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NASA engineers have brought a set of obsolete thrusters back from the dead on the Voyager 1 probe, just before losing their ability to talk to the aging spacecraft. 

Over a half-century, Voyager 1 has sprinted about 38,000 mph and become the farthest human-made object, crossing into interstellar space. For the past two decades of its journey, the spacecraft has come to rely on a special set of backup thrusters that are designed to control its roll motion. But those backups have begun to clog with gunk, and no one is sure how much longer they'll last — perhaps mere months. 

Meanwhile, a powerful antenna in Australia — the only one capable of sending instructions to Voyager 1 now 15.5 billion miles from Earth — was about to go offline for critical upgrades. NASA feared if those backups failed during the monthslong blackout, the team would forever lose their fragile link to the spacecraft. 

So engineers crafted a risky plan to attempt a resurrection of the primary roll thrusters that the team had all but given up on in 2004. Those small engines help spin the spacecraft just enough to keep it pointed at a guide star for orientation. Without them, Voyager 1 would be as good as gone. 

"At that time, the team was OK with accepting that the primary roll thrusters didn’t work, because they had a perfectly good backup," said Kareem Badaruddin, Voyager mission manager, in a statement. "And, frankly, they probably didn’t think the Voyagers were going to keep going for another 20 years."

SEE ALSO: Carter's UFO hounded him for years. Few knew his expertise in astronomy. Voyager 1 launched from Earth in 1977 and is the farthest human-made object in space. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech

Both Voyager 1 and its twin, Voyager 2, have far outlived their original life expectancy. Launched in 1977, the pair was originally intended to study Jupiter and Saturn, their moons, and Saturn's rings. For the two-planet journey, they were built to operate for just five years.

After their initial success, engineers doubled their objectives to include two more giant planets, Uranus and Neptune. Between the two spacecraft, they've explored four planets, 48 moons, and a host of planetary magnetic fields and rings. Now they're in the cold, uncharted abyss.

In August 2012, Voyager 1 made history as it entered interstellar space, the region between stars, filled with material ejected by other stars that died millions of years ago. Voyager 1 and 2 are the only spacecraft ever to fly outside of the heliosphere, the region of space affected by the sun's constant flow of radiation and particles.

But after 48 years hurtling through the unknown, their systems are wearing down. The primary roll thrusters stopped working 21 years ago, after losing power in two small internal heaters. Engineers at the time thought that meant they were inoperable. 

"That was a legitimate conclusion," said Todd Barber, the mission’s propulsion lead, in a statement. "It’s just that one of our engineers had this insight that maybe there was this other possible cause and it was fixable."

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The team pondered whether a disruption in the heaters' circuits had essentially flipped a switch to an off position. If they could turn it back, the heaters might work again. 

To try it, the team would have to turn on the broken thrusters, then try to restart the heaters. If, during that time, the spacecraft drifted too far off course, the broken thrusters would automatically fire, due to their programming. The danger there would be if the heaters were still not working, they could trigger a small explosion.

But within 20 minutes of attempting the fix, the team saw the heaters' temperature rise dramatically, signaling success. 

"It was such a glorious moment. Team morale was very high that day," Barber said. "It was yet another miracle save for Voyager.”

A radio antenna at the Deep Space Network's Canberra facility in Australia is the only dish that can send commands to the Voyager spacecraft. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech

As of May 4, the Australian antenna — part of NASA’s Deep Space Network, a system of three enormous radio dish arrays on Earth — is offline. It'll remain dark until February 2026, with only brief periods of operation in August and December. 

The antenna upgrades are necessary for Artemis astronaut moon landings and will increase communication capacity for deep space robotic missions, said Suzanne Dodd, who oversees Voyager and the Deep Space Network.

Voyager 1 is so far away, it takes 23 hours for a command to reach the spacecraft, and another 23 hours for mission control to hear back from it. NASA has previously said the Voyagers generate about 4 fewer watts of power annually, limiting the number of systems the spacecraft can use. The teams have occasionally turned off equipment to conserve power. 

NASA says the goal is to keep the two missions afloat beyond 2025.

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Right now, a lifetime subscription to Headway Premium is just $59.99, the best price on the web, through June 1.

