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How to watch the 2025 British and Irish Lions online for free

Mashable - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 05:00

TL;DR: Watch every British and Irish Lions vs. Australia game for free on 9Now. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There really is something for every sports fan this summer, but we would make the case that the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour is the most unique event taking place over the next few weeks. This tour only takes place every four years and brings together the best rugby players from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. They are touring Australia in 2025.

If you're interested in watching the 2025 British and Irish Lions for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What are the British and Irish Lions?

The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team selected from players eligible for the national teams of England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. The team tours every four years, rotating between Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa in order.

When is the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour of Australia?

The 2025 British and Irish Lions tour to Australia is scheduled to take place between June and August 2025.

The Lions are scheduled to play a three-match Test series against Australia, plus games against Australia's four Super Rugby franchises (Western Force, Queensland Reds, NSW Waratahs, and ACT Brumbies), an invitational side made up of players from Australia and New Zealand, and a team of players with First Nations and Pasifika origin. The Lions also played a warm-up match against Argentina in Ireland before departing.

The full schedule for the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour is as follows:

The good news is that it's possible to live stream the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour without spending anything.

How to watch the 2025 British and Irish Lions for free

The 2025 British and Irish Lions tour is available to live stream for free on 9Now (Test matches).

These free live streams are geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can watch the British and Irish Lions for free with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can bypass geo-restrictions to live stream the British and Irish Lions tour from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2025 British and Irish Lions for free by following these simple steps:

  1. Sign up for 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 Australia

  4. Connect to 9Now

  5. Live stream the British and Irish Lions 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 they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the British and Irish Lions without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream every Test match before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries including Australia

  • 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

  • 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 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month subscription for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 2, 2025

Mashable - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 03:00

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's The Mini crossword answers for August 2 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: To paste

  • Green: Intercourse

  • Blue: Done in the alley

  • Purple: Synonyms and antonyms

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: Attach with adhesive

  • Green: Polite terms for sex

  • Blue: Bowling results

  • Purple: Contronyms (Words that can mean opposite things)

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 #783 is...

What is the answer to Connections today
  • Attach with adhesive: ADHERE, AFFIX, GLUE, STICK

  • Polite terms for sex: COMMERCE, CONGRESS, INTIMACY, RELATIONS

  • Bowling results: FOUL, SPARE, SPLIT, STRIKE

  • Contronyms (Words that can mean opposite things): CLEAVE, GARNISH, OVERSIGHT, SANCTION

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 August 2

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.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Strands hints, answers for August 2, 2025

Mashable - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 03:00

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 August 2 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 2 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Pretty as a picture

The words are tech-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are types of camera functions.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Photo Editor.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for August 2
  • Filter

  • Markup

  • Rotate

  • Photo Editor

  • Blur

  • Adjust

  • Crop

  • Erase

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.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 2, 2025

Mashable - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 03:00

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

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

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

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for August 2, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To intimidate someone

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 D.

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

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

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

DAUNT.

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 August 2

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.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Naked Guns best cameo is so quick you might miss it

Mashable - Sat, 08/02/2025 - 02:00

In addition to gut-busting performances from stars Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson, The Naked Gun reboot features more than a few cameos from the original film including "Weird Al" Yankovic, as well as appearances from Busta Rhymes, Dave Bautista, and more.

But there's one cameo that you won't want to miss: the co-star of the original film trilogy, Priscilla Presley.

SEE ALSO: 'The Naked Gun' review: Liam Neeson is a comedy genius in this brilliantly stupid reboot

Starring alongside Leslie Nielsen in 1988's The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, 1991's The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear, and 1994's Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult, Presley played gloriously uncoordinated femme fatale Jane Spencer. She's introduced as an assistant to the film's antagonist Vincent Ludwig (Ricardo Montalbán) before becoming the love interest of Nielsen's bumbling protagonist Lt. Frank Drebin.

Priscilla Presley in "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!" Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock

In the reboot, you'll spy Presley as Jane sitting at home watching the broadcast of the film's major fight event, in which Neeson's character, Detective Frank Drebin Jr. (who is the son of Nielsen's character) finds himself rather exposed. Like the rest of the audience, Jane looks shocked at the dangling disco balls on screen.

It's not clear in the scene whether Jane recognises Neeson's Frank Jr. or whether she's looking at her son. Jane and Frank are married in The Naked Gun 33⅓ and the final scene shows Jane giving birth to a son. Regardless, it's great to see Presley included in The Naked Gun reboot, even if for the shortest cameo of the entire film.

