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With inauguration donations and Mar-a-Lago visits, leaders of the biggest tech companies sought favor with the president in an attempt to steer regulation and tariffs, to little avail.

TL;DR: The Luminar Neo Lifetime Bundle is the perfect gift for photo lovers — $89.99 gets them editing magic for life.

The Luminar Neo Lifetime Bundle is on sale for $89.99 for a limited time.

With its innovative AI-powered photo-editing tools and plenty of add-ons, it’s everything they need to transform everyday photos into stunning works of art — no complicated learning curve required.

Luminar Neo makes photo editing effortless. The AI-powered tools allow users to replace skies, enhance lighting, and even retouch skin with ease. Got an unwanted object in the frame? The Erase tool handles it in one click. Tools like Relightᴬᴵ give them full control of lighting, while Skyᴬᴵ replaces dull skies with breathtaking ones instantly. Structureᴬᴵ and Supercontrast provide even more precision, bringing out details and tone like never before. It’s perfect for beginners and pros alike, offering both simplicity and depth.

What sets this bundle apart are its extras. Extensions like Magic Lightᴬᴵ add glowing effects, while HDR Merge creates stunning detail in high-contrast scenes. LUTs and high-resolution skies make consistent edits across entire collections simple. Plus, the included Creative Photo Editing Techniques course, led by Albert Dros, helps users master every tool in their arsenal.

Packed with powerful features and inspiring tools, it’s the perfect way to spark their next masterpiece and brighten the holiday season.

At $89.99 for a lifetime subscription, the Luminar Neo Bundle is an ideal gift for photographers, hobbyists, or anyone ready to explore their creative side.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Luminar Neo The Award-Winning Luminar Neo Lifetime Bundle $89.99
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If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

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

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

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

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

To entertain or delight.

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

AMUSE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Gracefulness.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 8, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

POISE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Wooden seats in a park.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 8 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 8, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

BENCH

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To erase from memory.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for April 8 Hurdle Word 4 answer

UNSEE

Final Hurdle hint

A small island.

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

ISLET

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

TL;DR: Live stream Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League for free on Virgin Media Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There are so many interesting matchups in the quarter finals of the Champions League, including Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan. The Bundesliga leaders will be looking to gain an advantage in the first leg at home, spurred on by the likes of Harry Kane and Michael Olise.

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

When is Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan?

Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League kicks off at 8 p.m. BST on April 8. This fixture takes place at the Allianz Arena.

How to watch Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan for free

Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan is available to live stream for free on Virgin Media Player.

Virgin Media 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 Virgin Media Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Bayern Munich 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 Ireland

4. Visit Virgin Media Player

5. Watch Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can 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 Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Virgin Media Player?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Virgin Media 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 two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Arsenal vs. Real Madrid in the Champions League for free with a 30-day trial of Prime Video. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League quarter finals are here, with a number of tasty mastups whetting the appetities of fans around the world. At this late stage of the competition, you expect every game to be big, but Arsenal vs. Real Madrid is probably the pick of the round. It's going to be a really interesting battle between two talented sides.

If you want to watch Arsenal vs. Real Madrid in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Arsenal vs. Real Madrid?

Arsenal vs. Real Madrid in the Champions League starts at 8 p.m. BST on April 8. This fixture takes place at the Emirates Stadium.

How to watch Arsenal vs. Real Madrid for free

Arsenal vs. Real Madrid is available to live stream on Prime Video in the UK, but you don't need to be subscribed to Amazon Prime to watch this fixture. Instead, you can watch Arsenal vs. Real Madrid (plus more Champions League fixtures) for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.