Over 15 million users are already learning more with Headway

In our dreams, we’re all lounging by a pool, cracking open a book that will help us boost our productivity or teach us a new business strategy. In real life, we’re running late to work and barely have time to eat breakfast. Headway gives you access to a condensed summaries of best-selling nonfiction books to devour during your morning commute or on your lunch break. There are already 1,500 summaries available, and more are added every month.

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While you’ll learn the key ideas, concepts, and principles, these summaries don’t replace the entire book. They’re a great way to discover topics that pique your interest and find areas you’d like to dive deeper into.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Headway Headway Premium: Lifetime Subscription $59.99
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TL;DR: Sterling Stock Picker gives you lifetime access to smart stock picks, portfolio tools, and your own AI financial coach—for just $55.19.

I was watching the first of the month’s market crashes and wondered, ‘Does it make sense to invest right now?’ I’d always been curious about the stock market, at least in terms of how people actually got rich by practically gambling, but I didn’t have a single clue where to begin, let alone how to even buy a stock.

Once I saw a TikTok calling this period a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity (take that with a grain of salt), I decided to take my chance. But I needed help researching everything: what stocks to choose and how to track them. That’s when I found Sterling Stock Picker and made my first investment with their $55.19 lifetime subscription (reg. $486).

How I invested my first dollar

My biggest concern wasn’t that the market wouldn’t eventually recover, but that I would choose ‘bad’ stocks due to my lack of experience. Sterling Stock Picker helped me feel calm with the 5-minute questionnaire covering my wants and ability to handle risk.

Then, I started researching stocks with help from AI. I also learned about something called exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which are like groups of stocks. I didn’t know what these were at first, so I consulted the AI assistant, Finley AI, and it told me that it’s like putting a stake into a huge nest of companies at once rather than individually.

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How it’s going

Well, it’s only been a few days since I’ve made my investments and, if you’ve been keeping up with the news, things have been up and down. One day, my $1,000 portfolio was up $100, and the next, it was down $20. 

As a total beginner, I won’t offer any formal advice to you other than to do your research and be well-informed, and Sterling Stock Picker is a great tool to do just that.

Get a Sterling Stock Picker lifetime subscription for $55.19 (reg. $486) with code SAVE20 through June 1.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Sterling Stock Picker Sterling Stock Picker: Lifetime Subscription $55.19
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TL;DR: Change the way you take notes forever with a lifetime subscription to My Notes AI Pro Plan, now just $39.99 (reg. $299).

It’s 2025, and now there’s no need to take your own notes — there’s an app for that. AI can now do it for you with My Notes AI, your very own note-taking assistant. And right now you can employ it forever with a lifetime subscription to their Pro Plan for just $39.99 (reg. $299)

Outsource your note-taking to AI

Whether you’re in school and taking notes during lectures or you’re always jotting down action items from work meetings, My Notes AI can transcribe it all and then provide you with a summary without ever having to write a word. You don’t even have to be physically present — it also works with Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams meetings, or you can upload an audio file.

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Let AI take your notes with a lifetime subscription to My Notes AI Pro Plan, now just $39.99 (reg. $299).

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Opens in a new window Credit: My Notes AI My Notes AI Pro Plan: Lifetime Subscription - AI Note Transcriber & Summarizer $39.99
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TL;DR: Let AI tackle your creative projects for you with this lifetime subscription to AI Magicx, now $59.97 (reg. $972) through June 1.

If you’re constantly churning out creative content at work, it’s only a matter of time before you burn out. If your creative juices are no longer flowing, AI Magicx can help. This handy service streamlines all kinds of creative tasks to free up time in your day, and right now, a lifetime subscription to AI Magicx’s Rune Plan is just $59.97 (reg. $972) until June 1.

This AI-powered app helps you create content in seconds

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Let this lifetime subscription to Magicx’s Rune Plan take some things off your plate — it’s now just $59.97 through June 1.

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Opens in a new window Credit: AI Magicx AI Magicx: Lifetime Subscription (Rune Plan) $59.97
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TL;DR: Tackle your entire to-do list with help from this MacBook Pro, now only $449.99 (reg. $1,799) while supplies last.

Can your current laptop keep up with your workload? If the answer is no, it may be time to consider a MacBook Pro. Apple’s most powerful portable device typically comes with a hefty price tag, but right now a 13″ MacBook Pro can be yours for only $449.99 (reg. $1,799).

