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TL;DR: Relive your childhood by grabbing the Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro for $89.97 (reg. $159) — it comes preloaded with 70,000+ classic games.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kinhank Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro Retro Gaming Emulator & Streaming Console $89.97
$159.99 Save $70.02 Get Deal

Have the winter blues got you down? You could try to entertain yourself by doomscrolling yet again. Or, you could relive some of your best childhood memories with this retro-inspired gaming console.

The Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro Retro Gaming Emulator & Streaming Console comes with over 70,000 classic games from the ‘80s, ‘90s, and early 2000s, letting you relive your childhood or college gaming days, and it even doubles as a streaming console. Grab it while it's available for $89.97 (reg. $159) with free shipping.

Rather than spend another night doomscrolling your social media feed, end your workday (or start the weekend) with classics like Super Mario, Street Fighter, and Pac-Man. All you need to do to set up the Kinhank is plug it into your TV, grab a controller, and dive right into the action. No extra installation or hardware is necessary.

Have a solo game night to decompress and relive your childhood by racing or completing puzzles. Or, invite your siblings or friends over to enjoy the console's multiplayer mode. It comes with two wireless controllers, letting you duke it out with your brother or best friend in Super Smash Bros. 

When you need a quick break from gaming, this retro gaming powerhouse lets you stream a movie or your favorite shows. Catch up on Severance or rewatch old cartoons in between gaming sessions.

Your new entertainment setup awaits. Indulge in some childhood nostalgia by yourself or with your favorite people by grabbing the Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro for just $89.97 with free shipping while supplies are still available.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Through March 30, grab a lifetime of cloud storage from Koofr on sale for $119.97 with coupon code KOOFR.

So many cloud storage services come with a monthly fee. It may feel cheap at first, but how many of those files are only there temporarily? With every month you pay for cloud storage, the value starts to fade. The cheaper overall alternative is to get cloud storage that lasts for life without needing to pay more than a one-time fee. Take a look at Koofr's offer for a 1TB lifetime cloud storage subscription for $119.97 with code KOOFR.

Koofr takes your privacy seriously with top-notch encryption for your files, both when they're being transferred and while they're stored. They also don’t track your activity, so you can rest easy knowing your data is secure and private.

What really stands out about Koofr is how flexible and user-friendly Koofr is. Whether you're on your smartphone, desktop, or using WebDAV, you can easily access and manage your files from anywhere. The interface is straightforward, so even if you're new to cloud storage, you’ll find it easy to use.

Plus, if you’re already using other cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon, or OneDrive, Koofr integrates smoothly, letting you handle everything from one place.

And for keeping your digital space in order, Koofr has some neat features. The Duplicate Finder helps you eliminate unnecessary duplicates, while advanced renaming options let you customize file links. This way, you can keep your files organized and your digital space clutter-free.

Keep your files safe and sound with a Koofr 1TB Cloud Storage lifetime subscription for $119.97 with promo code KOOFR until March 30.

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Koofr Koofr Cloud Storage: Lifetime Subscription (1TB) $159.99
$810.00 Save $650.01 Get Deal

TL;DR: You can get lifetime access to 18 online ethical hacking courses for $35 (reg. $1098) — that’s less than $2 per course.

You’re exhausted, underpaid, and wondering if this is all there is. Nope: Tech and cybersecurity jobs are booming, and they might be how you escape a job that doesn’t appreciate your talent or pay you what you’re worth. Plus, getting your foot in the door can be as simple as being self-taught and having the right certifications.

You may be thinking, ‘But that’s not me…,’ and we say, ‘Not yet.’ We have an excellent cybersecurity training bundle that could prepare you for jobs like penetration tester, security consultant, or security analyst, all of which are high-earning roles. Unlike college courses, these are only $35 while they’re on sale.

What you’ll learn, and what you can do with it

Have you ever heard the term ‘ethical hacking’? It’s what you’ll learn to do through these courses. Basically, you’ll think like the bad guys, simulating attacks on systems or networks so you can discover weaknesses or vulnerabilities and repair them before real threats happen. 

After learning about the tools and strategies real ethical hackers use, you might earn certifications to solidify your knowledge. This is what prospective employers will be looking for when you apply for jobs — not always a formal degree.

Still need some motivation to make this career change? Does it help to know that the median salary for an experienced ethical hacker is $212,000? Yeah, jump on this.

Study to become an ethical hacker with our $35 bundle of courses, normally $45.99. No coupon is needed to take advantage of this discounted price.

The All-in-One Super-Sized Ethical Hacking Bundle - $35

See Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Aleksa Tamburkovski The All-in-One Super-Sized Ethical Hacking Bundle $34.97
$1,098.00 Save $1,063.03 Get Deal

TL;DR: Save 27% on a refurbished HP EliteDesk, a mini desktop that comes with Windows 10 Pro, a keyboard and mouse, and 256GB of storage while supplies last.

Opens in a new window Credit: HP HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Mini Desktop (2015) 2.2GHz i5-9500T 16GB RAM 256GB SSD Windows 10 Pro (Refurbished) + Accessories Bundle $274.97
$379.99 Save $105.02 Get Deal

You might be thinking it's time for a home office upgrade. Your laptop may have been a trusty device, but you may be holding your productivity back by not upgrading to a desktop.