Featured Video For You Liam Neeson takes the absurd comedy of 'The Naked Gun' very seriously

As Anderson told Mashable, Presley herself gave The Naked Gun star a note before filming the reboot. "Priscilla left me a message," Anderson told Entertainment Reporter Belen Edwards. "She just said, 'Have a good time. Embrace the silliness. You’re going to do great.'"

The film also pays tribute to Nielsen, who died in 2010 at the age of 84, through several scenes involving Frank Jr. gazing at his father's portrait within the Police Squad building and later believing his spirit being channelled through a particularly well-timed owl. It's perfect.

Categories: IT General, Technology

3 Excellent Indie Games to Play This Month (August 2025)

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 23:00

Is your backlog of games not quite long enough? Lucky you, since we have three more indie games to add to your library. This month we’ve got a retro-inspired driving game, a laid-back but dark city-builder, and the best new survival crafter of the last few years.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 New Microsoft Excel Features to Try in August 2025

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 21:30

Over the last few weeks, Microsoft has focused on improving automation, compatibility, and productivity in Excel for Windows, Mac, and the web. Here are five new features to look out for this month.

Categories: IT General, Technology

OpenAI pulls ChatGPT feature that let user chats appear in Google Search results

Mashable - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 21:11

Thousands of private ChatGPT conversations have been appearing in Google search results because of the chatbot's "Share" feature, which the company recently removed following a backlash.

Fast Company reported this week that ChatGPT users may have inadvertently made their conversations with the AI chatbot public and searchable. The Fast Company report found nearly 4,500 ChatGPT conversations in Google search results, some of them regarding mental health struggles, relationships, and other personal and sensitive topics. Fortunately, the public conversations did not identify the users behind the posts.

How did these conversations end up on the web?

Until recently, ChatGPT users had the ability to share chats with friends, family, or coworkers by making them public. The function worked similarly to the sharing settings on a Google Doc, and users would be given a public link to the chat they could send to others. An additional option gave users the option to make the post "discoverable," and specifically discoverable by Google — whether users realized it or not.

When users created a shareable link to one of their conversations, a pop-up would appear that read: "A public link to your chat has been created." A checkbox also appeared under this message, labeled "Make this chat discoverable." And in fine print below this message, a warning appeared: "Allows it to be shown in web searches."

By checking this box, users were making it possible for their conversations to be indexed by Google, meaning Google's web crawlers could identify the page and make it eligible to appear in search results.

After Fast Company published its report, OpenAI removed the feature, with one company leader calling it a "short-lived experiment."

OpenAI Chief Information Security Officer Dane Stuckey explained on X how the feature worked — and where it ultimately went wrong.

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Even though ChatGPT users had to opt in for their chats to become public, the company decided the potential for user error was simply too high.

As Mashable has reported previously, OpenAI is required to save user conversations — even conversations users have actively deleted — because of an ongoing lawsuit from the New York Times. As part of this suit, OpenAI must retain all conversations indefinitely. (This does not apply to ChatGPT Enterprise or ChatGPT Edu customers, according to OpenAI.)

So, while ChatGPT users can toggle on a "Temporary Chat" feature that's similar to an incognito mode in a web browser, your chat data may still be retained.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Why Linux Is My IDE

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 20:30

You can program without programming tools, and integrated development environments (IDEs) are popular among developers. I take a different approach. I treat my Linux system, with its array of programming tools, as an IDE in itself.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Google Will Break Your Goo.gl Shortlinks, Just Not All of Them

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 19:58

Google’s link shortener used to be an incredibly popular service, but the ability to create links was turned off in 2018. Google said all links would stop working this year, and even though the company is partially reversing course, many links across the web will still become broken.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Why I’m Done Using My Laptop as a Desktop

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 19:30

Are you using a laptop as a desktop? That’s been my life for years, but after a recent experiment, I actually think that having a dedicated desktop is worth it—even with how great and powerful modern laptops are.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Want to match Stray Kids Hyunjins floral phone case aesthetic? We found this K-pop idols fave.

Mashable - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 19:14

If there’s one thing STAY know for sure about Hyunjin from Stray Kids, it's that the K-pop star has a deep, poetic love for flowers.

Whether he's painting delicate blossoms in his studio or on the road, sharing poems that echo the beauty of nature, or adorning his space with preserved petals, Hyunjin has made it clear: flowers are more than just pretty — they're a core part of how he expresses himself.

SEE ALSO: K-pop rookies KiiiKiii tap into Gen Z's obsession with early internet aesthetics

So it's no surprise that floral phone cases are his actual accessory of choice. On Instagram, the dancer has shared mirror selfies snapped during his global travels on the group's dominATE World Tour, and in several, his iPhone is dressed in a floral-covered case. If you don't know what case we're talking about, pop over to Instagram to see the floral case in question.

