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GET 50% OFF: As of July 24, get up to 50% off video games during Best Buy's Great Summer Sale.

Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Get up to 50% off video games During Best Buy's Great Summer Sale Shop Now

If you’re looking for something to do this Sunday (you know, instead of obsessing over Sunday scaries), Best Buy’s got you covered.

SEE ALSO: The 10 best video games of 2024 (so far)

Best Buy's Great Summer Sale has discounts of up to 50% off a wide selection of video games across platforms, including Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and others. From popular titles like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and Dragon’s Dogma 2 to lesser-known indie bangers, there's something for every gamer in this sale.

Here are some of the best deals you can find during Best Buy’s Great Summer Sale: 

• Crisis Core-Final Fantasy VII-Reunion (Standard Edition, PlayStation 5) — $19.99 $29.99 (save $10) 

• Just Dance 2024 Edition (Code in Box, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch – OLED Model, Nintendo Switch Lite) — $19.99 $29.99 (save $10) 

• Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope (Standard Edition, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite, Nintendo Switch – OLED Model) — $19.99 $39.99 (save $20) 

• Red Dead Redemption 2 (Standard Edition, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5) — $19.99 $59.99 (save $40) 

• Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Standard Edition (Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch – OLED Model, Nintendo Switch Lite) — $24.99 $49.99 (save $25) 

• Final Fantasy XVI Standard Edition (PlayStation 5) — $29.99 $49.99 (save $20) 

• Star Ocean The Second Story R (Nintendo Switch) — $29.99 $49.99 (save $20) 

• Octopath Traveler II (Nintendo Switch) — $29.99 $39.99 (save $10) 

A dream vacation becomes a nightmare in this trailer for the remake of "Speak No Evil," with James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, and Scoot McNairy. Trailer.

Yellowstone is an active volcano — it's not Disneyland with bison. 

It's a park teeming with over 500 spewing geysers, in addition to many boiling hot springs. On July 23, one of Yellowstone's thousands of thermal features, near a hot spring called Sapphire Pool, exploded. Visitors fled as a plume of mud and rock shot into the air, covering a boardwalk in debris. Understandably, the park has temporarily closed this area.

But crucially, this doesn't mean the greater Yellowstone volcano is threatening to erupt. This was just a normal, though dramatic, event in place where molten rock (magma) brews close beneath the ground.

SEE ALSO: What will happen when the next supervolcano erupts, according to NASA

"The volcano remains at normal background levels of activity," an unperturbed U.S. United States Geological Survey posted online after the event. "Monitoring data show no changes in the Yellowstone region as a result of today’s hydrothermal explosion."

Tweet may have been deleted What's a hydrothermal explosion?

This event, called a hydrothermal explosion, occurs when underground water suddenly flashes to steam. The rapid pressure increase stokes an explosion.

"They are relatively common in Yellowstone," the USGS explained, noting these events happen every few years. "An explosion similar to that of today also occurred in Biscuit Basin on May 17, 2009."

Hydrothermal explosions are not rare events at Yellowstone National Park, which sits atop an active volcano. Credit: USGS Does the Yellowstone explosion mean the volcano might erupt?

Thankfully, no.

"Today’s explosion does not reflect a change in the volcanic system, which remains at normal background levels of activity," the park explained. There have been no hints of a future eruption, such an unusual earthquake activity. (The park experiences hundreds to thousands of quakes each year.)

Yellowstone's last volcanic eruption happened some 70,000 years ago, and the events weren't giant eruptions, on the scale that would deposit ash over a huge swath of the U.S. "Of the past 50 or so eruptions, almost all were simple lava flows," the USGS explained. "If they occurred tomorrow or next year, they would have minimal direct effect outside Yellowstone National Park."

Tweet may have been deleted

Yellowstone, however, is capable of cataclysmic super-eruptions, the last of which occurred 631,000 years ago (three such events have happened over the last 2 million years). Such a "worst-case scenario" event empties the volcano of magma, causing a violent collapse of the ground and forming a huge depression. A super-eruption would be devastating locally, but wouldn't drive global extinctions (like a colossal asteroid impact). 

Fortunately, before such an extremely rare eruption, we'd have at least many decades, if not centuries, of advanced notice. It won't be a sunny-day summer surprise.

CrowdStrike has released further details Wednesday on the software issue that caused mass outages while taking down 8.5 million Windows machines. 

The company posted a post incident review (PIR) on its website detailing the problem and outlined steps on how it can improve moving forward. You can read through the entire PIR, but it's not particularly intended for casual readers — it's primarily for the technical folks.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft outage updates: Crowdstrike issue still wreaking havoc despite fix So what happened, exactly?

