Mashable

TL;DR: Watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, which recently announced it's an Official Tournament Supporter of the event in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

The world will stop this summer for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

16 cities across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada will welcome the best international sides from around the world as they compete for arguably the biggest prize in sport. Huge names like Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Lamine Yamal are likely to steal the spotlight, but new stars always shine brightly in this prestigious competition. It's going to be a wild ride.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is the FIFA World Cup?

The World Cup is an international football competition between senior men's national teams. The 2026 World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams, split into 12 groups of four teams. The top two teams in each group and the eight best third-placed teams will progress to the knockout rounds.

The defending champions are Argentina. They won their third title at the 2022 World Cup after defeating France in an epic final.

When is the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

The 2026 World Cup is the 23rd edition of this famous competition. This year's tournament takes place from June 11 to July 19.

How to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free

A number of streaming platforms are offering free coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup:

• Australia — SBS

• Austria — ORF and ServusTV

• Belgium — RTBF and VRT

• France — M6

• Germany — ARD and ZDF

• Ireland — RTÉ

• Italy — RAI

• Norway — NRK

• Netherlands — NOS

• Spain — RTVE

• UK — BBC iPlayer and ITVX (recommended)

These streaming services are geo-restricted, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location, meaning you can livestream the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

If you're looking for the best VPN to stream the FIFA World Cup, ExpressVPN recently announced that it's an Official Tournament Supporter of the event in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. ExpressVPN was already our go-to recommendation for sports streaming, and now it's also the exclusive VPN supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Livestream the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer or ITVX (recommended)

5. Watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this tournament before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for the FIFA World Cup?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for accessing live sports on free streaming platforms, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with a money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

In the age of on-demand everything, it’s no surprise that we can get "dates" (and I use that term loosely) with the tap of a button. Thanks to classic hookup apps like Tinder and newcomers like Pure, finding a sexy new friend can be as straightforward as ordering a pizza. As for the quality? That’s about the same as your pizza — hit or miss, depending on the time of day, where you're located, and how hungry you are.

Fortunately, you’ve got me, your resident dating app expert (though I prefer modern-day Carrie Bradshaw), to guide you to the promised land, aka the best hookup apps.

I’ve spent the past three years (yes, years) researching, downloading, and testing dozens of the top dating apps to find the best ones for all kinds of daters, including the one-night-stand crowd. From discrete sexting apps to dating sites for serious relationships, I've swiped through them all. I also consulted a panel of sex and relationship experts to make sure my picks are solid.

How to get the most out of hookup apps

My number one rule is to be brutally honest about what you’re looking for. You’re here for a good time — so own it. That means staying in your lane; don't go looking for a one-night stand on an app like eharmony.

"Hookup apps help prevent situations where people are on mainstream dating sites with the intention of having a casual hookup but are unclear about these intentions," Suzannah Weiss, resident sexologist for Biird and author of Subjectified: Becoming a Sexual Subject, tells Mashable. "They also give women a space to be openly sexual creatures without judgment."

And here's a little insider secret I picked up from Alexander Liebisch, the CEO and founder of TinderProfile.ai: Timing is everything. He found that people messaging on Tinder's "free tonight" feature after 10 p.m. on a weekend had a 45 percent higher chance of hooking up.

So, whether you're looking for a one-night stand, a regular FWB situation, or just a space to explore your sexuality, I've got you covered. Based on all my hands-on testing and expert consultations, I’ve broken down the best hookup app for every type of person and mood.

Recent updates to this guide

• Hinge: Hinge just keeps getting better, so I’ve bumped it up higher on my list as of October 2025. In our most recent update in June 2026, it still earns the top spot. Its user base is growing, and my own recent tests on the app have been surprisingly positive.

• Sniffies (added September 2025): I've added Sniffies, the map-based app for queer men, because it's been gaining a lot of traction. (It got a little too spicy for Apple and was pulled from the App Store, so it's now technically a dating site.) Don't say I didn't warn you about the NSFW content.

• FetLife (added September 2025): FetLife is my new favorite "Honorable Mention." It's not your typical hookup app; it's more of a social network for the kink community (and, oddly enough, the best hookup app for gamers). Just remember: it's a community, so don't treat it like Tinder.

• Plenty of Fish (removed January 2025): POF went through a rebrand recently, and honestly, I'm not impressed. My latest tests showed they got rid of key features like free messaging for non-matches, and I kept running into the same old profiles.

• Match (removed August 2025): I know some people say they've found casual hookups on Match, but that's not what it's for. Match is where you go to find a serious, long-term relationship, and I still recommend it for that. But for a hookup? You're just fishing in the wrong pond.

Why some popular hookup apps didn't make the cut

You might notice a few apps that pop up in ads or other lists are missing here. That’s intentional. I swipe through the good, the bad, and the downright sketchy so you don’t have to. For an app to make my list, it has to be effective, safe, and worth your time.

Here's a shortlist of apps that didn't make the cut this year:

• Wild: You’ve probably seen ads for this one. On paper, Wild sounds like the perfect casual dating app. In practice, the paywalls are aggressive, the distance filter doesn't work, and you have to pay for anything that's even remotely useful. Unless you're willing to spend serious cash upfront (and hope for the best), the experience feels limited compared to more open apps like Tinder.

• DOWN: This app (formerly "Bang With Friends") is known for its simple "Get Down" vs. "Get Date" feature. It sounds clever, but in reality, the experience is messy at best. Many users report feeling scammed by subscriptions that don't deliver matches, or finding that the few real people on there are... let's say "odd." It’s hard to recommend an app when the main user complaint is "Is anyone real?" Hard pass.

• Facebook Dating: Yes, Facebook has a dating section, and it’s surprisingly massive (and completely free, which is huge). While it's a decent option for casual dating, the vibe tends to be a bit more "friends of friends" and "relationship-focused" than the anonymous, no-strings energy you get from apps like Pure or Feeld. (For Mashable's Chance Townsend, signing up was "the most uneventful dating experience" of his life.) It's worth a shot if you're already on Facebook, but it didn't quite crack my top tier for hookups specifically.

