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TL;DR: A four-month subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited is available for £0, saving you £39.96 on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Music Unlimited (3-Month Subscription) £0 at Amazon Get Deal

Until Oct. 10, a four-month subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited is available for free as part of the Prime Big Deal Days.

Something to be aware of is that after the four-month promotional period comes to an end, your subscription will automatically renew at £9.99 per month for Prime members. You can cancel this function at anytime though, so there's no obligation to pay anything.

SEE ALSO: Yes, another Prime Day is coming. Here are the early deals to shop now.

Amazon Music Unlimited provides unrestricted access to millions of songs and thousands of playlists, all without any adverts. Users can stream and download their favorite tracks with unlimited skips and explore a vast selection of podcasts. And Amazon Music Unlimited now offers an exceptional audio experience thanks to HD and spatial audio options.

That's a lot of benefits to get for absolutely nothing, but this deal really doesn't come with a catch.

Get three months of Amazon Music Unlimited for free in the Prime Big Deal Days.

TL;DR: A three-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited is available for £0, saving you over £20 on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Unlimited Kindle Unlimited (3-Month Subscription) £0 at Amazon Get Deal

Prime Big Deal Days is back on Oct. 8-9, but you don't need to wait for those dates to save. Some of the best deals are already live, and you don't even need to spend anything to get involved.

A three-month subscription to Kindle Unlimited is available for £0, saving you £28.47 on list price. After the three-month promotional period, your subscription will automatically renew at the monthly rate of £9.49 for Prime members. You can cancel this automatic renewal function at anytime though, so there's no pressure to pay anything.

Kindle Unlimited provides unlimited reading and listening on any device, with over 1 million titles, thousands of audiobooks, and selected magazine subscriptions available on any device. That's a lot of content, and it could be all yours for absolutely nothing.

Kindle Unlimited subscribers with active free trials or paid memberships are not eligible for this exclusive promotion. Customers who have benefited from a Kindle Unlimited promotion or free trial within the past 36 months may also miss out on this offer. But everyone else can profit from this Prime Big Deal Days giveaway.

Get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free.

TL;DR: Live stream Manchester City vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League for free on RTL ZWEE. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The new Champions League format is throwing together more massive matchups between the biggest clubs in Europe, which is great news for fans. We all want to see sides like Manchester City and Inter Milan doing battle. And you can do just that without spending anything.

If you want to watch Manchester City vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Manchester City vs. Inter Milan?

Manchester City vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League kicks off at 8 p.m. BST on Sept. 18. This fixture takes place at the Etihad Stadium.

How to watch Manchester City vs. Inter Milan for free

Manchester City vs. Inter Milan is available to live stream for free on RTL ZWEE.

RTL ZWEE is geo-restricted to Luxembourg, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Luxembourg, meaning you can unblock RTL ZWEE to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Manchester City vs. Inter Milan 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 Luxembourg

4. Sign in to RTL ZWEE

5. Watch Manchester City vs. Inter Milan for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 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 access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Manchester City vs. Inter Milan (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for RTL ZWEE?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on RTL ZWEE, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Luxembourg

• 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 one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Manchester City vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Club Brugge vs. Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League for free on Tabii. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The new format of the Champions League will not be for everyone, but the fact is fans are getting more big games between the best sides. And we're all for that.

Club Brugge and Borussia Dortmund are next up in an interesting first-round matchup. Both sides will believe they can secure three points and make a mark on the tournament.

If you want to watch Club Brugge vs. Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Club Brugge vs. Borussia Dortmund?

Club Brugge vs. Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League kicks off at 8 p.m. BST on Sept. 18. This fixture takes place at the Jan Breydel Stadium.

How to watch Club Brugge vs. Borussia Dortmund for free

Club Brugge vs. Borussia Dortmund is available to live stream for free on Tabii.

