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TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 T20 World Cup final for free on ICC.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The best international T20 teams are in India and Sri Lanka to compete for the T20 World Cup. This competition always delivers incredible drama and huge performances from the best players in the world, and this edition in no different.

New Zealand and India are set to fight it out in the final. Those teams were some of the pre-tournament favorites, but this electric form of the game is always unpredictable. We can't wait to watch the these talented teams come together this weekend to battle it out for the trophy.

If you want to watch the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the T20 World Cup?

The ICC Men's T20 World Cup is a Twenty20 International cricket tournament organised by the International Cricket Council. The event is generally held every two years. India are the defending champions.

In 2026, 20 teams will compete in 55 matches across five venues. The 20 qualifying teams are divided into four groups of five. In the group stage, each team will play four matches in a round-robin format, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the Super 8 stage. At this point, teams will be placed into two groups of four, and will play three matches. The top two teams in each group will advance to the knockout stage.

When is the 2026 T20 World Cup?

The 2026 T20 World Cup is the 10th edition of the competition. This year's event takes place from Feb. 7 to March 8.

How to watch the 2026 T20 World Cup for free

The 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup is available to live stream for free on ICC.TV.

This free live stream on ICC.TV is only available in select regions (see full list of territories here), but anyone can live stream the T20 Cricket World Cup for free with a VPN. These helpful tools can hide your IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with free access. This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can live stream on ICC.TV from anywhere in the world.

Access free T20 Cricket World Cup live streams by following these simple steps:

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

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Visit ICC.TV

5. Watch the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but 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 without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch every game from the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for ICC.TV?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ICC.TV, 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 — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup 2026 for free with ExpressVPN.

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.

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

Pathway.

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

ROUTE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Grumpy.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for March 8, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SURLY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A short performance.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 8 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 8, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

REVUE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Decided.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

CHOSE

Final Hurdle hint

To denounce.

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

DECRY

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

We're approaching a new lunar phase, the Third Quarter. This is when the Moon appears to be illuminated by half following the Full Moon. It's just one of eight unique phases of the Moon's visibility, with the whole lunar cycle taking around 29.5 days.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Sunday, March 8, the Moon phase is Waning Gibbous. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 70% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.

If it's a clear sky tonight you should be able to see the Aristarchus Plateau, Mare Imbrium, and the Copernicus Crater. If you have binoculars, you'll be able to see even more, including the Grimaldi Basin, Alphonsus Crater, and Alps Mountains. If you're a keen sky-gazer and have a telescope to hand, set this up to see glimpses of the Apollo 16 landing spot, Rima Hyginus and the Schiller Crater.

When is the next Full Moon?

In North America, the next Full Moon is predicted to take place on April 1.

What are Moon phases?

NASA says the Moon takes about 29.5 days to circle Earth, while it moves through a set of eight phases. Even though we always see the same side of the Moon, the portion lit by the Sun changes as it travels, which is why it can look full, half-lit, or barely visible at different points in the cycle. These changing views are what we call the lunar phases, and there are eight in total:

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: Unblock porn sites for free with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

The online world is full of content restrictions and blockades. It might not always seem like that, but look around. More and more restrictions on your movement are coming into force.

Porn naturally comes with a lot of restrictions, but there's really nothing wrong with adults visiting their favorite sites at entirely appropriate moments. When the time is right, you should be able to bypass content restrictions to access sites like XNXX from any network and location. And fortunately, you can do exactly that with a quick and easy hack.

If you want to unblock porn sites like XNXX from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

How to unblock XNXX for free

VPNs are useful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This straightforward process can bypass geo-restrictions to access porn sites like XNXX from anywhere in the world.

SEE ALSO: How to unblock Pornhub for free

Unblock porn sites like XNXX by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to XNXX

4. Visit XNXX

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

The best VPNs for bypassing content restrictions are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like XNXX without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can retain access to porn sites when temporarily away from a secure network.

If you want to retain permanent access to everything the online world has to offer, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for porn is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for porn?

ExpressVPN is the best service for fast and reliable unblocking of porn sites like XNXX, 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

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $78.18 and includes an extra four months for free — 78% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Unblock XNXX for free with ExpressVPN.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you love scary movies.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for March 8, 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: Iconic places

• Green: Backwards and forwards

• Blue: Thrillers

• Purple: None

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Cities

• Green: Palindromes

• Blue: Horror movies minus "S"

• Purple: Starting with slang for zero

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 #1001 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Cities: LIMA, NICE, OSAKA, PHOENIX

• Palindromes: EYE, REFER, ROTATOR, SELES

• Horror movies minus "S": GREMLIN, JAW, SINNER, TREMOR

• Starting with slang for zero: JACK, NADA, SQAUTTER, ZIPPER

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 8, 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 today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're ready to spring forward.

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 March 8, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 8, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: That time of year again

The words are related to time.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe time changes.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Dayling Savings.

NYT Strands word list for March 8

• Spring

• Hour

• Losing

• Dayling Savings

• Clock

• Forward

• Sleep

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 today's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you frequent hotels.