Knock out work, play and more with these powerful MacBook Pro

Want to take some of Apple’s most powerful technology along with you everywhere? The MacBook Pro makes it possible, as it’s powered by a 2GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 processor. It can handle all of your usual multi-tasking — and if you’ve got any heavier tasks, this laptop also has Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.8GHz.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro 13" i5 2GHz (2020) 4 Thunderbolt 3 Ports 16GB RAM 512GB SSD Space Gray (Refurbished) $449.99
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Samsung’s Galaxy S25 lineup just got a sleek new sibling: meet the S25 Edge. It’s an ultra-thin, titanium-clad version of the flagship, designed to lure in the premium crowd. Over in Apple-land, there’s a new kid too: the iPhone 16e. It’s not flashy, not titanium, but it is the cheapest way to get a new iPhone this year.

So, which digital ecosystem do you want to plug your life into? We’re breaking down how these two stack up on price, design, display tech, battery life, and cameras. If you’re here for a quick pick and price is your only metric, just get the 16e and move on. But if you want the full picture, please, keep reading.

We should also note that if you're excited for the year of thin phones, you'll have to wait for the rumored iPhone 17 Air to get an ultra-slim Apple smartphone.

The new Samsung Galaxy S25 offers a lot of features for the money, but the 16e wins on price alone. Credit: Alex Perry / Mashable Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs iPhone 16e: Price and specs

If you’re judging by price alone, the iPhone 16e is the clear winner. It starts at $599 — almost half the cost of Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge, which begins at $1,099 for 256GB or $1,219.99 for the 512GB version. At that point, you could just get a standard iPhone 16 for $799 and still have cash to spare for accessories.

So what does $599 get you with the 16e?

• 8GB RAM

• 128GB storage

• Apple’s new A18 chip with a 4-core GPU

• 6.1-inch display

• The Action Button

It’s not dripping in luxury, but it’s modern where it counts.

Meanwhile, Samsung’s S25 Edge does cost more. This isn’t a phone for deal hunters — it’s for Android users who want something razor-thin, ultra-premium, and unapologetically exclusive. However, the S25 Edge still offers a lot of value for its price. It has many of the same features as the flagship S25 Ultra, but for a whole lot less (both in dollars and size).

For $1099, think of it less as a phone, more as a flex:

• 12GB RAM

• 256GB storage

• Snapdragon 8 Elite

• 6.7-inch AMOLED display

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs iPhone 16e: Design

Samsung’s pitch for the S25 Edge is simple: Take everything you love about the flagship S25 and wrap it in a body that’s thinner, lighter, and slicker. It’s got those signature curved edges, a titanium frame that feels more aerospace than smartphone, and three sharp finishes: Titanium Silver, Titanium Jetblack, and Titanium Icy Blue.

The iPhone 16e takes a more utilitarian approach. It’s got Apple’s tried-and-true aluminum-and-glass build paired with a Super Retina XDR display. It looks clean, feels solid, and comes in exactly two shades: Black and White. Simple, classic, and not trying too hard.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs iPhone 16e: Display

The iPhone 16e sticks with what works: a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED panel that’s sharp at 460 ppi. You still get Apple’s usual bag of tricks — True Tone, Wide Color (P3), and Haptic Touch. It’s bright enough for most people, topping out at 800 nits in typical use and 1200 nits for HDR content. It's also worth noting that the 16e ditches a rear camera compared to the standard 16.

Samsung, never one to be outdone in display tech, gives the S25 Edge a 6.7-inch AMOLED screen wrapped in a new Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2. It boasts a crisp 3120 x 1440 resolution, a dynamic refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz, and a peak brightness of 2,600 nits. It’s bigger, smoother, and sharper on paper.

Meet the ultra-slim new Samsung phone. Credit: Alex Perry / Mashable

Plus, there’s an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor built right into the display. Like the 16e, the Edge also drops one of the usual rear cameras, keeping things a bit more minimal this time around.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs iPhone 16e: Cameras

This one is for the photographically inclined; you can get by with either smartphone. Both the S25 Edge and the iPhone 16e are straight shooters when it comes to taking a photo. Here's what the iPhone 16e offers:

• 48MP main camera

• 12MP 2x Telephoto

• Digital zoom up to 10x

• Standard Apple features like Burst mode, red-eye correction, and Live Photos

What the S25 Edge gives up in camera count, it tries to make up for in sheer megapixel flex. Samsung’s also betting big on Galaxy AI, promising smarter capture, editing, and sharing:

• 200MP main camera

• 12MP ultra-wide with 2x optical, 10x AI zoom

• 12MP front camera

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs iPhone 16e: Performance/Battery Life

Under the hood, the iPhone 16e runs on Apple’s new A18 chip, built with a 6-core CPU—two performance cores, four for efficiency— designed to juggle tasks smoothly while keeping power draw low. The main spec split from the regular iPhone 16? The GPU. The 16 gets a 5-core GPU, while the 16e settles for four. It's not a massive difference, but if you game or edit video on your phone, you might feel it.

