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As of this writing, we're about five hours away from the first midnight launch parties for the Switch 2 here in the United States. However, over on eBay, we identified more than 100 listings for the yet-to-be-released Switch 2 console.
Nintendo expects to sell 20 million Switch 2 units in the next year, but preorders have been very hard to come by for many gamers. (Check the latest stock ahead of the launch.) That can make eBay listings very tempting.
Opens in a new window Credit: Walmart Switch 2 console $449 at WalmartMost eBay listings for the console are priced between $650 and $750, which is a lot to ask considering that most of these sellers don't yet have the console in hand. Although the console has been released overseas in countries like Australia, the first units won't be released in the United States until 12:01 a.m. on June 5. For gamers waiting on delivery, it could take days or weeks for their console to arrive.
While some of the eBay sellers we identified are based in Australia, and thus may actually have the console, other U.S.-based sellers are only promising to sell the console after their "confirmed preorder" arrives. Some sellers are using alleged screenshots of Walmart and Target preorder confirmation pages or shipping tracking details. I know these listings can be tempting, but as Mashable's Tech Editor, I recommend purchasing through the retailers themselves.
Opens in a new window Credit: GameStop Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle $499.99 at GameStopNintendo has actually taken steps to discourage this type of opportunism — at least, in Japan. In Nintendo's home country, the game company is working directly with third-party seller platforms like Mercari and Rakuten to ban Switch 2 listings after the launch, according to The Verge. Unfortunately, those plans don't include the United States.
I would be extremely skeptical of these listings, at least for now. The only Switch 2 units we know for certain have been delivered so far are review units, like the one received by Mashable earlier today.
So, while you can try your luck on eBay listings, we recommend exercising patience. Hopefully, once the console officially launches, retailers will have a steadier inventory available for sale. Plus, we never want to encourage hoarding and price gouging.
We reached out to eBay to ask if the early Switch 2 eBay listings violated any of their policies, and we'll update this post if we hear back. In the meantime, keep checking Nintendo and its official Switch 2 retailers to see if they have the console in stock yet:
We're only one episode into Dimension 20's steampunk campaign Cloudward, Ho! and I may already have a new favorite Dimension 20 NPC: Wealwell Gotch (Brennan Lee Mulligan).
One of pugilist Maxwell Gotch's (Brian Murphy) six older brothers — and yes, all their names end in "well" — Wealwell is blessed with both a funny name and a funny voice. Sometimes that's all you need to get attached to a character, something Game Master Mulligan knows all too well when it comes to making up NPCs on the fly.
SEE ALSO: The 'Dimension 20' cast improvises a 'Dungeons and Dragons' character from scratch"If I had made Wealwell, [the cast] wouldn't have loved him as much," Mulligan told Mashable in a Zoom interview. "The Intrepid Heroes smell fear, and when a character has a stupid name and a weird voice, they can tell right away."
Wealwell's origin story begins with Murphy's reveal that Maxwell has six brothers, all of whom become characters Mulligan has to create. By this stage in the campaign, some are simply names on a list Mulligan reads out in an early scene. That could have been Wealwell's fate too, but you can't just rattle off a name like Wealwell and expect a group of professional comedians not to pounce on that potential. Watching the cogs turn in the cast's heads as they decide to single out Wealwell is a wonderful reminder of Dimension 20's roots in improvisation, as is Mulligan's instant decision to bring Wealwell into the fold.
With that decision comes Wealwell's voice, a simpering over-exaggeration of Mulligan's other rich (and already heightened) Gotch family voices.
"When I started speaking as Wealwell, I went, 'Oops, this voice is a little sillier than I anticipated it was going to be,' and the rest is history," Mulligan said. "That's what [the cast] seized on, that's what they loved, and that's where we went."
The rest of the episode focuses on Maxwell and Olethra MacLeod's (Ally Beardsley) efforts to reunite the crew of the legendary Zephyr airship, but it also doubles as a "get-to-know-me" for Wealwell, who seems to be along for the ride for the foreseeable future.
As the cast gets the ball rolling on this season's main adventure, they also pepper in new information about Wealwell. Murphy declares that he's "fun" and "solid," setting him apart from Maxwell's other jerk brothers. Beardsley decides that Wealwell is super hot. And Mulligan adds in a running gag that Wealwell is constantly nauseous — not great for a character who's about to spend a lot of time on an airship! (But great for the audience, who gets to witness his posh queasiness in all its glory.)
Each of these building blocks combine to create an instantly memorable new NPC. Wealwell is the product of a perfect storm of Dimension 20's spontaneity, with the cast taking a one-off gag and turning it into something hysterical. For Mulligan, that's part of the magic — and occasionally, the peril — of playing with the Intrepid Heroes.
"What do they say? If you want it to rain, don't take your umbrella, because it will rain on the day you don't have your umbrella. And if you do bring your umbrella, it won't rain. For NPCs, if you have a stupid name and a weird voice and nothing else, that will be [the players'] favorite NPC," Mulligan explained. "They will smell the half-bakedness, and they will go, 'What's his name? What's he like? What's his favorite food?' Because they'll know that you don't know, and they want you to do it on the spot because they're trying to get you."
Dropout's Dimension 20 has run the gamut of speculative fiction genres, from urban fantasy in The Unsleeping City to space opera in A Starstruck Odyssey. In its newest season, Cloudward, Ho!, the tabletop anthology series leaps into yet another genre: steampunk.
SEE ALSO: Brennan Lee Mulligan talks 'Dimension 20: Cloudward, Ho!'s breakout NPCCloudward, Ho! incorporates several familiar steampunk genre trappings, from airships and mech suits to Victorian-era aesthetics. But the new genre also allows Dimension 20 to take some new risks, ushering in new mechanics, new inspirations, and new ways of approaching Dimension 20's community-focused, anti-capitalist core themes. Mashable spoke with Dimension 20 creator and Game Master Brennan Lee Mulligan about what steampunk brings to Dimension 20, and what viewers can expect from Cloudward, Ho!
What led Dimension 20 to go full steampunk? "The Zephyr" in "Cloudward, Ho!" Credit: Kate ElliottAfter Fantasy High: Junior Year, the third installment in the Fantasy High series, Mulligan and the rest of Dimension 20's Intrepid Heroes cast — Emily Axford, Ally Beardsley, Brian Murphy, Zac Oyama, Siobhan Thompson, and Lou Wilson — were "in the mood for adventure," Mulligan told Mashable in a Zoom interview.
"They were like, 'Let's do something high-action and bold and colorful and exciting.' So steampunk really spoke to us," Mulligan said. "H.G. Wells and [Hayao] Miyazaki, biplanes in the clouds and the Golden Age of aviation — that felt like where we wanted to be."
Thus the land of Gath was born, and with it, the lost land of Zood, which Cloudward, Ho!'s characters seek out. Atlantis and Castle in the Sky served as major touchpoints for Cloudward, Ho! and its central arc, but they're far from the campaign's only inspirations. Other Miyazaki films, including Porco Rosso, proved useful due to the director's focus on aviation. Cloudward, Ho! also draws on the works of H.G. Wells, Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, James Gurney's Dinotopia series, and Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black's The Spiderwick Chronicles. (The zoological treatise element of the latter suggests extra-exciting new creatures ahead.)
