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Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has some truly spooky moments. (Team Circe.) But fans who took to theaters this opening weekend were shook by a surprising trailer ahead of the big show. Meet Other Mommy.

If you screamed at that jump scare, you're not alone.

Jessica Chastain, who's previously starred in such horror gems as Momma and IT: Chapter Two, returns to the genre with a twisted double-turn. Based on the New York Times bestselling novel Incidents Around the House by Josh Malerman, Other Mommy centers on a little girl named Bela (Arabella Olivia Clark), who's formed a disturbing bond with an entity that looks like her mother. Chastain plays both roles, while Jay Duplass lends support as Daddo.

Beyond this promising trailer and an enticing adult cast, Other Mommy also boasts intriguing talent behind the scenes. Horror icon James Wan produces for Blumhouse Atomic Monster, while director Rob Savage ( Host, Dashcam, The Boogeyman) takes the helm.

From the looks of this trailer, he's primed another scream-rich stunner sure to thrill audiences beyond this impactful trailer.

Other Mommy opens in theaters Oct. 9.

SAVE 50%: As of July 21, you can get the DJI Power 1000 Portable Power Station for $348.98, down from $699, at Amazon. That's a 50% discount or $350.02 in savings.

DJI Power 1000 Portable Power Station $348.98 at Amazon
$699 Save $350.02   Get Deal at Amazon

I'm not exactly an outdoorsy person. I mean, I love going to the beach, and I like a nice hike (in a place where I won't get eaten by bears) every now and again, but if I were to do something in the wilderness, I'd definitely like to be prepared. And for me, "prepared" means having a guaranteed way to keep my phone, laptop, and a mini-fridge fully charged.

SEE ALSO: The 6 best portable power stations to stay charged up at home and on the go

Right now, Amazon has the DJI Power 1000 Portable Power Station marked down to $348.98. Normally, it'd cost you $699, so this is a pretty good deal.

DJI is a Mashable fave for its drones and its portable power stations. (You should check out our review of the DJI Power 1000 V2.) This model features a 1,024Wh capacity and a 2,200W continuous output, which should offer enough power to handle high-watt camping equipment, a portable heater, or even power tools without shorting out.

It fully recharges in just 70 minutes via a standard wall outlet. If you're out in the wild and using solar panels, it tops off in about 1.35 hours (though you'll have to buy the solar panels separately).

SAVE $400: The 65-inch LG OLED AI B6 4K TV is on sale at Amazon for $1,599.99, down from the list price of $1,999.99. That's a 20% discount and the lowest we've seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: LG 65-inch LG OLED AI B6 4K TV $1,599.99 at Amazon
$1,999.99 Save $400   Get Deal

Now that the World Cup is over, we're all experiencing a touch of the TV blues. What should we watch tonight? We're slowly getting back to watching the shows we were watching before soccer/football took over the screen. But if you've noticed your TV is no longer as clear or crisp as you'd like, it might be time for a new model. Thankfully, Amazon has a great option on sale today.

As of July 21, the 65-inch LG OLED AI B6 4K TV is on sale at Amazon for $1,599.99, marked down from the standard price of $1,999.99. That works out to a 20% discount or a savings of $400. It's the best price we've ever seen at Amazon.

The best time of the year to buy a new TV doesn't usually include the second half of summer, but Amazon is breaking the rules. If you're looking to upgrade to an OLED TV for the excellent color vibrancy and contrast, today's LG deal is well worth considering.

OLED TVs are ideal if you tend to watch TV during daylight hours or in bright rooms. The brand says LG OLED technology has over 8.3 million self-lit smart pixels, making it bright enough for any lighting condition.

SEE ALSO: The huge LG 100-Inch Class QNED evo AI TV hits record-low price at Amazon — save $700

With a 120Hz refresh rate, the LG is a game-worthy model. There's a 0.1 millisecond response time along with NVIDIA G-SYNC, AMD FreeSync Premium, and VRR.

In addition to saving $400 on the list price, Amazon is tossing in free delivery to the room of your choice, unpacking, and removal of packaging. That'll be great for not overcrowding your recycling bin with a giant TV box.

Before this lowest-ever sale price vanishes, upgrade your watching experience thanks to the 65-inch LG OLED AI B6 4K TV.

Buying a used luxury SUV can feel like a gamble. Some become expensive headaches the moment the factory warranty expires.