Tabii is offering free live streams of the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League for the next three seasons. Tabii is geo-restricted to Turkey, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Turkey, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Champions League from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Club Brugge vs. Borussia Dortmund on Tabii 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 Turkey

4. Sign in to Tabii

5. Watch Club Brugge vs. Borussia Dortmund for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Club Brugge vs. Borussia Dortmund (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Tabii?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Turkey

• 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 one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Club Brugge vs. Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Bologna vs. Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League for free on Tabii. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The first round of Champions League fixtures has already produced some really entertaining games, and we're expecting more of the same between Bologna and Shakhtar Donetsk. Sure, these aren't the biggest teams competing in the competition, but these evenly-matched teams could produce something special.

If you want to watch Bologna vs. Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Bologna vs. Shakhtar Donetsk?

Bologna vs. Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League kicks off at 5:45 p.m. BST on Sept. 18. This fixture takes place at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara.

How to watch Bologna vs. Shakhtar Donetsk for free

Bologna vs. Shakhtar Donetsk is available to live stream for free on Tabii.

Tabii is offering free live streams of the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League for the next three seasons. Tabii is geo-restricted to Turkey, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Turkey, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Champions League from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Bologna vs. Shakhtar Donetsk on Tabii 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 Turkey

4. Sign in to Tabii

5. Watch Bologna vs. Shakhtar Donetsk for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Bologna vs. Shakhtar Donetsk (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Tabii?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Turkey

• 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 one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Bologna vs. Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Celtic vs. Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League for free on RTÉ Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It has been a while since Celtic really impressed in the Champions League, but this could be the year.

An opening round win over Slovan Bratislava could set Celtic on their way to a successful campaign. Of course, there are no easy games in this competition, and Slovan Bratislava will be desperate for three points from this tough matchup.

If you want to watch Celtic vs. Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Celtic vs. Slovan Bratislava?

Celtic vs. Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League kicks off at 8 p.m. BST on Sept. 18. This fixture takes place at Celtic Park.

How to watch Celtic vs. Slovan Bratislava for free

Celtic vs. Slovan Bratislava 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 tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Champions League from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Celtic vs. Slovan Bratislava on RTÉ Player 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. Sign in to RTÉ Player

5. Watch Celtic vs. Slovan Bratislava for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Celtic vs. Slovan Bratislava (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for RTÉ Player?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on RTÉ Player, 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 secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Celtic vs. Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

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 September 18'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 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 used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

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 September 18 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Completely or entirely.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There is one letter that appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter F.

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...

FULLY.

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.

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.

Connections is the latest New York Times word game 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 September 18'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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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 September 18 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Places to have a small get-together

• Green: Hot tip

• Blue: Trailer

• Purple: Misspelled cartoon dogs

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: Gathering Spot Outside A Residence

• Green: Lowdown

• Blue: Kinds of Reels

• Purple: Cartoon Dogs Minus "Y"

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 #465 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Gathering Spot Outside A Residence: DECK, PORCH, STOOP, YARD

• Lowdown: DISH, DOPE, INFO, SCOOP

• Kinds of Reels: BLOOPER, DEMO, HIGHLIGHT, SIZZLE

• Cartoon Dogs Minus "Y": DROOP, GOOF, LAD, SNOOP

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.

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.

The state joins dozens of others in regulating the A.I. fakery in ways that could impact this year’s presidential race.

Ms. Ellison, Sam Bankman-Fried’s former girlfriend and a top executive in his empire, is set to be sentenced on Sept. 24 for her role in the collapse of the crypto exchange.

Apple's big September iPhone event has come and gone and we now know all about the new iPhone 16, a new line of AirPods, and the Apple Watch 10. However, there's still not an M4 Mac or MacBook.

That will be changing very soon, it seems.

SEE ALSO: Apple's new M4 Macs are probably coming in November

Apple appears to have leaked news of a brand new Mac Mini. The leak brings hints of what to expect with the latest desktop Mac and seems to have confirmed rumors about a major redesign.

The new Mac Mini M4 coming soon

The latest Mac operating system, macOS Sequoia, launched on Monday. And, it seems like that launch has brought about a hidden confirmation from Apple about the upcoming Mac Mini M4.

MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris noticed an interesting tidbit in a new line of code from Apple. The line refers to "Apple silicon Mac mini (5 Port)."

