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Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're outdoorsy.

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 July 30, 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 July 30, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A canyon.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

FLUME

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.

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.

What's new this month

In late July 2026, I updated this guide with one fresh pick. I also replaced or removed three previous picks that were no longer available. The Asus Zenbook A14 remains my top choice for most people.

The Asus ExpertBook Ultra is my new favorite Windows laptop for work: It's incredibly thin and light yet impressively powerful, and its display is dreamy. The Acer Swift Edge 14 AI succeeds the sold-out Lenovo Yoga 7 14 as the best Windows laptop for college students. Its ultraportable design, decent battery life, and competitive value won over our reviewer.

I'm currently looking for replacements for Acer Aspire 16 AI and the Alienware 16X Aurora, our former picks in the budget and gaming categories, respectively. Both of them were out of stock at the time of writing.

As a quick note before we get into the picks, Mashable evaluates laptops on the basis of performance, battery life, design/build quality, and value. We do so using a combination of synthetic benchmarking and real-world usage. You can read more about our testing process below.

What's on deck

I just finished testing the new Dell 14S and was very impressed by its build quality and battery life. For the average everyday user, it's a smarter buy than the snazzy-but-splurgey Dell XPS 14. I plan on naming it a new top pick in the next update to this list. In the meantime, you can read more about it in my guide to the best laptops for college students.

The Mashable team has several other Windows laptops in hand for testing right now, including the Dell 16S, HP OmniBook Ultra 14, LG gram Max 17, Alienware 16 Area-51, Lenovo LOQ Essential 15, and MSI Prestige 16 AI+. We're also waiting on a review unit of the new Dell XPS 13, a very promising budget option. (At $599 for students, it's a direct competitor to Apple's MacBook Neo.) Stay tuned to see if any of them make the cut.

A note about ARM-based Windows laptops Asus' Zenbook A-series laptops are two of the best ARM-based laptops I've tried. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series chips use ARM-based architecture, not traditional x86 architecture like Intel and AMD chips. As such, their compatibility differs. ARM-based laptops don't work natively with certain specialty software (like AutoCAD), nor can they run as many PC games.

ARM compatibility issues are a non-concern for the majority of general-purpose Windows users, but they'll be dealbreakers for some demographics — PC gamers being an obvious one.

College students should also steer clear of ARM laptops. When I examined the 10 top public universities' hardware recommendations for the 2026 fall semester, I found that a couple schools explicitly advised their students against getting ARM-based laptops to make sure they can run all of their necessary coursework without emulation. (This is one big reason why I recommend the Acer Swift Edge 14 AI for rising freshmen: It has an x86-based Intel chip.)

The good news is that ARM compatibility has gotten better over the past couple years, and it will definitely continue to do so now that Nvidia is coming out with its own Windows on ARM chips.

In Spider-Man: Brand New Day, you can still feel the impacts of Spider-Man: No Way Home's tragic ending.

SEE ALSO: Spider-Man: Brand New Day' review: More like 'Déjà Vu'?

At the end of that film, Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) casts a devastating spell that makes the world forget that Peter Parker (Tom Holland) ever existed. Yes, it saves the multiverse, but at the cost of Spider-Man fans' hearts everywhere, as Peter's girlfriend, MJ (Zendaya), and best friend, Ned (Jacob Batalon), now no longer remember him. Separated from his support network, Peter is more isolated than ever by the time Brand New Day rolls around.

However, could Doctor Strange's forgetfulness spell ever come in handy? What if you wanted to re-experience a beloved film, TV show, or book for the first time?

In an interview Mashable Entertainment Reporter Belen Edwards, Spider-Man: Brand New Day stars Tom Holland, Jacob Batalon, Jon Bernthal, and Sadie Sink, as well as director Destin Daniel Cretton, revealed which pieces of media they'd love to look back on with totally fresh eyes. From Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey to Donna Tartt's The Secret History, which of their picks would you want to forget and revisit?

Check out the full interview above, and stick around for Bernthal's sweet response that sends Holland and Batalon scrambling for new answers.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now in theaters.

TL;DR: Get a lifetime license for Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 for $29.97 through Aug. 9 and code faster with AI-assisted development, cross-platform tools, and built-in collaboration.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 $29.97
$499.99 Save $470.02   Get Deal

Development tools are one of the few things you use every day, so it’s worth having an IDE that keeps up with the way you work. Through Aug. 9, you can get Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 for $29.97 as a one-time purchase instead of paying for another recurring software subscription.

The latest version is built for modern development, whether you’re creating desktop apps, web projects, cloud services, or cross-platform software. Along with better performance, it adds deeper AI integration and collaboration features designed to speed up everyday coding.

