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Never worry about power outages again — the Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus is $1,550 off at Amazon
SAVE 42%: As of July 29, you can get the Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus portable power station bundled with two 200W solar panels for $2,149 at Amazon. That's a 42% discount or $1,550 in savings.
Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus $2,149 at Amazon$3,699 Save $1,550 Get Deal at Amazon
Living on the East Coast has taught me that a stiff breeze is all it takes to lose power. Since I live in an apartment, buying a traditional gas generator isn't practical, but a heavy-duty portable power station offers the same peace of mind without the fumes, noise, or installation hassle.
SEE ALSO: The 6 best portable power stations to stay charged up at home and on the goRight now, you can get the Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus portable power station bundled with two 200W solar panels for $2,149 at Amazon. That's a 42% discount or $1,550 in savings.
The Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus runs on a battery, so it's safe for indoor use. (It has built-in wheels and a retractable handle so you can roll it from room to room like carry-on luggage.) With a 3,584Wh capacity and 3,600W AC output, it's enough to keep your refrigerator, WiFi router, lights, and phones running through a prolonged blackout.
You can charge it from a standard wall outlet in just 2.5 hours before a storm rolls in, or set up the included solar panels to recharge it in (roughly) four hours if the grid stays down.
Michael B. Jordans The Thomas Crown Affair trailer makes that getaway van Gogh
Reader, I love an art heist film, and there are very few good ones. The Mastermind is one. Entrapment is another (don't look at me like that). But The Thomas Crown Affair has always been been top of this list, both the Steve McQueen/Faye Dunaway 1968 version and the 1999 versions, the latter Pierce Brosnan gem a video store classic in this house.
Now, Michael B. Jordan is restarting the affair, directing his own version with a screenplay by Drew Pearce and Jason Hall and a sublime cast: the Oscar-winning Sinners star himself, alongside Adria Arjona, Lily Gladstone, Danai Gurira, Kenneth Branagh, and Pilou Asbæk.
The trailer promises Vincent Van Gogh's "Sunflowers" as a target, high-speed chases, and plenty of luxurious destinations. You son of a bitch, I'm in!
The Thomas Crown Affair hits cinemas March 5, 2027.
DoorDash launches in-house drone unit — "cleared for takeoff"
Will your next takeout food delivery arrive by air? That's what DoorDash is preparing for.
On Wednesday, DoorDash announced that it had just received Part 135 air carrier certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). As a result of this approval, the company also announced the launch of an in-house drone program called DoorDash Air.
"This certification means that DoorDash is authorized to operate as an air carrier and offer an even more deeply integrated drone delivery experience, opening up new possibilities for local businesses," the company said in a statement.
According to DoorDash, the company is only the eighth drone operator to earn the FAA's Part 135 certification. DoorDash was required to pass a five-stage evaluation process that verified aircraft airworthiness, maintenance programs, and safety procedures.
“We want drone delivery to work for any merchant, anywhere. We're building the full stack to make that possible from the ground infrastructure to the drone itself, and the handoff systems that make it work together seamlessly,” said Head of DoorDash Air Harrison Shih in a blog post. “Advances in hardware, compute, and AI are creating extraordinary new capabilities for local commerce, and becoming a certified air carrier accelerates everything we're building.”
Human Dashers will continue to play a main role within the company, DoorDash says. The company mentioned how Dashers will still fulfill deliveries that drones and other autonomous delivery systems can't handle, such as apartment deliveries and fulfilling deliveries with large orders.
According to the company, drones fulfilled deliveries in an estimated average of 25 minutes last year. The company says that some locations that took part in its drone partner pilot found their order volume grow by around 30 percent during the program.
DoorDash also has a good idea of which type of deliveries would benefit the most from drones. DoorDash says that 20 percent of DoorDash orders need to be delivered between three to five miles. However, those orders took roughly 25 percent longer to be fulfilled than shorter deliveries. The company says this is because it's more difficult to find Dashers willing to take on mid-range trips. DoorDash hopes that drone deliveries can fulfill these orders, allowing human Dashers to focus on shorter trips, which could maximize their earnings.
Of course, DoorDash wouldn't be the first company to experiment with drone deliveries. Amazon, Alphabet's Wing, and most recently, Walmart have all deployed drone delivery systems. These companies have all touted their delivery drone program; however, there have been some speed bumps along the way.
