Blogroll

Mashable recently visited DEEP's campus –  the company building deep sea habitats with the mission to get people to live under water by the end of this decade.

We'll take you underwater in a submarine to see where the habitats will first be tested, then we’ll go inside Sentinel – one of the two habitats DEEP is currently developing, and explore the history of the technology, as well as what it could mean for the future of marine biology and deep sea exploration.

Apple's big September event has come and gone and the new iPhone 17 line of smartphones has just hit stores.

While we're nearing the end of 2025, there's actually still a whole lot more to talk about when it comes to new Apple products – explicitly, new products that Apple didn't mention at its big event.

Apple still has plenty of newly updated and upgraded devices on the way. Here's what to expect to still hear about from Apple by the end of this year, early 2026, and beyond.

iPads

New iPads are on the way and could possibly be announced as soon as October by Apple.

According to Bloomberg's Apple insider Mark Gurman, the iPad Pro could be announced next month. The upgraded version of Apple's Pro tablet will receive an upgrade from Apple's M4 chip to the M5. It would be the first iPad Pro upgrade since May of last year.

The iPad Air and iPad base models are also due for upgrades, but those are expected to arrive in March or April of next year. The iPad Air will be upgraded from the M3 chip to the M4. The new Apple base model will also receive a more powerful chip, expected to be an upgrade from the A16 chip which last powered the iPhone 15.

AirTags 2

Before the Apple Event 2025 where we got the iPhone Air, some rumors suggested we could get a surprising announcement along with it: The long-awaited sequel to AirTags.

We expect the AirTags 2 to look similar to the original model, even though they haven't gotten an update since their release in 2021. (Apple, if you're listening, make the new version flat, please.) Look forward to a longer tracking range and better battery life, at a minimum.

When will they be released? Smart money is still on a 2025 release date for the AirTags 2.

iPhone 17e

We've already been introduced to the new iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. However, we have yet to meet Apple's newest budget model smartphone in the iPhone 17 family: the iPhone 17e.

The big upgrade here, like with the iPads, is going to be with its chipset. The iPhone 17e will likely receive the same A19 chip found now found in the iPhone 17 base model, which is an upgrade from the iPhone 16e's A18 chip.

It also looks like Apple is moving to an annual release model for its budget iPhone as well. The iPhone 16e just came out earlier this year. Its predecessor, the third generation of iPhone SE, came out in 2022. So, if we get an e version of the iPhone 17, we'd expect it to arrive around February 2026.

AirPods Max

While the AirPods Pro 3 were announced at the latest Apple event, there doesn't seem to be any new Airpods Max on the horizon for a little while – but they are on the way,

According to Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the Airpods Max 2 are scheduled for launch in 2027. Not much is known about the upgrades it will receive, but it is expected to be the lightest headphones Apple has offered yet.

Apple TV

The most current Apple TV 4K model was launched in 2022 so a new Apple TV device is certainly on the way. 

According to reports, a new Apple TV could be announced by the end of the year. This new version of Apple's set-top TV box would get an upgrade to the A17 Pro chip, which means Apple TV would be able to handle the processing power required for Apple Intelligence. 

Could an AI assistant be coming to your TV courtesy of Apple? We'll find out soon enough.

HomePods

Apple's smart speakers, HomePods, were supposed to get an upgrade last year, in 2024. This included a new version of Apple's HomePods meant to compete with Google Nest Hub. 

However, those announcements never came to fruition amid reports that the release of the new devices were postponed. Then the rumors said to expect the new HomePods in early 2025. When that didn't happen, the device was said to be announced during Apple's WWDC in June.

Here we are now, post-Apple's September iPhone event without any new HomePods in sight.

The HomePods Mini 2 is still rumored to be announced before the year's end, but don't be surprised if that gets pushed back again.

But, the rumored HomePod smart home hub with a smart display appears to almost certainly be delayed until next year.

MacBooks

Last, but certainly not least, is Apple's MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. Both of the company's laptop lines are expected to receive an update by the end of this year or early 2026. 