Fans from outside the UK will need to use a VPN to watch the Champions League for free on Prime Video. This process is straightforward:

1. Sign up for a 30-day Amazon Prime trial (if you're not already a member)

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

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

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

5. Watch Arsenal vs. Real Madrid for free from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Arsenal vs. Real Madrid on Prime Video without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Champions League fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Prime Video?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream Arsenal vs. Real Madrid in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for April 8 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: To puncture

• Green: Heard on a walkie talkie

• Blue: Seen in the Bible

• Purple: Spelled differently than their pronunciation

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: Prick

• Green: Radio lingo

• Blue: Old Testament books

• Purple: Words pronounced "Sh" without an "Sh"

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 #665 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Prick: JAB, PIERCE, POKE, STICK

• Radio lingo: COPY, NEGATIVE, OVER, ROGER

• Old Testament books: DANIEL, JOB, JUDGES, NUMBERS

• Words pronounced "Sh" without an "Sh:" SEAN, SIOBHAN, SUGAR, SURE

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 8

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.

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

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for April 8 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for April 7, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

An extra.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

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...

SPARE.

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 8

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.

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 8 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 8 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Out of this world

The words are titles.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are movies that share an 'out of this world' genre.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is ScienceFiction.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for April 8

• Gravity

• Arrival

• Dune

• Alien

• Megalopolis

• ScienceFiction

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

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

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

The future of the popular video app is now at the center of a geopolitical tussle between Washington and Beijing.

Although the iPhone's 20th anniversary is still a few years away, Apple is already planning a "bold" design change.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is "preparing a major shake-up" for the iPhone 19 series, slated for release in 2027. That includes a foldable iPhone and an iPhone 19 Pro "that makes more extensive use of glass."

SEE ALSO: Apple's iPhone may be the new Signalgate scapegoat

Not much else is known beyond that, apart from ever-persistent rumors about Apple's development of a foldable iPhone, which have recently become more substantial. But Gurman also said this year's iPhone 17 points toward a sleeker, glassier model. Apple will reportedly release a slimmer iPhone 17 "Air." This model is rumored to have the same screen size as current models, will be two millimeters thinner, but will have similar battery life. This, of course, requires some compromises, like featuring only one rear-facing 48MP camera and an A19 chip instead of the A19 Pro chip.

Rumors for the iPhone 17 Pro launching in September 2025 include a 48MP telephoto lens, an A19 Pro chip, and a camera bump redesign.

SEE ALSO: How Apple and other tech stocks are impacted by Trump tariffs

First, we have Apple's WWDC to contend with, as well as a reported iOS 19 overhaul. Plus, macOS 16, iPadOS 19, tvOS 19, watchOS 12, and visionOS 3 will be revealed on June 9.

The Silicon Valley giant had ordered employees to stay silent on the landmark case before reaching a settlement with a workers’ union over the issue.

Baseball players are, by and large, odd birds. It's a particular sport where you're mostly left to your own thoughts. And catchers are perhaps the strangest of all ballplayers. It's a grueling, physical position that also requires you to lead the entire team on the field. There's a reason catcher's gear has long been dubbed the Tools of Ignorance. It's like being a hockey goalie — you've got to be a little unhinged and odd to choose that job.

All that's to say it makes sense that New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells is going viral for reviewing breakfast burritos. It's distinctly catcher behavior.

You can find his reviews at the aptly titled Instagram account @wells.ranked.burritos, which has racked up more than 60K followers in just three days and two reviews. Its mission statement, spelled out in the bio, is simple: "I am here to rank the Well(s) done road clubhouse breakfast burritos!" So far, the chorizo breakfast burrito from Pittsburgh is the top choice, scoring an 87 out of 100 on the quite-detailed Wells scale.

View this post on Instagram

It's a bit of pure internet joy in a time when there is, well, very little of that. The account harkens back to a bygone internet era when people would post things they enjoyed, rather than hone in on what can be monetized. (Remember Lorde's secret onion rings Instagram?) Frankly, it might just take the brain of a catcher to get to that place in 2025.

“What inspired me? Well, I just really liked breakfast burritos,” Wells told MLB.com.

Severance-themed glass cubes in Grand Central are out; full-scale makeovers of Severance shooting locations are in.