The TL;DR is that CrowdStrike sent out Rapid Response Content — an update designed to respond to the changing threat landscape — but there was a bug in its Content Validator. Despite this, the update, which contained the problematic content data, rolled out to customers. The issue “resulted in an out-of-bounds memory read” which, in turn, led to Windows crashing (i.e., showing the dreaded Blue Screen of Death).

Because so many companies used CrowdStrike, the miniscule error ended up being a massive issue. It was a small 40KB file that caused the problem, the Verge noted. That little mistake had the airline, healthcare, and banking industries out of commission. 

How does the PIR detail plans to prevent such issues in the future? It will increase testing for Rapid Response Content, add new checks for the Content Validator, and change the way it rolls out Rapid Response Content.

SAVE $200: Normally $799.99, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 (Intel Core i5-1235U, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) is on sale for $599.99 at Best Buy and Amazon as of July 24. That's its lowest price to date.

Quick links: Best Buy Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 (Intel Core i5-1235U, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $599.99 at Best Buy (save $200) Get Deal Amazon Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 (Intel Core i5-1235U, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $599.99 at Amazon (save $200) Get Deal

Featuring a sleek, sturdy build and a stellar keyboard, last year's Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 makes a great laptop for on-the-go students with low-key workloads. Our biggest gripe with it is that it costs too much compared to similarly specced laptops — but thanks to a big new price drop, that concern is currently null and void.

As of July 24, the base configuration of the Surface Laptop Go 3 is on sale for just $599.99 at Best Buy. That's a $200 savings (or 25% off) and its lowest price since the ultraportable launched in Oct. 2023. Amazon was matching that price at the time of writing, but only in two of its four colorways (Ice Blue and Sandstone, not Platinum or Sage) — and both were on backorder at the time of writing.

Meanwhile, the Microsoft Store itself had the Surface Laptop Go 3 listed for $649.99 (or just $150 off) when we last checked.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 review: 23 hours of battery life? MacBooks are in trouble

The Surface Laptop Go 3 measures in at a compact 12.4 inches and weighs just 2.49 pounds (or 0.3 pounds less than the latest 13-inch Apple MacBook Air), sporting a touchscreen display with an elegant aluminum lid. When she reviewed it last fall, Mashable Tech Editor Kim Gedeon raved about overall build quality: "For a notebook that starts at $800, the Surface Laptop Go 3 feels like a $1,200 laptop," she wrote, adding that its keyboard is "one of the best I’ve ever used."

This particular model comes with an entry-level 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage. Power users won't be impressed by its 12th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, which is now two generations removed (and the main reason why we think it's worth waiting to buy on sale). Still, it's totally workable for everyday productivity. "I can see this being the daily driver of young students or Gen Z users seeking a laptop that can handle casual usage with style and sophistication," Gedeon said.

UP TO $600 OFF: As of July 24, get up to $600 off select iPad Pro models at Best Buy. Shop The Great Summer Sale now.

Our top picks: Best iPad deal overall 12.9-inch Apple iPad Pro (6th gen, M2, WiFi, 256GB) $899 at Best Buy (save $300) Get Deal Best runner-up iPad deal 11-inch Apple iPad Pro (4th gen, M2, WiFi, 512GB) $799 at Best Buy (save $300) Get Deal Best budget iPad deal 10.2-inch Apple iPad (9th gen, WiFi, 64GB) $249.99 at Best Buy (save $80) Get Deal

Prime Day may be over, but the deals aren't! Best Buy's Great Summer Sale is here, offering the discounts you missed on everything from TVs to tech.

As of July 24, you can snag an iPad Pro for up to $600 off — a total steal for Apple's flagship tablet. The savings apply to a variety of iPad Pro models — including the 11-inch iPad Pro (4th gen) and 12.9-inch iPad Pro (6th gen) — so you can find a tablet that checks all the boxes, whether you need something for on-the-go productivity, creative projects, or entertainment.

Here’s a breakdown of the best iPad Pro deals you can find during Best Buy's summer sale:

Best iPad deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: 12.9-inch Apple iPad Pro (M2, WiFi, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $899.00 at Best Buy
$1,199.00 Save $300.00 6th gen Get Deal Why we like it

While the 2024 iPad Pro is one of the most advanced tablets we’ve ever seen, the 2022 iPad Pro is a pretty good alternative for people who need a powerful tablet but aren’t trying to use it as a laptop replacement.

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro (6th gen) is currently on sale for $899 at Best Buy. That’s $300 off the listing price and $100 less than the all-new 2024 model. You can also save an additional $425 if you trade in a similar device (you can see your trade-in value right on the product page).

This iPad has an M2 chip, 8GB RAM, and 256GB of storage, which is more than enough for most users. But if you need more, you can also upgrade to higher storage options on sale.

Read our full review of the 2022 iPad Pro.