According to Bloomberg's Apple insider Mark Gurman, Apple should soon be announcing its new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros, upgraded with its new M5 chip. Since Apple rolled out its Silicon chipset, the company has typically introduced the new MacBook Pro line in October. There was one year where the M2 version of Apple's laptops were rolled out in January, so if October comes and goes without a new MacBook Pro announcement, look to early next year as the release date.

The new MacBook Air line with the M5 chip is slated for the first half of 2026 as well so it's possible both Apple MacBook models' release dates could line up.

You just got a new iPhone 17, or you're planning on getting one imminently. Or, maybe you installed iOS 26 on your older iPhone. Either way, you need one of those awesome new custom lock screens to match the Liquid Glass vibe, pronto.

The good news is that iOS 26 has some easy-to-use ways to create a custom lock screen with whatever images, fonts, and widgets you like. Here's how it works.

SEE ALSO: Apple updates parental controls for iOS 26 Option 1: Set a wallpaper in settings

There are multiple simple ways to set up a new wallpaper and customize your lock screen on iOS 26. The easiest method is to go into your phone's settings

1. Go to Settings

2. Go to Wallpaper

3. Hit "Add New Wallpaper"

4. Select either one photo or a Photo Shuffle option

Once you've selected a photo, you'll see a customizable version of the lock screen. Swipe to apply different filters to your photo, and pinch and drag to zoom and crop the photo as you like. In the widgets section, you can tap and select which widgets to add to your lock screen. Options include tools like the flashlight and calculator, as well as apps such as Gmail or Instagram.

Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable Credit: Screenshot: Apple/Tim Werth

Finally, you can drag down the clock so that it partly disappears behind the object in the center of the photo (this happens automatically). If you tap on the clock, you can also change the typeface, size, and color of the clock.

Pro tip: The fewer widgets you add to your lock screen, the cooler it will look! We recommend sticking with just the flashlight and camera, the default options.

Option 2. Go to Photos Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

If you already know which photo you want to set as your new wallpaper, you can also set a wallpaper in the Photos app. To do this, hit the share button, swipe down, and select "Use as Wallpaper."

From there, you can customize the lock screen in the same way as before.

Option 3. Customize via the lock screen

Lastly, you can simply hold down on the lock screen and hit "Customize" if you want to change everything on the lock screen all at once. From here, you can adjust how large the clock readout is, change the font for it, add or remove widgets, and even swipe left and right to change between different color filters for the wallpaper. It's pretty straightforward once you find it.

What are you waiting for? Go out there and put together the coolest lock screen you can.

A custom lock screen. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth Need iPhone wallpaper inspo? Try this. Credit: Mashable

Most guys have a love-hate relationship with dating apps. But between work and life, meeting someone organically can feel nearly impossible. That's the promise of online dating — an unlimited number of meet-cutes right to your phone, no serendipity required.

We get it, though. Dating as a man in 2025 is tough. It's not just the pressure to make or the fear of rejection if you do — it's the endless swiping through fake profiles, scammers, AI-generated thirst traps, bots posing as potential matches, relentless Instagram models trying to lure you into their OnlyFans scam, and matches with impossibly high expectations (yes, the "6-6-6 rule" is a real thing).

But despite the challenges, dating apps do work. One 2023 Pew Research Center survey found that one in 10 partnered adults met their significant other through online dating. The numbers are even higher for young people and the LGBTQ+ community.

Don't get discouraged — plenty of men and women are looking for love, friendship, and lust online. Credit: Zain Awais / Mashable

When asked about their experiences with dating apps, 53 percent of users said they had a positive experience, with 14 percent rating it as "very positive." And there's more good news — 57 percent of guys reported positive experiences and results compared to 48 percent of women. Finding that success is just a matter of choosing the best dating app for your needs.

SEE ALSO: The dating app glossary: The A to Z of terms you need to know The best dating apps for guys who know what they want

This guide is your cheat sheet for the best dating apps for men in 2025. We've done the research and found the apps that are actually worth your time. Whether you're looking for something casual or something serious, we have a dating app to recommend.

Pro tip: Don't be afraid to experiment. Try out a few different apps and see what works for you. And most importantly, don't get discouraged! Sometimes, the occasional bad date or disappointing flirtation is just the price you pay to meet the match of a lifetime.