Desktops may have been large and clunky in the past, but you can get the performance and battery upgrade of a desktop without the clutter. Just add this mini HP desktop to your office. This compact, refurbished HP EliteDesk brings power in its sleek design, and it's now available for $274.97, or 27% off the usual price of $379.

This HP EliteDesk was awarded a grade "A" rating, meaning it'll arrive in near-mint condition with minimal wear and functions like new. The only downside of shopping refurbished is that inventory is limited.

Desktop power in a compact design

Your casual tasks and day-to-day work can get a performance boost with this EliteDesk's Intel Core i5 and 16GB of RAM. Run your Microsoft apps, Adobe Suite, or other programs simultaneously with minimal to no lag. You'll even be able to game on this mini desktop, and users can save photos, files, and other media locally, thanks to its 256GB SSD.

Adding to this desktop's enhanced processing and providing built-in security is Windows 10 Pro integration. This operating system is equipped with measures like BitLocker device encryption and Windows Information Protection services, features that aren't available on the free Home version of Windows 10.

Here's yet another pro of this desktop: the HP EliteDesk comes with a keyboard and mouse for increased productivity, so you'll only need to add a monitor. Plug in your peripherals through its variety of ports. 

All of these features are housed in an unobtrusive, sleek profile. Whether you're adding this to your home office or office cubicle, this desktop won't take up much surface area.

Take advantage of this limited-time offer on this refurbished HP EliteDesk Mini Desktop, now $274.97, while inventory is still available.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The dating world is changing, again. Even though more young people are so over endless swiping, the best dating apps are still the easiest way to find...well, everyone. Whether you love 'em or hate 'em (and let's be real, it's kinda both), you need to know which apps are actually worth your time.

While you could ask a friend to set you up, look for other single people at bars, or rely on good old-fashioned serendipity to find true love (or a quick fling), dating apps let you find a match without leaving your couch.

SEE ALSO: The uncomfortable truth behind the lavender marriage trend

No matter how you feel about dating apps, you can't deny that many couples now owe their relationship to online dating. A 2022 survey from the Pew Research Center found that out of nearly 6,000 respondents, one in 10 partnered adults (those who were married, in a long-term relationship, or living together) met through a dating app. For adults under 30 and members of the LGBTQ+ community, 20 to 24 percent found their partner on the apps.

What is the best dating site?

Dating apps can be a lot, and with so many options, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. While Match Group (Tinder, Match, Archer, OkCupid, Hinge, Plenty of Fish, and The League, among others) continues to dominate the market, you don't have to limit yourself to just one brand when looking for the best dating app.

SEE ALSO: How to stay safe on dating apps

For example, First Round’s On Me (FROME) is a newish app that's gained popularity for its date invitation feature. Choose a drink, date, time, and venue, and the app will send a personalized invitation to your potential match. Once a date is confirmed, it's locked into both users' calendars, and the in-app chat feature is activated 12 hours before the date.

Other apps like Pure cater to people open to ethical, non-monogamous relationships or threesomes. There really is something for everyone, including more traditional dating apps like eharmony, Facebook Dating (think Tinder Lite, for your grandma), and Christian Mingle, which swap endless scrolling for compatibility quizzes and faith-based connections.

The best dating apps of 2025

We take dating app research seriously. To find the best options for every kind of dater, including introverts, single parents, budget-conscious singles, working professionals, and LGBTQ+ users, we created profiles, swiped (and swiped, and swiped), and even sprung for premium features to see what they really offered. We also enlisted our own writers and editors to test these apps in their actual dating lives and report back with their findings. After all that, we factored in customer reviews, privacy features, and overall user-friendliness to create this definitive guide to the most reliable dating apps.

Good luck, babe.

If you go by definition, Apple's new C1 chip isn't the sexiest thing in the world.

Per Apple, it's "the first modem designed by Apple." Given that all previous iPhones also had some sort of modem chip inside — for example, the iPhone 16 sports a Qualcomm Snapdragon X71M — it's easy to overlook the C1 as just another chip that makes the iPhone do basic iPhone stuff like connecting to the internet.

But the Apple C1, which debuted in the company's new iPhone 16e, could be a bigger deal than you think. Apple says that C1 contributes to the iPhone 16e's "extraordinary battery life."

SEE ALSO: Apple iPhone 16e doesn't have MagSafe, but there's a fix

The C1 chip was actually a very complex endeavor. Speaking to Retuers, Johny Srouji, Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies, said that that the baseband modem was manufactured with advanced 4-nanometer chipmaking technology, while the transceiver was made with 7-nanometer technology. It had to be tested with 180 carriers in 55 countries to make sure it works, well, everywhere.

Indeed, the iPhone 16e beats the iPhone 16 in battery life by a large margin (up to 26 hours of video playback vs. the iPhone 16's 22 hours of video playback), despite the two phones being roughly the same size.

Now, Apple sleuth Ming-Chi Kuo claims that Apple's C1 chip will also be used for the rumored "slim iPhone 17."

Tweet may have been deleted

And while Apple rarely discusses future products or plans, the Srouji told Reuters that "C1 is the start."