SEE ALSO: 21 burning 'Severance' questions we have after the Season 2 finale

On April 5, Apple transformed Bell Works — the Holmdel, New Jersey, complex that serves as Severance's Lumon Industries building — into an immersive Lumon experience. It's the latest in a series of stunts promoting Severance's second season, including the aforementioned Grand Central pop-up and a balloon-themed installation in London. While those were already impressive (I thought about the Grand Central cube almost daily for the entirety of Season 2's run), the Bell Works event somehow made them seem small.

What's it like to step into Lumon Industries? Check out that cube. Credit: Eric Charbonneau / Apple TV+ via Getty Images

The thrill of the Bell Works event started well before I entered the building itself. Driving onto the campus, we passed the classic white water tower — voiced by Saturday Night Live's Sarah Sherman in Season 2's "Lumon is Listening" video — and signs welcoming us to Lumon headquarters. While Lumon employees might view these sights with mundane resignation, or perhaps even zealous worship of Kier, all I felt was excitement. Yes, please welcome me to this corporate nightmare!

The excitement only grew after walking through Bell Works' doors. It's not every day you get to immerse yourself in the world of one of your favorite shows and experience cool architecture, but the event instantly offered up that double whammy. Even without the Severance connection, Bell Works is a formidable building, with its mirrored exteriors, tiered walkways, and high ceilings creating a vast retro-futuristic interior. With crowds of fans milling about and exploring the space, it was all too easy to imagine you were clocking into work at Lumon on a busy day.

SEE ALSO: I went to the 'Severance' pop-up in Grand Central. It was wild.

Bolstering the illusion was the decor, like the Lumon front desk and Lumon's propaganda posters, featuring such hits as "Live, Laugh, Lumon" and "I'm a Frolic-aholic!" There was even a Lumon vending machine, if you wanted to treat yourself to some cursed Lumon snacks. Actors dressed as Lumon employees also milled about the floor, with Sarah Bock even reprising her role as Miss Huang and continuing the Grand Central tradition of Severance actors playing their characters at these pop-ups.

Watching over it all was the massive head of Kier Eagan, projected onto one of Bell Works' floor-to-ceiling walls. The scale was enough to make me want to burst out into the Kier anthem, but I knew my version wouldn't be enough to match the verve of Choreography and Merriment's thrilling rendition in the Season 2 finale.

On the basement level, you could find displays proclaiming that "Lumon is listening," along with the "Missing" Gemma (Dichen Lachman) posters Irving B. (John Turturro) drew for Mark (Adam Scott).

SEE ALSO: 'Severance's brilliant Season 2 finale, explained

The Lumon vibes extended to the afterparty, which housed office sets where actors played the red ball game or refined data at the MDR desk. One actor was even lying facedown on a conference table, mirroring Helly's (Britt Lower) introduction in the series.

Elsewhere, copies of Ricken Hale's (Michael Chernus) masterpiece The You You Are were displayed in glass cases, while refreshments included a melon bar and a waffle party (served without masked dancers). Someone call Dylan (Zach Cherry), because the perks were out in full force.

The Severance Bell Works event brought Mammalians Nurturable to life. Sign me up for a job in Mammalians Nurturable. Credit: Eric Charbonneau / Apple TV+ via Getty Images

The centerpiece of the Bell Works event was a Q&A with the Severance cast, showrunner Dan Erickson, and director and executive producer Ben Stiller, all moderated by Stephen Colbert.

The Q&A was full of interesting tidbits. Adam Scott discussed getting a concussion while shooting Mark's fight scene with Mr. Drummond (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson), Britt Lower touched on the challenges of playing Helena acting as Helly, and Colbert tried to get further answers about Cold Harbor.

SEE ALSO: 'Severance' Season 2 finale: Let's break down that chilling Cold Harbor room

But the most fascinating part of the Q&A was the set. This was no ordinary stage set-up. Instead, the event recreated the rolling grass hills of Mammalians Nurturable within a massive box (keeping up with the box theme from Grand Central, I see). The contents of the box were kept hidden until the beginning of the Q&A, which started with Severance composer playing the show's theme song live. (Naturally, I got full body chills.) Then, a curtain dropped to reveal Mammalians Nurturable in all its glory, along with Gwendoline Christie in-character as Lorne, the Goat Queen herself.

