Mashable

We just played our first game of peekaboo with NASA's Perseverance rover as it gazed out at space.

Look closely at this sequence of images. The Mars rover, perched on the rim of Jezero Crater, captured our blue marble rolling behind Phobos, one of Mars' two moons, on July 2. 

Those tiny specks aren't your keyboard crumbs clinging to the computer screen. They're actually us and the crescent of a potato-shaped moon. Earth starts as a bright dot in the upper left of the sky, glides diagonally down, and then vanishes as Phobos slides past in the opposite direction.

If you're not typically impressed by a picture of a single bright pixel, consider this: It's the first time in human history that we've seen Earth disappear behind another world from the surface of another planet.

SEE ALSO: When AI hallucinates aliens: Some think NASA should be nervous

In the sequence, Earth and Phobos line up in the third frame. Astronomers call this kind of event an occultation — when a larger-appearing object fully blocks something behind it from the observer's point of view. 

That's technically different from an eclipse because one object completely blocks another from view, instead of simply passing into its shadow or covering it in a way that looks like an eclipse. When a smaller-appearing object crosses the face of a larger one without concealing it completely, astronomers call that a transit, though sometimes when Phobos or Mars' other moon, Deimos, crosses in front of the sun, they're informally called solar eclipses. 

Perseverance watches Earth slip behind Phobos over a period of 40 seconds, according to NASA, on July 2, 2026. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ASU / MSSS / SSI

Mark Lemmon, a co-investigator of the rover's Mastcam-Z instrument, planned the historic observation and assembled the composite. The entire sequence unfolded over a period of 40 seconds, according to NASA's image annotations. 

"Phobos crosses the Martian sky three times a day, and Earth is visible for months at a stretch," said Lemmon, based at the Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado, in a statement, "but catching one directly behind the other takes planning and a little luck."

Despite being about 17 miles wide, Phobos is visible from the Martian surface. The lumpy-bumpy moon orbits just 4,850 miles from the Red Planet, so to Perseverance, Phobos looks pretty darn big — about one-third the apparent width of our much larger moon looming in the sky above Earth. 

From the rover's vantage point, Earth is nothing more than a glint of light. When the images were taken, our planet sat about 195 million miles away.

And just like that, our cosmic ships passed in the night. 

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you're seeking something brand new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

16. Alley Cats

"I didn’t laugh once." Critics don't have much praise for Ricky Gervais' new Netflix animation comedy series, Alley Cats. Following a group of stray cats through various shenanigans, the series sees the "be offended if you want" comedian once criticized for "anti-trans rants masquerading as jokes," voicing feline protagonist Gus. Considering the dreadful sneak peek Netflix gave viewers, don't expect comedy gold. — Shannon Connellan, Senior Editor

Starring: Ricky Gervais, Tom Basden, Andrew Brooke, David Earl, Kerry Godliman, Jo Hartley, and Diane Morgan

How to watch: Alley Cats begins streaming on Netflix on Aug. 7.

15. The Last House

French filmmaker Louis Leterrier is known for helming action films like The Incredible Hulk, The Transporter, and Fast X. So, what can we expect from The Last House?

Well, it begins like a family drama. Greta Lee, and Wagner Moura star as a married couple, gearing up to head out for get a Christmas tree with their two kids. But the house has other ideas. It won't let them go. They can't open doors or windows, or even break the latter to escape. And neither can their neighbors.

What's going on? That's the mystery at this movie's core. But be warned, it's bleak stuff. And if you're not into reminiscing about how the COVID lockdown could have been worse, you might want to pick another house to watch. —Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

Starring: Greta Lee, Wagner Moura, Riley Chung, and Emma Ho

How to watch: The Last House debuts on Netflix on Aug. 7.

14. Monsters of God

Eric Goode is back again with another true-crime series that all about animal lovers, who take their devotion to strange extremes.

Goode previously brought to streaming Tiger King and Chimp Crazy, which both centered on animal collectors, who at best were eccentric, at worst were criminals, endangering the lives of others' — including the animals in their care. Now, Goode's got a new nest of kooky characters with Monsters of God, which focuses on exotic reptile smuggling.

But don't be fooled by the flashy trailer and it's hard rock soundtrack. I've seen the first two eps of this doc series. And while I'll grudgingly admit that Tiger King and Chimp Crazy are as addictive as they are problematic, this one is chiefly boring. —K.P.

How to watch: Monsters of God is now streaming on HBO Max.

13. The Strangers: Chapter 2

Director Renny Harlin returns with another grisly entry in The Strangers franchise. The premise is creepy: masked strangers break into a cabin to torture and kill its inhabitants.

Well, traumatized Maya (Madelaine Petsch) survived her first brush with this terrible trio of home invaders. And here's round 2, where she'll seek to uncover the why of it all. But "does there have to be a why?" If audiences are turning up or tuning in, not really. Nihilism is pretty much the point for this horror series. -K.P.

Starring: Madelaine Petsch, Gabriel Basso, Froy Gutierrez, Ema Horvath, and Ella Bruccoleri

How to watch: The Strangers: Chapter 2 debuts on HBO Max on Aug. 7.

12. Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Seattle Seahawks

HBO's long-running Hard Knocks series has delved into the lives of NFL players, coaches, staff, and their families for decades, and this season, it's finally the Seattle Seahawks' in focus. Though they said no to to the show in 2013, the reigning Super Bowl champions are front and centre in the documentary series, including head coach Mike Macdonald. — S.C.