Best runner-up iPad deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: 11-inch Apple iPad Pro (M2, WiFi, 8GN RAM, 512GB SSD) $799.00 at Best Buy
$1,099.00 Save $300.00 4th gen Get Deal Why we like it

The 11-inch iPad Pro (4th gen) is still a good option if you don't need a huge screen. Like the 6th gen, it has an M2 chip and 8GB of RAM. This model also has a larger 512GB storage capacity, which is a plus for storing lots of files, photos, and 4K videos.

At $799 and an additional $300 off with trade-in, this 11-inch iPad Pro still offers plenty of power at a great price. You’ll also get three free months of Apple TV+, four months of Apple Arcade, and three months of Apple Music to sweeten the deal.

Best budget iPad deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: Apple 10.2-inch iPad (WiFi, 64GB) $249.99 at Best Buy
$329.99 Save $80.00 9th gen Get Deal Why we like it

If you’re in desperate need of an iPad and don’t want to pay more than a couple hundred bucks, the Apple iPad, 10.2-inch (9th gen), is still our top pick for the best tablet for most people. It’s not a pro and doesn’t have a ton of space, but it’s affordable and should cover most basic tablet needs, especially at $249.99, with an extra $160 off for trade-in.

More iPad Pro deals

• Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (4th gen, M2, WiFi + Cellular, 128GB) — $699 $999 (save $300)

• Apple iPad Pro, 12.9-inch (6th gen, M2, WiFi + Cellular, 2TB) — $1,799 $2,399 (save $600)

• Apple iPad Pro, 12.9-inch (6th gen, M2, WiFi + Cellular, 256GB) — $999 $1,399 (save $400)

Think 'The Office' but for sports.

SAVE $334.99: As of July 24, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is $965 at Amazon. That's a discount of 26% and its lowest price yet.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra $965.00 at Amazon
$1,299.99 Save $334.99 Get Deal

Ready to upgrade your smartphone? It's about time you put your old one out of its misery. It's served you well with its cracked screen, grimy glass, and scratches, but now's the time to move on. Especially when you can get a fantastic Android device for its lowest price yet.

As of July 24, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is on sale at Amazon for just $965. That's a discount of $334.99 and 26% off its normal price of $1,299.99. This price applies to the Titanium Violet colorway. Plus, this is its lowest price yet.

SEE ALSO: Samsung's new smartphones are now up for preorder — here's how to get a Galaxy Z Fold6 or Z Flip6

This is the best of the best when it comes to the Samsung Galaxy S24 line. With a massive 6.8-inch display, 3088 x 1440 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, it's great for checking out your favorite streaming content on the go, playing games or just getting some work done. Behind the scenes is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 12GB of RAM, 512 GB of storage and a 50 MP zoom camera.

Its all-day 5,000mAh battery means it'll be there when you need it, and it even comes with the Samsung S Pen stylus for taking notes, sketching, or even to use it as a mobile camera shutter for great selfies and photos. There's a lot to love about this phone for Android users, and it's enticing enough to sway iPhone devotees as well.

The most impressive thing here is the price, however, so even if you're on the fence, it's a good idea to go ahead and lock in yours. This is one of the best devices Samsung has on offer right now.

SAVE $70: As of July 24, get the Google Nest Doorbell for just $109.99. That's a 39% discount on its usual price of $179.99, and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Google Nest Doorbell $109.99 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $70.00 Get Deal

Unexpected visitors at your doorstep can make for anxiety, but it's even scarier walking over to the door to actually see who's there. That's where a video doorbell can come in handy, and there's a great deal on one at Amazon today.

As of July 24, you can get the wireless, battery-powered Google Nest Doorbell for the lowest price we've seen at Amazon. It's $109.99, which is $70 off its normal price of $179.99, and a discount of 39%.

SEE ALSO: Amazon deal of the day: A new record-low price on Samsung's Galaxy Tab S6 Lite has surfaced

This reliable video doorbell needs no special wiring or drilling to install. You can use it with any door, and you can have easy surveillance set up in just minutes. Once you've settled on a place for your doorbell, you can customize it with its companion app, then sit back and screen visitors without ever having to pause your favorite TV show. You get 24/7 live video access to the view right outside your door. If you happen to miss an event, the doorbell offers up to three hours for you to scrub back through for free. You can get more playback time with a Nest Aware subscription, but it isn't required.

In addition to watching for visitors and deliveries, you can talk and listen to anyone who darkens your door through the doorbell live should you need to communicate. That makes it a great option if you're away from home as well. You can even record messages that will play for certain visitors at predetermined times, which can definitely come in handy.

Keep a watchful eye on what goes on right outside your door for less with this deal.

SAVE $100: The Shark Air Purifier Max is on sale at Best Buy for just $179.99, down from the typical price of $279.99. That's a 36% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark Air Purifer Max $179.99 at Best Buy
$279.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal

As we head later into summer and the weather turns even dryer, many of us will start keeping an eye on air quality. Now that summer wildfires are an annual part of life, some people find it useful to use indoor air filtration to ensure everyone inside is breathing in clean air. If you're looking to add an air purifier to your home, today's deal at Best Buy is pretty great.

