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Desktop mode isn’t new to Android, but it’s having a renaissance. Google finally added proper desktop mode to Pixel phones this year, and as a long-time Pixel owner, I’ve been having fun with it. My latest project is a throwback to the Moto LapDock.

Buying a new streaming stick feels like the obvious move until you actually look at what you're paying for. The apps and picture quality are the same. Even the hardware hasn't changed dramatically from generation to generation. What changes for an old firestick is the price tag. This is one of those cases where buying used may be a better idea than buying new.

SAVE $15: Preorders for the Heated Rivalry Season 1 Collector's Edition 4K DVD are on sale for $69.99 at Amazon, down from the list price of $84.99. The set is scheduled for release on Nov. 24.

Opens in a new window Credit: Alliance Home Entertainment / Crave 'Heated Rivalry' Season One (Collector's Edition 4K / Blu-Ray) $69.99 at Amazon
$84.99 Save $15   Get Deal

[Lighter clicks]. August is getting warmer. Filming of Heated Rivalry Season 2 (and maybe Season 3?) is underway in Canada, and we now have artwork for the Collector's Edition DVD of Season 1. On top of these joys, the Collector's Edition is currently on sale.

As of Aug. 19, preorders at Amazon for the Heated Rivalry Season 1 Collector's Edition DVD are on sale for $69.99, marked down from the list price of $84.99. That's a $15 saving and an 18% discount. The set is scheduled for release on Nov. 24.

Back in June, when news dropped that the hit HBO/Crave show was coming to DVD, we knew there would be a special edition. We now have full details about the Collector's Edition, including artwork. With 4K UHD and Blu-ray quality, the Collector's Edition features the four-DVD set, collectible art cards, a double-sided mini poster, and a stress reliever in the form of a hockey puck.

SEE ALSO: The 'Heated Rivalry' soundtrack is coming to vinyl and CD: Where to buy every variant

When we first reported on DVD availability, the release date was set for late April 2027, but in more good news for loons, the launch date is now Nov. 24. For those in the U.S., that's two days before Thanksgiving this year.

In addition to the physical collector's items, the four-disk set includes behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with producer Brendan Brady and author Rachel Reid. The DVD also contains deleted scenes and a blooper reel.

If you've been rewatching the show on HBO but want to immortalize it in your physical media collection, the Collector's Edition is a solid choice. Considering its release before the holidays, it might also be the best Christmas gift of the year for fans of the show.

I recently picked up an old laptop off Facebook Marketplace for $150. It has no discrete GPU, a low-power CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a meager 512GB SSD. It isn't exactly the kind of device you look at and think, "Yeah, this will be great for AI," but that is exactly how I've used it.

A fairy tale world lurks just outside of Portland, Oregon in Wildwood, the latest film from stop-motion studio LAIKA (Coraline, ParaNorman).

Directed by Travis Knight (Masters of the Universe) and based on the book by The Decemberists front man Colin Meloy, Wildwood is what you'd get if you set Jim Henson's Labyrinth in the Pacific Northwest. Like Labyrinth, the film follows a teenage girl's quest to save her baby brother from a magical world. In Wildwood's case, that girl is headstrong Prue McKeel (voiced by Peyton Elizabeth Lee), and that world is the Impassable Wilderness, an enchanted forest right in Portland's backyard.

SEE ALSO: LAIKA's 'Wildwood' teaser trailer promises a gorgeous stop-motion fairy tale

The Impassable Wilderness is home to many astonishing sights, including talking animals like the General (Angela Bassett), a majestic golden eagle who oversees the forest. It's also home to the mysterious and powerful Alexandra (Carey Mulligan), whose tragic backstory takes center stage in Wildwood's latest trailer. As the trailer shows, Alexandra lost her son. In her grief, she is determined to regain what the forest took from her. Could her quest be linked to the murder of crows who abducted Prue's brother?

Check out the full trailer above to see more of Prue's adventure, along with the beautiful stop-motion animation that brings the Impassable Wilderness to life. With its epic animal battles and vast forest landscapes, Wildwood looks like a technical marvel.

Wildwood also features the voices of Jacob Tremblay, Richard E. Grant, Awkwafina, Amandla Stenberg, Tom Waits, Charlie Day, Blythe Danner, Arthur Knight, Maya Erskine, Jake Johnson, Tantoo Cardinal, Rob Delaney, Jemaine Clement, Marc Evan Jackson, Len Cariou, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, and Mahershala Ali.

Wildwood hits theaters Oct. 23.

