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DJI has launched the Osmo 360 II, its new 360-degree 8K camera, in the global market. With larger sensors, higher frame rates, and replaceable lenses, it seems primed to go head-to-head with Insta360's recently released X6. However, people in the U.S. will have a harder time getting their hands on it than the rest of the world.

SEE ALSO: DJI and Insta360 go to war in the U.S. over its action gimbal cameras

Announced on Thursday at IFA 2026, the DJI Osmo 360 II improves upon last year's Osmo 360 with larger dual 1-inch square sensors that offer 14.5 stops of dynamic range. It also boasts higher frame rates, capable of shooting 8K panoramic video at a maximum of 60fps, as well as 4K slow motion footage at 240fps. In comparison, the Osmo 360 tops out at 8K at 50fps, or 4K at 100fps in slow motion mode.

One of the Osmo 360 II's more interesting upgrades is the introduction of replaceable lenses. Insta360 made the lenses of their X5 camera swappable last year, allowing users to easily replace them if they are damaged, and further upgraded this feature in the X6 last month. Now DJI is bringing out its own swappable 360-degree lens system, reducing Insta360's advantage and helping to make any lens-damaging accidents a bit less disastrous (or expensive).

Pairing the Osmo 360 II with the DJI Mimo app and transferring footage has been simplified as well. Rather than having to search for the Osmo 360 II in the DJI Mimo app, you can just tap its new NFC area to your phone, which should make users' workflow slightly smoother.

DJI's Osmo 360 II also has a few changes on the software side. The camera will debut AI SuperNight 2.0, a new noise reduction algorithm designed to help capture clean footage in low light situations. The Osmo 360 II features Spotlight Follow too, bringing this tracking tool to DJI's 360-degree cameras for the first time. Previously found in the Osmo Pocket handheld gimbal camera series, Spotlight Follow uses AI to automatically reframe your footage, following your subject to keep them in the centre of the frame at all times (though it will only work with 4K 30fps footage at maximum).

Aside from these upgrades, the DJI Osmo 360 II has identical measurements to its predecessor, the same 100-minute battery runtime at 8K 30fps, and the same 105GB of built-in storage available (which can also be supplemented with microSD cards).

Credit: DJI

Unfortunately, the Osmo 360 II won't officially be available in the U.S. for the foreseeable future. The U.S. government's hostility toward DJI has significantly hindered the company's operations in the country, resulting in its products now being unavailable for purchase through its U.S. website. As such, acquiring an Osmo 360 II in the U.S. will require going through a third party.

For everyone else, the DJI Osmo 360 II will be available in most other markets across the world from Sept. 15. No U.S. pricing has been announced, however the Osmo 360 II is already available in Hong Kong, where its Standard Combo will set you back $HK3,899 (approximately $500).

Earlier this year, I was having a ton of issues with Android Auto. My cable didn't want to work. I'd lose my connection randomly (even with a plugged-incable). The cables wore out quickly. There always seemed to be some kind of problem with Android Auto in my car. When I switched to wireless, it was like a completely different experience. I've seen some talk online about the wired vs wireless debate for Android Auto, and I'm firmly in the wireless camp. Here's why.

Acer came to IFA 2026 with a stacked product lineup, including the much talked about Project Dualplay Mini, a handheld gaming device with a rotatable screen. See what else Acer showed in our highlight reel of the keynote.

GLP-1s are inescapable online, as Mashable reported, including extensive discussions about them. The latest topic of conversation to hit your FYPs may be about being single and dating while taking the drug.

"Dating after weight loss sucks," said Katherine Lipovsky on social media, where she posts videos about life after losing 300 pounds with the help of a GLP-1. In this particular video posted in Aug., she went on to say she was insanely jealous of people who've had partners who have loved them in all sizes, because she'll never know if her future partner would've stood by her.

SEE ALSO: A 'gray market' of GLP-1 drugs is growing on TikTok, new analysis alleges

Lipovsky, who's 41 and has been on a GLP-1 for several years, expressed similar emotions to Mashable.

"Until last summer, it was impossible for me to find a man who didn't want to keep me a secret," she said in a phone interview. That's the biggest difference that she's seen since losing weight. It wasn't that men didn't desire her, or weren't physically or emotionally attracted to her. 

"It was that they didn't want to be seen with me," she said. "It's literally that they were embarrassed to like me, and that was just really made me feel like shit."

Now, she's navigating the mindfield of post-weight-loss dating and wondering whether her dates would've accepted her before.

Societal bias against fat people is well-documented. Weight discrimination is linked to poorer physical and mental health, worse healthcare, and being turned down for jobs. The bias persists in the dating world. A 2022 article in the journal Stigma and Health on dating and hiring preferences found that there was a stronger weight bias amongst heterosexual participants and gay men, but less so in lesbians and bisexual women.

Lipovsky is one of many people who've experienced this stigma and are now learning to live life in a smaller body while taking GLP-1s. As she and others Mashable spoke to, it's changed every facet of their lives, especially dating.

Dating with 'skinny privilege' 

Alejandra, a woman in her 20s who withheld her last name for privacy reasons, started posting about how GLP-1 use is impacting her dating life because she didn't find much about it online herself. 

She has PCOS (now called PMOS) and has been on a GLP-1 for almost three years. Dating while on the drug is a fairly new topic, she told Mashable over the phone, and it's changed for her in so many ways. Like Lipovsky, she wonders if the men she dates like her for her.

"I may come off as more confident now that I am at [my] goal weight," she said, "but at the same time, that does bring a lot of insecurities in relationships because I get in my head about, 'Do they like me now because of the way I look or do they like me for me?'"

That's a question she'll never know the answer to, she said, because they didn't meet her before she lost weight. 

Both Alejandra and Lipovsky also said they get a lot more attention from men now that they've lost weight. 

"Now, I'm living and experiencing what dating is like, or should be like, and being treated with default kindness and respect by people, which is wild," Lipovsky said. "I don't know that I'll ever get used to it."

Lipovsky said she now has "skinny privilege," which has come along with better treatment from people: Men open doors for her and carry her luggage, for instance. She gets compliments, which didn't happen before.

"I feel like I was just as valuable and deserving of respect and kindness, no matter what my size was," she said. "But it's impossible to not see it happening with my own eyes."

Still, that doesn't mean finding a partner has been any easier. 

SEE ALSO: What to do when body image is affecting your sex life

"When you're fat, you think, 'If I could just be skinny, my life would be perfect. Everything will be perfect if I'm skinny,' and you blame everything on being fat," she explained. "That's how it was for me, and that's not how it is at all. Life is still very hard. Things are not perfect."

"Men don't suddenly become knights in shining armor when you're thin," she continued. 

Lipovsky uses dating apps (though she finds them overwhelming), and also goes "manhunting" with her best friend, which she describes as "practice flirting."

"I'm like a baby deer interacting with men because I always was the fat, funny friend," she said.

Alejandra also uses dating apps and has started going out to bars this year. A point of vexation when dating is other people's opinions on GLP-1s.

Misconceptions of GLP-1 use

"I get so upset and frustrated in the dating world," Alejandra said in terms of the negative associations with GLP-1 use. On first dates, she doesn't purposefully disclose that she uses one because people make assumptions about those who take it.