SAVE $40.05: As of June 11, the Braun IPL Silk·Expert is on sale for $279.94 at Amazon. That's a 13% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Braun Braun IPL Silk·Expert $279.94 at Amazon
$319.99 Save $40.05   Get Deal

Looking to spend less on beauty and salon appointments? An IPL device could be the answer. These at-home devices offer a long-term way to reduce unwanted hair, and a popular option is currently available at a discount on Amazon. As of June 11, it's currently down from its normal price of $319.99 to $279.94, saving you $40. And, with Prime Day around the corner, this has already dropped to its best-ever price.

IPL stands for intense pulsed light, and it uses flashes of light to target hair follicles and gradually reduce hair growth. While it's not the same as laser hair removal, it works similarly by targeting hair pigment. IPL is generally gentler than laser treatments, can be used at home, and offers a long-term solution for reducing unwanted hair.

With this model, you'll be able to use it on all parts of your body, thanks to the Smart Flex Head, which helps maintain coverage across different areas. The device also offers multiple intensity settings and attachments to tailor treatments to different body parts. It includes a skin-tone sensor that automatically adjusts light intensity for each flash.

Head to Amazon to grab this Braun deal.

TL;DR: Live stream South Korea vs. Czechia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is kicking off with a number of really interesting matchups, including South Korea vs. Czechia.

Group A is difficult to predict, with Mexico and South Africa also vying for a spot in the knockout rounds. There's not much to separate these sides on paper, so every team will be desperate to start with a positive result.

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

When is South Korea vs. Czechia?

South Korea vs. Czechia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 10 p.m. ET on June 11. This fixture takes place at the Akron Stadium.

How to watch South Korea vs. Czechia for free

South Korea vs. Czechia 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 South Korea vs. Czechia for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit ITVX

5. Watch South Korea vs. Czechia for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can 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 South Korea vs. Czechia (plus more World Cup fixtures) before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for 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

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream South Korea vs. Czechia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

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 June 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 June 11, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for June 11 Pips

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

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

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 3-0, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for June 11 Pips

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 3-0, placed horizontally.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this light blue space must add up to 4. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically; 4-0, placed vertically; 4-4, placed horizontally; 4-5, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed horizontally.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 2-0, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for June 11 Pips

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically; 5-1, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 1-2, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally.

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

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically; 5-2, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 4-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 5-5, placed vertically.

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

Dario Amodei, CEO and founder of Anthropic, just published an online essay that starts out by comparing AI to the Hobbits in the Lord of the Rings. And that may not be the only piece of fiction in it, if the system card from Anthropic's own Claude Mythos model is to be believed.

"The intersection of AI and our political institutions feels a bit like the Hobbits and Treebeard," Amodei writes — that is, Treebeard the Ent moves so slow that he can't even understand the speedy Hobbits. But then Amodei pivots to a controversial assertion — one that, to continue the Lord of the Rings analogy, would mean that Hobbits are moving exponentially faster all the time.

"AI's scaling laws, which predict an exponential increase in general cognitive capabilities with increasing computing power, now have over a decade of empirical evidence behind them," Amodei claims. "If these scaling laws continue for only a year or two longer, we are likely to get what I've called Powerful AI."

It's hardly a one-off reference; Amodei, who is about to cash in on a bonanza Anthropic IPO, uses the word "exponential" six times in the essay. That includes the title, "Policy on the AI exponential." But is it true?

Let's leave for one moment the dubious 2020 OpenAI paper Amodei links to prove his assertion, or the abundant evidence from other AI experts that the "cognitive capabilities" of most Large Language Models are not growing that fast, if at all. Amodei's essay appears to contradict the word of ... well, Anthropic itself.

SEE ALSO: The AI vibe shift is real: Why the backlash is growing

On the system card for the preview of Claude Mythos [PDF], the model that Amodei hypes up in the essay for the cybersecurity concerns it has caused, you'll find the following statement: "The [intelligence] gains we can identify are confidently attributable to human research, not AI assistance ... early claims of large AI-attributable wins have not held up." [Emphasis ours.]

You might think it can't get more definitive than that — unless you read the system card for Anthropic's other new frontier model, Fable 5. Using a test called the Epoch Capabilities Index, Anthropic researchers specifically set out to see if there was evidence of a feedback loop that would lead to what AI experts have variously called AGI or Digital Superintelligence. And the result couldn't be clearer.

"We do not observe a sustained, AI-attributable 2× acceleration in the pace of our AI progress," the Fable system card [PDF] says.

So, where is Amodei getting his exponential information from? We've reached out to Anthropic for clarification, but the citation the CEO uses is for a 2020 paper called Scaling Laws for Neural Language models, co-authored by Jared Kaplan (then with OpenAI, now a co-founder of Anthropic). The conclusion of that paper has been called into question by another leading AI researcher, Gary Marcus, for the past four years.

"There are serious holes in the scaling argument," Marcus wrote in 2022. "Indeed, we may already be running into scaling limits in deep learning, perhaps already approaching a point of diminishing returns." He cited research on OpenAI's GPT-3 model, which has "shown that scaling starts to falter on some measures, such as toxicity, truthfulness, reasoning, and common sense."

Marcus was pilloried by AI true believers at the time, but has since been vindicated — especially since the release of GPT-5, which was not the Superintelligence some of its users hoped for.

Finding evidence for AI exponential growth since then may be harder than simply walking into Mordor.

Additional reporting provided by Timothy Werth

Apple's WWDC officially wraps on Friday, but we learned a lot from the opening keynote on Monday.

In 2026, Mashable and the rest of the CNET Group (ZDNET, PCMag, CNET, and Lifehacker) are hosting the Big Guessing Game: Apple Edition to give our readers a chance to predict the biggest Apple news from events like WWDC. Every correct answer earns you one chance to win the new Apple Watch announced in September. (Read the full content rules.) Round one of the game took place in the weeks leading up to WWDC. If you missed your chance to guess, round two will begin July 7, followed by round three before the September iPhone launch event.

