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Most people assume a slow boot comes down to hardware, and the obvious fix is buying a faster drive. I spent a while convinced of that too, but what actually made the difference for me wasn't new hardware at all. I didn't have to spend a dollar to make it boot faster, and you don't either.

The Daily Show is 30 years old, and what better way to celebrate than by digging out all the audition tapes of cast members past and present?

In the clip above we see everyone from Jordan Klepper and Josh Johnson to Jessica Williams and John Oliver, typically accompanied by Jon Stewart attempting to hold back laughter.

There are many, many highlights, but Ed Helms' ice-cold delivery near the end is one to stick around for.

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SAVE OVER $100: As of Aug. 12, the DJI Neo Motion Fly More Combo is down to its lowest-ever price of $369 at Amazon. That's $160 off its full price of $529.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Neo Motion Fly More Combo $369 at Amazon
$529 Save $160   Get Deal

Drones are a cool investment, no matter if you're a content creator or just looking to start up a new hobby. It's even better when you can snag a bundle that comes with everything you need to take to the skies, like the DJI Neo Motion Fly More Combo.

As of Aug. 12, this popular bundle is down to its lowest-ever price at Amazon. Shoppers can grab the DJI Neo Motion Fly More Combo for $369 for a limited time. That's a 30% cut from its original price of $529. The third-party seller is reliable, with a 98% positive rating over the last 12 months.

SEE ALSO: Google Pixel 11 Pro: Everything we know ahead of Aug. 12 Made By Google event

The DJI Neo Motion Fly More Combo is a stacked bundle, coming with the drone, three flight batteries, a two-way charging hub, a pair of propeller guards, a spare pair of propellers, four spare propeller screws, a gimbal protector, the DJI RC Motion 3, DJI Goggles N3, a screwdriver, a lanyard, and a Type-C to Type-C PD cable. With all of that in your hands, you'll be ready to capture beautiful scenes without delay.

The DJI Neo will make sure those views shine with 4K video at 30 fps and 12MP photos. Plus, with the help of DJI stabilization technology and level-4 wind resistance, footage will remain smooth. This tiny device weighs just 135 grams, so it does not require FAA registration or Remote ID.

Enjoy the views from above this summer with the DJI Neo Motion Fly More Combo. Don't miss out on this great deal 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.

TL;DR: The MSI Katana 15 HX gaming laptop is on sale for $1,869.99 at Amazon, down from its $2,199.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: MSI MSI Katana 15 HX Gaming Laptop $1,869.99 at Amazon
$2,199.99 Save $330.00 Get Deal

Getting over $300 off a gaming laptop packing an RTX 5070 during RAMmageddon sounds more like a dream these days, but Amazon has just done exactly that with MSI’s Katana 15 HX.

As of Aug. 12, the MSI Katana 15 HX gaming laptop is available for $1,869.99 at Amazon as part of a limited-time deal. With $330 off its $2,199.99 list price, you’re getting a 15% discount on the 14th Gen Intel Core i9 configuration with 32GB of memory and 1TB of storage.

The two components that make this a major draw for us here are the Intel Core i9-14900HX processor and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 GPU with 8GB of GDDR7 memory. Paired with 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB NVMe SSD, you’re effectively getting enough muscle for demanding games, streaming, and even multitasking between work and other bits of content creation — all without wishing you could have an even beefier drive installed. 

Plus, the Blackwell-based GPU also brings DLSS 4 and ray-tracing support for games that can make use of them — making must-plays like Cyberpunk 2077 and Marvel Rivals look more stunning than ever. 

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With its 15.6-inch QHD display, the 2560 x 1440 IPS-level panel runs at 165Hz and covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut; with that, you’re getting both a sharper picture than standard Full HD alongside the higher refresh rate you’d want for faster shooters and competitive games (like Fortnite and Apex Legends) all in one powerful, portable package.

To keep all of these great games running safely at high specs, the Katana 15 HX’s Cooler Boost 5 feature uses dual fans and five heat pipes to help prevent the CPU and GPU from throttling during longer loads.

That said, there’s still some space to look stylish with its four-zone RGB keyboard — and you’ve got WiFi 6E, USB-C Gen 2, multiple USB-A ports, Ethernet, and HDMI support up to 8K for all the initial connectivity options you’ll need.

If you’re in the market for a new stylish monitor to extend your setup, LG's 32-inch 4K OLED UltraGear gaming monitor is now $750 at Amazon. Among other gaming laptop deals right now, you can also snag the Acer Nitro V 16 for under $1,000. 

TL;DR: The Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 AI gaming laptop is on sale for $2,199.99 at Amazon, down from its $2,799.99 list price. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Acer Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 AI Gaming Laptop $2,199.99 at Amazon
$2,799.99 Save $600 Get Deal

An 18-inch gaming laptop loaded with an RTX 5070 Ti was never going to sit in a budget-level price bracket, but Amazon has just pushed Acer’s oversized Predator to a slightly more manageable rate.

As of Aug. 12, the Acer Predator Helios Neo 18 AI gaming laptop has been knocked to $2,199.99 at Amazon, taking a full $600 off the $2,799.99 list price. The 21% discount has brought this model to its lowest-ever price, as recorded by the price tracker camelcamelcamel.

Sold and shipped directly by Amazon rather than a third-party marketplace seller, you’ll get free delivery as soon as Aug. 13 (at the time of writing) if you’re a Prime member — and you’ll have the retailer’s free 30-day refund/replacement guarantee if there are any problems.

