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Recommendations for the best robot vacuums to buy in 2026 are at the bottom of this guide. Use the table of contents to skip down to that, or to skip to the deep dive on a specific robot vacuum feature.

Deciding between a robot vacuum and a stick vacuum ultimately comes down to one factor: which one you'll actually use on a regular basis. If you're struggling to keep a manual vacuuming routine, let this be your sign to finally switch to the automated version. A good robot vacuum can completely change the way you keep up with your home. You just have to know what to look for.

What to know before buying a robot vacuum

The holy trinity of non-negotiable robot vacuum features — automatic emptying, mopping, and smart mapping — can be found at any price point these days. Despite the less intimidating cost spectrum, it's still possible to underpay or overpay for a robot vacuum. The question isn't whether or not a robot vacuum is worth it in your home at all. It's about which robot vacuum features will give each household the best automated cleaning experience.

I have a pretty good sense of that: I've been testing robot vacuums for Mashable since 2019. More than 40 different robot vacuums have lived under my roof so far, and my running mental checklist for robot vacuum shopping gets refreshed on a monthly basis. I can barely attend a family function without being asked for robot vacuum advice, anyway, so I've organized my firsthand intel into a robot vacuum buying guide for the internet. Here's your straightforward robot vacuum buying guide for 2026:

Robot vacuum suction power explained

Technical translation: Most robot vacuum brands measure suction power in pascals (Pa). iRobot and Shark are the two outliers. They tend to advertise a certain vacuum's suction power by comparing it to another model from their own lineup.

As of 2026, the most powerful robot vacuums you can buy have between 35,000 and 36,000 Pa of suction power. You'll want to aim for the highest suction power possible in homes with plush carpet or lots of area rugs and more than two pets. Anything hitting 20,000 Pa or above would still be considered good suction power for a robot vacuum in homes with slightly less intense cleaning needs, less foot traffic, or less fur.

The path clearly shows where this Roborock's 36,000 Pa suction has been. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable This Dreame vacuum has dual brush rolls made of two different textures. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Pro tip: If you're looking for a robot vacuum that works well on carpet, the brush roll setup underneath also matters. In my experience, the best robot vacuum pet hair pickup comes from a dual brush roll system where the rollers sit parallel to each other. They spin independently of each other to pinch hair in the middle (and give clumps an exit to prevent tangling or spooling at the end of the roll).

The most effective rollers use alternating materials like hairbrush-like bristles, nylon bristles, and rubber fins for digging deep in carpet fibers, creating friction and agitation on stubborn shedding, and latching onto thick and fine hair.

SEE ALSO: Which robot vacuum works the best on pet hair? After testing, my cats and I chose our top picks for 2026.

Some robot vacuums also have a dedicated extendable edge sweeping brush, which has more purpose in life than the aimless side brushes affixed to most cheap robot vacuums. The retractable arm reaches an inch or two past the robot's body to push debris out from tight spots into the vacuum's cleaning path — picture crumbs under the counter or dust bunnies blown near walls.

What to avoid: I would generally advise against settling for suction power below 10,000 Pa; though 8,000 Pa or below is where I draw a hard line for any household. The weaker the suction power, the higher the chances of debris being scattered instead of sucked or pet hair being left behind — two experiences that'll quickly make you regret spending money on this robot vacuum.

Self-emptying docks explained

Technical translation: A self-emptying robot vacuum automatically empties its debris into the same dock it charges on. The dust bin in the dock has a much larger capacity than the dust bin on the vacuum itself. Instead of dumping that tiny dustbin by hand multiple times per week, automatic emptying gets you off the hook from dustbin maintenance for at least a month, if not much longer.

Just about every robot vacuum is a self-emptying robot vacuum these days, even at the ultra-budget-friendly level. Unless you need the vacuum to live under a TV stand or a couch, there's no need to spend time pondering whether automatic emptying is worth it. There's no shortage of compact self-emptying robot vacuums that would be great for a small space like an apartment.

The Dreame D20 Pro Plus self-empty dock is on the small side. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete dock is more advanced, but takes up more space. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable Robot vacuum mopping explained

Pretty much all robot vacuums are mopping robot vacuums at this point in the game. That's the case even at the $200 to $300 end of the spectrum. However, the best robot vacuum and mop combos have a much more advanced strategy and scrubbing intensity than entry-level mopping robot vacuums. There are three main mopping pad designs to choose from:

Regular flat mopping pad: Most cheap robot vacuum mop combos use a basic D-shaped pad. This design typically doesn't vibrate, press down onto the floor, or reach along edges, so this type of wet cleaning maxes out at wiping up small droplets, fine dust, or pet hair on hard floors. Don't expect a stationary flat mopping pad to soak up larger spills or anything with a chunky or sticky consistency — that's when smearing happens.

The budget-friendly Dreame D20 Pro Plus. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The Shark UV Reveal's flat pad pops in and out during spot cleaning. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Shark PowerDetect UV Reveal 2-in-1 and the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic are two exceptions. Both are equipped with a D-shaped mopping pad that scrubs with pressurized sonic vibrations and scoots out when corners or walls are sensed.