SEE ALSO: The 'Dimension 20' cast improvises a 'Dungeons and Dragons' character from scratchWith such rich source material to draw from, and such a vast world to explore — Gath has over 20 continents! — Cloudward, Ho! also provides Dimension 20's creative team new opportunities to stretch themselves.
"It's hard to fathom how stunning the artwork is this season," Mulligan said. "[Production designer] Rick Perry and his team have truly outdone themselves."
That's already evident in the teaser for Cloudward, Ho! episode 2, which features an astoundingly detailed model of the airship Zephyr.
For Cloudward, Ho!, Mulligan also brought on game designers to craft aerial combat rules and stat blocks for the season. Designers Hannah Rose, Mazey Veselak, Dan Dillon, and Brandes Stoddard have all collaborated previously with Mulligan, helping create the Witch Class for the narrative podcast Worlds Beyond Number, which Mulligan hosts alongside Dimension 20 staples Aabria Iyengar, Erika Ishii, and Wilson.
Steampunk themes helped build Cloudward, Ho!'s generation-spanning party. Brian Murphy, Siobhan Thompson, Ally Beardsley, and Brennan Lee Mulligan in "Cloudward, Ho!" Credit: Kate ElliottSteampunk adventure tropes also shaped the dynamics of Cloudward, Ho!'s party. Four of the six characters are older, seasoned adventurers, while two are new faces to the skies. The youngest character, Ally Beardsley's Olethra MacLeod, starts the game at Level 2, while everyone else begins it at Level 6. (The experience divide echoes how A Crown of Candy's Jet, Ruby, and Liam all started at Levels 1 and 2, as opposed to the older characters' Level 3.)
That power balance decision came from the idea that some of these characters would be aging legends with formidable legacies — Mulligan cited Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen as a touchpoint here — and that others would be joining the crew for the first time.
"A crew having to incorporate new members is a really classic moment of this [genre]." Mulligan said. "Who are the people that have this long-standing adventurer relationship, and how do you bring in the new blood? [That's] a classic trope of this kind of storytelling that was really fun."
SEE ALSO: The 'Dimension 20' cast chooses their ultimate Intrepid Heroes squadEven the decision to start some characters at Level 6 as opposed to Level 5 came from steampunk genre tropes.
"The source material we're drawing from doesn't have a lot of what fantasy has. Fantasy has a lot of starting powerless and quickly becoming very powerful. Luke goes from a scruffy nerf herder to blowing up the Death Star in the span of one movie," Mulligan explained. "Whereas for these characters, I think the genre is filled with more [people] starting very competent and continuing to get sharper. We don't get to these higher demigod levels in steampunk as a genre. There's some older gaming stuff around 'epic Level 6,' something I had heard about a lot growing up in gaming. So there was an interesting element of wanting to say, 'Level 6 is where you're super-duper heroic, but you are not superhuman yet,' and that felt like a sweet spot for us to be."
Capitalism is the bad guy (again) in Cloudward, Ho! Zac Oyama, Emily Axford, and Lou Wilson in "Cloudward, Ho!" Credit: Kate ElliottThe divide in Cloudward, Ho!'s party is not just one of time, but of how people relate to aviation in Gath.
"In Gath, aviation is invented, and the people who are inventing it are miscreant, criminal, eccentric inventors," Mulligan said. "Over the course of time, that new technology is gobbled up by empire and capital and industry, and so it naturally created this generational divide."
The role of capital already shines through in Cloudward, Ho!'s premiere, where industrialist Longspot Gotch, father to party member Maxwell Gotch (Murphy), is intent on squeezing every last penny out of the doomed voyage of Professor Olethra MacLeod. His money-centric approach to the miracle of aviation reiterates a common theme in Dimension 20: Capitalism is the bad guy.
"I love all the memes that are like, 'In Brennan's stories, capitalism's always the bad guy,'" Mulligan joked in a behind-the-scenes video for Dimension 20's Gauntlet at the Garden. "And it's like, yeah, but in a cool, novel way each time, like no one's bored of it, right?"
Steampunk, with its focus on new technology and who gets to use it, seems like just the kind of "cool, novel way" Mulligan can continue to explore this theme.
"Fundamentally, steampunk is a reaction. The aesthetic is that of machines and the industrial revolution," Mulligan told Mashable. "A lot of steampunk tends to come in these two flavors. There's the extremely dark, brooding gaslamp steampunk, and then there's also the ones that are more in that Miyazaki vein, with conversations between nature and technology. Miyazaki really dwells on the horrors therein, but not to the preclusion of the beauty and importance of nature and the revelry of innovation, of invention, of flight."
He continued: "The Luddites were a labor and capital movement, and there was some smashing of machines, but it's not that machines are bad. It's about who owns them, what we do with them, and if we use them for destruction, or if we use them for affirming the wonder and majesty of human cleverness and innovation."
SEE ALSO: The 'Dimension 20' cast reveal which campaign they would most like to revisitBalancing these flavors of steampunk — destruction and capitalism versus wonder and hopefulness — became a key tenet to building out Gath. Episode 1 already gives us a taste of several varied landscapes, from the Western-style canyons of Pilby to the rusty wastes of Scrapsylvania. ("You've got to hit them with the lore up top," Mulligan said.)
"I wanted to make Gath so enormous, because if I create a world that is only gloom and empire, am I breeding a sense of despair in my world that I don't want to be reflected in my work? But also, if I don't honor the real problems of real life, is there even something to work on here?" Mulligan said. "So the thing with Gath was, let's create a world where there are some elements of that gaslamp steampunk empire that's worth resisting, but also continents that exist that are untouched by it. What if we imagine places that were successful in their rebuffing of imperial efforts? So Gath is a big, wild world filled with lots of different things going on that stretch the boundary of imagination."
With the entire toolbox of the steampunk genre at its disposal, expect Cloudward, Ho! to keep stretching those boundaries even more as the season takes flight.
There’s an exciting 20-minute stretch midway through Ballerina — or From the World of John Wick: Ballerina — that expands the John Wick mythos. These scenes swerve past the series' expectations and break new ground in delightful ways. Unfortunately, what comes before and after is a Wick facsimile through and through, even though the film repeatedly insists it's showing you something novel.
This is the key issue with the Ana de Armas-led action spinoff. For most of its 125-minute runtime, Ballerina remains torn between adhering to the tenets of its franchise mothership and charting its own course. There’s some fun to be found in the movie, but it’s also severely disjointed in obvious ways that reflect its tumultuous production (Ballerina began shooting so long ago that it features the final screen appearance of Lance Reddick, who died in early 2023). The result is a film that ends up less than the sum of its scattered parts, despite its numerous explosions, headshots, and vicious stabbings.
What is Ballerina about? Ana de Armas in "Ballerina." Credit: Larry D. Horricks for Lionsgate.After her father is killed by a mysterious cult, led by a man named the Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne), young Eve (Victoria Comte, a spitting image of de Armas) is rescued from their clutches by Wick series mainstay Winston (Ian McShane), owner of the assassins-only Continental Hotel and longtime ally of John Wick. He delivers Eve to the ruthless trainer known as the Director (Anjelica Huston), who last appeared in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum as the head of the Ruska Roma, a Belarusian ballet school and crime syndicate tied to John Wick's origins. Here, she serves as a stern headmistress overseeing Eve's ballet training — a skill she learns alongside fists and bullets, though it doesn’t really come in handy — and her decade-long transformation into an assassin-for-hire.