On the Android side, the Galaxy S25 Edge runs Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite — the same chip that powers the S25+ and Ultra. It’s tuned for serious mobile horsepower, from AAA mobile gaming to AI-heavy photo edits. The Edge also packs more RAM than the 16e, which gives it a leg up in multitasking and performance headroom.

If battery life is your dealbreaker, the iPhone 16e might just edge out the Edge — ironically. Samsung’s obsession with making the S25 Edge thinner and lighter came at a cost: battery capacity. The iPhone 16e packs a 4,005mAh cell, which Apple claims is good for up to 26 hours on a single charge.

The S25 Edge isn’t far behind, with a 3,900mAh battery. That puts it well ahead of the baseline iPhone 16 (which sits at 3,561mAh), but still slightly behind the 16e.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge vs iPhone 16e: Which should you buy?

If you're looking for maximum value without feeling like you're settling, the iPhone 16e is a smart, balanced pick. It gives you flagship-level performance, modern Apple design, solid battery life, and just enough of the bells and whistles to feel current, all for $599. It’s not flashy, but it’s efficient, reliable, and comfortably within reach for most buyers who just want a great phone that’ll last a few years.

The Galaxy S25 Edge, on the other hand, is a statement piece. It’s the phone you buy because you want something that feels high-end every time you pick it up — ultra-thin, titanium-framed, and loaded with display and camera tech. It’s more powerful, more polished, and more expensive, as expected. But that price tag is buying you more than specs — it's buying a vibe. So if you're deep in the Android ecosystem and crave sleek hardware with top-tier performance, the Edge earns its name. Just bring your wallet.

iPhone 16e $599 at Apple.com
Shop Now Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge + $50 Amazon Gift Card $1,099.99 at Amazon
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The Doctor (Ncuti Gatwa) seems to be heading for a family reunion of some kind on Doctor Who — and it's about time.

In a surprise twist, first revealed halfway through his season 2 episode "The Interstellar Song Contest," Doctor number 15 has been having visions of the first person to travel in the TARDIS with Doctor number one (William Hartnell): his still-mysterious granddaughter Susan, played then and now by Carole Ann Ford.

Ford, age 84, is the last surviving member of the original TARDIS team. Susan was the "Unearthly Child" for whom the first-ever episode of the show, broadcast on November 23, 1963, was named. Other than a one-off appearance in a 1983 anniversary special, she hasn't been seen in the show since becoming the first companion to leave the TARDIS — the very name of which, we were told, was Susan's creation — in 1964.

Susan, a pupil at Coal Hill school, was the reason her teachers Ian (William Russell, who died in 2024 age 99) and Barbara (Jacqueline Hill, who died in 1993) strayed into that bigger-on-the-inside police box in the first place. Like the Doctor's latest companion, Belinda Chandra (Varada Sethu), they were effectively kidnapped.

Ford felt trapped herself; as promising a character as the mysterious granddaughter sounded, she wasn't given much to do week to week besides scream and faint. So she was written out at the end of "The Dalek Invasion of Earth," the second serial to feature the Doctor's infamous enemies. Hartnell's Doctor locked her out of the TARDIS so she would start a new life with her Earthling beau David, and left with a speech about how he would come back one day.

Spoiler alert: The Doctor didn't come back. But that speech was reused at the beginning of "The Five Doctors" (1983), in which Ford's Susan appears in several scenes alongside the second actor to play the first Doctor, Richard Hurndall (William Hartnell died in 1975) — Ford having made her peace with the show by then.

Technically, that adventure took place before Susan left the TARDIS — so in a timey-wimey kind of way, this is the first time we've seen Susan in 61 years.

But to quote another Doctor, the moment has been prepared for.