SAVE OVER $30: As of Aug. 19, the JBL Grip portable speaker is on sale for $64.95 at Amazon. That's $35 off its full price of $99.95.

Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Grip Portable Bluetooth Speaker $64.95 at Amazon
$99.95 Save $35   Get Deal

A good portable speaker should be able to withstand trips to the beach, the pool, or camping this summer. If you've been on the hunt for a model like that to keep your favorite tunes going all day, look no further than the JBL Grip. As of Aug. 19, Amazon has even discounted several colors, so it's a great time to check it out.

While they're usually priced at $99.95, all of the available colors on Amazon's store page have been marked down to $64.95, saving you $35 overall. Some have even dropped to their lowest-ever prices with this deal, which is a great bonus.

Shoppers can also get a 90-day free trial of Amazon Music Unlimited with their purchase. This is only available to new subscribers.

SEE ALSO: Purple's Labor Day sale gets you a king mattress for the price of a queen — shop now for up to $400 off

The JBL Grip is IP68 waterproof, dustproof, and drop-proof from a height of 1 meter onto concrete. So no matter where your summer plans take you, it can handle the journey. It features AI Sound Boost, which analyzes music in real-time to optimize its output so it sounds fuller coming from the speaker.

Its battery will last you a very long time as well, up to 12 hours on a single charge, though you can get an extra two hours out of it with Playtime Boost. It even has a built-in ambient light, which is helpful as it gets darker out.

If you've been searching for a portable speaker, don't miss out on this great deal on the JBL Grip 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.

Are you looking to do some home renovations as summer starts to close out and fall approaches next month? Some DIY projects require thousands of dollars worth of tools to complete, but these three power tools can pay for themselves after just one home project.

EV depreciation has created some genuinely absurd bargains, and this high-performance electric crossover might be one of the best examples. When new, it cost more than $60,000. Today, lightly used examples can be found for just over $30,000, roughly the price of a new Toyota Camry.

A brand new trailer for Jordan Firstman's queer drama Club Kid is here, and it's all about the major spanners life can throw in the works.

In his directorial debut, the Rotting in the Sun star also wrote the film and leads as New York City club promoter Peter, whose life with his friends is an endless, drug-fuelled bacchanalian spree, making enough money to get by. When a 10-year-old (The Other Bennet Sister's Reggie Absolom) shows up telling him he's his son, Peter's life is changed overnight, as he faces parenthood in the haze of hedonism.

Cara Delevingne, Diego Calva, Miss Benny, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and Colleen Camp also star, with Anora Oscar-winner Alex Coco producing with Lurker's Galen Core.

A24 won the bidding war for Club Kid, beating the likes of Focus Features, Netflix, Searchlight, and Mubi among others.

Club Kid, which premiered at Cannes in May to a seven-minute standing ovation, will be showing at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September. Then, it hits cinemas Nov. 6.

Want more film and TV news and reviews delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable’s Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

TL;DR: On Saturday, Aug. 22, Krispy Kreme is giving away one free Original Glazed doughnut to any customer wearing Pokémon merch, no purchase necessary. It's limited to one per guest, available in-store or at the drive-thru, and celebrates the launch of Krispy Kreme's Pokémon Doughnut Collection.

Krispy Kreme is giving Pokémon fans a real reason to raid their closets this weekend. Anyone wearing Pokémon merch to a participating location can score a free Original Glazed doughnut — no purchase required, no strings attached.

How to get your free doughnut

Head to a participating Krispy Kreme location on Saturday, Aug. 22, wearing anything Pokémon-themed — T-shirts, hats, socks, or yes, that onesie — and you'll walk out with one free Original Glazed doughnut. The deal works in-store and at the drive-thru, and it's limited to one doughnut per guest.

The giveaway ties into the launch of Krispy Kreme's Pokémon Doughnut Collection, which came out Aug. 18, celebrating the franchise's 30th anniversary with six new designs. Each one is themed and flavored after a different Pokémon: Pikachu comes filled with lemon Kreme, Charmander is stuffed with chocolate and toasted marshmallow, Squirtle gets a cotton candy buttercream, Jigglypuff is filled with strawberry buttercream, and Bulbasaur is finished with vanilla icing. There's also a Poke Ball-themed design to complete the lineup.

"We had so much fun bringing the world of Pokémon to life through doughnuts in a way only Krispy Kreme can," said Alison Holder, Chief Brand and Product Officer at Krispy Kreme.

Beyond the donuts, Krispy Kreme is selling Original Glazed Gold Dots in collectible Pokémon cups, plus themed dozen boxes.

