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TL;DR: Let the HyperX ChargePlay Quad 2: Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Controller Charging Station keep your controllers powered up and ready, on sale now for $16.99 (reg. $29.99).

Don’t let low batteries cut your next Mario Kart match short. The HyperX ChargePlay Quad 2 charges up to four Joy-Cons at once, and it’s currently just $16.99 (reg. $29.99).

Prevent dead batteries during game night with this charging station

If you’re planning for a summer of gaming, make sure you don’t have to miss a moment with the HyperX ChargePlay Quad 2. This Nintendo Switch Joy-Con charging station keeps up to four Joy-Cons powered up and ready to play at all times, helping you avoid the dreaded low battery alert.

The HyperX ChargePlay Quad 2 can fully charge four Joy-Cons in just 3.5 hours. There are battery status indicators on the base to let you know when your controllers are ready, and it’s weighted to keep them all in place securely. An easy-glide docking feature makes attaching and detaching them a breeze.

To keep the games going, just pop your Joy-Cons in the HyperX ChargePlay Quad 2 after a night of gaming and they’ll all be ready to rock the next day.

Enjoy a game-filled summer with the HyperX ChargePlay Quad 2: Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Controller Charging Station, now only $16.99 (reg. $29.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: HyperX HyperX ChargePlay Quad 2: Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Controller Charging Station $16.99
$29.99 Save $13 Get Deal

TL;DR: Unlock quick, 15-minute nonfiction book summaries with this lifetime subscription to Headway Premium, on sale now for just $47.99 (reg. $299.95) with code READ20 through July 20.

Opens in a new window Credit: Headway Headway Premium: Lifetime Subscription $47.99
$299.95 Save $251.96 with code READ20 Get Deal

In an ideal world, we would all have plenty of time to sit back, relax, and read all the books our hearts desire. In reality, getting through a full podcast can feel like a win. That’s where Headway Premium comes in, offering 15-minute summaries of nonfiction bestsellers that fit even the busiest schedules.

Right now, just in time to work on your self-growth this summer, you can secure a lifetime subscription to Headway Premium for just $47.99 (reg. $299.95) with code READ20 through July 20.

This app allows for easy learning for lazy summer days

Join over 15 million people who are making learning part of their everyday routine with Headway. This convenient app helps you reach your reading goals with bite-sized summaries of top nonfiction books in formats that work with your busy life.

You can listen on the go with Headway’s professionally narrated audio summaries, or take a quick reading break with a written summary. Gamified learning keeps you invested, as you can track your progress, earn achievements, and master new skills as you go.

More than 1,500 summaries are already available, with new ones added each month. Choose from topics like personal development, health and wellness, or business strategies. You can even access content offline, so you can keep learning while you travel or are away from the internet.

While these summaries are jam packed with the key ideas, concepts, and principles from these books, they don’t beat reading the whole thing. That’s why Headway is a great jumping-off point for finding topics that pique your interest and inspire deeper exploration.

Take advantage of this lifetime subscription to Headway Premium, on sale now for just $47.99 (reg. $299.95) with code READ20 through July 20.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Eric Wei started the company Karat Financial to help creators with the financial side of their careers, but he didn't stop there.

After spending some time working with a client roster that includes Ludwig, Alex Botez, and Wendover Productions, Wei decided to make content of his own. On The Karat Podcast, he interviews creators (many of whom work with Karat) about their journeys to making it, with guests ranging from the chess streamer (and grandmaster) akaNemsko to Patreon CEO Jack Conte. That didn't keep him busy enough, so Wei started the podcast The Joy of Missing Out alongside friend and co-host Chloe Shih to talk about life in their 30s after spending so much time in their 20s working for other people — or in Wei's words, to "just yap."

Credit: Mashable Composite: Zooey Liao/ Image Credit: Getty Images/ Best Buy/ B&H Photo/ Karat Finance

We caught up with him at VidCon 2025 to learn more about what he uses to create all this content, run Karat, and stay sane through it all.

Rode wireless microphones Opens in a new window Credit: Rode Rode Wireless Pro $399 at Amazon
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 As a podcast host, Wei cares about good audio. "You can get away with not great video — you can't get away without good audio, and you always want to have backups," he told us. The Rode Wireless Pro system comes with two Lavalier mics and a receiver, a timecode system for syncing up audio and video, and 32GB of memory for up to 40 hours of recording time.

A professional-level camera from Sony Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony A7S III camera $3,498 at B&H Photo
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 There's nothing wrong with using an iPhone — it's what Wei himself did when he first started out.  "You don't necessarily need to have the best cameras," Wei told us. "For me, it's because I realized I wanted to feel more legitimate. The [Sony camera] has leveled the playing field to shoot a professional-looking podcast."

While it's certainly not the cheapest camera out there, Wei's footage speaks for itself. As he notes, it's also relatively versatile, being small enough to use as a vlogging camera but upgradeable enough that it could be used on a more professional rig.

His Karat credit card Opens in a new window Credit: Karat Karat credit card Learn More

Wei started the Karat credit card because he saw how hard it was for creators to open business accounts with traditional banks. "As a creator, it's fun to make content, but eventually you have to care about things like, how do I pay my taxes? How do I track how much money I'm making? How do I know my tax write-offs? And I think it's important to set up a business bank account, a credit card, and my company obviously customizes and focuses on that specifically for creators," said Wei.

On-the-go protein Opens in a new window Credit: Core Power Core Power Protein Shake $3.69 at Target
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" I always have a protein drink in my bag," Wei told us. "I'm a big believer that you can only have a healthy mind and be inspired when you have a healthy body." To prove his point, the co-founder pulled his empty Core Power protein shake bottle out from his bag.