As for what you’re getting in terms of hardware for your money, Acer pairs Intel’s Core Ultra 9 275HX processor with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Laptop GPU sporting 12GB of GDDR7 memory, alongside 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a roomy 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD. Essentially, this gives you plenty of headroom for demanding games, heavier multitasking, and storing a sizeable library without immediately reaching for another drive.

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NVIDIA’s Blackwell-based GPU also brings DLSS 4, Multi Frame Generation, enhanced Ray Reconstruction, and full ray tracing support, giving newer games like Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced or Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls extra tools for pushing higher frame rates without sacrificing as much visual detail.

As for the display, the Predator Helios Neo 18 AI uses an 18-inch 2560 x 1600 WQXGA panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio, 240Hz refresh rate, 3ms overdrive response time, NVIDIA G-SYNC, and up to 100% DCI-P3 color coverage. In other words, the screen is built to make good use of the hardware rather than bottlenecking it with a basic panel.

Acer rounds things out with Killer WiFi 6E, 2.5Gb Ethernet, Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, and its 5th Gen AeroBlade 3D cooling system. There’s also a four-zone RGB keyboard, and PredatorSense controls for tweaking performance modes, fan behavior, and lighting.

If you’re looking for a laptop with touchpad functionality, the ASUS ROG Flow Z13 is still on sale at Amazon. You can also grab the Acer Nitro V 16 gaming laptop on offer for under $1,000. 

Elon Musk's SpaceXAI (yes, that's the company name now) has introduced Grok Bot, a team of always-on AI agents that can accomplish tasks in the background while you work on other stuff.

There's some number confusion here: the feature is called "Grok Bot," but the introductory post keeps referring to it in the plural. In practice, it should resemble a "highly capable teammate" to which you can give tasks simply by chatting with it.

And yes, you can run several bots in parallel and even have one manage a team of bots, which can independently message each other as they work to accomplish a task. Bots can also be placed in a group chat where they can work and communicate together as a team of actual humans would. "They pass work, assign ownership, and only pull you in for judgment calls," says SpaceXAI.

Well, I prefer a bot doing that instead of doing it myself. Credit: SpaceXAI

SpaceXAI provides a couple of examples of how its own teams are using Grok Bot. In one example, a Bot sends invites and follow-ups to collect NDA signatures for beta access to a feature; in another, a bot finds open invoices across portals and email, sends follow-ups in the same voice, logs replies, and only escalates the ones that are stuck or disputed.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk’s Grokipedia reportedly hasn’t been updated since April

Grok Bot is in beta and is now available to SuperGrok Heavy, Cursor Ultra, and Cursor Teams Premium subscribers on desktop and iOS. As for Enterprise users, there's a waitlist they can join to get access in the future.

SpaceXAI's Grok Bot follows in the footsteps of other companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic, which offer similar, persistent AI agents that can do work in the background and as a team.

TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub for free with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites from Australia is ExpressVPN.

The world of porn continues to be impacted by age-verification laws. Back in early 2025, more than a third of U.S. states introduced age verification laws for online adult content. Pornhub hit back by blocking users from those locations. A similar situation took place in France and the UK, and now Australians are facing the same set of challenges.

The porn blocks arrived just days before new online safety codes came into effect, requiring organizations to verify the ages of users. It's the same story we've seen before, with the same straightforward workaround.

SEE ALSO: T-Mobile is giving away the Apple iPhone 17 for free — here's how to claim

If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from Australia, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Australia

VPNs are tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can access sites like Pornhub from anywhere in the world.

Unblock Pornhub from Australia by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 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 a location that supports access to Pornhub

4. Visit Pornhub

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

The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Pornhub without spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you the opportunity to temporarily retain access to Pornhub before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to sites like Pornhub, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing content restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Pornhub?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking porn sites like Pornhub, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in locations all around the world

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

• Strict no-logging policies so your data is always secure

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Multiple simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantees

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. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with a money-back guarantee).

Unblock Pornhub for free in Australia with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Waffle's screen-free kids' phones — the Waffle Home ($119) and Waffle Go ($149) — are available to pre-order now and ship in October.

Opens in a new window Credit: Waffle Waffle Home $119 at Waffle
  Pre-order Here Opens in a new window Credit: Waffle Waffle Go $149 at Waffle
  Pre-order Here

Want your kids to be able to reach you, but not quite ready to hand them a phone that opens the door to social media and the internet? Waffle just opened preorders for two screen-free communication devices built specifically for kids, with shipping starting in October.

Both devices skip apps, social media, and internet browsing entirely, focusing on the one thing a first phone is actually meant for: staying in touch. Parents manage everything through the Waffle Parent Hub app, and setup takes under five minutes.

Waffle Home ($119) reimagines the family landline for kids. It's cordless, so they can walk and talk freely, and it comes with a caller ID display, voice notes, and a satisfying "slam it down" hang-up. WiFi built-in keeps calls connected, and only approved contacts can get through, so there's no risk of strangers or spam calls. It's available in mint, purple, or graphite.

Waffle Go ($149) is built for kids on the move. It's rugged (IP65-rated), runs on Wi-Fi and 4G so it works away from home, and packs a three-day battery life. Parents can also track their kids' location in real-time, and only approved contacts can reach the device.

Both devices are fully refundable until they ship, and preorders are now open at Waffle. Two batches are sold out already. Pre-order the Waffle phone now.

TL;DR: Through August 20, it’s only $9.97 to get Windows 11 Pro.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Windows 11 Pro $9.97
$199 Save $189.03   Get Deal

If you’ve been noticing your PC isn’t working like it used to, check the operating system. If you’re still running Windows 10, then you’ve gone almost a full year without important updates. Upgrading to Windows 11 Pro used to cost $199, but through August 20, it’s only $9.97.