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 March 8, 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 March 8, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A waiting area.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter B appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter L.

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...

LOBBY

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 today's Wordle.

TL;DR: You can sign up for a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels. This lets you watch select F1 races live with the Prime Video app.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple TV Prime Video Channel Watch the Australian GP for free with a 7-day trial Shop Now

I consume sport like water. If there's something big taking place, you best believe I'm watching. It doesn't matter if it's in the early hours of the morning or late night on a Saturday — I'm clearing my schedule to follow along.

The problem with this habit is that it's increasingly expensive to watch everything I want to watch. I've come to terms with this sad reality, but that doesn't mean I'm not constantly on the lookout for ways to watch for free. And no, I'm not talking about anything dodgy. I don't want to sit through a constantly buffering stream that floods my screen with extremely dodgy ads. I want a legit stream that doesn't cost anything.

So imagine my glee when I stumbled upon a way to watch select F1 races for free. I've followed F1 for as long as I can remember, and I don't recall a season starting with as much uncertainty. Due to a major set of regulation changes, it truly feels like anyone's title to win. I've been stung before by F1. I've been ready to experience an evenly-matched grid with unpredictable racing, only to be left with the same handful of drivers winning every week. But I refuse to lose faith. This is the year when it all changes.

And everything begins at the Australian GP. Ferrari and Mercedes have shown good pace in testing, but you never really know how things will pan out until the lights turn green.

If you want to watch F1 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is the Australian GP?

The Australian GP is the first race of the 2026 F1 season. Here's the full schedule from the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne:

• Practice 1 — 8:30-9:30 p.m. ET on March 5

• Practice 2 — 12-1 a.m. ET on March 6

• Practice 3 — 8:30-9:30 p.m. ET on March 6

• Qualifying — 12-1 a.m. ET on March 7

• Race — 11 p.m. ET on March 7

The great news for fans is that it's never been easier to follow all the action without spending anything.

How to watch the Australian GP for free

I am, like a lot of people, a paid-up member of Amazon Prime. That subscription comes with a lot of benefits, including fast shipping, exclusive Prime Day deals, and access to Prime Video. Honestly, I don't watch a lot of Prime Video. I'm really in it for the fast delivery. We buy a lot of "essential" stuff and if it isn't going to come the next day, I don't want to know.

But now that the new F1 season is starting, I'm suddenly a lot more interested in Prime Video. That's because you can now sign up for a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels. F1 is now exclusive to Apple TV in the U.S., so by gaining access to this free trial, you can watch select races for free this season. The subscription typically costs £9.99 per month after the trial ends, but you can cancel at any time. So there's no obligation to pay anything.

I pay for Amazon Prime, so you could make the argument that this isn't really a free hack. But I was always going to subscribe to this service. And anyway, you can make use of Amazon Prime's 30-day free trial period (if you're new to the service) to gain access to Apple TV without spending anything at all. This is sneaky, but I suspect millions of fans will be using this exact method this season.

It truly has never been easier to watch F1 for free. You can follow in my footsteps and use Prime Video, or you can go directly through Apple TV. Either way, you don't need to pay to watch Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and Charles Leclerc battle it out in 2026.

How to live stream 2026 F1 for free in 2026 Best Apple TV Deal Apple TV 7-day free trial Shop Now Best Prime Video Deal Apple TV Prime Video Channel 7-day free trial Shop Now Best Apple One Deal Apple One 30-day free trial Shop Now

TL;DR: Live stream the UFC on Paramount+. Access these live streams for free with a 30-day trial for Walmart+.

Some of the biggest names in sport became famous with the UFC. We're talking about the likes of Conor McGregor, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Brock Lesnar, and Georges St-Pierre. All of these household names earned their stripes in the Octagon, and now the next wave of UFC superstars are primed and ready to take things to the next level.

And millions of fans from around the world will be watching every moment. Fortunately for this dedicated group of followers, it has never been easier to watch the biggest fight nights without spending anything.

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

What is the UFC?

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is an American mixed martial arts promotion company based in Las Vegas, Nevada. The UFC has over 578 fighters contracted that fight across 11 weight divisions. The organization produces events worldwide — the UFC has held over 750 events going into 2026.

How to watch the UFC for free

The UFC is available to live stream on Paramount+. New subscribers can get Paramount+ for $8.99 per month with access to all UFC events.

Alternatively, you can sign up for a 30-day trial for Walmart+ to gain access to Paramount+ for free. Paramount+ is included as a perk of Walmart+, so with a free trial of Walmart+, you can live stream the UFC without spending anything. It's a sneaky trick, but it works.

If you're outside the U.S. for the next fight, you might need to use a VPN to unblock the UFC on Paramount+. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., allowing you to unblock live streams of the UFC from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the UFC from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit Paramount+

5. Watch the UFC from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but 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 without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the next fight before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the UFC?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, 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 — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch the UFC from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Holloway vs. Oliveira in UFC 326 on Paramount+. Access this live stream for free with a 30-day trial for Walmart+.

