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The UK's age verification law goes into effect on July 25; sites and apps that host porn will have to install methods to verify visitors' ages. Pornhub states it will comply with the law — and so will an unlikely source: dating apps.

Users of hookup app Feeld in the UK may have noticed a pop-up declaring, "Age verification is coming."

SEE ALSO: Roblox introduces age verification for teens

"Heads up: To comply with local laws, age verification will soon be required to access your account."

Age verification pop-up in the Feeld app. Credit: Screenshot: Feeld / Mashable

Over the coming weeks, UK Feeld users will be prompted to verify their ages. Feeld told Mashable that it's using a third-party provider, online identity platform Yoti, in the UK to comply with the recent additions to the 2023 Online Safety Act. Users may be asked to confirm their age with a phone number or a selfie-based age estimation. Feeld won't store personal data like photos or dates of birth, the app stated. 

Feeld will start this in the UK, with additional rollouts in the U.S. and EU being evaluated based on regional requirements and members' needs.

But what about other apps? Mashable reached out to three popular options (Tinder, Bumble, and Hinge) to see how they're handling the UK law.

Which dating apps will add age-verification? Users will need to upload at least one clear photo of their face to Tinder. Credit: Tinder / Mashable edit Tinder

Tinder is also planning on rolling out age verification in the UK late this month to comply with the law. According to the app, users will need to upload at least one clear photo of their face, and they'll use automated technology to estimate their age.

If Tinder can't confirm one's age, the account may be "temporarily restricted while [Tinder] completes a manual review or request further verification, such as an ID check." If this happens to you, your account won't be visible to others and will have limited functionality. 

This month, Tinder started requiring new California users to verify their identity with a facial recognition scan. For years, Tinder offered photo and video verification, and last year, it started requiring an ID check if users wanted a verification badge on their profile.

Bumble

A Bumble spokesperson told Mashable that the app already has measures to prevent minors from accessing the app. 

"We remain committed to complying with the Online Safety Act by enforcing strict age verification, removing underage users, and maintaining a zero-tolerance policy on child sexual exploitation," the spokesperson stated. "As part of this, we work with global safety coalitions and use proactive moderation to keep minors off the app and ensure a safe online environment."

Bumble has had selfie verification for a long time, and more recently added ID verification.

Hinge

A Hinge spokesperson told Mashable that the app collects birth dates, phone numbers, photos, bios, and other information that can be used to verify ages. It takes action against accounts that violate its terms of service or membership principles, and Hinge has automated and human content moderators to keep minors off the app.

To comply with the UK requirements, new and existing UK Hinge users will have a clear face photo scanned to confirm the user is at least 18. Once the age check is done, a user's photo will be kept up to three months for the purpose of the age check, according to a page on Hinge's website about compliance with the UK law. Afterwards, the photo and age assurance results are kept for one year. 

For everything you need to know about UK age-verification laws, Mashable's got you covered.

SAVE $19: As of July 23, the Lego Wednesday Addams Figure is on sale for $30.99 at Amazon. That's 38% off its list price of $49.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: LEGO Lego Wednesday Addams Figure $30.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $19.00 Get Deal

Season 2 of Netflix's Wednesday is right around the corner — Aug. 6, if you want to mark your calendar — and if you're looking for a fun little project to work on before it drops, look no further than Amazon. The retailer is offering a discount right now on the Wednesday Addams Lego set, so you can score it for less ahead of the show's premiere.

Usually the Lego Wednesday Addams Figure is listed for $49.99, but you can score it for just $30.99 right now. That's a 38% discount, allowing you to save $19.

SEE ALSO: Our 13 favorite Lego sets, sourced from actual Lego fans

Coming in at 702 pieces, this LEGO set features Wednesday Addams on a stand in front of the Nevermore Academy gate that features two drawers and a variety of accessories. Alongside the model of Wednesday, this set also comes with two faces and two outfits for her (her uniform or the dress she wore to the Rave’N Dance), a little model of Thing, a typewriter, Nero’s grave, and a crystal ball. If you're a fan of the show, this is a great set to work on ahead of the new season.

Don't miss out on 38% off the Lego Wednesday Addams Figure at Amazon.

Looking for more Lego sets to pick up right now? Check out our 13 favorite Lego sets, as sourced from actual Lego fans.

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's The Mini crossword answers for July 22 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: Mythical creatures

• Green: Cuts of meat

• Blue: Discussed with a realtor

• Purple: Two-in-one

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: Dread-inducing figures

• Green: Kinds of steaks

• Blue: Related to buying a home

• Purple: Animals ending with animals

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 #773 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Dread-inducing figures: BOGEYMAN, BUGBEAR, HOBGOBLIN, PHANTOM

• Kinds of steaks: CHATEAUBRIAND, FLATIRON, PORTERHOUSE, TOMAHAWK

• Related to buying a home: APPRAISAL, ESCROW, INSURANCE, MORTGAGE

• Animals ending with animals: GEODUCK, SEAHORSE, TITMOUSE, WOMBAT

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 July 23

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.

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 July 23 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for July 23 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Chips in

The words are food-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are things you sharable appetizers

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 Party Dips.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for July 23

• Salsa

• Queso

• Guacamole

• Party Dips

• Tzatziki

• Hummus

• Fondue

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 today: Hints and answers for July 23 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's The Mini crossword answers for July 23, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A clear liquid.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter W.

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...

WATER.

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 July 23

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.

The 2025-26 school year is going to look different for the 2 million students and 200,000 teachers that make up New York's K-12 classrooms. None of them, by law, will have their phones on them.

In May, Governor Kathy Hochul passed the Distraction Free Schools Initiative as part of the state's 2026 budget, a law mandating an end to "unsanctioned use of smartphones and other internet-enabled personal devices" in schools. It asks districts to formulate personalized plans for keeping students off devices from the moment they enter campuses to the last school bell, an increasingly popular rule known as a bell-to-bell exclusion policy, one that requires just that parents have the means to communicate with their children. Those plans, aided by a $13.5 million allotment set aside for screen-free infrastructure, are due on the governor's desk by August 1.

SEE ALSO: Trump Administration set to announce executive order targeting "woke AI" chatbots, report says

There will be, understandably, a major adjustment period for students, teachers, and even parents who have battled the growing impact of phones on young people. Screen-free advocates are doing all that they can to ensure New York's mandate — the largest of its kind across the country — will be successful. And they aren't just a group of Luddite Boomers crying out against technology. These are young digital natives, political activists, and, under a new initiative, the teens themselves.