Tweet may have been deleted

This bolsters evidence for a previous report from Bloomberg's Apple insider Mark Gurman. According to Gurman, Apple is planning to launch a new Mac Mini that's not only powered by the latest and most powerful M4 chipset, but also one that's completely redesigned. The new Mac Mini M4 is supposedly no larger than the Apple TV set-top box. This would be the first change in design for the Mac Mini since 2010.

In order to make the Mac Mini even smaller, reports suggested that Apple was going to remove USB-A ports completely from the tiny desktop. Apple will instead include 5 USB-C ports, which is likely what the "5 Port" mentioned in that code is referencing.

In addition, this is the closest we have to an "official" confirmation so far that a new Mac Mini is on the way. With one last Apple event of the year in either October or possibly November being heavily rumored, a new Mac Mini seems overwhelmingly likely to be part of the new crop of M4 Macs expected in 2024.

"Northumberland Zoo hits different," a white-haired employee of the establishment says in a resigned tone over TikTok. He then proceeds to make a "Gen Z hand heart" — created using your middle and index fingers — with his fellow white-haired colleague. The video garnered nearly 8 million views and over 1 million likes on the app and is part of a trend where Gen Z employees write the script for their company's social marketing videos.

SEE ALSO: 'Beetlejuice lips' TikTok trend celebrates the natural creases of your lips

In these videos, the script is full of internet expressions like "it's giving," "very demure," "brat summer," etc., and the people reciting the script are noticeably older. It implies Gen Z idiocy and Gen X / Boomer gullibility.

It's the latest iteration of businesses using their Gen Z employees — and their internet savvy — for attention and engagement online. Previously, "Gen Z interns" edited their employer's videos in quirky, unprofessional ways. There was also a period of "guess who is Gen Z" TikToks made in the workplace. The latest spin on the trend relies on "Gen Z vocabulary" or online slang, which, more often than not, is misidentified African American Vernacular English.

SEE ALSO: From yap to pookie, 2024's most viral internet slang defined

Milking invented generational difference is tired, and a TikTok trend explicitly created for marketing is never much fun. They fill our feeds with even more advertisements masquerading as culture.

However, some videos in the current wave of the Gen Z intern trend maintain a bit of charm due to the types of businesses it attracts. In one, a woman walks around Fyfield Manor, an 880-year-old bed and breakfast, saying things like, "See the garden? It's giving relaxation." The video received over 11.4 million views and 2.2 million likes. In another, actors decked out in Regency-era dress greet "besties" and show viewers around the Jane Austen Centre to the tune of over 125,000 views and 22,000 likes.

When these videos lack the dichotomy between historical England and internet slang, they tend to fall flat — with the exception of zoos. Zoos have some of the most pleasing and innately viral social media presences on the internet.

OpenAI 's internal safety committee is becoming an independent oversight body, as CEO Sam Altman leaves the group's top leadership role.

The announcement came as part of the results of a 90-day evaluation by the existing Altman-chaired Safety and Security Committee into the company's AI safeguards and governance.

The committee's new leadership includes Zico Kolter (Carnegie Mellon University), as well as existing members Adam D’Angelo (Quora) and Nicole Seligman (formerly Sony). "The Safety and Security Committee will be briefed by company leadership on safety evaluations for major model releases, and will, along with the full board, exercise oversight over model launches, including having the authority to delay a release until safety concerns are addressed," the announcement reads.

SEE ALSO: Big Tech is emitting way, way more greenhouse gas emissions than reported

In May, the AI company launched a revamped safety and security team with Altman in the top seat, following the dissolution of its former security body and the loss of more than half of its relevant employees. Multiple former employees have raised concerns about Altman's leadership and OpenAI's safety protocols.

Last week, Altman told OpenAI employees that the company plans to overhaul its non-profit corporate structure in favor of a for-profit push. The company, the CEO said, had "outgrown" its existence as a capped for-profit LLC overseen by a non-profit board, but the shift was also reportedly an essential element to the AI startup's anticipated $150 billion valuation.

Netflix has released a look at its animated "The Witcher:Sirens of the Deep" series, with voice actor Doug Cockle reprising the role.

There is a financial crisis among groups that recruit and advocate for women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields, the BBC reports. 