"We're going to keep improving that technology each generation, so that it becomes a platform for us that will be used to truly differentiate this technology for our products," he said. According to MacRumors, who quoted a source with a good track record as saying that Apple is already working on a C2 modem, which could be even more power efficient, as well as offer faster and more reliable 5G connectivity.

In practical terms, this could mean that Apple's rumored slim iPhone 17 will have a longer battery life than one might expect given its thin profile. The rest of the iPhone 17 lineup will still feature Qualcomm modems according to Kuo, but in the future, Apple silicon might finally take iPhones to a place where you can forget to charge them overnight and still have battery left at the end of the next day.

SAVE $12: As of Feb. 21, the Amazon Fire Stick 4K is on sale at Amazon for $37.99. That's a 24% discount on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire Stick 4K $37.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $12.00 Get Deal

Amazon's Fire TV Stick is one of the retailer's most popular products, and it's no secret why. It's a streaming device that plugs into your TV (or laptop) and lets you access platforms including Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, and more. It comes with a remote with Alexa built-in, helping you turn any TV into a smart TV, for less than $50.

And as of Feb. 21, you can get it for even less. The newest model of the Fire Stick 4K is currently reduced by 24%, now priced at $37.99.

SEE ALSO: The Amazon Fire TV 4-Series is at its lowest-ever price at Amazon

And there's no complicated setup for this device. These handy remotes are so simple to use, anyone can do it. Just pop the device into your TV's HDMI port, and that's it. You'll have instant access to a range of streaming platforms as well as many live channels.

And with the Fire Stick 4K, you can enjoy incredible 4K Ultra HD visuals with advanced HDR formats like Dolby Vision and HDR10+. This model also boasts a much more powerful processor and enhanced Dolby Atmos support than its predecessor, ensuring a smoother performance and better quality sound.

Head to Amazon to grab this great deal.

SAVE $100: As of Feb. 21, the Breville Barista Express Impress is on sale for $799.95 at Amazon. That's an 11% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Breville Breville Barista Express Impress $799.95 at Amazon
$899.95 Save $100.00 Get Deal

Barista-style coffee from the comfort of your own home is every coffee lover's dream, and with this Amazon deal, maybe it could soon be your reality. As of Feb. 21, you can find the impressive Breville Barista Express Impress reduced by $100, now $799.95.

This premium machine is the ideal choice if you take your coffee quality seriously. It has a fantastic impress puck system, meaning you don't need to use guesswork when trying to craft the perfect espresso. The intelligent dosing system automatically calculates the perfect amount of coffee, with adjustments for each dose for consistent results. Assisted tamping ensures a perfect finish, replicating professional barista techniques.

SEE ALSO: The best coffee machines for modern kitchens

The built-in grinder allows you to use a variety of beans, and the 25 grind settings let you pick between a fine or coarse bean. Other standout features include an integrated conical burr grinder and a Thermocoil heating system with precise temperature control.

If you're a latte or cappuccino person, the built-in steam wand lets you create perfectly velvety foam for any drink.

Ready to show off your barista skills? Head to Amazon to grab this great deal.

"I don't care that you're a stoner" are words any weed enthusiast would love to hear during a hangout sesh — ideally from the lips of Chappell Roan herself during an a cappella serenade of "Red Wine Supernova," but from any old date works, too. And while it's a tricky subject to bring up on a blind date or serendipitous meet-cute, putting the feelers out on a dating app can help you avoid any more awkward first dates with someone who's not about that life.

Past that, if ingesting weed in your preferred form comes to mind when listing off your hobbies, it's completely valid to prefer a match who would also enjoy a night of Netflix, the couch, and a laser bong.

SEE ALSO: 10 free dating apps worth trying in 2025 Is there a 420-friendly dating site? Yes, but...

Finding a weed-friendly partner doesn't require a weed-centric dating app, though a few of those technically do exist. High There! and 420 Singles would probably be considered the two "main" stoner dating apps, though "main" is a bit of a stretch considering the lack of an active user base. While we would love to find an active dating site just for marijuana users, user reviews point back to the same issues: Of the few profiles that aren't dead or bots, these apps often devolve into places to buy and sell weed.

SEE ALSO: The uncomfortable truth behind the lavender marriage trend

Luckily, there are plenty of mainstream dating apps that let you filter by interests or even mention your love for cannabis in your bio (regardless of whether or not recreational weed has been legalized and/or decriminalized in your state). That said, not all of these advanced matchmaking features for finding your fellow stoners are free. On Hinge, for example, you can't filter based on marijuana stance (or height, political views, or religion) unless you're a paid subscriber. Your best bet is to disclose your 420 status in your bio — just don't make it the primary focus.

Below, we've pulled the best 420-friendly dating apps of 2025. These apps are where the cannabis-loving community finds love (and maybe a smoke buddy). So skip the uncomfortable small talk and get straight to connecting with people who get it.

From tense employee reviews to Mark (Adam Scott) collapsing due to reintegration, a lot happens in Severance Season 2, episode 6 — so much so that one brief sequence may have slipped under the radar.

We're talking about Lumon employee Mr. Drummond (Ólafur Darri Ólafsson) — the intimidatingly deep-voiced gentleman who conducts Milchick's review — breaking into a house to look at some documents.