For several minutes, Christie wandered the stage, ringing her cowbell (or would goat-bell be more appropriate?), trimming the grass and caring for the goats that dotted the fields. A puppet version of Emile, the goat from the Season 2 finale, even made an appearance, standing in the cart Lorne uses to bring him to the goat sacrifice room. Thankfully, Emile avoided death in that episode so he could embrace a career on the stage — the Bell Works stage in particular.

The Severance Bell Works event brought Season 2 fandom full circle. A little creepy, a lot cool. Credit: Eric Charbonneau / Apple TV+ via Getty Images

The entire Bell Works event was an astonishing undertaking, but, just like with the Grand Central cube pop-up, what really took the whole thing over the edge was the presence of the fans.

Grand Central is a massive transit hub, so at rush hour on a weeknight, there's no question that it will be packed with people who are happy to take a gander at actors doing office tasks in a giant glass cube. But Bell Works is much harder to get to, meaning that fans — who only found out about the event at most a day before the event — undertook an even greater journey to arrive there. That's commitment, and it speaks to how much Severance's fandom has grown since Season 1.

I watched Season 1 of Severance back in 2022, when I was still mostly isolating due to COVID-19. Very few people I knew beyond my coworkers watched it, and with my friends scattered in different cities, recommending it to them over texts or phone calls felt like an inadequate way to truly sell them on it. (Especially when it was on AppleTV+, which very few people had.)

In the years since, though, Severance attracted later viewers, making Season 2 the most viewed AppleTV+ show (and a hot topic among friends and family). To see all these passionate fans make the trek to Bell Works was proof of the show's resonance and impact. Perhaps celebrating as a crowd, in a place that means so much to Severance, was the true perk we earned along the way.

Severance Season 2 is streaming on Apple TV+.

For a show that clings to a six-decade-old premise — it's about the Doctor, an alien time traveler who can regenerate their body before death, the TARDIS, a time-and-space machine that's bigger on the inside, and the human companions along for the ride — Doctor Who can seem surprisingly fresh when it's done right.

Why? Not because of the Doctor, as magnetically charming as the lead usually is (current charmer: Ncuti Gatwa). The Doctor may have doubts, setbacks, and mysteries to solve, but as any actor will tell you, very little in the way of character development. Freshness arrives via the companions, who provide the ever-shifting perspective of present-day culture. If the audience is not on board with a new companion by the time they step aboard the TARDIS, many will decline to take the trip.

So will fans (not to mention newbies) feel fresh on April 12? That's when Doctor Who returns for Gatwa's second season (also known as season 2 in the new Disney+ numbering, season 15 since showrunner Russell T Davies rebooted it in 2005, and season 41 for the really old-school fans). It's also when we meet new companion Belinda Chandra (Verada Sethu).

And based on Episode 1, "Robot Revolution," Davies has his work cut out for him when it comes to convincing us to join her. That's not a knock on Sethu, who is about to light up the screen here and in Andor season 2 (where she plays Cinta). It's the fact that Davies has made Belinda the first full-on 21st century iteration of an ancient Doctor Who trope — the reluctant, accidentally-kidnapped companion — without fully locking in a reason to care about her in the first place.

SEE ALSO: All our burning questions for 'Doctor Who' season 15 Meet Belinda Chandra, reluctant companion

We meet Belinda immediately in the cold open, a flashback to 17 years ago that tells us everything about the indignities she's suffered and nothing about her reaction. On a park bench under the stars, then-boyfriend Alan presents Belinda with an International Star Registry-style certificate for a star he's bought and named for her.

Instantly, we learn everything we need to know about Alan: not only does he want her to fold up and save the wrapping paper, but he insists on naming the star Miss Belinda Chandra. "Are you married?" he asks superciliously when she questions this. Belinda concedes she is not.