Ballerina has a distinct overlap with Parabellum, in that we see Eve briefly cross paths with John Wick himself (Keanu Reeves, in all his grunting, exasperated glory), a.k.a the notorious Baba Yaga. The duo’s fleeting exchange establishes them as diametrically opposed archetypes. Wick wants to leave behind this world of contract killers — much as he does in his four-part series, after he exacts his puppy-inspired vengeance. The starstruck Eve, meanwhile, desperately wants to enter Wick's world of assassinations, so she can exact her own revenge on her father's killers.
Ana de Armas and Keanu Reeves in "Ballerina." Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.To add to this nominal differentiation, Eve repeatedly fails tests involving hand-to-hand combat and close-quarters gun-fu, shot (by cinematographer Romain Lacourbas) and choreographed (by a large team of stunt coordinators, many of them John Wick veterans) in the traditionally fluid John Wick style. That is, until her assassin mentor Nogi (Sharon Duncan-Brewster) commands Eve to fight on her own terms, rather than letting her male counterparts dictate their sparring. "Fight like a girl," she tells Eve with a wry smile, before dropping hints about using agility and intellect instead of raw strength. A lightbulb seems to go off in the ballerina's head. However, what follows during each combat and shooting simulation is the exact same blocking and choreography as before (only with a few added kicks to the groin).
It's the first of several instances where the dialogue attempts to lay claim to a brand new path for the series, while the action plays out like a John Wick pastiche: the same Judo takedowns and quick clip-emptying, shot with the same verve and atmosphere, but edited with far less impact. As Eve is sent on her first mission to a nightclub, the neon pink and blue-hued setting is practically ripped from previous Wick films, down to the action being backdropped by the slow-motion writhing of unbothered dancers. Scene after scene, these uncannily familiar elements play host to lesser versions of fights we’ve already seen, but assembled with less finesse.
The pieces of Ballerina rarely fit together "Ballerina" is full of inconsistencies. Credit: Murray CloseWhen the plot finally gets moving, and Eve begins tracking down information on her target — leading her to an alluring new assassin with an oddly truncated role, played by Norman Reedus — Ballerina becomes torn between motivations. This results in de Armas never having enough pathos to feel worthy of this particular, grief-steeped series — for John Wick, the fact that "it was never just a puppy" is always clear.
On one hand, Eve is driven by vengeance and deep-seated rage. On the other hand, her tale quickly becomes entangled with that of a young girl with whom she empathizes, one who becomes a kidnapping target for the cult like Eve once was. However, this symbol of Eve’s lost innocence doesn’t complicate her trajectory in any way, or have any real impact on the plot. In fact, it’s just one of several inconsistencies that makes Ballerina such a strange film to watch.
Norman Reedus gets an oddly truncated role. Credit: Larry D. Horricks for Lionsgate.Byrne’s Chancellor is, for all intents and purposes, the movie’s key antagonist from the word go, since he leads the interrogation and slaying of Eve’s father. However, young Eve is distanced from her villain. She never sees his face in the prologue, an oddly specific visual information which is clarified when they finally come face to face and she doesn’t recognize him. His actions ought to make Eve’s mission deeply personal, but it’s unclear if she ever finds out who he really is, beyond being the leader of an organization she hopes to bring down. In the process, she’s kept at an arm’s length from the most involving and tragic parts of her own story.
There’s a lack of urgency to the movie at times, in part because of these dramatic inconsistencies. Its action scenes don’t feel nearly as personal as they should, both in terms of what Eve is trying to achieve, and in the context of how her scenes are staged. Her movements never feel like extensions of her character; her choreography is only ever mapped onto the existing body language Wick exhibits in the rest of the series. Despite the film's title, the one skill set that differentiates Eve from her male counterparts — her ballet training — is somehow never put to use, even during a fight scene on ice that requires finding balance. And the running thread about the act of killing weighing on her conscience is also swiftly dropped.
Add to this the fact that several fight scenes lack a coherent sense of geography and space between the characters, and what you’re left with is a disorienting movie that never fully clicks. This often feels like the product of Ballerina's many reshoots — several months' worth, reported to have been spearheaded by John Wick series helmer Chad Stahelski, rather than credited director Len Wiseman — whose seams show in occasional moments of janky ADR (Automatic Dialogue Replacement), and unclean digital face replacement to hide de Armas' stunt doubles.
Ballerina works best when it isn’t John Wick The late Lance Reddick makes his final screen appearance in "Ballerina." Credit: Larry D. Horricks.There’s an imaginative streak to some of the action in Ballerina, from its Tchaikovsky- and Vivaldi-influenced soundtrack and score (by composers Tyler Bates and Joel J. Richard), to the comically excessive presence of flamethrowers and hand grenades. But its action scenes are so awash in cartoonish digital effects that fly in the face of the grounded, tactile, blood-squib-heavy productions that made Reeves' versions so damn thrilling. The film is at its weakest when it’s trying to be a John Wick sequel — which, unfortunately, is the majority of its runtime.
However, there’s a turn about midway through that feels unlike any Wick movie in its setting, theme, and choreography, leading to a stretch of action and story that feels almost worth the price of admission. The hour-long wait for this sequence can be frustrating, but when Eve catches up to the cult’s headquarters — located in a quaint, snowy mountain town — the film zigzags in raucous ways.
Wait for the midway turn. Credit: Murray Close for Lionsgate.Part of the fun of the Wick films is how they reveal seedy metropolitan underbellies to have secret criminal entanglements. This doesn’t happen much in Ballerina, making Eve’s initial night-time missions through crowded cities feel like mechanical, soulless retreads. However, her daylight rendezvous to the peaceful mountainside goes off the rails for equal and opposite reasons, as everyday Samaritans — from parents and tourists, to small business owners — become part of the action in unexpected ways. Even the so-called normal life that Wick craves, and that Eve has intentionally left behind, harbors gloomy secrets, out in the open.
It's a ridiculously bleak turn that yields some of the series’ most entertaining action yet (involving several household items), though it doesn’t last long before being toppled by clunkily written melodrama, whose twists and turns aren’t given nearly enough weight or time to land. The preceding set pieces are so wildly entertaining that it’s hard not to feel robbed of some truly inventive action filmmaking when they’re eventually — and inevitably — derailed by a half-baked story.
By the end, what little individuality the film contains is entirely subsumed by the larger franchise. De Armas even ends up dressed in John Wick chic before the credits roll. But rather than playing like an organic character choice, it resembles flimsy cosplay — an unfortunate metaphor for Ballerina as a whole.
Last week, Google quietly announced that it would be adding a visible watermark to AI-generated videos made using its new Veo 3 model.
And if you look really closely while scrolling through your social feeds, you might be able to see it.
The watermark can be seen in videos released by Google to promote the launch of Veo 3 in the UK and other countries.
Credit: Screenshot: GoogleGoogle announced the change in an X thread by Josh Woodward, Vice President with Google Labs and Google Gemini.
