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SAVE $15: As of July 6, the Fire TV Stick HD is on sale for $19.99 at Amazon. That's a 43% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick HD $19.99 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $15.00   Get Deal

Fire TV Stick is one of the simplest ways to add streaming apps to a TV, and right now, one of the most affordable models has dropped in price at Amazon.

As of July 6, the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD is back on sale for $19.99, saving you $15. This streaming device is ideal for HD TVs without built in apps, or if you simply prefer the Amazon Fire TV experience.

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Recently upgraded in 2026, the HD Fire Stick is now faster than ever, giving you full HD picture quality with WiFi 6 support for more stable streaming. The updated model also features a new, easier to use interface, with dedicated categories and more personalized recommendations, all assisted by Alexa+. And like all streaming devices, you'll have easy access to platforms like Netflix and Prime Video, alongside a huge selection of free, ad-supported content.

This device is easy to take with you anywhere, saving you having to log into your accounts on unfamiliar devices. And for even more ease, this device no longer requires a wall outlet to be powered. Just plug it into your TV’s USB-C port and you're ready to start streaming.

Head to Amazon now to get this streaming deal.

SAVE $230: As of July 6, the HP OmniBook 5 16-inch AI laptop is down to $749 at Walmart. This deal saves you $230 on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: HP HP OmniBook 5 16-inch laptop $749 at Walmart
$979 Save $230   Get Deal

The HP OmniBook 5 16-inch AI laptop is on sale for $749 at Walmart. Thta's marked down from $979, saving you $230. It’s a decent price drop on a large-screen Windows 11 laptop built for everyday work and AI-assisted features.

The Omnibook 5 laptop is built for everyday use with a focus on speed and responsiveness, whether you’re working, studying, or streaming. It’s powered by an AMD Ryzen AI 7 processor, which helps handle demanding tasks while also enabling newer AI-assisted features in Windows.

SEE ALSO: I tested the best battery-life laptops of 2026. This HP OmniBook shocked me.

The 16-inch 2K touchscreen has a taller 16:10 layout, so you get extra vertical space for documents, web pages, and spreadsheets. It also delivers sharp detail and natural-looking color, which makes it better for reading, browsing, and media work.

The HP OmniBook 5 16-inch AI runs Windows 11 and includes Copilot+ PC features designed to speed up everyday tasks and bring AI tools directly into the system experience. It comes bundled with limited-time extras like Xbox Game Pass and Microsoft 365, which add some immediate value out of the box.

Grab the HP OmniBook 5 at Walmart while it’s still in “good deal” territory.

TL;DR: Lock in 20TB of cloud storage forever with this Scramble Cloud Storage Lifetime Subscription, on sale now for just $349.95 (reg. $1,440).

Opens in a new window Credit: Scramble Cloud Scramble Cloud Storage Lifetime Subscription (20TB) $349.95
$1,440 Save $1,090.05   Get Deal

Stuck in an endless cycle of paying for cloud storage? Those subscription fees add up fast. And as your files grow, so does your monthly bill. Scramble Cloud Storage lets you own your cloud storage, putting an end to that madness.

Right now, you can even lock in 20TB of cloud storage that you actually own for life for only $349.95 — that’s less than you would pay for 6 months of 12TB with iCloud.

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Looking for a better way to keep your digital life secure? Scramble Cloud Storage lets you pay once and own your cloud storage for life, saving you from expensive and endless subscriptions.

If you hate parting with your memories, this 20TB of space is enough to grow with you for life. Keep your photos, videos, and important files safe in one convenient spot with Scramble Cloud Storage, featuring end-to-end encryption and GDPR compliance, so you can rest easy knowing everything is secure.

With Scramble Cloud Storage, you have control over your files and an easy interface to manage them from all your devices — web app, desktop, WebDAV, or CLI. Preview your files instantly and manage them with a simple drag-and-drop interface.