In the meantime, we can tell you how many of our readers correctly guessed some of the biggest moments from the WWDC opening keynote. Incredibly, someone even correctly guessed the name of macOS 27 Golden Gate.

Question 1: Will Apple announce a standalone Siri app at WWDC 2026?

Apple finally announced Siri AI, which will be available as a standalone app in the next generation of Apple operating systems. For this warm-up question, 54 percent of Mashable readers said yes, answering correctly.

Question 2: The codename of MacOS 26 is Tahoe. What California landmark, city, or region will Apple choose for macOS 27?

When our tech editor first saw a Volkswagen bug and trippy visuals of California's psychedelic history appear on screen during the WWDC keynote, he wondered out loud if we were about to get macOS 27 Woodstock. Alas, the correct answer was macOS 27 Golden Gate.

One, and only one, Mashable reader correctly predicted macOS's new name. However, there were lots of other good guesses. The most popular wrong guesses were Redwood and Shasta. We also liked Venice, Big Bear, and Napa.

Question 3: WWDC is primarily a software show, but Apple loves a hardware surprise. Which of these devices will get a stage announcement during the keynote?

For this question, readers could guess from four multiple-choice options: Mac Studio M5 Ultra or Max, a redesigned Apple TV device, a foldable iPhone, or none of the above. Unfortunately, there were no hardware reveals at this particular event, and the 23 percent of our readers who guessed "none of the above" earned another entry for the chance to win an Apple Watch.

SEE ALSO: The latest iPhone Fold leaks, rumors, and renders: Everything we know Question 4: To the nearest minute, how long will the main WWDC 2026 Monday keynote last?

Mashable readers were incredibly accurate in guessing the length of WWDC. The average guess was 75 minutes, and the median guess was 74 minutes. We had people guess 77 minutes as well. Oddly, no one predicted the correct answer to the minute: 76 minutes.

Sorry, folks.

Question 5: In the new watchOS, will ChatGPT be directly available in an app or widget, i.e. not a third-party app or Shortcut?

Mashable readers were pretty evenly split here, with 51 percent guessing in the affirmative and 49 percent in the negative. The pessimists were correct on this one. New watchOS 27 features were barely mentioned during the keynote, but direct ChatGPT access or a dedicated widget are not available.

As a reminder, the next round of Mashable's Big Guessing Game: Apple Edition begins on July 7. Every correct answer will get you another chance at winning the latest Apple Watch released in September. 

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY to enter or win the "CNET Group Big Guessing Game" Giveaway. Open to legal U.S. residents in the 50 U.S. & D.C., 18+ yrs of age. Other restrictions apply. Begins May 19, 2026 at 12:01 pm ET and ends Sept. 1, 2026 at 11:59 pm ET. Void where prohibited. Subject to Official Rules: https://www.mashable.com/article/mashable-big-guessing-game-apple-edition-official-contest-rules/. Sponsor: Ziff Davis, LLC.

Apple is not a sponsor of, affiliated with, or endorser of this sweepstakes. Apple Watch is a trademark of Apple Inc.

Viral streamer and Mashable 101 pick Kai Cenat is returning to the Creatorverse with another round of Streamer University, a launchpad for streamers who want to follow in his footsteps.

SEE ALSO: The Mashable 101: The creators defining the internet in 2026

Cenat announced Streamer University 2026 with a two and half minute long trailer posted to his social media accounts, riffing on his extended streaming hiatus.

It shows Cenat striding through rolling green hills as he approaches what turns out to be an abandoned stone manor — the Streamer University itself, made in the image of an American Hogwarts. Cenat, dressed in burgundy and yellow, learns it's been taken over by owls, the animals tasked with delivering applications, which now sit collecting dust. But don't worry, Cenat is here now to send them himself. And that's where all of us come in.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. What is Streamer University?

Streamer University is Cenat's free, multi-day networking, training, and social event designed to connect up and coming streamers with existing viral content creators. Cenat led the inaugural Streamer University event in May of last year, held at the University of Akron in Ohio.

How do I apply to Streamer University?

People who are interested can apply online now. The "University" is accepting applications for three different tracks: Student, Professor, and Club Director. Students will receive a crash course in being a digital creator, led by Professors with specific "expertise." Club Directors will facilitate event activities.

You must be at least 18 years old and have the ability to travel around the United States. As part of the application process, you must also provide at least one social media account for review and submit a short video showcasing "your personality, content style, and why you want to attend." As the FAQ reads: "Be authentic!"

What do I get if I am accepted into Streamer University?

If you are accepted, you will get free entry to the multi-day event, including classes, activities, and networking opportunities, according to the website. You may also be filmed for content on participant channels.

UPDATE: Jun. 10, 2026, 3:18 p.m. UTC Google has provided a new status update indicating its engineering team has applied mitigations and is continuing to investigate the root cause of the outage. The company says it is seeing signs of recovery and will continue to monitor the situation. Google's next update is expected by 3:30 PM ET.

Google's Gemini AI assistant is currently down for a significant number of users, with outage reports on Downdetector beginning to spike around 6 a.m. ET on Wednesday morning and continuing to build into the early afternoon. Google first acknowledged the issue in an update on its official status page at 8:40 p.m. ET.

Google confirms the disruption began at 6:26 a.m. ET, affecting Gemini across all major platforms — web, macOS, iOS, and Android — as well as Gemini in Chrome. Users are reporting error codes 1099 and 1076, as well as an error message that reads, "Something went wrong."

Google's status page classifies the problem as a "Service disruption" rather than a "Service outage," but Gemini is functionally unavailable for many users.

According to Google, its engineering team has identified a potential mitigation that is currently being worked on, though no estimated resolution time has been provided. The company says it plans to share an update by 3:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday.