SEE ALSO: James Bond is canon in 'Doctor Who' now

Remember, this scene isn't set in the distant pre-feminist past. It's 2008, by which time Doctor Who had been offering us formidable female companions for 3 years. Put Rose Tyler (Billie Piper) on that bench, even before her life-changing encounter with the Doctor, and she'd knock Alan back with a zinger. Put Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) there, she'd probably knock him back with a fist too.

So Belinda is acting meek. Fair enough, but why? Is it her family? Some other culturally conservative institution? And what drew her to this humorless wrapping-saving male chauvinist in the first place? Ironically, there's no equivalent of Alan's character-sketch lines to tell us.

We simply fast-forward to May 2025, when Belinda is a nurse in A&E (for Americans, the ER). She mutters her suspicion that a catatonically injured man was attacked by his wife. And she's still suffering indignity in her private life; one of her flatmates falsely accuses her of stealing food and calls her "Linda."

And still there's not one moment of agency for Belinda, as much as we may sympathize. There's no personality quirk that makes her come alive before or after she is kidnapped by robots who take her back to their planet and in a sense, her planet. The robots land in a big old 1950's style sci-fi rocket that they beam her up into, Star Trek-style. (This belt-and-braces approach is typical of "Robot Revolution," which seems giddy about how many cool Disney-money effects Doctor Who can finally deliver.)

The rest of the episode sprinkles on up-to-date cultural references, including the show's first use of "incel," and its response to ChatGPT-style generative AI. But like Belinda's backstory, we move past the references too fast for the show to say anything meaningful or memorable about them.

SEE ALSO: 'Doctor Who' returns — now with Alan Cumming!

By the time Belinda is effectively kidnapped again, as the Doctor finds the TARDIS unwilling to return her to Earth, we're with her, but not necessarily in a good way. Her motivation is to get back home (though why, given how home treats her, we're not told). She's shunning the traditional all-of-time-and-space offer. "I am not your adventure!" Belinda snaps at the Doctor.

'Doctor Who' and the kidnapped companions

The "accidentally kidnapped companion" concept isn't new. It goes back to the very first episode of Doctor Who in 1963, when schoolteachers Ian (William Russell) and Barbara (Jacqueline Hill) strayed onto the TARDIS when following the Doctor's granddaughter Susan (Carole Ann Ford); with the Doctor's unreliable piloting, it took them two seasons to get home.

Then in 1981 came Tegan Jovanka (Janet Fielding), an Australian air stewardess who stepped into what she reasonably thought was a phone box for police when her car broke down. Another two seasons elapsed before the Doctor successfully delivered her to Heathrow airport.

The companions were clearly drawn and had agency. Ian and Barbara went into that police box out of concern for their pupil. Tegan was heading to Heathrow on her first day of work, fearing she'd be fired before she began — and was instantly as upset as Donna Noble about it.

Davies, an old-school nerd whose first memory is the first Doctor regenerating, knows all this. And to be fair, he has more than earned the trust of seasoned fans. He's a master of the slow-building season arc, as you know if "Bad Wolf" and "Torchwood" mean anything to you; this one promises much in ways that we can't talk about yet.

And remember that Davies often opens a season with his silliest, most kid-friendly offering; for many casual fans, Gatwa's first season was hobbled by the fact it started with "Space Babies."

But at least in that case, we had Ruby Sunday (Millie Gibson, who is returning for season 2 — but not yet). Ruby had a clearly established desire, to find the identity of her birth mother. In character, she was herself a TARDIS full of quips and comebacks. "If you talked to me and the girls like that on a Friday night," Ruby told a 19th century male chauvinist in "Rogue," one of season 2's more successful episodes, "we'd rip you a new one."

Belinda isn't anything like that. Fair enough, but Davies has given himself a mountain to climb here with a companion who rejects all Doctor Who tropes, including the endearing quips.

In effect, Belinda doesn't just want out of the TARDIS. She wants out of Doctor Who. And when this trained nurse points out that the Doctor did not ask her consent before scanning her with his Sonic Screwdriver — when we realize that the Doctor has always had a problem with this kind of consent — we may be forgiven for agreeing about wanting out, no matter how promising the season arc that lies ahead.