"My thought process now is like, 'If they can just get to know me first, and then this conversation comes up after the fact, and there's opportunities to educate, then maybe it won't immediately affect their opinion on me or about me,'" she said. 

Some of her TikTok videos address this frustration. "There are so [many] men who have a problem with this, that the next time I go out to bars, to clubs, whatever, I'm just gonna…wear a sign that says, 'Warning, I'm on a [GLP-1]," she said in a video posted in April. "And I think that that will keep the men away." 

"Dating on 'the glip' never gets easier," she lamented in one posted in May.

She told Mashable that she sometimes wants to put something about being on a GLP-1 on her dating profile, which she hasn't done because it's "terrifying." But having a problem with GLP-1 use is a huge red flag for her.

"GLP-1s, especially with having PCOS, will forever be part of my life. That's not going away, and I could never be with a partner who doesn't agree with it or has terrible things to say about it, because that tells me everything I need to know about them and their lack of support that I'd receive continuing on this medication," she said.

She doesn't shy away from correcting men she's on dates with. She told Mashable about a time she was on a date with a man who said his roommate was on a GLP-1 and called them "lazy". "Of course, I can't stay quiet," she said. She corrected him and said she was on a GLP-1, and not because she's lazy. 

Another date of Alejandra's on retatrutide (which isn't approved by the FDA) called it a "shortcut."

"I did have to stop him in his tracks," she said. "I was like, 'It's not a shortcut. At least it wasn't a shortcut for me.' And then that opened up the conversation of PCOS and why I specifically had to rely on the medication to lose weight." She said he was open to learning more and understanding her experience.

She's also now hesitant to share her social media with someone she's dating because of her content. What she shares online is very vulnerable, she said, and sometimes she even thinks about deleting her account. 

"But every time I think about deleting it, getting rid of it, starting fresh, forgetting about that past version of me, I just think about that one person who needs to see what I'm posting about so that they can relate and know that they're not alone. And that's just honestly what keeps me from deleting it all," she said.

Most of the videos Mashable observed on Instagram and TikTok about dating on a GLP-1 were posted by women dating men, though some were by men dating women. Mashable reached out to several of these men, but none of them responded. 

Comedian Jared Freid, however, shared about his experience on a June 2026 episode of the podcast he co-hosts, U Up? (Freid didn't respond to a request for a Mashable interview.)

When responding to a question about whether a listener should disclose whether they're on a GLP-1, he said, "I can relate to the shame," and that it's vulnerable to mention any medication you're on. But he thinks of it as a lifestyle medication, not a "vanity medication," though vanity is a part of it.

"The vanity element of [GLP-1s] has been overplayed," he said. "It's a daychanger for me, being able to live a life without food on my mind," he continued. 

GLP-1 and the dreaded dinner date

GLP-1s curb appetite, and there are many memes out there about how little some people on the medication eat. Some people on GLP-1s also reduce drinking as alcohol makes them feel uncomfortable or nauseous, or they just stop wanting it. When a typical first date is dinner or cocktails, that can make meeting someone new harder.

Alejandra said that when she was in the middle of her weight loss and going up on higher doses, it would be awkward if she were out on a dinner date and could only take a few bites. "I didn't want them to think that I didn't like the food or that I wasn't hungry, and so sometimes by default, it comes up, like, 'I don't have like a huge appetite right now because I'm on this medication.'" 

But at this point, she avoids the conversation on a first date.

Lipovsky said she likes to go out for coffee and a croissant on a first date, so she doesn't have to bring it up, either. But if she's out on a dinner date, she'll say she's on a GLP-1, and she's down to split something. She'll joke that she's a cheap date, because she doesn't drink alcohol, either, mostly because of the medication.

On disclosing GLP-1 use, Alejandra said she doesn't have all the right answers. But disclosing any medication use is one's choice and should only be done when someone is comfortable doing so.

Neither Lipovsky nor Alejandra plans on stopping GLP-1s. Alejandra hopes that the more people open up and share their experiences, the more it can help everyone else, including herself, as she's still in the dating scene. 

"Hopefully other people can relate as well," she said.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're good with numbers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 3, 2026 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: Quickly

• Green: Scarlet

• Blue: Kid wheels

• Purple: Found in Excel

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Two shakes of a lamb's tail

• Green: Shades of red

• Blue: Toy car brands

• Purple: Spreadsheet functions

Play our Big Guessing Game: Make your predictions now for a chance to win a new Apple Watch. Time's running out!

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 #1177 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Two shakes of a lamb's tail: BLINK, FLASH, HEARTBEAT, TRICE

• Shades of red: CARMINE, CINNABAR, MAROON, VERMILLION

• Toy car brands: HOT WHEELS, MATCHBOX, MICRO MACHINES, TONKA

• Spreadsheet functions: AVERAGE, COUNT, MAX, SUM

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 yesterday's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're a sports fanatic.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, 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 preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 3, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Hike!

The words are related to an American sport.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe a fall sport.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Come to Light.

NYT Strands word list for September 3

• Tackle

• Stadium

• Upright

• Football

• Pass

• Kick

• Rush

• Play

• Down

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 yesterday's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a contractor.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 3, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 3, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A supporting beam.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter J.

Play our Big Guessing Game: Make your predictions now for a chance to win a new Apple Watch. Time's running out!

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...

JOIST

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.

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

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 yesterday's Wordle.

AirTag cases and holders are essential if you want to put the item tracker somewhere that isn’t just the pocket of a bag. Apple’s selection of AirTag accessories leaves a lot to be desired, and they’re pricey to boot.

TL;DR: The Crocs x Touchland Jet Black Hand Mist Case ($22) is back for round two, complete with five gold-tone Jibbitz charms and a metal keyring. It's now available in-store and online at Sephora.

Opens in a new window Credit: Crocs / Touchland Crocs x Touchland Jet Black Hand Mist Case $22 at Sephora
  Shop Now

If you were one of the many people who missed out on Touchland and Crocs' first hand sanitizer case collab (it sold out, naturally), you're getting a second shot. The two brands are back together with a new Jet Black case, and it might be even more fun than the first.

Here's the deal: Touchland makes hand sanitizer mists that come in a small, travel-friendly bottle, and Crocs makes, well, Crocs — and tiny charms you stick in the holes, called Jibbitz. Put them together, and you get a sleek black case that holds your Touchland mist, clips onto basically anything with its built-in metal keyring, and comes decked out with five gold-tone Jibbitz charms you can rearrange however you want.

Credit: Crocs / Touchland Credit: Crocs / Touchland

The case is finished in Jet Black, so it goes with pretty much any outfit, and since the charms pop in and out, you can switch up the look whenever you're bored or just want to match your mood. It's compatible with any Touchland Hydrating Hand Sanitizer in the 1 FL. OZ. (30mL) size, so if you've already got a mist you love, this just gives it somewhere stylish to live.

The case is made from 100% thermoplastic (EVA), so it can handle being tossed in a bag or clipped to your belt loop without falling apart, and cleanup is as simple as wiping it down with a warm washcloth.

The Crocs x Touchland Jet Black Hand Mist Case is available now for $22, both in stores and online at Sephora.