For the first time, astronomers have observed something like a Pluto colliding with a white dwarf, the shriveled corpse of a medium-size star.

The white dwarf, dubbed WD 1647+375, is about 260 light-years away from Earth in space. Despite its distance, this dead star's realm might have had striking similarities to our own solar system, including something akin to a Kuiper Belt, a disk past Neptune of comets and icy dwarf planets, according to new research.

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope made the discovery by playing the part of a crime scene detective. By studying the material falling onto the white dwarf, scientists could reconstruct what kinds of planets and other cosmic objects — their ingredients, sizes, and compositions — probably orbited the star. 

Put another way: The trash around a white dwarf tells researchers a lot about the exoplanets a star once had. 

"I’ve been absolutely thrilled that we now identified a system that resembles the objects in the frigid outer edges of our solar system," said Boris Gänsicke, the Hubble program's principal investigator and a University of Warwick researcher, in a statement. "Measuring the composition of an exo-Pluto is an important contribution toward our understanding of the formation and evolution of these bodies."

SEE ALSO: A dwarf planet far beyond Pluto might have a paper-thin atmosphere

The new findings suggest icy bodies in the outskirts of a planetary system may be able to survive for a long time after its star has run out of fuel. This may even provide insight into what will come of our own solar system after the sun dies. The results were published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Normally when a medium-size star dies, it blasts away the bulk of material in its system. The Hubble discovery was surprising to astronomers because most would predict the distant icy worlds to be destroyed or cast out long before the star reached the white-dwarf stage.

But in this case, Hubble observed the debris around the white dwarf in ultraviolet light and saw the chemical fingerprints of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and water ice — similar to the mix of elements found on Pluto. Because white dwarfs have simple atmospheres — mostly hydrogen and helium — the team knew any heavier elements detected there had to have come from something else crashing into the dead star, according to the paper. 

"We know that Pluto's surface is covered with nitrogen ices," said Snehalata Sahu, a University of Warwick astronomer and the paper's first author, in a statement. "We think that the white dwarf [accumulated] fragments of the crust and mantle of a dwarf planet."

Still, the researchers can't rule out some other origin. Based on the chemical composition alone, they can't determine if the Pluto-like object was native to the star's system or an interstellar visitor, not unlike the comet 3I/ATLAS hurtling through our solar system now. 

But if this object were a far-flung dwarf planet from the outskirts of its planetary system, how then did it end up so close to the star? 

As a sun-like star ages, it swells into a red giant before becoming a white dwarf, bloating so much that it either scorches or engulfs the inner planets. Around the sun, the first victims are expected to be Mercury and Venus, followed by Earth. 

The Kuiper Belt is a disk of comets, dwarf planets, and other icy bodies outside Neptune's orbit in our solar system. Credit: NASA infographic

By the time the star withers into a white dwarf, the survivors are the gas and ice giant worlds in the outer reaches. That's when things get chaotic. In the dead star's shrunken state, it has much less mass — and less gravity — to hold everything in place. Formerly stable orbits for planets and space rocks could weaken, and any remaining giant planets could shove little icy worlds into extreme, oval-shaped orbits, eventually bringing them near the white dwarf. 

This Pluto-like world likely spent billions of years far from the star, remaining frozen solid. That may be how it stayed intact. But when it approached the white dwarf, it was shredded in one brief-but-violent episode. 

Not only does the discovery shed light on what happens to planetary systems when their stars die, it also helps scientists piece together how water and other ingredients move between worlds. 

Many astronomers believe Earth's oceans formed from comets and asteroids smashing into the planet. While some scientists believe primitive Earth vented out gases 4.5 billion years ago, creating an atmosphere that allowed rain to fall and pool, others think the larger bodies of water formed because space rocks from the outer solar system brought the water — or at least some of it. 

Because the research team found a lot of water ice — making up about 64 percent of the Pluto-like fragments — the study ties into bigger mysteries about how icy objects survive and perhaps deliver water in space, the researchers said. 