Mashable was live at the Anaheim Convention Center last week, covering VidCon 2025. Check out our coverage of your favorite creators, the latest trends, and how creators are growing their followings, their influence, and making a living online at Mashable.com.

Much like the best smartphones of 2025, any list of the best smartphone cameras of the year needs to lead off with one fact: We're still waiting on the really good stuff.

Samsung's Unpacked event is coming in July, and that's when we expect to see the new Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7. And then we don't expect the iPhone 17 (and hopefully the iPhone 17 Air) until the fall.

Flagship phone releases tend to be concentrated in the back half of the calendar, with one major exception that we'll get to in a minute. That means this lineup will look very different in six months. Still, there have been a few handset shooters worthy of our praise in the first half of 2025. From budget devices that produce surprisingly nice results, a bona fide flagship, and another one that sits in between, here are the four best smartphone cameras of 2025 so far.

SEE ALSO: '28 Years Later' was shot on iPhone 15s. The actors loved it. Best overall: Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra It's not the prettiest to look at, but that's not what matters. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

Samsung's Galaxy S25 Ultra is the one true, traditional flagship on this list, so it's no surprise that it has the best camera of the group. This phone does cost $1,299, after all.

Still, the results speak for themselves, as you can see in my Galaxy S25 Ultra review. You get a whopping 200MP wide lens, a 50MP ultra-wide lens, and a 50MP telephoto lens. Ultra-wide shots have an impressive level of clarity, for example.

Pretty. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

Beyond that, the zoom lens is the best you'll find on a new phone from the first half of the year, at least in my experience. Going up to 30x zoom still produces clear shots that don't look faked at all.

No zoom. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable 30X Zoom. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

There are plenty of other example pictures I could show you from my camera roll, but you get the idea. From specs to results, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has the best phone camera of the year...so far. We'll see how that holds up as we approach the latter half of the year.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, Unlocked, 12GB RAM, 512GB Storage $1,419.99 at Amazon
Shop Now Best cheap Android camera: Google Pixel 9a No bump this time, though. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

Google's Pixel phones have always delivered on the camera front, and the Pixel 9a is no exception, especially considering its lean $500 price point. As I noted in my Pixel 9a review, it's now the budget smartphone to beat in 2025, thanks in large part to the competent camera array.

By the numbers, it's nothing spectacular. The rear camera array consists of a 48MP wide lens and a 13MP ultra-wide lens, which are fairly standard smartphone megapixel counts, and come in below what you'd get on a more expensive Pixel 9. Still, thanks to Google's software wizardry and some smart feature inclusions, the Pixel 9a can produce plenty of gorgeous shots with vibrant, bright colors.

Hard to tell this came from a cheap phone. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

I'd also like to shout out Google for including Macro Focus in the Pixel 9a, which wasn't in the previous Pixel A-series phones. This feature lets you place the lens just an inch or two away from your subject and capture fine details. It's a really nice thing to have on a $500 phone.

This is what Macro Focus can do. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable Google Pixel 9a $499 at Google Store
Shop Now Best cheap iOS camera: Apple iPhone 16e Just one lens. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

There hasn't been a flagship iPhone release in 2025 yet (wait for September), so the only Apple product we can give any props to right now is the iPhone 16e.

Apple's $600 budget-minded handset has just one solitary camera lens on the back, measuring in at 48MP. However, don't let that description sell it short. As our reviewer Stan Schroeder demonstrated, it can take very nice-looking shots with clear details and natural colors.

Ahoy. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Schroeder also shouted out its competent low-light photography, which isn't incredible, but gets the job done for a phone of that price.

Looks good. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable Apple iPhone 16e $599 at Apple.com
Shop Now Best affordable flagship camera: OnePlus 13 Courtesy of Hasselblad. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

Before we get to the really pricey stuff, let's talk about OnePlus 13. This Chinese brand has always released phones that sit in a nice middle-ground price-wise while still offering flagship-like specs, and at $599.99, the OnePlus 13 is no different. In fact, it squeaked into our guide to the best budget smartphones of 2025 despite its more premium features.

OnePlus 13's rear camera array was made in conjunction with Swedish camera company Hasselblad and is by far the most interesting-looking camera array of the bunch listed here. It's got a wide, ultra-wide, and telephoto lens on the rear, all coming in at an even 50MP. Photos can come in looking a little more vibrant than they do in real life, but by and large, the OnePlus 13 produces quality results. In particular, the zoom lens can produce clear results from very far away.

No zoom. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable All zoom. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

Not to be outdone by Pixel 9a, the OnePlus 13 also has a solid macro mode, for good measure.

I miss winter. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable OnePlus 13R $599.99 at Amazon
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You'd be forgiven for thinking One Spoon of Chocolate was made by someone who's never been near a camera. RZA may not be the first filmmaker to come to mind when thinking of martial arts cinema, but his lifelong obsession with the wuxia genre — seeds planted during the '90s heyday of his legendary rap group, Wu-Tang Clan — feels like it ought to trickle down in some fashion. Unfortunately, the result feels comically conceived, despite RZA having directed several features and TV episodes, including 2012's The Man with the Iron Fists, which he co-wrote with Eli Roth, and done a directing stint on Marvel’s Iron Fist (no relation).

The movie's scant hints of action feature racially motivated violence (and subsequent righteous reprisal) that arrive more in the form of mild bumps than heavy kicks and fists. It's also the umpteenth horror-adjacent project birthed in the long shadow of Jordan Peele's Get Out, a landmark film whose short life has already yielded too many imitators to count. As if the ass-kicking mode of moviemaking wasn't enough to mess up on its own, One Spoon of Chocolate also fails spectacularly as social drama, making for the least attractive two-for-one deal imaginable.  

What is One Spoon of Chocolate about?