Xteink is back with the second generation of its X4 e-reader. The X4 Pro is here and redesigned, but are there improvements?

Xteink's tiny e-readers, which are bigger than a credit card but smaller than a passport, get plenty of attention for their small size, which supposedly can fit on the back of a phone. The X4 has previously made our list of the best e-readers as the best mini e-reader, so we had to try out the second generation ourselves

About the Xteink X4 Pro A little bigger than a credit card, the Xteink X4 Pro is perfectly pocket-sized. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The Xteink X4 Pro, the second generation of the X4, comes with a 4.26-inch display and 219 ppi resolution (Kindle and Kobo both have 300 ppi). It has 8MB RAM and 16MB of storage with up to 256GB of expandable space with a microSD card. It has a 10+ hour battery life, which is about one to two weeks of casual reading, and has a touchscreen with physical buttons on the side. Plus, there's a circular home button, reminiscent of the old iPhone button.

The touchscreen is new to the X4, which also has a frontlight. It has a magnetic back, which is compatible with MagSafe, so it can snap to the back of an iPhone. Rather than a USB-C port, it also comes with a magnetic charging port, which uses USB-C.

The Xteink X4 Pro charges through a magnetic pogo pin. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

It connects to WiFi, and books are imported to the e-reader via the Xteink app, USB-C, or microSD card. It only supports DRM-free books in text-only PDF and MOBI format, in addition to JPG and BMP image files.

The new Xteink X4 is available from Xteink for $99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Xteink Xteink X4 Pro $99 at Xteink
  Shop Now First impressions of the Xteink X4 Pro But how is the Xteink X4 Pro in action? It's not bad if you read DRM-free books. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Ahead of the Xteink X4 Pro's launch, I got to see the device and try it out myself. While the idea of a mini e-reader is fun, I'm not sold on the Xteink X4 Pro. It's a little bit glitchy, and a few times, it froze, and I had to restart it. The touchscreen and home button are improvements over the previous generation's front buttons, which I found confusing and unintuitive in use.

The magnetic charging port is a confusing upgrade. It requires a pogo pin extension, which is tiny, and immediately made me think it was just a matter of time before it was lost. The pogo pin port isn't very secure either and easily got knocked around when plugged into the USB-C cable.

Unless you exclusively read DRM-free books, the Xteink X4 Pro is not a great e-reader for most people. It only accepts e-books in the PDF and MOBI formats. Where I do think it works is for articles, which you can upload via a URL in the Xteink app, which then syncs to the e-reader. But is it really worth $99 for that alone? Probably not.

TL;DR: Spain’s World Cup winners celebrated their victory wearing a one-of-one pair of custom Oakley Meta glasses created exclusively for the team. While fans can’t buy that exact edition, Oakley’s AI glasses show how wearable tech could help athletes capture plays, review performance, and train smarter.

Opens in a new window Credit: Meta Meta Oakley Vanguard Smart AI Glasses $499 at Amazon
  Shop Now

Spain’s World Cup celebration came with a special piece of tech. After winning the championship, the Spanish team celebrated wearing custom Oakley Meta glasses made just for the players.

The one-of-one edition features custom packaging and lenses etched with the FIFA World Cup Champions mark. While fans can’t buy this exact pair, you can get the same AI-powered experience with the Oakley Meta glasses.

Credit: FIFA

Oakley Meta Vanguard is designed around the needs of athletes. The glasses can capture hands-free footage, letting players record practices, game highlights, or specific plays simply by saying, “Hey Meta, take a video.” The built-in 12MP ultra-wide camera records in 3K, while stabilization helps keep footage smoother during quick movements like sprints, cuts, and tackles.

The glasses can also help players review their performance after the game. When connected to apps like Strava or compatible devices like Garmin, Oakley Meta Vanguard can overlay performance data like sprint speed, distance, and heart rate on captured content, giving athletes more context around their training sessions.

Featured Video For You Hands On with Meta’s New $299+ Smart Glasses

The goal is to give players useful tech without making them think about the tech. Open-ear speakers let players hear audio while staying aware of what’s happening around them. Another key feature is Meta AI, which gives players hands-free access to information through voice commands, so they can get real-time answers and stay focused on the action.

The glasses are also built for the physical demands of sports. Oakley Meta Vanguard uses a rugged O Matter frame, Prizm lenses for enhanced clarity, and an IP67 water-resistance rating to handle sweat, weather, and tough training sessions.