UFC 326 is showcasing a number of interesting fights, but the focus is naturally on Holloway vs. Oliveira.

This rematch comes over 10 years after the initial meeting of these two talented fighters at UFC Fight Night 74. Oliveira was defeated via first-round technical knockout in that featherweight bout. Oliveira sustained an apparent neck and shoulder injury during a takedown attempt. Will history repeat itself at the T-Mobile Arena? Or will Oliveira overcome the former UFC Featherweight Champion Max Holloway?

If you want to watch Holloway vs. Oliveira in UFC 326 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is UFC 326?

UFC 326 takes place on March 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada. Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira is the event's headline fight.

How to watch Holloway vs. Oliveira in UFC 326 for free

Holloway vs. Oliveira in UFC 326 is available to live stream on Paramount+.

New subscribers can get Paramount+ for $8.99 per month with access to all UFC events. Alternatively, you can sign up for a 30-day trial for Walmart+ to gain access to Paramount+ for free. Paramount+ is included as a perk of Walmart+, so you can live stream Holloway vs. Oliveira in UFC 326 for free with a trial of Walmart+.

If you're outside the U.S. for the next fight, you might need to use a VPN to unblock the UFC on Paramount+. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., allowing you to unblock live streams of the UFC from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the UFC from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit Paramount+

5. Watch Holloway vs. Oliveira in UFC 326 from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but 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 without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch Holloway vs. Oliveira in UFC 326 before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the UFC?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, 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 — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch Holloway vs. Oliveira in UFC 326 from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It seems Sony has been experimenting with dynamic pricing across the PlayStation Store, apparently since as early as November of last year, targeting discounts to specific player regions. This is according to the website PSPrices, which has closely tracked trends in Sony’s pricing over time, and it recently reported an increase in the number of games undergoing dynamic pricing. 

In 68 regions and across 139 games, including first-party AAA titles like God of War, Spider-Man, HELLDIVERS 2, and Stellar Blade, Sony offered average discounts ranging from just over 5 percent at the low end to nearly 18 percent at the high end. PSPrices even discovered that personalized discounts were being offered, with some lucky accounts receiving a massive 56 percent off the regular price of the popular Helldivers 2 game.

SEE ALSO: Sony’s first clip-style buds sound fabulous, but is that enough to justify their price?

Currently, both the United States and Japan are exempt from the experiment, likely due to stricter market regulations, but that still means that millions of customers in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Latin America, and Africa

If Sony embraces dynamic pricing across the board, it may also seek to selectively raise prices on its most popular or in-demand titles, a practice known as "surge pricing." Furthermore, learning that one player in a gaming lobby paid full price for a game while another player from a different country received a 50 percent discount may not sit well with some gamers, and is likely to provoke some backlash if or when the dynamic pricing policy becomes standard store-wide.

As of this writing, Sony has not publicly commented on the experiment. At a time of economic uncertainty and general consumer anxiety, gaming companies have faced heightened scrutiny over their pricing, so it will be interesting to see whether they move forward with dynamic pricing.

Last fall, OpenAI, the parent company of ChatGPT, promised that it would enable an “adult mode” for verified users of the service sometime in the first quarter of 2026. Today, we learned that the service has been delayed.

In a brief roundup, independent journalist Alex Heath revealed on his newsletter, Sources, that an OpenAI spokesperson told him that the company was "pushing out the launch of adult mode." OpenAI stated further that the company wanted to "focus on work that is a higher priority for more users right now," such as "personality improvements, personalization, and making the experience more proactive."

SEE ALSO: OpenAI updates Department of War deal after backlash

The news may disappoint some, as the "adult mode" was allegedly meant to launch in Q1 of this year. Erotica is understood to be a potentially lucrative market for AI, and many people are already relying on generative AI for romantic connections or to find "digital companions" for NSFW chatting. However, there's also apprehension about the marriage of artificial intelligence and human sexuality, with experts warning about the “AI porn problem” and the ethical problems that might arise from handing an all-powerful software access to our fantasies. 

According to reporting by the Wall Street Journal, one former OpenAI employee even claims they were fired because of concerns they raised about the promised launch of erotic content on the service, specifically surrounding the mental health of ChatGPT users and the ease with which teenagers might still access the content. Elon Musk’s Grok A.I. has already faced heavy criticism for its “digital undressing” feature, used to disrobe real people without their consent.

Despite the controversy and the latest delay, OpenAI has continued to roll out age verification features to gatekeep functions and hasn’t shied away from its commitment to giving its users the maximum autonomy. "We still believe in the principle of treating adults like adults," the spokesperson told Heath, "but getting the experience right will take more time."

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

TL;DR: Live stream Wrexham vs. Chelsea in the FA Cup for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The FA Cup always produces interesting storylines, and all eyes will be on Wrexham vs. Chelsea in the latest round of the competition. Chelsea are obviously favorites to progress, but Wrexham's well-documented story could add another famous chapter with a win here. The Racecourse Ground will be rocking when Chelsea come to town this weekend.

