Original Hybrid is on sale for only $834.60 in a queen size, down from the normal price of $1,284.

Bear mentions that this mattress is ideal for those who like a medium-firm bed that can help regulate hot summer temps. It can also be nice for those who deal with joint pain, or side sleepers who struggle with pressure points while sleeping.

Bear has a 120-night sleep trial, so you can try out the bed at home for four months while still being eligible for a return if you don't love it.

More mattress deals

• Avocado: Save up to 15% on organic mattresses

• Brooklyn Bedding: Take to 30% off sitewide

• DreamCloud: Save up to 60% on mattresses and 66% on bundles

• Eight Sleep: Take up to $500 off Pods and accessories

• Tuft & Needle: Save 25% on all bundles

• Purple: Take up to $800 a mattress and base

• Saatva: Take up to $650 off mattresses or ip to $750 off bundles

• Zinus: Take up to 60% off plus an additional 20%

Best bedding deal Opens in a new window Credit: Brooklinen Brooklinen Classic Percale Hardcore Sheet Bundle (queen) $352.87 at Brooklinen
$507 Save $154.13   Get Deal Why we like it

Brooklinen has become one of the most trusted brands for those who want comfortable but durable sheets. The brand's 4th of July sale takes 30% off sheet bundles like the Classic Percale Hardcore Sheet Bundle. Percale is the perfect material for summer since it's made of a breathable and natural cotton fiber. The bundle includes the classic percale core sheet set (fitted sheet, flat sheet, two pillowcases), the percale duvet cover, and two extra pillowcases. Plus, it comes in a great range of colorway and print options.

More bedding deals

• Baloo: Save $30 on weighted throw blanket + cotton duvet cover bundle

• Coyuchi: Take up to 40% off

• Cozy Earth: Take 20% off bedding bundles

• Ettitude: Take up to 25% off sitewide and up to 70% off final sale

• Naturepedic: Take 20% off organic bedding + get a free muslin blanket

• Silk & Snow: Take 20% off all sheets

UPDATE: Jun. 29, 2026, 12:39 p.m. EDT This article has been updaded to add a statement from T-Mobile.

If you've been quietly riding out an old T-Mobile plan for the last decade or so, that ride is about to end.

T-Mobile is automatically migrating thousands of customers on legacy plans to its current lineup of plans, the company confirmed to CNET, with affected subscribers beginning to receive notification via text or the T-Life app today. The switch will take effect within the next few billing cycles and applies to both individual customers and some small businesses. (Disclosure: CNET and Mashable are both owned by the same parent company, Ziff Davis.)

SEE ALSO: AT&T commits to ending DEI programs while seeking government approval

T-Mobile didn't specify which plans are being retired, but per CNET, a company representative said some stretch back 10 to 15 years, including Simple Choice, T-Mobile One, and grandfathered Sprint plans from the carrier's 2020 merger.

Customers will be moved to comparable options within T-Mobile's current lineup, including Essentials, Experience More, and Experience Beyond. For some, that means a price increase, though T-Mobile chief marketing officer Allan Samson told CNET the new rate will still typically be lower than what a new customer would pay for the same plan today.

A T-Mobile spokesperson gave Mashable the following statement:

We’re retiring our oldest plans, some of which were built nearly 15 years ago – in the 3G and 4G eras, and well before our 5G network was fully deployed. Customers will transition to modern plans that provide access to America’s best wireless technology, enhanced features and a 5-year price guarantee for peace of mind. Some customers will see no change to their monthly bill, while some will see a modest adjustment. Every customer moved to a new plan will keep their current benefits while gaining improvements in network and service experiences.

What makes this move notable isn't the migration itself. As CNET notes, AT&T added fees to legacy plans in May, and T-Mobile hiked prices in March 2025. Rather, it's the fact that the company will perform the switch automatically, requiring no action from the customer and no option to stay put. If you end up on a plan you don't want, your only choices are to switch to a different T-Mobile plan or switch to a new carrier.

Internally, T-Mobile framed the move as a systems cleanup, with CNET reporting the change eliminates over 1,100 legacy billing codes.