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Some of the biggest reasons developers are upgrading include:

• AI-assisted coding with IntelliCode for smarter code completions, suggestions, and refactoring

• 64-bit architecture that handles larger projects and more demanding workloads

• Cross-platform development for Windows, Linux, containers, .NET MAUI, Blazor, C++, and .NET applications

• Live Share collaboration so teammates can edit and debug together in real time

• CodeLens insights that surface references, authors, commit history, and test status directly in your editor

• Hot Reload to see code changes instantly without restarting your application

• Azure and GitHub integration for smoother development and deployment workflows

Whether you’re building side projects, enterprise software, or client applications, having these tools in one IDE can simplify your workflow and reduce context switching throughout the day.

Get Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 for $29.97 through Aug. 9 and build your next project with Microsoft’s latest professional development environment.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Apple is likely to wait until WWDC 2027 to unveil its own take on smart glasses. That's in part because of additional work on privacy features, and other product safeguards, at a time when Meta's smart glasses are coming under fire.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple views privacy as its top priority, with engineers and marketers trying hard to distinguish the company's approach from Meta's. Apple is expected to avoid using facial recognition in its smart glasses, while sending less data to the cloud and processing more in the device itself. The company also won't use customer recordings to train AI models.

SEE ALSO: Being filmed by Meta smart glasses? The internet says to play Disney music.

Given the phrase "pervert glasses" has been gaining traction online in reference to the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, all of those moves from Apple make sense. Meta's glasses helped establish the consumer market for AI-powered eyewear, but have also become associated with problems of privacy and consent.

We've reported on prank creators and pickup artists using Meta Ray-Ban glasses to discreetly record strangers for viral social media content, even as concerns were raised around the legality of recording in public spaces. Privacy advocates note wearable cameras make covert recording easier, and could encourage businesses to restrict the devices.

Meta's latest smart glasses launch, including new fashion-focused frames, sparked even more debate over the visibility of the glasses' recording indicators. They're drawing scrutiny from lawmakers, and consumers are increasingly uneasy.

No wonder Apple has considered limiting or removing video-recording capabilities altogether, according to Gurman. However, doing so might undermine one of the biggest selling points of smart glasses — legitimately capturing priceless moments with family and friends.

If Apple introduces smart glasses — whether at WWDC 2027 or after — the company will be judged by whether it can convince consumers that its camera-equipped eyewear is more deserving of trust than the devices that came before it.

When the first trailer for Children of Blood and Bone debuted in Brooklyn this week, the excitement inside the room was palpable.

Director Gina Prince-Bythewood described years of research into African history and spirituality. The cast spoke about identity, ancestry, and the responsibility of bringing Orïsha to life. For fans who have spent years imagining Tomi Adeyemi's bestselling fantasy world, it was the first real glimpse of one of BookTok's most anticipated adaptations.

SEE ALSO: How 'Children of Blood and Bone' is bringing one of BookTok's biggest fantasy worlds to the big screen

Outside the theater, however, the conversation surrounding the film has been far more complicated.

Long before audiences saw a single frame of footage, the adaptation had become the subject of debates over colorism, questions about representation, and, more recently, the stunning decision by Adeyemi herself to publicly distance herself from the project she helped develop.

Adeyemi expanded on her decision to distance herself from the film adaptation in an emotional TikTok posted Wednesday, July 29, alleging that she has continued to be "antagonized" behind the scenes by "everyone involved...at the highest level." She said she left the set in South Africa "hyperventilating and sobbing" and returned home experiencing severe panic attacks and physical somatic pain.

"This film, which I worked on to make it a little better for us to be alive, is also the worst thing I have ever had to live through," Adeyemi said. While she did not identify any individuals or elaborate on the specific circumstances behind her allegations, she said she decided to speak publicly because the film's marketing campaign had renewed the behind-the-scenes conflict.

The casting sparked immediate debate.

When Paramount announced the cast in 2025, many readers celebrated seeing a predominantly Black ensemble led by Thuso Mbedu, Regina King, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cynthia Erivo, Damson Idris, Lashana Lynch, and Idris Elba.

But the announcement also reignited conversations that had followed the adaptation for years.

Much of the criticism centered on the casting of Amandla Stenberg as Princess Amari. In the novel, Amari is described as having "dark copper skin" and is notably darker than the rest of her royal family, a physical difference that contributes to her feeling like an outsider long before she begins questioning the kingdom's treatment of the maji. Many readers argued that casting the lighter-skinned, biracial actor weakened a key aspect of the character's identity and reflected a broader pattern of colorism in Hollywood.

Other fans questioned why relatively few Nigerian actors had been cast in a story so deeply inspired by Nigerian history, Yoruba spirituality, and pre-colonial West African cultures. Those conversations unfolded across Reddit, X, and BookTok, where readers debated what authenticity should look like in a film adaptation of a novel so closely tied to Nigerian identity.

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At the time, Stenberg said she understood why readers felt protective of the books and noted that Adeyemi had personally encouraged her to take the role.

Tomi Adeyemi publicly stepped away from the project.