If you want to watch Wrexham vs. Chelsea in the FA Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Wrexham vs. Chelsea?

Wrexham vs. Chelsea in the FA Cup kicks off at 5:45 p.m. GMT on March 7. This fixture takes place at the Molineux Stadium.

How to watch Wrexham vs. Chelsea for free

Wrexham vs. Chelsea in the FA Cup is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Wrexham vs. Chelsea for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Live stream Wrexham vs. Chelsea for free from anywhere in the world

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Wrexham vs. Chelsea without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream select fixtures from the FA Cup before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Wrexham vs. Chelsea in the FA Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

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

Released in August 2025, the 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 onto 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 for 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 March 7, 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 March 7, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for March 7 Pips

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 6-0, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed vertically.

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

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 1-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 2-3, placed horizontally.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for March 7 Pips

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed vertically.

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

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

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically; 6-0, placed horizontally; 4-6, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for March 7 Pips

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

Number (18): Everything in this space must add up to 18. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 6-0, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 3-5, placed vertically.

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

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

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this red space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically; 0-3, placed vertically; 1-3, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this orange space must add up to 10. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically; 4-5, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this red space must be equal to 4. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 2-4, placed horizontally; 4-5, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically; 1-4, placed vertically; 2-3, placed horizontally.

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically; 2-3, placed horizontally.

Number (18): Everything in this space must add up to 18. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically; 6-6, 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.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is for anyone who's ever lived in Arizona.

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. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

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

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

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

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

• Yellow: Sports in the Copper State

• Green: Advanced stats

• Blue: Non-power conferences

• Purple: Receivers

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Arizona Teams

• Green: Baseball Stats, Abbreviated

• Blue: Mid-Major College Conferences

• Purple: NFL WR Nicknames

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 #530 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Arizona Teams - CARDINALS, MERCURY, SUN DEVILS, SUNS

• Baseball Stats, Abbreviated - ERA, IP, OPS, WAR

• Mid-Major College Conferences - HORIZON, OHIO VALLEY, SUMMIT, SUN BELT

• NFL WR Nicknames - HOLLYWOOD, JSN, NUK, SUN GOD

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 today's Connections.

Bad news for gamers: the much-hyped Steam Machine, long rumored to see the light of day in the first half of 2026, may be delayed even longer due to memory and storage shortages and the astronomically high prices these shortages are pushing on to consumers. 

SEE ALSO: Out of stock: Valve Steam Deck is the latest casualty of global memory shortage

With the expansion of artificial intelligence, gaming hardware manufacturers have to compete for memory, storage, and graphical processing power with the deep pockets of Google, Microsoft, and OpenAI, all of whom are racing to outcompete one another and win the AI race. 

As recently as February, Valve made some concessions to this reality in a blog post: 

"When we announced these products in November, we planned to share specific pricing and launch dates by now. But the memory and storage shortages you've likely heard about across the industry have rapidly increased since then. The limited availability and growing prices of these critical components mean we must revisit our exact shipping schedule and pricing (especially around Steam Machine and Steam Frame)."

For the unaware, the Steam Machine is Valve’s latest attempt to leverage its dominant software position in the PC gaming market into hardware, promising what amounts to a budget gaming PC with the form factor of a gaming console allegedly priced under $1,000 but still capable of offering “4K gaming at 60 FPS with FSR” with either 512GB or 2TB of native storage, expandable via microSD, and running on their proprietary SteamOS. 

In their "Steam Year in Review 2025" update, Valve initially wrote that they "hope to ship in 2026," potentially indicating that the launch of the Steam Machine and its key accessories, the Steam Frame VR headset and controller, would be delayed until next year, but they have since amended the sentence to be more optimistic: "we will be shipping all three products this year."

While that almost certainly means we will have to wait until the second half of 2026, it also helps keep the hope alive among gamers hoping for a better budget gaming experience. 

If you've chatted with any single friend lately or scrolled through social media, you know the general consensus: People are exhausted by online dating. App fatigue is real, it's excruciating, and it makes finding a genuine connection online feel impossible. As someone who's been testing and reviewing dating apps for years, I get asked one question constantly: Which dating apps actually work?

My answer is always the same: The only "hack" is choosing the right app for what you actually want. Someone on eharmony is looking for a ring, while users on hookup apps like Tinder are... well, you know what they're looking for.

I always follow up this advice with one more piece of wisdom: Don't give up! Despite burnout, the best dating apps remain among the most reliable ways to meet a partner. A 2025 SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus found that 65 percent of people aged 18 to 29 have used a dating app, and a 2023 Pew Research Center report found that one in five young people met their significant other on one.

You just need the right tool. That's why I've put in the hours, the swipes, and the subscription fees to find the best dating app for every kind of single person. To help you find your match, these are all of the top dating apps worth downloading in 2026.

If you need even more personalized advice, check out our guides to the best dating apps for men, women, and the LGBTQ community.

The dating apps I'd skip (and why)

You'll probably notice a few popular apps are missing from my list. That’s intentional. Part of my job is to filter out the platforms that aren't worth your time, money, or sanity. An app doesn't get my recommendation just because it's well-known — it has to be effective and safe.