The long-gestating project was first mentioned by RZA back in 2012, as a movie spanning the '60s and '70s, though it no longer has a period setting — or much that discernibly grounds it in any era — but its contemporary premise has some very direct inspirations. Like Peele's Get Out, the prologue of One Spoon of Chocolate features a young Black man cautiously passing through a mostly white town, before he's attacked by masked hoodlums armed with baseball bats. That this group of assailants is all white is something you're left to intuit — not through skillful diversion, but rather, through sloppy lighting, editing, and framing. The film has no qualms about letting its villains viciously toss out racial slurs, but their appearance here is confounding: They're adorned with T-shirts with sanitized, store-bought slogans meant to assail their targets with sentiments no more threatening than, "Why, I oughtta!"

Rather than preserving a sense of mystery, the film depicts the aforementioned Black youth being placed on a slab, then his organs being harvested by a sinister white doctor in an upscale workshop surrounded by depictions of American slavery. This is what the movie's protagonists are up against, though it takes painfully long for this black market (pun… intended?) to rear its head again.

Elsewhere, former U.S. soldier Unique (Shameik Moore) is trying to readjust to civilian life when he's shipped off to the home of his cousin Ramsey (RJ Cyler) in Karensville, Ohio, where the opening lynching took place. No, you didn't hallucinate that fictitious town name — one that might remind the most unfortunate viewers in the crowd of the poorly received 2021 racial horror farce Karen. One Spoon of Chocolate similarly grasps at the most superficial possible symbols of racial animus in modern America, invoking whiteness as online virality and comical vigilante mobs more than a pervading power structure. Even the movie's title, born from an exchange about how a sprinkling of cocoa powder can irrevocably alter a glass of milk, gestures toward a story in which Unique's presence might reverberate through Karensville's social fabric. However, the town has plenty of Black residents, so the metaphor falls flat.

Its racial tensions come to light in a moment that promises rock-solid drama: As Unique and Ramsey shoot hoops at the local community center, a group of epithet-slinging white kids comes charging through, demanding the cousins stick to their side of town. Ramsey, having grown up in Karensville, knows the dangers posed by these self-appointed vigilantes, though Unique is less deferential to their demands. The tension between these approaches isn't something One Spoon of Chocolate explores, but this confrontation soon kicks off a brief action sequence, albeit one that sets the movie's disastrous tone. 

One Spoon of Chocolate is filled with limp action.

From the moment Unique shows off his martial arts skills against Karensville's proto-Klan, One Spoon of Chocolate is in trouble. Blocks, spinning kicks, and punches land with all the impact of a comedic slap-fight, despite RZA's best attempts to craft  coherent action. The saturated palette seems to hint at a heightened reality the movie never manages to equal; it's dead on arrival, yet it drags its own limp corpse through scene after scene.

On one hand, it's somewhat of a relief that Unique spends much of the movie sequestered in the sprawling garage of his white love interest (played by Paris Jackson) — a character with no real impact on the movie's plot or racial commentary — but this doesn't stop other action from occurring. The vigilante troupe, revealed to be the masked arm of the illicit organ trade from the movie's prologue, attacks several other Black characters, but their assaults are incredibly strange to watch. What ought to be hate crimes born of swinging baseball bats come off as gentle love taps in some of the strangest, most lethargic fight choreography ever put to film.

All the while, Unique can be glimpsed training according to a survivalist manual he comes across earlier in the film. However, these lengthy training montages not only separate him from the movie's plot for lengthy stretches — preventing him from interacting with the villains of his own story — but they set up promises that go completely unfulfilled. In these obfuscated hints, Unique appears to fashion brass knuckles from spare car parts while working on some kind of scrappy armor. However, the former is the only invention that really appears, and the latter doesn't really materialize. Instead, he goes on a limp rampage adorned in a black cloak.

When the movie reaches its inevitably tedious climax, it doesn't even have the decency to deliver on the promise of righteous bloodshed.

One Spoon of Chocolate uses social drama like a crutch.

Moore's character is seldom granted the kind of complexity that might make Unique a flashpoint of self-reflection. His place in the modern American zeitgeist is limited to the bullet-point facts of his experience as a Black soldier discarded by the system upon his discharge (with no meaningful attempts to even gesture at how the violence at home mirrors that abroad, and vice versa). This leaves Moore to lurch through scenes with dialogue that reaches for deeper meaning, but never finds it.

The movie's white supremacist vigilantes deliver verbal racism with the appropriate venom, but the payback for their words and actions carries no thematic weight (or really, weight of any kind). The ass-kicking that eventually comes their way isn't just lame as hell — the film's editing allows for far too much dead air, and almost no momentum — but it emanates from the collective cinematic image of the wuxia genre without ever crossing streams with the movie's desperate grasps at racial horror.

Despite hinting at the disposability of Black bodies in the white supremacist purview, One Spoon of Chocolate relegates its organ-harvesting saga to a background tapestry with little relevance. The resultant film is a confused hybrid of forms that demands spectacular, cathartic bone-crunching to even remotely work, but instead opts to end with a passive sermon about its own shallow themes, a climax so head-scratching that it renders the film an accidental self-parody, despite its sincere overtures. 

Despite its potential on paper, One Spoon of Chocolate is a bad time through and through. It stands on ceremony when it should go for the jugular, and both literally and metaphorically pulls every punch.

One Spoon of Chocolate was reviewed out of the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival.

SAVE $100: As of June 25, the Garmin vívoactive 5 is on sale for $199.99 at Amazon. That's a 33% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin vívoactive 5 $199.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $100 Get Deal

The Garmin vívoactive 5 is back on sale, and this time you're saving $100 on list price. The new price is $199.99 as of June 25, and it's not even Prime Day yet.