As of July 23, the Shark Air Purifier Max is on sale for just $179.99, down from the list price of $279.99. That's a 36% discount or a savings of $100. This deal is only available through the end of the day, July 24.

Working in spaces up to 12,000 square feet, the Shark Air Purifier Max uses HEPA filtration to rid of the air of dust, dander, and other allergens. In testing, the purifier captured 99.98% of large, small, and micro-sized particles.

SEE ALSO: Here's why a smart lock should be the first smart home device you own

The tower design of the Shark Air Purifier Max measures a bit under two feet tall, making it a fairly compact air purifier given its range of 12,000 square feet. The model comes with four fan speeds, or you can set it to automatic, which will adjust the fan speed based on air quality.

The air purifier also uses Shark's Clean Sense IQ function, which displays the air quality on the front LED screen, so you'll always have a real-time reading of your indoor status. You can also adjust the brightness of the LED screen, which can be especially useful if you're using it in a bedroom at night.

If you're worried about indoor air quality during wildfire season, grab the Shark Air Purifier Max for just $179.99. But act fast: this deal at Best Buy is only valid until 11:59 p.m. PT tonight. You'll breathe easy knowing your indoor air quality is safe.

James Mangold of "Logan" acclaim helms this promising biopic. Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook, Dan Fogler, Norbert Leo Butz, and Scoot McNairy co-star.

In April 2024, I visited sunny Barcelona for the first time and was swept away by Antoni Gaudí's surrealist architecture. I'm certain that for a brief moment, sunbathing under the stained glass of the Sagrada Familia, I forgot how to breathe. Later that evening, as I swiped through my iPhone gallery, hearting the photos that were Instagram Story-worthy, something adjacent to shame took over.

As I pored over the pictures from that day, I recalled a friend’s caption on a photo of Gaudi's iconic basilica. Posted as a vacation throwback in the lockdown of 2020, the text read: "I'll never go to mainstream monuments if you let me travel again." Years later, I couldn't be seen this excited about a "mainstream monument" that attracts 5 million visitors a year. So let's discard that post. I loved the nougat shops that lined the exterior of the cathedral but those are such obvious tourist traps so let's unheart that as well. 

After 40 minutes of cool-girl scrutiny and cropping, I picked photos of a vintage concept store, a sandwich shop recommended by a friend, and a cactus garden overlooking the beach that few tourists know about. Satisfied, I posted the dump with nonchalant captions and random emojis, desperate for the "where is this", "where are you?!!" replies to flood in. Someone even asked for my itinerary. 

SEE ALSO: Give yourself some summer travel insurance with these Tile trackers on sale

Success: I had passed the test for being a non-mainstream tourist. While this status made me feel like a cultural baddie, what did it mean for my relationship to authenticity? In a quest to be perceived (and validated) as the kind of traveller who seeks out "authentic" neighbourhood gems, rather than the touristy hotspots, I lost sight of the real ‘me’ and began performing something inauthentic online. Instead of embodying my truthful lived experience, every story, emoji and caption undergoes a mental checklist of, "do the internet cool girls still use this slang?" or "does this video look nonchalant and aspirational without seeming try-hard?" 

"Success: I had passed the test for being a non-mainstream tourist."

My people-pleasing self is so hot and bothered by what others think of me that I can’t seem to differentiate between my feelings and what’s socially accepted. Often this process of elimination can eat away at the fulfilling, possibly mainstream bits of travel, and leave behind an aesthetic — albeit hollow — carcass. Sure, the post might look aesthetically pleasing, but it doesn’t feel great to stray so far from the truth of the experience. 

How did this overwhelming need to hyper-curate our holidays become the norm? For starters, Gen Z are taking more trips than any generation before them. Per a 2023 survey,  52 percent of Gen Z adults are frequent travellers, on par already with millennials, taking at least three vacations in a year. Based on Hopper's 2024 travel report, 63 percent of Gen Z in the U.S. indulged in travel in the last 12 months. In comparison, only 48 percent of boomers and 54 percent of Gen X went on vacations. In the midst of global recession when dreams of owning homes and financial stability remain shaky, young people are investing their money in quick trips and experiences. Additionally, the growth of hostel culture and side gig economy have made it easy for people to work remotely and travel on smaller budgets. 