There's no better playground for this than New York City, but policy alone is not enough. - Larissa May, #HalfTheStory New York's new Teen Tech Council

Rather than building the state's phone ban from the top-down, New York's phone-free movement is taking a page out of the book of digital wellness advocates, bringing the primary stakeholders — teens and teachers — directly into the offices of policy makers. Announced today, New York will be pioneering a first-of-its-kind Teen Tech Council, an advocacy program dedicated to training and empowering teens to ensure phone bans stick. In return, teens get the ear of the governor herself.

"I listened to how adults were speaking about the new bell-to-bell distraction-free policy, and I felt like so much of the discussion was asking how we can bring this to life, but with no young people on the team," explained Larissa May, founder of digital wellness organization #HalfTheStory and creator and shepherd of the new Teen Tech Council. Galvanized by the apparent no-questions-asked buy-in from bipartisan leaders pushing social media and Big Tech regulation, May pitched the idea of turning her organization's annual training program, Digital Civics Academy, into a statewide initiative.

"If you want New York to be the leader, we need to bring teens to the table, and we need to create a new culture, going from screen fear to screen-free fun," said May. "There's no better playground for this than New York City, but policy alone is not enough. Implementation requires empowerment of young people and actually putting their solutions at the center."

The Teen Tech Council is like an anti-Silicon Valley ideas generator. Over the next year, the council will bring in 750 members (one student per New York school district) who will be an intermediate between the state's goals and the lived reality of students. They'll receive training, including how to apply for grants to strengthen phone-free policies, and get access to #HalfTheStory's Social Media U, a digital emotional resilience program that is already in several New York state schools. May and her collaborators will bridge the gaps between those activations, looking ahead for collaborative opportunities with tech players, brands (May mentioned several major phone companies, including Verizon), and other state governments. And real time feedback from students will be sent up through the grapevine to power holders.

The policy is already implemented, but we can find ways to make it a more adaptable and comfortable transition for kids. - Olivia, Teen Tech Council member

It may be beneficial to conceptualize the council like ambassadors, said former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, a mentor and partner for the council who has been vocally against the unfettered reach of Big Tech. "Young people are digital natives. They have a much better idea than my generation, or even their parent's generation, about what the stakes are — what is both positive and negative about their interaction with technology," Clinton told Mashable. Teens on the frontline of the internet crisis are now getting the mic, even if it feels a little too late. "I think it is a timing issue," said Clinton. "We had to have enough experience in order to understand what we were up against and what the consequences of screen addiction were for young people."

Clinton and Governor Hochul were present in the Manhattan headquarters of the Clinton Foundation ahead of the council's launch, the inaugural board meeting of a new wave of screen-free leaders — who May calls "little me's" — who sat elbow-to-elbow around a long conference desk scattered with polaroid photos and notebooks. No phones in sight. More than 20 high school students were there representing districts around the state, all with different demographics and demands, some members of #HalfTheStory's Digital Civics Academy and others part of organizational partners like Girls Inc. They provided comments and case studies from their schools, and brought up ideas for how people with power and money could get teens on board, from screen free social events to the revival of Y2K culture icons like digital cameras, computer labs, and student life centers.

Credit: Clinton Foundation / L. Richman

The meeting was filled with an upbeat, nervous energy, a sense of respect for the new ground the leaders and council members felt they were striking. Clinton and Hochul swapped stories of a formerly analogue world as teens expressed new, modern demands. But even among this group of anti-screen advocates, the necessity and desire for tech was palpable.

"It is going to cause kids to be uncomfortable, because we are a generation who grew up on it. We are accustomed to technology," said 16-year-old council member Olivia. "The policy is already implemented, but we can find ways to make it a more adaptable and comfortable transition for kids. We all have common goals." And that's what the council intends to do, along with ushering in a new cultural movement that, like a Trojan Horse, may instill better screen habits through youth-led action.

Credit: Clinton Foundation / L. Richman The nationwide push for phone bans

"We want to create a blueprint, a package, so that any state that wants to pass a package of policies around big tech can have a roadmap for how to engage young people," explained May. Phone and/ or social media bans have swept across the country. Including New York, 14 states — Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia — have bans in place. Nearly every other state has previously proposed a ban on phones or piloted bell-to-bell exclusion policies. Amid this trend, May thinks leaders may be missing a crucial point: They won't work if they don't sound fun. "The next generation knows more about technology than any person who is sitting in office," she said. "We need to be able to bridge that gap to design a better future together." Phone bans, a phrase that all of the council members eschew in favor of "screen free," have to be introduced as an opportunity to gain something new, not lose something good.

Hochul is one among many policy makers who have got their sites trained on Big Tech, including passing regulation that attempts to reign in social media algorithms, advertising, and online app marketplaces that target young people. Social media giants and Big Tech's investors have, paradoxically, championed social media regulation and pushed back against stronger legislation. Meanwhile, experts and advocates, including the Surgeon General and American Psychological Association, have sounded the alarm on teens' access to social media and new technology like chatbots. Such burgeoning tech, including generative AI and agentic AI tools, pose even more questions for the next generation of learners.

"My very simple view of my job is to put families first and do whatever I can to support them," Hochul told Mashable. "As a mother, I see what is happening to our teenagers, to our young children, because of the influences of social media. Companies have monetized children's mental health. I believe what we did last year, standing up to social media companies and demanding that they unleash our children, that they liberate them from their clutches during the day, will make real progress."

When asked if vocal teens like those in the adjoining room could strengthen the nationwide push for regulation, Clinton answered emphatically: "One hundred percent. When we were talking with the governor and other experts who have studied the impact of technology on kids, we quickly came to the conclusion that we were not going to come up with all the answers by any means. We needed to start engaging with young people and give them a platform, which is what our Teen Tech Council will do."

Starting today, teens can apply (or be nominated for) New York's Teen Tech Council.

The Daily Show's Josh Johnson is taking his first spin behind the hosting desk, and he's kicked things off with a searing monologue about Donald Trump's past friendship with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — and the lengths the president currently appears to be going to distract from the story, releasing information about his health and posting about trying to convince Coca-Cola to use real sugar cane in its drinks again.

