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The past few weeks haven't been the best for Plex. After the company disclosed a catastrophic vulnerability in its client, it has now suffered a breach. Surprisingly, the two things are not related.

Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson embrace their inner Neil Diamond in the upcoming musical film Song Sung Blue.

Written and directed by Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow, Dolemite Is My Name), the film is based on the 2008 documentary of the same name (which, in turn, shares a name with a 1972 Diamond song). It followed musicians Mike and Claire Sardina, who rose to fame as the Neil Diamond/Patsy Cline tribute act Lightning & Thunder. (He's Lightning, she's Thunder.)

SEE ALSO: 2025 fall movie preview: Every upcoming film you ought to know about

Jackman and Hudson take on the roles of Mike and Claire in Brewer's Song Sung Blue, charting their journey from struggling musicians to local icons. Along the way, the two fall in love, get married, and sing a ton of Neil Diamond songs. The film's first trailer features Hudson and Jackman singing snippets of Diamond's "Cherry, Cherry" and, of course, "Sweet Caroline" — "bah, bah, bah" and all.

Neither Jackman nor Hudson are strangers to musicals: Jackman earned an Academy Award nomination for his role as Jean Valjean in 2012's Les Misérables, led 2017's hit The Greatest Showman, and has amassed an impressive array of stage credits, including his Tony-winning role in The Boy from Oz. Meanwhile, Hudson starred in Rob Marshall's 2009 film adaptation of Nine and absolutely devoured her role as NYADA instructor Cassandra July in Season 4 of Glee. Check out the full trailer above to see how their musical chops translate to their performances as the Sardinas.

Song Sung Blue also stars Michal Imperioli, Ella Anderson, King Princess, Mustafa Shakir, Hudson Hensley, Fisher Stevens, and Jim Belushi.

Song Sung Blue hits theaters Dec. 25.

The best Apple deals this week, at a glance: Best MacBook deal Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,199 (Save $200) Shop Now Best iPad deal Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 512GB) $1,049 (save $150) Shop Now Best AirPods deal AirPods Pro 2 $199 (save $50) Shop Now

Apple's "Awe Dropping" event kicks off on Sept. 9 and we're expecting to see a slew of new products. From yet another new iPhone to a much-needed AirPods Pro upgrade, there's sure to be a lot of buzz this week from the fruit company.

Typically, when Apple drops new products, it drops prices on older products. We're starting to see discounts pop up a day ahead of the event — and we'll keep an eye out for more throughout the week. So far, we've rounded up a few of the best Apple deals you can shop as of Sept. 8, including the M4 MacBook Air, M4 iPad Pro, and more.

Best MacBook deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,199 at Amazon
$1,399 Save $200 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the M4 Apple MacBook Air.

The M4 MacBook Air earned a top spot on our list of the best laptops for 2025. It also happens to be our favorite MacBook for most people, even at full price. But we obviously won't argue with a $200 discount. While most options have jumped back up in price since Labor Day, the 15-inch model with 16GB RAM and 512GB of storage is still chilling at its best-ever price of $1,199. If you don't need the heavier specs of the MacBook Pro for advanced video editing or graphic design, the M4 Air will treat you just fine. If you want to save even more, you can grab the still-great previous-generation M3 model for just $999.

More Mac and MacBook deals

MacBook Air

• Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $699 $799 (save $100)

• Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M3, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)

• Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M3, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $999 $1,299 (save $300)

• Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M3, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,199 $1,499 (save $300)

• Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $897.50 $999 (save $101.50)

• Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,068 $1,199 (save $131)

• Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,248.55 $1,399 (save $150.45)

• Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $1,079.88 $1,199 (save $119.12)

• Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,431.09 $1,599 (save $167.91)

MacBook Pro

• Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M3, 8GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,199 $1,599 (save $400)

• Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,426.21 $1,599 (save $172.79)

• Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,620.57 $1,799 (save $178.43)

• Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,779.69 $1,999 (save $219.31)

• Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4 Pro, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,792.46 $1,999 (save $206.54)

• Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch (M4 Pro, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $2,249 $2,499 (save $250)

iMac

• Apple iMac (M3, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,299 $1,799 (save $500)

• Apple iMac (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $1,347.50 $1,499 (save $151.50)

Best iPad deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 512GB) $1,049 at Amazon
$1,199 Save $150 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the M4 iPad Pro.