DoorDash says it's currently "designing and building" its first-party drone program with the company's in-house robotics and autonomy team, DoorDash Labs. The company says that this is "only the beginning" and expects to have further updates about DoorDash Air later this year.
DroiClaw aims to bring system-level AI agents to more phones
Often, AI on your phone lives inside a single chatbot app, without access to the rest of your operating system. DroiClaw aims to change that with an AI-native operating system in which AI can complete almost any task, from information searches to writing assistance, on devices without requiring any third-party apps.
Skip the top trim: This $36k model is the 2026 Toyota RAV4’s sweet spot
Choosing the right trim level can make all the difference when you're shopping for a new SUV. Spend too little, and you may miss out on features you'll use every day. Spend too much, and you're often paying for luxury extras that add little real value. The sweet spot is usually somewhere in the middle.
Google Messages is hoarding over 25GB on my phone, and that’s a problem
These days, our smartphones are powerful machines with more cameras and storage than ever before, yet running out of space is still a common problem. But did you know one of the biggest culprits on Android could be Google Messages? I recently realized that Google's Messaging app is using over 25GB of space on my phone, and there's no easy way to clean it up.
Why vibe coding is creating a hidden web deployment crisis
Experienced coders and people who have never done so much as a "Hello World" exercise are all having a blast with vibe coding. That's the practice of telling an AI model in plain English what software you want to make and then watching it rattle off lines of code faster than you can read them.
Matthew McConaughey and Yeti made a limited-edition cooler for his tequila
TL;DR: Matthew and Camila McConaughey's Pantalones Organic Tequila has teamed up with Yeti on "A Lot Cooler," a limited-edition cooler featuring a custom Pantalones design, sized to hold a full case (six bottles) of tequila. It's priced at $250 and available for preorder.
Matthew McConaughey's tequila brand is putting its own spin on his most famous line.
Pantalones Organic Tequila, which he co-founded with his wife Camila, has teamed up with Yeti to launch "A Lot Cooler" — a limited-edition cooler that's more or less an inside joke turned real product, referencing McConaughey's "It'd be a lot cooler if you did" line from Dazed and Confused. Priced at $250, it's now available for preorder.
The launch comes with a new video, and it's delightfully ridiculous. McConaughey's whole pitch is that a margarita makes everything better — and he means everything. The two eventually kick back on the tailgate of a pickup truck next to the custom Yeti cooler, margaritas in hand.
The cooler is built for basically any outdoor plan you throw at it — beach days, backyard hangouts, tailgates, or boat trips. It's got Yeti's rugged, durable build quality, finished with exclusive Pantalones branding on top, so it's still functioning as a high-quality cooler. Pack it with tequila, margarita fixings, and snacks, and you're covered for the day.
Pre-order "A Lot Cooler" now at Pantalones.
5 vintage tech hobbies making a massive comeback in 2026
What’s old will one day be new again; it’s a tale as old as time. This is true of nerdy hobbies that techies love, whether that’s because of the retro charm or in pursuit of a more satisfying experience that rejects the modern approach.
Samsung’s smart glasses are almost here: Here’s how they’ll work
Will Samsung and Google figure out ways for their glasses to overcome privacy concerns? Unclear, but here’s how they’ll work and what you need to know.
USB-C isn't just a charging port—here's everything it can actually do
Just like USB-C cables can be confusing, so can USB-C ports. On the surface, it's just a port: stick a cable in it, and it'll charge your phone, sooner or later. But in reality, there's a lot more to USB-C than meets the eye.
These 3 Linux distros are criminally underrated on DistroWatch
If you use DistroWatch to find new distros, you've probably assumed—and reasonably so—that its rankings point you toward the good stuff. And while I think it's a great discovery tool, it's a terrible way to judge the quality of a distro. Many distros I would never recommend are ranked higher than objectively better alternatives. Here are three Linux distros that are far better than their DistroWatch rankings suggest.
Fast charging won't hurt your Galaxy phone's battery, but these 3 things will
Certain things in this world don’t follow our natural logic. A Galaxy phone charges from 0-100% in less than 60 minutes, and we’re supposed to believe that’s healthy for the battery? In reality, it is, but there are other things to worry about.
Which countries have banned social media for kids?
Social media bans for kids are quickly becoming the global legislation trend of the moment.
Children under 16 are finding themselves at the center of political conversations, with countries including Australia, the UK, Canada, Brazil, Austria, and Indonesia, and more attempting to wrangle Big Tech companies' hold on young people's attention.