How to watch: Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Seattle Seahawks is now streaming on HBO Max.

11. Let’s Marry Harry

Harry Jowsey has careened from Too Hot to Handle to Perfect Match and now gets his own Netflix dating competition series with Let’s Marry Harry. Executive produced by Call Her Daddy‘s Alex Cooper through her production company Unwell, the Bachelor-style series sees Jowsey looking for long-term love among 20 potential fiancées, asking advice from his friends Amanda Kloots, Georgia Hassarati, and Sonny Henty. And no, this is not the same as the 2014 dating show I Wanna Marry Harry, which involved a fake Prince Harry and a whole lot of question marks. — S.C.

How to watch: Let’s Marry Harry is now streaming on Netflix.

10. LifeHACK

After scoring good reviews out of SXSW, LifeHack is now coming to digital.

Four tech-savvy teenagers team up to low-key steal from bitcoin wallets in a clever phishing scam. And they're making bank with no one noticing — until the estranged daughter of one of their victims threatens to expose them. In exchange for her silence, she wants them to pull off their biggest cyber heist yet — against her estranged father, a tech billionaire.

Critically heralded, topical, and enticing, will you give LifeHACK a go? — K.P.

Starring: Georgie Farmer, Yasmin Finney, Roman Hayeck-Green, James Scholz, Jessica Reynolds, and Charlie Creed-Miles

How to watch: LifeHACK is now available for rent or purchase on digital.

9. My Life With The Walter Boys, Season 3

Things are tense with the Walter Boys, with the return of show-runner and creator Melanie Halsall's dramatic series, based on Ali Novak's novel. Nikki Rodriguez returns as Jackie, who's been torn between brothers Cole (Noah LaLonde) and Alex (Ashby Gentry). Everyone's still reeling from the My Life With The Walter Boys Season 2 finale, when confessions of love were finally made and said declarations were very much overheard. However, the confrontation was interrupted with an emergency, so in Season 3, we're looking at some real chats. Especially as Elliot (Naveen Paddock) just rocked up, interning for Jackie's Uncle Richard (Alex Quijano). Rodeos, race cars, and relationship drama abound. — S.C.

Starring: Nikki Rodriguez, Noah LaLonde, Ashby Gentry, and Alisha Newton

How to watch: My Life With The Walter Boys, Season 3 is now streaming on Netflix.

8. The Yeti

Directed and written by Gene Gallerano and William Pisciotta, The Yeti offers some chills that'll help you cut through the summer heat. And you can probably guess at what it's about.

Set in Alaskan territory in 1947, this paranormal period piece centers on a rescue mission with family ties. When heralded explorers Merriell Sunday Sr. and Hollis Bannister go missing, their grown children children will set forth to find them. But what they find instead is a mighty cryptid with a big capability for violence. — K.P.

Starring: Brittany Allen, Eric Nelsen, Jim Cummings, Christina Bennett Lind, Linc Hand, William Sadler, and Corbin Bernsen

How to watch: The Yeti begins streaming on Shudder on Aug. 7.

7. Sterling Point

Created by Megan Park (My Old Ass), Sterling Point is Prime Video's new fish-out-of-water-coming-of-age tale with young romance and family drama in spades. We meet Annie Jacobson (Ella Rubin), a 17-year-old New Yorker who spent her summer focused on college applications. Annie's twin brother Connor (Keen Ruffalo) is unlike his sister (though they're both deadpan as hell), namely spending his summer in various flings. News arrives that Annie and Connor's estranged grandfather Gordon has died, though the twins haven't seen him since their adoptive mother died. Their inheritance? A collection of handwritten letters and cards, hidden from the twins. Oh, and property, on a small island in Canada named Sterling Point. Family truths and new chapters await there for Annie, as she meets a tight-knit community who knew Gordon well, while she never did. — S.C.

Starring: Ella Rubin, Amélie Hoeferle, Jay Duplass, Jacob Whiteduck-Lavoie, Keen Ruffalo, Bo Bragason, and Daniel Quinn-Toye

How to watch: Sterling Point is now streaming on Prime Video.

6. One Hundred Years of Solitude, Pt. 2

Gabriel García Marquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude, one of the great literary feats of the 20th century, saw its first adaptation in 2024, a series that charted the classic story's first 50 years — the Colombian author never sold the rights for a film adaptation; his family estate worked with Netflix to develop the 16-episode, Spanish-language TV series. Now, the second part is here, with 7 episodes set to hit the streamer this week, and a feature-length finale coming at the end of August.

Based on the 1967 masterpiece and adapted by writer and playwright José Rivera (The Motorcycle Diaries), the series follows seven generations of the Buendía family. It's all set in the town of Macondo, a fictional town based on Aracataca, García Márquez’s hometown, founded by José Arcadio Buendía (Diego Vásquez) and Úrsula Iguarán (Marleyda Soto). What follows is decades of history, both personal and political. — S.C.

Starring: Claudio Cataño, Diego Vásquez, Marleyda Soto, Viña Machado, Loren Sofía, Janer Villarreal, Akima, Moreno Borja, and Ruggero Pasquarelli

How to watch: One Hundred Years of Solitude, Pt. 2 is now streaming on Netflix, with the finale set for Aug. 26.