Looking for a tablet that can not only double as a laptop, but actually rival it? The M4 iPad Pro is a beast. It "blew us away with its power efficiency, striking display, and breakneck performance," Mashable's reviewer writes. It packs an ultra-long battery life for creative tasks on the go. It's razor-thin and light as a feather. And its performance is pretty much unmatchable. It's not for everyone, given its steep price tag, but professionals wanting the best of the best can save $150 on the 11-inch M4 iPad Pro with 512GB at Amazon. While not quite its best price ever, it's the biggest discount you'll find on the M4 Pro as of Sept. 8.

More iPad deals

iPad

• Apple iPad, 11-inch (A16, WiFi, 128GB) — $299 $349 (save $50)

• Apple iPad, 11-inch (A16, WiFi, 256GB) — $399 $449 (save $50)

iPad Air

• Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M3, WiFi, 128GB) — $549 $599 (save $50)

• Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M3, WiFi, 256GB) — $629 $699 (save $70)

• Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M3, WiFi + cellular, 128GB) — $679 $749 (save $70)

• Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M3, WiFi, 128GB) — $733.65 $799 (save $65.35)

• Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M3, WiFi + cellular, 128GB) — $869 $949 (save $80)

• Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M3, WiFi, 512GB) — $999 $1,099 (save $100)

iPad Pro

• Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 256GB) — $899 $999 (save $100)

• Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M4, WiFi, 256GB) — $1,195 $1,299 (save $104)

• Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M4, WiFi, 512GB) — $1,381.42 $1,499 (save $117.58)

Best AirPods deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 2 $199 at Amazon
$249 Save $50 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the AirPods Pro 2.

It's no secret that we love the AirPods Pro. They're our favorite earbuds for Apple users, thanks to their excellent ANC, impressive sound quality, and seamless Apple device connectivity. That being said, there's rumors of a new pair dropping at Apple's September event. If you want the latest and greatest earbuds, you may want to hold off on purchasing. If you'd rather save some money, snag the second-generation AirPods Pro while they're under $200.

More deals on AirPods

• Apple AirPods 4 (without noise cancellation) — $116.99 $129 (save $12.01)

• Apple AirPods 4 (with noise cancellation) — $168.99 $179 (save $10.01)

• Apple AirPods Max — $504.62 $549 (save $44.38)

Best Apple accessory deals

• Apple AirTag — $24 $29 (save $5)

• Apple AirTag (4-pack) — $74.99 $99 (save $24.01)

• Apple Pencil USB-C — $71 $79 (save $8)

• Apple Pencil Pro — $110.87 $129 (save $18.13)

When was the last time you bartered for something? Last week? Last month? Never? You should totally start bartering. I recently used the barter system to get a new Kindle and a photo printer, and it inspired me to barter more. Here’s why you should use the barter system more (and why I wish more people used it in general)

Memory and network bottlenecks are increasingly limiting AI system performance by reducing GPU utilization and overall efficiency, ultimately preventing infrastructure from reaching its full potential despite enormous investments. At the core of this challenge is a fundamental trade-off in the communication technologies used for memory and network interconnects.

Datacenters typically deploy two types of physical cables for communication between GPUs. Traditional copper links are power-efficient and reliable, but limited to very short distances (< 2 meters) that restrict their use to within a single GPU rack. Optical fiber links can reach tens of meters, but they consume far more power and fail up to 100 times as often as copper. A team working across Microsoft aims to resolve this trade-off by developing MOSAIC, a novel optical link technology that can provide low power and cost, high reliability, and long reach (up to 50 meters) simultaneously. This approach leverages a hardware-system co-design and adopts a wide-and-slow design with hundreds of parallel low-speed channels using microLEDs. 