"If an alien observer looks into our solar system in the far future," Sahu said, "they might see the same kind of remains we see today around this white dwarf."

SAVE $20: As of Sept. 20, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale for $39.99 at Amazon. This is 33% off its list price of $59.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max $39.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $20 Get Deal

We're inching closer to Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days, but there are already some early deals available at the retailer. If you've been looking to buy a new streaming device to catch all of the latest shows and films that have droppedm recently, Amazon's streaming devices are currently marked down, including the Fire TV Stick 4K Max.

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is available to pick up for $39.99 right now. This is a $20 discount from its usual list price of $59.99, but keep in mind it's marked as a limited-time deal at the moment. If you've had your eye on it, you'll want to grab it quick while it's still at this low price.

SEE ALSO: How to sign up for Amazon Prime ahead of Prime Big Deal Days

For those who frequently use streaming services, it's well worth investing so you can watch in high-quality 4K, and the Fire TV Stick 4K Max supports 4K Ultra HD picture quality alongside Dolby Vision and HDR10+ for crisp and colorful images on screen. It also supports Dolby Atmos audio, so you can fully immerse yourself in what you're watching with excellent sound quality, too. And with WiFi 6E support, you'll also get to enjoy smooth streaming quality while you watch.

On top of these features, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max also comes with 16GB of storage, which is twice as much as its standard 4K counterpart. This provides you with plenty of space for your streaming apps. It also comes with the Fire TV Ambient Experience, which allows you to display art and photos when you're not watching something on your screen.

Pick up the Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $39.99 while it's still on sale at Amazon. On the other hand, if you're not looking to splash out on a 4K streaming device, the Fire TV Stick HD is also on sale at Amazon right now.

TL;DR: Get Imagiyo AI Image Generator lifetime access for $49 (reg. $495) — create up to 500 unique, high-quality images per month with no watermarks.

Opens in a new window Credit: Imagiyo Imagiyo AI Image Generator: Lifetime Subscription (Standard Plan) $49
$495 Save $446 Get Deal

Creativity shouldn’t be limited by budget or tools. With Imagiyo AI Image Generator, you can transform prompts into vivid, high-quality images — and right now, you can secure lifetime access for just $49 (reg. $495).

Whether you’re an artist, designer, small business owner, or just someone who loves to experiment, Imagiyo gives you a studio’s worth of power in your browser. It’s intuitive, responsive, and built to help your imagination run wild.

Some of the best features

• 500 Images Per Month — Keep your creative flow.

• Text-to-Image Power — Turn prompts into stunning visuals in seconds.

• Commercial-Use Ready — Use generated images for projects, branding, or side hustles.

• Advanced Engines — Powered by Stable Diffusion + FLUX AI for top-quality results.

• No Ads, No Watermarks — Just clean, polished images you own.

• Cross-Device Access — Create and download on desktop, tablet, or mobile.

Instead of scrolling endlessly for stock photos, you can generate one-of-a-kind designs tailored to your vision. From professional marketing campaigns to personal passion projects, Imagiyo puts creativity back in your hands — forever.

Get lifetime access to Imagiyo AI Image Generator while it’s just $49 (reg. $495).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

FREE BOOKS: The latest Stuff Your Kindle Day takes place on Sept. 16-20. Into The Darkness, hosted by Indie Author Central, is offering free (or heavily discounted) dark fiction for e-readers.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Into The Darkness (Sept. 16-20) Learn More

Spooky season is almost here, and Stuff Your Kindle Day has arrived just in time to make sure you've got plenty of reading material to get through the dark nights ahead. And if you really want to dive head first into the darkmess, this Stuff Your Kindle is absolutely perfect.

Into The Darkness, hosted by Indie Author Central, is giving away free (or under $1) dark fiction books until Sept. 20. And the books that you download are yours to keep forever. Does your library need some darker themes? It really doesn't matter. A huge number of these books are free to download, so you may as well stock up. What do you have to lose?

SEE ALSO: The best Kindle accessories for reading in luxury

Looking to make the most of the latest Stuff Your Kindle Day? We've lined up everything you need to know about this popular event.

When is Stuff Your Kindle Day?