Scramble Cloud Storage has a 5GB maximum file size and a 70GB daily upload limit. Once uploaded, you can enjoy unlimited file sharing easily with links, stream videos, or view Word and Excel files directly in your browser. If your friends use Scramble, you can also create groups for even more convenient sharing.

This lifetime 20TB subscription includes ongoing platform updates, so you’ll stay up to date.

Own 20TB of cloud storage with this Scramble Cloud Storage Lifetime Subscription, now only $349.95 (reg. $1,440).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

All eyes will be on Paramount+ in July for several good reasons, chief among them the highly-anticipated return of Season 4 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the emotional end to The Chi at the end of the month, and who could forget the controversial return of Conor McGregor to the UFC, who takes on Max Holloway on June 11.

The Linux command line can seem impenetrable, with arcane instructions and a focus on text interfaces. Fortunately, there are plenty of resources and tools to help you get started.

Waymo passengers in San Francisco got the ride of their life over the July 4th weekend — when their car ran over a lit firework.

The riders appear to have filmed the incident from the back seat as they approached an intersection with people lighting illegal fireworks.

SEE ALSO: What you need to know about autonomous vehicles rolling out across the U.S.

The autonomous vehicle then drove into the hazard. Passenger Rose Peterson told local affiliate ABC7 the incident was terrifying.

"The more me and my fiancé were talking about it, something really bad could have happened to us, something bad could have happened to the people around us," Peterson said. "It was a very scary situation."

The video caught one of the passengers uttering the remark: "Are we on fire, dude?"

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A Waymo spokesperson told Mashable there were no injuries or vehicle damage. The company has also contacted the rider about their well-being.

"We're committed to keeping our riders safe and earning the trust of the communities where we operate," the spokesperson said in a statement. "We take situations like this seriously and are committed to evaluating and learning from these events."

Elsewhere in San Francisco on July 4, Waymo cars stalled when they lost power amidst heavy traffic congestion. Drivers reported being trapped in an hours-long traffic jam as they waited for the autonomous vehicles to be towed.

At CES earlier this year, Hyundai and Boston Dynamics introduced the world to their Atlas humanoid robot. Atlas walked out on stage at Hyundai's keynote event and wowed the crowd so much that Mashable, along with the rest of the CNET Group, declared that Atlas was the "Best Robot" at the show.

Now, just a few months removed from the big technology event, Atlas made its big debut on perhaps the biggest stage of all: The 2026 FIFA World Cup.

As the Round of 16 match between Norway and Brazil was about to enter the second half, Atlas emerged from the player tunnel and showed off its moves on the pitch. While Atlas has previously performed dance routines, the humanoid robot had a more appropriate showing at the World Cup, mimicking player celebrations, including those of Norway's star player, Erling Haaland.

Atlas's Haaland celebration Credit: Hyundai

Atlas wasn't just there for entertainment either. Hyundai's robot played a crucial role at the end of the half, delivering the match ball to the referee so the game could continue.

Mashable was at the World Cup match at New York-New Jersey Stadium to witness Atlas. The robot carried out its duties without a hitch. And, most importantly, the crowd seemed enamored by the robot. Spectators held out their smartphones, snapping photos and taking videos of Atlas doing its best player impersonations.

“As part of Hyundai's 'Next Starts Now' campaign, we wanted Atlas's performance on the world's biggest stage to demonstrate that the future isn't something we imagine — it starts now," said Hyundai's Executive Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer Sungwon Jee. "At Hyundai, we are committed to developing human-centered innovation that integrates seamlessly into everyday life, and to presenting a new vision of future mobility expanded through robotics — showing that robotics can be a trusted partner in humanity's progress through diverse and creative brand experiences.”

Atlas hands off the match ball to the ref at the half. Credit: Hyundai

According to Hyundai, Atlas was powered by "several core robotics capabilities that enable advanced movement and real-world interaction." Retargeting technology allowed Atlas to analyze and adapt to human movements. Reinforcement Learning was used to train Atlas through thousands of simulations on how to move, and Whole-Body Control was deployed to coordinate movement across the robot's body.