As a generation that grew up online, Gen-Z has watched friends and influencers travel the world and take us along on TikTok- and Instagram- friendly hotel tours or things-to-do videos. Even before creator-led recommendations took over, we relied on aspirational travel media – think of the countless Lonely Planet lists charting offbeat travel destinations or TimeOut's knack for finding obscure haunts before anybody else. Such overexposure to content meant that no matter how well travelled you may be, it’s likely that someone on your socials has already been there, done that. This creates an added pressure to distinguish our vacations with unique experiences. (In fact, this quest for hidden gems advocated by social media has gotten so overwhelming over the years that internet-famous places have started banning photos, videos and influencers. Water guns in Barcelona anyone?)

"Now people are more impressed by content in surprising places that they knew nothing about." 

"While a subset of young travellers are seeking more remote, off-grid locations they continue to be drawn to the world's most famous cities and sights. The two behaviours co-exist," Jenny Southan, founder of travel trend forecasting agency Globetrender, tells Mashable. "But sightseeing has become a little less cool as everyone can stand in front of the Eiffel Tower, we have become immune to those perfect sunset shots in familiar places. Now people are more impressed by content in surprising places that they knew nothing about." 

Simply visiting a new country doesn't provide automatic social media clout, your vacation also has to cut through the noise. "People’s definition of social status is no longer immediately tied to wealth but more sophisticated tokens such as hyper-local knowledge. Individuals aspire to climb the social ladder by showcasing their culturedness and expertise with symbols," shares Zoia Tarasova, analyst and PhD at trend and insights agency Canvas8. "Cultural capital has become synonymous with less conspicuous experiences like having a glass of vermouth in a hipster bar in Rome that only locals know about. As a result, people want to discover more hidden gems that elevate their social status in front of their followers as opposed to posting about the Colosseum or the Vatican." 

Discovery is leading the charge when it comes to our choice of holiday destinations. Expedia’s 2024 Travel Report also indicates an upward trend in Gen Z exploring "dupe cities" or "hidden gem destinations" instead of conventional summer getaways – think skipping Santorini for Paros or Lisbon for Palermo. Ashley McGough, product category manager at Intrepid Travel has also witnessed this switch to off-the-beaten-path experiences. "With this change in mind, we reviewed all our trips in the 18-35 age range last year to ensure they were offering authentic activities at the best value. In Peru, we worked closely with a local community to develop a new section of the Quarry Trail which travellers hike as an alternative to the popular Inca Trail. They have the chance to meet locals and see original Inca tombs that have been seen by few tourists," she says, adding that Gen Z love posting about locals whom they can befriend and hear real life stories from. (Even when said locals have no interest in becoming content fodder...)

For instance, Stacy Matthews, a London-based video editor, still travels to big cities, but she exclusively seeks out Airbnb hosts who live in the same place for a share-house experience. This often leads to having home cooked dinners in an attempt to get an authentic taste of the culture or getting recommendations that only locals may have. The 24-year-old recently visited Berlin for the first time and was taken in by the history of the Berlin Wall. "I spent hours at the memorial and did a walking tour through the main sites, it made me really emotional," she says. "But I only posted stories from two experiences: the Falling in Love, Swarovski musical at Friedrichstadt Palast theatre and a really cool listening party that my host took me to. It was for Charli XCX's new album Brat, that's not something everyone can experience when they go to Berlin, you know what I mean?" It is Brat Summer, after all. 

On my last evening in Lisbon, I too, avoided the highly recommended (but touristy) TimeOut Market and decided to have dinner at Palacio do Grilo, an exclusive restaurant where the staff double as abstract theatre performers. At the time, I hated the interactive art between courses, I felt uncomfortable by the darkness and eerie sounds, and paid far too much for sad looking food. But in my post-holiday dump, the restaurant and its gimmicks got a shoutout. Of course, lots of people asked about it, as weird as it was in reality, online in a 16:9 box, the space was a conversation starter. 

SEE ALSO: Instagram users can add disappearing Notes to Reels and posts now

Living in a society has always included a certain level of performance of the self even offline; think about the ratty home clothes you’d never wear when guests are over or the guilty pleasure tv shows you wouldn’t talk to friends about. But as we exist increasingly online, it’s getting hard to know where this performance ends and the real person begins. "Perception is emerging as a big theme in therapy for young people. Now that we frame our experiences through the lens of external presentation, it’s much harder to figure out what we actually want as opposed to how we’d like to appear," explains existential therapist Eloise Skinner. "This puts us at risk of potentially fragmenting our identities. We lose sight of what we actually feel and instead start to view ourselves from an outside perspective, formulating choices that align with that voice."

I feel gravely called out. In a relentless quest to gain aura points through seemingly authentic travel, perhaps we're forgetting how to identify what we actually enjoy. After weeks of lying to the online world about what I loved on my holidays, my memories seemed to be eclipsed by cool girl syndrome as well. Gen Z is so afraid of being seen as 'cringe' that we'd rather workshop how we feel about our experience than come across as cheugy. In fact, this obsession with gaining cultural capital through travel adds so much pressure to share a perfectly curated (but still casual, woke-up-like-this) dump that it holds the potential to undo any relaxation and calm that the vacation brought in the first place. Cheesy as it may be, I should have posted those panoramic videos of Sagrada Familia. Who cares if it’s widely visited, it still took my breath away. 