Into The Darkness takes place from Sept. 16-20. Unlike a lot of Stuff Your Kindle Days that take place over 24 hours, this event runs for five days. That's good news for all the indecisive bookworms out there. You've got time to consider your options and find exactly what you want to read. That being said, you don't need to stress too much as a lot of these books are free.

Who can take part in Stuff Your Kindle Day?

There are many great aspects to Stuff Your Kindle Day, but the really beautiful thing is that anyone can participate. Kindle, Kobo, and Nook readers can download these books for free. You can even download these books on your preferred app and read them straight from your phone.

Which e-books are free?

Finding all of these free (or heavily discounted) dark fiction books is straightforward thanks to the helpful hub page on Indie Author Central. Everything is presented clearly with filters for things like genre, content level, spice level, and major tropes, so you can head directly to the books you actually want to read. You can also filter for only the free books, so there's no disappointment.

Is Stuff Your Kindle Day the same as Amazon Kindle Unlimited?

Everything you download on Stuff Your Kindle Day is yours to keep forever, and there's no limit on the number of books you can download. Stuff Your Kindle Day downloads don't count towards the 20 books that Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscribers can borrow at the same time.

The best Stuff Your Kindle Day deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (Refurbished) $106.99 at Amazon
$143.99 Save $37.00 Get Deal Why we like it

These popular e-readers help you take your entire library on the go. With weeks of battery life and an anti-glare display, you can read anywhere and anytime with the Kindle. This deal is for a refurbished device, categorized as "like new" in quality. According to Amazon, this Kindle is "refurbished, tested, and certified to look and work like new and comes with the same limited warranty as a new device." This deal is also available on the 16GB model, and in all colorways: black, jade, and raspberry.

The best Netflix deals at a glance: BEST FOR T-MOBILE CUSTOMERS Netflix Standard (with ads) Free for those on Go5G, Experience Beyond and Experience More plans (save $7.99/month) Learn More BEST BUNDLE DEAL Netflix and HBO Max bundle (with ads) $10 per month for Verizon customers with myPlan (save $7.99 per month) Learn More BEST FOR COMCAST CUSTOMERS Netflix Standard with ads, Apple TV+, and Peacock Premium $15/month with Xfinity StreamSaver Get Deal MOST AFFORDABLE PLAN Netflix Standard with ads $7.99 per month Learn More

Director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland released the ghastly, groundbreaking, and genre-disrupting 28 Days Later way back in 2002, followed by 28 Weeks Later in 2007. Now, over two decades later, the duo is back with 28 Years Later. And it's a doozy.

As the name suggests, 28 Years Later is set 28 years after the events of the first two films. It stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, Ralph Fiennes, and newcomer Alfie Williams and delivers a whole new dose of devastating dystopia on a zombie-laden planet. Plus, it creatively used iPhones to film a majority of the horrifying sequences. Mashable's Shannon Connellan called it "one of the most unrelenting and scariest films of the year" in her review. And now it's available to stream on the small screen.

Here's everything you need to know about how to watch 28 Years Later at home — including when and where it's streaming and how you can watch for less.

What is 28 Years Later about?

28 Years Later follows a family living in a very small community on an island off the coast of England. It's a fortified pocket of humanity away from the Rage Virus-infected mainland and only accessible via a heavily defended causeway on low tide. As a rite of passage, dad Jamie (Taylor-Johnson) takes his 12-year-old son Spike (Williams) to the mainland to see remnants of society and make his first kill. Spike finds out there's a doctor living on the mainland and ventures off with his chronically ill mother, Isla (Comer), in search of a cure.

Of course, it's no easy venture through post-apocalypse Britain. Not to mention, they discover that the Rage Virus has evolved.

Check out the very intense trailer below:

Is 28 Years Later worth watching?

Bringing in $145.8 million at the worldwide box office, 28 Years Later became just the third horror movie of 2025 to surpass the $100 million mark (behind Sinners and Final Destination: Bloodlines). And impressively, most of the reviews coming out of the theater are positive. It currently holds an 88 percent critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 64 percent audience rating. Mashable's own reviewer raved about it, calling it "a triumphant return" and "one of the scariest movies of the year."