This isn’t about chasing trends. It’s more about giving your computer the modern foundation it deserves. Windows 11 Pro brings a sleeker UI, better multitasking, and enhanced security, all in a one-time lifetime license. Think of it as the difference between driving a reliable car and suddenly upgrading to one with a smarter dashboard, smoother handling, and built-in security features.

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Pro adds BitLocker full-disk encryption, which keeps your data locked down, even if someone else gets their hands on your computer. Hyper-V lets you spin up virtual machines, and Windows Sandbox gives you a throwaway space to test sketchy apps without touching your main setup. Azure AD ties the machine to business identity and access management, enabling IT to manage the device on a company network.

And yes, Windows 11 comes with Copilot, Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant that can summarize pages, change settings, or even help you generate code on the fly. It’s like having a co-pilot (literally) inside your OS.

This is a smart upgrade at a smart price, but it won’t stay on sale for very long.

Until 11:59 p.m. PT on Aug. 20, Windows 11 Pro is only $9.97.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Speak words into polished, professional writing with a lifetime subscription to Contextli Pro Plus Plan, on sale now for just $199.99 (reg. $2,450).

Opens in a new window Credit: Ertiqah Contextli Pro Plus Plan: Lifetime Subscription $199.99
$2,450 Save $2,250.01   Get Deal

Sometimes the fastest way to get your ideas across is by speaking, but anyone who’s relied on speech-to-text tools knows they aren’t always accurate. Contextii Pro Plus puts an end to that, turning your natural speech into clean, formatted text.

Right now, you can lock in a lifetime subscription to the Contextii Pro Plus Plan for only $199.99.

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If you’re tired of typing or simply have too much on your plate, Contextii Pro Plus is ready to improve your daily workflow with easy, clean, and formatted transcriptions.

This app delivers context-aware dictation and repeatable workflows for emails, messages, documents, code, support replies, journal entries, marketing notes, and more. You can import or export Contexts to manage your customized workflows, and your Contexts cloud-sync so you won’t lose them.

Contextii Pro Plus uses premium AI models, so it can handle complex reasoning, creative writing, and sophisticated workflows. If you frequently use certain terms, you can establish your own custom dictionary and even set up personalized shortcuts to save time. It also supports 99 languages, so if you need to dictate in another language, Contextii Pro Plus is ready.

Your lifetime plan comes with 48,000 one-time credits — each credit equals one minute of transcription — and they never expire. If you ever use up your credits, Bring Your Own Key mode uses your own supported provider API keys to provide unlimited usage at your provider’s cost.

You can use your Pro Plus Plan across multiple devices, with priority assistance available when you need help. Offline mode is available if you don’t want to use Contextii Cloud processing, and it works without using your credits. This lifetime subscription also includes future updates.

Score a lifetime subscription to Contextli Pro Plus Plan for only $199.99 today.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: The Keysmart SmartCard is a compact tracker that can fit in your wallet, and it’s on sale for $31.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: KeySmart Keysmart SmartCard (Gen 3/Rechargeable/1-Pack) $31.99
$39.99 Save $8.00   Get Deal

You can try as hard as you want, you probably aren’t going to get an AirTag into your wallet in a way that looks normal. If you want a better way to avoid losing your wallet (or anything else an AirTag won’t fit into), try a Keysmart SmartCard. These little trackers look just like a credit card, work like an AirTag, and you can get one on sale for $31.99 (reg. $39.99).

SmartCards work a lot like AirTags, but they actually give you more options. A single card pairs with either Apple Find My or Google Find Hub, so it doesn’t matter which phone you have. There’s no extra app to install. You can use the native app already on your device. Pair your card with Apple Find My and Precision Finding points you right to your wallet whenever it goes missing. Google Find Hub handles location and proximity guidance on the Android side.

Both networks use the same crowd-finding system your phone maker already runs, so the card borrows millions of nearby devices to report a location even when your wallet is blocks away. Separation alerts buzz your phone the second you walk off without your wallet, and IPX8 waterproofing shrugs off rain, spills, and a full dunk in the sink. Just try to avoid losing your wallet while scuba diving.

Each card runs an Atlas Gen 3 chipset that processes location data twice as fast as earlier versions while holding a connection about 30 percent more reliably. That same chip trims power draw by roughly 30 percent, so a single charge lasts up to 11 months. When the battery finally dips, you can set the card on any standard Qi wireless charging pad instead of tossing out a dead coin cell.

A lost wallet doesn’t have to ruin your day. Get a Keysmart SmartCard on sale for $31.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

There's a unique frustration in watching your friends thrill over a movie you can't see yet. Hellcat hit me with such vexation again and again, as rave reviews rolled in from Fantasia International Film Festival, FrightFest, and Beyond Fest.

Over and over, critics danced around the secret at the heart of the film, but none would reveal it. Which was infuriating, as I yearned to know. Spoilers be damned!

Now, having seen Hellcat, I understand not only the secret it keeps but also why my friends and colleagues kept mum. In this case, it's fun not knowing. So, please forgive me as I, too, avoid the major spoiler. But yeah, there'll be some hints along the way that true horror hounds can discern. 

Hellcat begins as an abduction thriller.  Dakota Gorman stars in "Hellcat," a Shudder release. Credit: Shudder

Written and directed by Brock Bodell, Hellcat opens with a scene that feels like something out of the true crime series Your Worst Nightmare. A young woman wakes up in the back of a camper trailer. She doesn't know where she is or how she got there, but she can tell this camper is moving. Where? Why? And who put her here? 