"This is so insulting. Trump's treating Americans like a kid you can bribe with a treat. Allow me to demonstrate what Donald Trump is going for here," says Johnson, producing a can of Coke before taking a long gulp. "Mmm, I don't care about paedophilia anymore!"

Johnson adds that Trump has also ordered the released of thousands of records on the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.. "That's how bad things are for Trump. His back is against the wall so hard he's releasing more Black history."

The Late Show may be cancelled, but Stephen Colbert is still on the air until May 2026 — and he's not holding back.

The host spends the vast majority of the monologue above talking about Donald Trump, who recently gloated about Colbert's cancellation, and the president's past friendship with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

"The more we know about Trump's relationship with Epstein, the more we wish we didn't. According to court records, Trump flew on Epstein's plane at least seven times. Now, that doesn't mean he did anything illegal, but it's not a great look when you fly on the paedophile's plane enough times to earn Diamond Pervert status," says Colbert, before going on to play a resurfaced clip of Trump on The Howard Stern Show in 2006 saying, "No, I have no age...I mean, I have age limit" when it comes to women, before quickly adding, "I don’t want to be like Congressman Foley, with, you know, 12-year-olds."

"Wow, that is not a great answer," says Colbert. "That is one of those questions where you don't want to leave any ambiguity. 'Sir, would you ever have sex with an animal?' 'Certainly not a horse! Good day.'"

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

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

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

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

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

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 July 23, 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: Refreshments

• Green: Competitor

• Blue: Same team

• 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: Concession items

• Green: An athlete in the Summer Olympics

• Blue: Duke men's basketball alumni

• Purple: ____ League

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 #303 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Concession items - BEER, HAMBURGER, TENDERS, WATER

• An athlete in the Summer Olympics - ARCHER, BOXER, FENCER, SWIMMER

• Duke men's basketball alumni - BATTIER, BOOZER, LAETTNER, SCHEYER

• ____ League - MAJOR, MINOR, PREMIER, SUMMER

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.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

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

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Wednesday, July 23, 2025:

AcrossWith 5-Down, mystery meet?

• The answer is Blind.

___ Puffs (cereal)

• The answer is Cocoa.

Bike without pedaling, say

• The answer is Coast.

Spending binge

• The answer is Spree.

Hoped-for answer when on bended knee

• The answer is Yes.

DownSecretly includes, as on an email

• The answer is BCCs.

In a silly mood

• The answer is Loopy.

Empathetic words

• The answer is I care (no space).

Spots for septum piercings

• The answer is Noses.

See 1-Across

• The answer is Date.

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

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

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

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

EA Sports' sophomore return to the college gridiron is here, and after a week with College Football 26, the verdict is clear: it's fine. Not great. Not terrible. Just... fine. A perfectly okay follow-up to last year’s triumphant yet turbulent reboot.

When CFB 25 dropped, the fanfare was massive. After a decade-long hiatus and a legal gauntlet, the franchise came roaring back, only to immediately trip over its own cleats. Missing features, buggy simulations, anemic commentary, and undercooked game modes quickly cooled the hype.

I was one of the many caught in the hype. I reviewed CFB 25 last year and confidently claimed it was "better than Madden." And hey, I stand by that — but let’s not pretend that’s a high bar to clear. Road to Glory mode felt like a placeholder, and Dynasty lacked even basic quality-of-life tools. Sim stats broke immersion. Chris Fowler’s voiceover — despite his public excitement — sounded like it was phoned in from a bunker. The hype of a franchise revival couldn’t mask the cracks in its foundation.

College Football 26 is a better game than its predecessor, but it's also still deeply flawed. The core experience has potential, and the fun is real, but EA continues to treat the franchise like an annual obligation rather than a flagship opportunity.

With that in mind, here are three things I love — and three things I can’t stand — about CFB 26.

Love: High school in RTG is back Credit: EA Sports

A long-requested feature from NCAA Football 14 finally makes its return in College Football 26: high school football in Road to Glory. The concept remains straightforward — players begin their career under the Friday night lights, where their performance earns them recruiting stars and scholarship offers. Rack up enough stars, and top-tier programs will come calling, with a starting job likely waiting. Fall short, and you can still walk on at your dream school — but you'll have to grind your way up the depth chart through practices and position battles.

It’s a solid foundation, and seeing high school return to the mode is genuinely exciting. But even this addition comes with a catch.

Hate: High school RTG is half-baked

For all the praise I just gave about high school finally making its way back into Road to Glory, what we actually got is a massive downgrade compared to what we used to have.

In earlier entries — especially NCAA Football 12 — players could play through a full high school season before committing to a college. It started small in NCAA 08 with just the state championship playoffs, but quickly evolved into something much more immersive. Now, in CFB 26, it's been reduced to just four games—and not even full ones. You’re only playing isolated “highlight moments.”

Credit: EA Sports

Before each game, you pick from a handful of pre-set scenarios — things like a "2-Minute Drill" or "Red Zone Threat" — with specific objectives tied to them. Succeed, and you earn points toward your recruiting star rating. Fail, and your stock drops. As you gain interest from colleges, some scenarios become school-specific, giving you extra chances to impress a program with a highlight tailor-made for their scouts.

It’s a decent concept in theory, but in execution, it’s clunky and needlessly restrictive. Some of the objectives are outright broken—like a "scramble for 50+ yards" challenge that doesn’t register if you also score a touchdown on the play.

This stripped-down, gamified version of high school feels arbitrary and disconnected. Nobody asked for this chopped-up approach. Players just wanted the full high school season back. What we got instead feels like a rushed compromise.

Love: Historical data/Trophy Room Credit: EA Sports

One of my nerdiest gaming obsessions is the Football Manager series. I’ve sunk thousands of hours into its glorified spreadsheets, poring over data, charts, and graphs as I guide some no-name Scottish club to Champions League glory. There’s something deeply satisfying about tracking every milestone, every stat, every tiny piece of history your team creates.

That’s exactly what was missing from CFB 25. For all the time I spent in Road to Glory or Dynasty, there was no way to look back on the legacy I was building. No archive of past champions, no record of bowl game winners, no hall-of-fame moment to revisit the legendary 2027 National Championship between Clemson and North Texas. I couldn’t even mournfully revisit the Independence Bowl trophy I fought tooth and nail to win.

Thankfully, CFB 26 fixes this. EA brought back historical records and made a point to highlight it—and for good reason. Immersion has always been one of the defining strengths of this series, and features like these matter. These little details aren’t just fluff; they’re how players connect with the stories they create.