5. The Shards

Ryan Murphy meets Bret Easton Ellis in FX's The Shards, and the results are as lavish and bloody as you'd expect. Based on Ellis's 2023 novel of the same name, the series is a fictionalized retelling of Bret's (Igby Rigney) senior year of high school. It's Los Angeles, 1981, and Bret and his friends are charging towards adulthood through a haze of sex, drugs, and parties. However, the arrival of new student Robert Mallory (Homer Gere) threatens to upset the equilibrium of their tight-knit group, as does the rise of a serial killer known as the Trawler.

What follows is bloody and ridiculous, in true Murphy fashion. If you're craving a stylized (if silly) summer thrill ride with great '80s needle drops, this will surely sate your thirst. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: Igby Rigney, Homer Gere, Graham Campbell, Hayes Warner, Wes Bentley, and Kaia Gerber

How to watch: The Shards is now streaming on Hulu.

4. Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour

Icons of music and movies collide in this supersized concert film, as Billie Eilish teams up with James Cameron to bring her sold-out Hit Me Hard and Soft tour to movie theaters — and now to streaming.

The film offers up a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Eilish's life on tour, as well as electrifying footage of her performances, all captured in 3D. Whether you want to hear more about Eilish's creative process (she co-directed the film with Cameron) or just headbang along to "bad guy," Hit Me Hard and Soft promises to be "The Greatest" treat for the superstar's fans this summer.* — B.E.

Starring: Billie Eilish, James Cameron, and Finneas O'Connell

How to watch: Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour is now streaming on Paramount+.

3. You, Me & Tuscany

Seeking a summery, sweet romantic comedy? Then you'll love You, Me & Tuscany.

Marry Me director Kat Coiro pairs Regé-Jean Page and Halle Bailey in an enemies to lover plot set amid the fragrant vineyards of Italy. She's an American and aspiring chef, who has no money, no prospects, and a broken heart because of her mother's death. He's a cranky Tuscan local, who loves a good sandwich and his family. So, when she pulls a While You Were Sleeping, pretending to be engaged to his brother, he's suspicious. But whatever the white lie between them, they can't resist the romance blossoming under the Tuscan sun.

SEE ALSO: 'You, Me and Tuscany' review: Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page deliver a radiant, feel-good rom-com

In my review, I cheered, "You, Me & Tuscany will be loved by rom-com fans for its sincere appreciation of the subgenre. From a familiar framework and a traditionally romantic Tuscan setting, Engle creates a vivid world of love and family that is absolutely enchanting. Coiro brings this fantasy romance to life with a crackling cast and a keen eye for both whimsy and comedy. And Bailey and Page are a sensational match, spinning an enemies-to-lovers tale with passion and panache."

Starring: Halle Bailey, Regé-Jean Page, and Marco Calvani

How to watch: You, Me & Tuscany debuts on Peacock on Aug. 7.

2. Maddie's Secret

Comedian John Early makes his directorial debut in this campy love letter to melodrama. Early stars as Maddie Ralph, a rising food influencer with a troubling secret. Studded with comedians and performed with a disarming adoration for this misunderstood subgenre, Maddie's Secret is funny and surprisingly touching.

As I wrote in my review out of the Toronto International Film Festival, "John Early is brilliant and sly with Maddie's Secret. Remarkably, as a first-time feature director and star, Early manages the balance of comedy, drama, and empathy with aplomb."* — K.P.

Starring: John Early, Kate Berlant, Eric Rahill, Kristen Johnston, Claudia O'Doherty, Conner O'Malley, Vanessa Bayer, and Chris Bauer

How to watch: Maddie's Secret is now available for rental or purchase on Prime Video.

Best of streaming this week: Ted Lasso, Season 4

Three years after its third and supposedly final season, Ted Lasso is back for another round, this time with Ted (Jason Sudeikis) coaching Richmond's new women's team. Ted's not the only familiar face returning. Expect to see more of Rebecca Welton (Hannah Waddingham), Keeley Jones (Juno Temple), Roy Kent (Brett Goldstein), Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt), and Leslie Higgins (Jeremy Swift) as well.

While I was initially skeptical about more Ted Lasso, especially after its lackluster third season, the first four episodes of Season 4 won me over. Its focus on women's sports breathes new life into the series, recapturing some of the Season 1 magic that came with Ted getting to know everyone at Richmond. As I wrote in my review, "the joy the show builds around the Lady Greyhounds made my eyes misty, in much the same way that seeing a young girl in a WNBA or NWSL jersey does. It's awesome to watch incredible athletes break barriers, to see people build a long-lasting love of women's sports, and to highlight both these great things on a show as big as Ted Lasso." — B.E.

Starring: Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Jeremy Swift, Phil Dunster, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, Nick Mohammed, Juno Temple, Sarah Niles, Anthony Head, Toheeb Jimoh, Cristo Fernández, Kola Bokinni, Billy Harris, and James Lance

How to watch: Ted Lasso, Season 4 debuts on Apple TV on Aug. 5.

(*) denotes a blurb came from a prior list.