The status update also states that no workaround is available at this time for affected users.

We'll update this story as more information becomes available.

iOS 27 may run on devices as far back as the iPhone 11, but Apple's most advanced AI features are reserved for a much shorter list of hardware, the company revealed.

Apple's Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President of Software Engineering, confirmed that a subset of advanced Siri AI and Apple Intelligence features will require more powerful silicon, and therefore won't be available on most iPhones. That means that even relatively new iPhones that do support Siri AI and Apple Intelligence, like the iPhone 16 Pro Max, won't get the full experience when iOS 27 launches this fall.

SEE ALSO: These 29 iPhones are getting iOS 27: Is yours on the list?

In a WWDC presentation (as reported by Macworld and other outlets), Federighi said, "Our most powerful on-device model and the features it enables, like expressive voices and more advanced dictation, will be coming to our most capable iPhone, iPad and Mac systems."

A slide displayed alongside these remarks stated that only a handful of phones will get the full feature set: the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. In addition, these advanced features will be restricted to iPad models with M4 or later (and at least 12GB of unified memory), Mac models with M3 or later (and at least 12GB of unified memory), and Apple Vision Pro with M5.

The features we know for certain are exclusive to that hardware tier include Siri AI's more expressive voices and the upgraded systemwide dictation, which Apple says captures speech as polished, accurately punctuated text with greater precision than before.

If you're on an iPhone 16 or iPhone 15 Pro, you'll still get a meaningfully upgraded Siri AI experience. That's the rebuilt assistant, the dedicated app, Visual Intelligence, writing tools, and more. But the voice customization sliders, dictation overhaul, and other unnamed features are staying on the newer hardware for now.

SEE ALSO: All the foldable iPhone Ultra hints in the iOS 27 beta

If the expressive voice and dictation upgrades are important to you, the iPhone 17 lineup is where those features live.

This isn't the only significant carveout Apple announced, either. Siri AI will launch in the fall as a public beta, but it won't be available in the European Union or China at launch.

The best early Prime Day smart glasses deal Best Overall Early Prime Day Smart Glasses Deal Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 1) Smart Glasses $277.69 (Save $21.31) Get Deal Best Early Prime Day Splurge Smart Glasses Deal Viture Beast XR/AR Glasses $549 (Save $140) Get Deal Best Early Prime Day Budget Smart Glasses Deal BooaBei AI Smart Glasses $169.99 (Save $80) Get Deal

Smart glasses are one of the buzzier gadget categories going into Prime Day, so it's a good idea to start watching and tracking how low prices will go. Right now, in these early days of the sale, the discounts are still pretty modest, which is good news if you've been on the fence about buying in.

A few pairs, like the first-gen Ray-Ban Meta glasses, have dipped a little. So there are already discounts to shop if you're ready to buy. For everyone else, this is a great moment to lock in what you want now and pounce the second deeper discounts make their debut.

Mashable's team of shopping experts is keeping a close eye on the best early Prime Day smart glasses deals as they roll in. We'll keep updating this page with additional discounts as we find them.

Best overall smart glasses deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 1) Smart Glasses $277.69 at Amazon
$299 Save $21.31   Get Deal Why we like it

If you're just now getting into the smart glasses game, you're in luck: the most popular pair is on sale right now. You can get a pair of first-generation Ray-Ban Meta glasses to try out and see what all the fuss is about. They let you take photos and videos, listen to music, make calls, or even ask Meta AI questions while you're wearing them. They feature an ultra-wide 12MP camera with a five-mic system so you can also livestream what you're seeing, all hands-free. They even offer live translation, so you can take part in conversations even when Wi-Fi isn't available. It's all about convenience, and if you're dipping your toes in the world of smart glasses, this is the best place to start.

Best splurge smart glasses deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Viture Beast XR/AR Glasses $549 at Amazon
$689 Save $140   Get Deal Why we like it

These glasses are all about giving you the biggest, brightest display you can get from a pair of XR/AR glasses. They offer a 174-inch display with a 58-inch FOV, with a brightness of 1250 nits and powered by Sony micro-OLED. You can pin, resize, and lock the massive screen as if you were standing in front of it, to make whatever you decide to watch, whether it's a meeting or a movie, feel larger than life. It has a 120Hz refresh rate, 9-level dimming, and auto-transparency as well, with deep, satisfying bass and the ability to turn any 2D content into 3D. These are the glasses you get if you're serious about what you're watching, and you can save a bit of cash on them thanks to Prime Day.

Best budget smart glasses deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon BooaBei AI Smart Glasses $169.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $80   Get Deal Why we like it

These glasses may not come from Ray-Ban and Meta, but they're still worth a look. They offer an 8MP HD camera with 2K footage recording as well as connectivity with ChatGPT, so you can ask questions and get things done on the go. They also feature AI photo recognition and real-time translation as well as dual-mic noise cancellation and beamforming technology for taking calls or streaming on the go.

A matter of weeks after Steam Deck devices got a massive price increase, Valve is taking another difficult measure that will make things slightly less convenient for players.

The owner of the biggest digital storefront for PC games announced this week (via SteamDB) that it will no longer manufacture or sell physical Steam gift cards at retail stores. The reason, of course, is that scammers use these cards for all sorts of malicious behaviors, and Valve has admitted that it can't come up with a surefire, ironclad way to stop bad actors short of just ceasing gift card production altogether.

SEE ALSO: Steam Deck OLED gets huge price increase amid RAM shortage This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

"As we have continued to put more and more restrictions in place, scammers have adapted," Valve said. "They continue to have an impact on Steam customers and other unsuspecting individuals."

The good news is that digital gift cards, which can be purchased and gifted directly at the account level, will remain an option for Steam users. Valve noted that it added guest checkout as a feature last year, making it easier for people to buy one without having their own account.

Still, considering how long the little rack of video game marketplace gift cards has adorned retail checkout lines, this does feel like the beginning of the end of an era, to some extent.