The conversation shifted dramatically earlier this month. In a TikTok (since deleted) addressing fans who had asked why she had stopped promoting the movie, Adeyemi announced she was "officially separating" herself from the adaptation.

"There is a reason I will not post anything about the adaptation of my work," she wrote. She later added that she had not seen the finished film and did not plan to watch it.

Adeyemi, who is credited as an executive producer and co-writer of the screenplay alongside Prince-Bythewood, said she had "tried everything" behind the scenes before deciding to step away, describing the experience as emotionally painful. She encouraged fans to support the film if they wished, but asked those who wanted to support her directly to purchase the books from independent bookstores.

Perhaps the most surprising part of her statement was a series of screenshots showing messages she allegedly sent to Stenberg, telling the actor not to contact her or mention her publicly, before blocking her. The message appears to be from Feb. 28, 2025, and reads: "Do not ever use my name in an interview or video again. Do not text me. Do not call me." Stenberg's previous message in the chain is partially blocked, but the words "my only hope was to reconnect as human beings" can be seen at a point.

The posts immediately reignited online speculation about what had happened behind the scenes, though Adeyemi has not publicly detailed the circumstances that led to the falling out.

Adeyemi's comments have also been viewed through the lens of previous public disputes. In 2018, she accused bestselling romance author Nora Roberts of plagiarizing the title of Roberts' novel Of Blood and Bone. After speaking with Roberts, Adeyemi retracted the allegation, saying she believed the titles had been created independently and apologized. That history has complicated the public response to her latest statements.

While many fans have expressed concern about the adaptation, others say they are hesitant to draw conclusions without more information about what actually happened to lead Adeyemi to sever ties.

What actually happened?

That's the question fans continue to ask, and one that remains largely unanswered.

Neither Paramount nor Prince-Bythewood has publicly addressed Adeyemi's comments, and the author has declined to elaborate beyond describing the experience as painful and saying she was "attacked behind the scenes." In a message dated July 18, posted under a 2025 behind-the-scenes video from set in South Africa, Adeyemi replied to a commenter, saying, "Making an impossible dream come true is a beautiful thing. Even if the dream becomes a nightmare. No one, not this film or you, will ever take away what I achieved."

That uncertainty has left fans in an unusual position. The film continues to generate excitement, buoyed by Prince-Bythewood's reputation following The Woman King, an acclaimed ensemble cast, and a trailer widely praised online. At the same time, some readers say it's difficult to separate that excitement from the knowledge that the creator of Orïsha no longer wants her name associated with the adaptation. Others argue that the work of hundreds of artists, craftspeople, and performers deserves to be judged independently of whatever happened behind closed doors.

Until someone involved chooses to explain further, both realities will likely coexist.

Children of Blood and Bone remains one of the most anticipated fantasy films of 2027. It also arrives carrying questions that no trailer, no matter how spectacular, can answer.

Children of Blood and Bone hits theaters on Jan. 15, 2027.

This article has been updated with new information. It was originally published on July 28, 2025.

There appears to be a brewing consensus about whether or not screens are a threat to learners in our nation's classrooms.

Amid a growing educational debate on tech's presence in schools, two new reports released today highlight widespread concern about the presence of screens and personal devices among school children. A new Pew Research poll found that a majority (77 percent) of Americans support policies that ban cell phone use during instruction periods, and around half support banning cellphones during the entire school day, also known as a “bell-to-bell” phone ban.

The same poll conducted in 2024 found only a third of Americans were in favor of bell-to-bell policies. Since then, support has increased across all age groups.

SEE ALSO: Digging into Gen Z's love/hate relationship with AI

Meanwhile, teachers around the world are increasingly concerned about device use, according to the latest Global Education Insights Report conducted by education solutions giant McGraw Hill. Among 1,300 global educators surveyed by the company, the majority listed excessive screen time as the number one obstacle to student success.

Almost half of those polled said they have witnessed a decline in focus and emotional well-being among students compared to five years ago, and around two-thirds said they were concerned about their students' mental health.

A growing coalition of parents, child safety advocates, and even lawmakers have been calling for a reevaluation of device use in classrooms across the U.S., including pushing for new school policies that ban phones outright, limit screen time during specific school periods, and institute moratoriums on generative AI tools. They cite concerns about cognitive decline and critical thinking, as well as social and emotional regulation.

But there are many who believe shunning classroom technology completely is the wrong move. They see potential in technologies that are developmentally appropriate for their users while acknowledging screen time's effect on young brains. For example, a majority of teachers (81 percent) surveyed for the Global Education Insights Report said they were comfortable with students using AI when it is integrated into existing courseware or curriculum. Far fewer said they were in favor of students using general purpose AI tools like ChatGPT.

"The impact of social media and screen time is clear," Philip Moyer, president and CEO of McGraw Hill, said in a press release. "In the AI era, we have a responsibility to build tools that strengthen — not diminish — the teacher-student relationships, critical thinking, and human connection at the heart of learning."