Dual spinning mopping pads: This common design divvies the job up to two circular pads that spin to create more physical agitation on dried stains, offering more elbow grease than a singular stationary pad. Dual spinning mopping pads are the optimal design for edge mopping because their scrubbing isn't limited to the vacuum's round shape. One circular pad operates on a hinge that swings out when a wall or corner is sensed.

This Roborock was able to mop under the fridge and reach the crumbs lodged at the edge. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable Dreame's spinning pads were highly effective on dried winter slush and salty shoe prints near the door. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Roller mop: Roller mop robot vacuums use a paint roller-style pad that spans the diameter of the vacuum. The rollers are typically thick and fluffy with an absorbent bath towel-like material, making this design elite for soaking up liquids. Roller mop robot vacuums have the unique ability to rinse their pad with fresh water during mopping, so they're the least likely type to streak your clean floors with dirty water.

The Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable Previously, only spinning mopping pads had cleaned this closely in my bathroom doorway. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable Self-cleaning mopping pads

You're buying a robot vacuum because you don't feel like doing your own vacuuming and mopping, right? If a shorter to-do list is the goal, I doubt you'll feel like refilling a tiny water tank or touching soggy mopping pads every day. You can get out of this by choosing a robot vacuum and mop that can wash and dry its own mopping pads. This is an option for a ton of models with spinning pads or a roller mop.

Their self-empty dock also houses two water tanks — one for rinsing and refilling clean water, and one to hold the dirty water — plus fans beneath the vacuum for drying. Almost all of them dry with hot air to kill bacteria and mitigate that mildewy smell. The clean water tank in the dock can last for a week or so before needing a refill, which is around the same time that the dirty water tank will need to be emptied.

The water tanks can be filled and emptied in the sink. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable Self-refilling docks have a special detergent dispensing compartment. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

For enhanced sanitation, many high-end robot vacuums can mop with a cleaning solution rather than just plain water. Brands often throw a bottle of their official cleaning solution in the box, but the fine print should let you know if it's safe to branch out to other detergents with your preferred ingredients or scent.

Pro tip: Some models also use heated water while they're actually mopping. Heated mopping loosens the bonds that make grease slimy and hard to wipe up. These are the only robot vacuum mop combos I've tested that can successfully clean up oily dressings or syrup without leaving a trail of sticky residue.

SEE ALSO: 'Why does my robot vacuum suck now?' Well, when's the last time you cleaned it?

What to avoid: Robot vacuums that don't mop aren't worth it, even if you don't think you'll use the mopping part. Most non-mopping robot vacuums are basic on all fronts: They have weak suction, aren't great at navigating, and require you to empty the dustbin by hand.

iRobot has a pretty powerful Roomba that doesn't mop, but at $699.99, you're not exactly saving money by forgoing mopping. There are far better robot vacuum mop combos out there that cost the same or less. If you don't feel like dealing with mopping-related maintenance, just ignore the mopping part altogether and take advantage of that vacuum's other solid features.

Robot vacuum smart mapping explained

Technical translation: Smart mapping refers to a robot vacuum's ability to scope out and remember a copy of your home's floor plan. The map drawn during the vacuum's initial mapping run pops up in the app, where you tweak it by merging or splitting rooms and adding room labels. Then, the robot vacuum can clean specific rooms on command, or complete a whole-home clean.

A map of my apartment in the Roborock app. Credit: Screenshot / Roborock A close-up of my living room's furniture arrangement in the Eufy app. Credit: Screenshot / Eufy

LiDAR measures the distance between boundaries and large objects in the room by bouncing lasers off of walls and furniture to see how fast the light comes back. (This is what the circular tower atop many robot vacuums is for.) LiDAR works instantaneously, so map-making is quick and highly accurate even in large homes. LiDAR robot vacuums don't require light to see, so they work just as well at night or in dark rooms.

VSLAM uses cameras that continuously capture images of the space and identify room-specific landmarks like the layout of a wall, a doorway, or a large piece of furniture. VSLAM is meticulous when assessing objects up close, but it's not as equipped for open floor plans as LiDAR is. VSLAM cameras can't see as well in low lighting, either.

In 2026, many flagship robot vacuums mesh the two approaches to achieve seamless navigation in any situation it stumbles across. The combination of the two is ideal for floor type detection. Premium robot vacuums can sense hard floors, rugs, and fully carpeted rooms, labeling them that way in the app. Most have an automatic suction boost feature that kicks in on soft floors.

Zone cleaning and keep-out zones

Room-by-room smart mapping also allows robot vacuums to clean specific areas in those rooms. In the app, you can drag and drop a zone to clean up a spill or deal with crumbs near the table without cleaning the entire room. These can be a one-time thing or saved as a recurring command in the future. Similarly, zones can also be used to keep the vacuum out of certain spots, like around a pile of Legos or a frilly bath mat.

What to avoid: I'll die on the hill that smart mapping is the baseline brain power that any robot vacuum worth your money should have. The bump-and-go approach provides too many opportunities for a robot vacuum to get stuck, potentially making your life harder instead of easier. If you think about it, actual cleaning skills don't even come into play if a robot vacuum can't successfully get itself to the spots that need to be cleaned.