The fundamental trade-off among power, reliability, and reach stems from the narrow-and-fast architecture deployed in today’s copper and optical links, comprising a few channels operating at very high data rates. For example, an 800 Gbps link consists of eight 100 Gbps channels. With copper links, higher channel speeds lead to greater signal integrity challenges, which limits their reach. With optical links, high-speed transmission is inherently inefficient, requiring power-hungry laser drivers and complex electronics to compensate for transmission impairments. These challenges grow as speeds increase with every generation of networks. Transmitting at high speeds also pushes the limits of optical components, reducing systems margins and increasing failure rates. 

These limitations force systems designers to make unpleasant choices, limiting the scalability of AI infrastructure. For example, scale-up networks connecting AI accelerators at multi-Tbps bandwidth typically must rely on copper links to meet the power budget, requiring ultra-dense racks that consume hundreds of kilowatts per rack. This creates significant challenges in cooling and mechanical design, which constrain the practical scale of these networks and end-to-end performance. This imbalance ultimately erects a networking wall akin to the memory wall, in which CPU speeds have outstripped memory speeds, creating performance bottlenecks.

A technology offering copper-like power efficiency and reliability over long distances can overcome this networking wall, enabling multi-rack scale-up domains and unlocking new architectures. This is a highly active R&D area, with many candidate technologies currently being developed across the industry. In our recent paper, “MOSAIC: Breaking the Optics versus Copper Trade-off with a Wide-and-Slow Architecture and MicroLEDs”, which received the Best Paper award at ACM SIGCOMM (opens in new tab), we present one such promising approach that is the result of a multi-year collaboration between Microsoft Research, Azure, and M365. This work is centered around an optical wide-and-slow architecture, shifting from a small number of high-speed serial channels towards hundreds of parallel low-speed channels. This would be impractical to realize with today’s copper and optical technologies because of i) electromagnetic interference challenges in high-density copper cables and ii) the high cost and power consumption of lasers in optical links, as well as the increase in packaging complexity. MOSAIC overcomes these issues by leveraging directly modulated microLEDs, a technology originally developed for screen displays. 

MicroLEDs are significantly smaller than traditional LEDs (ranging from a few to tens of microns) and, due to their small size, they can be modulated at several Gbps. They are manufactured in large arrays, with over half a million in a small physical footprint for high-resolution displays like head-mounted devices or smartwatches. For example, assuming 2 Gbps per microLED channel, an 800 Gbps MOSAIC link can be realized by using a 20×20 microLED array, which can fit in less than 1 mm×1 mm silicon die. 

MOSAIC’s wide-and-slow design provides four core benefits.

• Operating at low speed improves power efficiency by eliminating the need for complex electronics and reducing optical power requirements.
• By leveraging optical transmission (via microLEDs), MOSAIC sidesteps copper’s reach issues, supporting distances up to 50 meters, or > 10x further than copper.
• MicroLEDs’ simpler structure and temperature insensitivity make them more reliable than lasers. The parallel nature of wide-and-slow also makes it easy to add redundant channels, further increasing reliability, up to two orders of magnitude higher than optical links. 
• The approach is also scalable, as higher aggregate speeds (e.g., 1.6 Tbps or 3.2 Tbps) can be achieved by increasing the number of channels and/or raising per-channel speed (e.g., to 4-8 Gbps). 

Further, MOSAIC is fully compatible with today’s pluggable transceivers’ form factor and it provides a drop-in replacement for today’s copper and optical cables, without requiring any changes to existing server and network infrastructure. MOSAIC is protocol-agnostic, as it simply relays bits from one endpoint to another without terminating or inspecting the connection and, hence, it’s fully compatible with today’s protocols (e.g., Ethernet, PCIe, CXL). We are currently working with our suppliers to productize this technology and scale to mass production. 