Spain took home the trophy. You can take home the tech — Oakley Meta glasses are available on Amazon for $499.

Are you looking for a fun and unique way to get around this summer? Look no further than Ausom's e-scooter lineup; the brand offers several models, from entry-level to high-performance options. Best of all, even though Ausom closed its Soccer Season Sale on July 20, it has decided to offer How-To Geek readers a special extension for another 48 hours starting today. Which means this is your last chance to grab the deal of the year. Customers will get $70 off with code: HTGSP. So, now’s a good time to consider riding an e-scooter to your next destination.

TL;DR: Live stream Aston Villa vs. Walsall in a 2026 preseason friendly for free on VillaTV. Access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 World Cup was everything we hoped it would be, but now the attention has switched back to the domestic game. A number of Premier League sides are back in action over the next few weeks, including Aston Villa.

Unai Emery's side have lost a few key players this summer, but they are also bringing in some exciting new faces. There's a lot of uncertainty ahead of their opening game with local rivals Walsall.

If you want to watch Aston Villa vs. Walsall in a 2026 preseason friendly for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Aston Villa vs. Walsall?

Aston Villa vs. Walsall in a 2026 preseason friendly kicks off at 7:30 p.m. BST on June 21. This fixture takes place at the Bescot Stadium.

How to watch Aston Villa vs. Walsall for free

Aston Villa vs. Walsall in a 2026 preseason friendly is available to live stream for free on VillaTV. To access this fixture, all you need to do is sign up for a free Essential Membership on VillaTV.

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

Live stream Aston Villa vs. Walsall for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit VillaTV

5. Stream Aston Villa vs. Walsall for free from anywhere in the world

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

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

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

What is the best VPN for VillaTV?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream Aston Villa vs. Walsall for free with ExpressVPN.

Tablets are great. You can use them for anything from browsing the web to watching your favorite shows. They're incredibly versatile, but that versatility can come at a cost. There are plenty of things that a jailbroken Kindle can do better.

TL;DR: Geeky Sex Toys limited-edition Pokémoan Collection goes live on July 21 at 7 p.m. ET. (Note: These will sell out.)

Becoming a Pokémon "master" just got a brand-new meaning...

In 2016, Geeky Sex Toys released a small collection of Pokémon-inspired sex toys (which they very cheekily named "Pokémoan"), and it sold out instantly. (Because, like, of course it did.)

SEE ALSO: I've tested 100+ sex toys. Here are the 15 most mind-blowing toys I've ever owned.

Now, 10 years after its first launch, Geeky Sex Toys is blessing Pokéfans with a brand-new, limited-edition collection of sex toys. I'm not a Pokémon fan per se (cue collective gasps, I know), but I always thought that Pikachu and Rapidash were super cute. And, after taking a peek at this collection, I have to say I'm coming on to Bulbasaur.

The new lineup includes four toys:

• Bulbypulse ($169): Bulbypulse is an air-pulse suction toy that features eight patterns and three speeds. It also has a pretty impressive runtime of two hours and 30 minutes (do with that what you will).

• Charmybuzz: ($169): Charmybuzz is a curved G-spot vibrator. It has eight patterns and five speeds, with a runtime of two hours and 15 minutes.

• Squirtyblast ($169): Squirtyblast (my fave name of them all) is a flexible-head wand vibrator with rumbly power. A rumbly wand is the best wand, IMO. It has eight patterns, five speeds, and a runtime of an hour and 20 minutes. Pro tip: Try deep, G-spot stimulation followed by clitoral stimulation to help yourself squirt.

• Pikyplug ($69.00–$100.00): The Pikyplug is a non-vibrating, tapered, silicone butt plug. It comes in three sizes (hence the pricing structure). The Small is 7 inches long / 4 inches circumference, the Medium is 8.5 inches long / 5 inches circumference, and the Large is 12 inches long / 7 inches circumference.

The new lineup includes four toys. Credit: Geeky Sex Toys

Each individual toy comes with a unique, 350gsm holographic trading card and a magnetic charging cable. You'll also get a hard case with the vibrating toys, but it doesn't look like the butt plug comes with one. (They're all IPX7 waterproof too, so you can take them into the bath or shower.) The site limits two of each toy per customer.