VLC is one of those programs that most people install once and never think about again. The problem is that VLC does a lot more than just play files, and almost none of it is obvious from looking at the interface. There are plenty of features already built in. You just need to know which keys to press.

TL;DR: Through Nov. 4, new Tovala customers get a free $299 Smart Oven by ordering meals six times in their first six months. Plans start at four meals a week for $27.98/week (50% off) with $10.99 shipping.

Opens in a new window Credit: Tovala Tovala Smart Oven Get a free $299 Smart Oven and 50% off your first meal delivery when you sign up for Tovala's Labor Day sale. Get Deal

Free stuff always comes with a catch, and Tovala's Labor Day deal is no exception — but this one's a pretty easy trade.

The meal delivery provider will give new customers a $299 Smart Oven for free, as long as they order meals six times within the first six months. Add in 50% off your first meal delivery, and it's one of the cheaper ways to get your hands on a smart cooking gadget and affordable meal plans.

How the deal works:

• New customers get a free Smart Oven (normally $299) after ordering meals six times in their first six months.

• Your first meal delivery is automatically 50% off — you just need to place that first order by 4 p.m. PT on Nov. 4.

• Shipping ($10.99) and taxes aren't included in the discount, and the deal can't be combined with gift cards or other promos.

• If you cancel your meal subscription before your first meal ships, you lose the discount — and it won't come back if you resubscribe later.

Tovala's plans run from four to 16 meals per week, so there's flexibility depending on how many people you're feeding (or how often you want to cook). Pricing ranges from $27.98/week (50% off) for four meals to $111.92/week (50% off) for 16 meals, plus $10.99 shipping either way. Even the smallest plan qualifies you for the free oven.

Plans are flexible, too — you can skip a week, pause, or cancel anytime, so a busy week (or a night you just don't feel like scanning a QR code) won't cost you anything.

Meals arrive mostly prepped, so you're doing about a minute of prep work, like adding a sauce or seasoning, before scanning a QR code with the oven. From there, the oven connects via WiFi to automatically start your meal's chef-perfected cooking cycle, and dinner's ready in 20 minutes or less.

SEE ALSO: The best meal kit delivery deals in 2026: Save on HelloFresh, Home Chef, and more

The oven isn't limited to Tovala meals, either. It scans barcodes on grocery staples and frozen foods for one-touch cooking with no preheating, and runs hundreds of preset recipes through the Tovala app. It can also cover the same ground as a conventional oven, with modes for steaming, air frying, baking, broiling, toasting, and reheating, depending on your model.

A free oven and half off your first order make it especially tempting to try Tovala — just get your first order in by Nov. 4.

There are a lot of free and paid 3D printing tools on the internet, but not all of them are worth your time. I scoured the web in order to find the best of the bunch, and this list of seven is what I was left with.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you know international sports.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

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

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

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

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports 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 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 before 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: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: State-specific

• Green: Regionally specific

• Blue: Same team

• Purple: International soccer

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Tennessee pro teams

• Green: SEC teams, familiarly

• Blue: First names of Dallas Wings players

• Purple: Associated with Italian soccer

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #695 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Tennessee pro teams: GRIZZLIES, NASHVILLE SC, PREDATORS, TITANS

• SEC teams, familiarly: A&M, BAMA, MIZZOU, VANDY

• First names of Dallas Wings players: ARIKE, AZZI, ODYSSEY, PAIGE

• Associated with Italian soccer: AZZURRI, ROSSONERI, SAN SIRO, SCUDETTO

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

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

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

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

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

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.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Follow.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

TRACK

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To be filled or infused with smoke.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 19, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

Smoky

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Popular espresso and chocolate drink

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 19, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 18, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

MOCHA

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Slender

Hurdle Word 4 answer

LITHE

Final Hurdle hint

A person who manually propels a boat

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

ROWER

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

SAVE OVER $100: As of Aug. 19, select colors of the Garmin vívoactive 5 are down to $186.97 on Amazon. Compared to the full price of $299.99, that's $113.02 in savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin vívoactive 5 $186.97 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $113.02   Get Deal

There have been quite a few Garmin deals popping up lately, especially over at Amazon. If you've been thinking about making the jump to these sleek smartwatches and trackers, the Garmin vívoactive 5 is one option that's caught our eye at the retailer, as select colors have had over $100 slashed from their price tags.

As of Aug. 19, the stylish ivory and standard black models are priced at $186.97 on Amazon. Usually, they're listed at $299.99, so you're saving $113.02 in total. They're not the only colors on sale there, though. For a few dollars more, at $189.99, you can also save on the orchid and navy models.