While conceptually simple, realizing this architecture posed a few key challenges across the stack, which required a multi-disciplinary team with expertise spanning across integrated photonics, lens design, optical transmission, and analog and digital design. For example, using individual fibers per channel would be prohibitively complex and costly due to the large number of channels. We addressed this by employing imaging fibers, which are typically used for medical applications (e.g., endoscopy). They can support thousands of cores per fiber, enabling multiplexing of many channels within a single fiber. Also, microLEDs are a less pure light source than lasers, with a larger beam shape (which complicates fiber coupling) and a broader spectrum (which degrades fiber transmission due to chromatic dispersion). We tackled these issues through a novel microLED and optical lens design, and a power-efficient analog-only electronic back end, which does not require any expensive digital signal processing.  

Based on our current estimates, this approach can save up to 68% of power, i.e., more than 10W per cable while reducing failure rates by up to 100x. With global annual shipments of optical cables reaching into the tens of millions, this translates to over 100MW of power savings per year, enough to power more than 300,000 homes. While these immediate gains are already significant, the unique combination of low power consumption, reduced cost, high reliability, and long reach opens up exciting new opportunities to rethink AI infrastructure from network and cluster architectures to compute and memory designs.

For example, by supporting low-power, high-bandwidth connectivity at long reach, MOSAIC removes the need for ultra-dense racks and enables novel network topologies, which would be impractical today. The resulting redesign could reduce resource fragmentation and simplify collective optimization. Similarly, on the compute front, the ability to connect silicon dies at low power over long distances could enable resource disaggregation, shifting from today’s large, multi-die packages to smaller, more cost-effective, ones. Bypassing packaging area constraints would also make it possible to drastically increase GPU memory capacity and bandwidth, while facilitating adoption of novel memory technologies. 

Historically, step changes in network technology have unlocked entirely new classes of applications and workloads. While our SIGCOMM paper provides possible future directions, we hope this work sparks broader discussion and collaboration across the research and industry communities.

Opens in a new tab

The post Breaking the networking wall in AI infrastructure  appeared first on Microsoft Research.

Google's fancy new Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro are finally available, and users are taking advantage of its many new features, from a powerful Pro Res Zoom and Magic Cue to Google's new Daily Hub. Unfortunately, the latter feature isn't all that great, and Google's removed it from phones until further notice.

In a sign of things to come, the Apple Store was down Tuesday morning.

Don't worry, however, it didn't crash. The Apple Store typically goes down the morning of a big Apple Event as it updates for the new products set to be announced.

And Tuesday is going to be a big day for Apple fans. It's a near certainty the tech giant will announce the new iPhone 17, in various iterations, at its big "Awe Dropping" event scheduled for 1 p.m. ET. (Follow Mashable's live blog for all the latest developments throughout the day.)

If you fire up the Apple Store site, it reads: "Be right back. We’re making updates to the Apple Store. Check back soon." You can also click on an interactive Apple logo, if you're feeling antsy.

Credit: Apple

Rumors have swirled about the exact specs, colors, and details of the iPhone 17 lineup. Mashable has the latest updates ahead of the rapidly approaching event. But whatever the iPhone 17 actually looks like, you'll at least be able to check them out on the Apple Store site when it relaunches later Tuesday.

For more Apple event coverage, follow Mashable's live blog and get real-time updates on the iPhone 17, Apple Watch Series 11, and AirPods Pro 3 launch.

If you’ve been thinking about getting an electric vehicle (EV) or plug-in hybrid (PHEV), this is a gentle reminder that the federal tax credit of up to $7,500 is set to expire on September 30, 2025.

OUT NOW: Shark announced the Shark StainForce cordless handheld stain cleaner on Sept. 9. It costs $199.99 and is available online now.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark StainForce cordless handheld stain cleaner $199.99 at Shark
Learn More

Are you or a loved one that friend who can't relax when someone's holding a drink near a light-colored couch? If so, you might be experiencing stainxiety (noun): The stress and panic that sets in when faced with tough stains, especially before hosting guests or during spill emergencies. Shark coined that term to introduce the newest member of the Shark cleaning squad: The Shark StainForce cordless stain cleaner. It was just released on Sept. 9 and costs $199.99 — though it seems to have already sold out on launch morning, you can sign up for restock alerts.