Hate: RTG's running back AI still sucks

This might be a niche gripe, but it drove me crazy in CFB 25 and it’s still a problem in CFB 26: the pathfinding logic for AI running backs in Road to Glory is genuinely migraine-inducing.

Take a simple inside handoff out of a pistol formation. The offensive line opens up a clean gap up the middle—but instead of hitting the hole, the running back bounces the play wide, drifting toward the sideline like he’s allergic to positive yardage. It’s not a ratings issue, either. This happens whether you’re playing for a bottom-tier school or a Power Four powerhouse.

It’s a consistent, frustrating quirk that turns basic running plays into unpredictable messes, and after two straight years of it, it's wearing thin.

Love: Dynamic subs Credit: EA Sports

A lot of this quasi-review has focused on the features around CFB 26 rather than the gameplay itself — and that’s mostly because the gameplay is still rock solid, just like it was last year. EA has finally nailed down a foundation that’s genuinely fun, so the year-to-year improvements are going to be marginal at best. When the foundation is strong, you don’t need to tear the whole thing down just to make progress. (That said, I’ll probably never own a house on my salary, so what do I know about foundations anyway?)

I call this a “quasi-review” because most of what I said about CFB 25 still applies here. Doing a full, traditional review again would feel redundant. That said, one gameplay feature did stand out enough to improve the experience meaningfully: dynamic subs.

Substitutions have always been a clunky afterthought in sports games — either buried in menus or too slow to matter mid-drive. But CFB 26 streamlines it completely. With a quick press of the D-pad, you can instantly view who’s on the field, cycle players in and out by tapping left or right, and your changes stick without needing to dig back into the depth chart. It’s quick, it’s intuitive, and most importantly, it’s deliberate — your decisions now matter in the moment.

It goes a step further with tailored sub-filters, letting you manage your entire defense or offense in logical groups. Want to swap just your linebackers or skill players? Easy. Want to reset everything back to your starters after giving backups some reps? One button press (Square on PlayStation, X on Xbox) and you’re good. It’s small on paper but makes in-game strategy smoother and more responsive, especially in Dynasty or Road to Glory when fatigue and matchup management actually matter.

Dynamic subs don’t reinvent the wheel — but they don’t need to. They finally make roster management feel like part of the on-field action instead of a separate chore, and that’s a big win for gameplay flow.

Hate: Ultimate Team Credit: EA Sports

The inclusion of Ultimate Team in any sports game is already a blight—but what really grinds me down in CFB 26 is its creep into the training mode.

One of the biggest hurdles in modern sports games is how complex they’ve become. Ten years ago, passing was straightforward. Now there’s “placement + accuracy” mechanics, or weird finger-twister combos like holding L1 while flicking the right stick to properly execute a high lob fade. I’m only 26, but sometimes it really does feel like I’m yelling at clouds. Sports games used to be accessible. Now they demand some understanding of systems layered on top of systems.

Which would be fine — if learning those systems didn’t funnel you into EA’s glorified slot machine. If you want to learn how to pass, read coverage, or execute an RPO properly, you’re doing it inside Ultimate Team under the mode's Challenges section. That’s the only place where the tutorials and skill challenges live. So if you're a parent with a full-time job and barely an hour of free time to learn a game like this, you're forced to do it inside a digital casino filled with microtransactions, fake currency, and card packs.

There is nothing redeemable about Ultimate Team. Not here, not in Madden, not in FIFA, not anywhere. It’s a hollow, predatory mode — and the fact that CFB 26 ties its basic training tools to it is a perfect example of how cynical modern sports gaming can be.

And if I’m doing a love/hate list for CFB 27 next year? Spoiler alert: this section’s coming back.

Red supergiant star Betelgeuse has a new excuse for its bad behavior: an accomplice.

The star, pronounced "Beetlejuice" (just like the Michael Keaton character), sits like a little devil on the shoulder of the Orion constellation about 700 light-years away in space. It has long-perplexed scientists, with some convinced it was on the brink of a supernova.

More recently, astronomers have proposed a theory for its volatile nature, which explains the star's seemingly erratic changes in brightness. They've suggested an unseen companion star orbiting Betelgeuse is periodically clearing dust out of the giant star's way to reveal more of its starlight. 

Now a NASA-led team of scientists has made a direct detection of a companion. Using the 8.1-meter Gemini North telescope in Hawaii, the team found a faint star beside the supergiant’s brilliant glare — in the exact location previously predicted by computer simulations. The new evidence is a technological feat that some believed impossible due to its proximity to the luminous giant. 

In the past, researchers have referred to the hypothetical companion star as Alpha Ori b or "Betelbuddy." But this team has proposed its own name (and, shockingly, didn't take the 2024 recommendation of this reporter, "Otho"). 

"The name Betelgeuse means 'Hand of the Giant,' with 'Elgeuse' being a historical Arabic name of the Orion constellation and a feminine name in old Arabian legend," the authors wrote in their paper, which will be published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters on Thursday. "Given that α Ori B orbits the hand of the giant, we suggest that the companion star be named Siwarha, or 'Her Bracelet.'"

SEE ALSO: Astronomers think newly discovered comet may be way older than the sun Astronomers have discovered a small blue-white star in a close orbit around the red supergiant star Betelgeuse. Credit: International Gemini Observatory / NOIRLab / NSF / AURA / M. Zamani

Betelgeuse is about 100,000 times brighter than the sun. Because it's in the twilight of its life, the variable star has puffed up. Scientists say it's so large — hundreds of millions of miles in diameter — that if it were swapped with the sun, it would reach Jupiter in the outer solar system. By comparison, the sun is about 865,000 miles across. 

Beginning in 2019, there was a dramatic decrease in Betelgeuse’s brightness — an event referred to as the "Great Dimming." Some believed this was a sign that stellar death was imminent, but scientists were able to determine the fading was the result of a large dust cloud temporarily blocking light from the star. About a year later, the star returned to its previous brightness. 

But that event led to renewed interest in Betelgeuse, with some astronomers seeking answers to why Betelgeuse has two pulses — one that "beats" about every year and another on a six-year cycle. Some theorized the less-frequent pulse could be caused by another star. 