If you want to go all out, you can buy the Ultimate Collectors Edition box set on sale for $399. (This is a total steal; if you do the math, buying each toy individually is way over that price.) The full collector set includes all four toys packed in a hard case, plus an exclusive fifth "Master Bedroom" holographic card.

You'll have to act fast if you want to add these to your collection, though. The limited first-edition drop goes live on July 21 at 7 p.m. ET, and there are only 151 public collector sets available worldwide. Want to be one of the first ones to know when it goes live? You can sign up for "early access" by entering your email on the site. (At the time of writing, 299 people had already signed up.)

I've spent a whole lot of money on networking gear over the years, but time and time again, it's some of my cheapest purchases that keep surprising me (in a good way). One of the first was my USB-to-Ethernet adapter, and now, I'll tell you a bit more about my second favorite: a five-port unmanaged gigabit switch.

Pi-hole is one of the simplest and most useful things you can set up on your home network. It acts as a DNS sinkhole that blocks requests to domains associated with known ad servers or trackers. This gives you a far better browsing experience, but if you're only running a single instance of Pi-hole, things can go wrong.

I love Splatoon. I have loved Splatoon since all the way back to its Wii U debut in 2015. But Splatoon doesn't always love me back.

Every time I boot up Splatoon 3, I rediscover I'm not ready for the series' signature competitive multiplayer arenas. Everyone who still plays Splatoon this long after launch is really, really good — too good for me to have much of a good time. The smattering of solo and co-op experiences that exist on the periphery can't hold my attention for very long.

It is delightful, then, to report that Splatoon Raiders is pretty damn good. The first single-player-focused entry in the decade-old series is one of the most purely fun (on a moment-to-moment basis) games on the Nintendo Switch 2.

Splatoon Raiders synthesizes some of the best side modes in previous Splatoon games into something that grabbed me and didn't let go for several days, thanks in part to some non-competitive co-op features. I can't wait to play more once it goes on sale.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo's potentially last Switch 1 game is absolutely worth your time Splatoon Raiders melds every non-competitive Splatoon mode into one game

I say this not as criticism, but as a compliment: Splatoon Raiders feels like DLC for a mainline Splatoon game that grew out of control.

This is still a third-person shooter where you, as a squid kid, use a variety of weapons to spread ink of your own color across a variety of battlefields. You don't run very fast, but if your ink color is on the ground, you can quickly swim around in it, recovering ammo and health in the process.

Everything about the basic mechanics and controls of Splatoon Raiders is exactly as they are in the previous games in the franchise, including its best-in-class use of gyroscopic aiming.

Where Splatoon Raiders sets itself apart is by excising competitive multiplayer entirely, in favor of something that feels like a combination of modes that existed in previous Splatoon titles. It's got level design and boss fights that are reminiscent of the story modes in the other games, plus the intensity and general flow of combat found in the co-op Salmon Run mode from Splatoons 2 and 3, and a helping of the variable character customization from the Splatoon 3 Side Order DLC.

I love these goofballs. Credit: Nintendo

That means a straightforward progression of hand-crafted single-player levels. Some are linear missions that combine 3D platforming with shooting; others are more open-ended and focused on collecting money and loot.

The amount of variety here feels just about right, as I never found myself getting bored or itching for something new in the 15 or so hours I spent with Splatoon Raiders.

As with the multiplayer matches in a regular Splatoon game, there's little here will take you more than five minutes to complete. Given the occasional need to replay missions for loot or leveling purposes, this is a great relief.

There is a story here, and while it might be fun to chew on for people who care a lot about Splatoon lore, I did not find myself especially engrossed. It's mostly an excuse to spend more time with series regulars Shiver, Frye, and The Big Man. The latter continues to be a very cool dude.

Customization is key in Splatoon Raiders Gadgets are key. Credit: Nintendo

Where Splatoon Raiders won me over was character customization. Not in the aesthetic sense, as that part of the game is pretty basic, but in the gameplay sense.

Your protagonist gains a constant increase in basic stats like health and damage. You can equip one of three different tanks, each coming with a series of cooldown-based gadgets that you can equip in combat.

The Tactical Tank, for instance, comes with an automatic turret you can place wherever you want, but you can also unlock and equip other gadgets that can only be equipped on the Tactical Tank. Same goes for the Speed and Power tanks, which fit the kinds of play styles you'd expect.

Customization really hits its stride once you unlock the ability to customize gadgets. One fun thing you can do with several gadgets (but not all of them) is tell them to activate the moment you hit an enemy with your weapon.