How Doctor Who led up to the Susan reveal Carole Ann Ford in 1964, showing a Dalek what she thinks of it. Credit: Victor Drees / Evening Standard / Hulton Archive / Getty Images

In the second episode of Gatwa's first season, "The Devil's Chord," the TARDIS lands in 1963 to visit the Beatles at the suggestion of then-companion Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson). Off-handedly, the Doctor tells Ruby that his earlier incarnation is living in a junkyard across London with his granddaughter Susan.

"I put that in as a test," Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies told Mashable in a pre-season interview. "She hasn't been mentioned in the show since 1964, so I wondered how my bosses at the BBC would take that, and thought, 'I'll take it out if no one likes it.' But everyone loved it."

The success of that Susan test brought us to the cold-open cliffhanger of "The Legend of Ruby Sunday," the penultimate episode of season 1. That's when the Doctor wondered if the reason for multiple appearances of characters played by Susan Twist was that his granddaughter had survived the genocide of his people, the Time Lords, and regenerated herself.

In that same episode, the Doctor casually revealed more about his family than ever before. "If you've got a granddaughter, that means you've got kids," Kate Lethbridge-Stewart said. But the Doctor denied it. "Not quite, not yet," he said, waving away the obvious chronological issue with this all-purpose explanation: "Life of a Time Lord."

Mention of his granddaughter appeared to be a fake-out; Susan Twist's multiple characters were in fact created by the Doctor's old enemy Sutekh. "Did you think I was family, Doctor?" laughed the ancient god. But as we said at the time, bringing up Susan may yet mean Ford's return to the show: "Could there be one final Susan twist at the end?"

Why is Susan returning now? Carole Ann Ford alongside a Dalek, and Frazer Hines, who played "Doctor Who" companion Jamie, in 2022. Credit: Tristan Fewings / Getty Images

In "The Interstellar Song Contest," the Doctor revealed that he'd seen Susan in his head after the Time Lord genocide. But the scene where he is frozen in space, close to death, is the first time we see the vision too.

"Grandfather," says Susan, in what appears to be a TARDIS very much like the Doctor's. "Come find me," she adds, in another vision towards the end of the episode.

That may be all that showrunner Russell T Davies wrote for Ford, at least; given her age, a regeneration may be necessary if and when the Doctor finds her. But if he has shot scenes with her on the TARDIS set, it's more likely that Ford's version of Susan will appear again at some point in season 2's final episodes, "Wish World" and "The Reality War."

More concerning, in the meantime: the effect on Ford herself. "I don't know if I could survive the excitement," she said of a then-theoretical return to the show at Luton Comic-Con in 2024, according to the BBC. "It would be intense beyond all intensity."

Doctor Who Season 2 premiered April 12 on Disney+ and BBC. New episodes air weekly on Saturdays at 3 a.m. ET.

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

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

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

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

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

A robbery.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

HEIST

Hurdle Word 2 hint

What a parent might do to a naughty child.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 17, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SPANK

Hurdle Word 3 hint

An Arctic dog breed.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 17 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 17, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

HUSKY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To tease someone.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for May 17 Hurdle Word 4 answer

FLIRT

Final Hurdle hint

Egg-shaped.

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

OVATE

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

TL;DR: Add the new OS and Office programs your PC needs with discounted $54.97 bundle of Office 2021 and Windows 11.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle $54.97
$418 Save $363.03 Get Deal

Buying a new computer is expensive, even if inflation has slowed. Just add Microsoft Office Professional 2021 and upgrade your Windows 11 Pro license to speed things up and get the most out of your current hardware. You can bundle Office 2021 and Windows 11 to get a PC makeover for just $54.97 (reg. $418.)

What's included in Office 2021?

When you add a lifetime license for Office 2021, you'll get access to eight popular programs, including:

• Word

• Excel

• PowerPoint

• Outlook

• Teams

• OneNote

• Publisher

• Access

More recent versions of Office do not contain all eight programs, so if your professional workflow relies on Publisher or Access, this Office and OS bundle is an affordable way to keep them while upgrading.

What does Windows 11 Pro come with? 

The Windows 11 Pro user interface upgrade is so seamless you may not even realize you're on a Windows PC. It was redesigned with a focus on both good looks and better function. 

Professionals benefit from increased productivity tools like snap layouts, multiple virtual desktops, improved voice typing, and pumped up search capabilities. 