New details have emerged about a security incident in which an OpenAI AI model broke out of its testing environment and compromised Hugging Face's infrastructure.

An update OpenAI published on July 28 filled in details that weren't part of the original disclosure. The AI agent also identified and used exposed credentials on four accounts across four other publicly available services, using one as a relay point and another for data storage, while accessing the remaining two in a read-only capacity. OpenAI said it has since notified the affected service owners and hasn't found evidence of broader impact to those platforms.

On Wednesday, the cloud computing service Modal identified itself as one of those four affected parties.

However, in its statement, Modal said its systems were never actually breached. According to Modal, the AI got in through a customer's own application that was set up without a password requirement, allowing code submitted by literally anyone on the internet to run. The AI's activity was limited to that one customer's isolated space and didn't spread to any other Modal customers, the company said.

The OpenAI-Hugging Face hack first came to light in mid-July, when Hugging Face disclosed an intrusion into its systems that it described as "different from anything we had handled," driven entirely by an autonomous AI agent. OpenAI followed with its own blog post explaining that the breach originated during an internal evaluation designed to test its models' hacking capabilities. The models involved — GPT-5.6 Sol and an unreleased, even more capable prototype — were running with reduced safety restrictions specifically for the test and were confined to a sandboxed environment with no direct internet access.

SEE ALSO: Why is OpenAI selling a $70 ChatGPT basketball?

According to OpenAI, the models exploited a previously unknown security flaw in Artifactory, a package registry cache proxy, to escalate privileges and move laterally within the testing environment until they reached a node with internet access. Once it got online, the AI figured out that Hugging Face's servers might contain the answers to the very hacking test it was trying to pass. So, it used a combination of stolen login credentials and additional security flaws to break into Hugging Face's servers and go looking for those answers.

OpenAI also tried to clear up confusion about which AI systems were involved. The company clarified that the not-yet-released version mentioned in its original explanation was purely an internal research tool, never meant for public release, and that it has since shut that version down entirely and locked it away.

In OpenAI's initial statement, a quote from Hugging Face co-founder and CEO Clem Delangue has framed the incident as proof that AI safety issues are better tackled openly, saying that the situation shows AI safety "will be solved in the open, collaboratively, with broad access to AI for every defender, everywhere."

OpenAI, meanwhile, called the incident "unprecedented" and said it's tightening its security controls while its investigation continues.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Before hockey romance gave us Shane and Ilya, anime gave us Yuri and Victor. For months in 2016, it felt nearly impossible to open Tumblr without seeing the pair somewhere on your dashboard.

Now, a decade after Yuri!!! on Ice first captivated fans around the world, Crunchyroll is marking the anime's 10th anniversary by streaming the entire 12-episode series for free on YouTube. Rather than uploading each episode individually, the platform opted for a single four-hour-and-41-minute marathon, complete with every opening and ending theme for one uninterrupted binge.

The marathon will remain available through Aug. 25, giving longtime fans a chance to revisit one of the defining anime of the 2010s — or introducing a new generation to the series that turned figure skating into appointment viewing.

When Yuri!!! on Ice premiered in October 2016, it became more than just another sports anime. The story of Japanese figure skater Yuri Katsuki and Russian champion-turned-coach Victor Nikiforov fueled a fandom that spilled far beyond the screen. Every new episode flooded Tumblr with GIF sets and fan art, inspired countless works of fanfiction (over 37,000 and counting on Archive of Our Own), and sparked hours of analysis as viewers dissected everything from the show's breathtaking skating sequences to its nuanced portrayal of anxiety, ambition, and love.

The series also became a landmark for LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream anime. While director Sayo Yamamoto often preferred to let the story speak for itself, describing it as "an irreplaceable bond," many viewers embraced Yuri and Victor's relationship as a meaningful milestone, particularly after the pair shared an intimate embrace (seemingly with their mouths) in Episode 7 and exchanged gold rings in Episode 10.

Its popularity also extended outside of anime circles. The opening theme "History Maker" became instantly recognizable among fans, the soundtrack found new audiences through skating edits, and professional figure skaters — including Olympic athletes like Johnny Weir — performed routines inspired by the series in competition and exhibition programs.

Even after the show's original run ended, fans never really stopped talking about it. For years, the community eagerly awaited Yuri!!! on Ice the Movie: Ice Adolescence, which was first announced in 2017. Production delays stretched on for years before MAPPA officially canceled the project in 2024, leaving many fans heartbroken and uncertain whether the franchise would ever return in any form.

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While this anniversary celebration isn't a new season or the long-awaited film, it is an invitation to revisit the series that once meant so much to fans — and still does.

The YouTube release also arrives at a time when anime is more accessible than ever. By making the entire series free on the world's largest video platform, Crunchyroll is removing nearly every barrier to entry. Longtime fans can revisit favorite moments with a single click, while newer viewers can finally see what all the hype is about without needing a subscription.