Funding has dried up for many of these organizations, with Women Who Code and Girls in Tech — two of the most prominent U.S. organizations supporting women in tech positions — folding this summer. The problem stretches across shores, with the UK’s Tech Talent Charter shuttering in June. Like Women Who Code and Girls in Tech, the Charter’s reason for closure was a lack of financial support from tech companies, which appear to be souring on DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives that once worked to recruit women and employees of color, especially in the early 2020s. Google, Meta, X, and Zoom have all slashed DEI budgets and laid off staff.

The tech gender disparity appears stuck in a doom loop, with companies devoting less effort to bridging the gap and fewer tech organizations for women able to survive. At Google, Microsoft, and Apple, women make up less than 33 percent of leadership teams, while female employees at the three tech mega-companies constitute only about a third of workers.

SEE ALSO: Spotify hasn't spent much of its $100 million diversity fund

While tech corporations often blame missed revenue targets for the cutting of positions and initiatives that support minority students and candidates, the BBC posits that the companies are following cultural currents whipped up by figures like X CEO Elon Musk, who compares DEI programs to “racism.” Even when companies cough up money to support groups like England’s TecWomenCIC, the funds are usually a one-off contribution that does little to sustain the effort of bringing more women into the field, TecWomenCIC founder Caitlin Gould told the BBC.

Tweet may have been deleted

The dearth of women in tech positions isn’t helped by the lack of girls in STEM classes, a phenomenon that compounds itself as female students may be discouraged from joining classes when they know they could be the only girl there. If they do proceed in a STEM field and get hired, they are also known to make around $15,000 less annually than their male peers, according to The American Association of University Women. For Latinas and Black women, that pay discrepancy is more than double.

Efforts to recruit girls and women into tech and other STEM fields is not completely moribund, though. The Tech4Girls event happens in October at the Mobile World Congress expo in Las Vegas, with two days of training, networking, hands-on experience, and mock interviews. In Florida, the recently launched Women in Tech & Entrepreneurship (WTE) is helping industry women throughout the state network, hone their skills, and chip at the glass ceiling.

"Is Apple Intelligence only coming to iPhone 16" is a question I often get as a tech journalist on the Apple beat. The quick answer is no.

Apple Intelligence, revealed at WWDC 2024 (an annual Apple conference and livestream that reveals the company's newest software developments), is the tech giant's new suite of AI tools. Apple Intelligence includes a new-and-improved Siri, Writing Tools (for adjusting the tone of your texts and emails), summarized notifications, call recording, the Clean Up tool (Apple's answer to Google's Magic Eraser feature), and more.

You can actually test some of these features as we speak, but you'll need to download the iOS 18.1 developer beta. (If you want to test it, please back up your iPhone; betas are known to be a little rough-around-the-edges.) Keep in mind, though, there are some Apple Intelligence tools you can't test yet, including Genmoji (AI-generated emoji).

However, only select iPhone devices support this early testing phase of Apple Intelligence — and those same devices will be the only phones that will officially support Apple Intelligence when it lands later this year.

Is Apple Intelligence only coming to iPhone 16?

Apple Intelligence is, indeed, coming to iPhone 16, including the iPhone 16 base model, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Apple Intelligence on iPhone 15 Pro Max Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

However, Apple Intelligence is also coming to the iPhone 15 Pro models (i.e., iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max). To reiterate, Apple Intelligence is only coming to the following iPhone models:

• iPhone 15 Pro

• iPhone 15 Pro Max

• iPhone 16

• iPhone 16 Plus

• iPhone 16 Pro

• iPhone 16 Pro Max

Apple Intelligence requires certain robust internals, including sufficient memory (i.e., at least 8GB of RAM) and a zippy neural engine, an internal unit that's responsible for AI calculations and processing machine-learning algorithms. If you want to hear it from the horse's mouth, in an interview with Chinese YouTube personality Geekerwan, Apple SVP of Hardware Technologies Johny Srouji said the following:

"We evaluate different configurations for computation, memory bandwidth, and capacity to ensure the best performance. Apple Intelligence was a key factor in our decision to increase the RAM to 8GB.”