TL;DR: Live stream the Bundesliga for free on CazéTV, AbemaTV, and BBC iPlayer. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Soon enough, there is going to be a lot of football on the calendar. Fans quite simply don't have time to watch everything, but if you're making tough decisions about what to include on your watch list, the Bundesliga should be a priority. Is it the single best league in Europe in terms of overall quality? Probably not, but it's got a strong argument for being the most entertaining.

The big question every season is whether any team can compete with Bayern Munich for the title. Competing with a side stacked with elite talent like Olise, Kane, and Díaz is not easy, but the likes of Dortmund and RB Leipzig always have a chance.

If you want to watch the Bundesliga for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Bundesliga?

The Bundesliga is Germany's leading professional men's soccer league. It features 18 clubs competing across 34 matchdays, including heavyweight teams like Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

The defending champions are Bayern Munich.

When is the Bundesliga?

The 2026/27 Bundesliga season runs from Aug. 28 to May 22.

How to watch the Bundesliga for free

The Bundesliga is available to live stream for free on a number of streaming platforms:

• Brazil — CazéTV (up to two live matches per week)

• Japan — AbemaTV (two live matches per week)

• UK — BBC iPlayer (select Friday evening fixtures)

These free live streams are geo-restricted, but anyone can bypass these restrictions 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 unblock free live streams of the Bundesliga from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the Bundesliga by following these simple steps:

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

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil, Japan, or the UK

4. Visit CazéTV, AbemaTV, or BBC iPlayer

5. Watch Bundesliga fixtures for free from anywhere in the world

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams of the Bundesliga without actually spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch select fixtures (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free live streams all season, you will need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the Bundesliga?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 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 — 80% 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 Bundesliga for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Get an AcePDF Converter and Editor lifetime license for just $29.99 and handle PDF editing, conversion, OCR, forms, and file management in one app — no recurring subscription required.

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PDFs have a habit of turning simple tasks into extra work. Whether you’re editing a contract, converting a report to Word, or extracting text from a scanned document, switching between multiple tools gets old fast. AcePDF Converter & Editor brings those features together in one application with a lifetime license.

The software handles both PDF conversion and editing, making it easy to convert files to and from Word, Excel, PowerPoint, images, HTML, and text while preserving layouts, graphics, and hyperlinks. Built-in batch conversion also helps speed up larger projects.

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One of its most useful features is OCR (optical character recognition). Instead of treating scanned PDFs as static images, AcePDF can recognize text so you can edit, search, or reuse content without starting from scratch. It also lets you create and fill PDF forms, annotate documents, add watermarks, compress large files, and password-protect sensitive information.

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AcePDF has also earned 4.4 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot, reflecting positive feedback from users looking for an all-in-one PDF solution.

If you work with PDFs regularly, replacing multiple utilities with a single lifetime license can simplify your workflow and eliminate another recurring software subscription.

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TL;DR: Get five years of memoryOS for $149.99 (reg. $749.95) and learn scientifically backed memory techniques.

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Forgetting names, passwords, or key details can be frustrating, but remembering more isn’t always about trying harder. The memoryOS Expert Plan: 5-Year Subscription is designed to help users strengthen memory using proven techniques instead of simple brain games, and it’s currently on sale for $149.99 (reg. $749.95).

Unlike many memory apps that focus on quick puzzles or daily challenges, memoryOS teaches methods used for centuries. At the heart of the platform is the Memory Palace technique, also known as the Method of Loci, which helps organize information in a way that’s easier for your brain to store and retrieve. The app combines that approach with spaced repetition, gamified lessons, and interactive virtual Mind Palaces to make learning feel more engaging than boring and repetitive.

memoryOS focuses on long-term recall rather t

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han short-term practice. The platform also includes guidance inspired by a World Memory Champion, helping users gradually build stronger memorization habits through structured lessons instead of expecting results overnight.

The skills users will learn can be integral in a wide range of situations. Students can use the techniques while preparing for exams; professionals can remember presentations, names, or certification material; and lifelong learners can retain new information with greater confidence. Even everyday tasks like recalling little but important details can become a less stressful with consistent practice.

According to memoryOS, more than 100,000 users have used the platform, with participants seeing an average 70 percent improvement in memory recall. While individual results will vary, the emphasis on established memorization techniques gives it a different focus than many traditional brain-training apps.

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In the year 2026, flirting IRL is just a small part of getting your game on. Indeed, going up to someone you like in a bar or club feels decidedly old school. These days, it's much more about online exchanges — whether text- or photo-based — usually conducted on smartphones. Quick fingers do the work that chat-up lines used to. Now we call it sexting.

It's hard to get exact data on how many people do the digital flirting thing, but check out this DirtySnapchat subreddit: it boasts over one million members and nearly 130,000 weekly visitors. Those are serious numbers, people.

Of course, as sexting has become more popular, the tech world has thrown up lots of new ways to engage in it. There are adult-based websites and flirty dating apps — not to mention clever in-between options where suggestive text messages and steamy photos are all part of the fun. Some platforms also let you escalate your text and photo exchanges to live video chat. 

If you want to know more, we've compared and contrasted two of the most popular places for sexting: AdultFriendFinder and Snapchat. They sit at opposite ends of the social media spectrum, but both offer stacks of fun features for flirting via text, photos, and videos — and both have clever built-in protections to keep everything safe and discreet.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder   Learn More Opens in a new window Credit: Snapchat Snapchat   Learn More The benefits of AdultFriendFinder for sextingFinding a partner

The major plus point of AdultFriendFinder is its readymade community of open-minded kinksters and horned-up singletons who are all looking for online fun.