This watch was released in late 2023, bringing a stark upgrade from the previous model. It is no longer the newest in the range after the release of the vívoactive 6 earlier this year, but if owning the latest in the range doesn't matter to you, the 5 is still an excellent choice.

SEE ALSO: The best early fitness tracker deals ahead of Amazon Prime Day 2025

Unlike the vívoactive 4, the 5 benefits from a bright and colorful AMOLED display, making everything look incredibly vibrant. It also has a much-improved battery life, boasting 11 days when in smartwatch mode.

As you'd expect from Garmin, the stats and tracking features are top-tier. It offers an advanced range of health metrics, including heart rate, SpO2, stress levels, and detailed sleep analysis. The sleep tracking has been improved from previous models and now includes sleep coaching. For sports enthusiasts, it supports tracking for running, cycling, swimming, and a wide variety of other activities.

Grab this great deal before it runs out.

The best early Prime Day deals, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (Wi-Fi, 40mm, S/M Green) — $199.99 (List Price $299.99)

• Dyson V15 Detect Plus Cordless Vacuum Cleaner (Yellow/Nickel) — $649.99 (List Price $749.99)

SAVE $80: As of June 25, the Amazon Fire TV 32-inch 2-Series is on sale for $169.99 at Amazon. That's a 32% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV 40-inch 2-Series $169.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $80 Get Deal

With two weeks until Prime Day kicks off, Amazon has decided to give us a little early treat. Right now, the Amazon Fire TV 40-inch 2 Series has been marked down early, and it's a whopper of a deal. As of June 25, you can grab this TV for just $169.99, saving you $80. Not to mention, this is the cheapest it has been this year.

It's a stellar TV, especially at this price. One of the standout features is the built-in Alexa voice control. Not only can you use this to control some of your other smart home devices (think speakers, robot vacuums, or light bulbs), but you can also use it to search through multiple streaming platforms at once, helping you find your favorite shows and movies much more easily. Just tell Alexa what you want to watch, and it will search through your various accounts to find it.

SEE ALSO: The 20+ best Apple deals live ahead of Prime Day

The image quality is something to shout about, too. Enjoy an HD 1080p resolution with support for HDR 10, HLG, and Dolby Digital Audio. Meaning all your shows, movies, and gaming experiences are the highest quality.

For entertainment, the TV runs on Amazon's Fire OS, so you'll have access to popular streaming apps like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and more. It also features two standard HDMI inputs and one ARC input, making it easy to connect gaming devices.

Grab this early Prime Day deal from Amazon now.

The best early Prime Day deals, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (Wi-Fi, 40mm, S/M Green) — $199.99 (List Price $299.99)

• Dyson V15 Detect Plus Cordless Vacuum Cleaner (Yellow/Nickel) — $649.99 (List Price $749.99)

AI agents are attempting to move past the hype stage and into the office, for real. Once sold as futuristic sidekicks, these systems are being embedded in everyday workflows — taking meetings, drafting emails, pulling reports, even making judgment calls within tightly defined boundaries.

They're not fully autonomous, but they don’t need to be. What matters is that they can understand context, follow through on tasks, and integrate with the tools companies already use. Whether they’re branded as copilots, digital workers, or enterprise assistants, AI agents are becoming the operational layer behind modern businesses. Yes, there are some security risks with AI tools, but for many businesses, agentic AI has already become an essential part of their workflow.

From OpenAI’s GPT-based tools to IBM’s watsonx.ai and Google's DeepMind-powered integrations, companies are considering deploying AI agents in the office.

What are AI Agents?

Agentic AI is a broad category of artificial intelligence that behaves with a degree of independence — it can plan, take actions, and respond to new information, but it’s not fully autonomous. Think of it as AI with just enough initiative to handle tasks without asking for permission every step of the way.

SEE ALSO: What is agentic AI and why is everyone talking about it?

Within that category, an AI agent is a specific implementation: a tool or software product built to perform actions on your behalf. These agents use large language models like GPT-4o or Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview to interpret your goals and carry out tasks like emailing, scheduling, or pulling reports. Google’s Gemini in Agent Mode and OpenAI’s Operator are early examples.

The difference comes down to abstraction. Agentic AI refers to the capability — the idea that an AI can reason, plan, and act in a goal-oriented way. An AI agent is how that capability shows up in practice: a concrete product designed to actually do the work.

1. Google Gemini Agents

Google’s Gemini-powered agents are already embedded across industries — from fast food drive-thrus to finance to automotive UX. Built on DeepMind’s cutting-edge Gemini models and deployed through Google Cloud, these agents are highly adaptable and deeply integrated into enterprise workflows.

Whether handling customer queries, scanning spreadsheets, managing factory operations, or parsing supply chain data, Gemini agents are designed to scale intelligence across roles.

2. Amelia

Amelia started as IPsoft back in the dot-com era and has since evolved into a sophisticated enterprise AI agent platform —customizable, multilingual, and deeply integrated into sectors like finance, pharma, and telecom.

In 2024, SoundHound acquired Amelia for $80 million, betting on the growing demand for AI voice and agentic systems across industries. The deal expanded SoundHound’s reach into heavily regulated sectors and bundled Amelia’s advanced agent tech into its broader portfolio of enterprise voice solutions. With roughly 200 enterprise clients between them and a projected $150 million in revenue for 2025, the combined company is positioning itself as a serious contender in the AI agent race

3. IBM watsonx Orchestrate

IBM’s watsonx Orchestrate is a no-code platform for building AI agents that automate routine business tasks at scale. Designed for enterprise teams, it allows users to spin up custom agents that plug into existing workflows — from HR and procurement to sales and operations — with minimal setup.