Dakota Gorman stars as this woman, Lena, whose survival instincts kick in quickly and ferociously. Wordlessly, she makes her way up and down the camper, trying to assess how to get out and, failing that, what the hell is going on. Before long, she hears a voice. Eerily, it comes over the intercom embedded the taxidermied head of a coyote. 

This is Clive (Todd Terry). His voice is Southern, firm, and infuriatingly patronizing as he tells Lena he captured her to protect her, because she is infected. By what? He won't say. But he coaches her to stay calm, lest she make matters worse. 

In a clever move, Bodell won't cut to Clive right away. For much of the film, he is just a disembodied voice, tormenting Lena with a willful lack of information. Because cinematographer Andrew Duensing won't move the camera beyond what Lena can see, we, the audience, are trapped with her inside both the camper and her anxiety. Even when a flashback occurs — be it an ill-fated camping trip or a girls' night out gone bad — it unfolds within the camper. Branches sprout from the walls as a hunter pierces through their leaves with his rifle. Multicolored lights flash across the sequined dress of a scornful friend doling out unsolicited advice, as she stands outside the camper's toilet stall.  

These details, along with Gorman's intense and gnarly performance, keep us feeling caged like a wild animal alongside Lena. And solving the mystery seems our only way out! 

Hellcat takes a ghost-story twist, but it's not a ghost story.  Dakota Gorman stars in "Hellcat," a Shudder release. Credit: Shudder

No, really. Unlike Mother Mary, which insists it isn't a ghost story (because it totally is), Hellcat truly isn't one. In writing his script, Bodell builds his story around a perspective shaped by fear, but one that is totally understandable. Waking up in a cozy cage, Lena rightfully assumes the worst about her captor. But as the film has teased, he knows more than she does, and truly means her no harm. That doesn't mean he's not doing any. 

In ghost stories, this is a recurring tale. The ghost's creepy appearance strikes fear in the human heart. But as The Sixth Sense, Crimson Peak, Presence, and a slew of other sensational ghost stories show, the spirit might be the monster, but it's not the villain. Hellcat offers a similar twist, with a dizzying mash-up of genre elements. 

Props to Gorman and Terry, who smoothly navigate this intriguing dynamic between captor and captive as it mutates into something far more complex. As their long drive through a seemingly endless, moonlit night goes on, they begin to form a reluctant bond. And with that, Clive will finally show his face, adding a new and strange wrinkle to this scenario. 

Dakota Gorman stars in "Hellcat," a Shudder release. Credit: Shudder

Horror fans will likely pick up what Clive's sniffing around by the time Lena finds a fridge stocked with sedatives and bloody meat. But even this won't give away the surprises that dogpile in the final act. 

Like a lot of Shudder titles, Hellcat is a low-budget movie. But this financial constraint pushed Bodell and his collaborators to imagine what could be done cheaply and cinematically. The result is a movie that is claustrophobic, thought-provoking, surprising, and wicked fun. By the time Lena escapes the camper, Bodell has used the paths of several different horror subgenres to create a final chapter uniquely his own. After much blood, sweat, and tears — both on and offscreen — Hellcat offers a climax that is enthralling, raw, and richly humane. 

Hellcat premieres on Shudder on Aug. 14. 

I've been using PlayStation consoles for almost 30 years. So in this PS5 vs. PS5 Slim face off, I'll be helping you decide which console is best for you.

With the recent launch of the upgraded PS5 Pro console, now might be the perfect opportunity to snag a slightly older — yet still incredibly powerful — PS5.

With potential sweet deals, or even permanent price drops on the horizon, it’s essential to know exactly what you’re getting (and not getting) with the PS5 and PS5 Slim.

SEE ALSO: The price of Sony's PS5 Pro is 'brutal' and the internet hates it PS5 vs. PS5 Slim: price

For context, the original, non-slim PS5 has two versions: a digital one (without a disc drive) and one with a disc drive. The same can be said for the PS5 Slim; it's got a digital version and a disc one.

For whatever reason, Sony decided to not drop the prices of the new PS5 Slim models. The PS5 Slim with a disc drive is still $499, while the PS5 Slim without a disc drive is $449 — or a $50 increase over the original PS5 digital-only console.

• PS5 Slim (no disc drive) - $449

• PS5 Slim (with disc drive) - $499

• Original PS5 (no disc drive) - $399

• Original PS5 (disc drive) - $499

PS5 Slim (no disc drive) $494.40 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at PlayStation Store Sony PlayStation 5 $499.99 at Walmart
  Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Amazon

With that in mind, yes, the digital-only PS5 Slim is a money-saver in comparison to the one with a disc drive, but not in comparison to the digital-only model that launched in 2020.

The new price also means that buying a digital model before purchasing the additional disc drive would cost more than just snagging the version with a built-in drive. I don't really have a good explanation for that.

My only advice is this: If you want a PS5 that only costs $399, you better get one now. This is an important note: Once the existing stock of both original models sells out, the new slim models will replace them on store shelves.

PS5 vs. PS5 Slim: size

Obviously, size is what many gamers are most concerned about here, so let's get right to it. Looking at Sony's stated dimensions, you can see that the new PS5 is indeed smaller than the original:

• Original PS5 (disc version): 104mm (height) x 390mm (width) x 260mm (depth)

• PS5 Slim (disc version): 96mm (height) x 358mm (width) x 216mm (depth)

• Original PS5 (digital version): 92mm x 390mm x 260mm

• PS5 Slim (digital version): 80mm x 358mm x 216mm

Credit: Sony

In other words, per Sony's announcement blog post, that's about a 30 percent reduction in total volume. That's definitely an improvement, but there's some important context missing in just those raw numbers. The Verge ran a digital size comparison and discovered that both new models are still substantially larger than the Xbox Series X.