A team of astrophysicists, headed by NASA Ames Research Center's Steve Howell, observed Betelgeuse in late 2024, when the hypothesized companion star was predicted to be at its maximum distance from its sibling. That's when they saw a faint light — located about four times the Earth-sun distance from Betelgeuse but still well within the supergiant's outer atmosphere. 

The team ruled out the possibility that the new detection was just a background or foreground star. Betelgeuse’s motion through space would have revealed such interlopers in earlier images — but no such object was visible in observations about four years earlier.

The companion star is much fainter than Betelgeuse, perhaps just 1.5 times heavier than the sun. It appears to be a hot, blue-white star that has not yet started burning hydrogen in its core, according to the team's findings. But it's ill-fated, the researchers say. In about 10,000 years, it'll likely spiral into its supergiant sibling. At that point, in the words of Beetlejuice, it'll be "dead, dead, deadski."

Astronomers now hope to catch the smaller companion again when it reaches its next greatest separation from Betelgeuse in late 2027. Further studies could shed light on why similar red supergiant stars may undergo periodic changes in their brightness over many years. 

"This detection was at the very extremes of what can be accomplished with Gemini in terms of high-angular resolution imaging, and it worked," Howell said in a statement. "This now opens the door for other observational pursuits of a similar nature.”

Hulu's Washington Black is based on Esi Edugyan's 2018 novel of the same name, and, as is the case with every book-to-screen adaptation, it makes its fair share of changes from its source material.

SEE ALSO: 'Washington Black' review: Take to the skies with Hulu's thoughtful historical adventure

Where Edugyan tells the novel in fairly linear chronological order, the series, run by Selwyn Seyfu Hinds and Kimberly Ann Harrison, adds a flashback structure, alternating between inventor George Washington "Wash" Black's childhood (where he's played by Eddie Karanja) and adulthood (where he's played by Ernest Kingsley Jr.). The show also adds entirely new characters, like William McGee (Edward Bluemel).

But the biggest change from book to TV show is undoubtedly the show's ending, which goes in a very different direction from the original novel's.

What happens at the end of Washington Black? Ernest Kingsley Jr. in "Washington Black." Credit: Disney / Cristian Salvatierra

In the novel, Wash and his lover Tanna (Iola Evans) travel to Morocco to find Christopher "Titch" Wilde (Tom Ellis), the scientist with whom Wash fled Barbados when he was a boy. Wash thought Titch died in the Arctic, since he walked into a snowstorm with barely any gear or supplies. However, Titch survived and continued his scientific research and inventing.

When Wash reunites with Titch, he confronts him about how the scientist abandoned him all those years ago. Yet Titch isn't remorseful in the slightest, choosing instead to reflect on his own youth and the ways in which he harmed his late cousin Phillip. Realizing that Titch is trapped in the past, Wash walks out into an oncoming sandstorm. Edugyan leaves his fate ambiguous.

The show features Wash and Titch's confrontation, but not Wash's disappearance into the sandstorm. Instead, it sees Wash finally build the airship he's been developing all season long, which he and Tanna use to sail to his late mother Big Kit's (Shaunette Renée Wilson) native Dahomey. There, he connects with the Agojie warriors and learns about his mother's life before enslavement. He and Tanna settle there, get married, and have a child. They also continue their adventures, flying to the Solomon Islands so Tanna can reunite with her own mother.

It's a much more hopeful and optimistic ending than the novel's. There, Wash heading into the sandstorm reads as a mirror to Titch walking out into a snowstorm, suggesting that perhaps, like Titch, Wash is losing himself in the pains of his past.

The series, on the other hand, imagines a future where Wash thrives after his conversation with Titch. Crucially, he and Tanna both get to reconnect with the pasts that had been denied them. As a mixed-race, white-passing woman, Tanna was consistently told to push down any part of her that tied her to the Solomon Islands. Meanwhile, Wash didn't find out his guardian Big Kit was his mother until long after her death. Still, he gets to connect with her through his journey to Dahomey, joining his present (and his child's future) to her past.

The massive difference between the show's ending and the novel's speaks to the show's efforts to find joy in a period setting defined by racism towards and oppression of Black people.

In an interview with Newsweek's H. Alan Scott, Washington Black star and executive producer Sterling K. Brown discussed these efforts, saying, "This project came to me before American Fiction. But American Fiction actually talks a lot about how it seems most of Black stories that are for mainstream consumption have to do with Black pain, have to do with Black trauma, right? So I thought, how awesome would it be to take this historical context but to still illuminate, [and] highlight, joy, hope, faith, love, etc."

And nowhere does that sense of joy and hope come through more clearly than in Washington Black's final moments, where his many dreams — of freedom, of finding love, of inventing something great — are all coming true.

Washington Black is now streaming on Hulu.

On July 25, the UK's age-verification law goes into effect. This means that sites with explicit content must install age-checks for all users, with the hope that minors don't access the content.

Age-verification has been in the works in the UK for years. Back in 2017, the Digital Economy Bill proposed an age-verification system, which was set to go into effect in 2019 but failed before it was enacted. It was attempted again in 2022. Other forms of "age appropriate design" have been established in the UK in the intervening years, such as the code for privacy protections for children that went into effect in 2021. (As of June this year, that guidance is under review and subject to change.)

Now, age verification is nestled in the 2023 Online Safety Act, a set of laws aimed at protecting people online. Here's what you need to know about it and how it will affect you.

SEE ALSO: Pornhub to comply with UK's upcoming age verification law How will age-verification work in the UK?

According to UK communications regulator Ofcom, sites and apps must confirm a visitor's age in one of the following ways as of July 25:

• Facial recognition (visitors upload a photo or video, and technology analyzes it to estimate their age)

• Banking information

• Digital wallets

• Credit card age checks

• Email-based age estimation (technology analyzes where else the email has been used to estimate age)

• Mobile network operator checks (confirming whether a phone number has age filters applied to it)

• Photo ID matching

Ofcom states that it will fine up to £18 million or 10 percent of qualifying worldwide revenue (whichever is greater) for sites and apps that don't comply.

Pornhub, which recently blocked itself in France and has blocked itself in multiple U.S. states that enacted age-verification laws, has said it will comply with the UK's law. Pornhub's vice president of brand and community, Alex Kekesi, told Mashable in a statement in June that this is because Ofcom consulted with industry experts and is offering a variety of flexible methods to provide proof of age (listed above).

Several dating apps will also install verification methods to comply with the law, they added.