But whose house is he entering, and what's the deal with the documents he finds? Let's recap.

SEE ALSO: 'Severance's Dieter Eagan story is more important than you think What does Mr. Drummond do in Season 2, episode 6?

While outtie Irving (John Turturro) is having dinner with Burt (Christopher Walken) and his partner, we see a shot of Mr. Drummond approaching Irving's unoccupied house. Producing a large set of keys, Mr. Drummond lets himself in, then opens a padlocked chest to reveal a set of jumbled documents.

Lifting up a "Kier Regional Road Map," Mr. Drummond finds a long list of typed names. At the top, someone – presumably Irving – has scrawled "Severed Employee List."

The pages appear to be an alphabetised list of every Lumon employee who has undergone the Severance procedure, along with details such as age, address, and the possible date the procedure was undertaken. There are also pencil notes next to some of the names. Beside "Doug Coleman," for instance – who apparently fractured his hand in a car crash and was involved in a subsequent lawsuit with the city over the placement of a stop sign – Irving has written: "Did the settlement lead to Severance?"

What are you up to, Irving? Credit: Apple TV+ Why does Irving have these documents?

Now this is the big question, isn't it? We already know that outtie Irving was obsessively drawing the exports hall – the entrance to the mysterious "testing floor" where Ms. Casey (Dichen Lachman) is sent in Season 1 – so it's clear that he has an interest in Lumon's secrets. But based on the discovery of the list, it seems like he may be far deeper in than we first thought.

Could he be actively working to track down Severed employees in order to bring Lumon's secrets to light? And could that have something to do with the phone call he makes on a pay phone in episode 5?

Severance Season 2 is now streaming on Apple TV+, with a new episode every Friday.

Severance's second season delivers a pair of complementary sex scenes that add further depth to the show's conversation around bodily autonomy and consent.

Episode 4, titled "Woe's Hollow," sees Innie Mark (Adam Scott) have sex with Helly (Britt Lower) for the first time during the Outdoor Retreat and Team-Building Occurrence (ORTBO). Except he isn't with Helly at all — he's with her Outie Helena Eagan, who is pretending to be Helly in order to keep an eye on the Macrodata Refinement Innies. Severance contrasts their intimacy with a horrifying dream Irving (John Turturro) has, highlighting that something is off even before we get the Helly/Helena reveal.

SEE ALSO: 'Severance' Season 2 may already be the best show of the year: Review

Two episodes later, once Helly has returned to Lumon, she and Mark decide to reclaim the memory Helena has taken from them. They have sex in an unused office, using a tarp to recreate the tent where Helena and Mark slept together. The result is far sweeter than episode 4's — no Irving nightmares here!

Yet each sex scene raises questions about the role of consent in a show where you can sever part of yourself and essentially create a new person within your body. There are so many levels here, from deceit surrounding Innie/Outie identities to the experience of a dormant consciousness during and after sex.

"One of the common mistakes about consent is that it can be understood as a black and white, yes or no decision," Michele Meek, associate professor of communications at Bridgewater State University and author of Consent Culture and Teen Films, told Mashable. "So what this show is really raising are some of the complexities of consent that make us really uncomfortable, but actually get right to the heart of some of the questionable and concerning yellow 'proceed with caution' areas are."

So what are the ethics of sex in a severed world? And is consent even possible in Severance?

Helena and Mark's sex scene raises questions about mistaken identity and informed consent. Adam Scott and Britt Lower in "Severance." Credit: AppleTV+

The Helena and Mark sex scene may feel strange in the moment due to its juxtaposition with Irving's nightmare, but it develops an extra layer of discomfort once we learn that Mark wasn't having sex with Helly at all. Their intimacy was under false pretenses, making it a violation of trust and lessening his agency. According to Planned Parenthood, sexual consent is defined as "freely given, reversible, informed, enthusiastic, and specific," so Helena's deceit makes informed consent an impossibility for Mark in this situation.

While the severance procedure is completely fictional, Meek likens the scene to the real-world possibility of someone thinking they were having sex with one person, only for them to unknowingly be having sex with their twin instead. "Under that circumstance, I could imagine that we would feel really uncomfortable with the fact that this person was consenting at the time, but that wasn't the person who they thought they were," Meek said. "So most of us would read that as non-consent."

The Mark and Helena incident falls under the legal and philosophical term of conditional consent, which specifies that if someone consents to an act under certain conditions. When these are not met — like Mark consenting to have sex with Helly, only for her to actually be Helena — the act is non-consensual. If a place includes conditional consent in their legislation, deceit like Helena's could legally be considered rape, making this scene a legal issue as well as an ethical one.

SEE ALSO: 'Severance's Dieter Eagan story is more important than you think

Another worrying angle to the Severance sex scene is the fact that Helena is using Mark for her own ends. She's surveilling the Innies from within, but she's also taking advantage of Mark's feelings for Helly in order to experience the kind of romantic relationship she may not be afforded in her outside life as a high-level Eagan. There's also a vengeful quality to her actions: In having sex with Mark before Helly, Helena can one-up her Innie, with whom she already has a tumultuous relationship.

"The fact that she's using him makes us really uncomfortable when we think about consent, because it feels unethical to have sex with someone for some other end that they don't know about," Meek said.