Unlike with Snapchat, which is more of a general, multi-purpose messaging platform, AFF users sign up with the specific aim of "adult" fun. You'll see this immediately: AFF profiles include wild (NSFW) photos and an explicit list of kinks, turn-ons, and fetishes. 

And it's not just individual users looking for a good time. AFF also hosts communities and groups, most of which are centered on specific kinks, whether you're into threesomes, bondage, pegging, or erotic storytelling. And that really is just the tip of the fetish iceberg on AFF. The only limit is your sexy imagination. Whatever you're into, there's almost certainly someone on AFF who shares your desires. 

Indeed, if your sexting journey is a solo one to start off, AFF will help you find a partner in no time, whereas finding a like-minded chat partner through Snapchat alone can be harder. 

Identity verification

A major strength of AdultFriendFinder is its robust identity verification service, ConfirmID. While it isn't mandatory, you can opt not to talk to anyone who hasn't undergone the process. To get verified, users have to provide a scan of a government-issued ID and agree to have their face scanned via webcam to confirm that the person doing the scan is the same person featured in the ID. 

Once you're verified, a blue checkmark will appear next to your profile photo, letting others know you're verified. If you only want to talk to other verified users, stick to profiles that feature the blue checkmark, and you're golden.

SEE ALSO: Is Adult Friend Finder safe to use? What a cybersecurity expert says.

On Snapchat, by contrast, verification is as simple as confirming that the email associated with the account really belongs to you, which might be an effective deterrent against bots but doesn't do anything against catfishing scams. 

Sex Academy

What if you're new to sexting and want to pick up some tips or learn some of the lingo before you dive in? An often-overlooked aspect of the AdultFriendFinder universe is what is known as their "sex academy," the constellation of resources, including learning materials and erotic stories, that can help you acquaint yourself with the ins and outs of sexting before you ever speak to a real partner. 

This is an unbelievably useful tool because, over time, sexters evolved their own shorthand language — not to mention suggestive emoji use! — to get their points across faster and not break the sexual tension with long, delayed texting. 

The benefits of Snapchat for sextingFree to use

Snapchat is free to download and use, and although there is a premium subscription option (Snapchat+), it's not really necessary or even particularly beneficial for sexting. Contrast this with AdultFriendFinder, which restricts one-on-one conversations to paying members, and you can easily see why Snapchat gets the edge here. 

Because it's free to use, it's also much more widely adopted than AFF, which means it's extremely common for people to exchange Snapchat IDs, or even for singles to include them in their dating profiles.

Disappearing messages

Another huge benefit of Snapchat is that, by design, all messages sent through the service are time-restricted. Everything you write or send will eventually disappear, not only from the chat history but from Snapchat's servers.

But some caveats do need to be mentioned here:

• “Disappearing” does not mean “never stored.”

• Anything sent digitally can potentially persist through screenshots, screen recording, device backups, or hacked accounts.

• Even if Snapchat deletes its copy, the recipient may still have one.

So from a privacy perspective, the safest assumption is: if you send a nude on any platform, there is always some possibility it could continue to exist somewhere beyond your control.

SEE ALSO: A history of nudes, from sculptures to Snapchat

That means if you're shy, concerned about your privacy, or just feel more comfortable being naughty when you have the peace of mind that comes with knowing there won't be a (digital) paper trail, Snapchat is probably the most secure option out there. 

That said, Snapchat's official Community Guidelines take a strong stand against "sharing, promoting, or distributing sexually explicit content and conduct," so while such behaviors are actively encouraged on AdultFriendFinder, they are discouraged on Snapchat. The truth, though, is that, in practice, private consensual exchanges between adults are extremely common on the app and are generally not proactively policed unless:

• Someone reports it.

• AI moderation flags it.

• It appears exploitative/commercial.

• It involves minors/non-consensual content.

Screenshot protection

One of the perils of sexting, especially if you're doing it with strangers or people you've only recently met, is that exchanging nude photos or videos can be risky — bad actors can save or share your photos without your consent, or even use them to blackmail you, a practice known as "sextortion."

But if you're concerned about someone secretly screenshotting or even using a screen recording tool to record your naughty sessions, Snapchat offers a robust notification software that will alert you right away if someone takes a screenshot or starts a screen recording, and it's comprehensive enough to even pick up on many third-party tools that can do these things. 

It isn't perfect, so you do still need to exercise caution when you're being frisky with people you don't fully know or trust. At a minimum, you should verify that the person you're chatting with is who they claim to be, preferably over a video call, and you should never share sexually explicit content with someone you don't know and trust, especially if those images or videos can be used to identify you.

The bottom line? Both AFF and Snapchat offer fun platforms for engaging in some sexy texting, but the former is probably a more attractive option if you don't already have a sexting partner, and the latter is a fantastic platform for getting more intimate with someone you already know.

Which is the best MacBook to buy right now?

As of August 2026, I think the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air is the best MacBook for most people. It's a sleek, future-proofed ultraportable with the right amount of premium features and more than enough muscle for everyday multitasking, including occasional content creation. It's the ideal daily driver.