The entry-level iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, for example, have 6GB of RAM, which is 2GB short of the requirement for Apple Intelligence support.

The 8GB of RAM added to the iPhone 15 Pro models, as well as the entire iPhone 16 lineup, will also benefit high-end mobile gaming, according to Srouji.

iPhone 16 Pro Max model in Desert Titanium Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

As such, if you want to enjoy Apple's new suite of AI tools, and you don't have a "Pro" iPhone 15, you'll have to purchase an iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max — or pre-order one of the new iPhone 16 models.

Apple Intelligence is expected to roll out some time in October.

Instagram just unveiled a much more restricted way for teens under 16 to use its app. Known as Teen Accounts, parent company Meta says its part of a "reimagining" of their platform for teens, in light of ongoing concerns about youth safety on the app — and they plan to apply it to all Meta platforms in the future.

A Teen Account is automatically set to private, with limits on who can message and interact with them. Accounts are placed under default content restrictions, as well, and the app will provide time limit notifications urging users to leave the app after 60 minutes. Teen Accounts are opted-in to an automatic, do-not-disturb sleep mode between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., silencing notifications and auto-replying to DMs. Sleep mode can also be adjusted to fully block a teen from using the app.

Users under 16 can also select specific topics they want to be served in the app's Explore page and post recommendations. Parents and guardians can be added to a Teen Account to monitor interactions, time limits, and settings — any changes to the default settings must be approved by a guardian.

SEE ALSO: Spotify is piloting a Premium membership tailored for kids

"Instagram Teen Accounts reflect the importance of tailoring teens’ online experiences to their developmental stages, and implementing appropriate protections," wrote Northeastern University professor Rachel Rodgers in the company's press release. "Younger adolescents are more vulnerable as their skills are still emerging and require additional safeguards and protection. Overall, the settings are age-specific, with younger and older teens being offered different protections."

Instagram has beefed up its teen safety measures in recent months, including a recent update that defaults all teen accounts into the most strict content control settings. But an investigative report by the Wall Street Journal found that underage users are still repeatedly shown sexually explicit and harmful videos via the app's tentpole video product, Reels. Young users weren't just encountering content outside of the app's moderation, they were also being served "more pornography, gore, and hate speech" than adults, according to internal documents from 2022 reviewed by the publication.

Teen users have also been known to lie about their ages to get around automatic restrictions. To curb this, the platform says it will ask for more frequent age verification, and will test a technology that "proactively finds accounts belonging to teens" next year.

Instagram will transition existing under-16 users into Teen Accounts over the next 60 days. Any teen signing up for a new Instagram account will immediately be placed into a Teen Account. The feature will go global in January.

Sony’s PS5 Pro announcement didn’t exactly land with a bang — more like a fizzle. With a lukewarm reception from potential buyers, it’s clear the focus is already shifting to what PS56 could bring to the table.

According to a report from Reuters, AMD is, once again, stepping up to design the next-gen chip for Sony’s upcoming console.

An exclusive report revealed why AMD was chosen over Intel to design the chip for Sony’s upcoming PS6. The key reason? Backward compatibility. Sources close to the decision revealed that ensuring a seamless gaming experience between the PS6 and its predecessor was a top priority for Sony — something the company doesn’t want to fumble after past missteps.

SEE ALSO: PlayStation shuts down 'Concord' two weeks after launch

Flashback to 2013: When the PS4 dropped, the lack of native backward compatibility with the PS3 was a massive disappointment for fans. Sony addressed this with the PS5 — and it looks like the company is determined to maintain that goodwill moving forward.

While the AMD deal feels fresh, insiders shared with Reuters that the agreement has been in place since at least 2022. Tensions between Sony and Intel reportedly stemmed from disputes over profit-sharing, with Intel wanting a bigger cut per chip sold. When asked about these negotiations, an Intel spokesperson declined to comment on discussions with Sony, but pushed back against the narrative that Intel "failed" to win the contract.

A long-term deal with Sony could have funneled upwards of $30 billion into Intel’s coffers, had it gone through. But in the end, AMD’s established relationship with Sony — and its experience designing chips for Microsoft’s Xbox — likely made it an easy decision for Sony to stick with the safer bet.