In other words, this "slim" console is still pretty dang big.

For a visual comparison, check out this awesome PS5 Slim vs. Regular Reddit post.

PS5 vs. PS5 Slim: performance and storage

Another important aspect of the new PS5 models to get out of the way is that they have the exact same internal capabilities as the originals. This isn't a PS4 vs. PS4 Pro situation. Games will run exactly the same across the spectrum of PS5 consoles.

Credit: Sony

One little internal bonus that owners of the new PS5s get, however, comes in the form of expanded storage. For some reason, the original PS5 only had 825GB of onboard storage, with the option to expand via external SSDs. The new ones have a full 1TB of built-in space, so you can install a few extra games depending on how big they are.

PS5 vs. PS5 Slim: disc drive

Just like at the PS5's launch in late 2020, there are two PS5 Slim models. One of them has a built-in disc drive and the other one is digital-only.

Credit: Sony

Well, sort of, anyway. There's an optional detachable disc drive you can buy for $79.99. It's a little goofy looking, but it should do exactly what you think it does. For physical media collectors, the disc drive is a must-buy.

It's worth noting, however, that the PS5 Slim, unlike the OG PS5, does not come with a vertical stand in the box. However, seasoned gamers will tell you that you should keep your PS5 to be stationed horizontally anyway.

As one of the true OGs of online dating, AdultFriendFinder has a sizeable community of singles and non-monogamous users looking for steamy fun. But that doesn’t mean using the site is necessarily straightforward. In fact, AFF, as its users call it, has been online for so long that its web interface can feel dated and counterintuitive, with key features requiring you to navigate a whole manner of menus and sub-menus. 

Making the most of AFF means a certain amount of trial and error, or at least some guidance from someone with an intimate knowledge of the spicy hookup platform.

That's why we've outlined four essential tips below to get you up and running on AFF and help connect with more people for more kink-filled fun. That said, it also helps to keep an open mind about it all. If you enter AFF with a narrow idea of exactly what you want, you'll likely be disappointed. But if you start your search with an open-minded curiosity and just go along for the ride (pun very much intended), you can discover new things about yourself — and maybe even your pleasure points — in the process.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder   Learn More

Here are four essential steps for getting the most out of your AdultFriendFinder experience:

Fill out your full AFF profile 

Sure, this is an obvious step with any and every online dating service, but it’s even more important on AFF because the site doesn’t entirely rely on a carousel-style presentation of dating profiles like other apps. Everything from your age to your gender to your sexuality to your list of personal kinks can help make you more discoverable to other AFF members, so the less you fill out, the harder it is for the site to make your profile discoverable. 

This is true even if your personal kink list is short or leans towards the conventional, or if it’s long and girthy and leans towards the exotic; trust us when we say there are people out there who are looking for the very same quirks and kinks and sexuality specifics, so it's worth taking your time to be specific and details. It will pay off in the long run.

SEE ALSO: Is Hinge really 'designed to be deleted'? I tested it to find out.

Also, don’t sleep on videos. Unlike many dating sites that allow only profile pictures, AFF permits its members to upload short videos to their profiles. This is a fantastic way of showing others that you’re a real person — as opposed to a bot, which you'll find plenty of on AFF — and also helps you show off some personality. Just be wary of putting nude content upfront in your profile. You can do this if you wish, of course — AFF is all about the NSFW content — but putting that kind of content out there does raise privacy issues.

Verify your AFF account as soon as possible

AdultFriendFinder throws up very few barriers when you're creating your account. That makes it very easy for anyone to join, but it also means there is a huge amount of spam and bots clogging up the platform. To combat this, they’ve also created a profile verification system using the Confirm ID service. 

It requires you to share government ID for cast-iron verification, but the benefits to your profile will give you major peace of mind. It means photo authentication, age confirmation, and location verification, all of which help others trust that your profile is authentic. When the process is complete, you'll see a blue checkmark beneath your profile photo, just to the right of your username, which helps people identify your profile at a glance and boosts your visibility in search results, as search results prioritize verified users.

Be selective with your search criteria

If you use the site’s search function, you’ll find that you can be extremely specific and selective. And if you know exactly who and what you want, by all means, narrow your search, but if you’re on AFF to be surprised, it’s also worth being less selective from time to time.

For example, if you know you want an in-person date for next week, it obviously makes sense to narrow your location search to people who live near you. But what if you don’t know exactly what you want, or if you’re open to a sultry chat with a stranger half a world away? In that case, distance is irrelevant, and you should consider turning that filter off.

SEE ALSO: All your Tinder questions, answered

On the other hand, there are quite a few filters that are turned off by default that we actually recommend you turn on. For example, the default profile filter shows you all people who have bothered to upload photos, but while that’s a good start, it’s not enough to help you wade through the huge number of users. We strongly recommend narrowing it down to Verified/Confirmed users, since those people all proved their identity the same way you did (see above). That way, you can trust that your search results and potential connections are 100 percent legit. It's another means of filtering out the spam.

Another useful filter is the Last Visit, which by default is set to "All." We recommend specifying accounts that have been active within the last month. That's because lots of people sign up to AFF then never bother checking back in. Other users go inactive for weeks or even months at a time. If you stick with the default "All" setting, you risk messaging accounts that you might never get a reply from.

Explore the live-chat communities

AdultFriendFinder isn’t a traditional dating website, so don't use it like one. The search-and-swipe dating app method is tried and true, but it’s also a bit played out, and one of AFF’s biggest strengths is its larger community offerings. There's more to it than swiping — or should we say swinging? — left or right.