SEE ALSO: Australia's kid social media ban is ineffective, study suggestsOnline age verification laws are taking shape by the month, with governments citing the need to address issues including child sexual exploitation, cyberbullying, self-harm, and the impact on kids' mental health, as well as "addictive" design, violent content, and porn. However, these laws have also come under severe criticism for efficiency and their impact on digital privacy and free speech.
Plus, kids are already finding ways around them.
So, where are we at, globally? Which countries have followed Australia's example and are rolling out their own social media bans? Here's the list, alphabetically, and incidentally starting with the one who started it all.
AustraliaThe first to do it, Australia set a global precedent in Dec. 2025 with its world-first social media ban for children under 16. The Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act requires social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, and Snapchat to implement age verification and take "reasonable steps" to prevent kids under 16 from creating accounts. However, a July 2026 study by Australian government advisors found the ban so far ineffective.
Plus, Reddit is suing.
AustriaFollowing in Australia's footsteps with fewer letters, in March 2026, Austria announced a bill to ban social media use for children under 14. With a draft planned for completion by summer, Austria's legislation would also add a new compulsory subject, "Media and Democracy," to school curriculums to boost awareness of "how to recognise disinformation and radicalisation."
BrazilBrazil's social media ban, the Digital Statute of Children and Adolescents, came into force in March 2026. The law requires kids under 16 to link their social media accounts with a legal guardian, and tech platforms must add age verification for users wanting to access adult content. It also means social media platforms must limit "features designed to artificially increase, sustain, or extend" time kids spend on the platforms, including automatically playing videos.
CanadaCanada is set to ban users under 16 from holding social media accounts, with a proposed law announced by the Canadian government on June 11, 2026. The Safe Social Media Act will enforce age verification to access online services and legally mandated safety requirements for social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. But Canadian law will also apply to companies that use AI chatbots such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude.
DenmarkDenmark is planning a social media ban for kids under 15, announced back on Oct. 8, 2025, by the country's prime minister, Mette Frederiksen. According to the Associated Press, the law could arrive in 2026, but there's no date or details yet. Reports also suggest parents could allow their children to use social media from the age of 13.
Featured Video For You Is ChatGPT Changing the Way We Write? European UnionAn EU-wide social media ban for kids under 13 could be coming, announced July 13, 2026. Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission (the EU's executive body), presented a report on online safety for children, which recommended age-appropriate restrictions on platforms (the EU has launched its own age verification app), parental supervision for social media use, and the insistence that digital platforms "must prove that their services do no harm."
But it won't just be social media that's impacted. As Mashable's Anna Iovine reports, it could apply to "other digital services such as AI companions, video-sharing platforms, and video games."
FranceFrance is ready to approve its social media ban for kids under 15, with the government reaching a compromise on the bill on July 20, 2026. Once it's through, France will be the first European country to officially enact such a ban. According to Le Monde, the social media ban will block under-15s from creating new accounts as of Sept. 1, and in Jan. 2027, all existing accounts will come under the law.
GermanyGermany hasn't yet rolled out a social media ban, but the government is considering it.
GreeceGreece plans to ban social media for kids under 15, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announcing the proposed law on April 8, 2026. In a TikTok video, translated by the BBC, Mitsotakis cited sleep issues and anxiety in children caused by "the pressure to always be online," and he criticized "the addictive design of certain applications." If passed, the measure will take effect on Jan. 1, 2027, and the PM said age verification is also needed.
IndonesiaIndonesia announced it would ban social media for children under 16 on March 6, 2026. As reported by the BBC, the country's minister of communication and digital affairs, Meutya Hafid, said anyone under 16 with an account on a "high risk" online platform would see it deactivated by the end of March, naming "YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, X, Bigo Live, and Roblox."
MalaysiaMalaysia has banned social media for under-16s, with communications minister Fahmi Fadzil announcing the Online Safety Act 2025 (ONSA) in Nov. 2025. The law came into force on Jan. 1, 2026, but it really got started on June 1, 2026. As NBC News reports, requires social media companies to add age verification and to prohibit kids under 16 from creating accounts on platforms with at least 8 million users (that means YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook). The law also requires social media companies "to limit features that increase, sustain, or extend" kids' online time.
PolandPoland is looking to ban kids under 15 from social media, with Education Minister Barbara Nowacka announcing plans on Feb. 26, 2026. Yes, that would mean age verification on social media sites and big fines for companies not enforcing them.