SEE ALSO: Dating apps to add age checks in the UK What are the potential pitfalls of age-verification?

One concern about age verification — that free speech experts told Mashable about the U.S. laws — is online privacy and security. Users will now have to give information to different third-party systems, and may not know how these companies are handling or storing that data. 

According to Ofcom, it will work with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), which handles data protection in the UK. The regulator says it will refer to the ICO if it has concerns that a provider isn't complying with UK data protection law. Ofcom also has guidance for providers that allow porn, and a guide to implementing age assurance.

Another concern is how easy it is to circumvent these laws. An initial study out of NYU found that age-verification doesn't work because people can use software like VPNs to pretend to be in another location or visit non-compliant sites.

Ofcom's group director for online safety, Oliver Griffiths, told Mashable back in June that age-verification won't be foolproof. "If you have dedicated teenagers who are intent on getting around the checks in the same way as they kind of find their way into pubs and bars to buy alcohol, a number of them will manage to get through it," he said.

Despite concerns, it's clear that age-verification isn't going away. Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Texas' age-verification law, setting a precedent for current and future American state laws requiring age checks. 

And in Australia, age-verification is coming for search engines — not just porn sites. At the end of 2025, Australians will have to provide proof of age when logged into their Google or Microsoft accounts, and using these companies' search engines.

That's a third, and perhaps most insidious, concern about age verification: that it will quell not only sexual expression but also general free expression online. 

In January, concerning SCOTUS' hearing about Texas's age-verification law, free speech experts told Mashable the stakes of the court's decision. Bad actors can point to information about reproductive rights and LGBTQ people, for example, and label it "pornographic" in order to censor it. And also, as is happening in Australia, internet users might have to verify their age to just look at general content online, not just explicit content.

"There's so much riding on this case," said Ricci Levy, president and CEO of sexual freedom nonprofit, Woodhull Freedom Foundation, back in January of the Supreme Court decision. "It's really the future of the internet…I don't believe it's going to stop here."

Amazon's basic Kindle is one of my favorite recent purchases — I even raved about how much I love its portability for Mashable — but amongst the lineup of new releases Amazon dropped last year, the Kindle Colorsoft is something that has caught my eye. This is the Amazon's first color Kindle, meaning you can enjoy book covers, comics, and more with a pop of color. But since this is Kindle's first outing with a color e-reader, I was curious if the Colorsoft was worth the hefty $280 price tag.

The Kindle Colorsoft hasn't been short of praise. Senior Editor Allison Murray from Mashable's sister site ZDNet reviewed the Colorsoft upon release and said, "In the world of color e-readers, the Kindle Colorsoft is a top competitor thanks to its customizable color display, fast performance in downloading books and page-turning, and wireless charging." However, customer reviews haven't always been super positive — it's currently sitting at 3.5 out of 5 stars on the Amazon store page.

SEE ALSO: I tested the best Kindles to help you find the perfect e-reader

This is largely due to a yellow band issue that has been widely reported. The Verge reported on the issue back in November, noting how shoppers found the discoloration at the bottom of the screen to be distracting. It was such an issue at launch that the company even delayed shipments of the device. So I was curious to know whether this issue has been resolved. And is the Kindle Colorsoft worth the upgrade if you already own the basic Kindle device?

More color for Colorsoft

In response to the yellow band issue, Amazon started delaying Kindle Colorsoft shipments to attempt to resolve the problem. In a report from The Verge, an Amazon spokesperson also stated that, "we’re making the appropriate adjustments to ensure that new devices will not experience this issue moving forward.” This was from November of last year, so what's the deal with Kindle Colorsoft displays now?

While there are recent reviews on the store page that lean in a more positive direction, Amazon has also posted a notice about the yellowing on the device's store page, which reads: "A small number of customers have reported a yellow band along the bottom of the display. We take the quality of our products seriously — customers who notice this can reach out to our customer service team for a replacement or refund, and we’ve made the appropriate adjustments to ensure that new devices will not experience this issue moving forward."

SEE ALSO: Kindle Paperwhite vs. Signature Edition: Which is the best Amazon e-reader?

A couple of Reddit users have also shared more positive findings with their devices, with one user on r/Kindle noting their recent experiences, saying, "It looks like that Amazon has now resolved the yellow band issue that plagued earlier releases of the Colorsoft." With this in mind, it seems like the device is moving past the struggles it had at launch. And Amazon seems open to replacing or refunding if things go wrong, which is nice to know.

Is Kindle Colorsoft worth the upgrade?

If you're still interested in buying the Kindle Colorsoft, it's worth knowing how it differs from other Kindle devices. In my case, it's finding the key differences between the Kindle Colorsoft and the regular Kindle. Mainly, choosing between the two depends on what you like to read. If you're a big comic book fan or someone who loves to color code and highlight your novels, there are benefits to having a colorful screen with the Kindle Colorsoft. If you're someone who simply enjoys getting lost in a story via the words on the page in black and white, then the basic Kindle gets the job done just fine.

If you're really not looking to drop a lot of cash, the basic Kindle is a great budget pick as well. Our review of the 2024 Kindle said that if "you're looking to spend about $100 on an e-reader, the Kindle will deliver quick page turns and 16GB of storage to hold thousands and thousands of books." However, if money is no issue and you're looking to have an e-reader that can show off your comics in their colorful state, the Kindle Colorsoft comes in at a higher $280 price point.

They also have slightly different sizes. As mentioned before, I enjoy the portability of the standard Kindle (as it comes to about six inches). The Colorsoft is an inch bigger at seven inches, which isn't too bad and still makes it a great device to travel with. Its display is also glare-free and features an auto-adjusting front light, so you can easily read in bright sunlight or at night just a little bit easier. The Colorsoft also boasts a longer battery life of up to eight weeks, according to Amazon, while the basic Kindle lasts up to six weeks.

It's not time to say goodbye just yet. Credit: Sam Mangino / Amazon

At the end of the day, I'm probably not going to upgrade right now. But the allure of those colorful pages might become too great if that $280 price point comes down.

Where to buy the Kindle Colorsoft

If you're looking to buy the Kindle Colorsoft right now, it's available at Amazon for $279.99. It's worth keeping in mind that these devices usually drop in price during big sale events. Amazon usually holds another Prime Day in October and Black Friday lands at the end of November, so there's still plenty of opportunity left throughout the year to score them at a discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Amazon Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition (32GB) Shop Now

I must admit, when it comes to fitness trackers, I'm a Garmin ride or die kind of girl. I like their metrics, the GPS, not so much the app, but we allow it. There's something about the data-first approach that just works for me.