Luckily, smart mapping isn't a tall order nowadays — brands rarely release a new robot vacuum without it. A budget cap of $200 is more than enough to secure room-to-room mapping from reliable brands like Shark or Roborock. To be sure, scan the product listing to make sure that "LiDAR" or "map" is specifically mentioned. Older Roombas used sneaky language like "smart navigation methodically cleans in neat rows," which is not smart mapping.

Small obstacle avoidance explained

Technical translation: Small obstacle avoidance technology helps a robot vacuum dodge low-profile objects in real time. This special camera system can detect obstacles like shoes, laundry, chargers and extension cords, pet toys, or other items that commonly pop up on the floor. With obstacle avoidance, you won't have to worry about pre-tidying the floor before sending the vacuum out.

Many obstacle avoidance cameras can even decipher between several different types of objects. You'll see a bubble on the map marking where the item was found. It's always nice to have proof that your vacuum is, in fact, avoiding problem areas (even if you didn't set a keep-out zone).

Livestream pet cameras

The cameras used for small obstacle avoidance aren't necessarily the kind that take pictures. But some fancier robot vacuums actually can snap photos and capture a livestream video. These give you a floor-level view of whatever the vacuum sees as it's roving your home, making it a pretty comforting tool for pet parents when they're away. Most livestream pet cameras are even accompanied by two-way microphones to talk to your pets or call another person who's at home.

Pro tip: If this sketches you out, you don't have to enable usage of the camera at all. If livestream remote viewing is activated by someone in the app, the robot makes an announcement to make sure anyone at home is aware.

AI mess detection

It's becoming the norm for small obstacle avoidance cameras to use AI to become better drivers and better cleaners over time. Several flagship robot vacuums from 2026 can assess different types of messes on the floor to adjust cleaning intensity accordingly. The smartest ones can tell the difference between a few everyday crumbs and a big pile of dry debris, or mop the site of a big liquid spill twice.

What I see when the Narwal Flow 2 is cleaning near the litter box... Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable ... vs. what the Narwal Flow 2 sees: scattered debris and my cat, Sansa. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Pro tip: If you're not big on AI, you can turn off AI features without completely disabling small obstacle avoidance.

What is good battery life for a robot vacuum?

It depends on how big your space is. A 90- to 100-minute battery life is sufficient for a robot vacuum to cover an apartment or single story of a small home on one charge. Many newer robot vacuums can last up to 250 minutes on one charge, which would be ideal for a full clean of a house that's several thousand square feet. But battery life shouldn't be a huge deciding factor if most of your cleaning will be done on a room-by-room basis, anyway.

Pro tip: Every robot vacuum you'll find at a retailer like Amazon or Target is a self-charging robot vacuum. Unless you're investing in a 15-year-old vacuum you found on eBay, even the cheapest robot vacuums know to return to the dock when their battery is low. The cleaning session should resume once they're juiced up.

The best robot vacuums to buy this year, tested My top robot vacuum recommendations for 2026 Best robot vacuum in 2026 so far Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete $1,344.99 at Amazon Shop Now Best roller mop robot vacuum Narwal Flow 2 $1,499.99 at Amazon Shop Now Best budget roller mop robot vacuum Eufy C28 $499.99 at Amazon Shop Now Best budget robot vacuum and mop under $400 Dreame D20 Pro Plus $319.97 at Amazon Shop Now

Another solar eclipse is coming. If you're ready to look up to the sky for the special event, don't forget to protect your eyes. As Europe gears up to witness a total eclipse, parts of North America will enjoy a partial eclipse.

The solar eclipse is taking place on Wednesday, Aug. 12. According to NASA, a total solar eclipse will be seen in Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain, and a small corner of Portugal. However, partial eclipses can be seen in the northern U.S. (from Alaska to North Carolina), most of Canada, much of Europe, and northwestern Africa.

Don't expect a dramatic show if you're watching from the US, though. The farther south you are, the less you'll see, and if you're not in the eclipse's path, or the weather doesn't cooperate, NASA will stream the eclipse live starting at 1:15 p.m. ET at nasa.gov/live.

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

If you're planning on watching the eclipse, you'll need a pair of solar eclipse glasses. Be wary, there are plenty of solar eclipse glasses available, especially on Amazon, but you must make sure they're ISO 12312-2 Certified for the safest eye protection. The American Astronomical Society has a list of approved manufacturers you can verify too.

Since the glasses are delicate, check them before use to ensure there are no punctures or tears. To test them, wear them inside your home, and you shouldn't be able to see any light fixtures besides a small filament.

To prepare for the upcoming solar eclipse, here's a list of all the options available at Amazon. All the options on this list are CE-, ISO-, or AAS-certified to protect your eyes during the eclipse. Plus, they all arrive before Wednesday, Aug. 12.

A quick note before you buy: since the eclipse is just days away, delivery timing matters here. Amazon Prime members will generally get the fastest and most reliable delivery windows, so it's worth checking the estimated arrival date on each listing before you order — some of these options are cutting it close, arriving on Aug. 12.