SAVE $100: As of Sept. 3, the Sonos Era 300 smart speaker is on sale for $379 in Amazon's Labor Day sale. That's $100 off its full price of $479.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sonos Sonos Era 300 $379 at Amazon
$479 Save $100   Get Deal

Labor Day deals, particularly on Amazon, are going strong, with some excellent offers popping up ahead of the long weekend. Sonos speaker deals are among the many that have caught our eye, with the Sonos Era 300 getting a $100 price cut.

As of Sept. 3, shoppers can snag this sleek wireless smart speaker (in either black or white) for $379, down from its full price of $479. Its lowest-ever price is $359, but this deal price is just $20 away from that mark.

SEE ALSO: Best Buy's Labor Day 2026 Sale is live: Shop deals on Apple, headphones, laptops, and more

From music to movies and more, the Sonos Era 300 can give your sound system a boost to enjoy crisp, high-quality audio. It features six drivers positioned around the front, sides, and top to support Dolby Atmos Music, helping you feel immersed in sound as you listen. Plus, paired with a Sonos soundbar, you can create a surround sound setup with this speaker.

Mashable's Stan Schroeder was blown away by the Sonos Era 300, writing in his review that it "sounds absolutely amazing for the price."

The Sonos Era 300 currently has a "limited time deal" tag, so the clock is ticking to save. Act fast to grab it at Amazon.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

The best Sony Labor Day deals: Best headphones deal Sony XM5 $198 (save $201.99) Get Deal Best TV deal Sony 100-inch Bravia 3 $1998 (save $1101.99) Get Deal Best speaker deal Sony ULT Field 3 $138 (save $71.99) Get Deal

Sony is making a splash ahead of Labor Day, with discounts across headphones, TVs, speakers, and other tech at Amazon. If you've had your eye on a pair of noise-canceling headphones or a party speaker, now is a great time to treat yourself.

These are the Sony deals worth checking out on Labor Day.

Best Sony Labor Day headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony XM5 $198 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $201.99   Get Deal Why we like it

These Sony noise-canceling headphones use eight microphones and two processors to adjust noise cancellation based on your surroundings. They offer up to 30 hours of battery life, multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, touch controls, and a built-in microphone for calls. And right now, they're over $200 off for Labor Day.

More Sony Labor Day headphones deals

• Sony WH-CH520 — $38 $69.99 (save $31.99)

• Sony MDR7506 — $98 $114.99 (save $16.99)

• Sony WH-CH720N — $98 $179.99 (save $81.99)

• Sony INZONE H9 II — $248 $349.99 (save $101.99)

Best Sony Labor Day TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony 100-inch Bravia 3 TV $1,998 at Amazon
$3,099.99 Save $1,101.99   Get Deal Why we like it

If you want a theater setup at home, this TV should be your go-to. It has Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and DTS support, along with Sony’s XR Processor for real-time picture adjustments. It also has a 120Hz refresh rate and HDMI 2.1 features, including 4K/120, VRR, and ALLM for gaming. It also benefits from Google TV and Gemini.

More Sony Labor Day TV deals

• Sony 48-inch A90K BRAVIA — $998 $1,399.99 (save $401.99)

• Sony 65-inch Bravia 7 — $1,298 $1,598 (save $300)

• Sony 65-inch Bravia 8 — $2,498 $3,299.99 (save $801.99)

Best Sony Labor Day speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony ULT Field 3 $138 at Amazon
$209.99 Save $71.99   Get Deal Why we like it

This portable Bluetooth speaker has a dedicated woofer and tweeter, as well as a seven-band equalizer for sound adjustment. It has an IP67 rating for water, dust, and shock resistance, up to 24 hours of battery life, and a shoulder strap for carrying.

More Sony Labor Day speaker deals

• Sony SRS-XB100 — $43 $64.99 (save $21.99)

• Sony SS-CSEM2 Dolby Atmos Enabled Upfiring Height Speakers — $198 $279.99 (save $81.99)

• Sony Bravia Theater Bar 5 — $278 $349.99 (save $71.99)

• Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 — $498 $699.99 (save $201.99)

The best deals in Jackery's Labor Day sale: Best entry-level home backup Jackery HomePower 2000 Plus v2 $1,649 (save $190) Get Deal Best for all-around home backup Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus + SolarSaga 500 X $2,459 (save $270) Get Deal Best for heavy-duty appliances Jackery Solar Generator 5000 Plus $3,149 (save $350) Get Deal

Power outages have a nasty habit of showing up when you least want them to — during a storm, in the middle of the night, or right when you’re working from home. If a home backup battery has been sitting on your “I should probably get one” list, Jackery’s Labor Day sale is a good excuse to finally invest.

Jackery is offering up to 50% off its home backup lineup through Sept. 8, with deals starting at $1,659 for the HomePower 2000 Plus V2. There are also bigger systems like the best-selling HomePower 3600 Plus and Solar Generator 5000 Plus, depending on how much of your home you want to keep running during an outage.

Best entry-level home backup Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery HomePower 2000 Plus v2 $1,659 at Jackery
$1,849 Save $190   Get Deal Why we like it

If you've been putting off buying a backup battery because the whole category feels overwhelming, this is your sign to stop waiting. The HomePower 2000 Plus v2 is plug-and-play, and starts at a 2,048Wh capacity but scales up to 12kWh — you can stack on more batteries later without an electrician or a rewiring project.

The 2,400W rated output (4,800W peak surge) is enough to run a fridge for 48 hours or an AC unit for 2.5 hours on its own, and Priority Routing automatically funnels whatever charge is left to your most essential devices as the battery drains. At 34% lighter than the previous generation, it's also just easier to live with day to day, not something you dread hauling out of the garage.

More HomePower 2000 Plus v2 deals

• Battery Pack 2000 Plus v2 — $899 $999 (save $100)

• HomePower 2000 Plus v2 + 500W — $1,799 $1,999 (save $200)

• HomePower 2000 Plus v2 + Battery Pack 2000 Plus v2 x2 + 500W — $3,919 $4,359 (save $440)

Best for all-around home backup Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus + SolarSaga 500 X $2,459 at Jackery
$2,729 Save $270   Get Deal Why we like it

There's a reason the HomePower 3600 Plus is Jackery's top seller, and it's not just hype: 3,600W of output and a 3,584Wh capacity (expandable up to 21kWh) means it can carry your fridge, WiFi, and home office through a multi-day outage — anywhere from 15 hours to 9 days, depending on your setup. Connect two units together to run 240V appliances like a well pump or a dryer.

It's quiet enough (about 30 decibels) to run right next to you overnight without disturbing your sleep, and built-in wheels and a pull handle mean you can roll it wherever it's needed instead of wrestling it into place.

More HomePower 3600 Plus deals

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Scientists running an underground detector in South Dakota say they have seen a mysterious tiny burst of energy that does not look like normal background noise.

The experiment, called LUX‑ZEPLIN, recorded a signal that stood out as a potential dark matter particle striking an atom in a tank, which is filled with ultra‑pure liquid xenon. Months of checking have not turned up another cause.

Scientists say this single event is their best hint of dark matter so far, but it's still just a maybe. Their math suggests a one‑in‑200 chance that known sources of interference could have produced it, so they can't call it a discovery. 

"We are not claiming to have seen dark matter," said Rick Gaitskell, a professor at Brown University and the spokesperson for the experiment. "But we have seen something interesting that we want to share with the scientific community for their input.”

Here's what you need to know about this intriguing scientific result.