Some anime don't need new episodes to remain culturally relevant. Sometimes, all it takes is making them easy to watch again. Ten years later, Yuri!!! on Ice still knows how to make history.

Martha Stewart just launched an app that uses AI to analyze the soil quality in your lawn. And yes, every part of that sentence is true.

The app is called Hint, from a startup of the same name that counts the popular former TV host as a co-founder. It's available now on iOS and coming soon to the Google Play Store.

Hint uses AI to create personalized insights for home maintenance, perhaps one of the few areas of modern life that hasn't already been overrun by AI apps.

"My life’s work is showing people how to care for and beautify their homes," Stewart says on Hint's website. "Hint brings that philosophy to more people, making the knowledge and expertise behind thoughtful homeownership accessible to everyone."

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy users complain of battery drain and overheating after update

Hint asks users to enter their home addresses, which may be a turnoff for some customers given the potential for privacy issues. If you do feel like sharing, Hint will use your address to start analyzing things like the soil and air quality on your property, available utilities, and anything else it can dredge up using public property records.

You can also upload vital documents like mortgages and warranties to the app, if you trust Hint that much. The idea is to give users a comprehensive, personalized outlook on things like energy usage, insurance risks, and anything else that can come up in the process of owning a home.

Hint's website claims its insights come from experts such as Stewart herself. There's also an in-app AI chatbot you can talk to if you have questions about home ownership.

If you can get over the trust issue, Hint could well provide intriguing practical insights on one of the more complex and tedious areas of daily life. And that, in theory, is a good thing.

50% OFF: Celebrate National Orgasm Day on July 31 with Babeland's one-day flash sale. Save 50% on best-selling vibrators, rabbits, wands, and more.

Opens in a new window Credit: Babeland National Orgasm Day Sale Get up to 50% off best-selling toys. Shop Now

July 31st is National Orgasm Day! (You're welcome for your positive news dopamine shot of the day.) And, to celebrate, retailers everywhere are slashing prices on best-selling toys, kits, and more. One of my fave retailers, Babeland, is offering up to 50% off its best sellers, including The One Supreme Wand (54% off right now, so it may go even lower by this weekend!) and The One Rabbit (also on sale right now).

SEE ALSO: I've tested 100+ sex toys. Here are the 15 most mind-blowing toys I've ever owned.

There isn't an official sale tab marked on the site just yet, but I've received an email confirmation from the brand that there will be a National Orgasm Day Sale landing page hitting the site soon. It's a one-day sale, so I thought I'd tell you to mark your calendars now.

If you can't wait for the sale or you prefer something a little kinkier, Babeland is currently offering up to 50% off BDSM and kink products (handcuffs, restraints, and the like) now through July 31. There are also a ton of vibrators on sale right now, including The One Le’Moan, which is a knockoff of the internet-famous Hello Nancy Lem. And, if you use the code GETHOT at checkout, it'll get you an additional 10% off select items.

SAVE $600: As of July 29, get the Hisense 75-Inch U6 Pro Mini-LED ULED 4K UHD TV for $799.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,399.99. That's a discount of 43%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Hisense 75-Inch U6 Pro Mini-LED ULED 4K UHD TV   Get Deal

If you've been planning on doing a massive TV refresh as of late, now's the time to do so. We've found an especially great deal on a living room display, one you'll absolutely love adding to your home. And the best part is, you're getting a 75-inch TV without having to spend the better part of a paycheck.

As of July 29, get the Hisense 75-Inch U6 Pro Mini-LED ULED 4K UHD TV for $799.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,399.99. That's $600 off and a discount of 43%.

SEE ALSO: What is the slimmest TV you can buy? I compared numbers to find the thinnest OLED, QLED, and RGB TVs.

This massive screen comes equipped with 4K resolution and Mini-LED tech to bring you the clearest, sharpest picture possible. It features a gorgeous picture with bright, crisp color that looks close to reality, with a native 144Hz refresh rate and motion rate of 480, powered by Dolby Vision IQ. In short, this is the TV you want in your living space when you want to show off a bit, and you can have it for a deep discount.

With support for Dolby Atmos and HDR10+, you're covered with all the additional graphical and audio tweaks you'd want to make to get this display looking its absolute best. It even has a built-in subwoofer so you don't have to supply one. And at the end of the day, it's an Amazon Fire TV, so it has Alexa+ support and you can watch all your favorite shows and movies on it without needing an additional streaming peripheral.

If you've been waiting for a great TV at an even better price, this is the time to go ahead and buy -- before all the fall TV starts pouring in.

If you've been couch-potatoing this summer, the new trailer for Fall 2: Deadpoint will likely have you feeling validated. Go outside? To what — climb a cliff face, only to be stranded with your best friend in mid-air?