By the last third or so of the story in Splatoon Raiders, I had multiple turrets flying out automatically on weapon hit, alongside a bunch of other nonsense that basically made me a walking death machine, with very little shooting required on my part.

You will learn to love the turret. Credit: Nintendo

By the end of the story, I felt roughly as powerful as you do at the end of Hades or Risk of Rain 2. But this time it came in a game with persistent progression, rather than a random, run-based roguelike.

Splatoon Raiders' solo focus also makes it a lot easier to experiment with new builds and weapon types than the franchise's standard competitive modes. In other Splatoon games, I'm worried about not letting my team down, so I generally stick with what I know can be effective.

Here, the stakes aren't so high, so I can make a ridiculous build centered around an exploding grappling hook and an ink katana without worrying about ruining someone else's fun.

In short, if you like video games where lots of things are constantly exploding in a sort of digital projectile vomit of bright colors, complete with meters filling up and a steady stream of fun upgrades after every single level, Splatoon Raiders is for you.

How co-op works in Splatoon Raiders Hunt for treasure with the homies. Credit: Nintendo

Nintendo has been selling Splatoon Raiders as a single-player experience, and it can be one if that's what you want. Still, almost every single level in it is also playable with up to three other players in co-op. I didn't get a lot of time in the review period to test these features out, but based on a demo session with other game reviewers, the developers made basically every correct design decision.

Chiefly, they seem to have nailed difficulty balancing. In one session my character was level 42 and had completed the story, while another player in my group was only level 10. Splatoon Raiders smartly and dynamically adjusted numerical values so the difficulty feels right for everyone in the game, without arbitrarily strengthening or weakening anyone.

I was able to bring in my stupid endgame loadout and the challenge of combat felt exactly right, even though these were levels I would cruise through if I weren't playing them in co-op.

Every player also gets their own level-appropriate loot in co-op — so not only is it fun regardless of level, but it's productive, too. Nintendo is not the first company to nail this element of co-op play in games with levels and loot, but it's still one of the best experiences I've had to date.

Alas I didn't get to try is the "Call For Help" function, but the idea is you can press a button on the level select screen to matchmake with any players who have flagged themselves as available to assist you. This is similar to the way co-op works in Monster Hunter.

Not all great Splatoon elements made the jump

Unfortunately, Splatoon Raiders does fall a bit short of series expectations in some key areas — specifically, fashion and music.

The other Splatoon games have pretty deep dress-up features that allow you to look fresh and funky as hell. Here, there are a smattering of unlockable outfits, but I didn't love the way most of them look.

Dressing like a greaseball mechanic makes more sense for the treasure-hunting escapades in Splatoon Raiders, but personally, I miss the streetwise fashion of the other games. I just want to wear a snapback with a squid on it.

And while Splatoon Raiders' soundtrack is still a step above most video games, it's a bit disappointing compared to its brethren. The audio direction here goes in the direction of strange, non-standard sounds rather than catchy, hummable rock or pop melodies. Previous Splatoon games have served both ends of the musical spectrum.

Regardless of shortcomings, Splatoon Raiders is another pleasant Switch 2 surprise, along the lines of Yoshi and the Mysterious Book and Pokémon Pokopia, both of which also launched this year.

Those were games I was only medium-level interested in prior to release; now they're all some of the best (or at least most interesting) games on the platform. As we wait patiently for the next big Mario or Zelda release, it's nice to experience these fun, experimental takes on existing franchises.

Social media bans for kids are quickly becoming the global legislation trend of the moment.

Children under 16 are finding themselves at the center of political conversations, with countries including Australia, the UK, Canada, Brazil, Austria, and Indonesia, and more attempting to wrangle Big Tech companies' hold on young people's attention.

SEE ALSO: Australia's kid social media ban is ineffective, study suggests

Online age verification laws are taking shape by the month, with governments citing the need to address issues including child sexual exploitation, cyberbullying, self-harm, and the impact on kids' mental health, as well as "addictive" design, violent content, and porn. However, these laws have also come under severe criticism for efficiency and their impact on digital privacy and free speech.

Plus, kids are already finding ways around them.

So, where are we at, globally? Which countries have followed Australia's example and are rolling out their own social media bans? Here's the list, alphabetically, and incidentally starting with the one who started it all.