According to Woodward's post, the company added the watermark to all Veo videos except for those generated in Google's Flow tool by users with a Google AI Ultra plan. The new watermark is in addition to the invisible SynthID watermark already embedded in all of Google's AI-generated content, as well as a SynthID detector, which recently rolled out to early testers but is not yet broadly available.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.The visible watermark "is a first step as we work to make our SynthID Detector available to more people in parallel," said Josh Woodward, VP of Google Labs and Gemini in his X post.
In the weeks after Google introduced Veo 3 at Google I/O 2025, the new AI video model has garnered lots of attention for its incredibly realistic videos, especially since it can also generate realistic audio and dialogue. The videos posted online aren't just fantastical renderings of animals acting like humans, although there's plenty of that, too. Veo 3 has also been used to generate more mundane clips, including man-on-the-street interviews, influencer ads, fake news segments, and unboxing videos.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.If you look closely, you can spot telltale signs of AI like overly-smooth skin and erroneous artifacts in the background. But if you're passively doomscrolling, you might not think to double-check whether the emotional support kangaroo casually holding a plane ticket is real or fake. People being duped by an AI-generated kangaroo is a relatively harmless example. But Veo 3's widespread availability and realism introduce a new level of risk for the spread of misinformation, according to AI experts interviewed by Mashable for this story.
The new watermark should reduce those risks, in theory. The only problem is that the visible watermark isn't that visible. In a video Mashable generated using Veo 3, you can see a "Veo" watermark in a pale shade of white in the bottom right-hand corner of the video. See it?
A Veo 3 video generated by Mashable includes the new watermark. Credit: Screenshot: MashableHow about now?
Google's Veo watermark. Credit: Screenshot: Mashable"This small watermark is unlikely to be apparent to most consumers who are moving through their social media feed at a break-neck clip," said digital forensics expert Hany Farid. Indeed, it took us a few seconds to find it, and we were looking for it. Unless users know to look for the watermark, they may not see it, especially if viewing content on their mobile devices.
A Google spokesperson told Mashable by email, "We're committed to developing AI responsibly and we have clear policies to protect users from harm and governing the use of our AI tools. Any content generated with Google AI has a SynthID watermark embedded and we also add a visible watermark to Veo videos too.”
"People are familiar with prominent watermarks like Getty Images, but this one is very small," said Negar Kamali, a researcher studying people's ability to detect AI-generated content at Kellogg School of Management. "So either the watermark needs to be more noticeable, or platforms that host images could include a note beside the image — something like 'Check for a watermark to verify whether the image is AI-generated,'" said Kamali. "Over time, people could learn to look for it."
However, visible watermarks aren't a perfect remedy. Both Farid and Kamali told us that videos with watermarks can easily be cropped or edited. "None of these small — visible — watermarks in images or video are sufficient because they are easy to remove," said Farid, who is also a professor at UC Berkeley School of Information.
But, he noted that Google's SynthID invisible watermark, "is quite resilient and difficult to remove." Farid added, "The downside is that the average user can’t see this [SynthID watermark] without a watermark reader so the goal now is to make it easier for the consumer to know if a piece of content contains this type of watermark."
On June 1, TikTok banned the #SkinnyTok trend and hashtag on the app worldwide after receiving pressure from European lawmakers, according to Euractiv.
SkinnyTok glamorizes eating disorders and could influence people — primarily young women — to emaciate themselves in order to access an unrealistic beauty standard.
Unfortunately, just because the hashtag is banned from TikTok doesn't mean the content is particularly difficult to find. As Mashable has previously reported, content moderation rarely changes the content of our conversations, even if it succeeds in changing some of our vocabulary. Instead of suicide, users say "unaliving;" instead of sex, they says "seggs;" and instead of porn, we get corn emojis. In the same way, though SkinnyTok may be gone, users can still find the same content under new names. Similar content is also constantly pushed on FitTok, TikTok's community for fitness content.
SEE ALSO: YouTube updates guidelines for eating disorder-related contentThis ban comes after policymakers in Brussels and Paris looked into SkinnyTok and found it was full of young women, many of whom looked emaciated, posting extreme diets and weight-loss tips.
"[We] have blocked search results for #skinnytok since it has become linked to unhealthy weight loss content," TikTok spokesperson Paolo Ganino said in a statement Monday, according to Politico. Ganino added that the ban is part of a "regular review ... to address evolving risks" on TikTok.
Now, when you search for the hashtag, you'll be met with a page that reads: "You're not alone."
"If you or someone you know has questions about body image, food, or exercise — it is important to know that help is out there and you are not alone. If you feel comfortable, you can confide in someone you trust or check out the resources below. Please remember to take care of yourselves and each other." The page also includes a number for the National Alliance for Eating Disorders and a link that takes users to the TikTok Safety Center.
France’s Digital Minister Clara Chappaz called this a "collective victory" on Sunday, according to Politico.
The SkinnyTok ban comes after a piece in The Cut detailed a destructive community created by SkinnyTok's biggest influencer, Liv Schmidt. Online communities that glamorize extremely skinny physiques and celebrate disordered eating have been popular since the early days of the internet, and SkinnyTok is just the latest iteration of an old trend.
This trend of shrinking oneself to achieve ideal thinness is so devastating because it's rooted in real-life privilege afforded to thin people. Anti-fat bias affects people in work, finances, and relationships.
According to a LinkedIn survey, fat workers earn more than $2,000 less each year than thin people in the UK. Women in the U.S. and Germany experience "a negative weight-income relationship that is steepest at the thin end of the distribution," according to a study from the Journal of Applied Psychology. MIT researchers also found that managers who believed they would be training a fat worker "had lower expectations about the trainee’s success and work ethic prior to training." Thinner people are treated better in the doctor's office and have easier access to services like air travel.
Many activists believe the answer to fatphobia cannot be to encourage thinness, as trends like SkinnyTok do. Instead, they believe we should fight fatphobia itself. Likewise, many body positivity activists warn that fatphobia is compounded when other factors such as race, class, and disability are folded in.
A report by the Dove Self-Esteem Project shows that nine out of 10 girls follow social media accounts that make them feel less beautiful, and more than half of the respondents said they couldn't measure up to online beauty standards. Nearly 30 million Americans suffer from an eating disorder at some point in their life, and only 27 percent of women receive any treatment for it. Even worse, more than one person dies as a direct result of an eating disorder every hour, according to statistics from the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. And, according to Eating Recovery Center, "studies have shown a clear link between social media and eating disorders."
If you feel like you’d like to talk to someone about your eating behavior, text "NEDA" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected with a trained volunteer or visit the National Eating Disorder Association website for more information.
If you're feeling suicidal or experiencing a mental health crisis, please talk to somebody. You can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. You can reach the Trans Lifeline by calling 877-565-8860 or the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. Text "START" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET, or email info@nami.org. If you don't like the phone, consider using the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Chat at crisischat.org. Here is a list of international resources.
Misinformation, job loss, nonconsensual deepfakes – these are just a few of the issues state lawmakers have to contend with in a world where artificial intelligence becomes more and more prevalent in our daily lives.
However, there's one big problem. The federal budget reconciliation bill may make it impossible for state lawmakers to deal with the many issues brought about by AI.
Why? Because President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill (yes, that's really what it's called) includes a highly controversial provision that outright bans any AI regulation for 10 years at the state and local level.