But I also really enjoy a tracker that's geared towards mental well-being as much as physical well-being. A cortisol over cadence kind of well-being. And that's exactly what the Fitbit Sense 2 does. It prioritizes things like stress, sleep, and recovery just as much as steps and heart rate, which makes it stand out in a market that often focuses purely on smashing PRs.

Why I would switch to the Fitbit Sense 2

The Fitbit Sense 2 is Fitbit's most advanced smartwatch. So, before diving into any of the other metrics, if you want the best of the best, this is the model for you.

It also looks good, similar to the Versa range. It has a handy touchscreen, almost mimicking the Apple Watch in design. It even has a bright AMOLED display, so the graphics are always sharp and colorful. Does this really matter in the grand scheme of things? Probably not. Is it nice to have? Absolutely.

SEE ALSO: Oura Ring vs. Whoop: A fight of the best fitness trackers

And while this watch does track fitness metrics (use it for runs, walks, swims, and more), the Sense 2 goes further with features designed to monitor your stress, sleep, and overall health trends over time.

One of these features that would potentially persuade me to swap my Garmin is the Body Response sensor. This tracks electrodermal activity (EDA) to help detect physical signs of stress throughout the day (it's a fancy tool that measures tiny changes in the sweat levels on your skin). Combined with guided breathing sessions and a stress management score, it’s surprisingly useful if you’re trying to stay more in tune with your body.

It also includes an ECG app for heart rhythm checks and a skin temperature sensor, which runs in the background while you sleep. These aren’t features you’ll necessarily use 24/7, but it’s nice knowing they’re there, especially if tracking long-term health trends is important to you.

The sleep tracking is another big selling point for this watch, especially with its emphasis on wellness. Like some of the more advanced Fitbit models, the Sense 2 gives you a detailed breakdown of your sleep stages: light, deep, and REM, plus a sleep score each morning that’s easy to understand at a glance. The score is essentially a sleep grade out of 100; if you get 100, you slept perfectly (and you've won the non-existent competition we all play with ourselves).

SEE ALSO: The internet's obsession with run clubs is ruining running

For everyday use, it’s got the lifestyle features you'd want from a smartwatch. Receive notifications on your wrist as well as access to Google Maps and Google Wallet. If you have an Android phone, you can even reply to messages using quick replies or voice dictation. But sorry, iPhone users, this still isn't a function that's compatible with Apple. If you're all about the Apple ecosystem, just get an Apple Watch. You know you were going to do that anyway. Stop pretending that you were considering anything else.

Where to buy the Fitbit Sense 2

The Fitbit Sense 2 is available to purchase at many retailers and is often on sale. At Amazon, you can find this watch for $249.95. It's the same price at Best Buy and Walmart. But keep an eye out for the regular discounts that drop throughout the year.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Fitbit Sense 2 $224.99 at Amazon
$249.95 Save $24.96 Get Deal

In Washington Black, an unwieldy structure hampers an otherwise moving adventure.

Based on Esi Edugyan's Giller Prize-winning novel of the same name, Hulu's latest miniseries follows its titular character, George Washington "Wash" Black (played at different life stages by Ernest Kingsley Jr. and Eddie Karanja), on his journey from enslavement in Barbados to scientific expeditions in the farthest reaches of the globe.

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

His voyage, with its fanciful steampunk aircraft and emphasis on the natural world, carries touches of Jules Verne. Yet it's also deeply entangled in Wash's search for freedom, making it not just a globe-trotting romp, but a rousing quest of self-discovery. It's a shame, then, that Washington Black often impedes that quest with its frustrating time jumps, as well as a perplexing focus on side characters that distracts from Wash himself.

What's Washington Black about? Ernest Kingsley Jr. and Iola Evans in "Washington Black." Credit: Disney / Chris Reardon

Created by Selwyn Seyfu Hinds and showrun by Hinds and Kimberly Ann Harrison, Washington Black introduces Wash at two points in his life. The first is his childhood as a slave on a Barbados plantation. The second is as a free young man — and aspiring inventor — in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

As a child, Wash catches the eye of Christopher "Titch" Wilde (Tom Ellis), the brother of cruel plantation owner Erasmus Wilde (Julian Rhind-Tutt). A scientist and inventor, Titch recognizes Wash's brightness and enlists his assistance in creating a flying device known as the Cloud-cutter. However, when Wash is implicated in a crime on the plantation, he and Titch flee Barbados and set out on an odyssey that will take them from pirate ships to the Arctic itself.

SEE ALSO: The best Hulu deals and bundles in July 2025

Flash forward several years, and we meet Wash in Halifax, with no Titch in sight. He's working on creating a flying machine of his own, with the hopes of making it into the Royal Science League. He might just get his chance when RSL member Mr. Goff (Rupert Graves) and his daughter Tanna (Iola Evans) arrive in Nova Scotia, hoping for a fresh start, or some major new discovery that will bring them status back home in London.

Washington finds a kindred spirit in the brilliant and inquisitive Tanna. She is mixed-race, her mother still living in the Solomon Islands, but she is able to pass as a white woman. As such, her father has forced her to push away any connection to that aspect of her identity, all in the hopes of keeping up appearances of whiteness.

Washington Black balances heavy themes and high adventure. Eddie Karanja in "Washington Black." Credit: Disney / Lilja Jonsdottir

Discussions of Tanna passing — and needing to pass, according to her father — are among the careful ways Washington Black reckons with the racism its leads face. In the show's early plantation scenes, Wash weathers verbal prejudice from Titch's brothers, yet the series is very deliberate in not lingering on or making a spectacle of any physical trauma Black slaves might face. Instead, it implies it through conversations Wash has with people he encounters on his journey, from pirate Barrington (Miles Yekinni) to real-life historical figure Nat Turner (Jamie Hector), who led a four-day slave revolt in Virginia in 1831.