The platform offers prebuilt tools for everything from candidate scheduling to approval routing, all integrated under a unified interface. According to IBM, agents built with Orchestrate resolve 94% of requests automatically, speed up onboarding by 25%, and reduce time spent on reporting by up to 88%

4. Microsoft Copilot & Azure AI Agents

Through tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot, Dynamics 365, and Azure AI Agent Service, the tech giant is turning generative AI into engines that automate everything from customer returns and HR support to financial reconciliation and field operations.

Copilot is the personal assistant, and beneath that are more specialized agents — built in Copilot Studio or Azure — trained to execute workflows, manage entitlements, and integrate across Microsoft’s enterprise stack. These agents come pre-configured or custom-built, working with Teams, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and third-party data to complete tasks with context and memory.

5. Claude by Anthropic

Anthropic’s Claude Agents are designed for high-trust enterprise environments, with a focus on reasoning, safety, and human-level collaboration. Powered by Claude Opus 4 — the company’s most advanced model — these agents are built to plan, act, and adapt across complex workflows, from customer support to code generation.

The agents excel at multi-turn reasoning and structured decision-making, with a heavy emphasis on brand safety, jailbreak resistance, and output control.

6. North by Cohere

North is Cohere’s all-in-one AI agent platform designed to replace digital busywork with intelligent automation. Built around its proprietary Command LLM, North combines powerful reasoning with industry-specific workflows for sectors like finance, healthcare, retail, and legal.

Companies like Oracle, SAP SE, Salesforce, and the Royal Bank of Canada are already deploying North’s agents to handle everything from document generation and data retrieval to decision support and customer engagement. It features out-of-the-box agents or customizable builds that connect to enterprise systems in just a few clicks.

Honorable mention: OpenAI's Operator

OpenAI’s GPT-powered agents are moving beyond the chatbox with Operator: a tool that clicks, types, and transacts on your behalf. Available to ChatGPT Pro users as a "research preview," Operator can handle everyday web tasks like ordering groceries, booking reservations, and filling out forms in real-time, all while running in its own browser window.

Operator blends GPT-4o’s language capabilities with basic interface control, creating an agent that doesn’t just suggest actions—it performs them. While it’s still early, OpenAI views Operator as a foundational step toward AI that can independently navigate digital spaces and eventually act as a stand-in for human users.

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.

SAVE $350: As of June 25, the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 is on sale for $448.98 at Amazon. That's a 44% saving on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 $448.98 at Amazon
$799 Save $350.02 Get Deal

Prime Day is just around the corner, but if you can't wait to start scoring some impressive deals, you'll love this hefty Amazon discount on the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2. Reduced several times over the last few weeks, this latest discount is a big one, saving you $350. As of June 25, the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 is priced at $448.98.

This is a great price for such a fantastic piece of kit. It provides a 1,500W AC output (with a 3,000W surge), so it can run things like fridges, electric pots, and even AC units. It weighs just 23.8 lbs and features a foldable handle, so it’s perfect for camping trips and road adventures.

SEE ALSO: The 20+ best Apple deals live ahead of Prime Day

It charges up quickly, too. You'll only need one hour to go from 0 to 100%, with emergency charging enabled in the Jackery App (or 1.7 hours on the standard mode). It also benefits from a huge range of charging ports. This model benefits from USB-C, USB-A, AC outlets, a car port, and LED lights, and supports fast USB-C PD 100W charging.

Grab this great deal at Amazon.

The best early Prime Day deals, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (Wi-Fi, 40mm, S/M Green) — $199.99 (List Price $299.99)

• Dyson V15 Detect Plus Cordless Vacuum Cleaner (Yellow/Nickel) — $649.99 (List Price $749.99)

TL;DR: Add the new OS and Office programs your PC needs with discounted £40.35 bundle of Office 2021 and Windows 11. There's only one day left to act.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle £40.35
£306.83 Save £266.48 Get Deal

Buying a new computer is expensive, even if inflation has slowed. Just add Microsoft Office Professional 2021 and upgrade your Windows 11 Pro license to speed things up and get the most out of your current hardware. You can bundle Office 2021 and Windows 11 to get a PC makeover for just £40.35.

What's included in Office 2021?

When you add a lifetime license for Office 2021, you'll get access to eight popular programs, including:

• Word

• Excel

• PowerPoint

• Outlook

• Teams

• OneNote

• Publisher

• Access

More recent versions of Office do not contain all eight programs, so if your professional workflow relies on Publisher or Access, this Office and OS bundle is an affordable way to keep them while upgrading.

What does Windows 11 Pro come with? 

The Windows 11 Pro user interface upgrade is so seamless you may not even realise you're on a Windows PC. It was redesigned with a focus on both good looks and better function. 

Professionals benefit from increased productivity tools like snap layouts, multiple virtual desktops, improved voice typing, and pumped up search capabilities. 

You also get a virtual assistant with AI-bot Copilot. Built directly into the system, you can ask Copilot research questions, summarise web pages, create images, support writing, and even generate code. 

If your workflow requires advanced features, Windows 11 is ready to accommodate with Azure AD, Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, and BitLocker device encryption.

Please note: Verify compatibility before purchase. This is for PCs that need a new license and will not work for those currently unable to use Windows Update to access Windows 11.

Instantly update your PC when you get this Microsoft Office 2021 and Microsoft Windows 11 bundle for just £40.35. Act before bundles sell out for good, or before this price drop ends.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Unblock XVideos from anywhere in the world with a VPN. The best VPN for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

The online world is full of restrictions and blockades, but you don't need to live like this. You can protect your right to online freedom in just a few simple steps, and you don't need to spend anything to do so.

Want to unblock porn sites like XVideos for free from anywhere in the world? We have the information you need.

How to unblock XVideos for free

VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect to a secure server in another location. This straightforward process bypasses content restrictions so you can access porn sites like XVideos from anywhere in the world.