Best early Prime Day air fryer deals at a glance: Best mini air fryer deal Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Mini Air Fryer (4QT) $64.99 (save $65) Get Deal Best large air fryer deal Chefman XL 6-in-1 Air Fryer (14QT) $89.99 (save $60) Get Deal

Prime Day is almost here — and Amazon isn't waiting for the official start to roll out discounts. This year's sale kicks off on June 23, but early deals on small kitchen appliances are already live, and air fryers are among the standouts.

SEE ALSO: iRobot Roomba Max 705 drops to its best-ever price before Prime Day

Whether you're after a compact basket-style fryer for weeknight meals or a larger oven model that can roast a whole chicken, brands like Ninja, Instant Pot, and Chefman are already seeing price cuts. Here are the best early Prime Day air fryer deals worth grabbing now.

Best mini air fryer deal Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Mini Air Fryer (4QT) $64.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $65.00   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart Why we like it

If you live alone, like making apps or quick side dishes, or just want an air fryer that won't take up your entire counter, the Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Mini Air Fryer (4QT) is on sale for $64.99 at Amazon, down from $129.99. This little air fryer can bake, roast, broil, dehydrate, reheat, and air fry small meals in minutes. Just press the preset button, and it does the rest.

Best large air fryer deal Chefman XL 6-in-1 Air Fryer (14QT) $89.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $60.00   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

For households with more mouths to feed, the Chefman XL 6-in-1 Air Fryer (14QT) can make family-sized meals in no time. (There's also a Hi-Fry button for those who prefer an extra crispy finish.) It comes with three removable wire racks, a rotisserie spit, a fetch tool to remove the rotisserie, and a dip tray/baking pan. And right now, you can get it for $89.99 — the lowest price we've tracked on this model to date!

More air fryer deals

• Chefman Air Fryer — $54.99 $99.99 (save $45)

• Chefman XL Air Fryer 4-in-1 (8QT) — $69.99 $119.99 (save $50)

• Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer (6QT) — $79.99 $149.99 (save $70)

• Ninja Foodi 6-in-1 Air Fryer (7QT) — $159.98 $199.99 (save $40.01)

• Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Glass Air Fryer (6QT) — $169.95 $179.99 (save $10.01)

Best early Prime Day deals on cordless power tools: Best DeWalt deal DeWalt 20V MAX Cordless Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit $169 at Amazon (save $80) Get Deal Best Craftsman deal Craftsman V20 Power Tool Combo Kit $299 at Amazon (save $70) Get Deal Best Hoto deal Hoto SNAPBLOQ S-A01 3.7V Electric Screwdriver $79.99 at Amazon (save $20) Get Deal

Summer is the ideal time to tackle home DIY projects. The paint will dry quicker, there's more hours of daylight, and maybe some friends around to help out. If you have a list of home and yard projects to take care of this summer, make sure you have the necessary tools. Nothing sidelines a weekend project quite like realizing you need to run to the hardware store.

SEE ALSO: The 5 best portable power station deals I'd buy before Prime Day

Lucky for us, early Amazon Prime Day deals already have great discounts on cordless power tools. Of course, we expect to see more as we get closer to the June 23 official start of the sale. But for now, here are the top deals worth shopping.

Best DeWalt deal Opens in a new window Credit: DeWalt DeWalt 20V MAX Cordless Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit $169 at Amazon
$249 Save $80   Get Deal Why we like it

Perfect for anyone building a new tool collection, the DeWalt 20V MAX Cordless Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit is on sale for $80 off before Prime Day. The kit comes with the 20V compact drill/driver, 20V impact driver, two 20V batteries, a battery charger, and a durable carrying case. Both tools have a built-in LED light so you'll get a better view for optimal accuracy. The comfort grip with ergonomic design is also a major plus.

Best Craftsman deal Opens in a new window Credit: Craftsman Craftsman V20 Power Tool Combo Kit $299 at Amazon
$369 Save $70   Get Deal Why we like it

Packing in seven tools, the Craftsman V20 Power Tool Combo Kit is an upgraded starter pack. It comes with a drill/driver, oscillating tool, impact driver, grinder, reciprocating saw, circular saw, and even more. You also get two 20V batteries and a battery charger.

Before Prime Day kicks off, the Craftsman Power Tool Combo Kit is on sale for $229, down from the normal price of $369.

Best Hoto deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hoto Hoto SNAPBLOQ S-A01 3.7V Electric Screwdriver $79.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $20   Get Deal Why we like it

Hoto makes some excellent cordless tools that are useful to have around any home, even if you're not taking on DIY projects soon. The Hoto SNAPBLOQ S-A01 3.7V Electric Screwdriver is the perfect example given that it comes with 56 bits to cover every possible scenario. It also has three torque settings and an LED light. Use it to repair your glasses or sunglasses, get access to tiny screws in a watch or your laptop, while still having access to more standard bits.

Hoto says you'll get about 60 minutes of runtime before the cordless electric screwdriver needs to recharge its 800 mAh battery.

More cordless tool deals to shop before Prime Day

• Hoto Electric Screwdriver — $44.99 $49.99 (save $5)

• Craftsman V20 MAX Cordless Drill Driver and Impact Driver Set — $99 $169 (save $70)

• Greenworks 40V Cordless Yard Tool Combo Kit — $129.99 $189.99 (save $60)

• Bosch 12V Max Drill/Driver with 5-In-1 Flexiclick System — $139 $259 (save $120)

• DeWalt 20V MAX Angle Grinder Tool Cordless Brushless — $154.95 $249 (save $94.05)

• DeWalt 20V MAX 3-Tool Brushless Power Tool Set — $329 $399 (save $70)

The best early Amazon Fire Tablet deals Best Kids Amazon Fire Tablet Deal Amazon Fire 7 Kids tablet $54.99 (Save $55) Get Deal Best Midrange Amazon Fire Tablet Deal Like-New Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet and Stylus Pen Creativity Bundle $145.98 (Save $4) Get Deal Best High-End Amazon Fire Tablet Deal Like-New Amazon Fire Max 11 Tablet Creativity Stylus Bundle $229.98 (Save $7) Get Deal

Everyone knows that Amazon loves to discount its own devices during its Prime Day events. So far, though, the early Prime Day tablet deals are a little thin on the ground, at least where Amazon's Fire Tablet line is concerned. There's one excellent standout right now, and it's the Amazon Fire 7 Kids tablet at 50% off, which is a solid drop on a family-friendly pick anyone could use.