SEE ALSO: Roman telescope's data deluge will change who gets to do big astronomy What is dark matter?

Dark matter is invisible stuff in space that has weight. It does not shine, glow, or block light, so telescopes can't see it directly. Scientists know it's there because of how it pulls on things. Stars in galaxies move as if much more mass surrounds them. Galaxy clusters bend light in ways that also show extra mass. All of this tells scientists that some other kind of material fills space. They call it dark matter, but they still don't know what kind of particle it is.

What is the LUX‑ZEPLIN detector?

The detector, LZ for short, is a large, quiet particle instrument buried a mile underground. Thick rock above the lab blocks most of the cosmic rays that hit Earth from space. Over 11 tons of liquid xenon sit in a sealed tank because it is a heavy, clear liquid when it is very cold. When a particle hits a xenon atom, it can give off a tiny flash of light and release a few electrons. Instruments around the tank record those signals and let scientists figure out where the hit happened and how strong it was.

The LUX-ZEPLIN detector sits almost a mile below ground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility in Lead, South Dakota. Credit: Matthew Kapust / Sanford Underground Research Facility What exactly did scientists observe?

When the team went through 220 days of data collected between March 2023 and April 2024, they found one event in a key energy range that did not blend in with the rest. Something in the xenon left a small, sharp signal with the size and shape they expect from a dark matter hit. When they compared it with signals from known sources, such as trace radioactivity or stray particles from outside the tank, those explanations didn't fit as well. 

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What kind of dark matter are they looking for?

LZ mainly looks for a type of particle called a WIMP: a weakly interacting massive particle. A WIMP would be heavy compared to many known particles, and it would almost never touch normal matter. One could pass through a wall, a planet, or a human body without a trace. If WIMPs make up dark matter, then once in a great while one might bump into a xenon atom in the tank. That bump would create the kind of clear, tiny signal the detector is built to see.

How strong is the evidence?

The evidence isn't very strong. The team estimates there is about a 0.5 percent chance that normal noise in the detector could have created this event by accident. That chance is low, but in particle physics, it is nowhere near low enough to be considered irrefutable. For that, scientists like to see many more events that follow the same pattern and make the odds of a fluke drop to almost zilch. So this result isn't yet proof that they have found dark matter.

Why does one event matter at all?

If dark matter particles almost never hit normal matter, then even a few real hits over many years would be a big deal. Members of the research team say this is the first time they have seen a clear outlier that still looks valid after tests. That makes this single event stand out.

What would it mean if this signal were confirmed?

If dark matter caused this hit, then the particle would likely be quite heavy — over 200 times the mass of a proton — which is one of the particles in the center of atoms. That would narrow the range of possible masses for dark matter. It would also hint that dark matter interacts with normal matter in a more complex way. 

Scientists estimate that visible matter makes up only 5 percent of the universe. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center infographic What happens next?

The team will keep collecting more data over the next few years. They may see more events that look like this one, in the same part of the detector's data. If that happens, the case for dark matter will grow stronger. Or this signal may remain anomalous. In that case, scientists may lean toward an explanation that it came from some very rare background effect.

What does this mean for the rest of us?

For everyday life, nothing changes. But for our picture of the universe, this kind of result is important. Dark matter shapes how galaxies form and move. Finding out what dark matter is made of and how it behaves would answer one of the greatest mysteries of our time. 

Catfishing used to mean pretending to be someone else online, usually to pursue a romantic relationship with someone who might eventually spend several episodes of an MTV show waiting in a suspiciously empty parking lot. But the newest breed of catfish does not need to steal another person's face.

Welcome to what I call "credential catfishing," the increasingly visible practice of fabricating the education, career, wealth, and status that signal authority online. Instead of borrowing someone else's face, the credential catfish turns their own life into fiction, building the story one post at a time. And Angel Victoria Murdock may be its most viral recent example.

Angel Murdock poses beside a Duke Physician Assistant Program sign in an image posted to her (now deactivated) Instagram Story. Credit: Screenshot from Reddit: r/InfluencerLounge

The influencer and former Temptation Island participant spent nearly two years sharing what she portrayed as her journey through Duke University's Physician Assistant Program on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Followers saw her in scrubs, studying medical notes, displaying what appeared to be Duke Health identification, and filming "get ready with me" videos for supposed rotations in psychiatry, obstetrics, and gynecology. She also offered advice to aspiring physician assistants and spoke about the long hours and sacrifices of PA training.

Outside of her medical content, Murdock promoted fashion and beauty products, appeared in a Missy Empire clothing haul, and participated in TikTok Shop's affiliate program, which allows creators to earn commissions from sales.

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After "graduating," she posed in a cap and gown outside Duke Chapel, reportedly captioning her Instagram: "Today, I get to look back and realize that every late night, every sacrifice, every setback and every prayer was leading me right here."

There was just one problem: She had never attended the program. At all.

Murdock’s story began to unravel on Aug. 20, when a recent Duke PA graduate wrote in the subreddit r/InfluencerLounge that a classmate had discovered Murdock's videos the previous year and congratulated her on attending the same program. Within five minutes, the post said, Murdock blocked the classmate.

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Members of Duke's 2026 PA class then began comparing notes. None recalled seeing Murdock in class, on campus, or at program events. Plus, in the graduation image, her academic hood was the wrong color, she was missing from the official class photo, and her name was never called during the program’s graduation ceremony, which remains available on YouTube.

Other elements of Murdock’s public identity also came under scrutiny. She described herself online as a licensed real-estate agent in North Carolina and Georgia, posting listings, house tours, and photos of purported clients. Yet neither state's licensing database listed her, and her named employer said she had never worked there. Murdock also claimed to have earned a double major in biology and psychology from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, but — you guessed it — the university told the New York Post that she attended but did not graduate. (Murdock's main social-media accounts have since been deleted or made private.)

Murdock’s story may be ridiculously elaborate, but it points to a much bigger problem online: You can easily build an audience, earn people’s trust, and make money long before anyone stops to ask whether your background is legitimate in the first place.

Lying on social media can pay

Social media makes it remarkably easy for anyone to lie about who they are. Post the same claim often enough, with enough photos and convincing details, and it can begin to look like a documented life. And Murdock is hardly the first person to build an audience around an identity that was not real.

In Australia, Dalya Karezi attracted more than 200,000 TikTok followers as "dr.dalya.s," wearing scrubs and a stethoscope while discussing reproductive and sexual health in videos that received as many as 15 million views. But Karezi was not a doctor. In 2023, she pleaded guilty to two charges of falsely representing herself as qualified to practice medicine.

Outside of medicine, Jebara Igbara, better known as "Jay Mazini," presented himself to roughly 1 million followers as a wealthy cryptocurrency investor, posting videos of himself handing out cash to strangers and workers. Federal prosecutors later said those displays were part of a manufactured persona used to attract investors. Igbara pleaded guilty to fraud charges and was sentenced in 2024 to seven years in prison after using his Instagram presence as "proof of success" to persuade victims to send him money. There's a Hulu documentary all about it.

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Even this week, federal agents arrested the "Wide Deceiver," Daejon Labrayae Love, who prosecutors say used social media to pose as a San Francisco 49ers wide receiver and wealthy real-estate investor. Love allegedly photographed himself in 49ers gear, filmed workouts in a team helmet, and staged a contract-signing video while dripping in jewelry. He even appeared in a Google search listing him as a player, despite the NFL and the 49ers confirming they had never employed him.