You might also consider the 13-inch M5 MacBook Air, which is slightly cheaper and more portable. I think it's the best MacBook for college students.

SEE ALSO: RAMageddon is reportedly causing a MacBook Air shortage

The MacBook Neo is my top pick for budget shoppers, casual users, and younger students. It's not nearly as fast or as fancy as the latest MacBook Air, but it's a good performer for its price point, and it's just as well-made as any other MacBook. If your typical workload involves bopping between some Chrome tabs and an app or two, look no further.

If you want the nicest features and enough sustained power for photo editing, video rendering, AI work, and occasional gaming, the 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro is your best bet. It one-ups the Air with better thermal management, more ports, more base storage, a smoother display, and a longer battery life. Just come prepared to spend at least $500 more.

Recent updates to this guide

In August 2026, I updated this guide to reflect Apple's newly increased MacBook prices. I also added the 13-inch M5 MacBook Air as a new pick for college students.

In May 2026, I added the results of our battery life testing for the M5 MacBook Air. It was able to loop a video for 17 hours and 40 minutes before dying.

The latest MacBook news

Apple raised its MacBook prices in June 2026 because of the ongoing global memory crunch, aka "RAMageddon." The MacBook Air has gotten $200 pricier since launch, while the Neo is now $100 more expensive. The MacBook Pro costs anywhere from $300 to $500 more, depending on the configuration.

RAMageddon is also reportedly causing a MacBook Air shortage. According to Bloomberg's Apple expert, Mark Gurman, "Retail store sources say Apple is struggling to keep the laptop in stock and that shipments of new units are more constrained than they can ever recall." At the time of writing, the MacBook Air was on backorder for two to six weeks in Apple's online store.

If you don't mind the possible shipping delay, Apple's back-to-school promotion is now live through Aug. 27, and it earns you a free gift card worth up to $150 when you buy a new MacBook Air or Pro. The offer is open to college students, their parents, and school faculty.

You can also now rent your MacBook instead of buying it. The new Klarna-powered Apple Upgrade program lets you lease a new MacBook Air or Pro for up to 36 months (starting at $24.99 per month). Once your term is up, you can either return your loaner, swap it for a newer model, or buy it outright.

What's on deck

Bloomberg's Gurman reports that Apple is working on several new MacBooks, including a MacBook Pro with an OLED touchscreen, an entry-level M6 MacBook Pro, a redesigned MacBook Air, and a second-generation MacBook Neo with more RAM and color options. The OLED MacBook Pro could arrive as soon as this October.

TL;DR: The Motorola Razr is available for free with T-Mobile. To qualify for this offer, simply activate a new line on an Experience More plan.

Opens in a new window Credit: Motorola Motorola Razr Free when you activate a new line on an Experience More plan. Shop Now

Samsung and Apple dominate the smartphone news cycle, but Motorola has quietly built one of the most practical foldables on the market. And better yet, you can pick up this popular phone for free right now.

T-Mobile is giving away the new Motorola Razr for free, with no trade-in required, when you activate a new line on its Experience More plan. The total cost is covered via 24 monthly bill credits. If you cancel or switch carriers before the two-year mark, you’ll owe the remaining balance on the phone’s full retail price.

If you’re already planning to add a line, getting a high-end foldable without trading in your current device is easily one of the best mobile carrier deals live right now.

The Motorola Razr offers a 3.6-inch external display that's big enough to reply to Slack messages, check Google Maps, and sort through emails without flipping the phone open. Under the hood, the 4,800mAh battery outlasts most compact foldables on the market, and the 50MP main camera sensor handles quick WFH video calls and casual shots with ease.

Score the new Motorola Razr for free with T-Mobile.

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

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

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

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

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

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

Hue.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

COLOR

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Representative.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 6, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

AGENT

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Bulgy.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 6 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 6, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

BULKY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Shady.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

DODGY

Final Hurdle hint

Stick food.

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

KEBAB

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

It's a new lunar phase tonight, the Third Quarter, which means the Moon is now halfway between the Full Moon and New Moon phases. During this stage, exactly half of the Moon's surface appears illuminated from Earth,

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Thursday, Aug. 6, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon phase is in the Third Quarter phase, with 48% of its surface visible.

Without any visual aids tonight, there's still a chance of seeing the Oceanus Procellarum, the Copernicus Crater, and the Tycho Crater. If you have a pair of binoculars, these will help you see the Gassendi and Clavius Craters and the Mare Humorum. If you have access to a telescope, you'll also be able to see the Schiller Crater and the Fra Mauro Highlands.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on August 28.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon's appearance changes throughout the month as it orbits Earth, completing one full lunar cycle approximately every 29.5 days, according to NASA. During that journey, the positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon are constantly shifting, altering how much of the Moon's illuminated surface is visible from our perspective. That's why we see the familiar sequence of phases, from a slim crescent to a half Moon, then a Full Moon, before the pattern begins again.

The eight phases are:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Samsung is still the center of attention. Samsung just dropped three new foldables smartphones, two smartwatches, and smart glasses, so it deserves its moment in the spotlight. But won't someone think about Apple for a change?