Beyond that, most of what we're seeing on Fire tablets is bundle-based rather than straight markdowns, so the value you'll get per bundle depends on whether you actually want the extras. But you can expect the selection to widen dramatically as we get closer to the main event.

Mashable's team of shopping experts is tracking the best early Prime Day Fire tablet deals as they land. We'll likely see even more pop up in the next week or so, so keep an eye out for additional savings.

Best kids Amazon Fire tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire 7 Kids tablet $54.99 at Amazon
$109.99 Save $55.00   Get Deal Why we like it

This model may be aimed toward kids, but the entire family can use it -- and no one would blame you at this price. This rugged tablet comes in three fun colors and features a year of Amazon Kids+ so you can give your little ones plenty of kid-friendly content to peruse. It also has on-board parental controls with the Parent Dashboard, so you can filter out content based on your kids' ages, set time limits, and give access to other apps to keep an eye on what your tots are up to. It also features a 10-hour battery so you don't have to keep recharging it. And if you want to use it yourself, it's still a great casual tablet that can do all you want it to do.

Best midrange Amazon Fire tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Like-New Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet and Stylus Pen Creativity Bundle $149.98 at Amazon
$156.98 Save $7   Get Deal Why we like it

The 10-inch Fire HD 10 is a fantastic all-around pick. It's also a Mashable Choice Award winner, thanks to its excellent display, lengthy battery life, and lightweight frame. It's affordable and sturdy, with a zippy processor and "surprisingly decent' sound quality. This like-new bundle also nets you a Stylus Pen in addition to the tablet, which means you can take notes, doodle, and sketch within apps like OneNote and more. If you're on the market for an everyday tablet that you'll keep reaching for, this bundle is worth snapping up while it's still available.

Best high-end Amazon Fire tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Like-New Amazon Fire Max 11 Tablet Creativity Stylus Bundle $229.98 at Amazon
$236.98 Save $7   Get Deal Why we like it

This speedy tablet is all about the luxury experience when it comes to the Fire line. It has an 11-inch screen with 2 million pixels to give you the most crisp picture possible as well as an octa-core processor to handle everything you want to tackle at once. On top of that, it has 14 hours of battery life per charge and comes in a thin, lightweight frame that makes it a joy to tote around and use. This bundle also packs the Stylus Pen, so you can sketch, mark up PDFs, or jot down notes. If you're going to get a pricier Fire tablet that's still on sale, this one is the way to go right now.

The best early Prime Day book deals at a glance: Best hardcover book deal "Crux" by Gabriel Tallent $14.67 (save $15.33 with on-page coupon) Get Deal Best paperback deal "The Girl Who Was Taken" by Charlie Donlea $7.50 (save $12.45) Get Deal Best Kindle book deal "Kill For Me Kill For You" by Steve Cavanagh $2.99 (save $16) Get Deal

It's nearly Amazon Prime Day, which officially runs from June 23 through 26, but if you don't feel like waiting, there's already plenty of live deals to shop.

Besides offering three free months of both Kindle Unlimited and Audible to new subscribers, Amazon also has some pretty great discounts on books themselves. I'm not usually one to recommend purchasing physical books via Amazon (support local book stores!), but it's pretty hard to pass up a 50% price drop on a book you've had on your TBR.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Editors just dropped the 20 best books of 2026 (so far) — find out what made the list

I'm tracking some of the best deals on physical books and e-books at Amazon ahead of the official Prime Day kick off, but remember to check back for more once things start ramping up.

Best early Prime Day hardcover book deal Opens in a new window Credit: Riverhead Books "Crux" by Gabriel Tallent $14.67 at Amazon
$30 Save $15.33 with on-page coupon Get Deal Why we like it

Named one of the best books of 2026 so far by Amazon Book Editors, Crux is an "exhilarating, tender novel about an unlikely friendship forged through a shared love of rock climbing," according to Amazon Editor Abby Abell. Thanks to an on-page coupon at Amazon, you can add the hardcover version to your home library for less than half its usual cost.

More hardcover book deals

• Woman Down by Colleen Hoover — $8.10 $28.99 (save $20.89)

• Judge Stone by James Patterson and Viola Davis — $10.26 $32 (save $21.74)

• Homebound by Portia Elan — $14.73 $28 (save $13.29)

• Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins — $15.02 $27.99 (save $12.97)

• Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid — $15.82 $30 (save $14.18)

• Transcription by Ben Lerner — $16.67 $25 (save $8.33 with on-page coupon)

• Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden — $18.74 $30 (save $11.26)

• Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke — $19.50 $30 (save $10.50)

• Land by Maggie O'Farrell — $20.80 $32 (save $11.20)

Best early Prime Day paperback book deal Opens in a new window Credit: Kensington "The Girl Who Was Taken" by Charlie Donlea $7.50 at Amazon
$19.95 Save $12.45   Get Deal Why we like it

A classic trope of two abducted girls, only one returns and one doesn't, The Girl Who Was Taken is a psychological thriller by Charlie Donlea where nothing is as it seems. Typically around $20, you can pick up the paperback version for only $7.50 at Amazon ahead of Prime Day. That's just a few cents away from its lowest price ever.

