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Good news for redditors: plans for paid subreddits are paused for now.

During Reddit's Q2 earnings call, CEO Steve Huffman said the company is "deprioritizing" initiatives to monetize the user economy on the platform, according to Engadget. In a follow-up AMA, Huffman confirmed that this includes paid subreddits. "To stay focused on what matters most, we’re shifting resources away from a few areas, such as work on the user economy," Huffman wrote. "This includes what some have referred to as paid subreddits."

Previously, Huffman had shared plans for subreddits with "exclusive content or private areas" behind a paywall as a revenue-boosting scheme.

But now, Huffman said the social media forum will focus on "strengthening our core product," which includes "making Reddit the go-to place for search." Growing its user base is critical to driving ad revenue, which brought in $465 million last quarter and accounts for the vast majority of its total revenue, according to its earnings report. That's an 84 percent increase from last year.

If you've googled something recently, you've probably noticed Reddit posts showing up a lot more in search results. Reports from last year showed a massive increase in Reddit's search traffic from Google, likely due to a Google algorithm update that began prioritizing posts from discussion forums. So it looks like that trend has continued.

Huffman also said during the earnings call that the company will be focusing more on using its AI-generated Reddit Answers tool to make Reddit its own search engine. To complicate things, Google confirmed to Mashable earlier this year that Reddit Answers uses Google's Gemini model, as part of a partnership that also allows Google to train its AI on Reddit content.

SAVE $350: The Roborock Qrevo S5V robot vacuum and mop is on sale for $549.99 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $899.99. That's a 39% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Qrevo S5V $549.99 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $350 Get Deal

Some people love vacuuming. It hangs out in the number one slot on their chores list. Other folks cannot image getting any sort of enjoyment out of the task. If you fall into the second category, a robot vacuum could solve your floor-cleaning blues. As incentive, Amazon has a great deal on a versatile model to start the week off right.

As of Aug. 4, the Roborock Qrevo S5V robot vacuum and mop is on sale at Amazon for $549.99, marked down from the standard price of $899.99. That works out to a savings of $350 from a 39% discount. That makes this a record-low price for this model at Amazon.

With 12,000Pa suction power, the Roborock Qrevo S5V aims to leave no mess uncleaned. The vacuum's dual zero-tangle system means you'll be in great shape if you deal with pet hair and the smart obstacle avoidance aims to leave socks where you left them.

SEE ALSO: As an anxious cat mom, I can't recommend a robot vacuum with a livestream camera enough

The Roborock Qrevo S5V is a combo robot vacuum, so it's ready to tackle your mopping chores, too. And as added bonus, the Roborock has self-washing and self-drying of the mop pads with warm air, which means you'll need to get involved way less often.

Like most robot vacuums these days, the Roborock Qrevo S5V comes with a charging dock with automatic emptying. The brand says the dock can store up to seven weeks worth of debris before it'll need some human help to empty it out.

Since we're heading into back-to-school season and everyone's schedules will be packed, let the Roborock Qrevo S5V robot vacuum take over the floor care. It's at a record-low price at Amazon just in time for a busy fall season.

SAVE $24: As of Aug. 4, you can grab a four-pack of Tile Mate trackers for only $59.99 at Amazon. That's 29% off the usual cost of $83.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Life360 Tile Mate (4-pack) $59.99 at Amazon
$83.99 Save $24.00 Get Deal

If you tend to misplace important items, Bluetooth trackers are a must-have. And if you're an Android user or an Apple user seeking something a little cheaper than AirTags, the Tile Mate is one of our top picks.

As of Aug. 4, you can get a four-pack of Tile Mate trackers at Amazon for only $59.99. That's 29% off the usual cost of $83.99 and — for what it's worth — $20 cheaper than a four-pack of AirTags. That's also a new record-low price for these babies, making them an even better buy.

The Tile Mate was one of the first Bluetooth trackers to hit the market and, after a few upgrades and facelifts, it's still a solid option. While many trackers fit into an Apple, Google, or Samsung-shaped box, Tile has its own network (via the Life360 app) and is device agnostic. Hence, why it's a great choice for both Android and Apple users.