That means the bill would tie lawmakers' hands in all 50 states, preventing them from taking any action to regulate this growing industry even as it affects their states' economies and their constituents' lives.
According to a new report from StateScoop, state lawmakers from all 50 states are now coming together to push back against this provision in the federal budget reconciliation bill. In total, more than 260 state legislators have signed on to a letter to Congress voicing their opposition to the 10-year ban on AI regulation.
The letter was spearheaded by both South Carolina Rep. Brandon Guffey and South Dakota Sen. Liz Larson. Notably, Rep. Guffey is a Republican and Sen. Larson is a Democrat, showing that the opposition to this AI regulation ban is a bipartisan one.
Supports of the AI regulation ban provision claim that its necessary in order to prevent a "fragmented regulatory landscape," which would harm the industry and give China an unfair advantage in the space over U.S. tech companies.
And it appears at least some of the president's supporters in Congress are changing their tune on the bill.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the far-right Republican Congresswoman from Georgia, announced on X that she opposes the AI regulation ban provision, though she already voted in favor of the big, beautiful bill.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed."Full transparency, I did not know about this section on pages 278-279 of the OBBB that strips states of the right to make laws or regulate AI for 10 years," Rep. Greene posted on X. "I am adamantly OPPOSED to this and it is a violation of state rights and I would have voted NO if I had known this was in there."
Rep. Greene went on to state that the effects of this bill can be "potentially dangerous" and said she will not vote for the bill when it comes back to the House of Representatives if this provision is still included.
Trump's big, beautiful bill passed the House and now heads to the Senate, where Rep. Greene said she hopes this provision is stripped.
The CEO of AI company Anthropic recently warned that governments aren't taking the threat of AI seriously enough and that there is a real lack of action in preparing for what's to come. In addition, a poll conducted last month by research firm Echelon Insights, on behalf of Common Sense Media, found that 59 percent of registered voters opposed banning AI regulation for states.
The Nintendo Switch launch date is almost upon us. Starting on June 5, gamers can finally purchase the Switch 2 console for $449.99 and the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle for $499.99.
So, where can you buy the Switch 2 online? If you want to try your luck now, check the latest Switch 2 preorder stock at the My Nintendo Store and official Nintendo retailers:
Like the PlayStation 5 before it, the Switch 2 is in short supply for preorders. That's left many Switch fans wondering how to buy the Switch 2 at launch. For the official June 5 release date, retailers like GameStop are bringing back the midnight launch event, so you can always try your luck at buying a Switch 2 in person. If you don't want to brave the crowds, then you'll have to go online.
Since opening for preorder on April 24, the Switch 2 has been sold out pretty much everywhere. So many gamers tried to place preorders on April 24 that they immediately crashed the GameStop, Target, and Walmart websites. And with tariff uncertainty and extremely high demand (Nintendo expects to sell 20 million consoles in the next year), there's a lot we still don't know. Besides a handful of blink-and-you'll-miss-it restocks, preorders have been hard to come by. We're hoping that changes once June 5 arrives.
Everywhere you can buy the Switch 2 online at launchTo avoid hoarding and price gouging, Nintendo and retailers have protections in place to limit orders per person. That means you'll need to make an account to successfully place an order with most retailers. We also recommend reviewing our tips for tracking restocks, such as signing up for inventory alerts with your retailer of choice. But the easiest way to track Switch 2 availability online? Keep checking this article, as we'll be updating it regularly in the days and hours to come.
Your best bet? Place an order with Nintendo.You can't simply go to the My Nintendo Store and buy the Switch 2. To order the Switch 2, you need to log in with an active, paid Nintendo Switch Online account. Once you do that, you can choose either a Switch 2 standalone console or the Mario Kart World bundle and then hit the confirm button to "register your interest" in ordering a Switch 2.
Now for the weird stuff. Only Switch Online members who have paid for at least 12 months of service and registered at least 50 hours of gameplay on their Switch consoles can purchase through Nintendo. In other words, you better be a true Switch gamer if you want to buy the Switch 2 this way. If you're eligible and follow these steps, check your email for an invitation link.
Buy the Switch 2 at Nintendo: Nintendo Switch 2 console $449.99 Learn More Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle $499.99 Learn More How to order Switch 2 at WalmartUnlike Nintendo, purchasing the Switch 2 online at Walmart is pretty simple. Technically, Walmart shoppers have been able to preorder Switch 2 consoles on Walmart's website since midnight ET on April 24. In reality, the console has been sold out consistently. However, this week Walmart confirmed that it would have new Switch 2 inventory available online soon, though we don't know exactly when. Our advice? Go to the Walmart Switch 2 listing and smash that refresh button at midnight.
We'll update this article as soon as we find Switch 2 consoles in stock at Walmart (or anywhere). Walmart also sells a lot of Switch 2 launch titles and accessories.
Buy the Switch 2 at Walmart: Nintendo Switch 2 console $449.99 Pre-Order Here Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle $499.99 Pre-Order Here How to buy Switch 2 at TargetTarget stores will open as usual on launch day, and according to a press release, Switch 2 hopefuls will be directed to a "designated queuing location" near the entrance. Target workers will reportedly give out reservation tickets to a lucky few, so we recommend arriving early and crossing those fingers. If you get a golden ticket, you'll be whisked off to the electronics department, where you'll finally be able to purchase either the Switch 2 or a Switch 2 bundle.
You'll have to wait a bit longer to buy the Switch 2 online at Target, as the company said it will start selling it online "beginning early morning" on Friday, June 6. For now, you can check the preorder pages at Target or sign up for alerts to get notified of Switch 2 restocks.
Buy the Switch 2 at Target: Nintendo Switch 2 console $449.99 Pre-Order Here Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle $499.99 Pre-Order Here How to buy Switch 2 at GameStop This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.GameStop is the one retailer of the four listed here that's doing things a little bit differently. If you were lucky enough to get a GameStop preorder, you can pick up your console at midnight on June 5. All GameStop stores will also be hosting midnight launch events (though supplies will be limited), and gamers will be able to participate in a "Transfer and Trade," where they trade in their original Switch and transfer their data to the new console.
You can also try your luck online or sign up to get updates when new inventory becomes available. You can also buy Switch 2 games and accessories at GameStop, including those all-important MicroSD Express cards.
Buy the Switch 2 at GameStop: Nintendo Switch 2 console $449.99 Pre-Order Here Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle $499.99 Pre-Order Here How to buy Switch 2 consoles at Best BuyBest Buy is joining GameStop in having Switch 2 midnight launch parties, and the company lays out all the details in this FAQ. To sum up, "Most stores in the U.S. will open Thursday, June 5, at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time for pre-order pickup and walk-in purchases." (Central time stores open at 11:01 p.m., Mountain time stores open at 10:01 p.m., and Pacific time stores open at 9:01 p.m.) Participating stores will stay open for about two hours.
As a “high-demand item,” Best Buy customers have to follow specific steps to buy a Switch 2 online:
Create a My Best Buy account and sign in
Confirm your location
Add the item to your cart
Follow the on-screen prompts and check for available inventory
If you get a Switch 2 console in your cart, you’ll have 10 minutes to complete the purchase
You'll notice there's one major retailer conspicuously missing so far — Amazon. That's because Amazon is not an official Nintendo retailer, so any Switch 2 consoles you find there are likely listed by resellers of dubious legitimacy. However, Amazon shoppers can preorder some Switch 2 titles ahead of the launch.
Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Daemon X Machina Titanic Scion Limited Edition $99.99 at AmazonAs we noted in our Switch 2 preorder guide, select Staples stores will sell the Switch 2 on a first-come, first-served basis starting June 5. Most Staples locations open at 8 a.m., but we recommend showing up bright and early. Staples will also be selling an unnamed Switch 2 game bundle, and we know it's not the standard Mario Kart World bundle. As with other retailers, Switch 2 consoles are currently listed as "Out of stock" at the Staples online store.
Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle $499.99 at StaplesAre you a Costco member? Then you may be able to secure your Switch 2 at the mega-retailer. Costco members can purchase the Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle online starting June 5, though there's a limit of one console per membership (every seven days).
Opens in a new window Credit: Costco Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World Bundle $499.99 at CostcoMashable reporter Alex Perry was lucky enough to play the Switch 2 at two Nintendo pre-launch events, and as of this writing, he's hard at work testing his Switch 2 review unit. You can read all about his first impressions and thoughts on Mario Kart World. After playing the Switch 2 for the first time, he had this to say:
From the first second I got to hold a Switch 2 unit, I instantly liked the way it felt in my hands. The 7.9-inch 1080p display (which supports HDR and 120Hz refresh rate) is substantially nicer than the 6.2-inch 720p display on the predecessor console. In addition to a bigger screen, the Joy-Cons also have some added muscle…Doing a cross-country race across Mario Kart World's gorgeous open world without even a hint of loading between tracks is awesome. Seeing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom run at a buttery smooth 60 frames per second is very convincing in person.
Mashable reporter Alex Perry plays the Switch 2 at a Nintendo event. Credit: Joe Maldonado / MashableYou can also read all about the Switch 2 launch titles we're most excited to play.
And if you still haven't secured your preorder, keep checking this page for updates — and good luck!
TL;DR: Hurry and grab lifetime access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more with a Microsoft Office 2019 license for Windows at A$46 for a limited time.
Opens in a new window Credit: Retail King Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows AU$46Your credit card is exhausted from all of today’s subscription fees. While you probably don’t want to cancel Peacock and never see the ending of Yellowstone or say goodbye to two-day shipping with Prime, you could swap your Microsoft 365 subscription for a Microsoft Office lifetime license.
Instead of spending A$10 monthly (or A$120 yearly), you can pay once and use the apps as much as you’d like. For a little while longer, the Windows software suite is on sale for A$46.
What apps are included?Microsoft Office 2019 isn’t the newest version available, but it’s the cheaper one for people who just need to use the apps and don’t care about what they look like inside. However, it does have a classic, timeless design.
Here's a list of the apps you get:
Word
Excel
PowerPoint
Outlook
OneNote
Publisher
Access
This purchase is a no-brainer if you aren’t taking full advantage of Microsoft 365’s OneDrive storage, mobile app access, and cloud-based backups. Those just wanting the apps should be more than comfortable with a Microsoft Office download.
You might actually like this license more than the subscription. The apps are downloaded directly onto your PC instead of hosted on the cloud. While this does mean there are no built-in cloud backups, you don’t have to worry about the hassle of trying to work offline.
Plus, now that Microsoft added Copilot’s AI features to Microsoft 365, you might be looking for a way to escape them. Not everyone is crazy about having a virtual robot interfere with their work, and these classic apps won’t ever bug you about it.
The price drop on this lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2019 for Windows runs for a limited time, so get your download for A$46 while supplies are available.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
SAVE $40: As of June 4, the Kindle Paperwhite Kids is on sale at Amazon once again for just $139.99, down from $179.99. That's a savings of 22% and matches its best price on record.
Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Kindle Paperwhite Kids (16GB) $139.99 at AmazonSchool's out for summer (or it's about to be), which means the kids are about to be reaching for their screens more often than usual. Swap the tablet or gaming console for screen time you can feel good about with the Kindle Paperwhite Kids. It's packed with kid-friendly books only — no notifications, apps, videos, or other distractions — and it's back on sale for its best-ever price at Amazon.
As of June 4, the Kindle Paperwhite Kids is on sale at Amazon for only $139.99, down from $179.99. That's a savings of 22% and matches its lowest price on record.
SEE ALSO: From the basic to the Paperwhite, these are Amazon's best KindlesThe Paperwhite Kids is our favorite Kindle for young readers, particularly because it has a waterproof build, unlike the regular Kindle Kids. Kids are unhinged, so a waterproof screen is a necessity. The Paperwhite Kids is also heftier than the adult Kindle Paperwhite, which makes it sturdier and able to withstand just about anything kids throw at it. If anything does manage to break it, however, Amazon will replace it within the first two years.
The newest rendition of the device was released last fall and comes in its thinnest, fastest form yet, as well as a variety of new designs. It features a seven-inch display with a higher contrast ratio and 25 percent faster page turns than its predecessor, which both help to keep kids engaged in the content.
We love that it comes with built-in parental controls and a free six-month subscription to Amazon Kids+, which is loaded with tons of age-appropriate books. That's plenty of time to get them through the lazy summer months. After the six-month trial period, it'll cost $5.99 per month. It's a good thing you'll be saving $40 on the device itself.
The best tech deals to shop this weekRoku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)
Beats Pill Bluetooth Speaker — $99.95 (List Price $149.95)
Roborock Qrevo Master Robot Vacuum and Mop — $899.99 (List Price $1599.99)
Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)
DualSense Edge Wireless Controller — $169.00 (List Price $199.99)
SAVE $316.80: As of June 4, get the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 (10-Core Snapdragon X Plus w/AI NPU, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) at Woot for $762.29, down from its usual price of $1,079.09. That's a discount of 29%.
Opens in a new window Credit: Woot Microsoft Surface Pro 11 (10-Core Snapdragon X Plus w/AI NPU, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $762.29 at WootLooking for a new laptop? If you’ve had your eye on a Surface Pro 11, this Woot deal is definitely worth a closer look. While the 16GB RAM / 256GB SSD base model originally retailed for $999.99, it’s no longer sold directly through the Microsoft Store, and it's currently unavailable at retailers like Best Buy. On Amazon, it's limited to third-party sellers. Woot appears to be one of the only places where you can still buy this base configuration new right now.
As of June 4, get the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 (10-Core Snapdragon X Plus w/AI NPU, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) at Woot for $762.29, down from its usual price of $1,079.09. That's $316.80 off for a discount of 29%. This model comes with a docking station that you can use to set up your laptop to an external monitor or other peripherals. You'll also get a 90-day limited warranty from Woot.
SEE ALSO: The best laptops under $500: All the budget-friendly options you should considerThe slightly higher price point is likely due to the included docking station (pictured), which does bump up the MSRP a bit. If you're set on this specific model, this might be one of your last chances to get it before it's gone for good.
Otherwise, this model comes paired with a 10-core Snapdragon X Plus processor, a 4K webcam, and Windows 11, so it's a great contender for working on the go or just chilling at home with your favorite shows and movies. This price is the lowest you'll get this model for, so you should snap it up while it's still here.