More paperback book deals

• The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley — $7.35 $18.99 (save $11.64)

• Home Before Dark by Riley Sager — $8.27 $19 (save $10.73)

• She's Not Sorry by Mary Kubica — $8.56 $18.99 (save $10.43)

• On a Quiet Street by Seraphina Nova Glass — $8.82 $18.99 (save $10.17)

Best early Prime Day Kindle book deal Opens in a new window Credit: Atria Books "Kill For Me Kill For You" by Steve Cavanagh $2.99 at Amazon
$18.99 Save $16.00   Get Deal Why we like it

I highly recommend grabbing this twisty psychological thriller from internationally best-selling author Steve Cavanagh while the Kindle version is only $2.99. Kill For Me Kill For You follows two women seeking revenge against the men who killed their daughters. Over drinks one night, they decide to swap murders, but things don't go exactly as planned.

More Kindle book deals

• The Silver Star by Jeanette Walls — $2.99 $17.99 (save $15)

• Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh — $2.99 $11.99 (save $9)

• The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchinson — $2.99 $5.99 (save $3)

• Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover — $2.99 $16.99 (save $14)

• The Girl Who Was Taken by Charlie Donlea — $3.99 $16.99 (save $13)

• The Last Housewife by Ashley Winstead — $7.56 $16.99 (save $9.43)

Best early Prime Day Fitbit deals at a glance: Best deal overall Fitbit Charge 6 $99.95 (save $60) Get Deal Best runner-up deal Fitbit Versa 4 $149.95 (save $50) Get Deal Best budget deal Fitbit Inspire 3 $79.95 (save $20) Get Deal

Amazon's Prime Day sales event is right around the corner (I can't believe it's that time of year again!), and I'm genuinely shocked by the deals we're seeing this early in the game.

SEE ALSO: Amazon's early Prime Day deals include some great options for Father's Day

Usually, Amazon doesn't put Fitbits on sale until the very last minute, and then they're gone. (And some years, they don't go on sale at all.) But right now, we're seeing all-time lows on select Fitbit models, including the Charge 6.

Here are the best early Prime Day Fitbit deals you can shop right now:

Best deal overall Fitbit Charge 6 $99.95 at Amazon
$159.95 Save $60.00   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

The Fitbit Charge 6 isn't the newest Fitbit on the market, but it still has (almost) everything you'd need in a smart wearable. (I say almost because the Fitbit Charge 6 doesn't have an altimeter, but if you're not a trail runner, this probably isn't a deal breaker.)

The Charge 6 tracks your calories, steps, sleep, heart rate, and more. It also has built-in GPS, 40+ exercise modes, a seven-day battery life, and includes a three-month Google Health Premium (formerly Fitbit Premium) membership. Once the three months are up, you'll need to either cancel or renew for $9.99 per month or $99.99 annually.

Right now, you can get the Fitbit Charge 6 for $99.95 at Amazon. This is the lowest price we've tracked on this model since its release in 2023.

Best runner-up deal Opens in a new window Credit: Fitbit Fitbit Versa 4 $149.95
$199.95 Save $50   Get Deal Why we like it

If you're willing to spend a little bit more, the Fitbit Versa 4 is on sale for $149.95. This isn't the lowest price we've seen (it was $104.96 in April 2024), but it's still a pretty good deal.

Unlike the Charge 6, the Versa 4 has an altimeter and Bluetooth wrist calling. So, if you're looking for a wearable that acts more like a smartwatch, the Versa 4 might be the better buy. That said, it doesn't have the more "serious" health sensor that the Charge 6 does (e.g., ECG and EDA).

The Versa 4 also comes with three months of Google Health Premium.

Best budget deal Fitbit Inspire 3 $79.95 at Walmart
$89.95 Save $10   Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

If you're just looking for something that's affordable and efficient, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is your best option at $79.95.

It's a no-frills fitness tracker that'll give you the basic features you need to stay on top of your health. It can track your heart rate, steps, and stress levels. (It also offers menstrual health tracking, which is nice.)

You'll also get 10 full days of battery life and, like the other models mentioned above, three free months of Google Health Premium.

Anthropic just released its most powerful public model yet — Claude Fable 5. However, along with the model's release, the AI giant also made a significant update to its data retention policies.

Fable 5 was released to the public on Tuesday. Fable 5 is a "safe for general use" version of Anthropic's most powerful model, Mythos, which has been restricted from public use due to its potentially dangerous cybersecurity capabilities. Anthropic created a set of safety guardrails for Fable 5, and its benchmarks blow away much of the competition, per Anthropic.

But it looks like Anthropic has also blown away its data retention policies for Fable 5.

"To ensure we’re responsibly deploying Mythos-class models, we are requiring limited data retention and review as part of our safety work," reads an update on Anthropic's official Claude support page. "Prompts submitted to, and outputs generated by, Mythos-class models are retained for 30 days for trust and safety purposes, on every platform where these models are offered."

The update was first noticed by Jun Park, the CEO of AI training company hillclimb.

“New policy from Anthropic: if you use Fable/Mythos, they collect your data. No exceptions. Not even for enterprise partners," Park posted on X.

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

This change is significant for Anthropic's enterprise and API customers, says Jessica Eaves Mathews, a lawyer who specializes in copyright, trademark, and AI law.

In a post on Mathews' Substack (as highlighted by CyberNews), the lawyer explains how Anthropic already retains user data for 30 days under its free and paid consumer plans. However, Matthews says this change nullifies part of any agreement Anthropic has with its enterprise and API partners. 

"Every other Claude model available through the API, including Opus 4.8, Sonnet 4.6, and Haiku 4.5, can operate under Zero Data Retention (ZDR) agreements," Mathews writes. "Fable 5 cannot. If your organization previously had a ZDR agreement with Anthropic, that agreement does not apply to Fable 5 traffic. This is a policy change that overrides existing enterprise commitments for this specific model class."

Mathews says that any organization that believed that their data would not be stored by Anthropic should know that there is now a "mandatory exception" for Fable 5 and all future Mythos models.

While Mythos-class models seem to be quite powerful, companies should know about the change in Anthropic's data retention policies and make adjustments where necessary.

Snapchat is rolling out new content-sharing protections for 13- to 15-year-old users.