Solar Eclipse Glasses in the UK

• Absolute Eclipse Solar Eclipse Glasses — £4.79

• Soluna Solar Eclipse Glasses — £5.99

• Solar Optics Solar Eclipse Glasses 5-pack with Phone Filters — £14.99

• Lunt Solar Eclipse Glasses 5-pack — £15.99

• Kesseph Solar Eclipse Glasses — £17.99

Solar Eclipse Glasses in the U.S. and North America

• Soluna Solar Eclipse Glasses (2 pack) — $7.99 (arriving Aug. 12)

• Medical king Solar Eclipse Glasses (10 pack) — $8.99 (arriving Aug. 12)

• Lunt Solar Eclipse Glasses (5 pack) — $9.95

• Soluna Solar Eclipse Glasses (5 pack) — $9.99 (arriving Aug. 12)

• Bookishbunny Solar Eclipse Paper Glasses (10 pack) — $10.99 (arriving Aug. 12)

• Keyaluo Solar Eclipse Glasses (12 pack) — $13.99 (arriving Aug. 12)

• Galaxium Solar Eclipse Glasses for kids — $14.95

• Soluna Solar Eclipse Glasses (10 pack) — $14.99 (arriving Aug. 12)

• AAA Eclipse Solar Glasses (6 pack) — $17.95

• Galaxium Solar Eclipse Glasses (6 pack) — $17.95 (arriving Aug. 12)

• Helioclipse Solar Eclipse Glasses (12 pack) — $19.95

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2026:

Across"Magic" items for Jack, in a classic fairy tale

• The answer is Beans.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

What the "A" stands for in A/V

• The answer is Audio.

Political ally who receives corrupt benefits

• The answer is Crony.

"Uh-uh"

• The answer is Nope.

Cutesy suffix with "best"

• The answer is Est.

DownPortmanteau for a skin problem under a T-shirt or bra strap

• The answer is Bacne.

Continental currency units

• The answer is Euros.

"___, don't shop" (pet shelter slogan)

• The answer is Adopt.

Highest number in sudoku

• The answer is Nine.

Veggie burger ingredient

• The answer is Soy.

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

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Mini Crossword.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

To do better than someone else.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

TRUMP

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To pile up.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 11, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

STACK

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Salty.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 11, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 11, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

BRINY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

In a moment.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

TRICE

Final Hurdle hint

To slumber.

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

SLEEP

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

Almost 100 rare Nintendo cartridges have been discovered in a Wisconsin retro games store, with a handful of them to go up for auction this week. The individually wrapped Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt NES cartridges appear to have come from a previously unknown run of the games, with collectors having been unaware of their existence until now.

SEE ALSO: 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' review: Death is coming for us all

The 97 Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt cartridges belong to Kevin Braun, owner of retro games store OneStopWonders in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and were identified with the help of Nintendo Wire editor Jason Ganos. Nintendo Wire reports that the cartridges were initially in the possession of a precious metal recovery service, which Nintendo appeared to have contracted to break them down.

They were left untouched for decades, until Braun purchased the box of games from the owner's grandson. He had been intending to sell the games at OneStopWonders, but forgot them in a storage unit until they came up in conversation with Ganos.

"After Kevin finished his story, I immediately could tell that the blood had drained from my face," Ganos wrote, recounting the discovery on Nintendo Wire.

Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt aren't rare games in and of themselves. Released in the U.S. alongside the NES' 1985 launch, Super Mario Bros. and Duck Hunt have left enduring legacies as two of the platform's most popular titles. In 1988, the games were put together in dual cartridges and sold with the NES in an Action Set bundle.

However, Braun's cartridges do not appear to be from this run. In fact, they do not appear to be from any run that was previously known. Aside from differences in their back labels and instruction manuals, their manufacturing codes indicate that they were made in 1993. As Nintendo Wire noted, this dates the uncovered cartridges after every Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt bundle that fans were aware of.

"What we had found was the very last production run, and an undiscovered variant of Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt. Arguably one of the most beloved, and one of the most documented games in Nintendo history," wrote Ganos. "Not only that, but nearly every cartridge was pristine."

Though there was some initial speculation that the cartridges could be counterfeit, authentication company PSA has since confirmed that they are real. The company also evaluated them for their condition, scoring several between PSA 9.6 to 9.8, while five were given a perfect PSA 10 — a grade that Nintendo Wire states had never been given to a NES cartridge before.

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Three games from the collection will be listed by Goldin Auctions this Wednesday, including one of the cartridges given a PSA score of 10. Though Braun and Ganos intend to keep some of the cartridges for themselves, more will be auctioned off in the future, including in charity auctions.

Exactly how much the cartridges might fetch is unclear. However, they're likely to go for significantly more than the $15 Braun had initially planned to sell them for. A sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. with a PSA score of 9.6 just set a new video game auction record in June, selling for a whopping $3 million.

We're almost at the end of the Moon's current lunar cycle, with only the tiniest sliver surface still visible. That crescent will to shrink nothing over the next few nights before the Moon reaches its New Moon phase.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Tuesday, Aug. 11, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon phase is in Waning Crescent phase, with 3% of its surface visible.