Unblock XVideos 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 XVideos

4. Unblock XVideos

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The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites and then recover your investment at a later date. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it works well if you're temporarily away from home on an unsecured network.

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

What is the best VPN for porn?

ExpressVPN is the top choice when it comes to unblocking porn sites like XVideos, 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 $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also 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 $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Unblock XVideos for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Germany vs. France in U21 Euro 2025 for free on 4seven. Access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Germany take on France in the second U21 Euro 2025 semi final. Both teams squeezed past their opponents at the quarter-final stage. Germany scored in extra time to beat Italy, whereas France struck twice in the last 10 minutes to knock out Denmark.

If you want to watch Germany vs. France in U21 Euro 2025 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Germany U21 vs. France U21?

Germany vs. France in U21 Euro 2025 kicks off at 8 p.m. BST on June 25. This fixture takes place at the Košická futbalová aréna.

How to watch Germany U21 vs. France U21 for free

Germany vs. France in U21 Euro 2025 is available to live stream for free on 4seven.

4seven is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can access free live streams on 4seven from anywhere in the world.

Lve stream Germany vs. France in U21 Euro 2025 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 4seven

5. Stream Germany vs. France in U21 Euro 2025 for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Germany vs. France in U21 Euro 2025 without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream U21 Euro 2025 before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for 4seven?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 4seven, 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 eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also 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 $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream Germany vs. France in U21 Euro 2025 for free with ExpressVPN.

Looking up at the sky and wondering where the moon is? Today's lack of beautiful moonlight isn't a mystery; it's to do with where we are in the lunar cycle. Intrigued? Keep reading.

The lunar cycle is a series of eight phases of the moon's visibility, based on how much light the sun shines on it. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days, according to NASA, and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up various parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth. 

Here's what the moon is doing today, June 25, 2025.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Wednesday, June 25, the moon phase is New Moon. In this phase, you can't see the moon at all. 0%, to be precise (according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation).

Today also marks day 0 of the lunar cycle. During this phase, the lit up side of the moon is facing the Sun rather than Earth. According to NASA, the Moon usually doesn’t pass directly between Earth and the Sun during this phase because its orbit is slightly tilted. From our view on Earth, it just appears to pass near the Sun.

As you would expect, there's no chance of spotting anything on the moon's surface tonight, even if you have a telescope.

When is the next full moon?

June's full moon was on June 11. The next full moon will be on July 10. 

What are moon phases?

We've now reached day 0 of the 29.5-day lunar cycle. This is a cycle, NASA tells us, caused by the angles between the sun, moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much of it is lit up by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. So, sometimes it looks full, sometimes half, and sometimes not there at all. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle:

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.

Last Quarter (or Third 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: Live stream Glastonbury 2025 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Glastonbury is one of the biggest music festivals in the world, with some 200,000 lucky ticket holders descending upon Worthy Farm for five days of incredible performances, awesome outfits, ridiculous flags, and sleepless nights. We're not jealous at all. We would much rather be sat at home far away from all the fun. We're fine to miss out. Totally fine!

OK, nothing can compare to actually being there. But you don't need a ticket to enjoy some of the best moments that Glastonbury has to offer. If you're interested in watching Glastonbury 2025 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is Glastonbury?

Glastonbury is a five-day festival of contemporary performing arts that takes place at Worthy Farm in Somerset (UK). The festival hosts contemporary music, dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret, and other artistic acts all weekend.

The three headlining acts in 2025 are The 1975, Neil Young, and Olivia Rodrigo, with Rod Stewart performing in the traditional Sunday Legends slot.

When is Glastonbury in 2025?

Glastonbury 2025 takes place on June 25-29.

How to watch Glastonbury 2025 for free

Glastonbury 2025 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 powerful tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can access BBC iPlayer to live stream Glastonbury 2025 from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Glastonbury 2025 by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for 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. Connect to BBC iPlayer

5. Watch Glastonbury 2025 from anywhere in the world

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The best VPNs are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Glastonbury Festival without fully committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you plenty of time to live stream Glastonbury 2025 before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for streaming live content on sites like 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 always protected

• Fast streaming speeds without buffering

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Glastonbury 2025 for free with ExpressVPN.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new 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.

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: Pop the crowd

• Green: Seen on a referee

• Blue: Path of Super Bowl winning QB

• Purple: Homes of top NBA picks

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Show Approval

• Green: Accessories for a Football Referee

• Blue: Teams Russell Wilson Has Played For

• Purple: Previous Teams of the Last Four NBA Draft No. 1 Picks

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 #275 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Show Approval - APPLAUD, CHEER, CLAP, GIVE A HAND

• Accessories for a Football Referee - BEAN BAG, COIN, FLAG, WHISTLE

• Teams Russell Wilson Has Played For - BRONCOS, SEAHAWKS, STEELERS, WISCONSIN

• Previous Teams of the Last Four NBA Draft No. 1 Picks - DUKE, JL BOURG, METS 92, OKLAHOMA STATE

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.

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.

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

Approximately.

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

CIRCA

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A journal.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 25, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

DIARY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To go again.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 25 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 25, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

RETRY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To dry.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for June 25 Hurdle Word 4 answer

PARCH

Final Hurdle hint

To avoid.

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

EVADE

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

In a surprising turn of events, Marvel's Ironheart series has just as much in common with Black Mirror's devastating "Be Right Back" episode as it does with any Iron Man film.

On the Iron Man front, we've got an explosive story of an inventor crafting a high-tech armored suit. In Ironheart's case, that inventor is none other than genius Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), first introduced in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. (Wakanda Forever and Sinners director Ryan Coogler also executive produces Ironheart.) Now back in her hometown of Chicago following expulsion from MIT, Riri turns to a life of crime in order to get the money and resources she needs to keep working on her suit.