Australia

The first to do it, Australia set a global precedent in Dec. 2025 with its world-first social media ban for children under 16. The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act requires social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, and Snapchat to implement age verification and take "reasonable steps" to prevent kids under 16 from creating accounts. However, a July 2026 study by Australian government advisors found the ban so far ineffective.

Plus, Reddit is suing.

Austria

Following in Australia's footsteps with fewer letters, in March 2026, Austria announced a bill to ban social media use for children under 14. With a draft planned for completion by summer, Austria's legislation would also add a new compulsory subject, "Media and Democracy," to school curriculums to boost awareness of "how to recognise disinformation and radicalisation."

Brazil

Brazil's social media ban, the Digital Statute of Children and Adolescents, came into force in March 2026. The law requires kids under 16 to link their social media accounts with a legal guardian, and tech platforms must add age verification for users wanting to access adult content. It also means social media platforms must limit "features designed to artificially increase, sustain, or extend" time kids spend on the platforms, including automatically playing videos.

Canada

Canada is set to ban users under 16 from holding social media accounts, with a proposed law announced by the Canadian government on June 11, 2026. The Safe Social Media Act will enforce age verification to access online services and legally mandated safety requirements for social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. But Canadian law will also apply to companies that use AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude.

Denmark

Denmark is planning a social media ban for kids under 15, announced back on Oct. 8, 2025, by the country's prime minister, Mette Frederiksen. According to the Associated Press, the law could arrive in 2026, but there's no date or details yet. Reports also suggest parents could allow their children to use social media from the age of 13.

Featured Video For You Is ChatGPT Changing the Way We Write? European Union

An EU-wide social media ban for kids under 13 could be coming, announced July 13, 2026. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission (the EU's executive body), presented a report on online safety for children, which recommended age-appropriate restrictions on platforms (the EU has launched its own age verification app), parental supervision for social media use, and the insistence that digital platforms "must prove that their services do no harm."

But it won't just be social media that's impacted. As Mashable's Anna Iovine reports, it could apply to "other digital services such as AI companions, video-sharing platforms, and video games."

France

France is ready to approve its social media ban for kids under 15, with the government reaching a compromise on the bill on July 20, 2026. Once it's through, France will be the first European country to officially enact such a ban. According to Le Monde, the social media ban will block under-15s from creating new accounts as of Sept. 1, and in Jan. 2027, all existing accounts will come under the law.

Germany

Germany hasn't yet rolled out a social media ban, but the government is considering it.

Greece

Greece plans to ban social media for kids under 15, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announcing the proposed law on April 8, 2026. In a TikTok video, translated by the BBC, Mitsotakis cited sleep issues and anxiety in children caused by "the pressure to always be online," and he criticized "the addictive design of certain applications." If passed, the measure will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027, and the PM said age verification is also needed.

Indonesia

Indonesia announced it would ban social media for children under 16 on March 6, 2026. As reported by the BBC, the country's minister of communication and digital affairs, Meutya Hafid, said anyone under 16 with an account on a "high risk" online platform would see it deactivated by the end of March, naming "YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox."

Malaysia

Malaysia has banned social media for under-16s, with communications minister Fahmi Fadzil announcing the Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA) in Nov. 2025. The law came into force on Jan. 1, 2026, but it really got started on June 1, 2026. As NBC News reports, requires social media companies to add age verification and to prohibit kids under 16 from creating accounts on platforms with at least 8 million users (that means YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook). The law also requires social media companies "to limit features that increase, sustain, or extend" kids' online time.

Poland

Poland is looking to ban kids under 15 from social media, with Education Minister Barbara Nowacka announcing plans on Feb. 26, 2026. Yes, that would mean age verification on social media sites and big fines for companies not enforcing them.

Slovenia

Slovenia is set to ban social media access for kids under 15, with draft legislation announced by Deputy Prime Minister Matej Arčon on Feb. 5, 2026.

Spain

Spain announced plans to ban social media for children under 16 on Feb. 3, 2026, with the country's prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, promising to "protect them from the digital Wild West." The proposed bill, which still needs to be passed by parliament, will hold social media companies (including their executives) liable for "illegal or harmful content" existing on their platforms. "We will turn algorithmic manipulation and amplification of illegal content into a new criminal offence,” Sánchez said at the World Governments Summit in Dubai in February.

Thailand

Thailand hasn't announced a social media ban yet, but there's a lot of discussion about it.