Division II football player Uras Agee IV also allegedly posed as a Dallas Cowboys player for months and autographed footballs for Tampa's "Toys for Tots."

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According to the Justice Department, Love used the persona to find, well, love — and persuade women to place money in nonexistent investments. Prosecutors say Love and his alleged accomplice, Taylor Jamie Chan, received approximately $1.3 million from 26 identified victims. Both men have been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

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There's actually a reason seeing the same story online over and over can make it feel so real. Psychologists call it the "illusory truth effect," a phenomenon in which repeated exposure to a claim increases its perceived accuracy, even when it conflicts with what we already know. Researchers believe that familiarity makes information easier for our brains to process, which can make it feel more trustworthy.

This doesn't mean you need to run a background check on everyone you follow. But if someone is giving medical advice, pitching investments, or using a supposed profession to earn your trust — and especially your money — it's worth checking. A huge following, a blue check, and years of convincing posts can make someone look legitimate. They don’t prove that the person is.

The good news is that many of these claims are easier to check than you might think. Medical and real-estate licenses are usually listed in state databases. Sports teams publish rosters, and many employers have staff directories. The key is to go straight to the organization that supposedly issued the license, awarded the degree, or hired the person, rather than to another social media post or an AI-generated Google result that may simply repeat the same claim.

Most people do not have the time (or the desire) to investigate everyone they follow. They should not have to. But when a creator's advice could affect your health, money, or future, it’s worth taking a moment to find out who is actually behind the content — and whether they're worth trusting.

Chad Powers has one of the most ridiculous concepts on TV right now: Disgraced college quarterback Russ Holliday (Glen Powell) dons prosthetics and a bad wig to become Chad Powers, unlikely walk-on star player for the South Georgia Catfish. Oh, and the whole thing is based off an Eli Manning prank video. (Eli and Peyton Manning are producers on the show.)

Naturally, the show still treats that crazy concept seriously. In Season 1, that seriousness manifested in Russ's internal struggles as he searched for redemption under an entirely different identity. That meant that when Powell was in Russ mode, the show operated more as a character drama. But when Powell donned the Chad makeup, the show functioned more as a zany comedy, complete with its fair share of cringe comedy and pratfalls.

SEE ALSO: 2026 fall TV preview: Every show you should know about

The result was silly fun. Even when Chad Powers' tone grew uneven, sometimes suffering from as much of an identity crisis as Russ, Powell's performance served as a strong unifier.

In Season 2, though, Chad Powers is taking every moment seriously. Yes, there are still jokes aplenty, and the Chad Powers prosthetics still manage to possess Powell like the Green Goblin mask (if the mask made you talk like a Southern chipmunk). But as Russ's lie begins to collapse around him and his co-conspirators, Chad Powers ups the ante and becomes a propulsive football thriller.

Chad Powers Season 2 is a killer thriller. Glen Powell and Perry Mattfeld in "Chad Powers." Credit: Disney

Chad Powers Season 2 establishes its more thriller-tinged vibe right from the jump, with a fast-paced episode taking place almost in real time throughout a stressful game. After taking some intense contact and losing his prosthetic nose, Russ flees his trainers and goes on a mad dash around the stadium in order to get his face back into shape. What follows is a slick manhunt full of more disguises (including an eerie plastic Chad mask) and close calls. It helps Russ and Danny (Frankie A. Rodriguez) that Coach Ricky (Perry Mattfeld) is now involved, albeit reluctantly.

However, as more people are roped into the Chad Powers scheme, the more dangerous it gets. Russ, Danny, and Ricky spend much of the season on the back foot, fending off probing questions about Chad's odd behavior and family. Suddenly, a show that, on paper, is just Mrs. Doubtfire with football becomes a seriously suspenseful affair. Even the silliest scenes, like a sequence where Russ tries to pass his real father (Toby Huss) off as Chad's, are claustrophobic. You can feel the walls closing in.

And as the walls close in, Chad Powers raises its stakes. Discovering Chad's true identity wouldn't just ruin his life all over again. It would ruin Danny's. It would destroy Ricky's promising career. The shock could even cause Coach Jake (Steve Zahn) to have another heart attack, something he's already risking by returning to coach the team. Faced with all these consequences, Russ has to examine whether this last shot at football glory is really worth it, before someone gets grievously hurt.

While Russ is scrambling to cover his tracks, he'll find an unlikely enemy in backup Catfish quarterback Gerry (Colton Ryan). A hopeful punching bag in Season 1, Gerry is a downright menace in Season 2. From stalking to blackmail, he emerges as a true threat, and Ryan delivers a chilling performance that's a far cry from Gerry's optimistic naiveté in Season 1. Several Gerry scenes yanked me to the edge of my seat this season, especially in its fantastic final two installments.

By leaning into thriller conventions, Chad Powers manages to carve its own niche in a TV landscape saturated with sports comedies. The laughs keep flowing and the ensemble gels better than ever, but it's the suspense that truly separates Chad Powers from the pack and gives it its, well, power.

Chad Powers Season 2 is now streaming on Hulu.

We're busy covering all the best deals that are dropping over Labor Day weekend. We've lined up the best Apple deals, the best mattress deals, the best Home Depot deals, and so much more. But what about the hungry? Won't someone think about food?

The good news for absolutely everyone is that many popular restaurant chains are launching limited-time deals over Labor Day weekend, meaning you can eat for free (or at a heavily discounted price). We've scoured the market for the best offers and lined up the best deals from the likes of Capital One Café, Firehouse Subs, Sullivan’s Steakhouse, and other popular spots.

These are our favorite Labor Day deals in 2026.

7-Eleven

7Rewards members can grab a hot sandwich with a 20-ounce Coca-Cola or Pepsi fountain soda for $6. You can also get any roller grill item, a bag of 7-Select chips, and a large Big Gulp for $3 through Labor Day weekend.

BJ’s Brewhouse and Restaurant

Grab the $13 Pizookie Meal Deal on Sept. 7, which includes a choice of one of eight select Brewhouse entrees alongside a signature Pizookie dessert.

Benihana

Education professionals dining through Sept. 7 can pick up one eligible five-course hibachi entree and get a second entree for free with a valid ID.

Capital One Café

Get a free handcrafted beverage on Sept. 7. Just register your mobile phone number online to load a digital pass directly into your Apple Wallet or Google Wallet (limit one pass per customer).

Cheesecake Factory

Score a $10 bonus eCard when you purchase $50 in digital gift cards online through Sept. 7. The bonus card is redeemable on future visits from Sept. 8-30.

Chipotle

Chipotle is running a "Sunday Reset" special over the holiday weekend. Families and groups can score a buy-two-get-one-free entree deal on Sept. 6, from 3 p.m. to closing, when ordering online or in the app with the code SUNDAYS.

Cracker Barrel

Dine in by Sept. 7 and order any adult entree plus a Kids Meal to score a free collectible B’loonie Petz toy.

Del Taco

Del Yeah! Rewards members ordering online or through the official app can get 20% off purchases of $10 or more all weekend long.

Eddie Merlot’s

Spend $75 or more on online orders from Sept. 4-7 and knock $25 off your bill by using promo code WEEKEND at checkout.