Apple prices are bumping in the face of RAMageddon, but you can still secure a limited-time offer on iPhones from T-Mobile. This popular mobile carrier has just dropped a fresh batch of free iPhone deals on the latest handsets:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Pitcher stat sheet

• Green: Ultras

• Blue: Reads like an NFL team

• Purple: Types of pools

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Stats for a Pitcher, Abbreviated

• Green: Show of Support in the Crowd

• Blue: NFL Teams, Minus the "ERS"

• Purple: ___Pool

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #682 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Stats for a Pitcher, Abbreviated: ER, ERA, W, WHIP

• Show of Support in the Crowd: BANNER, FLAG, SIGN, TIFO

• NFL Teams, Minus the "ERS": COMMAND, PACK, RAID, STEEL

• ___Pool: BRACKET, LAP, PRIZE, SWIMMING

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to play Pips

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 6, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for August 6, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for August 6 Pips

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically.

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for August 6 Pips

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 1-3, placed vertically.

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

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed horizontally; 2-0, placed horizontally.

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

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for August 6 Pips

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 6-0, placed vertically.

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

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

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

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

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

Greater Than (7): Everything in this space must be greater than 7. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

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

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed vertically.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 0-4, 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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you love ancient history.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for August 6, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Child's play

• Green: They have tracks

• Blue: Italian monuments

• Purple: Mesh material

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

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Classic wooden toys

• Green: Places with lanes

• Blue: Iconic Roman landmarks

• Purple: Places with nets

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #1152 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Classic wooden toys: ALPHABET BLOCKS, CUP-AND-BALL, JACOB'S LADDER, LINCOLN LOGS

• Places with lanes: BOWLING ALLEY, FREEWAY, SUPERMARKET, SWIMMING POOL

• Iconic Roman landmarks: COLOSSEUM, PANTHEON, SPANISH STEPS, TREVI FOUNTAIN

• Places with nets: BARCLAYS CENTER, FISHING BOAT, HOCKEY RINK, TENNIS COURT

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 6, 2026

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you have a green thumb.

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 6, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Blossoming forth

The words are related to plants.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe colorful plants.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

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

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Brainstorming.

NYT Strands word list for August 6

• Hawthorn

• Magnolia

• Flowering Tree

• Redbud

• Cherry

• Dogwood

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

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

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

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a chronic complainer.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 6, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for August 6, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A complaint.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter G.

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...

GRIPE

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

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

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

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

Samsung's newest batch of foldable phones doesn't officially launch until Aug. 7, but they're evidently doing quite well for themselves already.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8, and Z Fold 8 Ultra are breaking the company's pre-order records for foldables, according to data that Samsung shared with Mashable. Samsung confirmed that pre-orders in the United States are outpacing the previous Z series record by 30 percent, with the Z Fold 8 (the newest member of the lineup) accounting for nearly half of all pre-orders.

The numbers suggest that foldable phones could finally be ready to break through to the mainstream. Interestingly, the Z Fold 8 is the wider design that matches the rumored shape of the unconfirmed iPhone Ultra Fold. With the apparent success of the Z Fold 8 and Apple set to join the market with a similar device, the smartphone market could soon get a major shakeup.

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

Samsung also noted that three times as many Flip users are switching to the larger Fold phones than in previous generations. Considering the nearly $1,900 price tag for the Fold 8 and the $2,100 price of the Z Fold 8 Ultra, that's significant. (Yes, the prices are high, but hey, that's true of everything in tech right now.)

This trend appears to be consistent outside of the US, too.

South Korean customers pre-ordered 1.44 million units over a seven-day period prior to launch, while SamMobile reported that pre-orders are higher than ever in Europe, too. People are clearly vibing with what Samsung is doing.

It's quite the development for the foldable phone market, which first emerged less than a decade ago. Early versions of these phones were expensive, sometimes gimmicky, and featured extremely visible creases in the displays. However, in recent years, foldables have gotten a lot better, and early adopters have identified lots of use cases for folding displays that go beyond gimmicks. Despite this, foldables have mostly remained a niche product.

You have two more days to pre-order the new Galaxy Z Series, which will be officially released in the US on Friday.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 $1,899.99 at Samsung
  See It at Samsung See It at Amazon See It at T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra $2,099.99 at Amazon
  See It at Amazon See It at Samsung See It at T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8 $1,199.99 at Amazon
  See It at Amazon See It at Samsung See It at T-Mobile

SAVE $40: As of Aug. 5, the Beats Studio Pro are on sale for $159.95 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Studio Pro $159.95 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $40   Get Deal

Shopping around for new headphones? Well, you're in luck, because as of Aug. 5, every color of the Beats Studio Pro is on sale at Amazon, saving you up to $40. The biggest discount is on the sand gray pair, now down to $159.95 from $195.95. However, the other colors aren't far behind, with deep brown, black, navy, and sandstone priced at $169.95.

Unsurprisingly, these Beats headphones deliver seriously impressive audio. They support USB-C lossless audio with optimized sound profiles, as well as 3.5mm wired playback, while different noise-canceling modes let you choose the level of focus you want. There are Active Noise Canceling (ANC) and Transparency modes, letting you switch between total blocking and staying aware of your surroundings.

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They're also designed with comfort in mind. The UltraPlush over-ear cushions mean you won't feel uncomfortable during long listening sessions. Which is ideal, because with these headphones you'll get up to 40 hours of battery life. Heading out the door in a rush? With just a 10-minute Fast Fuel charge, you'll get up to four hours of playback, so you'll be ready to listen even when you're not prepared.