Turkey

Turkey passed a bill on April 23, 2026, that blocks kids under 15 from accessing social media platforms. According to the Associated Press, which cited state media reports, the law will require age verification on social media, rapid responses by companies to "harmful" content, and expanded parental controls.

United Kingdom

The UK confirmed an impending social media ban for under-16s on June 15, 2026, following the rollout of age verification in the country in July 2025 (it's kind of working?). The government explicitly said it "plans to use the same model for a social media ban as Australia," with the intention of broadening the law to cover other platforms, including livestreaming and gaming sites.

The UK is also considering overnight curfews for teens aged 16 and 17 and blocking infinite-scroll mechanisms for kids.

This story is developing and will be updated as laws are proposed and passed.

Where to pre-order these soundtrack vinyl releases: Blue Velvet Soundtrack — 40th Anniversary Collector’s Vinyl $29.99 at Amazon Pre-Order Here Scream 30th Anniversary Soundtrack “Woodsboro Bloodbath” Red Vinyl Reissue $32.99 at Amazon Pre-Order Here Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Soundtrack Picture Disc Vinyl $32.99 at Amazon Pre-Order Here

Movie scores can stick with us long after the credits roll, and three iconic soundtracks are getting the collector treatment this fall. Varèse Sarabande is celebrating three iconic movie scores with new collector releases for Scream, Blue Velvet, and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, with Craft Recordings joining select editions.

The lineup spans horror, cult cinema, and animation, with Marco Beltrami’s genre-defining Scream score returning for its 30th anniversary and Angelo Badalamenti’s haunting Blue Velvet soundtrack celebrating its 40th anniversary.

Blue Velvet 40th Anniversary Collector’s Vinyl Opens in a new window Credit: Varèse Sarabande Blue Velvet Soundtrack — 40th Anniversary Collector’s Vinyl $29.99 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here

Varèse Sarabande is celebrating the 40th anniversary of David Lynch’s Blue Velvet with a new collectible vinyl edition of Angelo Badalamenti’s original motion picture soundtrack. Available to pre-order now ahead of its Sept. 4 release, the reissue brings the 14-track album back to vinyl in a special rainbow-foil jacket.

The release celebrates Badalamenti’s haunting score for Lynch’s 1986 classic, with its dreamy melodies and unsettling arrangements that helped define the film’s unique atmosphere. The vinyl features some of the soundtrack’s most memorable moments, from the haunting “Main Title” and dreamlike “Mysteries Of Love” to standout tracks like Roy Orbison’s “In Dreams” and Ketty Lester’s “Love Letters.”

The soundtrack will also be released on CD, giving fans multiple ways to revisit Badalamenti’s iconic score.

Scream 30th Anniversary Red Vinyl Reissue Opens in a new window Credit: Varèse Sarabande / Craft Recordings Scream 30th Anniversary Soundtrack “Woodsboro Bloodbath” Red Vinyl Reissue $32.99 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here

For Scream fans, the phone is ringing again. To celebrate the horror classic’s 30th anniversary, Varèse Sarabande and Craft Recordings are bringing back Marco Beltrami’s iconic original motion picture score with a new collector's reissue arriving Aug. 28. The original 14-track album returns to vinyl in a collectible “blood-soaked” sleeve featuring an iconic image of Drew Barrymore as Casey Becker from the film’s unforgettable opening scene.

The soundtrack captures the tension and chaos that made Wes Craven’s 1996 horror classic unforgettable, with standout tracks including “The Cue from Hell,” which scores the film’s iconic opening scene, “Trouble in Woodsboro,” and the haunting “Sidney Wants It.”

Wallace & Gromit Soundtrack Picture Disc Vinyl Opens in a new window Credit: Varèse Sarabande Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Soundtrack Picture Disc Vinyl $32.99 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here

Fans of the beloved claymation duo can bring home a collectible piece of Wallace & Gromit history with the new picture-disc vinyl edition of Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, arriving Sept. 18. Released by Varèse Sarabande, the picture disc features Julian Nott’s award-winning original score, produced by legendary composer Hans Zimmer, along with additional music from Rupert Gregson-Williams, James Dooley, Lorne Balfe, and Alastair King.