Since its network is a bit less developed than competitors and its Bluetooth range is smaller (only 350 feet), it works better for finding household items than locating lose luggage. Attach them to things like your keys, wallet, remote, or anything else you tend to lose track of at home. Press a button on your phone and you can ring the tracker to locate it. Or, if your phone is the thing that has gone missing, you can press a button on your Tile Mate to ring your phone. The Tile Mate can also trigger a silent alarm with the SOS feature that alerts loved ones you're in danger.

Did we mention they come in fun colors and not just stark white or black? Grab a four-pack in a rainbow of colors for only $59.99 while you can.

SAVE 25%: As of August 4, you can get the Bluetti Solar Generator (AC180) for $519, down from $699, at Amazon. That's a 25% discount and $180 in savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bluetti Bluetti Solar Generator (AC180) $519 at Amazon
$699 Save $180 Get Deal

You don’t have to be an apocalyptic prepper to justify investing in a generator. With the unpredictable weather patterns and general uncertainty and fragility of the aging power grid, more and more people are deciding they want some sort of insurance when the power inevitably goes out.

Usually, a good generator will cost you anywhere from several hundred to several thousand dollars, which is why it's always a good idea to jump on these deals when they pop up. As of August 4, you can get the Bluetti Solar Generator (AC180) for $519, down from $699, at Amazon. All you have to do is use the code CLNUK3H9 at checkout. That's a 25% discount and $180 in savings.

The Bluetti (AC180) has a 1152Wh LiFePO4 battery that can be recharged in about an hour using a 1440W AC input. It has a 1800W output and 11 outlets to power multiple devices at once. You can also use the Bluetti App to give it an extra boost to 2700W when you need it.

The built-in MPPT charge controller also means you can hook up a solar panel to recharge when the grid is down and the sun is out. (You can get a full charge in 2.8-3.3 hours.) That way, you're not burning fossil fuels to keep your fridge cold or the lights on.

It doesn't feel like the PlayStation 5's 2020 launch date was that long ago, but a new leak is dragging us into the future of PlayStation, at least potentially.

YouTuber Moore's Law is Dead, who has reported on upcoming technology developments in the past, posted a lengthy video containing several claims about the next generation of PlayStation hardware, which have subsequently spread around the internet. Naturally, there's a big caveat to all of this: The information is coming from a YouTuber who is reporting based on an AMD presentation to Sony that allegedly happened in 2023. Take it with a grain, or maybe several grains, of salt.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo is raising prices for the Switch 1 — are tariffs to blame?

Still, if any of the information in the video is true, it's compelling. According to Moore's Law is Dead, the PlayStation 6 will have roughly three times the 3D rendering power of the PS5 while launching at the same $499 price point. It will play PS4 and PS5 games, continuing a recent commitment to backwards compatibility on Sony's part. According to the leak, the console will launch no earlier than fall 2027.

Interestingly, the leak also claims Sony wants to launch a new gaming handheld alongside the PS6. Per the video, the PS6 handheld will have a touch screen, microphones, an SSD slot, and haptic vibration. Sony is supposedly looking into launching the device at a price point between $400 and $500. That would put it in direct competition with something like the Nintendo Switch 2. If these leaks are accurate, Sony's handheld would be substantially more powerful.

It could also have better specs than the upcoming Xbox handheld, though obviously that doesn't guarantee success at all. I'm old enough to remember the Vita.

Google is pushing advertisers to buy ads in AI mode, according to a report from AdAge. The publication caught onto slides from Google pitching AI Mode ads to potential buyers.

"Be part of our most powerful AI search experience, as customers explore their biggest questions with AI Mode," read one slide in the presentation. "As we apply the power of Generative AI to Search, Ads will continue to play a critical role in helping consumers find helpful information and enabling businesses to be discovered online."

Google reportedly told advertisers that the new ads would come in the form of text and shopping ads with product details within AI Mode chats. The ads would be presented in response to user queries.

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From a mock-up in the presentation, the ads appear in banners under AI search queries, indicated by a "Sponsored" label. The slides describe the AI Mode advertisements as an "experiment."