You also get a virtual assistant with AI-bot Copilot. Built directly into the system, you can ask Copilot research questions, summarize web pages, create images, support writing, and even generate code. 

If your workflow requires advanced features, Windows 11 is ready to accommodate with Azure AD, Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, and BitLocker device encryption.

Please note: Verify compatibility before purchase. This is for PCs that need a new license and will not work for those currently unable to use Windows Update to access Windows 11.

Instantly update your PC when you get this Microsoft Office 2021 and Microsoft Windows 11 bundle for just $54.97. Act before bundles sell out for good.

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TL;DR: Live stream Leinster vs. Glasgow Warriors in the United Rugby Championship for free on RTÉ Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There are a number of huge rugby fixtures taking place this weekend, but Leinster vs. Glasgow Warriors might be the biggest of the bunch. It's a battle at the top of the United Rugby Championship standings between two talented sides.

If you want to watch Munster vs. Ulster in the United Rugby Championship for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Leinster vs. Glasgow Warriors?

Munster vs. Ulster starts at 7:35 p.m. BST on May 17. This fixture takes place at thr Aviva Stadium.

How to watch Leinster vs. Glasgow Warriors for free

Munster vs. Ulster in the United Rugby Championship is available to live stream for free on RTÉ Player.

RTÉ Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These helpful tools can hide your IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland. This process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can stream on RTÉ Player from any location.

Access free live streams of the United Rugby Championship by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like 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 Ireland

4. Visit RTÉ Player

5. Live stream Munster vs. Ulster for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (2-Year Subscription + 4 Months Free) $139 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming aren't free, but leading VPN providers do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By signing up for these deals, you'll be able access free live streams without actually spending anything. This is a temporary fix, but it gives you enough time to stream Munster vs. Ulster (plus more United Rugby Championship fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for sport?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to live stream the United Rugby Championship, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Ireland

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months of coverage for free — 61% off list price. This deal includes a year of unlimited data backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Munster vs. Ulster for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

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

In the early stages of 2025, the world of porn was rocked after a number of states introduced laws that required visitors to upload ID before accessing sites. Pornhub responded by banning visitors from these states from accessing their website.

These restrictions are still in place. That's frustrating for potential users in impacted locations, but fortunately, a simple workaround exists.

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

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Montana

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

Unblock Pornhub by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like 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 (2-Year Subscription + 4 Months Free) $139 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial peiods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Pornhub without actually 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 105 countries

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

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

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Unblock Pornhub for free in Montana with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City in the FA Cup final for free on BBC iPlayer/ITVX. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The FA Cup final is here, with Crystal Palace taking on Manchester City for a chance at glory.

Manchester City have endured a tough season by their exceptionally high standards, but lifting the FA Cup would provide some level of comfort. Crystal Palace have shown real promise this season, culminating in an impressive 3-0 victory over Aston Villa at the semi-final stage. Can they go all the way and lift the FA Cup for the first time? They'll need big performances from the likes of Mateta and Eze to overcome City.

If you want to watch Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City in the FA Cup final for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is the FA Cup final?

Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City in the FA Cup final starts at 4:30 p.m. BST on May 17. This fixture takes place at Wembley Stadium.

How to watch the FA Cup final for free

Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City in the FA Cup final is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer/ITVX.

BBC iPlayer and ITVX are geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access these free streaming platforms with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer/ITVX from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer/ITVX

5. Live stream Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (2-Year Subscription + 4 Months Free) $139 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream the FA Cup final before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for live sport?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City in the FA Cup final for free with ExpressVPN.

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

You access to porn sites is restricted in many locations around the world, and we're not talking about far away places with no connection to you. We're talking close to home.

A number of U.S. states have introduced laws that require visitors to upload ID before accessing pornography sites. As a result, Pornhub banned visitors from those states from accessing their website, and there's no guarantee that things will stop there.

There are valid reasons for restricting access to porn, but there is also something to be said for protecting online freedom. When the time is right, you should be able to access all your favorite porn sites without hassle. Fortunately, there is a simple workaround for these online restrictions.

Want to unblock porn sites for free from anywhere in the world? We have all the information you need.

How to unblock porn for free

VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This quick and easy process means you can bypass geo-restrictions to access your favorite porn sites from anywhere in the world.