Firebird’s Wood Fired Grill

Inner Circle loyalty members can order a full rack of Baby Back Ribs served with fries and fresh fruit for $19.95 from Sept. 3-7.

Firehouse Subs

Buy any sub between Sept. 4-7 to unlock a second sub of your choice for just $1.

Hash Kitchen

Sweet breakfast classics are marked down to $7 each from Sept. 4-7. Guests who sign up for the Brunch Club over Labor Day weekend score a free specialty coffee or Loaded Water.

HTeaO

Score two gallons of iced tea for just $12 from Sept. 4-7.

Krispy Kreme

From Sept. 4-7, buy any dozen doughnuts or 16-count Minis at regular price and grab an additional dozen Original Glazed Doughnuts for just $2 when using code BOGO2 online or in-store.

Kona Grill

Educators can celebrate early by showing a valid school ID while dining in through Sept. 7 to unlock BOGO entrees from a select menu (limit two deals per table).

Krystal

Pick up an Original Sackful for $12 or upgrade to a Cheese Sackful for $15 on Sept. 7.

Moxies

Drop in during Happy Hour (3-6 p.m. on Sept. 7) to snag $12 featured cocktails, $12 shareable appetizers, $9 select glasses of wine, and $6 local craft beers.

Polly’s Pies

Get a whole Banberry Pie for $14.99 through Labor Day.

Port of Subs

Free delivery on all online or mobile app orders placed between Sept. 4-7.

Raise the Roost

The 24-piece Nugget Party Pack is $25 from Sept. 3-7. The bundle comes loaded with 24 chicken nuggets, two large sides, four biscuits, dipping sauces, and cinnamon-sugar hand pies.

Sonny’s BBQ

Take $25 off catering orders over $200 through Sept. 7 when you enter promo code 25OFFCATER at checkout.

STK Steakhouse

Teachers and school staff receive BOGO entrees when showing a valid school ID through Sept. 7.

Sullivan’s Steakhouse

Apply coupon code WEEKEND at online checkout from Sept. 4-7 to take $25 off orders totaling $75 or more.

Teriyaki Madness

Rewards members earn double loyalty points along with a 20% discount on all orders placed between Sept. 5-7.

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!

SEE ALSO: 2026 fall TV preview: Every show you should know about

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you're seeking something brand new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

15. Love Island USA Season 8 Reunion

Revisit the bombshells who took over your summer with the Love Island USA Season 8 reunion. Hosted by Ariana Madix and Andy Cohen, this reunion special will revisit the relationships and shocks of Season 8, all while stirring up a little extra drama that should hopefully tide viewers over until they return to the villa next summer. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: The Love Island USA Season 8 reunion is now streaming on Peacock.

14. Earle Meets World

Internet "it" girl Alix Earle has turned her digital stardom into brand deals, podcasts, and a second-place finish on Dancing With the Stars. Now, she moves deeper into the reality TV space with her own Netflix reality series, Earle Meets World, which offers a behind-the-scenes look at Earle's life and her family. The result is mind-numbing. — B.E.

How to watch: Earle Meets World premieres Sept. 4 on Netflix.

13. Untold Raygun: Breaking Badly

Two years ago, breakdancer Rachael "Raygun" Gunn took the Paris Olympics by storm — but not in a good way. Her kangaroo-inspired moves became an instant meme and scored zero points, turning her into an Olympic laughingstock. In Netflix's Untold Raygun: Breaking Badly, Gunn revisits her routine, the internet ridicule, and the controversy over how she wound up at the Olympics in the first place. — B.E.

How to watch: Untold Raygun: Breaking Badly is now streaming on Netflix.

12. Scary Movie Credit: 2026 Paramount Pictures

Do you like Scary Movie? The hit parody franchise returned for its sixth installment this year, ready to lampoon all the biggest horror movies that came out between 2013's Scary Movie 5 and now. On top of skewering the "rebootquel" Scream films, Scary Movie also tackles everything from Sinners, M3GAN, Weapons, The Substance, and Ma. Fair warning, though: The scariest thing about Scary Movie may be its poor critical response, although it proved to be a commercial hit. — B.E.

Starring: Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Jon Abrahams, Lochlyn Munro, Cheri Oteri, Dave Sheridan, and Chris Elliott

How to watch: Scary Movie is now streaming on Paramount+.

11. The Varnell Hill Show

Did you miss him? Varnell Hill (Tommy Davidson), a fictional talk show host who appeared briefly in Season 2 of Martin, gets his own spin-off with The Varnell Hill Show. The series peers behind the curtain of Varnell's late-night talk show, which is currently in a ratings free fall. How can they update Varnell's tired show for today? Expect some showbiz shenanigans, as well as a stacked cast of guest stars that includes Martin Lawrence himself. — B.E.

Starring: Tommy Davidson, Kym Whitley, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Nick Cafero, Emmanuel Hudson, and Chris Williams

How to watch: The Varnell Hill Show is now streaming on Paramount+.

10. Parasomnia

If you don't want to have a good night's sleep, check out Parasomnia, from director James Ross II. The film introduces Riley (Jasmine Mathews), who is long-haunted by night terrors and a tragic past. When her best friend goes missing, she starts to think that the culprit could be the demon from her nightmares, crossing over into the real world. — B.E.

Starring: Jasmine Mathews, Stephen Barrington, and RJ Brown

How to watch: Parasomnia premieres Sept. 4 on Shudder.

9. Turning Point: Generation 9/11

The latest installment of Netflix's Turning Point documentary series explores the impacts of 2001's 9/11 attacks, 25 years later. Featuring interviews with young adults who were just kids at the time, including the daughter of the co-pilot of Flight 93, the film unpacks how 9/11 shaped the lives of an entire generation, and how the effects of the attacks and their aftermath still impact our daily lives, from personal loss to global geopolitics. — B.E.

How to watch: Turning Point: Generation 9/11 is now streaming on Netflix.

8. Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu

The Mandalorian and Grogu is the first Star Wars film since The Rise of Skywalker, but it's less a triumphant return to the film screen than a nostalgia-fueled whimper. The film sees Mandalorian Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his ward Grogu on their biggest mission yet, one that gets them embroiled with Imperial warlords and villainous Hutts alike.

SEE ALSO: 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' review: If this is the future of Star Wars, I don't want it

Unfortunately, the ensuing adventure is a letdown that not even a stellar, Grogu-centric swamp sequence can save. As I wrote in my review, it's "a slog: an unwieldy adventure full of illegible action and the creeping sense of dread that we've seen this all before. Not even Din and Grogu's sweet bond can Force lift it to success."* — B.E.

Starring: Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Jeremy Allen White, Martin Scorsese, and Jonny Coyne

How to watch: Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is now streaming on Disney+.

7. The Gentlemen Season 2

Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen — spun off from the 2019 film of the same name — returns for Season 2, with more action, crime, and well-tailored suits. This time around, Eddie Halstead (Theo James) is ready to embrace life in the criminal underworld, with the help of associates Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario) and her father, Bobby (Ray Winstone). Their quest for power will take them farther afield to Italy, where they're in for lovely lakeside views and the company of formidable crime bosses. But have Eddie and Susie's ambitions grown too big for them, and could they be in over their heads? — B.E.