According to AdAge, Google will roll out ads in AI mode before the fourth quarter. The tech giant told AdAge that they have already started showing more ads in AI mode and have seen "incredible results." In May 2025, Google announced that it was testing these ads, writing in a blog post, "Where relevant, ads may appear below and integrated into AI Mode responses."

Google's revenue from ads was estimated to be $96.5 billion in the fourth quarter of last year alone. So far, advertisements have been rare in AI chatbots like Google Gemini and ChatGPT. But as Google shifts away from traditional search and toward AI search, the company's massive ad inventory could shift as well.

Google has a big head start when it comes to AI search, and so far it has 30 times more traffic than its rivals. Its AI search results surpassed those of rivals like ChatGPT, with 16.5 billion visits in December 2024.

Google inserting ads into its AI search tools is just the beginning. Spending on AI-powered search advertising is projected to reach nearly $29 billion by 2029, according to Reuters.

In May, Match Group (the dating app conglomerate that owns Tinder, Hinge, and others) acquired HER, a dating app for queer women, nonbinary, and trans sapphics.

While things have been relatively quiet on the surface since the buy-out, HER did roll out a new feature this summer called "Feelings." It's akin to a status update, designed to help users communicate more confidently and honestly upfront, and — as the name suggests — share how they're feeling.

SEE ALSO: Summer lovin': Here are the best dating apps for lesbians

"Feelings" are tags you can add to your profile to let potential matches know what you're looking for or what kind of mood you're in. You can also add a short note next to your "Feeling" tag to elaborate a little more.

Once you set a "Feeling," it'll show up on your profile, Meet (the app's discovery feature), matches, and chats. This way, all bases are covered, and there's no way someone else can pretend you're blindsiding them with your intentions. "Feelings" disappear in 48 hours to help you keep things fresh.

Credit: HER

Using the "Feelings" feature is pretty simple. All you have to do is go to your profile page, and you should see a "How are you feeling?" prompt at the top. Tap it and browse your options. Examples include "Just talking," "Go on a date," "Flirty," and "Hook up." You can choose up to three and add a line of text, if you'd like. Then just click "update my Feelings."

If you see a "Feeling" tag that you relate to on someone else's profile, you can even tap a little plus sign (+) to add it to your own.

At the end of the day, the goal is to have better conversations with less anxiety. No more wondering if the other person is looking for something casual when you’re on the hunt for a life partner, or vice versa.

SAVE $350: As of Aug. 4, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (unlocked, 256GB) is down to just $949.99 at Amazon — a new best-ever price. That knocks 27% off the list price of $1,299.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (Unlocked, 256GB) $949.99 at Amazon
$1,299.99 Save $350 Get Deal

TIme to upgrade your phone? Now's a great time if you're an Android user, as one of the top dogs of the Samsung Galaxy lineup is down to an all-time low price.

As of Aug. 4, you can pick up an unlocked Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra with 256GB of storage for just $949.99 at Amazon. That's a $350 price drop from its usual $1,299.99 and a new best price ever for the titanium gray model. If you prefer titanium black or titanium silverblue (yes, that's the actual name), those models are also on sale for a new low of $999.99.

Here's the thing. If you're already rocking an S24 model, it's probably not worth the upgrade to the S25 Ultra. However, if you're sporting a really old handset and just need to catch up with the times, it's a great pick. A 2025 release, the Galaxy S5 Ultra has a lot to offer — too much, even (in the realm of AI). A nearly 27-hour battery life keeps you from being tethered to an outlet, even when you're watching endless TikTok videos. The Snapdragon 8 Elite processor is hella powerful for the zippiest navigation. "Things that seem like they should be hardware-intensive, such as AI features, seem to run without much of a fuss," Mashable's reviewer writes. It also packs a new 50 MP ultra-wide lens, a fun "Now Brief" widget and plenty of other S25 Ultra-exclusive AI features, and new curved edges and a lighter build.

Snagging the S25 Ultra at Amazon saves you the trouble of coordinating a trade-in or data plan at a specific carrier. It also won't be carrier-locked if you want to travel abroad and connect to a new network. Of course, it's also a lot cheaper. Upgrade while it's down to a new record-low of $949.99.