Follow these simple steps to unblock porn sites:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like 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 porn

4. Watch porn from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (2-Year Subscription + 4 Months Free) $139 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for bypassing content restrictions are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can retain access to porn sites in an unsupported location.

If you want to retain permanent access to all your favorite sites, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing online restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for porn?

ExpressVPN is the best service for unblocking porn sites, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Unblock porn for free with ExpressVPN.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

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

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for May 17 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Natural classifications

• Green: Measuring tools

• Blue: Black and white birds

• Purple: Electronic

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Member of a kingdom in taxonomy

• Green: Graduated instruments

• Blue: Kinds of penguins

• Purple: "E" Things

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #706 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Member of a kingdom in taxonomy: ANIMAL, BACTERIA, FUNGUS, PLANT

• Graduated instruments: BEAKER, PROTRACTOR, RULER, SYRINGE

• Kinds of penguins: CHINSTRAP, EMPEROR, KING, MACARONI

• "E" Things: COMMERCE, MAIL, SCOOTER, SIGNATURE

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 17

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

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

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

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferrined pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 17 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 17 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: She's got game

The words are sports-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are popular women's sports teams.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Basketball

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for May 17

• Storm

• Fever

• Wings

• Dream

• Basketball

• Mercury

• Liberty

• Lynx

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for May 17 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for May 17, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Heightened.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter G.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

GROWN.

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 17

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

As the computer age dawned, he saw how the new technology could be harnessed to mathematics to solve problems in everything from designing weapons to predicting the weather.

Grok, the chatbot operated by Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, was providing the responses about South Africa to unrelated questions.

The best streaming deals to watch 'A Minecraft Movie' at home: WATCH NOW Buy 'A Minecraft Movie' on Prime Video $24.99 Get Deal WATCH NOW Rent 'A Minecraft Movie' on Prime Video $19.99 Get Deal WATCH LATER Max (With Ads) annual subscription $99.99/year (save $19.89) Get Deal WATCH LATER Max Standard annual subscription $169.99/year (save $33.89) Get Deal WATCH LATER FOR FREE Max Basic With Ads for Cricket customers Free for Cricket customers on the $60/month unlimited plan (save $9.99/month) Get Deal WATCH LATER FOR FREE Max Basic With Ads Free for DashPass annual plan subscribers (save $9.99 per month) Get Deal WATCH LATER Max Student $4.99 per month for 12 months (save 50%) Get Deal WATCH LATER Disney+, Hulu, and Max $16.99 per month (with ads), $29.99 per month (no ads) (save up to 38%) Get Deal

The video game with the cult-following among Gen Z and Alpha took over the box office last month. Now the blockbuster film adapted from the game, dubbed A Minecraft Movie, is headed to households everywhere.

From creepers and piglins to villages and the Nether, the film is full of staples from Mojang's crafting game. But that doesn't mean you need to have played the game before to see it (although a primer wouldn't hurt). It stars Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, and Sebastian Hansen and is directed by Jared Hess — the man known for Napoleon Dynamite, the kookiest film of the 2000s. In other words, you know you're in for a dang good time whether you know anything about Minecraft or not.

Here's everything you need to know about how to watch A Minecraft Movie at home.

What is A Minecraft Movie about?

A Minecraft Movie follows four misfits (Momoa, Brooks, Myers, and Hansen) as they get sucked into the Overworld of Minecraft, a realm where everything is made of cubes (yes, everything — even the living creatures). While it seems like an imaginative playground, it's also under siege from a dire threat. To get back home, they'll have to team up with expert crafter and resident Steve (Black) to keep the Overworld safe.

"'This place makes no sense,' Natalie (Myers) says at one point with a tinge of exasperation, and she is speaking for all of us uninitiated. While it is largely coherent, A Minecraft Movie is all over the place. But no one in the audience is here for the plot. They’re either watching A Minecraft Movie for their love of the Minecraft world or because they love someone who loves it and isn’t old enough to drive themselves to the movie theater. As far as video game adaptations and children’s films go, A Minecraft Movie is so much better than it needs to be," Mashable reviewer Kimber Myers writes.

Check out the official trailer for a better glimpse into the world of Minecraft:

Is A Minecraft Movie worth watching?