Doctor Who Season 2 premieres Apr. 12 on Disney+ and BBC.

Have you heard about the new Minecraft movie? The teens have — and they're involving themselves in screenings of the movie at the theater a la The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

According to IGN, teens attending screenings of A Minecraft Movie screamed "CHICKEN JOCKEY!" along with Jack Black's character, Steve, threw their popcorn around, and, in some theaters, police were even called. You can't actually spend much time on TikTok without being bombarded with proof.

X is also full of reactions — although most posts are admitting to the complete shock they experienced upon seeing all the pandemonium, the disappointment in the actual quality of the film, and, well, our ages.

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TL;DR: 27 April is the last day to secure a lifetime subscription to Headway Premium for just A$98 (reg. A$490).

If you're not doing so hot on your New Year's resolutions, let spring serve as your inspiration to do some self-improvement. Headway makes this a totally attainable task, letting you learn and grow right from your smartphone while you're waiting in line or sitting down on a morning commute. 

Headway Premium is an app that offers 15-minute bite-sized nonfiction book summaries you can tackle in your spare time, and today is the last day to secure a lifetime subscription for A$98 (reg. A$490), the best price on the web.

Make phone time more productive with Headway

When was the last time you read a book? No judgment; it's just rare to find time to finish entire books these days. But that's what Headway is for — saving you time by offering 15-minute summaries of non-fiction books to get you up to speed on important topics while you're on the go. 

Though you don't get access to the whole original book, you'll get the key ideas, concepts, and principles. And if it's something that piques your interest, you can then read the whole book and learn even more. 

Headway already has a library of over 1,500 summaries to choose from on topics like personal development, health insights, and business strategies. There are also 50 new summaries are added every month, so you'll never run out of content. 

Aside from offering major personal growth as you tackle all these interesting ideas from some of the world's best non-fiction books, think how good you'll be at your next trivia night armed with all this knowledge. 

27 April the last day to take advantage of this discount, dropping the price of a Headway Premium lifetime subscription to just A$98 (reg. A$490). 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: GTHW App Limited Headway Premium: Lifetime Subscription AU$98
AU$490 Save AU$392 Get Deal

BUY ONE GET ONE FREE: Through April 11, Audible Premium Plus subscribers in the U.S. can get two select titles for a single credit during its 2-for-1 Bring the Spring Sale.

Opens in a new window Credit: Audible Audible BOGO Sale Get two select titles for one credit Get Deal

Audible is easily one of my favorite subscriptions I pay for. If you need a break from the screens, the catalog of audiobooks in the Premium Plus catalog will keep you endlessly entertained. Not to mention, reading feeds your imagination much more than streaming countless episodes of the latest TV series. If you haven't hopped aboard the audiobook train yet, an Audible Premium Plus membership costs $14.95 per month and unlocks access to hundreds of Audible Original audiobooks, an included credit each month to purchase titles in the premium collection (no matter the price), and exclusive access to sales — including the current Bring the Spring Sale.

Through April 11 at 2:59 a.m. ET, Audible Premium Plus members can purchase two select titles for a single credit. While only select titles are eligible for the sale, the list is brimming with top-rated books and New York Times best sellers. It includes titles like A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas, Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell, Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews, and Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney. In order to redeem the offer, click "Add to sale selection" on two different titles in the selection provided on the 2-for-1 promo page. When you check out, the second title will appear for free.

Audiobooks not only use the same part of your brain as reading physical books, but they also give you the freedom to multitask while devouring chapters. You can stimulate your mind or escape the mundanity of ordinary tasks like cleaning and cooking by popping in headphones and opening the Audible app. Whether you prefer thrillers, memoirs, sci-fi-, romance, or anything in between, there's something for you in Audible's Bring the Spring sale. Get two books for a single credit and dive in while you can.

E-BOOKS FOR $1.99: As of April 7, find e-books deals for as low as $1.99 across platforms. Find savings from Kindle Store, Kobo, and Bookshop.org.