SAVE 56%: The Renpho Elis 1 smart scale is on sale at Amazon for $19.98, down from the list price at Renpho of $44.99. That's a savings of $25.01.

Opens in a new window Credit: Renpho Renpho Elis 1 smart scale $19.98 at Amazon
$44.99 Save $25.01 Get Deal

Not everyone likes to weigh themselves and that's more than fair. Weight is but a single indication of health. Old-school traditional bathroom scales only read out one number — the overall weight. Sure, that's awesome when checking that your luggage isn't overweight before a big trip, but otherwise this number can be pretty useless. The Renpho smart scale, however, goes way beyond offering a single number, and it's on a huge sale at Amazon.

As of Aug. 4, the Renpho Elis 1 smart scale is on sale at Amazon for $19.98, marked down from the list price of $44.99. That's a savings of $25.01 from a massive 56% discount. Today's sale price comes within $2 of the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon.

The Renpho Elis 1 smart scale offers tons of health insight, in addition to overall weight. The scale is designed to measure body fat, muscle mass, metabolic age, BMI, and more. Together, these metrics can offer a much more holistic view of health compared to weight alone.

SEE ALSO: Home gym starter kit: Everything you need to work out from home

The Renpho smart scale is suitable for those who weigh 400 pounds or less, and there are even settings to get accurate weight readouts on pets and babies. Plus, the Renpho Health app can sync to Apple Health and Samsung Health, so you can access app metrics on your fitness tracker or phone.

If you're looking for better insights into overall health, the Renpho Elis 1 smart scale gives you so much more than just weight. You'll get deep metrics that can help with tracking fitness goals much better than by weight alone. Thanks to today's deal at Amazon, the scale is on sale for only $19.98. Snag it while it's 56% off and you'll be in great shape for keeping tabs on fall health and fitness goals.

Microsoft is pushing Copilot AI on Bing users who search for rival AI chatbots, according to a new report from Windows Latest.

Users who search for the likes of Open AI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, or Anthropic's Claude will see Copilot banners popping up, prompting users to ask Microsoft's AI service their queries and later opening the Copilot website with results. The banner reads "Your Copilot is here."

Microsoft is pushing users to use its AI chatbot. Credit: Screenshot / Bing.

The results for Copilot are prominent, displayed right at the top of the search results of AI competitors.

"Effortlessly ask questions, generate images, and handle tasks with Copilot, your reliable companion," reads the result on Bing.com. And per Windows Latest, the Copilot promotion is subtly labeled as an advertisement, with fine print that reads, "promoted by Microsoft."

Microsoft isn't alone in leading users to its own AI. Google, for example, similarly promotes Gemini and AI search on its platform via pop-ups.

Microsoft recently entered the AI browser space, introducing Copilot Mode in Microsoft Edge, its AI-powered browser.

SAVE 40%: As of August 4, you can get the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K for $29.99, down from $49.99, at Amazon. That's a 40% discount and $20 in savings.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K $29.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal

If you weren’t able to snag the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K during Prime Day, you’ve got a second chance.

As of August 4, you can get the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K for $29.99, down from $49.99, at Amazon. That's a 40% discount and $20 in savings. But you'd better hurry — Amazon's marked this as a "limited-time deal."

With an Amazon Fire TV Stick, you can stream millions of movies and shows (including free content and live channels) on your favorite apps, like Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and more. It's not just for watching shows, either. If you’re into gaming but don’t have a console, you can use it to play Xbox games with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription.

This little device also seriously upgrades your viewing experience. It supports WiFi 6, Ultra HD 4K with Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos audio. Plus, it comes with an Alexa Voice Remote, so you can search for content, launch apps, and even control your smart home devices just by asking.

Spike Lee's remake of Akira Kurosawa's 1963 crime thriller High to Low had Cannes Film Festival abuzz in May. And now, with the film set for cinemas and streaming, A24 and Apple have dropped an impeccable new trailer.

Written by Alan Fox and Lee, Highest 2 Lowest sees Denzel Washington reunite with the Malcolm X director, playing New York music mogul David King. (Kurosawa's film revolved around Tokyo shoe company executive Kingo Gondo, played by Toshiro Mifune.) When a personal ransom plot suddenly emerges, the city's iconic skyline and subways take on a sinister form as King scrambles to negotiate.