"The way we trained Atlas to perform these fun movements at the match is similar to how we teach the robot to take on real-world industrial applications," said Boston Dynamics Director of Robotics Behaviour Alberto Rodriguez. "It’s a great way to introduce people everywhere to the incredible potential of today's AI-enabled robots.” 

It turned out that Atlas picked a perfect celebration to imitate at halftime. At the end of the match, Norway emerged victorious, upsetting Brazil 2-1. Both of Norway's goals were scored by Haaland. So, between Haaland and Atlas's impersonation, fans got to see plenty of Viking-esque celebrations on the pitch this past Sunday.

TL;DR: Get the FileLu Cloud Storage Premium Plan with 1TB of lifetime encrypted cloud storage for $94.97 (reg. $350).

Opens in a new window Credit: FileLu FileLu Cloud Storage Premium Plan: Lifetime Subscription $94.97
$350 Save $255.03   Get Deal

Running out of storage always seems to happen at the worst possible time … it can be right before a big upload, an important backup, or when you’re trying to free some space on your laptop. The FileLu Cloud Storage Premium Plan offers 1TB of lifetime cloud storage for a one-time payment of $94.97 (reg. $350), making it a smart alternative to recurring monthly storage subscriptions.

FileLu combines encrypted cloud storage, file sharing, and automatic backups into one platform. It’s a great tool that’s built for professionals, creators, and families managing documents, photos, videos, and other important files.

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If security is one of your top priorities then you’ll find it useful that every file transfer is protected with SSL encryption, while stored files can be secured with FileLu’s Secure-SoloCypher Encryption (SSCE). The SSCE gives users control of their own encryption key which means even FileLu can’t access encrypted files. The service also supports end-to-end encrypted folders for an additional layer of privacy.

Users can upload files through a web browser, mobile apps, FTP, WebDAV, Rclone, APIs, URL uploads, and FileLuSync. Automatic cloud backups can also be scheduled for computers or servers, making it useful for anyone who wants files protected without remembering to back them up manually.

The Premium Plan includes 1TB of storage with no file-size limits, no caps on the number of folders or files, unlimited download speeds, bulk folder downloads, and direct file sharing links. Shared storage spaces also make collaboration easier for families or teams working from the same account.

If you need cloud storage without the hassle of paying another recurring bill, the lifetime model may be one of the biggest advantages. Instead of paying month after month, a single purchase provides long-term access while still supporting desktop, mobile, and web platforms.

Whether you’re backing up creative projects, organizing years of photos, or storing important work documents, the FileLu Cloud Storage Premium Plan can be yours for $94.97 (reg. $350).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Live stream USA vs. Belgium in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is coming to a dramatic conclusion, with the quarter finals just days away. USA and Belgium are set to battle it out for a spot in this late stage. It would be the first time USA has reached the quarter finals in 24 years.

USA are bolstered by the inclusion of Folarin Balogun — a key player in the squad — whose one-match ban for a red card has been lifted. USA should feel confident, particularly as Belgium haven't looked particularly sharp in this tournament. Still, they possess the talent to advance.

If you want to watch USA vs. Belgium in the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is USA vs. Belgium?

USA vs. Belgium in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on July 6. This fixture takes place at the Seattle Stadium.

How to watch USA vs. Belgium for free

USA vs. Belgium in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer to live stream the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream USA vs. Belgium for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Watch USA vs. Belgium for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2026 World Cup without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream USA vs. Belgium (plus more World Cup fixtures) before recovering your investment.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money-back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of the World Cup.

Live stream USA vs. Belgium in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free.

And we're off with July, and Netflix isn't making it easy for U.S. subscribers to choose, with a solid lineup of movies on the way for the month. If you've been too preoccupied with the holiday weekend fun, then you might have missed that there's a new Enola Holmes movie now streaming, and the July 1st movie dump is now there for the taking, stuffed with more classics than any reasonable person has evenings for.