There are lots of forums to explore, all based around common interests (though you should know that some of these interests — or kinks — are not so common), or you can venture into a user’s livestream and interact with them and others there. AFF even has a dedicated Stories section, where users can share their memories or try their hand at writing erotica. That's all well and good for anyone with a knack for the written word, but if you're more visual, you can set up a webcam stream and invite others to tune in. 

For all of the above, AFF tracks not only which stories/streams/group chats are new but also which are trending, making it very easy to jump into a popular discussion or keep up with the latest site news.

Upgrade your AFF membership tier

As with other dating sites and apps, you only get the most out of AFF when you sign up for a paid membership. It is entirely possible to use AFF and interact without handing over your credit card information, but the site’s best features and functions are paywalled. And it has to be said that the advantages — visibility, communication options, and site functionality are all just too good to ignore.

Gold and VIP members receive special icons on their profiles, and these profiles are given priority in every search, regardless of the criteria. Because there are thousands of potential profile options for almost every search criterion that isn’t location-based, it’s very difficult to stand out from the crowd on AFF as a free user.

Additionally, if you fork out for the upgraded VIP membership, you’ll unlock an entire section dedicated exclusively to VIPs. It's the dating site equivalent of entering the velvet-roped area of a night club; you'll find the most glamorous people hiding there. VIP members even get additional points to spend on digital gifts or lavish on live streamers who catch your eye. This is another great way of standing out from the crowd. 

The learning curve on AdultFriendFinder is steeper than most other dating sites, and much steeper than most dating apps, but if you follow the above tips and you're willing to experiment, you’ll encounter more than a few fun and sexy surprises along the way. 

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: Mega Greninja ex Premium Collection is available for $60.95 at Amazon, down from its $99.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Greninja ex Premium Collection $60.95 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $39.04   Get Deal

Mega Greninja ex’s big premium box has already come a long way down from the triple-digit prices we saw around launch, and Amazon is once again giving Pokémon TCG collectors a chance to grab the eight-pack collection for well below $70. 

As of Aug. 12, the Pokémon TCG: Mega Greninja ex Premium Collection can be picked up for as low as $60.95 at Amazon. Against its $99.99 list price, that knocks $39.04 off the box for a 39% discount — working out to roughly $7.62 per booster pack before you even account for the included promos and extra collectibles.

The cheapest Amazon option comes from third-party seller EmpireGameCenter, with free delivery currently estimated for Aug. 19. What’s more, this is the lowest price a third-party seller has ever sold this box for at Amazon, as confirmed via price tracker camelcamelcamel. 

Inside the collection are eight Pokémon TCG booster packs — two Chaos Rising, four Perfect Order, and two Phantasmal Flames, alongside a standard foil Mega Greninja ex promo card and a much larger lenticular version for display. You even get a Mega Greninja tech sticker, giving collectors more than simply opening another stack of boosters. 

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The Mega Greninja ex card is pretty handy in the trading card game. Its Mortal Shuriken Ability lets you discard a Basic Water Energy from your hand to place six damage counters on one of your opponent’s Pokémon, while Ninja Spinner can follow up with as much as 200 damage. 

As good as this deal is, you can still save more outside of Amazon. Walmart currently lists it for $59.99, while TCGplayer has unopened boxes starting from $49.06 with shipping included — going only $1.60 over market price. 

TL;DR: Through Aug. 16, Instacart is tossing in a free lunchbox item like Frosted Flakes, Gatorade, or a Sargento snack kit with any order of $10 or more. The freebie changes daily, supplies are limited, and you're capped at one per account.

Packing lunches five days a week gets expensive and exhausting fast, but Instacart is chipping in this week to help soften the blow. From now through Aug. 16, the grocery delivery app is running its Back-to-School Deal Week, giving away a different lunchbox staple every day to anyone who places a qualifying order.

Here's the deal: place an order of $10 or more through the Instacart app or site, and you'll get that day's featured item tossed in for free. No promo code needed — just tap the Deal Week banner on the homepage or search the brand directly, add it to your cart, and check out like normal. The catch is that it's one freebie per account, supplies are limited, and the item swaps out daily, so you can't stockpile the same snack all week.

The lineup so far has recognizable names, with a different freebie dropping each day:

• Aug. 10: A Chomps meat stick to kick things off — protein-heavy and easy to toss in any bag.

• Aug. 11: Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin Sliced Honey Ham, a deli-counter regular that works for sandwiches all week.

• Aug. 12: A box of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes for mornings when cereal is the only breakfast that's happening.

• Aug. 13: A Hot Pockets Italian Style Pepperoni Pizza Sandwich, the microwave-and-go option for after-school hunger.

• Aug. 14: A Once Upon a Farm Berry Berry smoothie pouch, dairy-free and built for little kids on the move.

• Aug. 15: A bottle of Gatorade Lower Sugar Rain Berry for refueling after practice or just a long day at recess.

• Aug. 16: Sargento Mighty Bites Salami & Mild Cheddar, a snack kit that closes out the week on a savory note.

SEE ALSO: The best free food deals this week: Save on McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Krispy Kreme, and more

Beyond the daily freebies, Instacart also has a Back-to-School Shopping Hub running through Aug. 16, with in-app deals on supplies and everyday items from stores like Staples, The Home Depot, Lowe's, Ulta Beauty, and Bath & Body Works. Staples stands out here — notebooks, pencils, and crayons are priced as low as 25 cents each, as long as you spend $10 or more.