SloveniaSlovenia is set to ban social media access for kids under 15, with draft legislation announced by Deputy Prime Minister Matej Arčon on Feb. 5, 2026.
SpainSpain announced plans to ban social media for children under 16 on Feb. 3, 2026, with the country's prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, promising to "protect them from the digital Wild West." The proposed bill, which still needs to be passed by parliament, will hold social media companies (including their executives) liable for "illegal or harmful content" existing on their platforms. "We will turn algorithmic manipulation and amplification of illegal content into a new criminal offence,” Sánchez said at the World Governments Summit in Dubai in February.
ThailandThailand hasn't announced a social media ban yet, but there's a lot of discussion about it.
TurkeyTurkey passed a bill on April 23, 2026, that blocks kids under 15 from accessing social media platforms. According to the Associated Press, which cited state media reports, the law will require age verification on social media, rapid responses by companies to "harmful" content, and expanded parental controls.
United KingdomThe UK confirmed an impending social media ban for under-16s on June 15, 2026, following the rollout of age verification in the country in July 2025 (it's kind of working?). The government explicitly said it "plans to use the same model for a social media ban as Australia," with the intention of broadening the law to cover other platforms, including livestreaming and gaming sites.
The UK is also considering overnight curfews for teens aged 16 and 17 and blocking infinite-scroll mechanisms for kids.
This story is developing and will be updated as laws are proposed and passed.
Ankers Soundcore 2 portable speaker is now under $30 at Amazon — save $15.01
SAVE OVER $10: As of July 29, the Anker Soundcore 2 portable speaker is on sale for $29.98 at Amazon. That's $15.01 off its list price of $44.99.
Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker soundcore 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker $29.98 at Amazon$44.99 Save $15.01 Get Deal
Portable speakers are great to have around while going to the beach, pool, camping, and more in the summertime. Picking one out can feel a bit overwhelming, though. With so many different models to choose from, we're here to help. We've spotted a great deal on the Anker Soundcore 2 portable speaker right now at Amazon that's well worth a look.
As of July 29, the black model of this speaker has been marked down to $29.98 at Amazon, which is just over $15 off its list price. According to price tracker camelcamelcamel, it's also pretty close to its lowest-ever price of $21.59, so it's a great time to scoop it up.
Unfortunately, only the black model is available at this price, though other colors are on sale for a few dollars extra. Among the discounts are the mocha brown model at $33.98 and the baby blue, beige, and navy blue models at $35.98 each. There's also the pink model on sale, though for a bit higher at $39.99.
SEE ALSO: Pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 from Amazon and get a free $100 gift cardWhile the Anker Soundcore 2's portable design is convenient for your summer excursions, it's also durable. With IPX7 waterproof protection, it's ready for a day at the beach or by the pool. Plus, it boasts great sound quality. According to the store page, this little speaker delivers 12W of power and enhanced bass from dual neodymium drivers, offering a nice boost for your favorite tunes.
On top of that, its battery can last up to 24 hours. With that kind of power, you can spend the whole day listening to your favorite music, audiobooks, podcasts, and more.
The Anker Soundcore 2 portable speaker currently has a "limited time deal" tag, so act fast to save 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.
Granola launched an Apple Watch app for recording and transcribing meetings — here’s the best watch to buy for it
TL;DR: Granola has launched an Apple Watch app that lets you record and transcribe meetings without pulling out your phone, available free starting today. Since a feature like this can place extra pressure on battery life, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is the best pairing for heavy Granola use.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Ultra 3 $779 at AmazonShop Now
Granola just launched an app for the Apple Watch that lets you record and transcribe meetings without taking out your phone. It's built for the meetings that happen off your laptop: a walking one-on-one, a whiteboard brainstorm, or even a quick coffee chat. Tap your wrist to start, and your notes sync automatically to your iPhone and computer once you're done.
It's also easy to use throughout your day. Before a scheduled meeting, it gently taps you as a reminder to hit record, and for spontaneous chats, you can add Granola to your watch face so a new note is always one tap away.
If you've got back-to-back meetings all day and plan to keep Granola running through most of them, that'll wear down a standard Apple Watch fast. In that case, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is worth considering.
We've covered the Ultra 3 a few times already, and battery life keeps coming up as its standout upgrade. Mashable's Stan Schroeder noted that most Apple Watch models severely lag behind other watches in battery life.