If you know anything about nature and the circle of life, you would know that Amazon announcing dates for its October Prime Day also means that news of fall sales events from other retailers like Best Buy are also looming — if not out already.

Yes, Best Buy dropped its huge fall savings schedule the same week that the Prime Big Deal Days schedule was confirmed (actually, Best Buy's plan came a day earlier). Best Buy's event, which is being framed as a countdown to the holiday season, is technically split up into several sale events spanning from Sept. 27 through Oct. 25. Quietly baked into the agenda is one of its iconic 48-hour flash sales that just happens to fall Oct. 8 and 9 — the same start and end dates as Amazon's October Prime Day.

SEE ALSO: What not to buy during Amazon's October Prime Day sale, from third-party scams to Ring cams

As you start to spiral over the mere mention of the word "holiday" in mid-September, let's break down Best Buy's pre-Black Friday timeline:

• Exclusive Member Sale: From Sept. 27 to 29, Best Buy Plus and My Best Total members will get exclusive access to offers on big tech items like laptops and TVs — huge, because we actually prefer Best Buy's selection (and reliability) of deals on premium laptops and TVs to Amazon's. (Like Prime, these are paid plans, but My Best Buy Plus is almost $100 cheaper than Prime per year. Just saying.)

• Apple Trade-Up Event: From Sept. 30 to Oct. 20, you'll be able to squeeze a little more out of your Apple Watch, MacBook, iPad, iMac, and unlocked iPhone trade-ins by unlocking savings on the newest Apple devices.

• 48-Hour Flash Sale: From Oct. 8 to 9, Best Buy's annual Flash Sale will offer big deals on TVs, gaming gear, laptops, monitors, and more tech. Again, this is the unofficial Prime Big Deal Days competition, and we're seeing nothing about a paid membership being required to participate in this one.

• Prep for the Holidays Event: Starting on Oct. 21, even more pre-holiday deals will start popping up.

• Three-day Gaming Event: Starting on Oct. 25, Best Buy's gaming selection will be getting the special sale treatment in honor of the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Expect deals on gaming software, major consoles, controllers, and other accessories.

By the end of October, expect Best Buy to be in full Black Friday mode. The retailer didn't mention this in certain terms, but context clues tell us everything: Last year, Best Buy's Black Friday sale began with early access for paid members on Oct. 27, then opened up to everyone on Oct. 30.

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SAVE $30: As of Sept. 17, get the Fitbit Google Ace for $199.95, down from $229.95, at Amazon. That a discount of 13%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Fitbit Google Ace (cellular, GPS) $199.95 at Amazon
$229.95 Save $30.00 Get Deal

If your kids have been bugging you for a smartwatch so they can be like all their friends, you don't have to cave and immediately buy an Apple Watch when there are great options that don't cost an arm and a leg. There's one especially great pick you can bring home for the younger members of your family right now for less, thanks to Amazon.

As of Sept. 17, get the Fitbit Google Ace (cellular, GPS) on sale for $199.95. That's $30 off its normal price of $229.95 and a 13% discount. This price currently applies to both the Mild Strange Arcade and Spicy Moovin colorways, which are aimed at kids with fun graphics and bold prints.

SEE ALSO: The best smartwatch for every wrist

Help your kids kick off their wearable journey, keep track of them, and let them keep an eye on their own activities with the Fitbit Google Ace. It comes with built-in cellular 4G LTE and GPS so you can see where your kids are at all times. They can also use their watch to call home without a smartphone, as long as you're paying for connectivity. It also boasts 16 hours of battery life with fast charging, so it can spring back up to 11 hours of power in as little as 30 minutes. In addition to School Time, which lets you limit gameplay on the unit, it also features Tap to Pay, so your kid can pay with their watch if they ever need to.

With built-in games and plenty of ways to interact with the world beyond fitness and activity tracking, this smartwatch is a great option for kids, but if you like to have fun with your wearables too, you might end up wanting to get your own. Either way, you'll want to grab it while it's on sale.