Jeffrey Wright plays King's driver, best friend, and closest confidante, Paul. A$AP Rocky stars as Yung Felon, an aspiring rapper trying to catch the ear of the music titan, and Ilfenesh Hadera plays David's wife, Pam.

Lee's crew is also an all-star lineup, with longtime collaborators editor Barry Alexander Brown and composer Howard Drossin, The Get Down editor Allyson C. Johnson, frequent Washington producer Todd Black, and Darren Aronofsky's go-to cinematographer Matthew Libatique.

Highest 2 Lowest hits cinemas Aug. 15 before streaming on Apple TV+ on Sept. 5.

Worried that Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 7 can't withstand a lot of folding and unfolding? A Korean YouTuber is here to alleviate those fears — or make them worse, depending on how his experiment ends.

The tech-it YouTube channel is currently running a livestream in which one of the hosts is attempting to fold the Galaxy Z Fold 7 a whopping 200,000 times to see how it holds up.

One would imagine that performing this would be easier using specialized equipment, but the streamer is actually manually folding and unfolding the phone, which is...impressive?

A caption in the video stream claims that the feat is performed manually to make the experiment "similar to the actual usage environment." Our wrists hurt just looking at it, though.

As of this writing, the fold count is currently just under 150,000, so it'll certainly take a day or two to finish the test. In the video caption, the streamers said they "plan to do 40,000-50,000 folds per day."

SEE ALSO: The iPhone Fold could be cheaper than we expected

As for the device used in the video, it appears to work perfectly fine at this point, with no visible damage.

It's worth noting that Samsung Display officially rates the display used in the Galaxy Z Fold 7 as capable of surviving 500,000 folds, so this experiment isn't really bringing it close to its limits. Perhaps there's room for stretching the original goal a bit further?

We brought The Naked Gun stars Liza Koshy and Paul Walter Hauser onto the Say More couch to play "Say Action," a game where actors and comedians deliver iconic lines of dialogue from beloved films with a hilarious twist. Each line of dialogue is accompanied by a directive, like "Deliver the dialogue as if it were a pickup line." What ensued was 10 minutes of comedic gold!

Directed by Akiva Schaffer, The Naked Gun reboots the classic Leslie Nielsen comedy series, this time with Liam Neeson in the lead as Police Squad's Detective Frank Drebin Jr.

Hauser and Koshy join Neeson as members of Police Squad, with Hauser playing Captain Ed Hocken Jr. and Koshy playing Detective Barnes. Can these two members of Police Squad keep Frank on track as he tries to solve a new case? You'll have to watch the movie — which Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko described as "a laugh riot fit to be seen in theaters with a crowd" — in order to find out.

The Naked Gun is now in theaters.

Shop the Home Depot's 2025 Halloween collection: 12 ft. Grave & Bones Giant-Sized Skelly with LifeEyes LCD Eyes $299 Shop Now 6.5 ft. Grave & Bones Animated LED App Controlled Ultra Skelly with LifeEyes LCD Eyes $279 Shop Now 5 ft. Long Grave & Bones LED Skelly's Cat $199 Shop Now 5 ft. Grave & Bones Skelly's Sitting Dog with LifeEyes LCD Eyes $249 Shop Now 7 ft. Long Grave & Bones Skelly's Dog with LifeEyes LCD Eyes $199 Shop Now

Code Orange: The Home Depot has launched its 2025 Halloween collection online and on its mobile app. The drop marks the return of "Skelly," the home improvement retailer's iconic 12-foot skeleton, and the debut of a new 6.5-foot app-controlled Ultra Skelly.

The collection went live around 6:30 a.m. ET on August 4, and all items are only available while supplies last. (Skelly, its Ultra variant, and several other animatronics are limited to one per customer.) Some will eventually hit Home Depot store shelves later this fall.

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"This year’s collection has something for everyone," said Aubrey Horowitz, the Home Depot's decorative holiday merchant, in a press release. "Whether you’re a Halloween enthusiast adding to your collection or a family starting new traditions, we’ve combined creativity, quality, and value to make your celebrations even spookier.”