Being in a very high place with no cell reception and only your bestie was a recipe for disaster in 2022's Fall, which had a sensationally WTF ending.

For its sequel, the concept is similar, but the cast is new. Harriet Slater and Arsema Thomas star as two climbers eager to tackle Thailand's Mount Kwan. But when their climb goes sideways, they'll have to combat vertigo-inducing heights, exposure, and maybe even hallucinations as they struggle to survive.

Having seen Fall but not its sequel (yet!), my takeaways for summer travel are: Do make plans with your bestie! Don't do it at great heights, and avoid activities that may require using your friend's corpse as a DIY phone case.

Might we suggest a movie night instead?

Fall 2: Deadpoint opens in theaters Sept. 2.

SAVE $500.99: The Ecovacs Goat 01000 robot lawn mower is on sale at Amazon for $999, down from the normal price of $1,499.99. That's a 33% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ecovacs Ecovacs Goat O1000 robot lawn mower $999 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $500.99   Get Deal

Now that we're squeaking out the last bits of summer enjoyment, it's no time to focus on chores. Household tasks can wait until the chill and dark months. Some tasks can handle waiting, but others will still need attention. That's very true of lawn maintenance since we'll all be in the backyard as much as possible. Instead of pushing the mower yourself, employ the help of a robot lawn mower.

As of July 29, the Ecovacs Goat 01000 robot lawn mower is on sale at Amazon for $999, down from the normal price of $1,499.99. That's a 33% discount that matches the record-low price at Amazon.

Just like we've come to use robot vacuums inside, a robot lawn mower can keep the yard tidy outside. The Ecovacs Goat 01000 can mow up to a quarter of an acre with wire-free mapping and intelligent obstacle avoidance.

Instead of pushing a loud mower around, let the Ecovacs take over with a quiet mowing experience. From the app, set your desired mowing schedule and kick back with a hands-off way of tackling chores. You also get to set the desired cutting height between 1.2 and 3.1 inches.

SEE ALSO: Enjoy clean windows with over $100 off the Ecovacs Winbot W2 Pro Omni

When it comes to precision, the Ecovacs has the smarts to avoid over 200 common obstacles, and it can handle mowing on slopes of up to 45 degrees. The narrow mower can fit through spaces as narrow as 2.6 feet which is ideal for yards with raised garden beds or landscaping.

Since the Ecovacs Goat 01000 robot lawn mower is sitting at a record-low price and no one has time for more summer chores, make the upgrade for under $1,000. You'll be able to sit back and watch the robot do the hard work while sipping a chilled beverage.

Tragic news out of Dublin: Glen Hansard, the Oscar–winning Irish musician, has died in a motorbike crash. He was 56.

In life, Hansard was the frontman of The Frames, and made his screen debut in the Irish musical dramedy The Commitments in 1991. But his global breakthrough came in 2006, as he fronted John Carney's Once, an indie romance about a busker who falls for a fellow musician (Markéta Irglová) in Dublin. Hansard, a former busker himself, not only won praise from critics for his work in the film, but also an Academy Award alongside Irglová for Best Achievement in Music Written for Motion Pictures, Original Song. That song was their duet, "Falling Slowly."

The pair went on to form the Grammy–nominated folk band The Swell Season and tour, while Once went on to become a Broadway musical.

The BBC notes Hansard also was a key figure in a fundraiser for unhoused people, participating in the annual Christmas Eve charity busk in support of the Dublin Simon Community. They included condolences from the organization, reading in part, "Glen's talents will indeed be his legacy but so too will his commitment to social justice. We will be forever indebted to him for the difference he made in the lives of the people we serve."

On social media, more friends and fans are sharing their admiration for Hansard and their grief over his passing.

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To revel in more of Hansard's work, we'd recommend streaming The Commitments, Once, or Cyrano, in which Hansard steals the movie as a singing guard.

How to watch: Once is now streaming on BroadwayHD, which offers a free trial on Amazon, where it's also available for rental or purchase.

How to watch: The Commitments is now streaming free on YouTube.

How to watch: Cyrano is now streaming on Prime Video.

You can also enjoy Hansard's music on Apple Music and Spotify.

TL;DR: Just in time for back-to-school shopping, Sticki Rolls launched its new Series 3 collection and Sticki Mates bag charms at Target. Prices start at $4.99 for wearable sticker bracelets, craft sets, and three-inch refillable sticker-dispensing charms.

If you spent your childhood swapping stickers, wearing slap bracelets, or trading friendship bands in the '90s and early '00s, you can finally share that obsession with your kids. Sticki Rolls took classic sticker collecting and turned it into a wearable, shareable trend, racking up over 1.86 million YouTube subscribers and more than 1 billion views.

Now, they're expanding their lineup with two new releases: the Series 3 Collection and Sticki Mates.