These rich, botanical designs perfectly capture his dreamy, introspective energy. And the best part? You can shop the same aesthetic to match your own phone to Hyunjin's signature style.

Romance with an edge

Dark and dramatic, this matte black Roses and Thorns phone case from Casetify is adorned with deep red roses and subtle gold detailing. It's elegant, bold, and unmistakably Hyunjin-coded. The design balances softness with edge, much like Hyunjin's stage presence itself. It's a clear favorite in his rotation and gives off serious romantasy vibes.

Opens in a new window Credit: Casetify Roses and Thorns — BioVeg Case MagSafe Compatible $74 at Cafetify
Shop Now Floral nostalgia, Hyunjin-style View this post on Instagram

This one's for the romantics. With dainty bouquets in pink, red, and white set against a matte black background, the Vintage Flower Monday case from Casetify has a worn-in, dreamy vibe, like something out of a vintage diary. The delicate florals and washed tones feel straight from Hyunjin's sketchbook, capturing that quiet elegance he's so known for.

Opens in a new window Credit: Casetify VINTAGE FLOWER MONDAY — Impact Case MagSafe Compatible $64 at Casetify
Shop Now Hyunjin’s elegant life hack: a magnetic cardholder View this post on Instagram

Technically not a case, but definitely 100-percent Hyunjin. This Butterfly Sunday by Monika Strigel magnetic cardholder stand from Casetify features butterflies and white florals, and it’s been spotted attached to his phone more than once. During a 2024 livestream, Hyunjin explained that he'd stopped using a wallet "a long time ago" but kept misplacing his cards. The Snappy™ was a game-changer. He even called the accessory "amazing," and this is the second design he's been seen using. Stylish and practical? Very Hyunjin.

Opens in a new window Credit: Casetify Butterfly Sunday by Monika Strigel Snappy Cardholder Stand $38 at Casetify
Shop Now

These floral cases and accessories are romantic, artsy, and effortlessly cool. Just like him.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Last chance: Buy the original Switch consoles before Nintendo raises prices

Mashable - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 19:04

This is your last chance to get the original lineup of Nintendo Switch consoles before the prices go up on Aug. 3.

On Friday, Nintendo announced that it would be raising prices on the Nintendo Switch 1, Nintendo Switch OLED Model, Nintendo Switch Lite, and some Switch accessories. While the Nintendo statement didn't specify how much prices would increase, a popular Nintendo fan account on X spotted higher prices in effect at Target already. If these numbers are correct, then shoppers will soon face these prices:

However, these higher prices haven't gone into effect at other retailers, which means gamers have about 48 hours to get the beloved console at the usual price.

As of this writing, all three of these consoles are available for sale at Walmart for their original prices. Unfortunately, the new Switch 2 landed with a higher price tag of $449. While it was consistently out of stock, a recent Switch 2 restock has changed that. But if that $449 price tag still gives you pause, you can still have a lot of fun on the original Switch, one of the greatest gaming consoles ever made.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Nintendo Switch Lite $199 at Walmart
Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Nintendo Switch w/ Neon Blue & Neon Red Joy-Con $299 at Walmart
Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Nintendo Switch OLED $349 at Walmart
Shop Now
Categories: IT General, Technology

Lossless Audio Sounds Better, but You’re Not Getting the Full Experience

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 19:00

Lossless audio has become one of the buzziest terms in the world of music streaming. Apple Music offers it, as do Amazon Music, Tidal, Qobuz, and others. It’s positioned as a big leap in audio fidelity—a way to hear your favorite tracks the way artists and engineers intended.

Categories: IT General, Technology

KDE Is Making Its Own Linux Distro, and You Can Try It

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 18:28

KDE developers have announced that you can now test KDE Linux, a completely new Linux distribution currently in a "pre-alpha" phase. It's big news for KDE enthusiasts like myself, as it's meant to be a pure KDE Plasma experience free from the meddling of third-party distro developers.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Luxury Crossover That’s as Fun to Drive as a Sports Car

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 18:00

Some crossovers focus on comfort, while others chase performance, but few manage to deliver both in perfect balance. This luxury compact SUV offers a driving experience that’s as engaging as it is refined, making every trip feel like more than just a commute.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Reddit Wants to Be a Real Search Engine

How-To Geek - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 17:55

Reddit is planning to unify its traditional site search and "Reddit Answers" AI tool, and give it more prominent placement in the site and mobile apps. The company is hoping to become more of a first destination for information searches, instead of Google or other search engines standing in the way.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Tim Cook: Apple faces a $1.1 billion tariff bill this quarter

Mashable - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 17:49

Apple is facing high tariff costs in the current quarter, projected to reach a whopping $1.1 billion.