Here are a few popular dating apps I'd skip:

• Plenty of Fish (POF): I know this one shows up on a lot of lists, but in my opinion, it's a dating app ghost town. POF launched as a dating site back in 2003, and it shows. In my experience (and based on widespread user feedback), the platform is filled with bots and scams, and the odds of finding a quality connection are stacked against you. Unless you enjoy sifting through fake profiles, I think your time is better spent elsewhere.

• Raya: Raya is basically the Soho House of dating apps. It's exclusive, expensive, and not for the average person. You have to fill out an application to use it, and the vetting process can take anywhere from a few days to a few years. While it might be great for networking or bagging an influencer, it's just not a practical recommendation for most people who are simply looking for a date. (See also: The League.)

• Niche "hookup" sites (like BeNaughty, Fling, etc.): There's a chance you've seen ads for sites like these, which promise quick, no-strings-attached fun. Based on my research and countless user reviews, I'd advise you to steer clear. These platforms are notorious for being overrun with bots and having questionable billing practices, with users reporting unexpected and hard-to-cancel subscription charges.

In today’s episode of f*ck the patriarchy, there’s a new website called “Check Her Body Count” that claims to use AI to calculate a woman’s “body count” using her Instagram profile. But it's both terribly inaccurate and misogynistic in nature — even if comparisons are being made to the whisper network site, Tea.

The website went viral on Feb. 26, after X user @weretuna shared an ad for Check Her Body Count on their feed. The post reads: “Suspicious that your girl has 10+ body count? Now you don’t have to guess. You paste her ig [sic] URL, and the app brutally estimates her body count by checking her followers, posts, and stories."

SEE ALSO: The best hookup apps for 2026: I swiped until my thumb hurt

The post has amassed 6.1 million views as of this publication.

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Before I go on an absolute rant, let’s just explain what “body count” is for the people who may not know: the number of sexual partners a person has had in their lifetime. Also, Mashable attempted to reach out to the Check Her Body Count contact email, but it bounced back.

OK, so here’s what I have to say about this.

1.) Obviously, this isn’t the most important point, but I just want everyone to understand that this site is completely inaccurate. There’s a little disclaimer at the bottom of the site that admits: "This tool does not access, connect to, or retrieve data from any third-party platform. All outputs are randomly generated for entertainment only and do not reflect real individuals."

Not only that, but a developer named Cappy (@CappyIshihara) reposted the viral post with his two cents, confirming that the site doesn't even access Instagram. It just validates the URL in your browser, spits out a random number, and caches it locally. In his words: “this sh*t is completely clientside, zero net, cache in localstorage."

My editor tried the site for herself, and it stated she had more "male followers" than actual total followers she has on Instagram.

2.) The idea of this is gross AF, and the fact that some commenters are saying that this site is no worse than the Tea App is exactly how and why tech is so dangerous today. The Tea App, which relaunched as a website after Apple's App Store booted it last year, is a safe space for women to discuss "red flags" and find info on potential suitors — it’s very “Are We Dating the Same Guy” — so that they can decide whether they're entering potentially dangerous situations.

Yet, here are just a few examples of what some men are saying about Check Her Body Count:

• "Nah, this stays up until [the] Tea App gets dumped."

• "Someone doesn't like the consequences of their actions?"

• "So women are upset at this, but find the Tea App, which berates men and tells other women how supposedly bad a guy is and ruins his dating reputation, okay? Yea, no. I fully support this website."

Comparing a whisper network meant to keep women physically safe to a tool designed to arbitrarily shame and surveil women for having sex is peak misogyny.

“Body count is a gross, inaccurate metric rooted in misogyny — period,” Angie Rowntree, founder and director of the porn site Sssh.com, tells Mashable. “It dehumanizes women and normalizes the surveillance and violation of women.”

And let’s just pause and talk about the exhausting double standard fueling all of this. If a guy has a lot of sex, he’s celebrated as "the man." But if a woman has the exact same amount of sex, she’s branded a "whore." And god forbid she chooses not to have sex, because then she’s instantly labeled "prudish" or a tease. It's a completely rigged game designed to make us apologize for our own bodies, no matter what we do.

As Rowntree notes, obsessing over this number "completely ignores context like consent and pleasure, and pretends that having sexual experience somehow diminishes a person's worth." In reality, having multiple partners may translate to greater confidence, better boundaries, and more fulfilling sex lives.

3.) We are seeing a terrifying trend where AI and tech are being weaponized by male-dominated online subcultures to enforce patriarchal control. If that sounds dramatic, let's look at the receipts. Deepfake technology gained notoriety through the creation of non-consensual sexual images of women. A recent investigation by the Tech Transparency Project found 102 "nudify" AI apps (which render people, often women, naked) hosted across Google Play and the Apple App Store. Those apps were downloaded more than 705 million times and generated $117 million in revenue. As the Tech Transparency Project wrote, "Because Google and Apple take a cut of that revenue, they are directly profiting from the activity of these apps" — meaning they are making money off the digital abuse and sexualization of women.