The Moon is not illuminated enough to be able to spot anything on its surface tonight.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on August 28.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon doesn't look the same from Earth every night. As it travels around our planet, it moves through a lunar cycle that takes roughly 29.5 days to complete, according to NASA. The changing positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon affect how much of the Moon's sunlit side we can see, creating the different phases. Over the course of the cycle, the Moon progresses from a narrow crescent to a half Moon and eventually a Full Moon, before starting the sequence over again.

The eight phases are:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

I learned that my iPhone 15 Pro Max and the upcoming 2026 total solar eclipse do not mix. I stumbled upon BGR's article, which warned skygazers against using their phones to take pictures of the imminent cosmic event.

If you're like me, you may be wondering "Why?" After all, who wouldn't want to snap a photo of such an awe-inspiring celestial occurrence?

Opens in a new window Credit: Lunt Lunt Solar Eclipse Glasses (Pack of 5) £26.21 at Amazon
  Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: AAA Eclipse AAA Eclipse Solar Viewing Glasses (Pack of 50) $49.95 at Amazon
  Shop Now

As it turns out, taking a photo of the 2026 solar eclipse could damage your iPhone's camera hardware.

SEE ALSO: Solar eclipse 2026 from the US: how to watch from home and online Why you shouldn't take a photo of the 2026 solar eclipse with your phone

In the same way that you shouldn't use a telescope or binoculars to gaze at the sun (you could melt your eyeballs off), you shouldn't use your phone's shooter — or any other poorly equipped camera — to take a photo of the solar eclipse.

BGR says that no smartphone is designed to handle the intense solar rays the sun emanates. "Using your camera or phone could cause the heat from the rays to become so concentrated that it could melt the lens inside," the tech outlet warned.

Days before the April 8, 2024 eclipse that swept across parts of North America, NASA provided similar advice.

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There is a workaround in that you can purchase filters for your phone and camera.

NEEWER 67mm Clip On Filters Kit for Phone & Camera Credit: Amazon

But the best way to see the eclipse might very well be with your eyes rather than a camera lens. That is, if they are fully protected.

SEE ALSO: Here's where to buy legit solar eclipse glasses that'll arrive before Wednesday's eclipse

It must be emphasized that it's imperative that your eyes are protected. NASA recommends getting "ISO 12312-2" grade solar eclipse glasses that filter harmful light.

The historic 2026 total solar eclipse is set to happen Aug. 12 and, depending where you are, might only be visible as a partial solar eclipse if it's visible at all. Mashable's Elisha Sauers, our space reporter, shares exactly when and where to get the best view of the 2026 solar eclipse.

Want more science and tech news delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable's Light Speed newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

UPDATE: Aug. 9, 2026, 11:00 a.m. EDT This 2024 story was updated to include information related to the 2026 solar eclipse happening on Wednesday, Aug. 12.

TL;DR: Get the iPhone 17 for free from T-Mobile when you trade in your eligible phone on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan. Alternatively, the Apple iPhone 17 Pro is free when you switch to T-Mobile and bring your number on an Experience Beyond plan (no trade-in needed).

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple T-Mobile: Apple iPhone 17 for free   Get Deal

Samsung is still the center of attention. Samsung just dropped three new foldables smartphones, two smartwatches, and smart glasses, so it deserves its moment in the spotlight. But that won't last forever. Made by Google takes place this week, and rumors around the iPhone 18 continue to swirl.

If you can't wait for new iPhones to drop, you should know that you can still secure a limited-time offer on iPhones from T-Mobile. That's great news in the face of Apple price increases due to RAMageddon.

These are the best free iPhone deals from T-Mobile this week:

• iPhone 17e — free when you switch to almost any T-Mobile plan with no trade-in required

• iPhone 17 — free when signing up for 24 months of an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan and trading in an eligible phone

• iPhone 17 Pro — free when you switch to T-Mobile and bring your number on an Experience Beyond plan (no trade-in needed).

T-Mobile will charge taxes on these free deals, as well as a $35 device connection fee. That's a small catch, but that's how it often goes with this kind of deal.

If you’re still rocking an iPhone 12 or 13, you’re missing out on some genuinely game-changing features. The iPhone 17 is the first base model built specifically to handle Apple’s most advanced AI features. Mashable's Stan Schroeder said it's an "excellent phone that matches the iPhone Pro models in many ways that matter." That's enough for us to consider upgrading.

Get the Apple iPhone 17 for free this week with T-Mobile.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you've ever watched football.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

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

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

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

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports 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 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 before 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: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Staff

• Green: Halfbacks

• Blue: TV shows

• Purple: Types of penalties

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Members of a Staff

• Green: NFL Running Backs

• Blue: Sports TV Shows

• Purple: Illegal___Penalties in Football

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #687 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Members of a Staff: COACH, SCOUT, TRAINER, VIDEO COORDINATOR

• NFL Running Backs: COOK, HALL, SWIFT, WALKER

• Sports TV Shows: COBRA KAI, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, HEATED RIVALRY, RUNNING POINT

• Illegal___Penalties in Football: BLINDSIDE BLOCK, FORMATION, FORWARD PASS, SHIFT

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

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

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

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

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 11, 2026

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for August 11, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for August 11 Pips

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 1-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed horizontally; 2-1, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for August 11 Pips

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically; 0-0, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 4-6, placed vertically.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 5-0, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically; 5-6, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for August 11 Pips

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 0-5, placed vertically.