President Donald Trump's directive to rebrand the U.S AI Safety Institute will eliminate "safety" from its name. Instead, the AISI, which worked with private tech companies to asses the safety risks of AI, will be renamed the Center for AI Standards and Innovation (CAISI).
According to Axios, which broke the news on May 29, the new CAISI will retain much of the same function, with an added focus on international coordination.
SEE ALSO: What is Palantir? The secretive tech company behind Trump's data collection effortsLaunched in 2023 by President Joe Biden, AISI was housed under the Commerce Department’s National Institute of Standards and Technology. Its original mandate was to assess the risks posed by systems like ChatGPT and Claude. Then, after Trump came back into office, and Elon Musk's “DOGE” team added to the mix, insiders expected the institute to be dissolved entirely.
In February, AISI was excluded from the Paris AI Summit hosted by Trump’s team. By March, researchers were told to prioritize audits that reduced "ideological bias" in the systems they reviewed.
What exactly CAISI will do now remains unclear. Per Axios, the former AISI's responsibilities won't deviate that much, but judging from its new name and comments from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, the focus appears to be tilting toward acceleration, not caution.
"For far too long, censorship and regulations have been used under the guise of national security," Lutnick said in a statement. "Innovators will no longer be limited by these standards. CAISI will evaluate and enhance U.S. innovation of these rapidly developing commercial AI systems while ensuring they remain secure to our national security standards."
SAVE 25%: The Garmin inReach Mini 2 is on sale at Garmin for $299.99, down from the normal price of $399.99. That's a savings of $100.
Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin inReach Mini 2 $299.99 at GarminIt's easy and inexpensive to pack along an emergency blanket, extra calories, and a water purification system for your hike, but adding a satellite communicator comes with a cost. That's why this deal on the Garmin inReach Mini 2 couldn't have come at a better time.
As of June 4, the Garmin inReach Mini 2 is on sale for $299.99 at Garmin, marked down from the normal price of $399.99. That's a 25% discount that works out to a savings of $100.
The lightweight and compact Garmin inReach gives you access to two-way messaging as well as global SOS should you find yourself in need of help. On a lighter note, the inReach is great for finding your route back to the starting point, and you can share your location. Plus, there's a digital compass.
SEE ALSO: The Samsung Galaxy Watch FE is back to its best-ever price at AmazonThe Garmin inReach Mini 2 also gives you access to weather updates where you currently are, but also locations along your route. In terms of battery life, expect to get about 14 days when using the inReach on the default 10-minuted tracking mode. If you switch that to the 30-minute tracking mode, you can get up to 30 days of battery life before a recharge.
Keep in mind that many of these features require a satellite subscription plan, which comes in at about $15 per month through Garmin.
Before you head out into the wilderness, snag the Garmin inReach Mini 2 while it's $100 off. It gives you essential information like routing and weather, while also giving your loved ones peace of mind.
The best home and kitchen deals to shop this weekSkylight Frame 10-inch Digital Picture Frame — $139.99 (List Price $159.00)
Ninja Crispi Air Fryer — $159.99 (List Price $179.99)
Birdfy AI Smart Solar Powered Bird Feeder with Camera — $179.99 (List Price $249.99)
KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer — $449.95
Eufy Omni C20 Robot Vacuum and Mop With Self-Emptying Base — $499.99 (List Price $699.99)
A federal judge blocked Florida officials from enforcing a law that would bar social media for kids under the age of 14.
In the ruling, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker wrote that "Florida’s challenged law is likely unconstitutional" but added the court "does not doubt that parents and legislators in the state have sincere concerns about the effects that social media use may have on youth."
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill in March of 2024 that would bar kids under 14 years old from social media and require parental permission for those who are 14 or 15. Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat already require users to be at least 13 years old, while TikTok has a curated, watch-only version for kids under 13. It's worth noting these restrictions are in-line with an existing federal law that restricts data collection on users under the age of 13.
SEE ALSO: Social media now unlawful for kids under 14 in FloridaIn the judge's order granting the preliminary injunction, he wrote the law "directly burdens those youths’ rights to engage in and access speech." Internet trade group NetChoice challenged the law over free speech concerns as well as the burden and risk of requiring mass identity verification.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier defended the state law and said the state intended to appeal the decision. Lawmakers felt the law could help curb the potential harm from young people using social media.
"These platforms do not have a constitutional right to addict kids to their products,” Uthmeier’s press secretary Jae Williams said in a statement, via the Associated Press. “We disagree with the court’s order and will immediately seek relief in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.”
So it seems despite the judge's decision, this saga is far from over.
SAVE 50%: As of June 4, you can get the JBL Soundgear Frames for $99.99, down from $199.99, at Woot. That's a 50% discount and a $100 savings.
Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Soundgear Frames $99.99 at WootIf you’ve been eyeing audio glasses, now might be the time to get out your wallet.
As of June 4, you can get the JBL Soundgear Frames for $99.99, down from $199.99, at Woot. That's a 50% discount and $100 in savings.
SEE ALSO: I've tried every model of Bose headphones and my favorite pair is now $100 offThe JBL Soundgear Frames have an ultra-thin 25 mm*9 mm high-amplitude rectangular speaker with a three-layer diaphragm (this basically means clearer highs and deeper bass). They’re also durable (with an IP54 water-resistant design), flexible, and lightweight. The semi-transparent lenses also block UV A/B. And, if you have prescription lenses, you can have your optician switch them out.
The JBL logo doubles as a control panel; you can use it to answer calls, skip tracks, play/pause, and adjust the volume. You can also use the JBL Headphones app to adjust your sound (there are six EQ presets) and personalize the controls.
You’ll also get a carrying case with a USB-C charging cable in the box.
The best headphones and speaker deals to shop this weekSoundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds — $19.98 (List Price $39.99)
Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones — $59.99
JBL Flip 6 Portable Bluetooth Speaker — $99.95 (List Price $129.95)
Bose SoundLink Flex Portable Speaker — $149.00
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $228.00 (List Price $348.00)
JBL Bar 300 5.0ch Compact Soundbar — $249.95 (List Price $399.95)
TL;DR: The highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 launches on June 5. If you missed out on preorders, you might want to try your luck in person at the following retailers: Best Buy, Target, Staples, GameStop, Costco, Sam's Club, and Walmart.
The entire lead-up to the release of the Nintendo Switch 2 has been a mess. President Trump's tariffs delayed the initial preorder, then all the major retailers' websites crashed (shocker) once preorders opened. Even if you did manage to secure a preorder, there's a good chance it was canceled with no explanation. Demand is high, and it seems that many retailers may have oversold their stock and then were forced to backtrack. So, how the heck can you get your hands on the Nintendo Switch 2? Try heading to a local chain retailer like the good old days.
Here's where you can buy the Nintendo Switch 2 in person on launch day (June 5). We recommend arriving early and bringing a camping chair (at the very least).
Best BuyOpening time: 12:01 a.m. ET
Most Best Buy stores will have a limited stock of consoles available for in-person purchase, starting at midnight ET on June 5. Stores will be open for two hours and will be giving away a limited-edition collectible coin. Check out the retailer's Switch 2 landing page to see if your local store is participating in the late-night launch.