SEE ALSO: T-Mobile is giving away the Apple iPhone 17 for free — how to claim this free promo

It's been six long years, but Starbucks is finally bringing back the beloved S'mores Frappuccino for a limited-time summer run.

The blended drink makes its temporary return to menus nationwide on July 1. But if you're a Starbucks Rewards member (I'm currently at Gold status myself), you can get early access starting tomorrow, June 30. All you have to do is order this caffeinated concoction through the Starbucks app.

In addition to bringing back the S'mores Frappuccino (which features marshmallow-infused whipped cream, milk chocolate sauce, and a graham cracker topping), Starbucks is introducing two brand-new drinks: S'mores Cold Brew topped with a marshmallow-flavored cold foam, chocolate drizzle, and graham cracker sprinkles, and an Iced S'mores Chai.

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Customers on Reddit are obviously thrilled (one user commented, "MY FAVOURITE (drink) CHILD IS BACK FROM THE WAR", while another gave it a "10/10," calling it "amazing, worth the hype"). That said, the Starbucks staffers are panicking.

Over on Instagram, baristas are pointing out that this surprise drop wasn't in their summer training. And since most stores only have two blenders, a sudden rush of complex Frappuccinos is going to be pretty tough to manage. On the r/starbucks subreddit, employees echo that sentiment, noting that while the special marshmallow whip is tasty, it's also "labor-intensive" and raising concerns about how they're supposed to keep up their drive-thru times with all the new recipes.

The Starbucks S'mores Frappuccino in all its glory. Credit: Starbucks

Mashable covered the original rollout of the S'mores frapp back in 2015. Starbucks says it's been on "hiatus" for the past six years, until now.

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The Starbucks menu includes 170,000 possible drink combinations, creating challenges for its baristas. When you factor in sizes, pumps, and other personalization options, outside estimates have put the total Starbucks drink combinations at more than 300 billion. Now, with the S'mores Frappuccino and two related beverages joining the menu, there are even more.

So, just remember to be patient and tip your barista if you're ordering a complicated blended drink (making all that marshmallow whip is no joke).

The s'mores lineup is only available for a short window this summer.

As World Cup matches continue across North America, U.S. officials are targeting one of the tournament’s biggest unofficial channels: illegal streams.

On Friday, June 26, the Department of Justice announced that it had seized nearly 400 internet domains that were allegedly being used to illegally stream FIFA World Cup matches in real-time, which, according to the DOJ, is in violation of U.S. copyright law.

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The seizures were part of "Operation Offsides," an international enforcement effort led by the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center with help from Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. prosecutors, foreign law enforcement partners, FIFA, and several major media companies (NBCUniversal, Warner Bros., and the UFC, to name a few).

So if someone clicks on one of the seized domains now, they will not see a World Cup stream; they will see a law enforcement notice explaining that the site has been taken offline — “THIS SITE HAS BEEN SEIZED,” to be specific.

SEE ALSO: How to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup online for free This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

The operation also extends outside the U.S. The DOJ said law enforcement actions were coordinated through the International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property Network of U.S. prosecutors, with servers and domains linked to illegal World Cup streams targeted in Peru and Bulgaria. Additional disruption efforts took place in Croatia, Romania, Poland, and Colombia.

In the statement, Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva added the DOJ seized the domains to disrupt international networks “that profit from the global popularity of the World Cup.” The department also framed the action as part of the United States’ responsibility as one of the tournament’s host nations, along with Canada and Mexico, to protect the event from illegal activity.

The DOJ’s argument was not only about copyright; officials also warned that illegal streaming sites can put viewers at "significant risk."

That warning is a big part of the government’s case against illegal sports streams. DOJ officials say unauthorized streaming sites can expose viewers to malware attacks and unsecured connections that may compromise personal or financial data. The risk is not just theoretical: a 2022 report from the U.K.-based anti-piracy group Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT) found malicious content on all 50 illegal sports streaming sites it analyzed, including scam ads, banking trojans, and explicit pop-ups. Viewers also face deceptive ads, scams, and extensive tracking.