Best e-book deals Best Kindle deal 'Knife' by Salman Rushdie $2.99 at Amazon (Save $25.01) Get Deal Best Kobo deal 'The Night We Lost Him' by Laura Dave $2.99 at Kobo (Save $7) Get Deal Best Bookshop.org deal 'The Searcher' by Tana French $1.99 at Bookshop.org (Save $12)) Get Deal

While it's an upfront investment, an e-reader can save bookworms a lot of money in the long run. Not only can you access all the library books you want on these devices, but e-books are a whole lot cheaper than physical copies. But like anything, e-books go on sale, and we're here to track the deals.

Whether you prefer to read with Kindle Store, Kobo, or Bookshop.org, there are deals to be had. This week, shop e-books for as low as $1.99. Here are all the best deals to shop now.

Best e-book deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon 'Knife' by Salman Rushdie $2.99 at Amazon
$28 Save $25.01 Get Deal Why we like it

Knife is Salman Rushdie harrowing account of the 2022 attack that nearly took his life. In his 2024 memoir he details the violent attack as well as his road to recovery and the wisdom he gained throughout. Named one of the best books of 2024, Knife by Salman Rushdie is now on sale for $2.99, down from $28 to save you $25.01 for 89% off. You can find it at Amazon but it's also on sale at Bookshop.org and Kobo, too.

Looking for more deals? Explore all the book deals available this week below.

Kindle e-book deals

• Disobedient by Elizabeth Fremantle — $1.99 $26.95 (save $24.96)

• Here After by Amy Lin — $1.99 $14.99 (save $13)

• Operation Mincemeat by Ben Macintyre — $1.99 $20 (save $18.01)

• A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson — $2.99 $24 (save $21.01)

• The Age of Magical Overthinking by Amanda Montell — $2.99 $28.99 (save $26)

• Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski — $2.99 $17 (save $14.01)

• Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky — $2.99 $19.99 (save $17)

• Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See — $2.99 $18.99 (save $16)

• The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave — $2.99 $9.99 (save $7)

• Shark Heart by Emily Habeck — $2.99 $13.99 (save $11)

• The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin — $2.99 $13.99 (save $11)

• Want by Gillian Anderson — $2.99 $25.20 (save $22.21)

• The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware — $2.99 $18.99 (save $16)

• In Pieces by Sally Field — $3.99 $17.99 (save $14)

• A Walk in the Park by Kevin Fedarko — $3.99 $34 (save $30.01)

Kobo e-book deals

• Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray — $1.99 $12.99 (save $11)

• Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams — $1.99 $11.99 (save $10)

• The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston — $1.99 $9.99 (save $8)

• Fever by Mary Beth Keane — $1.99 $13.99 (save $12)

• The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton — $1.99 $13.99 (save $12)

• The History of Bees by Maja Lunde — $1.99 $8.99 (save $7)

• How to Hide in Plain Sight by Emma Noyes — $1.99 $12.99 (save $11)

• Knife by Salman Rushdie — $2.99 $28 (save $25.01)

• March by Geraldine Brooks — $1.99 $14.99 (save $13)

• Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams — $1.99 $13.99 (save $12)

• Rouge by Mona Awad — $1.99 $13.99 (save $12)

• Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel — $1.99 $9.99 (save $8)

• The Next Best Fling by Gabriella Gamez — $2.99 $11.99 (save $9)

• The Night We Lost Him by Laura Dave — $2.99 $9.99 (save $7)

• Shark Heart by Emily Habeck — $2.99 $13.99 (save $11)

Bookshop.org e-book deals

• Rouge by Mona Awad — $1.99 $13.99 (save $12)

• The Searcher by Tana French — $1.99 $13.99 (save $12)

• Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel — $1.99 $9.99 (save $8)

• Foundation by Isaac Asimov — $2.99 $7.99 (save $5)

• Holly by Stephen King — $2.99 $14.99 (save $12)

• Knife by Salman Rushdie — $2.99 $28 (save $25.01)

• Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda La — $2.99 $13.55 (save $10.56)

• Raw Dog by Jamie Loftus — $2.99 $13.99 (save $11)

SAVE $100: The EcoFlow River 3 portable power station is on sale for $159 at Amazon, down from the usual price of $259.