As House of the Dragon Season 2, episode 6 made clear, Harrenhal healer/witch Alys Rivers (Gayle Ranking) is not a character you want to cross.

She's already been exerting her power over Daemon (Matt Smith) with some impressive mind games, shortly before lending him her help by (probably) killing off Lord Tully — but did episode 6 reveal another character she may already have exerted her influence over?

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 2, episode 6: Who is Daeron, Alicent's other son? Who else might Alys Rivers have influenced?

It's clear that poisoning Lord Tully, and messing with Daemon, isn't Alys Rivers' first rodeo. We don't know exactly how long she's been hanging around Harrenhal, but her actions make it clear that she's no novice. So, which other key characters do we know that have likely crossed paths with her before?

Well, the family that resides in Harrenhal – and has done since the start of House of the Dragon – is the Strong family. Aside from the ever-amusing Castellan Ser Simon Strong (Simon Russell Beale), the only other key surviving Strong is Master of Whispers at the Red Keep, Larys (Matthew Needham).

Although Larys has never spoken of Alys Rivers, he does briefly touch on his childhood at Harrenhal for the first time in episode 6 — and he says something that could be more than a simple coincidence.

What did Larys Strong say to Aegon?

Larys Strong visits Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) at his bedside in episode 6, and shares a rare, vulnerable moment.

"I came screaming into the world in the bowels of one of Harrenhal's great towers," Strong tells Aegon, who is awake but very badly (probably permanently) injured. "My lungs were strong, but my foot was so twisted that my father named it sorcery. Accusing a member of our household of casting maligned spells."

Larys opens up to Aegon. Credit: Theo Whiteman/HBO

Larys has club foot, a real condition that the NHS says currently affects one baby in every thousand born in the UK. Per the NHS, "in most cases the cause of club foot is not known. There may be a genetic link, as it can run in families." In real life, there is, of course, no connection whatsoever between the condition and sorcery.

In the context of House of the Dragon, though, Strong's talk of sorcery and maligned spells is difficult to ignore when juxtaposed with the actions of Alys Rivers — the same Alys Rivers who would likely have been at Harrenhal when he was a child.

We know Alys is a powerful character capable of changing history — she's already shown us that. Is it possible that she also influenced a young Larys? Even if she didn't directly use magic, maybe she got in his head in the same way she's currently getting into Daemon's, planting the seeds that eventually lead to him murdering his own brother and father in an arson attack on the castle.

It's difficult to know what her motivation for this might have been, but it's impossible to ignore that Larys' actions have directly led to the current state of Harrenhal, and Alys' meetings there with Daemon.

Is it possible she's already had a larger impact on this story than any of us have realised?

New episodes of House of the Dragon air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.

The search engine giant noticed that Google Play users have been "downloading and dashing." In other words, once users get their desired apps, they don't stick around — and Google wants to change that.

On Wednesday, Google announced the new Collections experience for Google Play, which is designed to help users see the Android store as more than just a destination for installing new apps.

SEE ALSO: Google has changed its mind about 'killing' third-party tracking cookies What is Collections on Google Play?

Google acknowledges that having numerous apps on your Android device can create a fragmented experience. In other words, you probably find yourself frequently darting from one app to another just to gather the information you need.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The new Collections experience highlights contents from your favorite apps on the Google Play home screen, delivering an all-in-one hub for users who who want a seamless way to access and manage information from apps without the hassle of switching between multiple platforms.

On the new Collections page, you'll find categories such as Shop, Watch, and Listen. These sections will allow you to easily pick up where you left off. For example, under Watch, you can continue diving into House of Dragons on Max, but thanks to Shop, you can scroll through some tech products you were eyeing on Walmart, like the best noise cancelling headphones.

To put it succinctly, Google wants you to gravitate toward Collections as your one-stop shop for information on your favorite or frequently visited apps.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

As a cherry on top, you can tap and hold the Google Play app icon, which will allow you to download the Collections widget to your home screen. This will allow you to jump right into a specific collection of your choice.

Personalize your Collections

If you have a passion or interest that doesn't fit into Google's preexisting categories like Shop and Watch, you can create your own.

Google says that it's "exploring" a customizable version of Collections based on user-specified topics. For example, if you're running a marathon, with the power of AI, you can type in the word "marathon," which will prompt Collections to intelligently populate the installed apps that will benefit you (e.g., MyFitnessPal and Strava).

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Your customized collection will also recommend new apps related to your personalized topic.

Google says that if you don't want your Play experience to be shaped by your data, you can navigate to "Personalization in Play" in the main menu to manage your preferences.