Are you concerned about your digital footprint? Does it bother you that anyone listening can observe which websites you visit? Most people don't know what DNS is or how much information it leaks. I'll share with you what the problem is and how to fortify yourself against snoopers.

I've used a lot of browsers in my time, going back as far as Mosaic and Netscape Navigator. For a long time, I've been using Brave as my daily driver, but I've reached the point where it's time to move on. I'm switching to a different open-source option instead.

America has a Monday night football game to watch in the middle of July. Only this time, there are no helmets.

Tonight, the U.S. men's national team faces Belgium in a prime-time World Cup knockout match, with a quarterfinal spot on the line and a team the country actually wants to root for.

This isn't the norm, at least in the U.S. For decades, soccer in the States has been treated as the next big thing that never sticks. The World Cup arrives, casual fans tune in, the conversation swells for a few weeks, and then the country usually returns to its regular rotation of football, basketball, baseball, and whatever officiating scandal people are talking about.

But this tournament has been different. The U.S. opener against Paraguay drew an average audience of 18 million across Fox's platforms with another 7 million watching on Spanish-language Telemundo. FIFA has also said attendance surpassed 3.6 million in the first two weeks of the tournament, breaking the record set in 1994, the last time the U.S. hosted the men's World Cup. So if soccer has been trying to prove it belongs in the American sports conversation, this tournament is making a pretty strong case.

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Part of the buzz comes down to logistics. The games are being played on American soil and in American time zones, which means the U.S. team is not asking casual fans to wake up at 5 a.m. or plan their entire day around a match happening halfway across the world. A prime-time game is an easier sell. It can be watched at bars, at home, in group chats, after work — the way Americans already watch big sports events.

Part of it is timing. The U.S. reached this stage during a summer already wrapped in red, white, and blue, as the country marked its 250th birthday and host cities turned World Cup matches into something that looked a lot like an extended Fourth of July weekend. Across the country, the scene has been hard to miss: packed fan zones, pop-up shops selling soccer gear, viewing parties in parks, shopping centers, and museums, and U.S. fans showing up in jerseys, flags, and face paint.

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There is also the fact that the U.S. team has given people a reason to keep watching.

Striker Folarin Balogun has been at the center of that, giving the U.S. the kind of scoring threat it has not always had on the World Cup stage. But the entire roster is one of the clearest examples yet of what modern American soccer looks like, from Christian Pulisic to Chris Richards and Weston McKennie.

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Plus, players like Tim Weah, Sergiño Dest, Malik Tillman, and others reflect a U.S. program built from several pipelines at once: players developed abroad, players connected to immigrant families, players with eligibility for multiple national teams, and players shaped by European club soccer, MLS academies, and the American youth system. Several could have represented other countries and chose the United States instead. For casual fans, that makes the team easier to get behind.

And then there is the controversy, because nothing pulls Americans into a sporting event faster than a good scandal.

During the U.S. team's 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, Balogun was sent off the pitch after a VAR review for a challenge on defender Tarik Muharemović. The red-card decision initially meant he would miss the Belgium match, taking the U.S.'s top scorer out of its biggest game of the tournament. Then, after a conversation between Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino, FIFA changed course.

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The red card itself was not erased, but FIFA suspended Balogun’s one-game ban, clearing him to play in the round of 16. The decision came after Trump reportedly called FIFA president Gianni Infantino and asked for the play to be reviewed, saying Monday that he did not think it was a foul. The decision, though controversial, has sparked debate on the internet.

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The betting market is moving, too. Sportsbooks have seen unusually strong activity around U.S. matches, with games involving the USMNT drawing far more action than other World Cup matches on the same day. Betting volume does not prove long-term fandom, but it does show that the U.S. team has moved from background programming to something people are actively tracking as part of the broader American sports calendar.