SEE ALSO: The 10 best TV shows of 2025 (so far), and where to stream them

It's as Riri's building her new suit that Ironheart takes a turn for the Black Mirror. In her attempts to create a new AI assistant for her armor, Riri accidentally ends up creating one who looks and acts exactly like her late best friend, Natalie Washington (Lyric Ross). The conceit recalls that of Black Mirror's "Be Right Back," in which a grieving widow (Hayley Atwell) communicates with an AI simulacrum of her late husband (Domhnall Gleeson). 

But where "Be Right Back" is an absolutely shattering hour of TV, Ironheart is a bit more hopeful in its portrayal of processing grief with the help of technology. And while it lacks much of "Be Right Back"s tight focus and emotional heft — two things that tend to get lost in a six-episode scramble to establish new major MCU players — Ironheart still finds ways to craft a heartfelt, complicated relationship between Riri and the best friend she thought she'd lost.

Riri's relationship with her new AI N.A.T.A.L.I.E. is the heart of Ironheart. Dominique Thorne in "Ironheart." Credit: Jalen Marlowe

Ironheart's first sequence isn't one of Riri building her suit, or fighting off bad guys. It's of her and Natalie hanging out together, talking about what they want from life. For Riri, that's becoming "bigger than Jobs. Bigger than Gates. Bigger than Pym. Bigger than Stark." For Natalie, all she wants is to be happy. (And maybe to meet Thor.)

The scene is a sweet snippet of Riri and Natalie's dynamic, and in positioning it at the start of the premiere, Ironheart showrunner Chinaka Hodge emphasizes that this friendship will be at the heart of the series. Later in the episode, though, we learn that Natalie, along with Riri's stepdad, Gary (LaRoyce Hawkins), died in a drive-by shooting. Riri witnessed their deaths and was powerless to save them. Their loss spurred her to make her suit, something that could provide fast-acting security to people in danger. So yes, the armor is proof of Riri's brains and the "iconic" legacy she hopes to leave behind, but Ironheart suggests that it's also a coping mechanism, a way to prevent the trauma of Natalie and Gary's loss from ever happening again.

SEE ALSO: 'Ironheart' trailer: Riri Williams combines magic and tech for a thrilling new suit

The arrival of AI N.A.T.A.L.I.E.(or Neuro-Autonomous Technical Assistant and Laboratory Intelligence Entity) further complicates the tangled web between Riri's grief and her inventions. The AI has all of Natalie's mannerisms and memories. She's as close to Natalie as possible, but is she really Natalie? That's the question Riri wrestles with throughout the season, especially as she finds herself connecting with N.A.T.A.L.I.E., laughing and bickering with her like no time has passed. 

For her part, N.A.T.A.L.I.E. doesn't act like an AI who was just programmed to follow orders. She teases Riri, pushes back on her when she hates her plans, and even gets hurt when Riri questions her existence. Ross is especially heartbreaking in these latter scenes, but her joy and energy in more playful moments with Riri is downright infectious. 

With this playfulness, Ironheart seems more prepared to simply accept N.A.T.A.L.I.E. as an extension of her deceased self. Compare that to Black Mirror's "Be Right Back," which is all about the limits of using AI to recreate a lost loved one. But the AI in "Be Right Back" is drawn from a limited number of social media posts, whereas N.A.T.A.L.I.E. was pulled straight from Riri's memories. It's the MCU: Gods are real, half the universe's population disappeared and came back, and AI can be completely perfect.

On top of the Black Mirror comparison, Ironheart also echoes our current reality. Thanks to AI advancements, people are trying to use chatbots to connect with their deceased loved ones, as explored in the 2024 documentary Eternal You. Is this kind of technology a helpful tool to confront grief, or just ghoulish imitation?

Ironheart carries out its examination of the ethics behind N.A.T.A.L.I.E. with a feather-light touch, mostly focusing on the joy, pain, and confusion that comes from reconnecting with someone you'd lost. Thorne and Ross are electric together, taking on the heavy stakes behind this relationship with care. Elsewhere, reactions of people close to Riri, like her mother, Ronnie (Anji White), help flesh out the N.A.T.A.L.I.E. dilemma even further. For Ronnie, it's a chance to heal an open wound and begin to knit together a missing piece of their community. It's not a coincidence that the more people who come in contact with N.A.T.A.L.I.E., the more people Riri can count on to help her out in a dark time.

Ironheart introduces Parker "Hood" Robbins and his crew of criminals. Anthony Ramos in "Ironheart." Credit: Marvel

However, N.A.T.A.L.I.E. isn't the only person Riri spends much of her time with in Ironheart. Criminal Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos) — nicknamed "Hood" for the mysterious red hooded cape he always wears — recruits Riri to bring some extra high-tech flair to his crew. 

Played by Manny Montana, RuPaul's Drag Race superstar Shea Coulée, Talk to Me's Zoe Terakes, Shakira Barrera, and Sonia Denis, Parker's crew are wise-crackers and badasses, just as Riri has proven herself to be in both Wakanda Forever and her solo outing. The sass and levity they share brings the sense of a casual, fun hangout to each of their heists, even as they battle security guards or hack through firewalls.

Overseeing it all is Ramos' Hood, a charismatic leader who somehow manages to make a red cape not look totally goofy. (It helps that said cape imbues him with magical powers.) Menacing and charming in equal measures, Hood has all the potential to be a standout new MCU villain. Unfortunately, Ironheart's six episodes don't give his backstory or motivations enough development to truly hit. The same goes for the motivations behind each heist. Hood's crew discusses how the rich people they're going after are harming Chicago communities, but Ironheart doesn't take the time to develop these communities or the problems they face. These are big ideas, and certainly ones worthy of exploration. They just need more time to breathe, and that's not time Ironheart can give with only six episodes.