And have we forgotten about Grok? During an 11-day period between December 2025 and January 2026 alone, Elon Musk's chatbot produced an estimated three million sexualized images, including deepfakes of real, well-known women.

“The Grok scandal shows how fast 'fun' AI features can quickly turn toxic when they ignore users' rights (in this case, women's rights) to control their own public images and narratives," says Rowntree.

This is about so much more than a fake Instagram scraper — it's about an online ecosystem (often tied to anti-feminist "red-pilled" and incel communities) that actively pits men against women and uses tech as a tool for harassment. Dr. Mathilde Pavis, a leading adviser on AI regulation, told Newsweek that the concept behind Check Her Body Count reflects a deeper, dangerous cultural logic: "that women's bodies and private lives are subject to algorithmic judgment, sexual scoring and public evaluation."

"The body count website did not happen in a vacuum," says Rowntree. "There are men (and entire cultures) in 2026 who still think a hymen is a 'freshness seal' and virginity is the sum total of a woman's worth." Whether it's deepfaking women's bodies or creating fake algorithms to publicly score their sexual history, the goal is the exact same: policing women.

“Women are not property; we are human beings,” Rowntree adds. “As such, our bodies are also not public property to be exploited without consent, including for algorithmic judgment or AI manipulation."

Want our dating and relationships stories and more in your inbox? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter today.

We’re living in the era of the wearable. Smartwatches are replacing traditional timepieces, smart rings double as finger jewelry and health devices, and clip-on open earbuds make for fashionable ear accessories.

Now, we’re at the point where wearable speakers are a thing — or least, JLab seems to think so. The company just developed these portable Bluetooth speakers, which look like monstrous-sized wireless headphones for ogres. They're called the Blue XL Speaker Headphones, and they can be yours for $100.

The only thing more bonkers than the concept? The design itself. As someone who tests headphones and speakers, I’m obligated to check them out even if they're a weird novelty. Well, the Blue XL Speaker Headphones didn’t disappoint — at least on the weirdness front.

JLab loves to experiment Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable

This is a company that has built its reputation on low pricing and filling a niche. It was one of the first audio brands to launch wireless earbuds with charging cases that featured built-in charging cables. The Blue XL Speaker Headphones are JLab’s second most ambitious creation – a limited-edition release that draws more “umms” than “oohs.”

I chuckled a few times during the unboxing. My 5-year-old toddler burst out laughing when he saw the speakers around my neck and asked, “what the heck is that?” My wife had a similar reaction. Basically, we all found the Blue XL Speaker Headphones hilarious. They’re certainly nowhere near as stylish as category favorites like the Beats Pill.

They're also outlandishly heavy (52 oz., or 3.25 lbs). Wearing them around the neck weighed down my shoulders, giving me a frumpy posture.

More importantly, if you’re thinking of buying the Blue XL Speaker Headphones as a home speaker alternative, you better think long and hard about their placement and how they will be positioned. The earcups must face outwards, rather than pointing at each other, to get the best sound output.

What about hanging them, say from a headphone stand? I tried that. The product is too long and won’t remain stable unless it’s propped on the back of the stand, which is a ridiculous-looking setup.

But how do the speaker headphones sound? With great headphones comes great function dial. Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable

In a word: impressive.

JLab doesn’t have the sonic pedigree of legacy audio companies like Sennheiser and Sony. What it does provide is adequate sound at highly competitive price points.

The Blue XL Speaker Headphones feature dual 2.5-inch drivers and passive radiators that blast incredibly loud audio and a powerful bass response. Lows have an effective presence on most contemporary recordings. Afro punk, EDM, hip-hop, and rock fans should enjoy what they hear. 

Listeners who like vocal performances and podcasts won’t be sold on the Blue XL Speaker Headphones’ audio quality, however. Vocals and high-range sounds (6 kHz to 20 kHz) are subdued. Sibilance is noticeable when listening to dialogue-heavy content; consonants like 's', 'sh', 'z', and 'ch' sound harsh. 

True stereo sound is out of the question — because the speakers don’t support JLab’s LabSync technology to pair multiple speakers at once. This a standalone unit with two mono speakers that broadcast the same thing. 

And in case you were wondering how it does with calls ... well, you can’t use the Blue XL Speaker Headphones as a speakerphone, either. 

Conclusion: a hilarious novelty Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable

The Blue XL Speaker Headphones aren’t ideal wireless headphones or speakers, mainly due to their enormous size. You must stretch your imagination to find any use for them.

To their credit, the Blue XL Speaker Headphones perform a lot better than you would think. Each driver pumps out strong, bass-filled sound. The dial with a multifunctional button is distinctive and works well. Up to 20 hours per charge is more than what most similarly priced speakers offer. And the overall build quality is solid.

I would have recommended hanging a pair from each ceiling corner to create wide surround sound, but the lack of multi-speaker connectivity kills that idea. 