The Ultra 3 narrows that gap significantly, putting it at up to 42 hours of normal use, a solid jump if you're planning to run something like Granola day after day.
Granola for Apple Watch is free and available today, requiring watchOS 11 or later. If your calendar is packed and you want the app running the whole time, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is your best bet.
Hyundai’s $880 million humanoid robot bet is about to get real—30,000 units a year by 2028
Boston Dynamics has passed among three owners in the last decade, from Google in 2013 to SoftBank in 2017 to Hyundai in 2021, when the automaker paid about $880 million for a company known at the time more for viral videos of dancing robots than for turning a profit.
What does The Odyssey translator Emily Wilson think of Christopher Nolans film?
We can't ask Homer what he thinks of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, but we can ask someone who knows it better than most.
Emily Wilson, the British-American classicist whose 2017 translation of the epic poem was one of the director's inspirations, has been asked for her opinion on The Odyssey film a few times since the film's release on July 17. And the reactions have gone from light criticism to scathing response.
SEE ALSO: 'The Odyssey' hints at 3 myths without detailing them. Here are the untold stories.Nolan has cited Wilson's work as among his influences for the film, notably Homer's opening line, "Tell me about a complicated man."
When asked for her response to The Odyssey by the Associated Press on July 20, Wilson said, "I want to celebrate the fact that so many more people are aware of The Odyssey and were brought back to the poem. But at the same time, I had the sense that Christopher Nolan was trying to pack everything in while missing themes that were essential to the poem."
However, in a rather brutal 4,000-word review for the London Review of Books, published July 24 in print and now online, the professor of classical studies at the University of Pennsylvania went to town on Nolan's adaptation.
"Nolan’s Odyssey lacks many of the elements that make the poem great," she writes. "It has nothing convincing to say about time, memory, history, war, or about the relationship between one warrior’s glorious return and the lives of his family, adversaries, comrades, friends and neighbours. It lacks psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth. Its narrative structure is gimmicky. The writing is abysmal. None of the characters has convincing motivation for their actions or words. There are no sex scenes, and all the food looks horrible."
Girl, tell us what you really think!
"It lacks psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth. Its narrative structure is gimmicky. The writing is abysmal. None of the characters has convincing motivation for their actions or words. There are no sex scenes, and all the food looks horrible." - Emily WilsonWilson's translation famously reexamined the role of women in The Odyssey, like the characters of Penelope and Circe (played onscreen by Anne Hathaway and Samantha Morton, respectively). And Nolan's film does give women more agency than they've had in his previous work, as Mashable's Belen Edwards writes in her review, "Nolan makes sure to emphasize the women of The Odyssey's complexities, as opposed to letting them linger on the sidelines or in dead wife montages. Most importantly, he lets them be angry."
What did Wilson think? "There are more female characters than in most Nolan movies, thanks to the source material. But none of them has much to say, in contrast to the characterisations in the poem," she writes, particularly scrutinising an under-written Calypso (Charlize Theron) as "an unpaid therapist, soothing the soul of the bedraggled, PTSD-ridden Odysseus with drugs, and graciously listening to his disjointed tale of woe."
Featured Video For You What It Was Like Shooting One of Oppenheimer’s Most Remarkable MomentsGranted, it's nothing short of a herculean task to try and fit every last element of Homer's 12,000-line poem into a film that runs just under three hours, despite that IMAX screen size. Nolan does hit the major plot points of The Odyssey's 20-year chronology — the Trojan Horse, Penelope's sleazy suitors, Odysseus (Matt Damon) and his men running into the cyclops Polythemus (Bill Irwin), the sirens, the Scylla monster, and the nymph Calypso along the way — he leaves many myths deliberately untold.
Wilson does eventually return to a shadow of her original response, seeing Nolan's film as "still an event to celebrate," with the film "bringing audiences back to cinemas." However, the review is still pretty withering, especially a section which reads, "My eyes stayed dry, even for Argos the dog," and one in which Wilson yearns for "a tub of wax for my ears" to survive the film's booming soundscape.
"I had hoped that Nolan’s affinity with these Homeric themes might push him to new creative heights, and enable him to conjure more believable characters," Wilson writes. "But The Odyssey features his usual combination of grandiosity and superficiality."
I'm going to leave the hand-wringing to the internet on this one (and it's happening), but it's interesting to hear scholars like Wilson's responses to The Odyssey, a text that has been reinterpreted for thousands of years through literature, art, film, video games, and myriad creative avenues.