The same goes for Riri and N.A.T.A.L.I.E.'s relationship, which sometimes falls to the wayside as Ironheart gears up for its big set pieces or villain reveals. However, the amount of work Hodge, Thorne, and Ross have put in to keep that friendship as the bedrock of Ironheart is clear, and the results mostly pay off. The series certainly boasts its fair share of armored suit fights and magical mayhem, but it's these carefully built relationships, and the grief that impacts them, that really stick.

The first three episodes of Ironheart are now streaming on Disney+. The final three premiere July 1 at 9 p.m. ET.

In 2025, dating app fatigue is real, and frankly, who can blame daters? Popular apps are starting to look (and function) more and more like copies of each other and adding more and more AI features. Some daters are going to IRL events, even dungeon sound baths, to find love.

That being said, for those of us who are busy and/or a bit more introverted, dating apps have their pros. You can meet a wide range of people you wouldn't otherwise if you go to your local bar, and you can find out more about them from their profiles than what drinks they order.

SEE ALSO: The best dating apps worth downloading in 2025

The truth is, dating apps aren't going away — and they're a big way potential partners meet each other.

So, are dating apps worth it?

Even using the right app for you may still bring moments of uncertainty and frustration (you're dating, after all), but finding the app with the features that most align with your style of dating and the type of partnership you're looking for can absolutely still make online dating worth it.

According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, 44 percent of adults say they use dating apps to find a long-term partner rather than just casual dating or hookups. This survey also found that one in 10 partnered adults met their current partner through a dating app. So, even if you've yet to find that magical, swoon-worthy connection, the statistics show that it's definitely possible to find true love through online dating. Some of our own writers and editors have even found lasting love on these apps.

If you've been using apps for a while and are experiencing serious burnout, it's always fair to take some time off and come back to them when you feel ready. Our guide will be here for you! Even the best app can feel exceptionally tedious when you simply don't have the energy.

Which dating app is best for serious relationships?

There are so many dating apps, but not all of them are created equal when it comes to finding a serious, committed relationship.

Some free dating apps are better suited for casual flings or hookups (e.g., Tinder, Grindr, etc.), while others have matching algorithms and profile features specifically designed to help users find meaningful connections (e.g., eharmony, OkCupid, Hinge, and Coffee Meets Bagel).

The good news is that we've done the research (and hands-on testing) to figure out which apps work best for long-term relationships, and Match Group isn't the only player in the game. Plus, all of these platforms are available via Google Play and the App Store, so having an Android or iPhone won't limit your options. Some of the old-school dating sites still maintain a desktop version as well.

To find your match, here are the best dating apps for serious relationships in 2025:

A new horror subgenre has developed in the last few years: the terror of winding up at a double-booked vacation home.

2022's Barbarian drums up scares with its tale of strangers sharing an Airbnb rental, while 2022's Gone in the Night centers on two couples who have accidentally booked the same remote cabin. Now, the double-booking trend continues in 2025's Bone Lake, directed by Mercedes Bryce Morgan, who also directed 2022's twisted Shudder original Spoonful of Sugar.

SEE ALSO: The 10 best movies of 2025 (so far), and where to watch them

In this erotic thriller — with a name like Bone Lake, would you expect it to be anything else? — couple Sage (Maddie Hasson) and Diego (Marco Pigossi) are excited to spend a relaxing vacation together at a lakeside mansion rental. However, their plans for a romantic getaway fly out the window when another attractive couple, Cin (Andra Nechita) and Will (Alex Roe), show up. And guess what? They've rented the mansion for the very same weekend. What are these two couples to do?

According to the teaser above, they decide to share the rental and get to know each other, even toasting to a new friendship. Of course, that's before the blood starts flowing.

The rest of the teaser promises some wild gore involving crossbows, kitchen knives, and chainsaws. It also hints at serious sexual tension between the couples, leading to some, ahem, boning by Bone Lake.

The film received mostly positive reviews out of its world premiere at 2024's Fantastic Fest, so if you're a fan of erotic thrillers or just really want to watch more double-booking horror films, Bone Lake seems like a promising destination.

Bone Lake hits theaters Oct. 24.

Ahead of its massive summer Prime Day event starting July 8, Amazon announced it's expanding its Same-Day and Next-Day delivery to more rural areas. This investment means more connections and jobs for thousands of American communities, as well as additional threats to local businesses.

The $4 billion project will triple the commerce giant's delivery network and include building out hybrid delivery facilities for 4,000 communities. According to Amazon, these facilities will serve multiple purposes and reduce transportation distances. The company expects to complete the project by the end of the year.

SEE ALSO: Why the 'digital divide' persists within Indigenous communities

The new "hybrid hubs" will overhaul and expand existing rural delivery stations, allowing the storing of inventory and the preparing of deliveries. In addition to physical upgrades, Amazon will also begin implementing machine learning to "predict which items will resonate with local Prime members based on their unique needs" and stock accordingly, the company states.

"This expansion goes beyond speed. It's about transforming daily life for rural customers, who typically live farther from brick-and-mortar retailers, have fewer product and brand choices, and face limited delivery options when shopping online," Amazon officials wrote in a blog post.

In the past, Amazon has been accused of geographically limiting its expedited Prime shipping, even for Prime subscribers. In December, Washington D.C. attorney general Brian Schwalb filed a lawsuit against the company, claiming Amazon imposed secret "delivery exclusions" that slowed down service in select, predominantly Black, neighborhoods. In response to previous accusations of discriminatory delivery practices, Amazon said that the policies were merely protective actions in areas where there had been targeted incidents against delivery drivers.

Elsewhere, large retailers are testing new, human-less ways to speed up the delivery process, including Walmart's latest fleets of flying delivery drones now piloted across five states.