The main purpose this product serves? Getting a laugh out of anyone who looks at them. Keep in mind that April Fool’s Day is around the corner!

Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable

Still, $100 is generous for these speakers, even as a white elephant gift.

In short, the Blue XL Speaker Headphones raise questions that inevitably lead to disappointing answers. No one is going to wear them outside unless they’re begging for attention, and the responses won’t be flattering. Sizing is excessive — you can’t set these speakers up anywhere.

JLab suggests placing them on a table, but there’s no direction on how to properly position them. Also, there’s no mention of the heavy reverberation they produce when placed on certain surfaces. Other shortcomings include no IP rating or app support to personalize the speakers. 

To all appearances, JLab conceived the Blue XL Speaker Headphones as a joke and ran with it. But after you get over the novelty factor, it will be hard to take them seriously.

The JLab Blue XL limited-edition headphones are currently out of stock, though you can find them on eBay for twice their retail price.

It's been almost 15 years since Julia Quinn published the third book in her Bridgerton series, An Offer from a Gentleman, and it still lands.

A risqué and romantic Cinderella story about class and hidden identity, it's the basis for Season 4 of the Shondaland/Netflix series. But it's not the only book running this season, which also draws from Quinn's sixth book in the series, When He Was Wicked, for the tale of Francesca, John, and Michaela Stirling — a simmering tale of guilt, lust, and longing that will take the lead in Season 5.

We went straight to the source, speaking to Quinn about the nuances of Sophie and Benedict's socially-impossible situation, and the impact of gender flipping the character of Michael Stirling in the TV series — a decision that opens up queer inclusivity in for Bridgerton, and one that has seen strong fan reactions, for better or worse. These two books, published in the early 2000s, are still finding new audiences in 2026 — in fact, fancy new collector’s editions of the first three Bridgerton books have just been published.

SEE ALSO: 'Bridgerton' Season 4 soundtrack, song-by-song

We also talked more broadly about Regency romance and the undying yearnaissance in fiction, as Quinn's latest project proves she's just as much a fan of romance writing as you are: a subscription book box called JQ Editions, in which Quinn handpicks the titles based simply on whether she liked them.

So, dear gentle reader, pour yourself a cup of tea and settle in. This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Shannon Connellan: There are a lot of fans who haven't read the Bridgerton books, who are watching the show. An Offer from a Gentleman, which you first published in 2001, the thing I love about this Bridgerton story is that it really digs into the working class. Obviously, Sophie is our Cinderella. Why do you think this theme of class is so important in this luxurious Regency ton?

Julia Quinn: I just think it was something that was so... unsurmountable. I don't know that viewers understand what a big deal it was. When I was writing it, most of the people who I knew were going to read it were either my fans or fans of Regency romance, who were already pretty well schooled in the ins and outs of Regency society. So they knew this is a big deal. Does it ever happen that somebody of the nobility will marry somebody working class? Yes, but it is a big deal and comes with big consequences… You want to come up with a big conflict, and there wasn't much that was bigger than this.

"I don't know that viewers understand what a big deal it was." Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix

SC: I think a lot of the 2026 lens on the show looks at Sophie's reluctance and insistence on not becoming a mistress, and Benedict's privilege saying 'Why not?' Why not?' — but to a Regency reader that would be really obvious.

JQ: For him, he is truly acting with the best of intentions. This seems like a way to take her out of poverty, a way that they can be together, a way that she gets away from a lot of abuse — and it is the way that society tells him it can be done. But I think the real story is, how does he go from this offer with the best of intentions to making one that is truly world-altering, and saying, OK, I'm willing to change my whole world for this person.

SC: It's really powerful.

JQ: I think so, and I know there are a lot of people who are like, 'Ew, why does he keep asking her to do this?' Like he's a predator or something. He's not a predator. He's a man of his time who is a kind person, truly, who is trying to keep her safe. I mean, yeah, he definitely tricks her into getting her the job at Bridgerton house, but he also knows that she's going to be treated so much better there than she's been treated somewhere else. It is a little bit of mansplaining, I will acknowledge that, but he really is looking out for her safety.

"How does he go from this offer with the best of intentions to making one that is truly world-altering..." Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix

SC: Definitely, I read it like that too. I think people don't understand a modern workplace in the same way as a 19th century workplace and everything that goes with it. So it's really interesting to watch how that functions in the book and in the series.

JQ: Yeah, it's tough, because you're writing these books that are set in the early 19th century, but you are aware that you're writing them for modern readers. There's always this balance that you have to try to find and it's never going to be the right balance for everybody.

SC: Speaking of balance, romance writing has changed a lot in the last 20 years, especially for queer inclusion. And now, with Francesca Bridgerton's story from When He Was Wicked, Michael Sterling's character is gender flipped for the Netflix series. So we're looking at the first leading queer storyline for Bridgerton [in Season 5]. You've said this publicly, that you're "deeply committed to the Bridgeton world becoming more diverse and inclusive." So what does Michael becoming Michaela mean to you?