Number (16): Everything in this space must add up to 16. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 0-6, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically.

Number (17): Everything in this space must add up to 17. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed vertically; 0-1, placed vertically; 0-4, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 6-2, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally.

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you watch a lot of cable TV.

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.

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

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 Pips hints, answers for August 7, 2026 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: Finished

• Green: Cable TV

• Blue: At an auction

• Purple: Sounds like a body part

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Doomed

• Green: Basic Cable Channels

• Blue: Words in an Auctioneer's Chant

• Purple: Homophones of Facial Features

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 #1157 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Doomed: DONE, SUNK, THROUGH, TOAST

• Basic Cable Channels: BET, BRAVO, HISTORY, USA

• Words in an Auctioneer's Chant: GOING, ONCE, SOLD, TWICE

• Homophones of Facial Features: AYE, HARE, KNOWS, TUNG

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 7, 2026

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 yesterday's Connections.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you live in a suburb.

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 hints today: Clues, answers for August 7, 2026 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 Pips hints, answers for August 7, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A barrier, particularly seen around one's house.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter "E" appears twice.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter F.

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...

FENCE

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.

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

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 yesterday's Wordle.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you like buying fresh fruits and vegetables.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, 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 preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 7, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Fresh from the market

The words are related to buying produce.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe different fruits and vegetables.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Summer Harvest.

NYT Strands word list for August 11

• Tomato

• Corn

• Melon

• Carrot

• Pepper

• Zucchini

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 yesterday's Strands.

There’s a new robotaxi in town — Amazon's Zoox.

Paid rides on Zoox became available for the first time ever, with service launching in Las Vegas on Monday (Aug. 10). The Sin City service follows Zoox's recent availability as a free option for select San Francisco riders. 

While Alphabet's autonomous Waymo cars are also available in Vegas, Zoox has some distinct differences, most notably its carriage-style seating made possible by the absence of a steering wheel and gas pedal. Zoox vehicles also lack a formal front or rear, allowing them to drive in either direction seamlessly. Riders adjust temperature and music choices on screens in the cabin.

On July 30, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that Zoox could temporarily offer paid service. 

"This temporary exemption will allow the commercial deployment of up to 2,500 vehicles annually for two years, subject to an enhanced, adaptable oversight structure that can evolve as Zoox’s technology advances," according to the agency.

Zoox prices will be competitive with other rideshare services, according to the Los Angeles Times, with possible surcharges for trips to airports or special events. 

The Zoox app shows rides currently available in a wide swath of the Las Vegas Valley, with vehicles operating from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. On-demand service in Austin, Miami, and San Francisco will be up next. 

Waymo recently announced its van-style Ojai service is available for free to select riders in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix. While the Ojai has a steering wheel and pedals, it also features accessibility options such as elevator-style doors, low step entry and exit, and three large LED screens for customizing music and temperature. 

SEE ALSO: Tesla wants to be the first company to offer wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicles

Supergirl is flying into theaters, and DC fans have plenty of reason to rejoice. The spinoff from 2025's Superman follows Kara (Milly Alcock), Clark Kent's cousin from Krypton, as she pub-crawls across the cosmos.

Her plans for devil-may-care merriment are disrupted, however, when she crosses paths with an orphaned girl named Ruthye (Eve Ridley) on a quest for vengeance. Whether Supergirl likes it or not, she can't help but be the hero — and the role model — Ruthye needs. And along the way, she'll run into fiends and foes, including the outrageous bounty hunter Lobo (Jason Momoa). But above all, she offers a lesson that seems to fly in the face of her chipper cousin: Don't be nice. Be kind.

When Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko sat down in virtual interviews with Alcock, Momoa, and Supergirl screenwriter Ana Nogueira, they dug into what exactly that means. What's so bad about being nice? And what distinguishes being kind and being nice? And where does Lobo fit into this? You better believe Momoa and company had thoughts.

Supergirl opens in theaters on June 26.

New Orleans, home to more than 300,000 residents and an emergency system that handles thousands of calls each day, is turning to AI for help.

The city recently confirmed that emergency services, overseen by the Orleans Parish Communication District, are deploying an AI triage tool to screen and sort incoming calls to assist human operators. City representatives explained the technology is intended to reduce the number of repetitive calls and prevent lines from bottlenecking.

Basically, if a resident calls in an incident that's already been reported, like a car crash, the AI dispatcher is supposed to handle it.

SEE ALSO: AI companies keep destroying old books. Here's why.

The tool, referred to as AI Emergency Call Triage, was developed by AI emergency services company Carbyne. It's still undergoing real-world testing by operators, according to reporting by the Shreveport Times, but has been involved in triaging traffic-related emergency calls since at least 2023. The city also introduced an AI tool for its 311 non-emergency services in April.

New Orleans is one of several cities introducing AI into emergency and non-emergency call operations, and Carbyne is already working with public safety agencies across the country.