The Severance writing team did not take these questions of consent lightly. In an interview with TVLine about the Mark and Helena sex scene, Severance creator and showrunner Dan Erickson said they "talked about it quite extensively."

"In a way, both [Mark and Helly] have been used," he continued. "Mark thought he was with one person when he was actually sort of with a different person. And then for Helly, it's a very troubling thing to know that something like that happened without you being there."

Helly's realization of that fact plays out in devastating fashion in episode 6, "Attila," as she reckons with the fact that while her body may have that memory, she never will. "What sucks is she got to have that, and I didn't," she tells Mark. "That she used me to trick my friends, used my body to get close to you."

This talk spurs the two to have sex and create a memory for Helly. Severance frames the scene as tender, and understandably so: These are the romantic leads of the show! Yet the scene also raises a tricky new dilemma. What does sex between severed individuals mean for their dormant consciousnesses, who are unable to consent?

Helly and Mark's sex scene adds a wrinkle to consent and consciousness. Adam Scott and Britt Lower in "Severance." Credit: AppleTV+

Mark, Helly, and Helena aren't the only Severance characters affected by the "Woe's Hollow" sex scene. Outie Mark is also involved, even if he wasn't awake at the time. The same goes for him and Helena during Mark and Helly's sex scene. They may not be conscious, but they're in these bodies as well. Does this lack of consciousness from one inhabitant of a severed body then render every sexual encounter a severed person has non-consensual? Mark and Helly's encounter is certainly presented as consensual in "Attila," with the two even pausing to verbally confirm that they want to keep going — a key addition, as consent is ongoing and can be withdrawn at any point. But the question of their Outies lingers.

Does this lack of consciousness from one inhabitant of a severed body then render every sexual encounter a severed person has non-consensual?

"One of the major questions of consent has always been, 'Is consent what we say and do? Or is it what we think and feel?''" Meek said. "That's a very complex dichotomy. When we talk about things like affirmative consent, what we're really prioritizing is verbal action-oriented consent. And while that's really important, I think that most of us understand consent as an internal yes or no, so we can imagine a situation where someone says, 'yes' and means 'no,' or vice versa. I think that what Severance is highlighting is this real clear distinction between mind-body consent."

An Innie or Outie having no recollection of their alter ego's sexual past is one thing, but Severance has shown time and again that physical conditions move across the severance barrier. In Season 1, a news report reveals that a Lumon employee became pregnant during her time on the Severed Floor. Sudden pregnancy with no memory of how it happened is a horror story no matter how you spin it.

SEE ALSO: Every time 'Severance' hinted at that huge Helly twist

Similarly, in "Attila," Outie Burt's (Christopher Walken) husband Fields (John Noble) broaches the subject of sex during a dinner with Outie Irving (John Turturro). He's aware that Burt and Irving's Innies had a relationship, but not the extent of it. "Do you think you two ever made love at work?" Fields asks, adding: "There is a non-zero chance that the two of you had unprotected sex, and so I felt the right to ask."

The unspoken worry about STIs lingers, adding to the mind-body dilemma of sex in Severance. Imagine an Innie or Outie waking up in the Lumon elevator with an STI that they couldn't explain, or, like the unnamed Season 1 employee, finding out that they were suddenly pregnant even though they themselves hadn't been sexually active. Would these not constitute a violation of bodily autonomy, no matter how consensual the inciting sex had been?

Perhaps the closest analogy we have in real life to the situation of Severance's sexually active severed characters is sex under the influence to the point of blacking out, where someone may be unable to remember the sex act itself but can still feel its physical impact. But even that isn't a perfect comparison, because in Severance there will always be another consciousness within the body that may have consented to sex.

"If you are not of sound mind or body, then you cannot consent," Meek said. "You can't say yes with a gun to your head. Same thing if you're completely intoxicated or passed out or not conscious in some way, you can't consent. That's where we get the sense that this is an obvious case in the show, because they're not fully conscious, so how could they consent? But of course, there's more complexity here, too. I think that the whole point of it is that Severance is raising the question of, 'where do you draw the line here?'"

Severance has always been about consent, but Season 2's sex scenes bring that conversation to the forefront. Adam Scott, Zach Cherry, John Turturro, and Britt Lower in "Severance." Credit: AppleTV+

While Severance's Season 2 sex scenes have highlighted issues about sexual consent within the series, they're far from the first time that the show has addressed matters of consent in other situations.

In Severance's very first episode, Helly watches a pre-taped video of Helena before undergoing the severance procedure. In it, she reads a statement that says, "I give consent for my perceptual chronologies to be surgically split, separating my memories between my work life and my personal life."

Presumably, Mark, Irving, and Dylan's (Zach Cherry) Outies all had to read the same statement in which they consent to the effects of the severance procedure. But reading one statement and signing one Lumon contract does not make for total consent.

"Consent is a constant and has to be constantly renegotiated and updated. There's no presuming consent," Meek told Mashable.

Yet presuming consent is exactly what Lumon is doing every day. They take the Outies' decision to undergo severance as a cut and dry "yes" to do whatever they want with their bodies and Innies on the Severed Floor.