However, the increase in interest for the sport did not start with this match, or even the World Cup in general. A Nielsen study found North America's soccer fan base has grown 10.9 percent over the past five years to more than 136 million people. The U.S. now has the fourth-largest soccer fan base in the world, with 62.5 million followers, according to the same report. The tournament is surely helping interest, with nearly seven in 10 North American fans saying their fascination with the sport had increased in the last three years as the World Cup approached, while 64 percent expected their interest to grow further.

Locally, youth soccer clubs have reported new sign-ups and renewed interest from families during the tournament. In Houston, HTX Soccer said hundreds of children signed up in recent weeks, a jump the club connected to World Cup excitement. In Florida, the soccer team Tampa Bay Rowdies has been using watch parties and youth outreach programs to turn World Cup attention into something more lasting.

That still does not mean soccer has overtaken football, basketball, or baseball in the U.S. But it does mean this World Cup arrived at a moment when the sport was already gaining ground. Lionel Messi's move to Inter Miami also helped push MLS further into the mainstream, building on the celebrity and global attention David Beckham has been cultivating since becoming one of the club's owners. MLS has grown to 30 teams across the U.S. and Canada. Premier League and La Liga broadcasts have helped make the U.S. the biggest foreign market for several major European leagues. Streaming, social media, FIFA video games, and shows like Ted Lasso and Welcome to Wrexham have made the sport more familiar to American audiences who did not necessarily grow up watching it.

For once, the question about soccer in the United States is not whether people can be persuaded to care. It feels like a lot of them already do.

Samsung Galaxy phones, like all other Android phones, come with a regular one-handed mode. It works, but it only goes so far. While it can help you use your phone with one hand, it's fairly limited and doesn't offer any extra features.

Buying a brand-new economy car is usually the sensible choice, but it isn't always the most rewarding one. Thanks to steep depreciation, the used market is full of luxury performance cars that cost no more than a new compact commuter, offering far more character for the same monthly payment.

An hours-long traffic jam in San Francisco on Saturday July 4 was partly the result of stalled Waymo vehicles, the autonomous car company has confirmed.

Alleged videos of the gridlock surfaced on X, where drivers posted angrily about Waymo cars that wouldn't move.

SEE ALSO: Smooth, silent, strange: What it's really like to hail a robotaxi

A Waymo spokesperson confirmed to Mashable that the city's 4th of July celebration at the Golden Gate Bridge led to traffic disruptions, a high volume of travelers, and unexpected road closures nearby.

While some of the autonomous vehicles remained operational, others ran out of charge while idling and were towed as a result.

"Our priority is keeping San Francisco moving safely, especially during major city celebrations," the Waymo spokesperson said in a statement. "Our team is always evaluating ways to strengthen Waymo's resilience in major traffic disruptions."

This isn't the first time that stalled Waymo cars have caused traffic jams in the city by the Bay.

Last December, a power outage gave San Francisco Waymo vehicles trouble at intersections without functioning stoplights, and the company had to temporarily suspend its service.

Ironically, two days before the 4th of July gridlock, Waymo posted a video on X about the simplicity of hailing one of its cars.

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"Because after a night out, getting home should be the easiest part," the video's caption reads.

Need to nudge text or numbers across an Excel cell? The quickest solution might seem to be tapping the spacebar a few times until everything looks aligned. I used to do exactly that. Unfortunately, it usually comes back to haunt you the next time you resize a column, change the font, or print the sheet.

I'll be honest, I didn't expect to be writing anything positive about DDR3 RAM in 2026, but the RAM market had other plans. With DDR4 and DDR5 kits selling for out-of-this-world prices, buying DDR3 is suddenly a smart buy again.

Original movies are dominating Netflix's current top 10. Enola Holmes 3, the third adventure movie in Netflix's detective franchise, occupies the top spot, while Little Brother, a comedy starring John Cena and Eric André, is No. 2. Both movies are satisfying options, but if you're looking for more thrillers, we've got you covered.

For millennials, a trip to Claire's was practically a rite of passage.