Head to Amazon to score this headphones deal.

Flock cameras are supposed to help police track cars. In Winona, Minnesota, police are now trying to track down the cameras themselves.

All eight license plate readers operated by the Winona Police Department disappeared sometime between July 29 and Aug. 1, according to police. Officers discovered the thefts after one noticed that the system had not recorded any recent activity. When police checked the four locations where the devices had been installed, they found the mounting poles cut near the base and discarded in nearby weeds. The camera equipment was gone.

Two flock cameras had been positioned at each of the four locations along highways entering and leaving the city. Replacing every unit and its pole will cost approximately $3,000 each, leaving the department with an estimated $24,000 bill.

Winona is only the latest Minnesota community to find its Flock equipment damaged or missing.

At least five devices were stolen and another was damaged in Duluth during June and July. In Plymouth, one was found in pieces beneath its pole, while another had its power cord cut. Similar incidents have also been reported in Edina, Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, and Anoka County.

SEE ALSO: What are Flock cameras and why are they so controversial?

Most of those cases remain unsolved. One theft in Faribault, however, resulted in an arrest — prosecutors charged a 42-year-old man after he allegedly removed a reader from a 10-foot pole and brought it to a local shop. According to the criminal complaint, the man had previously told an acquaintance that the devices could "track him coming and leaving the city" and allegedly said, "I think I might take one."

Police later recovered the equipment from his garage with black tape covering its lens.

That case provides one possible explanation for why someone might target the technology, but Winona police have not connected their thefts to the larger anti-surveillance movement. Police Sgt. Nicholas Quimby told the Minnesota Star Tribune on Aug. 4 that philosophical opposition and an attempt to sell the components were both motives.

The fight over Flock is moving beyond Minnesota

The thefts arrive as Flock Safety faces growing scrutiny over the reach of its nationwide surveillance network.

Its automated license plate readers photograph passing vehicles and convert the images into searchable records. Depending on the device and agency, those records can include a car’s plate, location, make, model, color, body type, and distinguishing features such as bumper stickers or roof racks, as Mashable previously reported.

Police departments say that information can help them locate stolen vehicles, find missing people, and identify cars connected to crimes. Flock says approximately 120,000 of its devices are now used in more than 6,000 communities across 49 states.

But the scale that makes the system useful to police is also what concerns its critics. A single reader captures a car at one moment. Thousands of them can allow law enforcement agencies to piece together where someone traveled, even if that person is not suspected of committing a crime.

Questions have also emerged about who can search the information and how widely it can be shared. Investigations have found local license plate data being accessed for immigration enforcement, while mounting cases of police misuse have raised concerns about officers searching for people for personal reasons.

Those concerns are increasingly reaching city halls. Since the beginning of 2026, approximately 23 city councils have voted to cancel, reject, not renew, or deactivate Flock systems. In Minnesota, Columbia Heights voted in June to end its agreement with the company after residents objected to the technology.

The debate is spreading elsewhere. On Aug. 5, two Connecticut state senators asked cities and towns to pause new installations while the state inventories the readers already in use. Their request followed crowded public meetings and calls for greater oversight of how vehicle data is collected and shared.

At the same time, new allegations are giving residents more reasons to question who has access. Two police officers in Ohio recently resigned after internal audits uncovered possible misuse of the city’s system. Department records indicated that one officer searched the same license plate 53 times over six months, sometimes without listing a related case number.

Flock says vandalism puts communities at risk

Flock maintains that its technology gives police time-sensitive information that can help solve crimes and locate people in danger.

"People have every right to make their voices heard," spokesperson Courtney Terlecki told the Star Tribune. She argued that damaging the equipment can eliminate an investigative lead or prevent officers from receiving an alert related to an AMBER Alert, a missing-person case, or a violent crime.

Civil liberties groups are encouraging opponents to take their concerns to their local governments. On Aug. 1, the American Civil Liberties Union launched a national “Get the Flock Out” campaign with instructions for organizing through public records requests, petitions, and city council meetings.

Winona officials have not said whether the cameras will be replaced. But with more communities reconsidering Flock and lawmakers weighing new restrictions, the debate over where these cameras belong is far from over.

BookCon returned from its hiatus in April 2026. It was a rousing success, quickly selling out tickets and major news breaking at the event, including the announcement of a new Divergent book. By the end of the weekend, 2027 BookCon dates were dropped, but there's an update for next year's convention.

ReedPop, the organizers behind BookCon, just announced that BookCon will now run for three days in 2027. Returning to the Javits Center, BookCon will take place April 9 to 11. The extra day means there will be even more panels, authors, and workshops to attend — and maybe a better chance at snagging tickets.

"The passion of our fans and the storytelling community found at BookCon 2026 was beyond our wildest dreams, and we can’t wait to bring the event back even bigger next year,” said Jenny Martin, Event Director, ReedPop. “Our team has been hard at work reviewing the feedback we received from attendees and partners after this year’s show, and we are excited about the changes and improvements we are bringing to the 2027 event, starting with the expansion to three days of programming, signings, and shopping."

Last year's event welcomed bestselling authors including Rachel Reid, Veronica Roth, Andy Weir, and Rufi Thorpe. While authors for next year's event have yet to be announced, ReedPop is promising an even bigger BookCon.