Barrington and Nat encourage Wash to push back on any kind of bondage, serving as mentors and guides on his voyage. Contrast them with figures like Mr. Goff, who acknowledges Wash's brilliance but will never let him claim credit for his work due to his Blackness, or Titch himself. The latter claims to be an abolitionist, but does he challenge the workings of his family plantation? No. Titch certainly cares for Wash, going out of his way to hide him from the slave hunters hounding them. Yet he has blind spots and an inability to understand (or even acknowledge) Wash's experience, something the protagonist only finds with people like Barrington, Nat, and Medwin Harris (Sterling K. Brown), the leader of Halifax's Black community and the closest thing he has to a sustained father figure.

SEE ALSO: Should you sign up for Hulu? Our film critics weigh in.

As much as Washington Black deals in heavy themes, it manages to find light in the darkness that Wash faces. Scenes of flight in the Cloud-cutter soar with whimsy, while Titch and Wash's time in the Arctic creates the opportunity for beautifully bleak set pieces. Elsewhere, Wash and Tanna's joint love for marine biology delivers one of the show's most memorable moments: a romantic boat ride accompanied by bioluminescent sea creatures. These sequences are all rooted in reality, yet seen through Wash's young and curious eyes, they take on the quality of breathtaking fantasy.

Washington Black's flashbacks and side characters can make the show feel overstuffed. Sterling K. Brown in "Washington Black." Credit: Disney/Chris Reardon

Still, that fantasy begins to wane the more Washington Black jets it viewers back and forth through time, alternating relentlessly between Wash's past and present.

These flashbacks work on a thematic level, highlighting how Wash's past is always catching up with him — a concept made literal in the present timeline with the arrival of menacing slave hunter John Willard (Billy Boyd). Yet they also create an odd stop-start pace, one that threatens to stifle the momentum of younger Wash's adventures while older Wash remains static in Halifax. Thankfully, as older Wash begins to embark on travels of his own, it becomes easier to reconcile the two halves of the show, as they finally feel like one whole.

While Wash-centric flashbacks make sense given that he's the focus of the show, Washington Black stumbles when it dives into the pasts of other characters, like Medwin or Tanna's betrothed, the wealthy white dock owner William McGee (Edward Bluemel). Often, these trips to the past feel like unnecessary asides — especially when it comes to McGee's story, a character created solely for the TV show who basically vanishes from the series just when he becomes most interesting.

These non-Wash flashbacks and numerous side plots threaten to overstuff Washington Black. Still, the actual meat of the story — Wash's journey — remains solid, balancing contemplations on freedom and identity with adventurous flair. So if you're in the mood for a new summer TV escape, why not take to the skies with Washington Black?

Washington Black is now streaming on Hulu.

TL;DR: Keep your phone in place with a two-pack of HyperMount Vacuum Car Mounts on sale for $44.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Statik HyperMount Vacuum Car Mount (2-Pack) $44.99
$59.98 Save $14.99 Get Deal

If your phone has ever gone flying across your dashboard during a sharp turn, you already know how annoying it is to rely on those weak, wobbly car mounts. The HyperMount Vacuum Car Mount changes the game. This thing doesn’t mess around, it locks onto your dash or windshield like it’s clinging for dear life, and it stays there.

Right now, you can grab a two-pack so both you and your passenger can keep things hands-free and drama-free, and it’s only $44.99 (reg. $59.98).

Keep your phone safe in the car

The HyperMount uses vacuum-lock suction that can hold up to 66 pounds of force. Whether you’re bouncing down a dirt road or just hitting speed bumps a little too hard, your phone isn’t going anywhere. It also rotates 360 degrees and adjusts up to 135 degrees, so you can find the perfect angle for maps, music, or video calls without fumbling.

It’s compatible with MagSafe-ready iPhones, and if you’re using an Android (or have a non-MagSafe case), it comes with magnetic ring adapters to make sure your phone still clicks into place. You get everything you need in the box, from the mount to the wipes to the little hex wrench for tightening things up just right.

Not planning on hitting the road any time soon? This mount isn’t just for cars. You can stick it on a window, desk, mirror, or countertop, making it a great tool for content creation or FaceTime sessions while cooking. Just make sure it’s a smooth, clean surface, because the HyperMount doesn’t do well with textured or dusty spots.

Right now, it’s only $44.99 to get a two-pack of HyperMount Vacuum Car Mounts.

StackSocial prices subject to change

TL;DR: Hurry and grab Babbel’s lifetime subscription for $159 with code LEARN through July 24, and get access to 14 languages, forever.

Opens in a new window Credit: Babbel Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) $159
$599 Save $440 with code LEARN Get Deal

So you’ve finally booked that bucket list trip — now what? Instead of fumbling with Google Translate at every train station and tapas bar, get ahead of the chaos with a language-learning app built for real conversations. Babbel’s short lessons make it easy to actually speak and understand your destination’s language before you even take off.

Don’t wait to act on this exclusive deal — you can get a lifetime subscription to Babbel Language Learning on sale for $159 when you enter promo code LEARN until July 24 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

With this deal, you’ll get lifetime access to all 14 languages Babbel offers — from Spanish and French to less obvious picks like Turkish or Norwegian. Each one includes over 10,000 hours of practical lessons you can do in just 10 to 15 minutes at a time. You can even switch languages if your travel plans change — start with Italian for your Rome getaway, then jump into Portuguese when Brazil starts calling.

Babbel isn’t just vocab flashcards and grammar drills. The app uses speech-recognition technology to help you practice pronunciation and AI-powered conversations to simulate real exchanges. So yes, you’ll actually know how to ask for directions or order that perfect croissant without sounding like a total tourist.

Use it on your phone or desktop — and if you’re headed off-grid for a bit, download your lessons ahead of time to use offline on the go. Babbel even adapts to your level with personalized review sessions so the stuff you’ve learned sticks.

Ready to stop relying on pointing and miming your way through vacation?

Lock in the Babbel lifetime deal for $159 with code LEARN by July 24 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get a lifetime Microsoft Office 2021 license for just $49.97 (reg. $219.99) — no subscriptions or renewal fees required.

• Includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams (free), OneNote, Publisher, and Access

• One-time payment for lifetime use on 1 Windows PC

• Ideal for home or professional use — no recurring charges

• Works on Windows 10 and 11 (not compatible with Windows 7 or 8)

• Instant digital delivery with license key and download link

• Verified Microsoft partner and free customer support

• Updates included — no Microsoft 365 required

Buy once, use forever — grab this lifetime license to Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for Windows while it’s on sale for $49.97.

See Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License $49.97
$219.99 Save $170.02 Get Deal