Opens in a new window Credit: EcoFlow EcoFlow River 3 portable power staion $159 at Amazon
$259 Save $100 Get Deal

Ready or not, spring and summer storms are here. If you tend to worry about losing power during a storm, there's a great deal at Amazon that'll help put your mind at ease while you're studying the upcoming forecast.

As of April 7, the EcoFlow River 3 portable power station is on sale for $159, marked down from the standard price of $259. That's a $100 savings thanks to the 39% discount.

No one loves when the lights flicker and then completely cut out. That means no more streaming Netflix (gotta preserve phone battery) and it's especially concerning if you haven't saved that Excel sheet recently. Instead of stressing, a portable power station can help you ride out the storm.

SEE ALSO: Too much pollen? Breathe easier with 15% off a Levoit Air Purifier.

The compact EcoFlow River 3 is great to keep around at home, offering a 300W output. It weighs just under eight pounds, so it's easy to carry around the home to power up devices — even more so thanks to the built-in carrying handle. EcoFlow mentions this model can keep your WiFi router powered on for about 30 hours, a laptop for about 3.5, a CPAP for almost five hours, and a light for 17 hours. All of these could be a lifesaver if you end up in stormy weather that takes out power.

One of the best features from the EcoFlow River 3 is its ability recharge from 0 to 100% in just one hour on AC power. The same can be said for recharging with a gas-powered generator. It can also be recharged via solar or from your car.

The helpful LCD display shows how much battery percentage remains, the total input/power, and how much time remains before a full recharge. You can also connect the River 3 to the EcoFlow app which gives you mobile access to stats like the remaining power and the ability to turn on power-saving mode.

The EcoFlow River 3 is nice to have around the house in case of a power outage, but it can also be fantastic to pack along for camping or off-grid outdoor adventures . Plus, it's waterproof so wet weather is no issue.

If you've been worried about power outages and keeping devices charged up, grab the EcoFlow River 3 while it's $100 off at Amazon. The peace of mind is worth it.

SAVE $800: As of April 7, Amazon is selling the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra for $999.99, down from $1,799.99. That's a 44% discount, or $800 off the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra $999.99 at Amazon
$1,799.99 Save $800 Get Deal

The Roborock is one of our favorite robo-vac brands, but its top-of-the-line models usually come with a hefty price tag that puts them out of reach for many. Now that the Roborock Saros 10 is out, however, we’ve seen some price drops on other Roborock models.

Right now, you can grab the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra robot vacuum and sonic mop at Amazon for just $999.99, down from $1,799.99. That’s a 44% discount or $800 off the list price. Getting this level of advanced cleaning tech for under a grand is pretty rare.

This robot vacuum has everything you’d want in a high-end robo-vac mop combo. The dock automatically empties the dustbin, washes the mop pads with hot water, dries them with warm air, refills the robot's water tank, and dispenses detergent. It’s smart, too — it knows if the mop pads or floor areas aren't clean enough and will automatically re-wash or re-mop until the job is done right.

SEE ALSO: The Roborock Saros 10R aces one thing that most other robot vacuums can't

Aside from its docking and self-washing/drying skills, the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra has serious cleaning power with 10,000 Pa suction and sonic mopping that scrubs 4000 times per minute. The FlexiArm Design Side Brush is built to reach tight spots, and the Extra Edge Mop gets super close to baseboards (cleaning within less than 1.68mm margins).

It also has Reactive AI 2.0 Obstacle Recognition that helps the robot avoid getting stuck on shoes, cords, and pet waste. Speaking of pets, you can use the onboard camera to video call your fur babies while you’re away from home. If you’re unsure where they're hiding, the Roborock S8 MaxV Ultra will patrol your home until they’re in view. It can even snap quick photos during cleaning runs!

Bottom line: If you want one of the most advanced, self-sufficient robot vacuum and mop systems out there, now is a great time to buy.