"Boyle and Garland, with their impeccably talented team and a magnificent cast — led by the young and wondrous Williams — manage to both connect their original creation with the present and forge a terrifying new landscape, one that will stress you out and make a meal of your own fingernails," Connellan writes.

Zombie apocalypse films are so back, y'all.

Read our full review of 28 Years Later.

How to watch 28 Years Later at home Credit: Sony Pictures

As of Sept. 20, there are three ways you can watch 28 Years Later at home: buy it on digital, rent it on digital, or stream it. See the details below.

Buy or rent it on digital

28 Years Later is available as of July 29 to buy for $14.99 or rent for $9.99 at digital-on-demand retailers. Make note that if you choose to rent, you'll only get 30 days to watch the film and just 48 hours to finish it once you start. If you choose to buy it, then it's yours to keep.

Here are some quick links to rent or purchase the film:

• Prime Video — buy for $14.99, rent for $9.99

• Apple TV — buy for $14.99, rent for $9.99

• Fandango at Home — buy for $14.99, rent for $9.99

• YouTube — buy for $14.99, rent for $9.99

• Google Play — buy for $14.99

Stream it on Netflix

Given Sony Pictures and Netflix's agreement that gives the streamer first dibs, it comes as no surprise that 28 Years Later made its streaming debut on Netflix on Sept. 20.

Since Netflix doesn't offer free trials (and since the platform cracked down on password sharing), you'll need your own Netflix subscription to stream 28 Years Later. Fortunately, Netflix has a few membership tiers; all three options will grant you access.

Watching Netflix with ads is the most affordable option — it'll run you $7.99 per month. If you don't want ads, your next-best choice is to sign up for Netflix Standard for $17.99 per month, which is quite the price jump. Finally, there's a third tier for new subscribers dubbed Netflix Premium. It'll cost you a jaw-dropping $24.99 per month and will let you watch on four household devices at once (as opposed to the other plans' two devices) in 4K Ultra HD + HDR with no ads.

Opens in a new window Credit: Netflix Netflix subscription Starting at $7.99 per month Learn More The best Netflix deals

If you're lucky enough to be eligible for one of the deals below, you can score Netflix for free — or at least at a discount. Be sure to check the terms for more details and sign up before the deals end.

Best Netflix deal for T-Mobile customers Opens in a new window Credit: Netflix Netflix Standard (with ads) Free for select T-Mobile customers Get Deal

T-Mobile customers on most Go5G plans, as well as Experience Beyond and Experience More plans, get Netflix Standard with ads for free (reg. $7.99 per month) as long as their account is in good standing. You need to have two or more lines of any type of Go5G or Magenta plan or at least one line of Go5G Next, Go5G Plus, Magenta MAX, Experience More, or Experience Beyond in order to be eligible.

While the Netflix subscription is free for eligible customers, you'll have to manually activate it by logging into My.T-Mobile and selecting Manage add-ons. Once there, add Netflix in the Services section and you'll be prompted to either create a Netflix account or sign in to an existing one. T-Mobile will take care of your Netflix bill each month. Check out the terms and FAQs on the promo page.

Best Netflix deal for Verizon customers Opens in a new window Credit: Netflix / HBO Max Netflix and HBO Max bundle (with ads) $10 per month for Verizon customers with myPlan Get Deal

As of December 2023, Verizon customers with myPlan can add a Netflix and HBO Max bundle (with ads) for just $10 per month ($6.99 per month in savings). That essentially gets you Netflix with ads for free. Eligible Verizon customers include those on the Unlimited Welcome, Unlimited Plus, or Unlimited Ultimate plans. After enrolling in the promo, you'll have to complete the account setup separately for each service. Eligibility details, terms, and FAQs can be found on the Verizon support page.