In 2024, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) published a fact sheet exploring the implementation of AI into emergency service operations, including testimony from early adopters like the Orleans Parish Communication District. The agency determined AI could assist in "automating initial detection and triage, streamlining call flow," and reducing call load for human operators. The NTIA's fact sheet argued AI would be most efficient when deployed for translation, triage, automatic callback systems, and geofencing.

SEE ALSO: Real-life 'Minority Report': AI hopes to stop crime before it starts

Carbyne has multiple partnerships with transportation and law enforcement authorities around the country, including a recent partnership with Washington, D.C. city services to modernize public safety systems like 911 call handling.

In June, reporting from the Seattle Times revealed that the Seattle Fire Department had been deploying an AI-powered triage tool similar to Carbyne's product for nearly two years. The tool in question, developed by Denmark-based company Corti, monitored live medical calls and advised operators on where and when to dispatch immediate services. Corti's AI was also deployed by Boston Emergency Medical Services, according to the company.

Critics of such generative AI products have repeatedly raised concerns about caller data privacy, the potential for AI model bias when interacting with diverse populations of callers, and the limitations of AI-generated voice tools in general. Many have taken issue with the lack of transparency by city services integrating AI into public-facing call lines without explicit notice.

YouTube built one of the creator economy's biggest payment systems, but now it is raising the bar for who gets to share in it.

Beginning Feb. 1, 2027, new creators will need 8,000 qualified watch hours over the previous year or 20 million qualified Shorts views within 90 days to earn advertising and YouTube Premium revenue, the company announced Aug. 10.

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Both figures are double YouTube's current requirements of 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views. The announcement did not mention a change to the existing requirement that creators have at least 1,000 subscribers.

The new rules will also affect creators who are already part of the YouTube Partner Program. To earn ad and subscription revenue from Shorts each month, they will need to maintain 10 million qualified views during a rolling 90-day period.

Channels that fall below the threshold will remain in the program and can continue making money from long-form videos. Shorts revenue sharing will resume automatically if their views climb back above it.

YouTube said creators who already earn "significant revenue" from Shorts are unlikely to be affected, but did not disclose how many channels currently fall short of the requirement.

The updates mark the first significant overhaul of the Partner Program since 2018. More than 3 million creators now participate in the program, which distributes revenue from advertising and subscriptions and provides access to fan contributions and shopping tools.

YouTube’s business has grown considerably since its last overhaul, particularly around short-form video. The platform now records more than 200 billion Shorts views each day, nearly three times the 70 billion daily views it reported in 2024. Viewers also reportedly watch more than 1 billion hours of YouTube on televisions daily.

As it places tighter requirements on Shorts revenue, YouTube is promising other ways for smaller channels to earn money. The company said it plans to introduce bonuses tied to YouTube Shopping, incentives for brand partnerships, and additional payments for creators who start or grow trends.

Details about the value of those incentives, their eligibility rules, and when they will become available have not been announced.

The lower level of the Partner Program will remain unchanged. Creators can still qualify for fan-funding and shopping tools with 500 subscribers, 3 public uploads within 90 days, and either 3,000 qualified watch hours or 3 million Shorts views. That tier does not include advertising or Premium revenue.

According to YouTube's eligibility guidelines, qualified watch hours come from public long-form videos. Qualified Shorts views are engaged views from public videos shown in the Shorts feed. Activity from private, unlisted, or deleted videos does not count toward either requirement.

Premium Lite will create another subscription revenue pool

YouTube is also expanding Premium Lite to every country where the full YouTube Premium subscription is available. The service offers uninterrupted, offline, and background viewing of most content.

Under the updated structure, YouTube will place 60 percent of net Premium Lite subscription revenue into a dedicated pool for creators. The equivalent pool for full Premium subscriptions receives 30 percent.

The money is distributed based on what subscribers watch. Creators will continue to receive 55 percent of the revenue allocated to their long-form videos and 45 percent of the revenue allocated to Shorts.

YouTube said partners earn more on average when a viewer subscribes to Premium than when the same person watches ads. It expects the Premium Lite expansion and other updates to enable it to pay creators more in 2027 than in 2026.

The company did not disclose its total 2026 payout or estimate how many channels could see their Shorts revenue pause under the new rules.

When the changes arrive next year, creators will find out firsthand whether YouTube’s promise of more money still leaves room for smaller channels to earn it. Only time will tell.

House of the Dragon closed out its third season with the Battle of Tumbleton, a massive set piece that combined a military siege with some serious dragon firepower.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 3: How does the Battle of Tumbleton compare to the book?

The first of these dragons is Daemon Targaryen's (Matt Smith) Caraxes, who busts through Tumbleton's gate. The second of these dragons is Silverwing, ridden by traitorous dragonseed Ulf the White (Tom Bennett). Once an ally of Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy), Ulf defected to Team Green when Ormund Hightower (James Norton) offered him Driftmark. (Daeron Targaryen's (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) small dragon Tessarion also makes a brief appearance, though he remains confined to his stable.)