It was where ears were pierced, friendship necklaces were split in half, and every trip to the mall somehow ended with an armful of glittery accessories you probably didn't need but absolutely had to have. Long before "girlhood" became an internet buzzword, Claire's had already built an empire around it.

But nostalgia alone isn't enough to sustain a retailer in 2026.

After years of financial struggles, shifting shopping habits, and the slow decline of the American mall, Claire's has spent the past several years redefining itself for a generation that's more likely to hang out with friends on Roblox than at the mall. Its newest customer isn't a millennial looking for a nostalgia fix — she's Gen Alpha, discovering the brand through YouTube, social media, and online gaming platforms.

SEE ALSO: A parent's guide to keeping kids safe on Roblox

That strategy was on full display at this year's VidCon, where Claire's unveiled its latest collaboration with Roblox YouTuber Lana's Life, which just hit stores nationwide. The collection, inspired by the wildly popular game Dress To Impress, is more than another creator merchandise drop. It's part of a broader effort to position Claire's as what Chief Brand Officer Michelle Goad calls "an inspiring playground for modern girlhood."

"Girls feel very rushed to grow up," Goad told Mashable at the convention. "Because they have access to everything on social. They're seeing grown women in their algorithm, and they feel this urgency to grow up faster. We took a counterculture position and said, 'We're actually going to take a beat and cherish girlhood.'"

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For Claire's, that starts with understanding how Gen Alpha differs from the generation before it. While Gen Z embraced louder colors, edgier aesthetics, and more maximalism, Goad says today's tween shoppers are gravitating toward something noticeably softer.

"They're really feminine," she said. "They like a very pastel aesthetic."

She believes part of that shift comes from growing up with millennial parents. "If mom is in her beige era," she joked, "your daughter is probably into something really girly."

That insight has shaped everything from Claire's merchandising to the creators it partners with.

Rather than signing a traditional celebrity ambassador, the company looked to Lana's Life, whose 9.5 million subscribers know her through Roblox roleplay videos, beauty content, and Dress To Impress. Claire's had already seen strong demand for Dress To Impress-inspired products in stores. Lana, Goad said, was the obvious person to help bring that audience into the physical world.

The decision reflects a broader shift in how brands think about influence. "This consumer demands a two-way conversation and a true relationship with their community," Goad said. "You're going to want to engage and be a fan of someone who's actually there, showing up in the comments and doing the work."

Claire's debuted its Lana's Life collaboration at VidCon 2026. Credit: Courtesy of Claire's

For Gen Alpha, creators often feel more accessible than celebrities. They're present in comment sections, livestreams, and community posts in ways movie stars and musicians rarely are. And that trust and connection hold more weight than a traditional celebrity endorsement. With millions of followers, Lana offers both the scale of a celebrity and the intimacy of a creator, which is exactly the combination Claire's is betting on.

The collaboration itself was designed to blur the line between digital and physical play. Fans visiting Claire's booth at VidCon could test products before they reached stores, meet Lana in person, and purchase items that unlocked digital rewards inside Roblox.

That feedback loop is central to how Claire's says it now operates. Instead of relying solely on trend forecasting months in advance, Goad says the company watches what young girls are actually talking about online and moves quickly. Internally, she describes the strategy as being "on trend, on time."

Whether it's the rise of squishies, Dress To Impress, hackey sacks making a comeback for a new generation, or another internet obsession waiting around the corner, Claire's increasingly treats Gen Alpha communities as its research department.

"I think our job is to listen," Goad said. "What are they saying in the comments? What are they asking for? What are they excited about?"

It's a notable evolution for a retailer once synonymous with mall culture. Instead of asking young shoppers to fit into Claire's vision, the company says it's rebuilding the brand around theirs.

For a generation growing up almost entirely online, Goad hopes Claire's can still offer something increasingly rare: a place — whether that's inside a Roblox game, on social media, or in one of its stores — where girlhood isn't something to rush through, but something worth celebrating.