SEE ALSO: The cast of 'Severance' on getting lost in the ever-expanding hallways of Lumon

Lumon breaches that consent in multiple ways throughout Seasons 1 and 2. In the series premiere, Helly throws a speaker at Mark's forehead. When Mark leaves work that day with a minor head injury, Lumon tells him that he was hurt in a fall. The lie is a violation of Mark's trust and consent to work in an office where he won't come to physical harm. It's also another reminder of the mind-body divide at play: Outie Mark can't remember how he sustained the head injury, but his body bears the mark.

The Overtime Contingency is a further example of Lumon overstepping its bounds, a way to hijack workers' bodies at will. In Season 2, episode 2, Outie Mark claims he never knew about the OTC. Mr. Milchick (Tramell Tillman) informs him that details of the OTC were in his hiring paperwork, but a onetime acknowledgment of the OTC doesn't mean Mark or the other Outies would consent to its use down the line since, again, consent is ongoing, even in non-sexual contexts.

These moments prove that Severance has always questioned the ethics of consent as it pertains to the severance procedure. But the addition of these complicated sex scenes in Season 2 — something the show already toed the line with in Season 1's Waffle Party — allows for a natural heightening of these dilemmas, as we so often place consent in a sexual context.

The intimacy of Severance's sex scenes may also push us to draw hard ethical lines about who is in the wrong and who is a victim, despite the purposeful complexities Severance has built into these scenes. (For her deceit and her role at Lumon, Helena certainly seems like the most clear-cut wrongdoer of the bunch.) But more importantly, these scenes' ethical intricacies force us to think harder about the troubling implications of severance. The concept is already unnerving to start with, but it grows more and more so from episode to episode. With that increased scrutiny, and with Severance's ever-intensifying study of bodily autonomy, the show invites us to further examine Lumon's true motives, and how its control winds itself into even the most personal of situations.

Severance Season 2 is now streaming on Apple TV+, with a new episode every Friday.

TL;DR: Through 30 March at the Mashable Shop, a lifetime subscription to AdGuard's Family Plan is on sale for £12.64 (reg. £134.51) when you use the discount code GUARD20.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdGuard AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription £12.64
£134.51 Save £121.87 Use discount code 'GUARD20' Get Deal

Online safety has never been more important — especially when it comes to protecting your family. As children spend more time online for both education and entertainment, they need a reliable solution to safeguard them from the dangers of the web.

AdGuard is a powerful tool designed to provide peace of mind for parents while offering a seamless browsing experience for the entire family. (And if you couldn't tell from the name, it also blocks adverts while you're browsing.) A lifetime subscription to the AdGuard Family Plan covers up to nine devices and is on sale for just £12.64 (reg. £134.51) for a limited time.

With its advanced advert-blocking module, AdGuard eliminates the constant barrage of annoying banners, intrusive pop-ups, and disruptive video adverts that ruin your browsing experience. But AdGuard goes beyond just blocking adverts; it also shields your family from harmful malware and phishing websites, acting as a fortress for your digital life.

For parents, AdGuard’s parental control feature is a game-changer. It allows you to restrict access to inappropriate and adult content so your children can explore the internet in a safe and secure environment. Whether they're doing schoolwork or watching videos, you can rest easier knowing they'll be protected from the dangers lurking online.

AdGuard is designed to work across all your devices, from smartphones to tablets, covering both Android and iOS operating systems. And this lifetime subscription includes continuous updates and new features.

Jump on this chance to protect yourself online for life with the AdGuard Family Plan for just £12.64 (reg. £134.51) through 30 March at 11:59 p.m. PT. Just be sure to use the discount code GUARD20 during checkout.

AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription - £12.64 | See Deal

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: SwiftScan VIP gives you high-quality mobile scanning and document tools for life — all for £33.23 (reg. £158.25) with promo code TAKE30.

Opens in a new window Credit: SwiftScan SwiftScan VIP: Lifetime Subscriptionwith £33.23 at Mashable Shop
£158.25 Save £125.02 Use discount code 'TAKE30' Get Deal

Keeping track of papers doesn’t have to feel like a never-ending battle. With SwiftScan VIP, you can ditch the clutter and digitise your documents quickly and easily.

Whether you’re a student scanning notes, a professional managing files, or a small business owner juggling receipts, this app makes organising your paperwork simple — and you’ll never need to pay for it again with this lifetime subscription, on sale for £33.23 (reg. £158.25) with code TAKE30.

SwiftScan transforms your phone into a high-powered scanner that creates crystal-clear, professional-quality scans. From receipts and contracts to IDs and class notes, it handles all kinds of documents effortlessly. Need to tweak the results? The built-in editing tools let you crop, adjust, and clean up your scans so they look sharp and polished every time.

Once scanned, your files are ready to be stored, shared, or sent wherever you need them. SwiftScan integrates seamlessly with popular cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and iCloud, keeping your documents organised and accessible across all your devices.

The best part? This one-time payment gives you lifetime access to SwiftScan VIP’s powerful tools — no subscriptions, no hidden fees, just unlimited scanning and organisation at your fingertips.