Either way, it's free money if you're already shopping — but Deal Week ends Aug. 16, so don't sleep on it.

TL;DR: Get the iPhone 17 for free from T-Mobile when you trade in your eligible phone on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan. Alternatively, the Apple iPhone 17 Pro is free when you switch to T-Mobile and bring your number on an Experience Beyond plan (no trade-in needed).

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple T-Mobile: Apple iPhone 17 for free   Get Deal

Samsung is still the center of attention. Samsung just dropped three new foldables smartphones, two smartwatches, and smart glasses, so it deserves its moment in the spotlight. But that won't last forever. Made by Google takes place this week, and rumors around the iPhone 18 continue to swirl.

If you can't wait for new iPhones to drop, you should know that you can still secure a limited-time offer on iPhones from T-Mobile. That's great news in the face of Apple price increases due to RAMageddon.

These are the best free iPhone deals from T-Mobile this week:

• iPhone 17e — free when you switch to almost any T-Mobile plan with no trade-in required

• iPhone 17 — free when signing up for 24 months of an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan and trading in an eligible phone

• iPhone 17 Pro — free when you switch to T-Mobile and bring your number on an Experience Beyond plan (no trade-in needed).

T-Mobile will charge taxes on these free deals, as well as a $35 device connection fee. That's a small catch, but that's how it often goes with this kind of deal.

If you’re still rocking an iPhone 12 or 13, you’re missing out on some genuinely game-changing features. The iPhone 17 is the first base model built specifically to handle Apple’s most advanced AI features. Mashable's Stan Schroeder said it's an "excellent phone that matches the iPhone Pro models in many ways that matter." That's enough for us to consider upgrading.

Get the Apple iPhone 17 for free this week with T-Mobile.

August is shaping up to be a big month for fans of celestial events, with both the Perseid meteor shower and a solar eclipse set to light up the skies. While the annual Perseids will deliver one of the year's most popular meteor displays, the solar eclipse will offer a different kind of spectacle as the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun.

While parts of Europe will experience a full show in the form of a total solar eclipse, those based in North America will still have a chance to catch the celestial event as a partial eclipse. Keep reading to find out all you need to know about this latest celestial event.

When is the solar eclipse in North America?

On Aug. 12, a partial solar eclipse will be visible across parts of North America and most of Canada. While the continent won't experience the same totality as parts of Europe will, it will still be a rare opportunity to witness an exciting solar event.

According to NASA, viewing times will vary across North America, with Alaska and northern Canada seeing the eclipse in the morning, eastern Canada in the afternoon, and parts of the northern U.S. from midday into the afternoon.

It will peak in Anchorage, Alaska at 8:21 a.m. ET. Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., it will peak at around 1:53 p.m. ET.

How to watch the solar eclipse

Because the Sun is never completely covered from anywhere in North America during this eclipse, it's never safe to look directly at it without proper eye protection.

Anyone planning to watch should wear certified eclipse glasses that meet the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard. Regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the Sun. If you're using binoculars, a telescope, or a camera, you'll also need an approved solar filter fitted to the front of the optics.

What causes a solar eclipse?

According to NASA, a solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun, temporarily blocking some or all of the Sun's light. During a partial solar eclipse, the Moon covers only part of the Sun, creating the appearance of a crescent-shaped Sun rather than plunging the landscape into darkness. This is what will be visible in North America.

Where can you see the partial solar eclipse in North America?

NASA says the best places to spot the eclipse in North America include parts of the northern U.S. (from Alaska to North Carolina) and most of Canada. While parts of the world will see a total solar eclipse, viewers in North America will experience a partial eclipse.

How to watch 2026 Solar Eclipse livestreams

NASA is livestreaming the eclipse on YouTube, Twitch, X, Amazon Prime, Facebook, Instagram, and NASA+.

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If your feeds are blowing up with talk of the upcoming total solar eclipse, this might burst your bubble: The show might not be coming to a sky near you.

On Aug. 12, the moon will sweep its shadow across the top of the world, briefly turning day into twilight along a narrow path through Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, northern Spain, and a sliver of Portugal. That's the path of totality — where the sun is completely blocked — and it's the first time in 27 years that mainland Europe has gotten a full, real-deal solar eclipse.

But people in the United States won't be in that bullseye. Instead, a part of the country will see a partial solar eclipse, where the moon nips the sun but never covers it completely. The sky won't go dark, the stars won't pop out, and you won't get the full moody effect. But with the right eyewear, you could still see the sun turn into a yummy space crescent roll in the middle of a Wednesday.

For a U.S. audience, this eclipse is either a drop-everything-and-fly-to-Iceland kind of deal or a fun coffee break at work. Here's how to plan 15 minutes to step outside and look up safely — or, better yet, ditch the special eyewear and get a front-row seat to the main event with a livestream from where the real action is happening. 

SEE ALSO: Pluto has a heart. Scientists discovered that it's bleeding. How to watch the solar eclipse online tonight

For U.S. viewers, NASA plans a live broadcast on Aug. 12, with telescope views, commentary from scientists, and footage from research aircraft flying under the moon's shadow. 

In Europe, the European Space Agency and other organizations, such as the Royal Observatory, will host their own streams. The Exploratorium, which has a long track record of eclipse coverage, will again provide a live telescope feed from inside the path of totality in Spain. Here's a go-to list of live broadcasts that you can hop to and from without having to board a jet: 

• NASA: Streaming on NASA+ and YouTube, with views from Spain and high-altitude aircraft, starting at 1:15 p.m. ET.

• ESA: Hosting a live broadcast from the Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre in Teruel, Spain, and a separate telescope feed, starting at 19:30 CEST, or 1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. ET. 