Best Netflix deal for Xfinity customers Opens in a new window Credit: Apple TV+ / Peacock / Netflix Netflix Standard with ads, Peacock Premium, and Apple TV+ $15 per month with Xfinity StreamSaver Get Deal

Last year, Comcast announced its Xfinity StreamSaver package, which includes Netflix Standard with ads ($7.99/month), Peacock Premium ($10.99/month), and Apple TV+ ($9.99/month). Essentially, current and new Xfinity Internet or TV customers can add the StreamSaver bundle to their existing services for only $15 per month. Typically $28.97 per month for all three, you'll save about $13.97 monthly.

UPDATE: Sept. 20, 2025, 5:00 a.m. ET This article has been updated to include the latest streaming information and pricing details available for 28 Years Later.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 2, 2025 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: Automakers

• Green: Eaten during the game

• Blue: Hockey players

• Purple: Associated with the atmosphere

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: Car brands

• Green: Bit of sports bar fare

• Blue: N.H.L. team member

• Purple: Sky___

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 #832 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Car brands: DODGE, FORD, LINCOLN, RAM

• Bit of sports bar fare: CHIP, DIP, FRY, WING

• N.H.L. team member: DUCK, FLYER, SENATOR, STAR

• Sky___: DIVE, LARK, ROCKET, SCRAPER

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 September 2, 2025

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.

Are you looking for a fun Raspberry Pi project to try out? Well, the number of projects out there is nearly infinite. So, I’ve narrowed it down to just three for you to get up and running in a couple of days. Here are three Raspberry Pi projects to try out this weekend.

TL;DR: Sri Lanka vs. Bangladesh in the 2025 Asia Cup is available to live stream for free on Tamasha. Access this free streaming service from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 Asia Cup is entering the latter stages, with only four teams now battling it out for the trophy. The first Super Four matchup is Sri Lanka vs. Bangladesh, an exciting battle between two aggressive sides.

If you want to watch Sri Lanka vs. Bangladesh in the 2025 Asia Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Sri Lanka vs. Bangladesh?

Sri Lanka vs. Bangladesh in the 2025 Asia Cup starts at 10:30 a.m. ET on Sept. 20. This game takes place at the Dubai International Stadium.

How to watch Sri Lanka vs. Bangladesh for free

Sri Lanka vs. Bangladesh in the 2025 Asia Cup is available to live stream for free on Tamasha.

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

Live stream Sri Lanka vs. Bangladesh in the 2025 Asia Cup 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 Pakistan

4. Visit Tamasha

5. Live stream Sri Lanka vs. Bangladesh 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 taking advantage of these offers, you can watch the 2025 Asia Cup without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you plenty of time to watch the tournament for free.

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 Tamasha?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for live streaming on free sites like Tamasha, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Pakistan

• 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 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 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2025 Asia Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

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

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

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

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

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

A skin disease.

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

MANGE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Disorder.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

CHAOS

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A large vehicle.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 4 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

TRUCK

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A leak.

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

SPILL

Final Hurdle hint

The beginning.

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

ONSET

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

Wondering why there's hardly any moon visible in the sky tonight? That's because of where we are in the lunar cycle, a series of eight unique phases of the moon's visibility. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days, according to NASA, and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth. 

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Saturday, Sept. 20, the moon phase is Waning Crescent, and it is only 2% lit up to us on Earth, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

Visibility is too low, so there's nothing to see on the moon's surface tonight.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Oct. 6. The last full moon was on Sept. 7.

What are moon phases?

According to NASA, moon phases are caused by the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, which changes 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. This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. 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.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition requires a lot of regional sports knowledge.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for September 20, 2025 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: Northern teams

• Green: Southern teams

• Blue: Types of collectables

• Purple: Same second word

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: Detroit teams

• Green: Louisiana teams

• Blue: Descriptors for trading cards

• Purple: ____ time

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 #362 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Detroit teams - LIONS, PISTONS, RED WINGS, TIGERS

• Louisiana teams - GREEN WAVE, PELICANS, RAGIN' CAJUNS, SAINTS

• Descriptors for trading cards - AUTOGRAPH, BASE, INSERT, RELIC

• ____ time - FULL, HANG, STOPPAGE, TEE

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.

Happy Saturday and welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

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

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

How to play Pips

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 20, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for September 19, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 20 Pips

Number (10): Everything in this purple space must add to 10. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this red space must add to 10. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed horizontally.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 20 Pips

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

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed vertically.