The company's CEO Tim Cook shared the projections, based on current rates and policies, with investors during an earnings call on Thursday. The hike comes amid a continuous trade war between China and the U.S. government.

SEE ALSO: India overtakes China in smartphone exports to U.S.

In the quarter that ended in June, tariffs cost Apple $800 million, which was actually lower than initially anticipated. "The bulk of the tariffs that we paid were the IEEPA [International Emergency Economic Powers Act] tariffs that hit early in the year, related to China," Cook said, according to The Verge.

"There are many factors that could change, including tariff rates," the CEO continued.

In the past, President Donald Trump has specifically threatened Tim Cook and Apple with higher tariffs on iPhones, part of his pressure campaign to move iPhone production to the United States. Experts say that is extremely unlikely to happen, as the U.S. lacks the infrastructure to manufacture flagship smartphones.

In the Thursday earnings call, Cook also shared that the company set a "June quarter revenue record", with growth across its iPhone and Mac products and services divisions. He said the results were "better than expected."

As Mashable reported on Friday, despite economic uncertainty, a negative July jobs report, and the looming threat of tariffs, tech companies like Apple, Meta, and Reddit are still reporting strong revenue this quarter.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Nintendo is raising prices for the Switch 1 — are tariffs to blame?

Mashable - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 17:38

The original Nintendo Switch will soon hold a higher price tag in the United States.

On Friday, Nintendo announced that it's raising prices on its old gaming consoles and accessories as a result of "market conditions" beginning Aug. 3. The price of the new Nintendo Switch 2 will remain the same. However, the original Switch, Nintendo Switch OLED Model, Nintendo Switch Lite, and some Switch accessories will all get higher prices.

The announcement didn't reveal what the new retail price will be for Switch 1 systems, but we have some idea of what to expect.

Nintendo fans (or anyone who's gone searching for Switch 2 restocks) may recognize the X account Wario64, known for tracking Switch inventory online. The account spotted the higher prices already in effect at retailers like Target; the increases range from $30 to $50.

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As Kotaku reports, video game consoles usually go down in price as time goes on and the products get older. But Nintendo is taking another route, and tariffs may be to blame.

While the Nintendo statement didn't mention tariffs, the company referenced "market conditions," a common euphemism for tariffs. This is the exact same language the company used in April, when it paused Switch 2 pre-orders in the United States following the initial round of tariffs. Earlier this year, Microsoft also announced price increases on Xbox consoles (also citing "market conditions"). And in previous reporting, experts have also told Mashable that tariffs have had a big impact on video game consoles and accessories in particular.

"[A] lot of the big electronic brands may have avoided some tariffs by stockpiling inventories earlier in the year, before tariffs were announced," said Rick Kowalski, Senior Director of Business Intelligence at the Consumer Technology Association, in an earlier interview with Mashable about tariffs and tech prices. "Those stockpiles will only last a few months at most, so eventually, importers will need to restock, and they'll import more products at the higher tariff rates."

Nintendo says that prices for the Nintendo Switch 2 system, as well as physical and digital Switch games, will not change yet. However, the company says further "price adjustments may be necessary in the future."

Categories: IT General, Technology

Shop all the best back-to-school deals for college students

Mashable - Fri, 08/01/2025 - 17:37
The best back-to-school college deals at a glance: Best school supplies deal Select school supplies at Amazon Save $10 when you spend $50 Get Deal Best laptop deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $799.99 (save $200) Get Deal Best tablet deal Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (WiFi, 64GB) $209.99 (save $120) Get Deal Best dorm essentials deal Select dorm essentials at Amazon Get 20% off when you spend $100 Get Deal Best noise-cancelling headphones deal Bose QuietComfort headphones $229 (save $120) Get Deal

It's almost time to head to campus for the new school year. But before you do, you may want to take inventory of what supplies you need, what tech needs upgrading, and what kind of budget you're working with. With President Trump's tariffs set to take effect today, Aug. 1, we could see some major price hikes in the weeks leading up to the beginning of the semester. In other words, a good deal today could end up being a great deal in just a couple of weeks.

Below, we've rounded up the best back-to-school deals: college edition. These include cute and compact coffee makers, noise-cancelling headphones, laptops and tablets, and of course, your basic school supplies. If you're hoping to deck out your dorm on a budget, we've got you covered.

General school supplies dealsLaptop and tablet deals

Check out our extensive list of all the best back-to-school laptop deals.

Dorm essentials dealsNoise-cancelling headphones dealsOther tech dealsSubscription deals
Categories: IT General, Technology
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