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The Series 3 Collection introduces 1,200 sticker designs with new and returning characters. It also uses a five-tier rarity system (stickers range from common everyday prints to ultra-rare holographic finishes), so kids can hunt for special ones to trade with friends. The drop includes wearable sticker-dispensing bracelets, holographic Jumbo Stickies for lockers, and crafting kits like the Sticki Station and Rolluxe handbag.

SEE ALSO: Pokémon TCG Ascended Heroes Tech Sticker Collections now only $32 at Walmart — save $5 vs. Amazon

Sticki Mates are little, three-inch collectible figures that clip onto a bookbag or tote and double as working, refillable sticker dispensers compatible with existing Sticki Rolls. There are 10 characters to collect in the initial launch, including an ultra-rare "Golden Chillin Charlie."

SAVE $200: The 27-inch LG Ultragear OLED QHD gaming monitor is on sale at Amazon for $399.99, down from the list price of $599.99. That's a 33% discount and the lowest price we've seen at Amazon.

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$599.99 Save $200   Get Deal

Some tech can be considered nice to have. Other gadgets tend to fall into the category of necessary to function in modern society. A crisp and clear gaming monitor isn't necessary to survive in the real world, but it might be necessary to survive the in-game world. If your current gaming monitor is causing issues, check out this deal.

As of July 29, the 27-inch LG Ultragear OLED QHD gaming monitor is on sale at Amazon for $399.99, marked down from the normal price of $599.99. That's a 33% discount that takes $200 off. It's also the lowest price we've seen at Amazon.

With a 27-inch OLED display, a 280Hz refresh rate, and 0.03 millisecond response time, the LG Ultragear is well worth the investment for your home gaming setup. LG says this is the brand's brightest OLED gaming monitor yet which means you're in for crisp and clear contrast, reaching up to 1,500 nits.

SEE ALSO: The Hisense 65-inch E7 Cinema Series TV is over $400 off at Amazon — buy for the best-ever price

The LG Switch app allows for customization of the monitor like adjusting the brightness, applying setting with a hotkey, and selecting between 11 split-screen layouts. Plus, the gaming monitor comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports.

Since this is a record-low price at Amazon, consider upgrading to the 27-inch LG Ultragear OLED QHD gaming monitor. It'll enhance your in-game and out-of-game experiences for under $400.

Apple has launched Apple Upgrade, a new leasing program for iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac, and iPad, available online, in the Apple Store app, and at Apple retail locations across the United States. The program replaces the old Apple iPhone Upgrade program, which is winding down for new customers, and shifts financing duties from Citizens One to Klarna.

As tech prices continue to climb and smartphone sales decline, Apple Upgrade would give customers a new way to try the latest Apple devices. The program arrives just a couple of months before Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18.

Unlike the previous program, which functioned as a loan that eventually transferred ownership of the device to the customer, Apple Upgrade is structured explicitly as a lease. Customers pay a monthly fee to use a device for a fixed term, and at the end of that term, they can upgrade to something new, pay a purchase fee to keep the device, or return it and walk away. If they do nothing, the lease automatically converts to a month-to-month arrangement for up to six months, with payments that may increase during that stretch.

SEE ALSO: Klarna freezes hiring because AI can do the job instead

If you're considering leasing your next iPhone or Apple Watch, we've put together answers to some of the most common questions about how the new Apple lease program works.

What is the Apple Upgrade program?

Apple Upgrade is a Klarna-backed leasing program for U.S. shoppers that launched on July 28, and it allows customers to lease new Apple devices for a period of 12, 24, or 36 months, depending on the product. For the Apple iPhone upgrade program, leasing prices start at just $17.99 per month, but users can lower their monthly payments by trading in their current iPhone through Apple Trade In. You can learn more about the program at the Apple newsroom or sign up to enroll at Apple's website.

What devices are eligible?

The Apple Upgrade covers most new iPhone, Apple Watch, Mac, and iPad devices. The eligible devices are:

• iPhone 17

• iPhone 17e

• iPhone 17 Pro

• iPhone Air

• Apple Watch Series 11

• Apple Watch Hermès Series 11

• Apple Watch Ultra Watch 3

• Apple Watch Hermès Ultra 3

• M5 MacBook Air

• M5 MacBook Pro (M5 Pro and M5 Max also included)

• M4 iPad Air

• iPad Mini (A17 Pro Chip)

A handful of older or budget models are excluded, including the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, Apple Watch SE, MacBook Neo, Mac Mini, iPad (A16), and Studio Display. The Vision Pro is also excluded.

How long are the lease terms?

iPhone and Apple Watch leases run for either 12 or 24 months. Mac and iPad leases run 24 or 36 months. Not every term is available on every device.

How much does it cost per month?

Pricing starts at $17.99 for iPhone, $11.99 for Apple Watch, $24.99 for Mac, and $11.99 for iPad, though actual payments vary by device, storage tier, and lease length. No security deposit is required, and trading in a current device through Apple Trade In can lower the monthly rate.