This is the Home Depot's first Halloween drop of the year. It scrapped a "Halfway to Halloween" launch in April, disappointing collectors and sparking conspiracy theories among its active fandom on Facebook.

The Home Depot 2025 Halloween collection: What's new and what's not The Ultra Skelly is a shorter but more interactive version of its viral 12-footer. Credit: The Home Depot

Skelly helms the Home Depot's marquee "Grave & Bones" collection for the sixth year in a row at its usual price of $299. It's joined for the first time by the shorter but higher-tech Ultra Skelly ($279), which has a light-up ribcage, voice effects, motion-activated animations, and Bluetooth support. Users can have it play recorded messages or control it in real time from their smartphone. Horowitz told Mashable it's the item she's "probably most excited about" because the Halloween market hasn't seen such technology before.

"He's completely customizable, so you can speak into him live and really spook your trick-or-treaters on Halloween," she explained. "You can customize his lights and motion. He has 18 different eyes [settings], so really perfect for any party — Halloween, New Year's. He's kind of a year-round fixture, so I'm really excited about him."

Skelly is a cat person — er, former person? Credit: The Home Depot

Skelly also got some new pets this year, including a five-foot-tall, Doberman-style Sitting Skelly's Dog with moving LCD "LifeEyes" ($249) and a frisky five-foot-long Skelly's Cat ($199). The Home Depot received a lot of requests for the latter specifically, Horowitz said. They're being sold alongside last year's megapopular seven-foot-long Skelly's Dog ($199), which is available again as part of an online-only restock.

Sit. Stay. Good boy. Credit: The Home Depot

The Home Depot has also launched a new arboraceous "Gruesome Grounds" collection that includes the Worricrow and Gally-Crow, two light-up, motion-activated 15-footers with 12-foot arm spans — its largest animatronics yet. They're both priced at $399, and the Gally-Crow is an online exclusive.

The Worricrow (left) and Gally-Crow are the Home Depot's biggest Halloween props to date. Credit: The Home Depot

Other new additions include an eight-foot-wide Wyvern with color-changing lights ($399); an eight-foot talking troll named Tumble ($249); 3.5-foot Scarred Chucky and Tiffany Valentine dolls ($229 each), as seen in the 1998 movie Bride of Chucky; and a 6.5-foot Bride of Frankenstein animatronic ($279) to go with the seven-foot Frankenstein's Monster ($279), a 2024 release that's returned.

Tumble and Mrs. Frankenstein were two of the first to go during Monday morning's launch, selling out in about an hour.

A few familiar faces will not be back this year. That includes the 12-foot Inferno Pumpkin Skeleton, which was sold alongside Skelly from 2021 to 2024, as well as last year's Inferno Deadwood Skeleton and motorized Servo Skelly. A Home Depot rep told Mashable that they could return down the road.

Happy belated Summerween

August might seem premature for a Halloween drop, but it's extremely late by the Home Depot's standards. From 2022 to 2024, the retailer launched select props and animatronics in April as part of a Halfway to Halloween sale before releasing its complete lineup in mid-July. That spring sale was canceled for 2025.

The decision was cause for serious concern among the Home Depot's Facebook fandoms, as Mashable previously reported. Many members theorized that the retailer's usual programming was thwarted by President Donald Trump's tariffs on imported goods from China. Skelly and other Home Depot animatronics are made there by a California company called Seasonal Visions International (SVI).

SEE ALSO: Is the Home Depot's viral 12-foot skeleton a victim of President Trump's tariffs?

The Home Depot wouldn't confirm that tariffs directly impacted its Halfway to Halloween event. The company told Mashable in June that its past iterations were meant as a "surprise and delight moment" for its Halloween superfans and that "it's not necessarily a core part of our strategy." However, our investigation found that tariffs had a ripple effect on the Halloween industry this spring.

Some of the Home Depot's competitors wound up postponing or cancelling their own Halloween drops due to economic turmoil. And for its part, SVI ended its free replacement part program, reduced its overall parts availability, and closed its support lines in July, citing "changes in tariffs and the global supply chain shifts" in a note on its website.