As to what Homer would think? No one can ever know that, stop speaking for an ancient Greek poet on X.
The Odyssey is now in cinemas.
UPDATE: Jul. 29, 2026, 12:01 p.m. GMT This story was originally published on July 20, 2026, then updated and republished on July 29 after Emily Wilson's essay appeared in the London Review of Books.
Hiring a matchmaker? Read this before dropping thousands of dollars.
Singles are growing increasingly disenchanted with dating apps, and those with the means are turning to matchmakers. But with such an investment — oftentimes thousands of dollars, which is way more than Tinder Gold — there's a lot at stake.
Matchmaker Sameera Sullivan told Mashable she's been a matchmaker in the U.S. for almost 15 years now, first at an international agency (though she didn't name which one) and then striking out on her own. Previously, she worked as a recruiter in the aerospace and defense industry, and then was recruited herself to be a matchmaker. Before matchmaking, she would always coach and help friends.
SEE ALSO: What 'Materialists' got wrong (and right), according to matchmakersWhen she worked for the agency, "that's when I started realizing how crazy this industry can be," she said. Sullivan stayed there for less than a year and observed what they were doing "wrong," and then started doing her own thing.
What did they do wrong? These "bigbox" matchmaking agencies are "living off their brand," she said. "The owners are not really involved [and] they will take on everybody," she explained. "Then there are newer companies who are doing a lot of marketing and SEO…which is fine, but they're marketing to every demographic."
Matchmaking is a centuries-old practice in places like India and China, but what was once a community-oriented assist has now become a booming business, especially stateside. With arguably as many options for matchmakers out there as dating apps, you're going to need to be discerning. If you're in a position to hire a matchmaker, here's what to do, according to Sullivan and some of her clients.
Why hire a matchmaker?Sullivan's clients who spoke to Mashable have paid thousands of dollars — in the five figures — for her services and those of other matchmakers. Why drop so much money when, in relative terms, a paid dating app subscription is much cheaper?
A male client, 65 to 70 years old, who requested anonymity when speaking to Mashable, said he had dating site fatigue and wanted to find an alternative. He wanted a boutique, bespoke service with better filtering.
"Just moving from dating sites to a matchmaker gives you, I think, a better pool," he said. The singles are pre-screened and are definitely interested in a relationship, unlike on dating apps, where users' desires range widely. And from a safety standpoint, it might be better, given increased vetting.
"Vetting is the most important thing in matchmaking," Sullivan said.
Sullivan told Mashable that her vetting process includes not just a criminal background check, but also a background check for their career history, if they've owned any homes, marriage history, and the like. If they were previously married, they would check to make sure they're fully divorced. She or her team also conducts interviews, typically 90 minutes long, to learn more about them and what they're looking for.
How thorough background checks are depends on the service you use, however. Cheryl, who has worked with Sullivan, had a bad experience when a previous service matched her with men out of her home state. Keeping an open mind, she flew to Florida to meet one, and during dinner (which he didn't pay for), he "joked" that he'd take her for everything she's worth.
"The waiter paused and looked at me, and I paused and looked at him, and… at one point I said, 'Hey, just so you know, you said that out loud, and I can see you,'" she said. "I think he was using the service as a way to find rich women."
Cheryl reported the man to the service, and they did remove him. However, the experience didn't turn her off matchmaking entirely — she found Sullivan when looking for a matchmaker close by.
Matchmaker red flagsWhen you reach out to matchmaking services, they'll often have a consultation first before they take you on, usually through a phone call. During this call, you might be able to spot some red flags.
Be on the lookout for any promises or guarantees they make. Some services guarantee match offerings, but beyond that, they can't tell you they're going to find you a spouse. Sullivan's client, Ro, tried a big matchmaking agency, and the salesperson who spoke to him sold him on it. When FaceTiming, Ro says she told him that finding him a partner would be a slam dunk — but then, after he signed up, she said she doesn't handle clients, and palmed him off to a colleague.
"That was a disappointment right away," Ro said. He was also promised weekly check-ins, but then didn't hear from the service for two or three weeks at a time.
"They promised me a minimum amount of dates. They came through with the minimum amount of connections, but I turned a lot of them down," he recalled. "They just didn't get me."