The new Collections experience is now available on Google Play.

If you can't get enough of manga and other graphic novels, you may be thrilled to hear that Google has unveiled a new dedicated comics section in the Play Store. The search engine giant has launched a curated comics corner, placed as a category at the top, allowing you to scroll through its collection of comics-related content.

The new comics space debuted on Wednesday — but there's a catch. Only users in Japan have access to the new comics collection.

What does the new 'comics' section look like?

Despite being based in the U.S., I got the opportunity to scroll through the new comics section. There's a "Manga for you" feature that populates personalized recommendations. Google said that this section will "learn" to adjust to your taste, depending on what you consume.

Discover new webtoons via the Google Play Store Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

My favorite part, however, is the "Sample a Chapter" section, which gives you free previews of select comics. I was able to flip through some striking, beautiful manga, but unfortunately, I can't read Japanese, so I couldn't grasp the full depth of the content and themes.

It's not just comics that are featured in the new hub. I also spotted a "Check trending anime" section with a carousel of YouTube videos playing clips from popular anime such as One Piece. If one piques your interest, Google Play will helpfully direct you to where you can watch episodes in full.

A free preview of comics via the Google Play Store Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Tapping into some users' itch to discover fresh content, there are also Google-curated sections to help users explore and find new webtoons (i.e., scrollable digital comics designed to be read on smartphones) and comic-based apps that may satisfy enthusiasts.

Will Google Play's new 'comics' section become available in the U.S.?

Google partnered with several well-known Japan-based comic publishers to debut the new comics corner in the Play Store, but as mentioned, not everyone is invited to the party. Curious about Google's expansion plans for the new section, we asked the big tech company whether it will roll out the new feature for U.S. users, too.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The short answer is maybe.

Google said it's currently testing the comics space in Japan because the fanbase for comics — manga, specifically — is immensely passionate in that particular region of the world.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

If all goes well with the Japanese market, there's a chance that U.S. users will have the opportunity to enjoy the new comics section, too. But to be clear, the U.S. market isn't on its radar just yet. Interestingly, one report claims that India, Thailand, and China are the top three countries with the greatest number of comic book readers, with Japan notably missing from the list.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

While there are many comic book readers in the U.S., comic book sales plummeted in 2023. According to a 2021 report from Morning Consult Pro, 38% of U.S. adults read comic books. Per a 2019 survey from the Nippon Research Center (again, the most recent I could find), 33% of Japanese participants said they read manga or watch anime.

It's difficult to compare these two figures because they come from different sources with varying data collection methods and may not use consistent definitions nor criteria. It also doesn't help that the reports are outdated. However, based on the information we do have, even through sales are slowing down, there's still a sizable chunk of Americans who love to read comic books.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Who knows? Perhaps the comic book market may see a jump if Google adds a comic book section to the Play Store, making graphics novels more accessible to Android users than ever.

After Blake Benthall was arrested for running Silk Road 2.0, the infamous illegal drug bazaar, things didn’t go the way you might expect.

If you're wondering if the recent global IT outage – caused by a bad update to cybersecurity company CrowdStrike's software which brought down millions of Windows PCs – is an isolated case, we can assure you that it is not.

In fact, something similar already happened earlier this year. A government investigation into a nationwide AT&T outage in February has shown that the cause was a bad network update, Ars Technica reported on Tuesday.

According to an FCC report, the outage "affected users in all 50 states," and "all voice and 5G data services for AT&T wireless customers were unavailable, affecting more than 125 million devices, blocking more than 92 million voice calls, and preventing more than 25,000 calls to 911 call centers." The FCC also noted that it took AT&T "at least 12 hours to fully restore service."

We've covered the outage as it happened, noting that it caused disruptions for users on other, unaffected networks, as they were unable to call AT&T customers. AT&T offered its customers a $5 dollar credit as apology.

SEE ALSO: How did one CrowdStrike mistake stop the world? We asked 3 experts.

The incident, according to the report, began "after AT&T implemented a network change with an equipment configuration error." But it wasn't just this one, isolated issue that made this outage so serious.

The FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau analyzed the incident and found that the outage "was the result of several factors, all attributable to AT&T Mobility, including a configuration error, a lack of adherence to AT&T Mobility's internal procedures, a lack of peer review, a failure to adequately test after installation, inadequate laboratory testing, insufficient safeguards and controls to ensure approval of changes affecting the core network, a lack of controls to mitigate the effects of the outage once it began, and a variety of system issues that prolonged the outage once the configuration error had been remedied" (per Ars Technica).

SEE ALSO: It’s 4 days later and Delta is still affected by the CrowdStrike outage. Here’s why.

The story might not end there for AT&T, which is potentially facing a large fine. But it's another reminder that the global IT networks which we rely on are often more fragile than we think, and the safety procedures for critical systems need, in many case, some serious looking into.