We weren't expecting A Minecraft Movie to win awards or anything — it's a kids' movie about a video game mostly unbeknownst to adults. So, the 48 percent critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes is hardly a shock. But audiences, kids and kid-at-heart adults, are largely loving it. It currently holds an 86 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

A Minecraft Movie is also the box office champion of 2025 thus far — and by a considerable amount. The video game adaptation tops the list of highest-grossing movies of the year at $410 million domestically and $911 million worldwide.

"It’s fun and funny, fully engaged with the spirit of the game, in which creativity and imagination rule. It doesn’t feel like it’s pandering to kids, but, as evidenced by the giggles at my screening, they were enjoying it," Mashable's reviewer writes.

Read our full review of A Minecraft Movie.

How to watch A Minecraft Movie at home Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

There are a couple of different ways to watch A Minecraft Movie at home currently: purchasing via digital video-on-demand or renting via digital video-on-demand. It will eventually be streaming as well, offering a third option.

Buy or rent A Minecraft Movie on digital

A Minecraft Movie made its theatrical debut on April 4, 2025, then became available to watch at home a little over a month later via digital video-on-demand platforms like Prime Video and Apple TV. You can purchase the film for your digital collection or rent it for 30 days for $24.99 or $19.99, respectively. If you choose to rent, just take note that you'll have 30 days to watch, but just 48 hours to finish once you begin.

You can purchase and rent the film at the following retailers:

• Prime Video — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99

• Apple TV — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99

• Fandango at Home (Vudu) — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99

• Google Play — buy for $24.99, rent for as low as $19.99

Opens in a new window Credit: Prime Video Rent or buy 'A Minecraft Movie' at Prime Video $19.99 or $24.99 Get Deal Stream A Minecraft Movie on Max

As a Warner Bros. Pictures film, we expect A Minecraft Movie to make its streaming debut on Max (soon to be called HBO Max once again) — the Warner Bros.-owned streaming service. However, there is no official streaming date yet. Based on the digital-to-streaming trajectory of other recent theatrical hits from Warner Bros. like Companion, Mickey 17, and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, we expect that A Minecraft Movie will make its streaming debut sometime between late June and early July.

Max subscriptions start at $9.99 per month, but there are a few different ways to save some money on your plan. Peep the best Max streaming deals below.

The best HBO Max streaming dealsBest for most people: Save 16% on Max Basic with ads annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max Basic with ads yearly subscription $99.99 per year (save $19.89) Get Deal

While the cheapest monthly Max subscription (Basic with ads) goes for $9.99, an annual subscription brings that cost down to just $8.33 per month. You'll have to pay $99.99 up front for the year, but that will ultimately save you about 16% compared to a monthly plan.

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You can also save 16% by committing to a yearly Max ad-free plan — now dubbed Max Standard and Max Premium. The standard tier costs either $16.99 per month or $169.99 per year (about $14.16 per month), while the Premium tier costs either $20.99 per month or $209.99 per year (about $17.50 per month).

Note: Both tiers offer an ad-free viewing experience, but the Premium tier comes with 4K Ultra HD video quality, Dolby Atmos immersive audio, and the ability to download more offline content.

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Cricket customers with the $60 per month unlimited plan get HBO Max with ads for free. When logging into Max, select Cricket as your provider, then enter your credentials to log in. That's it, y'all.

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Get Max for free in 2025 by signing up for DoorDash's annual DashPass plan for $96 per year ($8 per month). A DashPass membership gets you $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible DoorDash orders all year long. You'll just have to activate your Max subscription through your DoorDash account to get started. If you'd rather watch ad-free, you can choose to upgrade for a discounted rate as well.

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College students can enjoy the massive Max library for an entire year with ads for half price. Just verify your student status with UNiDAYS, retrieve the unique discount code, and watch the price drop from $9.99 to $4.99 per month.

Best bundle deal: Get Max, Disney+, and Hulu for up to 38% off Opens in a new window Credit: Disney / Hulu / Max Disney+, Hulu, and Max $16.99 per month (with ads), $29.99 per month (no ads) Get Deal

If you're looking to consolidate your spending, the Disney+ bundle, which includes Disney+, Hulu, and Max, will only cost you $16.99 per month with ads. That lineup of streaming services with ads would usually run you $25.97 per month, so you'll save about $9 monthly. If you'd rather go ad-free, it'll cost you $29.99 per month as opposed to $48.97. That's up to 38% in savings for access to all three streaming libraries.