SEE ALSO: Best Buy's 60th Anniversary Sale is live: We found the best deals on TVs, laptops, and Apple

The Garmin vívoactive 5 is quite a helpful tracker to have on your wrist, with a stylish design and bright AMOLED display to boot. It's full of insightful health features, including wrist-based heart rate, morning report, fitness age, stress tracking, and more, alongside training features like workout benefit and recovery time that give you a better idea of how a workout has affected you and how long you need to recover.

Its battery will keep you going through the week and then some, as it can last up to 11 days in smartwatch mode, according to the store page. However, it'll only last you five days if the display is in always-on mode.

These deals may not be around for long, so act fast to save on the Garmin vívoactive 5 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.

SAVE $470.01: As of Aug. 19, the Bluetti Elite 300 is on sale for $1,128.99 at Amazon. That's a 29% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bluetti Bluetti Elite 300 $1,128.99 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $470.01   Get Deal

Portable power stations are incredibly handy to have around. They give you an easy way to charge your devices when you’re away from a wall outlet or without power. Some are great for smaller devices like smartphones or laptops, while others can power larger appliances in your home for days on end.

The Bluetti Elite 300 falls somewhere in the middle, and it's currently on sale on Amazon. Right now, it is reduced by $470.01. This popular portable power station is now priced at $1,128.99.

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This unit has a 3kWh capacity and is designed both for home backup and RV use. It delivers 2,400W of continuous AC output and a 4,800W surge, and can switch to battery power in under 10ms during an outage to ensure that your most important devices (routers, computers, and refrigerators) keep running as normal.

It can also be monitored and controlled through the Bluetti app, where you can monitor output and adjust settings. With the portable power station, you'll also get a solar charging cable, an AC charging cable, a grounding screw, and a user manual.

Head to Amazon to get this Bluetti deal.

SAVE $72: As of Aug. 19, this like-new Kindle Scribe is on sale for $287.99 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount off the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle Scribe (Like-New) $287.99 at Amazon
$359.99 Save $72   Get Deal

If you’ve been eyeing a Kindle Scribe but are hesitant to pay full price, why not try a refurbished model?

These devices have been "refurbished, tested, and certified to look and work like new and come with the same limited warranty as a new device," according to Amazon, and take a significant chunk off the list price. For example, as of Aug. 19, you can find a great deal on the 16GB Kindle Scribe at Amazon, currently on sale for $287.99.

That's $72 off the list price and over $100 cheaper than a brand-new device.

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The Kindle Scribe combines an e-reader and notebook in one device. It has a flush-front display and comes with a Premium Pen that makes writing feel like it's on paper. Its 10.2-inch, 300ppi, glare-free, front-lit display is designed for reading and writing in all kinds of lighting conditions, and the Active Canvas lets you write directly in books by creating space for your notes and by expanding or collapsing the margins.

It also has built-in notebooks for general notes, such as to-do lists or journaling, with the option to convert handwritten notes to text. It comes with built-in AI tools that can even summarize your notes, helping to adjust their length and tone.

Ready to upgrade? Find this refurbished Kindle Scribe deal at Amazon right now.

We all want to make our lives easier when working in Excel, and sometimes that means looking beyond the app itself. Spreadsheet creation has lots in common with programming, so that's where I've stolen one of my most useful habits from.

The Grand Tour hosts Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May have handed over the keys, with new presenters Francis Bourgeois, James Engelsman and Thomas Holland ready to try their hand at one of the biggest car shows on TV.

In a brand new trailer, the TikTok star (and Mashable 101 alum) and YouTube Throttle House hosts embark on their first Grand Tour, and there's more than sweet burnouts in store. You'll spy an appearance from Formula 1 champ Jenson Button, some kind of challenge to reconstruct a chopped up school bus, and what looks like a Chevrolet Corvette C8 ZR1, Hennessey Venom F5, and Ford Mustang GTD ready for the content creators to test drive.

"Absolute hellfire!" Bourgeois gleefully exclaims in the driver's seat, with 2,031 horsepower behind him. As one commenter on the YouTube video says, "I can't believe I'm saying this but I think this has a chance to work."

The Grand Tour returns to Prime Video on Sept. 6.

From YouTubers and TikTok stars to streamers and podcasters, Mashable talks to creators about how they built their platforms, the gear they swear by, and the trends they see coming next. Read more of our creator coverage, sign up for our Trending Now and Top Stories newsletters or get Mashable push alerts to discover the internet's most exciting voices.