So while an illegal stream may look like a quick workaround when a match is hard to find, the malware is—apparently—not optional.

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Friday's crackdown also lands in the middle of a much larger sports piracy fight. Just days before the DOJ announced the World Cup domain seizures, ACE, UEFA, UC3, and Mexican authorities said they had disrupted 44 domains linked to PirloTV, a major illegal sports streaming network focused largely on live soccer. Those domains generated more than 950 million visits worldwide each year, including about 230 million visits from Mexico alone.

After the PirloTV-linked domains were disrupted, new domains quickly appeared again. It's basically a version of pirate-wack-a-mole.

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There is a reason watching illegal sports streams is so popular right now. Sports broadcasting rights are increasingly split across traditional broadcasters, streaming apps, cable packages, and geographic markets. For fans, especially during a global event like the World Cup, figuring out where to watch every match can be confusing and expensive. Some even say the quality is better on illegal sites.

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Rights holders, meanwhile, argue that piracy pulls viewers away from licensed broadcasts, advertisers, and platforms that paid a ton of money for the rights to show the games.

Risks around the tournament go beyond illegal streams. On May 27, the FBI had warned fans about fake FIFA websites created ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Those spoofed sites were designed to impersonate FIFA and could be used to sell fake tickets or hospitality packages, collect personal information, and facilitate financial scams. Taken together, the warnings show how quickly the online ecosystem around a major tournament has been risky,

For now, hundreds of those World Cup streaming domains are offline. But sports piracy has a long history of moving from one domain to the next, especially during events with massive global demand. The latest seizure is a major enforcement action, but it is probably not the final whistle.

Grand Theft Auto VI found itself mired in a little bit of controversy regarding platform sales over the weekend.

On Saturday, IGN shared data indicating that IGN readers were pre-ordering the PlayStation 5 version of GTA VI substantially more than the Xbox Series version, by a ratio of 8-to-1. IGN's social post made it explicitly clear that this data was based on IGN's own affiliate link data, meaning it is not representative of the gaming community as a whole. For what it's worth, Mashable's own affiliate data shows a similarly stark split between PS5 and Xbox pre-orders.

(Disclosure: IGN and Mashable have the same parent company, Ziff Davis.)

SEE ALSO: 'GTA VI' Online release date: What we know so far This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Regardless, it became enough of a story that Microsoft felt the need to respond to it. A spokesperson told Windows Central that IGN's data should not be taken as a definitive account of what's happening with GTA VI pre-orders. By Monday morning, Microsoft's GTA VI pre-order rebuttal statement was a trending Google search term.

“This doesn’t represent pre-order data. We’ve had record orders," Microsoft told Windows Central in a statement. "People should wait for real data and not clicks on affiliate links."

There's a decent possibility that two things are true here. First, Microsoft is almost certainly seeing huge numbers of pre-orders for GTA VI because it is one of the most hyped video games in many, many years (if not in the history of gaming). Second, the PS5 version most likely is being pre-ordered more than the Xbox version (even if it's not by an 8-to-1 ratio) because the PS5 has been a significantly more successful console than the Xbox Series machines. Sony has confirmed more than 93 million lifetime unit sales for the PS5, and while Microsoft does not share official sales data anymore, recent estimates put the Xbox Series consoles in the neighborhood of 35 million units.

Sony and Rockstar have also entered into some kind of marketing partnership for the game, with the developer boasting that GTA VI "plays best" on PS5 earlier this month. It's safe to assume that millions of people will play the game on Xbox, as Microsoft suggested, but it's also safe to assume more people will play the title on PS5.

After years of anticipation and repeated delays, Rockstar Games officially opened Grand Theft Auto VI pre-orders on June 25, ahead of a Nov. 19 release date.

Grand Theft Auto VI - PlayStation 5 (Code in Box) $79.99 at Amazon
  See It at Amazon Grand Theft Auto VI - Xbox Series X (Code in Box) $79.99 at Amazon
  See It at Amazon