Streamline your workflow, clear the paper clutter, and keep your important documents in check for good with a lifetime subscription to SwiftScan VIP for £33.23 (reg. £158.25) with discount code TAKE30 at the Mashable Shop.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

FREE TRADING CARD EVENT: On Feb. 22, Five Below is running a free Pokémon trading card event. Score a free Pikachu promo card with select purchases. Check your nearest location here.

Opens in a new window Credit: Five Blow Five Below: Free Pokémon Trading Card Event + Free Pikachu Promo Card Learn More

Calling all Pokémon fans — there's a special event happening at your nearest Five Below store this weekend.

On Feb. 22, Five Below is hosting a free Pokémon trading card event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. where attendees can swap cards with other fans. As part of this free event, you can also score a free Pikachu promo card with select purchases.

SEE ALSO: Pokemon Go players are actually training a giant AI model

It's important to note that not all Five Below will be participating, so we recommend checking your nearest location here and calling ahead to avoid disappointment. Once you've confirmed the details that matter, you can make plans to attend and get your hands on that free promo card.

Happy swapping!

FREE SLURPEE: On Feb. 21, get a free small Slurpee at participating 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes stores. Check participating locations here.

Opens in a new window Credit: 7-Eleven 7-Eleven: Free Slurpee on Feb. 21 Learn More

We're not going to tell you how to spend your day. We're sure you've got big plans, and there's absolutely no way that you could adjust your schedule for a freebie. There's no way, right?

All we'll say is that, every Friday in February, customers can visit participating 7-Eleven, Speedway, and Stripes stores to get their hands on a small Slurpee for free. There's no pressure from us to do anything with this information, but we should add that you should check participating locations before you cancel all your plans and set off in search of this beloved beverage.

SEE ALSO: Domino’s is releasing a pepperoni perfume for Valentine’s Day. Here's how to get yours for free.

Each customer can get only one free small Slurpee each, and this free giveaway is only valid supplies last. But those are the only catches. This is one of those rare moments when customers can genuinely get something for nothing.

Stop what you're doing and grab your free Slurpee on Feb. 21.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2025 NRL for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There are few other sports that can compete with rugby league when it comes to physicality and skill. It's clever handling and outrageous trickery combined with absolute brutality, and that's why love it.

And if you're looking for all of that and more on a weekly basis, you should check out the NRL. It's an electric competition featuring some of the best players and teams in the world.

If you want to watch the 2025 NRL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the NRL?

The National Rugby League (NRL) is a professional rugby league competition in Australasia, including clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and New Zealand.

SEE ALSO: How to watch the 2025 AFL online for free

Each team plays 24 matches in the regular season, with the first-placed team at the end awarded the minor premiership. This is followed by a finals series contested between the eight highest-placed teams from the regular season, culminating in the NRL Grand Final.

The defending champions are the Penrith Panthers.

When is the 2025 NRL?

The 2025 NRL season is the 118th edition of professional rugby league in Australia and the 28th season run by the National Rugby League. This season runs from March 2 to Sept. 7.

How to watch the 2025 NRL for free

The 2025 NRL season is available to live stream for free on 9Now. This free streaming service is offering live coverage of three matches per round, exclusive coverage of the Grand Final, and the State of Origin series.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, 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 Australia, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the NRL from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2025 NRL from anywhere in the world 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 Australia

4. Visit 9Now

5. Live stream the 2025 NRL 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 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 the 2025 NRL without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select NRL fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A 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 also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the 2025 NRL for free with ExpressVPN.

FREE BOOKS: The latest Stuff Your Kindle Day takes place on Feb. 21. Enchant Your Kindle offers free fantasy, romantasy, paranormal romance, and magical realism books.

We're back once again with another Stuff Your Kindle Day. Bookworms have been treated to a number of these events in 2025, but that doesn't make them any less exciting. These events cause a serious stir in reading communities like BookTok, and it's clear to see why. It's not every day that you get to stock up on books without paying anything at all.

Stuff Your Kindle Day provides an incredible opportunity to stock up on hundreds (or sometimes thousands) of books for free. And better yet, the books that you download are yours to keep. It sounds too good to be true, but it's legit.

SEE ALSO: The best Kindles in 2025

The latest Stuff Your Kindle Day is focused on fantasy, romantasy, paranormal romance, and magical realism books. Does the Enchant Your Kindle event sound like your kind of thing? You're in luck. We've lined up everything you need to know about this popular event, so that you can make the most of the latest Stuff Your Kindle Day.

When is Stuff Your Kindle Day?

The Stuff Your Kindle Day schedule has been incredibly busy in 2025. The most recent events took place on Jan. 28, Feb. 10, Feb. 14, with everything from monster romance to indie titles on offer for absolutely nothing.

And now on Feb. 21, the Enchant Your Kindle event is offering free fantasy, romantasy, paranormal romance, and magical realism books from 12 a.m. ET.

Who can take part in Stuff Your Kindle Day?

The special thing about Stuff Your Kindle Day is that anyone can participate.

You don't need to own a Kindle to get involved. Kindle, Kobo, and Nook readers can download these books for free. You can even download these books on your preferred app and read them straight from your phone, as you can also find these free titles on the Google Play and Apple Books apps.

Which e-books are free?

Finding all of these free fantasy, romantasy, paranormal romance, and magical realism books is straightforward thanks to The Enchanted Realm. There's a helpful hub page for Enchant Your Kindle, with details on what exactly is available going live on Feb. 21.