TargetOpening time: 8:00 a.m. local time
Rather than doing a late-night event, Target stores will open at their usual time on June 5 (typically 8 a.m.). Switch 2 hopefuls can line up as early as they please "in the designated queuing location" near the store entrance. Target employees will hand out a limited number of reservation tickets to the first in line, so be sure to get there well before the store opens. If you're lucky enough to receive a reservation ticket, you'll be directed to the electronics department once it opens, where you'll be able to purchase one Switch 2 or Switch 2 bundle. For more information, check out Target's press release.
StaplesOpening time: 8:00 a.m. local time
Select Staples stores will have the Switch 2 and an unspecified Switch game bundle on a first-come, first-served basis starting on June 5. Most locations open at 8:00 a.m. and there's a limit of one console per customer. See the Staples Switch 2 landing page for participating retailers.
SEE ALSO: 10 Nintendo Switch 2 launch titles I can't wait to play (besides 'Mario Kart World') GameStopOpening time: 3:00 p.m. local time (June 4)
Head to your local GameStop location for a midnight launch party of the Nintendo Switch 2. The event starts at 3 p.m. local time on June 4, so be sure to plan accordingly. Some store locations will be giving away a free can of Red Bull to GameStop Pro members. Head to the GameStop events page for participating retailers.
Sam's ClubOpening time: 10:00 a.m. local time
The Walmart-owned warehouse club will have limited Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World Bundles available on June 5. You must be a Sam's Club member to purchase, and stock is first-come, first-served. Not a member? There's still time to sign up and get 50% off your first year.
CostcoOpening time: 10:00 a.m. local time
Similar to Sam's Club, Costco will have the Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart Bundle with a 12-month Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership available on June 5 for Costco members only on a first-come, first-served basis. The retailer will also have the Switch 2 Pro controller on launch day.
WalmartOpening time: 12:00 a.m. ET for Supercenters across PST/MST/Hawaii/Alaska, 6:00 a.m. ET for CT/ET
Walmart said in an Instagram post that it will have consoles for purchase at midnight ET on June 5 in Supercenters across Pacific, Mountain, Hawaii, and Alaska regions of the U.S. and at 6:00 a.m. local time for stores in Central and Eastern regions. However, stock is limited and inventory will vary by location.
Wherever you decide to go, be sure to check in with the store ahead of time to ensure it has Switch 2s in stock and to see what time you can start lining up. Be prepared to arrive early and wait in line if you don't have a preorder. It'll be like waiting in line to buy concert tickets in the ’90s, aka the good old days. Just remember that stocks are very limited, so don't get your hopes too high. If you're 100th in line, you might want to check a different retailer.
Shop the best tech dealsRoku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)
Beats Pill Bluetooth Speaker — $99.95 (List Price $149.95)
Roborock Qrevo Master Robot Vacuum and Mop — $899.99 (List Price $1599.99)
Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)
DualSense Edge Wireless Controller — $169.00 (List Price $199.99)
The cast of Dimension 20 is already skilled at building their own characters, but what happens when they have to come up with one together?
SEE ALSO: The 'Dimension 20' cast chooses their ultimate Intrepid Heroes squadThat's the challenge Mashable Entertainment Reporter Belen Edwards laid out to Dimension 20: Cloudward, Ho! cast members Brennan Lee Mulligan, Ally Beardsley, Lou Wilson, Siobhan Thompson, and Zac Oyama when they came to the Mashable studio. With a few rolls of the dice, the cast determined their mystery character's class, species, and ability scores. Based on that information alone, they improvised what this new character would look like, how they'd dress, what weapon they'd wield, and more. From there, Mashable Illustrator Ian Moore and Mashable Animator Zain bin Awais brought their creation to life.
Without spoiling anything, let's just say the results of this game are... chaotic. But with the Intrepid Heroes in play, would you expect anything less? Get ready to meet the one and only Treye Snappes.
Watch the full video above to witness Treye in all his glory. (Although really, it's more like mayhem.) Which Dimension 20 campaign do you think he'd fit best in? Could he hang with Fantasy High's Bad Kids or A Starstruck Odyssey's Gunner Channel? Or would he be more of an adversary for the Intrepid Heroes to take down?
SAVE 17%: As of June 4, you can get the Bose Ultra Open Bluetooth earbuds for $249, down from $299, at Amazon. That's a 17% discount, or $50 off.
Bose Ultra Open Bluetooth earbuds $249 at AmazonFather’s Day is right around the corner, and if you haven’t gotten a gift yet, there’s still time to order something online.
As of June 4, you can get the Bose Ultra Open Bluetooth earbuds for $249, down from $299, at Amazon. That's a 17% discount, or $50 off. This isn't the lowest we've seen these go for (they were $226.98 last December), but it is the best discount we've seen in a while. According to Amazon, these buds are expected to arrive before Father’s Day.
SEE ALSO: The 9 best earbuds to buy in 2025 selected by Mashable expectsThe Bose Ultra Open Bluetooth Earbuds are designed for comfort and awareness — you can still hear your surroundings while listening to music or podcasts. They’re not shoved in your ear canal like a lot of other buds are, so they’re a great option for anyone who can’t stand in-ear pressure and doesn’t want over-ear headphones. The simple button controls let you switch between stereo and Immersive modes, change the volume, skip songs, answer calls, and activate your voice assistant.
You’ll get up to seven hours of playtime on a full charge, or up to four hours with Immersive Audio enabled. The charging case will give you an extra two-and-a-half full charges for up to 19.5 hours of total playtime.
The best headphones and speaker deals to shop this weekSoundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds — $19.98 (List Price $39.99)
Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones — $59.99
JBL Flip 6 Portable Bluetooth Speaker — $99.95 (List Price $129.95)
Bose SoundLink Flex Portable Speaker — $149.00
Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $228.00 (List Price $348.00)
JBL Bar 300 5.0ch Compact Soundbar — $249.95 (List Price $399.95)
SAVE $40.01: As of June 4, get the Eufy P2 Pro Digital Bathroom Scale at Amazon for $39.98, down from its usual price of $79.99. That's a discount of 50%.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Eufy P2 Pro Digital Bathroom Scale $39.98 at AmazonA smart scale can be an invaluable tool for tracking your health and fitness journey. It can provide a wide variety of data points about your body that can help you tweak your workout and nutrition plan, and help you know when you're on track. If you're looking for a great smart scale that won't break the bank, you'll want to head to Amazon.
As of June 4, get the Eufy P2 Pro Digital Bathroom Scale at Amazon for $39.98, down from its usual price of $79.99. That's $40.01 off for a discount of 50%.
SEE ALSO: Grab a 32-inch Samsung monitor for under $170 at Amazon and upgrade your officeThis scale offers full body composition analysis, with 16 measurements on offer: weight, BMI, body fat percentage, muscle mass, bone mass, standing heart rate, and more. It uses ITO-coating technology so you can step anywhere on the scale to still get accurate readings. Plus, its steel sensors can detect subtle changes up to 0.1 pounds.
The scale's companion app can build a 3D virtual model of you so that you can visualize the changes you're seeing. It can take detailed measurements when you step on the scale and offer you an accurate portrait of any changes you might see. Connect it to the EufyLife App to see the model, and also use the data to populate info in your Google Fit, Fitbit, Apple Health, and other fitness apps.
This smart scale has it all and then some at a reasonable price, so if you're ready to enhance your fitness journey, now's a good time to purchase.
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