TL;DR: Keep track of your distance on the golf course and improve your game with help from the Golfbuddy GPS golf watch, available for just $144.97 (reg. $209.99) through July 28.

Opens in a new window Credit: GolfBuddy Golfbuddy Aim W10 GPS Golf Watch $144.97 at The Mashable Shop
$209.99 Save $65.02 Get Deal

While you're out on the golf course, especially if you're on a course you're not familiar with, knowing how far you are from the hole with each shot could change the game for you. Through July 28, you can get the Golfbuddy Aim W10 GPS Golf Watch on sale for $144.97 (reg. $209.99).

With the knowledge from this watch, you'll have an easier time picking out what clubs to use since you'll know how much distance is between your ball and the pin. It's preloaded with over 40,000 golf courses across 170 countries and automatically recognizes which hole you're on and how far you are from the front, center, and back of the green. You can also keep score on the watch, so you don't have to worry about losing that tiny pencil.

The watch features a 1.3-inch full-color TFT-LCD display and has a rechargeable battery that's built to last up to 13 hours in golf mode. You can connect it to the Golfbuddy smart app via Bluetooth and see all your data from your phone, and obsess over your scores whenever you want.

Until July 28 at 11:59 p.m. PT, take your golf game to a new level with help from the Golfbuddy Aim W10 GPS Golf Watch on sale for $144.97 (reg. $209.99).

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TL;DR: Access real-time answers from AI experts on a variety of topics with a lifetime subscription to Consultio Pro for just $29.97 (reg. $199).

Opens in a new window Credit: Plus 8 Group Consultio Pro: Lifetime Access $24.97 at The Mashable Shop
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Some questions can't wait, and having immediate access to expert insights can make all the difference. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a professional, or a freelancer, staying ahead of the curve is crucial.

Consultio Pro was made to be your ultimate solution for real-time, data-driven consulting. For just $29.99 (reg. $199), you'll gain lifetime access to a wealth of knowledge from AI experts that can help transform the way you work.

In this age of AI, you no longer have to wait for costly consultations. With Consultio Pro, you get instant access to the insights you need when you need them. This platform delivers real-time, impartial, and data-driven advice at a fraction of traditional consulting costs, ensuring you make informed decisions without delay.

You'll get access to a wide variety of AI experts, including market strategists, psychiatrists, tech innovators, lifestyle gurus, and financial whizzes. The experts were designed to fine-tune their proficiency with every query, which means the information and answers you get are supposed to be current.

The platform constantly updates and evolves, integrating the latest data and trends to provide cutting-edge insights. This helps ensure that you always have the most current and relevant information at your fingertips.

Many of us, freelancers in particular, often face the challenge of needing expert advice without the budget for traditional consulting. Consultio Pro offers an affordable alternative, providing objective, real-time expertise to help you navigate complex projects and make strategic decisions confidently.

Don't miss out on this chance to enhance your decision-making process and achieve your professional goals. Access over 50 AI experts with a lifetime subscription to Consultio Pro for just $29.97 (reg. $199) for a limited time.

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TL;DR: For a limited time, you can get a 6-piece bamboo-blend comfort luxury sheet set on sale for just $29.97 (reg. $129). Other sizes and colors are also available on sale.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bed Bath Fashions 6-Piece Bamboo-Blend Comfort Luxury Sheet Set $29.97 at The Mashable Shop
$129.00 Save $99.03 Get Deal

When it comes to creating a cozy and restful sanctuary at home, nothing beats the feeling of luxurious bedding. This bamboo-blend luxury sheet set is specially crafted to bring an elevated level of comfort and elegance to your bedroom. Priced at just $29.97 (reg. $129), this set is a terrific value, offering high quality without breaking the bank. Other sheet sizes and colors are also on sale.

This set is designed with a blend of 60%, high-quality 90gsm microfiber and 40% bamboo fiber. This unique combination gives you the best of both worlds. The microfiber provides a soft, smooth, and wrinkle-resistant surface, while the bamboo fiber adds a touch of natural breathability and moisture-wicking properties. 

Designed to be lightweight and incredibly soft, you get a flat sheet, fitted sheet, and four pillowcases with this king-size set. There are other size options available, some at different prices. It should also be noted that you should not iron, bleach, or dry clean these sheets.

This reduced price on a soft sheet set is an excellent opportunity to refresh your bedroom or stock up on some comfortable, nice-looking sheets for when you have guests or to put away as a gift for the holidays.

Upgrade your sleep experience with a bamboo-blend comfort luxury sheet set. With its perfect balance of softness, breathability, and durability, it’s the ideal choice for anyone looking to revamp their bedroom's look and feel.

You can get a king-size six-piece bamboo-blend comfort luxury sheet set on sale for just $29.97 (reg. $129) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.