Is Stuff Your Kindle Day the same as Amazon Kindle Unlimited?

Everything you download on Stuff Your Kindle Day is yours to keep, and there's no limit on the number of books you can download. Stuff Your Kindle Day downloads don't count towards the 20 books per month that Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscribers can borrow, so don't hold back.

Shop Stuff Your Kindle Day deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle (16GB) + 3 Months of Kindle Unlimited $109.99 at Amazon
$145.96 Save $35.97 Get Deal Why we like it

These super popular e-readers help you take your entire library on the go. With weeks of battery life and an anti-glare display, you can read anywhere and anytime with the Kindle. They start at $109.99, a great price for those on a budget, but if you want to save even more, you can get three months of Kindle Unlimited absolutely free during Stuff Your Kindle Day.

Kindle Unlimited costs $11.99 per month and allows you to borrow up to 20 months per month. For a limited time, you can get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free, saving you $35.97.

TL;DR: Live stream Afghanistan vs. South Africa in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Pakistan, New Zealand, Bangladesh, and India have all started their 2025 ICC Champions Trophy campaigns, and now it's the turn of the teams from Group B. Afghanistan vs. South Africa is the first game from this ultra-competitive group. Both teams will be desperate to start the tournament with a victory.

If you want to watch Afghanistan vs. South Africa in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Afghanistan vs. South Africa?

Afghanistan vs. South Africa in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy starts at 4 a.m. ET on Feb. 21. This ODI takes place at the National Bank Stadium.

How to watch Afghanistan vs. South Africa for free

The following platforms are offering coverage of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy:

• Australia — Prime Video (free with 30-day trial)

• India — Disney+ Hotstar

• New Zealand — Sky TV NZ

• Pakistan — Tamasha (free) and PTV (free)

• UK — Sky Sports

• USA — Willow and Sling TV

The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is available to live stream for free in Pakistan. The free streaming platforms are geo-restricted to Pakistan, but anyone can access these free live streams with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Pakistan, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy 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 Pakistan

4. Visit Tamasha or PTV

5. Live stream Afghanistan vs. South Africa 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 2025 ICC Champions Trophy without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Afghanistan vs. South Africa (plus every other 2025 ICC Champions Trophy game) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for live sport?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Pakistan

• 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 Afghanistan vs. South Africa in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free with ExpressVPN.

When it comes to Google Android OS and Apple iOS, you’re likely one or the other. It's a kind of tech tribalism. In this Bluetooth-synced, device-powered world, being either Android or Apple is more than a preference: It’s a lifestyle choice, a state of mind.

If you prefer Google's Android OS to Apple's iOS, it stands to reason that you'd prefer an Android-powered tablet. And iPads can cost big bucks. It's little wonder that people are switching to Android.

But this tech-based world can be a complicated business. If you’re still unsure about which operating system to choose, or need some guidance selecting a tablet, here’s a quick guide to all things Android.

What is Android?

Android is a Google-owned mobile operating system. The chances of you being an Android user are high. It’s the most popular operating system in the world. Unlike Microsoft and Apple OS, it’s open source, meaning other companies can use it without permission — which is why Android is so widely used. Other operating systems also support Android applications, such as Chrome OS and Windows 11.

Which devices use Android?

You can find the Android OS on most kinds of everyday devices — laptops, smartphones, and tablets. You can also find Android on smartwatches that use Wear OS (which is an Android system) and smart TVs that use Android TV.

What is the Google Play Store?

This is the Android equivalent of Apple’s App Store. You can find tons of Google-approved apps there. Not all Android apps are made by Google though, and the Google Play Store is not the only place to get apps for Android. To support Google apps, your device will need Google Play Services. This is a piece of software that connects your apps, Google services, and Android. Some devices use Android but are distinctly non-Google, such as Amazon’s Android devices.

Is Android OS better than Apple iOS?

Ultimately, it comes down to personal preference. Chances are you’re already an Android diehard if you’re reading this — or perhaps an Apple iOS user looking to make the transition. The truth is, the two systems are not as different as they used to be. The major difference is how tightly controlled Apple’s apps and App Store are.

There are certainly benefits to Android. Because so many manufacturers make devices on the Android OS, you can get devices — including tablets — at a wide range of prices. It’s much harder to shop budget with Apple than it is with Android.

Other benefits include Android’s more customisable experience. An Apple device looks like an Apple device no matter whom it belongs to, while you can generally gear your Android device towards your own style and user experience. Also, the universal USB-C charger you get with Android is a massive bonus. How annoying is it for Apple users when there’s not a lightning charger in sight?

What is the best Android tablet?

We have lined up an impressive bunch of Android tablets that should suit a wide range of budgets. Built on the Google operating system, all of these tablets look great, run efficiently, and can handle multiple tasks.

These are the best Android tablets in 2025.

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 preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 21 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 21 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: "To infinity and beyond"

These words are animated characters.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The words are characters who star alongside the astronaut famous for this saying.

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 Toy Story.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for February 21

• Slinky

• Woody

• Wheezy

• Alien

• Bullseye

• Buzz

• Twitch

• Toy Story

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.