"I'm not going to find you love. I'm going to find you candidates.""I run a company, and we do sales, and I just don't love salespeople that are selling me on stuff," Richard, another client who has used multiple matchmaking services, said. He found Sullivan authentic because she didn't make those promises. She told him, "I'm not going to find you love. I'm going to find you candidates."
Another potential red flag (depending) is the clientele of the business. If they promise to provide services to every demographic, they may not be able to focus on a specific group and their needs (for instance, a certain religion or gender). Some matchmakers are specific to certain locations (if you search for "California matchmakers," for instance, you'll find some that tailor to singles in that state, and you'll also find services that are nationwide or global).
"We have a moral code," Sullivan said of matchmakers. "We have a responsibility that we have to be responsible for who we take on, because we cannot take on everyone. Not everyone is going to be our client who's willing to pay us."
Sullivan only takes on certain clients. She charges a premium price (some clients pay in the six figures), but it's not just about who can pay; it's about who wants to do the work. She employees a coach who assesses clients based on attachment styles and Dr. Helen Fisher's personality test, and uses the Gottman Method of couples' therapy. If potential clients aren't into this, she doesn't work with them.
"Some guys just want dates, and that's not my thing," she said. And while she has a free and priority (paid) database of women — who are also vetted — her clientele is only men.
Some services, though, are more focused on money than integrity, she said, and agree to take on anyone.
Questions for the matchmakerWhen consulting with a matchmaker, you can ask them to show you some sample profiles of potential matches in their database. One of the most important things Sullivan tells people to ask is: Are the people you're showing me single and available today? Have they been pre-screened? (Meaning, have they spoken to the matchmaking service?)
"You need to have a very detailed conversation," Sullivan said.
The matchmaker may say they can't show you because you haven't started with them yet (especially if they're waiting for your check to clear), but Sullivan said that's BS, because the person they're showing you during a consultation should be a fit. "If you're going to take somebody on and you're telling them, 'These are the five women we have [for you],' three of them should be available and single," she said.
Another thing to ask is who you're going to be working with — the salesperson? If so, how long have they been with the company? That was an issue in Ro's case; he bonded with the salesperson, but didn't end up working with her. Who you end up working with depends on the matchmaking service. At Sullivan's, for instance, you could end up working with the first person who screens you.
Another important aspect to bring up is location. If you're only looking for a match in Arizona, for instance, the matchmaker should be able to show you singles in Arizona. Local is important, obviously, and there are matchmakers all over; if the one you're speaking to doesn't have clients where you are, they could refer you to someone who does.
"Love's tricky."Richard said the most important thing is connecting with your matchmaker, because you're going to spend a lot of time on the phone with them. Both he and Ro said to do your due diligence and research. You can look on Google or Reddit to see how people review different services (but, as with everything, take it with a grain of salt.)
Even if you do everything right, however, love and marriage aren't guaranteed. "It may or may not work." The difference, she said, is that you're not doing the looking. So measure your expectations because, as she said, "Love's tricky."
The ultimate Pokémon card hit list: The 5 most valuable chase cards from every modern set
The Pokémon TCG has always thrown out incredibly valuable cards throughout the franchise’s 30-year run, but modern-day expansions have taken the game’s trading card economy into the stratosphere. Since the launch of expansions like Scarlet & Violet’s Prismatic Evolutions, seeing a new card like SIR Umbreon ex worth well over $1,000 is no longer a surprise.
We’ve scoured the market prices across each "modern" collection of cards, found out which are the most valuable in terms of TCGplayer market price, and linked to every card so you can check listings to buy one yourself, if you wish.
These are the five most valuable Pokémon cards from every modern expansion.
Scarlet & VioletScarlet & Violet might be a historically significant expansion, but it's not the most expensive.
At the time of writing, its five leading cards are all listed below $100, with Gardevoir ex narrowly holding first place over Drowzee, making this one of the most affordable modern Pokémon TCG expansions in terms of average price per card:
Paldea Evolved is worth considerably more at the top end, primarily because of an Illustration Rare that has grown into one of the Scarlet & Violet era’s biggest chase cards.
Magikarp sits hundreds of dollars above everything else in the expansion, leaving an enormous gap between first and second place. Raichu, Maushold, Tyranitar, and Sprigatito still give the expansion an impressive set of runner-ups:
Obsidian Flames includes 230 cards, including the Dark-type Tera Charizard ex cards.