Credit: Shark

Most of us have at least one stain in our home or car that we've just accepted as permanent. Maybe that's because the 15-pound carpet cleaner in the closet isn't as portable as advertised, or because we don't have room to store a carpet cleaner at all. The StainForce is a solution either way — it's cordless and no bigger than a handheld vacuum. (For reference, it weighs less than three pounds. That's less than half of the Bissell Little Green's or Shark StainStriker's weight, both of which are already touted as compact upholstery cleaners.)

SEE ALSO: Will the laser-equipped Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai solve Dyson's robot vacuum problem?

The Shark StainForce gadget itself is accompanied by a proprietary spray bottle that keeps the included dual-activated cleaning solution separate until it's time to clean. The cleaning nozzle administers suction and liquid like any other carpet cleaner, just without the annoying tube. Dirty water is held in the same handle and can be emptied right into the sink.

Credit: Shark

I said it before, and I'll say it again: People just want practical ways to clean their house. In a story from June, where I got my skepticism about some current robot vacuum innovations off my chest, I mentioned that Eufy is winning because its latest robot vacuums aren't newfangled for the sake of it. For example, the Eufy E28 is a robot vacuum and mop combo whose dock has a detachable carpet cleaner (though it still needs to be plugged in). Shark is clearly on the "streamlining stain removal" wavelength too — and if you aren't looking for a new vacuum right now, the StainForce is an easy addition to your cleaning closet that you won't dread getting out.

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

The 2025 Asia Cup promises electric T20 cricket from some of the best teams and players in the world. All eyes will be on the likes of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, but don't count out Afghanistan. Rashid Khan will lead a side known for its spin bowling and aggressive batting performances, starting with a matchup against Hong Kong.

If you want to watch Afghanistan vs. Hong Kong in the 2025 Asia Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Afghanistan vs. Hong Kong?

Afghanistan vs. Hong Kong in the 2025 Asia Cup starts at 10:30 a.m. ET on Sept. 9. This game takes place at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium.

How to watch Afghanistan vs. Hong Kong for free

Afghanistan vs. Hong Kong in the 2025 Asia Cup is available to live stream for free on Tamasha.

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

Live stream Afghanistan vs. Hong Kong in the 2025 Asia Cup for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit Tamasha

5. Live stream Afghanistan vs. Hong Kong for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can watch the 2025 Asia Cup without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you plenty of time to watch the tournament for free.

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

What is the best VPN for Tamasha?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Pakistan

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2025 Asia Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

Watching TV. A simple pastime that once involved nothing more than turning on the television and flipping through a handful of broadcast TV stations before settling on something to stare at for a few hours. Then came cable, and now subscription-based media streaming platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, and others, that are funneled into your home over the internet.

Dwayne Johnson embodies MMA icon and UFC champion Mark Kerr in The Smashing Machine, with A24's new trailer giving the best look we've seen yet of the Fast and Furious Hollywood star and WWE legend in his much-anticipated role.

Written and directed by Uncut Gems' Benny Safdie, The Smashing Machine tracks Kerr's career of tournaments and championships underpinned by personal turbulence. The trailer focuses on Kerr's relationship with his then-wife Dawn Staples, played by Emily Blunt, and his experience with substance abuse, all set to a dramatic version of Phil Collins' "Against All Odds."

Just from the two minutes of this trailer, it seems audiences are in for a few rounds of emotional upheaval with The Smashing Machine.

The Smashing Machine premiered at the Venice International Film Festival ahead of its theatrical debut on Oct. 3.

It's September, which means it's new iPhone season, and the iPhone 17 rumor mill has been churning.

The Apple Event 2025 is scheduled for Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET), so we should probably stop, catch our breath, and review what we know so far. The tech world is eagerly awaiting the iPhone 17's arrival (and a whole slew of new Apple devices), but Apple could also drop some surprises at its "Awe-dropping" iPhone launch event.

As always, there have been plenty of iPhone 17 rumors over the past year. Some of them will undoubtedly be true, while others seem pretty sketchy. That's just how these launches go.

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

Let's not waste any more time. Here is everything we know, everything we think we know, and everything we know we don't know about the iPhone 17 so far.

What iPhone 17 models will we get?