In curating its 2025 Halloween collection amid tariff challenges, Horowitz said the Home Depot has prioritized customer value and new innovations.

"[Something that's] really important to the program is being able to meet customers' expectations on the program that we've had year over year," she said. "So in terms of pricing, I am confident that our values are not going to be beat in the market. ... We're going to have both of our collections really fully stocked."

UPDATE: Aug. 4, 2025, 8:34 a.m. EDT This story has been updated to note that the eight-foot Tumble the troll and 6.5-foot Bride of Frankenstein animatronics have both sold out.

UPDATE: Aug. 4, 2025, 6:42 a.m. EDT This story has been updated to reflect that the Home Depot's 2025 Halloween drop is now live.

TL;DR: Live stream the 12th season of Love Island UK for free on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Forget about sunning yourself on a picture-perfect beach this summer, because Love Island UK is back on our screens for the forseeable future.

Prepare yourself for weeks of cringey pickup lines, awkward breakups, and massive meltdowns. There's also a slim chance that contestants will find love, but that's not really what Love Island is about. It's all about the drama, and this season is delivering that in abundance. We honestly weren't expecting this level of spice, but there's something special about this season. We honestly think this could go down as one of the best seasons ever.

If you're interested in watching Love Island UK in 2025 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Love Island UK in 2025?

The 12th season of Love Island UK started on June 9. The 12th series is expected to run for eight weeks.

How to watch Love Island UK for free in 2025

The 12th season of Love Island UK is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

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

Live stream Love Island UK for free 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. Visit ITVX

5. Stream Love Island UK 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 unblocking streaming sites are not free, but they do tend to offer free trials and money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 12th season of Love Island UK without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you time to watch a large chunk of the season 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 streaming is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for accessing free live streams on ITVX, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• Easy-to-use apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, as well as platforms like Linux, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, and routers

• Strict no-logging policy

• Fast connection 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 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month subscription for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream Love Island UK for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

SAVE $200: Grab the new M4-powered Apple MacBook Air (2025) for just $799 at Amazon — the best price we’ve seen so far.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple 2025 MacBook Air $799 at Amazon
$999 Save $200 Get Deal

For Apple fans who’ve been holding out for a decent Mac upgrade, here’s one of the best opportunities you’ll get this year. As of Aug. 4, Amazon has slashed the price of Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air (2025, M4 chip) to just $799. That means you’ll get $200 off its regular $999 tag, and according to price tracker camelcamelcamel, it’s the lowest price on record.

This deal covers all its available colours: midnight, silver, sky blue, and starlight, so you won’t have to settle when it comes to aesthetics either.

If you’ve read our review of the 2025 MacBook Air, you’ll know this runs like a dream as well as looking good. Powered by Apple’s new M4 chip, it brings a huge leap in performance and efficiency. Whether you’re juggling spreadsheets, editing videos, or diving into Apple Intelligence features, this machine stays fast and fluid. With 16GB of unified memory and 256GB of SSD storage, it's designed to handle heavy multitasking without breaking a sweat.

Its 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display supports a billion colours, making everything from movies to presentations look vivid and sharp. Meanwhile, the improved 12MP Center Stage camera, three-mic array, and Spatial Audio speakers make this one of the best MacBooks for both Zoom calls and binge-watching.

SEE ALSO: The best Apple deals this week: MacBooks, AirPods, and more

Apple claims up to 18 hours of battery life, which means you can leave your charger at home and still get through your workday — or your flight, your study session, or your Netflix marathon. Port-wise, you get Thunderbolt 4, MagSafe charging, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3 — plus support for up to two external displays, a first for the Air lineup.

The only negative we’d point out to potential shoppers is that this definitely isn’t a gaming laptop — with its max 60Hz display offering framerates that are considered minimal in the PC gaming space. 

Still, at $799, the 2025 MacBook Air 13-inch is easily one of the most compelling Apple laptop deals we’ve seen in ages. Whether you're a student, a remote worker, or just tired of your laggy old machine, this sleek powerhouse is a no-brainer at this price.

Want more options? Check out our full list of the best Apple deals this week — including more MacBooks, iPads, and a lot more. If you’re looking solely for a bargain on AirPods, jump straight ahead to the Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $169 deal while it lasts.