In the battle's aftermath, as Caraxes chases Silverwing over Tumbleton, another dragon flies into view. Given its size, viewers were quick to believe it was Vhagar, who has been missing since she dropped Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) off for his vision quest at Harrenhal.

Was Vhagar at the Battle of Tumbleton?

However, that dragon is not Vhagar. It's actually Vermithor, aka "the Bronze Fury," Hugh Hammer's (Kieran Bew) dragon.

In George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, Hugh also betrays Rhaenyra at the Battle of Tumbleton. In the show, he shows up for the fight in a different way, charging through the Tumbleton streets in search of his estranged wife Kat (Ellora Torchia). That leaves Vermithor up to his own devices.

Vermithor and Silverwing are actually a bonded pair of dragons. So when Vermithor pops up in that dragon-heavy shot, he's likely not coming to Caraxes's aid in taking down Silverwing and her turncoat rider. Instead, he's probably coming to his beloved Silverwing's defense.

House of the Dragon cuts away from that sequence before we can see yet another dragon dogfight. But unless Season 4 picks up seconds after the end of Season 3, it's likely all three dragons make it out of this situation alive. However, given Hugh's grief over Kat's death and Silverwing and Vermithor's bond, we may see yet another dragonrider switch sides in the coming conflict.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max.

Since Elon Musk's takeover of the former Twitter, now known as X, there have been plenty of criticism leveled against the platform and the changes Musk instituted. 

Regardless of one's political background or general feelings on Musk, one of the main unanimous complaints has been the overall diminishing quality of content of the social media site due in part to the Revenue Sharing program.

That's now coming to an end. X has announced its going to sunset its current Revenue Sharing program for creators and roll out a new monetization program known as Original Content Rewards.

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According to X, the Original Content Rewards program will seek to "reward creators who bring original ideas, expertise, reporting, creativity, and commentary to X."

"The best content on X doesn't stop at resharing what already exists — it adds something new," X said in its announcements about the new monetization program. The statement hints at an ongoing issue that was devaluing content on the platform. Monetized users were simply sharing screenshots of other users' content, re-uploading other users' videos, and generally attempting to make as much money off of content they didn't create.

Other platforms' monetization programs, such as YouTube's, have long rejected or demonetized accounts that attempted to spam stolen content simply to garner views to profit off of. X seems like it will finally address this issue on its platform.

The current Revenue Sharing program on X will run through September 7, with final payouts going out around September 11. 

How X's new Original Content Rewards program will work

According to X, Original Content Rewards will kick off on September 8.

Some qualifications for the new monetization program on X are similar to the previous Revenue Sharing program. For example, users will still need to be a paying X subscriber to X Premium, Premium+, or Premium Business in order to qualify for Original Content Rewards.

However, there are some new requirements as well. Creators will now need to have a minimum of 500 verified followers or followers who also pay for X Premium, Premium+, or Premium Business. In addition, creators will need to have at least 500,000 Home Timeline impressions from verified users over the last 90 days. According to X, impressions on replies are not included in this requirement.

Creators on X can check if they meet these requirements by clicking Premium on the sidebar menu of their account, followed by Creator Studio, and Original Content Rewards.

The new Original Content Rewards program will attempt to ensure that only original content is monetizable. Content must be completely original or significantly transformed in order to qualify. Copy and pasted content or re-uploaded videos that don't belong to the uploader are not eligible for monetization. 

In addition, original content payouts will be determined by "qualified impressions." According to X, a qualified impression is a unique impression from "subscribers to X Premium Basic, Premium, Premium+, or Premium Business on the Home Timeline feed, where at least 50% of the post is visible."

X says that it will continuously check on the eligibility of users and posting disinformation, utilizing bots for views, and purposefully soliciting engagement could disqualify users from the program even if they were previously accepted.

X accounts can be temporarily suspended or even permanently removed from the Original Contend Rewards program. There is an appeals process for users who believed they were wrongly suspended or terminated from the monetization program.

Some users who commonly break these rules under the current monetization program are frequently shared by X owner Elon Musk, himself so it will be interesting to see if the new Original Content Rewards program changes how monetized accounts post on X or if the rules are even fairly enforced across the platform. 

Save 41%: As of Aug. 10, the Lego Animal Crossing Blathers's Museum set is available for $47.17, down $32.82 from its list price of $79.99. This is the absolute lowest price the set has ever hit.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Animal Crossing Blathers's Museum $47.17 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $32.82   Get Deal

It's been over six years since the release of the last Animal Crossing title, so chances are your island's museum is well and fully complete.

That doesn't mean you have to wait for a new game to get the good times going again. That's because the Lego Animal Crossing Blathers's Museum exists, and as of Aug. 10, the set is on sale $47.17, marking a first-time drop to its lowest price ever. At full price, the 543-piece set costs $79.99, meaning this deal amounts to a 41% discount.

The suggested age on this set is seven years and older, so it suits kids and adults alike. Along with the facade of the museum, the set features Blathers, Lily, a triceratops, plus two small exhibits and an homage to the Roost. While it's not exactly a true-to-game design, the smaller build means you won't have to make space for a replica in your home. Plus, this deal brings it down to a price point that makes a lot more sense for the scope of the set.