First up, let's establish exactly which iPhones we're expecting in September. This is speculative, but most Apple watchers believe we're getting four phones at the Apple Event 2025:

• iPhone 17

• iPhone 17 Pro

• iPhone 17 Pro Max

• iPhone 17 Air

Naturally, there will be a base iPhone 17 model. That's a given, as predictable as the sun setting at night. All indications point to the iPhone 17 getting Pro and Pro Max models, as well, which would be in line with previous Apple mobile releases from the past few years. It would be a real shock if Apple pivoted away from that.

SEE ALSO: iPhones, Macs, and iPads will get GPT-5 via Apple Intelligence. Here’s when it happens. What is the iPhone Air?

It's the year of ultra-thin smartphones, and numerous leaks and rumors point to an ultra-thin model, potentially called the iPhone 17 Air. The Air could replace the Plus model that used to grace the iPhone lineup for the past few years, so instead of getting a bigger version of the base model, we'll get something that has an identity of its own.

We don't know exactly how big the Air will be, but leaks suggest it will measure in somewhere between 5 and 6mm of thickness. That would make it Apple's slimmest iPhone yet, putting it in competition with the recently released Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, a 5.8mm thick device.

iPhone 17 release date

The rumors were correct: Apple's big reveal will happen on Tuesday, Sept. 9., starting at 10 a.m. PT.

9to5Mac also pointed out that Apple always places the official release date of each new iPhone on the Friday of the week after the launch event, so keep an eye on Friday, Sept. 19 for the new iPhone's official release date.

Over at Forbes, reporter David Phelan predicts the new iOS 26 update will officially arrive on Monday, Sept. 15 or Tuesday, Sept. 16.

iPhone 17 lineup: The specs

The day before Apple's iPhone event, a leaker claimed to have the official specs of the new iPhone 17 lineup, although that post was quickly deleted. Another leaker claimed to have the full battery breakdown. And these reports follow months of rumors and speculation.

Let's start with the displays. Prolific leaker Ice Universe (via 9to5Mac) reported all the way back in July 2024 that these would be the approximate display sizes for each new iPhone:

• iPhone 17: 6.3-inch

• iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch

• iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.7-inch

• iPhone 17 Air: 6.65-inch

Perhaps the most exciting rumor that's emerged about these new phones is that both the iPhone 17 and 17 Air will reportedly feature 120Hz displays, per MacRumors. Apple has frustratingly limited high refresh rates to its Pro phones for a few years now, even as budget Android phones like the Pixel 9a have had that feature for years. This would be a massive upgrade for Apple and would make the base and Air models even more appealing.

It's also expected that the new iPhones will have new A19 chips inside them. As in previous years, the base model will likely have a regular A19 chip, while the Pro and Pro Max models will have a more powerful A19 Pro chip powering them. Leaker Fixed focus digital on Weibo suggested the Air model will have a slightly downgraded version of the A19 Pro chip instead of a base A19, potentially giving it some additional juice over the base iPhone 17.

The iPhone 17 line is also expected to cross the 5,000mAh battery capacity line for the first time, catching up with rivals like Samsung Galaxy.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. What about the cameras? Credit: Zain bin Awais / Mashable

Again, we won't know the full, precise camera specs for the new iPhones until September, but there are some leaks to go off of for now.

Perhaps the biggest potential development this year is a selfie cam upgrade for the new iPhones. It sounds like they'll have 24MP selfie lenses, up from 12MP on previous models. We'll have to wait and see how that actually manifests in practice, but hey, a larger number is nice.

It also sounds like the Pro models will have a trio of 48MP lenses this time. Last year, the telephoto lens was only 12MP, so that could potentially be a big step up. One last thing to note is that the Air model will supposedly only have one rear camera, similar to the old iPhone SE and iPhone 16e models. No ultra-wide or telephoto shots for Air users, unfortunately.