The platform announced Wednesday that younger teens will get a "friends-only" experience for their Spotlight posts. That public feed consists of vertical videos short-form similar to Instagram Reels or TikTok.

SEE ALSO: Survey: Teens regularly see harmful content, messages on Snapchat

The new rules make Spotlight content posted by 13- to 15-year-olds visible only to the user's mutually accepted friends. Previously, under-16 users could post to Spotlight, without attribution to their profile.

"This allowed teens to participate, while helping to protect them from potentially unwanted contact that can come with public posting," the Snap Company said in its announcement.

Under-16 Snapchat users will have a dedicated profile space for certain content. Credit: Courtesy Snapchat

Now younger Snapchatters will get a space on their profile for creating, saving, and sharing Stories and Spotlight Videos with only their mutually accepted friends. Teens ages 16 and 17 can share content publicly with some safeguards.

"This new experience is designed to encourage creativity and self-expression within a trusted audience," the company said.

Age checking on Snapchat

Currently, Snapchat relies on self-attested age and age inference, but safety advocates generally say social media platforms need high-quality age assurance to ensure their safety measures are effective.

When Mashable tested Snapchat's age attestation prior to the announcement, we found that Snapchat defaulted user age to 18 years old.

With the new policy, if Snapchat determines a user is under 16, despite their stated age, that minor will be shifted into the friends-only sharing setting. That change will appear in the Snapchat app if they choose to post a Spotlight video.

Snapchat safety concerns

Last week, the advocacy groups Heat Initiative, Anxious Generation, ParentsTogether Action, and Design It 4 Us published the results of a survey of teen Snapchat users, alleging that the platform's safety measures aren't effective enough.

A third of the poll's 1,016 respondents said they'd seen or received unsafe content or messages in the past week. More than half said they'd had at least one such experience in the past year.

The top three types of dangerous experiences reported by up to a third of teens were unwanted contact, bullying, and sexually suggestive content and messages. More than 40 percent of respondents who'd received unwanted messages believed the sender was an adult.

A Snap Company spokesperson told Mashable that the report "does not fully reflect the significant investments Snap has made to help protect young people."

In the blog post Snap published Wednesday, the company noted that it works to prevent the delivery of friend requests from potential strangers, and that the platform doesn't allow teens to be messaged by anyone they haven't added as a friend or who's not in their phone contacts. Additionally, when teens accept a stranger as a friend, Snapchat is designed to send warnings when minors begin chatting with that user.

"After years of advocacy by parents, kids, and experts, it's encouraging that Snap is finally making some changes to try to prevent young children from posting in adult spaces, which has put kids in danger on the platform for years," Brooke Istook, president and chief strategy officer at Heat Initiative, said in a statement to Mashable.

Istook added, however, that "fundamental dangers for kids that are baked into Snapchat’s design" remain unaddressed, including the facilitation of unsafe connections between teens and adults and the algorithmic recommendation of unsafe content.

Snapchat has been the target of youth safety activism and the target of legal action, like many major social media platforms. In January, Snap settled a lawsuit brought by a teenager who claimed that Snapchat's design features, like algorithmic recommendations, led to addictive use and mental health harms. Soon after, Snap introduced new parental controls for teens.

UPDATE: Jun. 10, 2026, 8:27 a.m. PDT This story has been updated to include a statement from Heat Initiative.

Roborock makes some of Mashable's favorite robot vacuums that efficiently keep our floors clean indoors. But the brand knew some robots prefer a life spent outdoors. As of June 10, the Roborock lineup of robot lawn mowers has a new model, and it's one of the most affordable options available.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock RockNeo Q100H $1,169 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $130   Get Deal SEE ALSO: Amazon's early Prime Day deals include some great options for Father's Day

The Roborock RockNeo Q110H just landed in the U.S., and it's exclusively sold at Amazon. The normal list price is set at $1,299, but it's on sale from June 10 through June 16 for $1,169, which takes 10% off. Even at full price, the Roborock sits as one of the more budget-friendly models.

The new Roborock RockNeo Q110H is designed for yards with about 0.25 acres of grass. Credit: Roborock Standout features of the Roborock RockNeo Q110H

The Roborock RockNeo is designed to mow lawns that measure about 0.25 acres, and it can handle slopes of up to 45 percent. Roborock also mentions this model excels at keeping the mow even when dealing with odd terrain, thanks to the floating cutting deck that adjusts automatically. Plus, Roborock found it's capable of climbing over obstacles like tree roots or paving stones that measure up to 1.57 inches tall. The large diameter wheels also help with its ability to handle any terrain.

Toys, sticks, and tree roots should be no issue for the RockNeo. Credit: Roborock

It also comes with real-time obstacle avoidance. If the kids leave toys in the yard or the dog prefers to take all tennis balls to a weird spot, the RockNeo Q110H will avoid mowing over any items left behind. You can also choose specific areas of your yard to create multi-zone management. Keep the front lawn cut short for looks while letting the back get a bit longer for a bit more cushion underfoot this summer. You can also select your desired cutting height.

The Roborock RockNeo Q110H comes with an IPX6 waterproof rating, so a bit of rain won't do damage. When the robot detects rain, it'll automatically return to the charging station, ready to resume mowing when the weather improves.

A worthy app companion

The Roborock app for robot vacuums is excellent, and the robot lawn mower follows suit. From the app, you can set a desired mowing schedule, set zones within your yard, and select cutting height. You can also take a glance at real-time mowing progress to see which areas have been completed and what the mower is currently cutting. This screen also shows remaining battery life.

Use the Roborock app to set mowing schedules and view real-time progress. Credit: Roborock

When it comes to mapping, the Roborock uses full‐band RTK and VSLAM. Together, the robot should be able to keep its navigation wits steady without getting lost while mowing under trees.

If you're considering making the upgrade to a robot lawn mower this summer, the new Roborock RockNeo Q110H could be an excellent pick. Grab it while it's on sale for its introductory launch in the U.S. through June 16. No need to wait for Prime Day on June 23 to get this one on sale.