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

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add to 7. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed vertically.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 20 Pips

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

Number (12): Everything in this space must add to 12. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally; 6-0, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add to 9. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed vertically.

Not equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 6-0, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add to 5. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 2-0, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed vertically; 0-1, placed vertically; 0-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed vertically; 0-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 2, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 2, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Dire straits

The words are problem-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are ways to describe tough situations.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is In A Fix.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for September 20

• Pickle

• Muddle

• In a Fix

• Quandary

• Mess

• Predicament

• Dilemma

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

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

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

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 2, 2025 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 2, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To postpone.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter E appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter D.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

DEFER

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 2, 2025

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

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

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

SAVE $50: As of Sept. 19, get the Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $199 at Amazon, down from their usual price of $249. That's a discount of 20%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple AirPods Pro 2 $199 at Amazon
$249 Save $50 Get Deal

The new Apple AirPods Pro 3 are out now, following their official announcement during Apple's Sept. 9 "Awe Dropping" event. The new AirPods mark the first upgrade in three years for a new set from Apple, and a set of new features that you'll definitely want to take advantage of. But if you didn't preorder it might be a bit tough to get a pair, especially at Amazon, where delivery is listed anywhere from Oct. 13 through Nov. 4. Not to worry, because if you're in the market for a pair of AirPods Pro 2, you can scoop those up at a great discount.

As of Sept. 19, get the Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $199 at Amazon, down from their usual price of $249. That's $50 off and a discount of 20%.

SEE ALSO: Apple AirPods Pro 3 Live Translation meme bluntly deciphers snarky subtext

The AirPods Pro 2 are some of the best noise-cancelling earbuds you'll find, and a great option for anyone on the iOS ecosystem. They're great all-around earbuds, in fact, and even though they're missing some of the latest and greatest features of the AirPods Pro 3, they're hardly worth skipping because of it.

These earbuds blend noise cancellation with Adaptive Audio and Transparency Mode to help you block out sound when you want to and let in the ones that you want to hear, so you can seamlessly swap between these options to fine-tune your sound. And with Spatial Audio support, you can feel like you're in the middle of your favorite music as it sounds like it's swirling all around you.

Plus, the H2 chip helps drive better sound and improved call quality with satisfying highs and deep bass, no matter what kind of music you enjoy. They're dust, sweat, and water resistant, and come with on-board touch controls that let you change tracks, volume, and answer calls with a swipe.

If you're in the market for some earbuds, these are a fantastic pick that'll save you some serious cash.

Iconic host Conan O'Brien and former Disney CEO Michael Eisner are the latest high-profile individuals to harshly criticize the decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

The benching of Kimmel's show by ABC and parent company Disney came after his Monday monologue, which referenced the murder of far-right influencer Charlie Kirk. "The MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it," Kimmel said during his Monday night episode.

SEE ALSO: Stephen King reacts to Jimmy Kimmel's suspension with a message for ABC

Following the comments, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Brendan Carr threatened publicly to suspend Kimmel's show. Even though Carr did not follow through with any definitive action, Disney CEO Bob Iger pulled the program off the air, leaving its future in doubt. Free speech advocates were appalled, with some seeing Disney's actions as enabling autocracy. Even stars tied to Disney, like She-Hulk actress Tatiana Maslany, encouraged viewers to cancel their Disney+, ESPN, and Hulu memberships.

Kimmel's fellow late-night hosts, from John Stewart to Seth Meyers, came to his defense, blasting Disney's decision.

O'Brien, who hosted numerous eponymous talk shows since the early 1990s, also had words for Disney.

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

Adding to Disney's complications was a public critique from Eisner, its iconic former CEO, who ran the Walt Disney Co. from 1984 to 2005.

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

Eisner's insinuation of Disney's motives was bolstered by reports of a proposed merger that involves the Mouse House. Nexstar, a media company that owns 32 ABC affiliate stations is hoping to buy a rival company called Tegna — which owns 13 ABC affiliate stations — but would need FCC approval for the purchase, according to the New York Times.