A new magnetic fashion accessory

Crossbody straps have become a popular accessory with Gen Z and Gen Alpha, and Apple seems poised to release a magnetic crossbody accessory for the new iPhone 17 (and possibly new AirPods as well). A leaker released this picture showing a bright orange strap, which would attach to the iPhone magnetically.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. The iPhone 17 colors

Leaker Sonny Dixon recently posted some photos of iPhone 17 dummy models that purported to show the color options for this year's new models.

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Perhaps the most striking one is a new orange color for the Pro models, which is definitely eye-catching, if nothing else. The Pro models also appear to have regular black, white, and dark blue options for people who want something a little less exciting.

Weirdly, the base model and Air seem to have less exciting color options this year than the Pro phones. In the photos, the base model appears in black, white, light blue, and pink. The Air, meanwhile, comes in black, white, beige, and light blue.

What about the iPhone Fold?

The as-yet-unnamed foldable iPhone, which tech reporters simply call the iPhone Fold, is rumored to be ready to enter production soon, but not for a 2025 release date. The most recent rumors point to a 2026 launch for Apple's long-awaited foldable phone, which will reportedly be made with Samsung display technology.

So, unless Apple has a huge surprise up its sleeve, we won't see a foldable iPhone until the launch of the iPhone 18 in 2026.

As for the specs, the iPhone Fold is shaping up to be exactly what you thought it'd be: An iPhone that transforms into a sort of iPad mini. As of Aug. 25, the latest rumors say the iPhone Fold will have four cameras. In addition, leakers say it will have Touch ID instead of Face ID, and no SIM card.

Apple iOS 26: How will it change the way we use the iPhone? Apple shared this prevew of Liquid Glass earlier this year. Credit: Apple

Here's something we do know a lot about: Apple's iOS 26. It's not officially out yet for the wider public, as it's scheduled to launch alongside new iPhones in September, but we've tried and tested a number of different beta versions, both developer and public ones.

One thing is certain: Apple didn't change the naming scheme by accident. It's the nineteenth major release of Apple's mobile platform, and as it follows iOS 18, it should logically be called iOS 19. But Apple decided to switch to naming its iOS releases by year, and since this one covers a big chunk of 2026, it was thus named iOS 26.

There's more to it, though. Apple's iOS 26 brings a number of major changes to the platform, including the new Liquid Glass design, a big overhaul of the Photos app, and various Apple Intelligence updates, including Live Translation and a smarter Siri. It's not a radical departure from the previous iOS (Apple doesn't really do radical departures), but it is a very notable upgrade.

Currently, iOS 26 is in its beta 9 iteration, meaning it's quite mature and likely very similar to what we'll see when the final version launches in September. Still, we'll be on the lookout for any new features and upgrades once that happens.

What else could we get at the Apple event in September?

In addition to the iPhone 17, we fully expect Apple to drop new versions of the AirPods Pro and Apple Watch. But there could also be some surprises in store, as Apple is reportedly working on a new HomePod and Apple TV devices for 2025 as well. Finally, expect a ton of announcements related to Apple Intelligence, the name for Apple's artificial intelligence features.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s iPhone 17 event looms: Every new product we expect to see

For more Apple event coverage, follow Mashable's live blog and get real-time updates on the iPhone 17, Apple Watch Series 11, and AirPods Pro 3 launch.

SAVE $50: As of Sept. 9, Apple AirPods Pro 2 are on sale for $199 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount on the list price.

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$249 Save $50 Get Deal

The wait has been tough to handle, but Apple's AirPods Pro 2 are back on sale at Amazon. As of Sept. 9, you can pick up these popular earbuds for under $200.

And AirPods Pro 2 are the perfect choice if you're looking for Apple earbuds that give you great noise cancellation and a personalized audio experience. The sound quality is next to none, and comes with amazing features such as a scientifically validated hearing test and clinical-grade hearing protection, both to protect and give insight into improving your ear health.

SEE ALSO: AirPods Pro 3 rumors: Are heart rate monitoring and price increases coming?

And for annoying background noise when you're trying to focus or study, the Active Noise Cancellation has you covered. Choose this to block out background noise completely, while Adaptive Audio and Transparency modes deliver a blend of background sounds, keeping you safe and aware while you're listening out of the house. The Conversation Awareness function also adjusts playback for nearby interactions, and Apple's H2 chip provides a strong, immersive sound for both music and calls.