JQ: It just means that more people will be able to see themselves in a story about joy and happy endings, truly. I hear there are a lot of readers who are upset, and they have made themselves known, and while I think some of them are truly homophobic, I think some of them truly just loved the story and wanted it to remain the way that they loved — unfortunately, now they're getting called homophobic, so there's layers upon layers of things happening there. I'm touched because it's amazing to have written something that resonates so deeply with people, but the book isn't going to change. I'm not going to rewrite the book, because I always have that story, and I think it will just be very, very interesting. 

"It just means that more people will be able to see themselves in a story about joy and happy endings." Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix

I think that the main themes of this story can remain true. The biggest theme for me while I was writing was the guilt that both Francesca and Michael felt over falling in love with each other, because John was Francesca's beloved husband, and John was Michael's beloved best friend and cousin, so they felt deeply guilty falling in love with each other. That was the big inner struggle. I haven't seen the script yet, but I have every faith that it will remain true to the story. I don't see why gender flipping a character would change that.

SC: I wholeheartedly agree. You wrote the books in the 2000s and since then, and the release of the Netflix series, fandom has changed on the internet. It must be very strange or interesting for you to see these debates, ships, and loves for these characters that you wrote over two decades ago. How does the internet change how you see characters you created?

JQ: I wouldn't say it changes, it's just very interesting. I guess one thing that really surprised me was you have these fandoms, the ships — people have their special couples that they love so much — and usually, the Simon/Daphne people are pretty quiet, but the Kanthony, Benophie, and Polin people, I mean, they go at it with each other. And I'm just like guys, everybody gets a happy ending… but I just stay out of it.

Choose your fighter: Saphne, Kanthony, Polin, Benophie. Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix

SC: One of my favorite things about An Offer from a Gentleman is that although the connection with Jane Austen and Bridgerton is alluded to, the Mr Darcy legacy is real in Bridgerton. You have this frankly hilarious scene [in the book] when Benedict needs to 'control himself' so much that he plunges himself into icy water. I wanted to ask you, what is it about Regency romance and bodies of water, what is going on here?

JQ: Well, you couldn't take a cold shower! I actually remember I was writing my first book [The Duke and I], and the main character thinks, 'I need a cold shower,' and then all of a sudden's like… That probably was in there for three days before I was like, wait a minute, they don't have cold showers, what's he gonna do? 

"You couldn't take a cold shower!" Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix

SC: That is superb. Obviously, you are an iconic part of the "yearnaissance," this never-ending love for yearning that often accompanies Regency romance. We've got romance bookshops popping up all over the world with historical fiction sections. Dating apps even saw a rise in the 2020s of the mention of 'courting' in dating bios, which is wild. Why do you think that Regency romance, in particular, never goes out of fashion?

JQ: I think that it is far enough in the past that we can romanticise it and give it a fairy tale quality that say, we couldn't for… I mean, I love reading novels set in World War I or World War II, but I think that's too close. It is hard to romanticize that time period in that way.

I'm sure I've written a book where everything could have been solved if somebody had a mobile phone. And we can allow for characters to behave in ways that wouldn't necessarily work today, like the workplace issue. Sophie doesn't have the kind of options she would have today, so when Benedict's really pushing hard to get her a job in his mother's house, it's because she really doesn't have any other options. Also it's modern enough that we can give characters hopes, dreams, foibles, and emotions that feel just generally familiar to us. One of the big things of Benedict's character is he feels like he's not seen as an individual, that he's just seen as the "number two" Bridgerton. With Penelope, you had a character who felt like she knew who she was on the inside, but she did not know how to be that person on the outside. I think a lot of people resonate with that today and so I think that works.

"I'm sure I've written a book where everything could have been solved if somebody had a mobile phone."

If you went farther back in time to say, medieval times, I think there's a religiosity and mysticism to the world that changes the way we view it, that makes characters' thoughts, dreams, and hopes a little bit too foreign. So it's really the sweet spot. 

SC: I have read that you are into sports romance. 

JQ: I like some of them, yeah.

SC: The whole Heated Rivalry phenomenon that's happened, I'm just saying that there's a high stakes game of pall mall in The Viscount Who Loved Me. Is there room for a sports romance?

JQ: I don't think it's my wheelhouse as a writer. I think I'm a sports romance reader. I quite like Tessa Bailey, in fact, I know I've known her online for a while, and I finally got to meet her in person recently, because I did a book signing in New York City and she was my conversation partner. She's really fun, I like her a lot. 

SC: You've written over 40 books. Where do you write?

JQ: I write in a number of different spots. I often write in cafes. I often will also just go away for a week or two to a hotel or resort somewhere where I'm all by myself and nobody can bother me, and I don't have to get up at a specific time to get my kids to school — although that's not an issue anymore, because they're grown. So it's a combination of things. I don't have a set writing schedule, and if I did, I'd probably get an awful lot more done.

Bridgerton is now streaming on Netflix.

The Deluxe Collector’s Editions of the first three Bridgerton titles — The Duke and I, The Viscount Who Loved Me and An Offer From A Gentleman – are available in hardback (Piatkus, £25).

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