Starring: Theo James, Kaya Scodelario, Giancarlo Esposito, Daniel Ings, Ray Winstone, Vinnie Jones, Joely Richardson, Michael Vu, Hugh Bonneville, Michele Morrone, and Benedetta Porcaroli

How to watch: The Gentlemen Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.

6. Mayday

Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh team up for Apple's unconventional spy thriller Mayday. Reynolds plays hotshot U.S. Navy pilot Lieutenant Troy “Assassin” Kelly, who finds himself stranded behind enemy lines in Soviet territory at the height of the Cold War. Branagh plays Nikolai Ustinov, the gruff ex-KGB agent who discovers him. The two develop an unexpected bond in this comedy from Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. Honestly, they gave us Jarnathan, so I trust them with my life.* — B.E.

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Kenneth Branagh, Marcin Dorocinski, Maria Bakalova, and David Morse

How to watch: Mayday premieres Sept. 4 on Apple TV.

5. The Wrong Girls

Kristen Stewart and Alia Shawkat team up and get dirty in ridiculous stoner comedy The Wrong Girls, the directorial debut from Dylan Meyer. The pair play Frankie and Molly, two besties who mistakenly wind up with a suitcase full of drugs that give them full-on superpowers.

SEE ALSO: 'The Wrong Girls' director Dylan Meyer on giant squids, casting cats, and Kristen Stewart's secret side

So begins an odyssey of dirtbag debauchery only rarely afforded to female characters. As Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko wrote in her review, "The Wrong Girls is a sublimely stupid buddy comedy. And thank the movie gods!" — B.E.

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Alia Shawkat, Seth Rogen, Geena Davis, Tony Hale, Kumail Nanjiani, and LaKeith Stanfield

How to watch: The Wrong Girls is now available to buy or rent on digital.

4. I Want Your Sex

Olivia Wilde and Cooper Hoffman heat up the screen in Gregg Araki's buzzy erotic comedy I Want Your Sex, now on digital. Hoffman plays Elliot, assistant to Wilde's famed artist Erika Tracy. When Erika initiates a BDSM relationship with Elliot, he'll reconsider everything he thought he knew about sex and his own relationships.

On top of bringing Erika and Elliot's kinky fantasies to life, I Want Your Sex also probes generational differences when it comes to sex, sparking conversations about whether Gen Z is actually repressed. The result is, as Mashable's Kristy Pucko wrote in her review, "an exuberantly entertaining comedy, alive with sexual vigor, earnest humanity, and biting humor." — B.E.

Starring: Olivia Wilde, Cooper Hoffman, Mason Gooding, Chase Sui Wonders, Daveed Diggs, and Charli XCX

How to watch: I Want Your Sex is now available to buy or rent on digital.

3. SCTV

This scrappy Canadian sketch comedy show, which launched in 1976, introduced the world to the likes of John Candy, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Harold Ramis, Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis, and Martin Short. Second City Television brought together a improvisational comedy sensibility with deeply quirky Canadian flare. The result was a show that felt edgier and weirder than Saturday Night Live. And it's easy to argue its been just as influential.

Whether SCTV is new to you or this would be a revisit, now's the time to get on board. Netflix also has the documentary SCTV: The Greatest Show You've Never Heard Of coming this fall, while the sensational doc You Had to Be There: How the Toronto Godspell Ignited the Comedy Revolution, Spread Love & Overalls, and Created a Community That Changed the World (in a Canadian Kind of Way) will open in New York City on Sept. 18 and nationwide on Sept. 25. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

Starring: John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Harold Ramis, Dave Thomas, Robin Duke, Rick Moranis, Tony Rosato, and Martin Short

How to watch: All six seasons of SCTV are now streaming on Netflix.

2. Chad Powers Season 2

Celebrate the start of the college football season with the return of Glen Powell's sports comedy, Chad Powers.

By the end of Season 1, much-loathed college football player Russ Holliday (Powell) managed to return to his quarterback glory days. Not as himself, but as his bumbling alter ego, Chad Powers. Now, though, his secret is getting dangerously close to slipping out, and he and confidant Danny (Frankie A. Rodriguez) are going to have to rope a very reluctant Ricky (Perry Mattfeld) into their scheme if they want any shot at preventing a massive scandal. What follows is as thrilling as it is funny. If you love football, you'll have a blast with the on-the-field shenanigans, and if you don't, there's still so much to love with Russ' theater kid-level dedication to the role of Chad.* — B.E.

Starring: Glen Powell, Perry Mattfeld, Quentin Plair, Wynn Everett, Frankie A. Rodriguez, and Steve Zahn

How to watch: Chad Powers Season 2 premieres Sept. 3 on Hulu.

Best of streaming this week: Teenage Wasteland

Audiences will finally be exposed to a Sundance doc that I can't shake. Teenage Wasteland, which premiered at Sundance in 2025, ushers viewers back to the early 1990s, when a high school teacher taught his class a series of valuable lessons through one video project.

In upstate New York’s Middletown High School, Fred Isseks used newly acquired audiovisual recording equipment to challenge his students to become investigative reporters. He taught them how to shoot, produce, and edit. When they decided to turn their focus to the rumor that a local landfill was dumping toxic waste into the water supply, he encouraged them, even when things got complicated — like, mafia pressuring them off the story complicated.

Documentarians Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss interview these former students and Isseks, asking them to look back and share what they learned, not just about their town, but also about the world and the power of coming together. — K.P.

How to watch: Teenage Wasteland premieres Sept. 4 on Netflix.

(*) denotes a blurb came from a prior list.

TL;DR: This Grade-A refurbished HP EliteBook combines an 11th-gen Core i7, 32GB RAM, a 256GB SSD, and Windows 11 Pro for $389.99 (reg. $549.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: HP HP Elitebook 830 G8 2020 (Refurbished) $389.99
$549.99 Save $160   Get Deal

The HP EliteBook 830 G8 is the kind of laptop designed for actual workloads, not just looking productive on a coffee-shop table. This configuration pairs an 11th-gen Intel Core i7 processor with 32GB of DDR4 RAM, giving it enough muscle for demanding business applications, heavy multitasking, virtual meetings, and everyday productivity.

Its 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD supports quick startups and responsive app launches. Intel Iris Xe graphics handle business computing, video conferencing, and creative projects, and Windows 11 Pro is preinstalled.

The 13.3-inch Full HD IPS touchscreen folds through 360 degrees, making the EliteBook flexible enough for traditional work, presentations, or entertainment. Despite its convertible CNC-machined aluminum design, it weighs just 2.8 pounds. Battery life reaches up to 16.5 hours, and HP Fast Charge can restore up to 50 percent in about 30 minutes.

Connectivity is ready for a modern desk setup. Dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI 2.0, and USB-A support monitors, docks, and peripherals, while WiFi 6 and Bluetooth handle wireless connections.

HP Wolf Security features include HP Sure Start, Sure Sense, Sure Click, and TPM 2.0, with fingerprint authentication listed as optional. Bang & Olufsen-tuned speakers, AI-powered noise reduction, and a multi-microphone array help make calls clearer.