These also come with four pairs of silicone tips (XS, S, M, L) to fit a wide range of ear shapes. These tips create an acoustic seal to help keep out noise and secure the AirPods in place.

Get this AirPod deal from Amazon ahead of the Apple Event 2025.

TL;DR: Turkey vs. Poland in EuroBasket 2025 is available to live stream for free on RTVE. Access this free streaming service from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The NBA pre-season is still weeks away, so fans are looking further afield for their fix. Fortunately, EuroBasket 2025 is taking place right now.

We've reached the latter stages of the competition, with only eight sides still competing for the top prize. The first quarter final sees Turkey take on Poland, with all eyes on the talented Alperen Şengün. Can the young star from the Houston Rockets lead his team to glory? You can track their progress without spending anything.

If you want to watch Turkey vs. Poland in EuroBasket 2025 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Turkey vs. Poland?

Turkey vs. Poland in EuroBasket 2025 takes place at 10 a.m. ET on Sept. 9.

How to watch Turkey vs. Poland for free

Turkey vs. Poland in EuroBasket 2025 is available to live stream for free on RTVE.

SEE ALSO: How to watch the NFL online for free

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

Live stream EuroBasket 2025 for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit RTVE

5. Live stream EuroBasket 2025 for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can watch Turkey vs. Poland in EuroBasket 2025 without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you plenty of time to watch the tournament for free.

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

What is the best VPN for RTVE?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking free streaming sites, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Spain

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Turkey vs. Poland in EuroBasket 2025 for free with ExpressVPN.

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 2, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Finalized

• Green: They have outer coverings

• Blue: A drink

• Purple: Canines

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

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

• Yellow: Finished

• Green: Things with shells

• Blue: Swig

• Purple: ___Dog

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

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #821 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Finished: COMPLETE, DONE, OVER, THROUGH

• Things with shells: EGG, HARD TACO, M&M, SNAIL

• Swig: BELT, GULP, SHOT, SLUG

• ___Dog: BULL, LAP, UNDER, WATCH

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

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

Are you also playing NYT Strands?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 2, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 2, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: No gray area

The words describe two-toned things.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are colorless things.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Black and White.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for September 9

• Piano

• Penguin

• Newspaper

• Orca

• Black and White

• Dice

• Domino

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

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

To con.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter T.

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

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

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

TRiCK

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

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

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

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

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

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

It’s 1993, and the Holiday season is in full swing. Mrs. Doubtfire is on the big screen, and Doom is about to become an overnight smash hit. However, a 5-year-old boy has his heart set on something else. A movie prop that became a real toy—the Talkboy Deluxe.

Stephen King has taken a break from slamming Donald Trump on social media and reviewing horror films to reveal an interesting top 10 list.

On Monday, the horror master took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his "10 favorite films", excluding a few that are based on his own books.

SEE ALSO: Stephen King shares his 8-word review of 'Weapons'

"My 10 favorite movies (excluding MISERY, SHAWSHANK, GREEN MILE, STAND BY ME)," wrote King. "In no particular order."

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Here's the full list of King's favorite films (and where you can stream them):

• Sorcerer (1977) — streaming on Prime Video.

• Godfather 2 (1974) — streaming on MGM+ via Prime Video.

• The Getaway (1972) — streaming on Prime Video.

• Groundhog Day (1993) — streaming on Netflix.

• Casablanca (1942) — streaming on HBO Max.

• Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) — streaming on Prime Video.

• Jaws (1975) — streaming on Netflix.

• Mean Streets (1973) — streaming on Prime Video.

• Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) — streaming on Prime Video.

• Double Indemnity (1944) — streaming on Prime Video.

Interestingly the list has quite a mixture of genres, mostly films from the '40s and '70s, multiple Humphrey Bogart films, and there are only a couple of movies — Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind – that are even close to horror.

If you're interested in a ranking of Stephen King movie adaptations, we've got you covered.