Do I own the device at the end of the lease?

No, not unless you pay the device's purchase fee at the end of the term. Otherwise, you're expected to either upgrade to a new lease or return the device in acceptable condition. Returning a damaged, lost, or stolen device can trigger additional fees, and insurance isn't included in the lease itself.

Is there a credit check?

Yes, but it's a soft inquiry that doesn't affect your credit score. Final approval, including any monthly payment you're offered, depends on Klarna's assessment of your creditworthiness.

What about AppleCare?

AppleCare isn't automatically bundled with Apple Upgrade the way it was with the old iPhone Upgrade Program. Customers can add AppleCare+ or AppleCare One separately to cover accidental damage, theft, loss, and battery service.

Can I use Apple Card with this?

Yes, payments made with Apple Card earn 3 percent Daily Cash back, and Apple Card Monthly Installments remain a separate, distinct financing option outside of Apple Upgrade for customers who'd rather buy a device outright over time.

What happens to people already in the iPhone Upgrade Program?

Existing members aren't required to do anything. They can keep making their monthly payments under their existing agreement with Citizens One, and once they complete their 24-month term, the device is theirs to keep, no purchase fee required.

When they're ready for a new iPhone, they'll have the option to switch into Apple Upgrade, finance through Apple Card Monthly Installments, buy a device outright, or go through carrier financing instead.

Who's eligible to lease through Apple Upgrade?

You need to be a U.S. resident at least 18 years old, have a valid Social Security number or ITIN, hold an Apple Account in good standing, have a Klarna account, and have an accepted credit or debit card on file.

Leasing an iPhone requires enrolling in a postpaid plan with AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon — prepaid plans don't qualify, though leased iPhones are unlocked.

What happens if I miss a payment?

Recently, 9to5Mac found code in the iOS 27 beta that suggested Apple and lenders could place phones in "Restricted Mode" if a user falls behind on payments. However, that's not part of the Apple Upgrade program. Instead, missed payments will automatically be added to the next month's bill.

MacRumors also reports that there are no late fees for missed payments, but three missed payments will result in Klarna terminating your contract.

SAVE $579: As of July 29, you can pick up the DJI Power 2000 portable power station at Amazon for just $719.98. That's a savings of 45% or $579.02.

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$1,299 Save $579.02   Get Deal

Portable power stations aren't just for backup power during outages. They also serve as must-have camping companions, thanks to our growing number of devices and increasingly complex power needs. If you're in the market for one of these reliable and movable power sources, one of our favorites is on sale at Amazon for over $500 off.

As of July 29, the DJI Power 2000 portable power station is just $719.98. Sure, that still seems like a lot, but compared to its current list price of $1,299, that's a steal. You'll save 45% or $579.02, to be exact.

Mashable contributor Lauren Allain tested this power station last year and raved about it, calling it "a beefy option that’s awesome for camping, backyard parties, or content creators out on projects." It earned a spot on our list of the best portable power stations, particularly as the top choice for content creators.

The DJI Power 2000 features three standard AC ports, a 30-amp plug, four USB-A ports, four USB-C ports, and two SDC ports for quick recharging of drones. We wish it has even more AC ports, given its 2,048Wh capacity, but it is what it is. It operates quietly, recharges quickly, and offers an impressive amount of power for its physical size (under 50 pounds). It's also compatible with up to 10 DJI Expansion Battery 2000s, which would increase the power to over 22,000Wh, enough for a whole-home backup. Its pretty gnarly on its own, though. Allain was able to charge both her phone and camera battery while cooking dinner in the air fryer all at the same time.

With camping season (and hurricane season) in full swing, it's as good a time as any to make the investment in a portable power source. And we highly recommend grabbing the DJI Power 2000 while it's over $500 off.

If you have a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra or S25 Ultra, maybe keep an eye on your battery.

Owners of those two older Ultra devices are complaining on places like Reddit and Samsung's own forums (as spotted by Android Headlines) about significant battery issues following a recent security update released in July. According to some S24 and S25 Ultra owners, the update caused substantial battery drain; one user reported going from 85 percent to 5 percent in just two hours of screen time.

As one user wrote, "My s24 ultra battery is draining very fast after July 26 update even heating like cook top. Why this happening?" Other users cited problems with WhatsApp in particular.

SEE ALSO: Video: Samsung’s smart glasses are almost here: See how they'll work

Additionally, some users have noted their phones running hotter than usual and even charging more slowly than they should. Samsung has not officially commented on the matter yet. Mashable reached out to Samsung about the user complaints and will update this article if we hear anything back.

This sort of issue happens every now and then, but usually it's just one issue arising on some devices after an update. This time, it's seemingly three separate (but possibly related) problems that users say only materialized after what should have been a minor security patch. If the issues are related to the recent July update, then hopefully Samsung is able to figure out the problem and fix it promptly.