Sometimes it feels like there are more movies on Hulu than there are grains of sand on a beach. OK, not really, but as we enter the final weeks of summer, a couple of sandy selections, and a few other good picks, stood out to me as some great movies on the streaming service to settle in with this week.

SAVE $207: Score the ASUS TUF Gaming F16 for just $892.49 (regularly $1,099.99) — the lowest price yet on this RTX 4050-powered gaming beast.

Opens in a new window Credit: ASUS ASUS TUF Gaming F16 Gaming Laptop $892.49 at Amazon
$1,099.99 Save $207.50 Get Deal

If you’re after a portable gaming system that’s also an upgrade from your current PC, Amazon has dropped a major discount on a new model from one of my favourite series of laptops.

As of Aug. 4, the ASUS TUF Gaming F16 is seeing a rare price drop to $892.49 on Amazon — shaving more than $200 off its original price tag. According to price tracker camelcamelcamel, that’s the lowest price for this particular model since launching this year, and considering what you’re getting under the hood, it’s a steal.

Designed to handle everything from casual sessions to competitive marathons, this 16-inch gaming laptop promised to pack a real punch. The Intel Core 5 210H processor teams up with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 GPU (with up to 115W Max TGP) to deliver solid 1080p performance across most modern games. 

Whether you’re jumping into Baldur’s Gate 3, Cyberpunk 2077, or any of the latest hits like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, this system will aim to hold its ground — and do so without sounding like a jet engine, thanks to its beefy cooling setup.

SEE ALSO: The best Apple deals this week: MacBooks, AirPods, and more

The 144Hz FHD+ display with 100% sRGB colour and Adaptive-Sync targets smooth, tear-free gameplay, and the 16:10 aspect ratio gives you a bit of extra vertical space — perfect for strategy games, spreadsheets, or multitasking between Discord and Steam. It’s all housed in a rugged chassis that meets MIL-STD-810H military durability standards, so it’s more than ready to survive life in a backpack.

You also get 16GB of DDR5 RAM, a speedy 512GB Gen4 SSD, WiFi 6, and Windows 11 Home out of the box. And yes, it still manages to look sleek, with a subtle embossed TUF logo — no over-the-top RGB distractions here.

However, if you want your new gaming laptop to be even more future-proofed to get more out of your investment, the F16 has the same added feature as my beloved ASUS TUF 16: upgradable RAM and storage. 

If you're looking for a reliable, capable gaming laptop under $1,000, this deal is hard to beat. Just don’t wait too long — deals like this tend to disappear fast once the price hits rock bottom.

By unscrewing the bottom panel, you’ll have access to the TUF F16’s dual RAM and SSD slots — of which you can either add an additional SSD and DDR5 RAM stick to increase your storage and memory, or replace them with whole new kits altogether.

I’d done the same last year with my older ASUS TUF A16 — swapping its base 8GB DDR4 RAM stick with twin 16GB DDR4 RAM sticks for 32GB, and I could suddenly play Metaphor: ReFantazio like it was a breeze. 

Whilst you can’t swap other components like the processor or GPU as time goes by, being able to upgrade your storage and RAM will make the ASUS F16 stay relevant in the gaming space for years to come.

If you’re more of a casual gamer or are looking more for a home office upgrade, check out our selection of best Apple deals for the week — which include bargains on MacBooks, iPads, and more. For those still wanting to build a home PC rig, too, you can grab this 34-inch ultrawide gaming monitor from KOORUI for only $265.99.

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's The Mini crossword answers for August 4 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: Bugs

• Green: Large plants

• Blue: Common phrases

• Purple: Two-syllable words

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

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

• Yellow: Antrhopods

• Green: Trees

• Blue: [Letter] (is) For ___

• Purple: Words that sound like two letters

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 #785 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Antrhopods: APHID, BEETLE, MITE, TICK

• Trees: BEECH, CEDAR, PINE, YEW

• [Letter] (is) For ___: APPLE, COOKIE, EFFORT, VENDETTA

• Words that sound like two letters: DECAY, EASY, GEO, ZITI

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 August 4

Are you also playing NYT 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.