This refurbished EliteBook carries a Grade-A rating and arrives in near-mint condition with minimal to no case scuffing. Don’t miss this HP EliteBook 830 G8 on sale for just $389.99 (reg. $549.99) while stock is still available.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Pay $42.97 once for lifetime access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams Basic, and OneNote on one Mac.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021: Lifetime License $42.97
$219 Save $176.03   Get Deal

Subscriptions have their place, but productivity software doesn’t really need to be one of them — especially when it’s something as familiar and widely used as Microsoft Office. Somewhere along the way, there must have been a glitch in the matrix, because buying software quietly turned into renting it forever.

Thankfully, Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 skips that model entirely. Its lifetime license is currently on sale for $42.97 (reg. $219), whether you’re using a Mac or a Windows PC.

There’s no need to explain why an Office license still matters. Most people have been using Microsoft Office long before cloud apps and browser-based alternatives became the norm. With this deal, you can install the full Office suite on a single device for lifetime use — at home or at work — without worrying about monthly renewals, annual price hikes, or surprise charges down the line.

This license includes all the core apps most people actually rely on: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and OneNote. That means drafting documents, crunching numbers, building presentations, managing email, and organizing notes using the full desktop versions of each app. Unlike free alternatives or web-based tools, you get access to the complete feature sets, which makes a difference when you’re working on longer documents, detailed spreadsheets, or presentation-heavy projects.

Once you purchase, your license key and download links are delivered instantly, so there’s no waiting around to get started. Microsoft also includes lifetime customer support, which can be helpful if you ever need assistance with installation or troubleshooting.

Instead of committing to yet another recurring subscription, this one-time purchase lets you snag software you’ll likely keep using for years. You can grab Microsoft Office Home & Business 2021 for Mac for $$42.97 (reg. $219).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The best Labor Day TV deals at a glance: Best QLED TV deal TCL 65-inch QM8L SQD-Mini-LED QLED 4K TV $1,397.99 (save $1,102) Get Deal Best RGB TV deal Samsung 65-inch R85H Micro RGB 4K TV $1,499.99 (save $600) Get Deal Best OLED TV deal LG 65-inch C6 OLED 4K TV $1,499.99 (save $1,200) Get Deal

Labor Day isn't just the unofficial kick off of fall and football season, it's also a great time to score tech at cheaper prices. TV deals are particularly impressive this week, with some of our favorite models of 2026 down to record lows. If you've been putting off upgrading your TV, now's a great time to take the leap.

More deals will likely pop up leading into the weekend, but with some of these models at their best prices ever, there's really no need to wait. I've rounded up the best Labor Day TV deals worth adding to your cart below.

Best QLED TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 65-inch QM8L SQD-Mini-LED QLED 4K TV $1,397.99 at Amazon
$2,499.99 Save $1,102.00   Get Deal Why we like it

TCL's QM8L SQD-Mini-LED TV is our favorite QLED TV for most people. Mashable's TV expert shouts out its "superb peak brightness, detailed picture quality, and fantastic glare handling" in her review. She also dubs it one of the brightest TVs you can buy, period, which is largely due to its "super quantum dot mini LEDs" (the SQD in its name). It clocks in at $2,499.99 for the 65-inch model on a normal day, but for Labor Day, it's down to a best-ever $1,397.99 at Amazon. That's 44% in savings.

Best OLED TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG 65-inch C6 OLED 4K TV $1,499.99 at Amazon
$2,699.99 Save $1,200.00   Get Deal Why we like it

The LG C6 is what we'd call the "best affordable OLED TV," compared to competitors' prices, and the best OLED TV for most people. With a $1,200 discount, the 65-inch model is the same price as the 55-inch option on a normal day. It also happens to be its best price on record. The C6 features inky black levels, stark contrast, improved audio, peak brightness, and refresh rate over its predecessor, and a generally impeccable picture quality.

Best RGB TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 65-inch R85H Micro RGB 4K TV $1,499.99 at Best Buy
$2,099.99 Save $600.00   Get Deal Why we like it

RGB TVs were easily the biggest TV trend at CES 2026 and Samsung's R95H is easily the best RGB TV of the year. However, it's pretty dang expensive, even on sale ($2,799 for the 65-inch option). On the other hand, its more affordable sibling, the R85H, is down to a much more palatable $1,499.99 for the 65-inch version. Like the R95H, it uses individual red, green, and blue LEDs to deliver better color accuracy than non-RGB TVs. It's almost too vivid. If you're curious about RGB TVs, it's a solid entry-level option that won't require emptying your wallet.

More Labor Day TV deals50 to 55-inch TV deals

• Insignia 50-inch F50 LED 4K TV — $159.99 $299.99 (save $140)

• Amazon 50-inch Omni QLED 4K Fire TV — $259.99 $469.99 (save $210)

• LG 55-inch LX7B Gallery Mini LED 4K TV — $699.99 $1,299.99 (save $600)

• Hisense 55-inch UR8 RGB Mini LED 4K TV — $899.99 $1,499.99 (save $600)

65-inch TV deals

• LG 65-inch LX7B Gallery Mini LED 4K TV — $899.99 $1,799.99 (save $900)

• Hisense 65-inch S7 Canvas Hi-QLED 4K TV — $997.99 $1,999.99 (save $1,002)

• Sony 65-inch Bravia 7 Mini LED QLED 4K TV — $1,298 $1,598 (save $300)

• Samsung 65-inch S85H OLED 4K TV — $1,397.99 $1,999.99 (save $602)

• LG 65-Inch B6 OLED 4K TV — $1,399.99 $1,999.99 (save $600)

• Samsung 65-inch S90H OLED 4K TV — $1,597.99 $2,697.99 (save $1,100)

• Sony 65-inch Bravia 8 II QD QLED 4K TV — $2,498 $3,299.99 (save $801.99)

• Samsung 65-inch S95H OLED 4K TV — $2,799.99 $3,399.99 (save $600)

75-inch TV deals

• Hisense 75-inch U6 Pro Mini-LED ULED 4K TV — $797.99 $1,399.99 (save $602)

• Hisense 75-inch U7 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV — $1,197.99 $1,999.99 (save $802)

• Samsung 75-inch R85H Micro RGB 4K TV — $1,999.99 $2,799.99 (save $800)

• Sony 75-inch Bravia 7 II RGB 4K TV — $2,299.99 $3,099.99 (save $800)

• Samsung 75-inch The Frame Pro QLED 4K TV — $2,397.99 $2,797.99 (save $400)

• Samsung 75-inch R95H RGB 4K TV — $3,799.99 $4,499.99 (save $700)

80 to 85-inch TV deals

• Insignia 85-inch Class F50 Series 4K Fire TV — $599.99 $899.99 (save $300)

• Hisense 85-inch U6 Pro Hi-QLED Mini-LED 4K TV — $1097.99 $1,999.99 (save $902)

• Samsung 85-inch M80H Mini-LED 4K TV — $1,199.99 $1,799.99 (save $600)

• Hisense 85-inch U7 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV — $1,397.99 $2,499.99 (save $1,102)

• Hisense 85-inch UR8 RGB Mini LED 4K TV — $2,199.99 $3,499.99 (save $1,300)

Over 85-inch TV deals

• Hisense 100-inch U6 Mini-LED 4K TV — $1,999.99 $2,999.99 (save $1,000)

• TCL 98-inch QM7L SQD-Mini-LED QLED 4K TV — $2,497.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,502)

• Hisense 100-inch UR8 RGB Mini LED 4K TV — $3,499.99 $5,999.99 (save $2,500)