The vinyl includes 19 tracks across two sides, featuring fan-favorite cues like “A Grand Day Out,” “Anti-Pesto to the Rescue,” “Transformation,” and “Wallace & Gromit.” It’s a fun collector release for longtime fans of Aardman’s iconic characters and anyone who appreciates the whimsical scores that help bring animated films to life.

You know your Samsung Galaxy phone has a fingerprint scanner. But what you might not know is that the fingerprint scanner can be used to launch apps and shortcuts (I didn’t). Samsung hid this ability behind a poorly named feature in Good Lock, and I’m glad to have found it.

TL;DR: The Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G5 (G50F) QHD gaming monitor is on sale for $219.99 at Amazon, down from its $349.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey G5 (G50F) $219.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $130 Get Deal

Bigger gaming monitors can quickly become expensive once you add faster refresh rates and sharper-than-Full-HD resolution, but Amazon has just made Samsung’s 32-inch Odyssey G5 the perfect go-to for upgrading your setup at a bargain. 

As of July 21, the Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G5 (G50F) gaming monitor is available at Amazon for $219.99. That takes a full $130 off its $349.99 list price, leaving you with a 37% discount and the lowest price we’ve seen for this model so far (confirmed with price tracker, camelcamelcamel).

For the money, you’re getting a 32-inch Fast IPS display with QHD 2560x1440 resolution — which is shipped and sold by Amazon, getting to you as early as the next day if you’re a Prime member (at the time of writing). 

As an upgrade over older standard monitors, it offers 1.7 times the pixel density of Full HD, giving games noticeably cleaner edges and finer environmental detail without demanding as much from your PC as a 4K panel.  

The 180Hz refresh rate and 1ms GtG response time are the draws for anyone regularly playing quick multiplayer games. Whether you’re sprinting through Fortnite, tracking fast-moving enemies in Overwatch, or lining up a last-second shot in Call of Duty, the higher refresh rate should keep movement looking much smoother than it would on a typical 60Hz or 75Hz model.

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For those still worried about shaky movement with certain titles, NVIDIA G-Sync compatibility and AMD FreeSync are both included to keep the screen and graphics card in check, helping reduce image tearing, lag, and choppy action. What’s more, HDR10 adds brighter highlights and more detailed shadows, while the IPS panel provides a wide 178-degree viewing angle. 

Samsung has also fitted the G50F with Black Equalizer to brighten difficult-to-see areas, Virtual Aim Point to add an on-screen crosshair, and Auto Source Switch+ to automatically switch between connected devices. 

The way to use a chatbot is given in the name. They are designed to be used by having two-way conversations with the LLM using natural language. You type something into the chatbot, and it replies. In some cases, continually typing stuff into a chatbot isn't the most efficient way to do things, so I set up a system that does it for me.

SAVE OVER $10: As of July 21, the Lego Icons French Café has hit a new low price of $63.74 at Amazon. That's $16.25 off its full price of $79.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Icons French Café Paris Building Kit (10362) $63.74 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $16.25   Get Deal

Lego sets can be quite costly, but Amazon is a helpful place to check out for great deals. Even today, the retailer has some nice surprises in store. As of July 21, the charming Lego Icons French Café set has dropped to a new low price of $63.74 at Amazon.

Compared to this Lego set's full price of $79.99, this deal saves you $16.25. At the moment, it has a "limited time deal" tag, so the clock is ticking to pick it up while it's still on sale.

SEE ALSO: Lego is releasing the biggest Art Masterpiece ever: Everything you need to know about Gustav Klimt – The Kiss

In total, it comes with 1,101 pieces that create a classic French bistro, complete with hanging flowerpots, ornate seating, and accessories such as food and crockery to bring the scene together. The double doors at the front also open to reveal a small interior with a seating area, so you can choose whether to keep them open or closed once you're all finished.

It's a set recommended for adults, likely due to its higher piece count, more detailed assembly, and the fact that it's meant for display rather than play. However, younger builders can still get the fun of piecing it together if they want to; they'll just need an older individual around to help out.

This limited-time Lego deal may not last long, so be quick to save on the Lego Icons French Café set at Amazon.

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Lexus is Toyota's luxury division, but Toyota often builds a Lexus-badged twin to capture buyers who want that extra refinement without the higher sticker price. The Grand Highlander and the Lexus TX mimic that pattern as closely as any two vehicles have. Both are three-row midsize SUVs, both ride on a version of the same platform, and both come from the same Toyota Motor Manufacturing plant in Princeton, Indiana.