• The Exploratorium: Broadcasting a live telescope view from Spain at 1:30 p.m. ET.

• Royal Observatory: Hosting a live broadcast from the Royal Observatory Greenwich, where the United Kingdom will see about 90 percent sun coverage during the eclipse, starting at 1:10 p.m. ET.

• TimeandDate.com: Streaming the event with real-time animations, maps, and expert commentary, starting at noon ET. 

Where in the US can you see it?

The farther north you are, the better the show.

As the moon's shadow creeps from Russia to Greenland and Iceland and onward to Europe, the outer part of that shadow — the penumbra — brushes North America. Within that outer shadow, the sun is only partially blocked, but the effect might still be noticeable if you're paying attention.

The United States will not experience a total solar eclipse on Aug. 12, 2026, but many states will get a partial solar eclipse. Credit: NASA infographic

Nationwide, 26 states and Washington, D.C., will get a very slight partial eclipse. The states include Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. 

Many parts of Alaska and the far north will see the larger bites, with the eclipse unfolding earlier in the day. In parts of the south, it may register more as a subtle dimming — not much different from a little cloud cover. Just over the border, Canada gets a better view. Much of the country lies deeper in the partial zone. Northern and western areas catch the show in the morning; eastern provinces get it in the afternoon.

For the United States, the event begins at 7:34 a.m. Alaska Standard Time and ends on the East Coast at 2:52 p.m. ET. To zero in on your specific area's times, visit Timeanddate.com and enter your city or ZIP code. 

Everything to know about eclipse glasses

It's plain and simple: If any part of the sun's face is visible, you must protect your eyes to look up at it. That's true in Alaska, Texas, Iceland, Spain — everywhere.

For Americans in the partial zone, the go‑to tools are protective eyewear or a handheld solar viewer designed for viewing the sun. Eclipse glasses are not just dark sunglasses. Legit eclipse glasses are thousands of times darker and built to block most of the sun's visible and invisible light. 

Reputable ones follow the ISO 12312‑2 safety standard; when you put them on indoors, you shouldn't be able to see anything except maybe the brightest lights.

Keep the glasses or viewer on the whole time you're looking at the sun. Never look through eclipse glasses into a telescope or binoculars unless the optics also have a proper solar filter on the front. Concentrated sunlight can burn through a filter and through the delicate tissue at the back of your eyes, far faster than you'd expect.

A simple pinhole projector — or even a small hole in an index card projecting the sun's image onto the ground or another surface — will show you the sun's change from a circle to a crescent and back again without ever having to look up. During the partial phases, the gaps between tree leaves do the same thing naturally, scattering tiny crescent suns onto sidewalks.

Tree leaves reveal crescent suns like pinhole projectors on the ground as its partially obscured light filters through them. Credit: Michael S. Williamson / The Washington Post via Getty Images If you're not in totality, is it still worthwhile?

That all depends on your appetite and attitude. On the ground in the United States, you'll get a sun that looks wrong in an intriguing way, light that feels a little hushed, and shadows that sharpen. 

At the same time, cameras and telescopes along the path of totality will be streaming the full blackout — the sun's corona glowing behind a black disk like a scalloped crown. You might like to take an imaginary journey in your mind, see what it looks like from Reykjavik or a Spanish hillside.

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I learned that my iPhone 15 Pro Max and the upcoming 2026 total solar eclipse do not mix. I stumbled upon BGR's article, which warned skygazers against using their phones to take pictures of the imminent cosmic event.

If you're like me, you may be wondering "Why?" After all, who wouldn't want to snap a photo of such an awe-inspiring celestial occurrence?

Opens in a new window Credit: Lunt Lunt Solar Eclipse Glasses (Pack of 5) £26.21 at Amazon
  Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: AAA Eclipse AAA Eclipse Solar Viewing Glasses (Pack of 50) $49.95 at Amazon
  Shop Now

As it turns out, taking a photo of the 2026 solar eclipse could damage your iPhone's camera hardware.

SEE ALSO: Solar eclipse 2026 from the US: how to watch from home and online Why you shouldn't take a photo of the 2026 solar eclipse with your phone

In the same way that you shouldn't use a telescope or binoculars to gaze at the sun (you could melt your eyeballs off), you shouldn't use your phone's shooter — or any other poorly equipped camera — to take a photo of the solar eclipse.

BGR says that no smartphone is designed to handle the intense solar rays the sun emanates. "Using your camera or phone could cause the heat from the rays to become so concentrated that it could melt the lens inside," the tech outlet warned.

Days before the April 8, 2024 eclipse that swept across parts of North America, NASA provided similar advice.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

There is a workaround in that you can purchase filters for your phone and camera.

NEEWER 67mm Clip On Filters Kit for Phone & Camera Credit: Amazon

But the best way to see the eclipse might very well be with your eyes rather than a camera lens. That is, if they are fully protected.

SEE ALSO: Here's where to buy legit solar eclipse glasses that'll arrive before Wednesday's eclipse

It must be emphasized that it's imperative that your eyes are protected. NASA recommends getting "ISO 12312-2" grade solar eclipse glasses that filter harmful light.

The historic 2026 total solar eclipse is set to happen Aug. 12 and, depending where you are, might only be visible as a partial solar eclipse if it's visible at all. Mashable's Elisha Sauers, our space reporter, shares exactly when and where to get the best view of the 2026 solar eclipse.

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UPDATE: Aug. 9, 2026, 11:00 a.m. EDT This 2024 story was updated to include information related to the 2026 solar eclipse happening on Wednesday, Aug. 12.