Compared with most modern expansions, Obsidian Flames remains relatively inexpensive. Only its leading SIR Charizard ex chase card is currently breaking into triple figures, according to TCGplayer’s market price:
Scarlet & Violet — 151 is this era’s first special expansion, with all of the original 151 Pokémon represented across its 207 cards.
Its combination of modern SIR artwork and classic card designs (plus Gen-1 nostalgia) has kept demand especially high, making it one of the most valuable early Scarlet & Violet releases. Unsurprisingly, the final evolutions of Kanto’s first-partner Pokémon — Charizard, Blastoise, and Venusaur — remain among its best pulls:
Paradox Rift contains 266 cards and greatly expands the Ancient and Future Pokémon introduced earlier in the Scarlet & Violet era. Its selection of chase cards includes fewer ex Pokémon compared to other expansions, but still packs plenty of well-designed Special Illustration Rares:
Paldean Fates is a 245-card special expansion dominated by Shiny Pokémon, including more than 100 alternate-color cards. Its broad selection of popular Pocket Monsters gives this expansion proper value beyond one or two pulls, but its upper end is in another league entirely:
Temporal Forces features 218 cards and continues the Ancient and Future themes established by Paradox Rift. It also brought ACE SPEC cards back into the competitive game, although its collector value now centers more heavily on illustration and special illustration rares:
Twilight Masquerade includes 226 cards inspired by Kitakami and the Pokémon Scarlet and Violet game’s Teal Mask DLC. Its Ogerpon-focused theme gave the expansion several competitive cards, but its market strength comes from a mixture of popular Pokémon and Trainer cards, along with well-drawn artwork:
Shrouded Fable is a smaller special expansion containing only 99 cards, with its story revolving around Pecharunt and the Loyal Three. Still, its most valuable pulls have ended up being a broader mix of non-Legendary-based illustration rares and its Hyper Rare Energy card:
Surging Sparks contains 252 cards and continues the Stellar Tera mechanic introduced in Stellar Crown. Pikachu became the expansion’s main attraction, although several other special illustration rares have retained substantial value:
Prismatic Evolutions launched as an Eevee-focused special expansion containing 180 cards. By giving Eevee and all eight of its evolutions their own major chase cards, the set immediately attracted enormous collector demand. It now sits comfortably among the most expensive modern Pokémon TCG expansions:
Journey Together contains 190 cards and brings a focus on the Pokémon of popular Trainer characters, putting characters like Lillie, N, Iono, and Hop in the spotlight with their best-known partners:
Destined Rivals contains 244 cards, continuing the Trainer’s Pokémon mechanic while introducing a conflict centered around Team Rocket. This expansion’s combination of major Trainers, Legendary Pokémon, and villain-themed artwork quickly created one of the most alluring buys of the Scarlet & Violet era:
White Flare launched alongside Black Bolt, dividing the Pokémon of the Unova region between them. White Flare contains 173 cards once its secret rares are included, though its highest-value cards are especially expensive — led by two Black White Rare cards and a Reshiram special illustration rare:
Black Bolt contains 172 cards and serves as the companion expansion to White Flare. Its Unova theme, monochrome Black-White Rares, and Legendary Pokémon have created an exceptionally valuable upper end:
Mega Evolution is an 188-card selection that brought Mega Evolution Pokémon back into the trading card. With its new gold Mega Hyper Rares, this expansion’s top five have quite an even spread in terms of value compared to some of the other collections released during the last couple of years:
Phantasmal Flames is a more compact 130-card expansion centered around fire-and-darkness-themed Mega Evolution Pokémon — with Mega Charizard X unsurprisingly dominating the bunch, with three versions appearing among its five most valuable cards:
Ascended Heroes is a huge 295-card special expansion drawing from Pokémon Legends: Z-A and TCG collections of the past. Its combination of Mega Evolutions and jaw-dropping artwork has resulted in the most valuable cards we have seen since Prismatic Evolutions:
Perfect Order is a compact 124-card expansion inspired by the Pokémon of Lumiose City introduced in Pokémon Legends: Z-A. Its market values are noticeably more restrained than those of Ascended Heroes:
Chaos Rising contains 122 cards — including many that were featured in Legends: Z-A. Unsurprisingly, the star of the expansion, Mega Greninja ex, takes up two of the top five positions by a wide margin:
Pitch Black launched with 120 cards — honing in on a darker Mega Evolution theme led by Mega Darkrai ex, while Morpeko, Mega Zeraora, and Mega Chandelure also appear among its largest pulls:
