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No matter how fun and exciting travel can be, being away from home always causes some discomfort. Whether it's digging in your suitcase for that shirt you definitely packed, or finding a place to store the mountain of coins you've gathered in change, travelling has a way of surfacing issues you'd never considered until you stepped onto a plane.
Fortunately, having the right items in your luggage can go a long way toward offsetting such irritations — and sometimes even make travel feel downright luxurious.
SEE ALSO: 6 overlooked and underrated road trip essentialsIn no particular order, here are seven overlooked and underrated travel essentials. Not all of them are obvious picks at first glance, but they just might make your next trip that much smoother. Even if you have your packing list down to a science, there's always room for improvement.
1. Belkin's Boostcharge Hybrid Wall Charger 25W + Power Bank 5K + Travel Adapter Kit Credit: BelkinTravel adapters are a necessary evil when visiting overseas destinations. Between these adaptors, power banks, and chargers, international trips frequently involve rummaging through disorganised jumbles of cables whenever you need to recharge your device.
Belkin's Boostcharge Hybrid Wall Charger 25W + Power Bank 5K + Travel Adapter Kit takes care of three needs in one, lightening your load and streamlining your tech. Weighing just 185 grams with a regional power plug attached, this palm-sized device has both a USB-A and USB-C charging port, enabling you to charge two devices at once — or three, if you count the power bank itself.
The lack of a magnetic charger does make Belkin's combined wall charger, power bank, and travel adapter less seamless to use than the Boostcharge Magnetic Wireless Power Bank 5K + Stand when charging your phone on the go. However, the wall charger and travel adapter functions add significant versatility.
Which device best suits you will depend on your priorities and where you're heading. If you're staying domestic, the magnetic power bank should suit your needs. Though if you intend to roam abroad, the Boostcharge Hybrid Wall Charger 25W + Power Bank 5K + Travel Adapter Kit will help keep the hassle to a minimum.
Opens in a new window Credit: Belkin Belkin's Boostcharge Hybrid Wall Charger 25W + Power Bank 5K + Travel Adapter Kit at AmazonThough not necessarily a gadget, your luggage is arguably your most important travel essential. A baggage mishap is one of the quickest ways to transform an eagerly anticipated vacation into a stressful ordeal. While you can't stop an airline from losing your luggage, you can minimise the potential for other things to go wrong by investing in a good, sturdy suitcase.
LEVEL8's 28" checked Voyageur suitcase protects your belongings with a hard Makrolon polycarbonate casing — a tough, durable, yet relatively light material that can withstand the rigours of baggage handling. Offering 99 litres of space, LEVEL8's Voyageur is on the heavier side at 12.4 pounds (5.7 kiolgrams). However it feels great to use, featuring four delightfully smooth wheels with 360-degree manoeuvrability, an inbuilt TSA-approved combination lock for securing its zip closure, and zipped interior compartments to organise and compress your belongings (including two sleeves for smaller items, one of which doubles as a wet bag).
SEE ALSO: How to change your Tinder, Bumble, or Hinge location while travelingA unique feature of the Voyageur is its wide adjustable handle, which runs the entire length of the suitcase. Not only does this make these suitcases feel more sophisticated and thoughtfully designed than some other options, it also makes them easier to control and manoeuvre. It also means you don't have two hard metal bars running through the middle of your packing space. The result is a suitcase that can make you seem like an organised, experienced frequent flyer, even to yourself.
One caveat is that the uncharacteristic broadness of the Voyageur's handles means that bags with luggage pass-through features will likely not fit over them. But you can always just rest your bag on top of your suitcase and lash its straps around the handle instead.
Opens in a new window Credit: LEVEL8 LEVEL8's 28" Voyageur checked suitcase at LEVEL8There are some elements of air travel that we've all just learnt to deal with. The chairs will be cramped, the food will be lacklustre, and somewhere in your vicinity there will be a child with the lung capacity of a WWE announcer. Fortunately, uncomfortable airline-issued earphones don't have to be among these annoyances.
Twelve South's AirFly Bluetooth transmitter allows you to use your own wireless headphones with any inflight entertainment system. Simply sync your earphones or headphones with the AirFly, plug it into the plane, and comfortably enjoy your audio without getting tangled up in wires.
SEE ALSO: The best headphones for 2024 (and why they made our list)The AirFly shines on aeroplanes, however the AirFly Pro is useful on road trips as well. The Pro works both as a sender and receiver, so while you can still use it on a flight, you can also plug it into a car and send audio from your phone to the stereo system. This means passengers in the back can control the AUX without having to run a wire through the vehicle, and nobody has to spend time connecting their phone to the rental car's Bluetooth.
Opens in a new window Credit: Twelve South Twelve South's AirFly ProPacking cubes are invaluable for keeping your suitcase neat and organised, as well as helping to fit more items in their bag — a particularly useful feature when you're packing up your vacation shopping.
However, not all packing cubes are created equal. There are a ton of different options out there, offering various levels of compression, waterproofing, and even padding for delicate electronics. Fortunately, unless you have specialist needs, the average traveller will primarily look at two main issues: whether the cubes are polyester or nylon, and the quality of the zips and seams.
If you only go on very infrequent, short jaunts, picking up a cheap polyester set from Amazon might be enough for your purposes (provided you don't strain its seams too much). But if you're an avid traveller who wants a quality set that will last, look for stronger nylon packing cubes with sturdy zips, such as July's Packing Cells. These cells come in packs of four, which should be more than enough for a couple to share, and have net fronts to help identify their contents and ensure clothes don't get musty.
July also offers a structured Shoe Bag, which takes up quite a bit of luggage space but may be useful if you're worried about your shoes getting crushed. And if you have tiny size 36 feet like me, you can even squeeze in two pairs.
Opens in a new window Credit: July July's Packing Cells at JulyUnless you've visited Singapore, you've probably never heard of Sunnystep shoes. That's a shame, because their Elevate Sneakers are an attractive, well-designed option for anyone seeking a durable pair of travel shoes that both look and feel good.
Launched in 2019, Sunnystep's biggest selling point is their shoes' wide fit and bumpy acupressure insoles. The company's footwear is designed in consultation with Singaporean podiatrists, taking into account factors such as muscle movement and anatomy to minimise stress on the body and make long days on your feet more comfortable.
Unlike some other shoes that focus on comfort, Sunnystep's Elevate Sneakers are stylish and fashionable, bearing few prominent logos that might disrupt your aesthetic. The lightweight footwear is also made from microfibre vegan leather, which requires no treatment or maintenance. This also makes these shoes a good choice for anyone who's sick of having to dress like a gremlin whenever they're travelling.
Fortunately Sunnystep ships globally, so you can still grab a pair without travelling all the way to Southeast Asia (size up if you're between sizes). The acupressure insoles will take some getting used to, but it shouldn't take much longer than adjusting to any other new pair of shoes — and will likely feel very worth it after a long day walking around.
Opens in a new window Credit: Sunnystep Sunnystep's Elevate Sneaker at SunnystepA vital part of the travel experience is taking approximately 50 million photos and videos. Most people do that with their phone, collecting their holiday memories without having to lug around a camera. However, if you want to upgrade your videos and perhaps even get a little creative, the Insta360 GO 3S will let you do so while not adding too much bulk.
The Insta360 GO 3S is a tiny, thumb-sized action camera that can sit inside the more traditionally-sized Action Pod that comes with it, or you can use it independently. Weighing just 39 grams, the GO 3S can be mounted to your hat, bag strap, lapel, or even hung around your neck, allowing you to film hands-free point-of-view shots while you explore. It's waterproof as well, so you don't have to worry about getting rained on — or going for a swim.
The GO 3S is also compatible with Insta360's robust app, which allows you to edit videos as well as control the camera. This is useful for helping solo travellers set up their shots, and offers a less obtrusive way of capturing your vacation photos than holding up your phone like an obvious tourist. A 4K upgrade to the previous GO 3, the GO 3S is available in both 64GB and 128GB models for $399.99 and $429.99 respectively.
Opens in a new window Credit: Insta360 Insta360's GO 3SYour wallet may serve you well in your everyday life, but that doesn't mean it's the best choice for travelling. Bellroy's Zip Wallet can do both, offering day to day functionality alongside a few features that make it ideal for being on the move.
As its name implies, the compact leather Zip Wallet zips closed around three of its edges, offering extra peace of mind to anyone concerned about their cash falling out somewhere on the Appalachian Trail. It also has a magnetically closed coin pouch for the foreign coins you'll inevitably accumulate on your travels. But what further sets it apart is its internal slots for storing both a SIM card and tray ejector tool (not included), providing a safe place to keep them while you're traipsing around with your travel SIM.
As a bonus, the Zip Wallet is also RFID protected. While you're much more likely to fall victim to a mugging than an RFID attack, it's a little extra peace of mind for anyone who has a propensity for paranoia when travelling.
The Zip Wallet is a decent pick, but those who like to indulge in outdoor activities might prefer Bellroy's All-Conditions Phone Pocket. Though this water-resistant pocket is technically designed to protect your phone, it's also large enough to fit a passport. You'll have to find another solution for your SIM card, and the key and coin pocket at the top doesn't close, but the zip running along two sides of the pocket should help keep your change secure.
Opens in a new window Credit: Bellroy Bellroy's Zip Wallet at AmazonThis content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.
Moving to a new area or working at a new job where you don't know anybody can be seriously depressing, especially if you're already introverted as it is. What are you supposed to do? Go sit at the bar by yourself? And talk to strangers? No thanks.
Then comes the lightbulb idea: You can make friends online. If online dating is so popular and successful, there's no way that there aren't a few legit sites where you can make adult friends in your area with similar interests. After a quick search, AdultFriendFinder sounds like a good place to start.
So you're on your lunch break at work, type in the URL, and the next thing you know, you're frantically closing the tab and hoping nobody walked behind you for that split second. AdultFriendFinder is not what it sounds like.
What is AdultFriendFinder?AdultFriendFinder is one of the most well-known sites for finding quick sexual encounters, regular hookups, and literally anything else even remotely related to sex. The rowdy feed of matches, jumble of explicit photos, and stimulating calls-to-action offering all types of sex makes it heaven for anyone looking for a good time with no filter — and hell for someone who wouldn't be caught dead clicking on a "There are hot singles in your area" ad.
Even if you're not using it for real sex, it's always nice to have spank bank material in your back pocket. During the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, sexting, nudes, and Pornhub searches all saw a spike thanks to the vast number of people who started social distancing at home. Those who didn't want to risk quarantine sex or weren't finding people on their level of horniness on Tinder were pretty much guaranteed to get their rocks off somehow via AdultFriendFinder.
On AFF, you can find someone to sext via messaging or video (and plan to get it on IRL, if that's what you're looking for), watch live streams, or join niche group chats. Is it worth £15-something per month? Depends on how much fishy content you're willing to overlook for a juicy sexting session.
We reached out to Kalyn Sanders, a business development executive at Friend Finder Networks, for updated AFF demographics. Right up there with Tinder's monthly flock, AdultFriendFinder snags the attention of over 55 million visits around the world per month, on average. To whet your appetite upon signup, the main landing page flashes a few statistics, including "98,897,765 hot photos" and "3,375,049 connections," but we're not exactly sure what that means. Most traffic originates from the United States, followed by visitors from the United Kingdom and Canada.
Specifics on the demographic that most people care about — the gender ratio — can be hard to track down. Sanders told us that "there's a two to one ratio of single men versus categories like single women, couples, and groups." The split between men and women is an expected one for a lot of hookup-centric sites. At the end of the day, it's a paradise for straight men, hit-or-miss for straight women and LGBTQ men, and likely an actual hellscape for LGBTQ women.
AFF lets you identify as and search for a man, woman, a couple, or trans. Despite trying to be a sex-positive site with blog posts, groups, a sex academy, and more, its language for the LGBTQ community has historically been anything but inclusive or positive. Previously, the AFF sign-up page listed "TG/TV/TS" as the "trans" gender selection — we'll let you infer what those stand for. Though, we will admit, this language has improved recently with more gender options that are appropriately labeled.
Can you find a serious relationship on AdultFriendFinder?If you're 100% over being grilled with relationship questions on traditional dating sites like EliteSingles and eharmony, AdultFriendFinder is your golden ticket to instant communication. Registering takes literally 30 seconds — they require nothing from you aside from an email address, a username, a password, and an introduction. Though they don't require a bio or a picture, it's probably best to add a few to up your chances for messages and flirtation, especially if you're looking for something super specific, as you're more likely to be contacted by people looking for the same thing.
After you register, you'll see that there are loads of options to completely personalise your account (way more than we expected from a hookup site, to be honest). The more you fill out, the more attractive your profile will be to new viewers. There are the basic physical appearance questions about eye and hair colour, plus more intimate details.
There's also a personality test that seemed pretty close to something you'd see on Match or eharmony, and we guess it's comforting to know that some people on here care about what's on the inside as well.
One of the funniest forms was the "Purity Test," featuring 100 hilariously-worded questions about how far you're willing to go sexually. It felt like the sexy 20 questions game that you'd play with your middle school crush when neither of you knew how to flirt, but we guess this information is pertinent when you're on a site that's all about sex.
There's no real matching strategy other than the basic info on physical appearances, so don't get your hopes up when it comes to finding a lasting connection or kindred soul — but hey, if you're on the site for the same reasons most other people are, that stuff won't really matter anyway.
How do you find a match on AdultFriendFinder?Like a traditional dating site, AdultFriendFinder gives you a collage of potential matches at the top of your personal home page. These will be random right after you sign up, but you can opt to update your preferences to refine your results: Choose your preferred gender(s), age range, location and mile radius, race, sexual orientation, body type, and marital status. They'll let you know who's online when you are, which matches are closest to you, new people who liked or messaged you, and all of that good stuff.
AdultFriendFinder is basically like a PornHub that you can interact with. We probably don't have to say this, but AdultFriendFinder is NSFW and not safe to be on while kids are in the room. Some videos will be blurred out and read "Naughty video" until you upgrade to a Gold Membership.
The message section is set up similarly to a Gmail account, and you can mark things as read or important just as you would on a real email. How professional. You'll also receive messages instantly, which is definitely a confidence boost even though you know they're probably just looking for one thing.
You can tell who took the time to look at your profile and who is sending the same thing to everyone, but it's nice to see that there is a range. Unlike more traditional dating sites, these people don't need to talk and get to know you for months before meeting. If you're tired of things moving too slowly or need a change of pace, it's pretty awesome to know you can immediately make plans for each night of the week.
What does AdultFriendFinder get right?Once you get past the in-your-face sexplosion of naked profile pictures, horny AIM-era profile names, and explicit videos, there are actually an impressive number of resources to help make your experience as satisfying as possible. Some will cost money even outside of the paid subscription, which is kinda dumb.
Aside from the NSFW content, the website is relatively straightforward (albeit ugly). Every feature is advertised in big letters, notifications are displayed clearly with labels, and you don't really have to click around to find anything. This makes it super accessible for users of all ages, even those who aren't tech-savvy and can't even figure out Facebook. Buttons are all over the place, but you figure it out after messing around for a few minutes.
Activities range from direct messaging, sending virtual gifts, watching live videos of people in your feed, joining adult chat rooms that can get very niche, or entering photo contests.
Think of AdultFriendFinder as the dating site version of New York City — it never sleeps. You'll find people who work the regular 9-5, people who work the night shift, and people in other time zones, so it's nearly impossible to log on and not have a lot of people to talk to. You know, like that booty call who's always awake when you text them.
Or at least that used to be the case... 10 years ago. What was once a hot site that a few Reddit users were quick to hype up is now one of the dating sites that Reddit users can't help but diss — in the few instances that AFF is even being discussed at all. The Reddit community is diverse and open-minded, and if a dating site exists, someone on Reddit has used it and has an opinion on it. It's notable that, on a site where online dating is such a mammoth topic of discussion, that AdultFriendFinder has rarely been mentioned since the early 2010s. When an innocent soul does ask if it's legit, AFF usually gets dragged for sketchy pricing and being ridden with bots.
Is AdultFriendFinder free?As previously mentioned, you can do a lot on the site without paying a penny: You can message people, reply to emails, and visit most profiles and chat rooms. You know, all of the basic stuff. But with just a few clicks AdultFriendFinder can send you deep down the rabbit hole, and a lot of that juicier hidden content can only be unlocked with a paid membership (called the Gold membership) or by earning points.
Points are AdultFriendFinder's non-monetary currency. If you're a free member, you'll have to earn points through on-site activity to unlock stuff that's exclusive to paying members. It's kind of like a game, with points acting like money at the strip club. You can "tip" updates, photos, or videos from a member that you like, buy "bling" (which is basically a badge that makes you look cooler), watch racy videos that are usually blurred out or access other exclusive site content, or "buy" a Gold membership for a month. The more points you have, the more you get out of the site.
But all of that stuff takes a really long time, and is honestly just a hassle. If you want access to all those features, just pay for a Gold membership and upgrade.
If you're a guy looking for girls, we might suggest getting a Gold membership as the standard. While researching on Reddit, we found a few girls who said they won't meet a guy unless he's a Gold member. A Gold membership puts a little bit more credibility behind someone's profile and makes the entire encounter a little less threatening. It's easier to believe that someone's a real person if they're a paying, active member of the site, and it's nice to know that they're taking it slightly seriously. Plus, if you see a picture or profile that looks like it's five years old, it really might be — there are a ton of non-active profiles from old members and escorts still lingering on the site.
If you find yourself spending more quality time on the site than you expected, becoming a paid member is definitely something to consider. Once you're paying, you basically become royalty on the site: Your profile will appear way higher in searches, you can use the most advanced searches, and you can read emails and message to your heart's content (messages and emails are limited with a free account).
A Gold membership can unlock everything that the site has to offer, including unlimited messaging, profiles with private photo albums, and video profiles that are only available for Gold members as well. A general rule is that increased involvement and payment on your end generally equals more success on the website, as your constant activity and heightened search-ability makes it way easier for others to find you. Plus, you'll just get bored with the free features after a while.
Like every other dating site, prices for a Gold membership get cheaper the longer your subscription is: one month is £25.08/month, three months is £16.71/month, and one year is £11.27/month.
Who should try AdultFriendFinder?This is pretty obvious, but AdultFriendFinder is ace for people who want a quick hookup, people who are in a sexual rut, people who are tired of porn, and people who find sites like eharmony to be lame. Those long compatibility tests can be exhausting, and sometimes you just wanna skip the small talk and have sex. It's gonna get kinky out there, and that's great for those who are dying to blow off steam and are in need of someone who will respond well to a sexy message. It also might be a good place for people who are freshly out of a breakup and in need of attention.
Did we mention it's also a huge confidence boost? People are so active on this site, it's impossible not to feel adored. Just seeing the notifications of users wanting to talk to you will make your heart flutter, and you'll start to loosen up. Even if you're rejected a few times, you'll learn which opening lines and flirty comments work and which don't, making you a smoother operator.
AdultFriendFinder's pro-sex, judgment-free environment means it's open to everyone and highly inclusive, no matter your gender identity or sexual orientation. The variety of people on this thing is so massive that it's nearly impossible to not to meet someone.
As with all dating sites, catfishing is a big buzzkill. Your chances of being pursued are way higher if you have a lot of pictures of the same person (AKA you), videos, and a genuine profile that lets people know they're not dealing with something sketchy. Even if you've had bad luck with online dating in the past, AdultFriendFinder is the place to 100% be yourself.
The site may look like an ad for a strip club, but don't judge a dating site by its cover. If you're willing to look past the questionable design choices, AdultFriendFinder can seriously expand your sexual horizons and introduce you to individuals you never would have met otherwise.
Who should avoid AdultFriendFinder?You know those warnings that thrill rides at amusement parks are required to put up that tell people who get dizzy easily or have heart problems to not get on the ride? AdultFriendFinder could use something like that. This site is not for the faint of heart — if you're a cynic, conservative by any means, or get sketched out easily, you're probably going to hate it. If you appreciate a well-crafted, aesthetically pleasing website that feels safe — no matter how badly you want to have sex — then this dating site is probably not for you. Nothing is left to the imagination here, and it's definitely not going to be everyone's cup of tea. You have got to be open minded.
AdultFriendFinder is not the place to be if you're trying to make friends, unless "with benefits" is tacked onto the end. Every inch of the site screams "this website is used to have sex," and you should really listen to that. You might get a date out of it, but don't expect the person to introduce you to their parents.
But this isn't to say that meaningful connections or finding a genuine adult friend (get it?) is impossible. There is always the chance of a pure friendship, particularly between two like-minded individuals.
What could AdultFriendFinder do better?The entire website looks like an ad about hot MILFs that pops up when you're illegally streaming a movie. Seriously, it's bad. Even though the website is technically legit, the pictures, word choice, and exclamation points everywhere scream "scam." No, AdultFriendFinder, "98,897,765 Hot Photos" is not the way to make potential new users trust you.
We're not knocking a quick hookup or no-strings-attached relations. This isn't about morals. Genitals are quite literally in your face from the moment you make an account, and that's just not cute. There are chiller ways to go about insinuating that this is a hookup website without feeling like you're trapped in a sex dungeon with strangers.
It's difficult to get past the fact that the entire site looks like it's about to invite five viruses to your computer. We're talking terrible graphics that look like they were made on Microsoft Paint and pictures of women who look like they're from Pornhub in 2007. Reddit user Snoo53279 summed it up in a comment from July 2020: "The people on AFF are definitely real, but there is a huge smattering of bots that also get in the way so it can be a bit of a PITA to use." If they're not bots, they could be men posing as a couple to seem less threatening.
The parade of women on the landing page is questionable for two reasons. This shouldn't even need to be clarified, but not everyone is looking for a woman. At the least, the advertising just isn't inclusive — but this crosses into fetishisation territory. The cherry on top is that the women in the photos (unsurprisingly) probably aren't even members on the site, according to a disclaimer at the bottom of the landing page.
AdultFriendFinder's overall outdated vibe goes past an aesthetic annoyance — it's downright problematic at times. The "TS/TV/TGs" part of sign-up is nearly unforgivable, and we'd be scared to see some of the related rhetoric that AFF users feel comfortable spewing. Without even a dash of social awareness, it's hard to see how anyone who's not an out-of-touch straight cis man would feel comfortable on this site.
Attempting to navigate the shoddy design might just be enough to smother your horniness. Three main issues can make the site borderline unusable: It looks shady as hell, an alarming portion of the user base is made up of bots and spam accounts, and the user interface itself is outdated and rife with bugs.
Other Reddit users mention that the desktop web version won't even load for them at random times — an especially frustrating roadblock for people who want to end their membership and stop monthly charges. A solution to the laggy web version might be to clear your cache or use the smartphone app instead, but your experience probably won't get better there. AFF's mobile page doesn't even mention an Android app, and the link to the iPhone app brings up a "not available" pop-up in the App Store. For a site that claims to have over 50 million visitors each month, the lack of accessibility to a smartphone app is just plain odd — especially in 2021.
Adding to the sketchiness, a network hack in 2016 exposed around 412 million accounts, including "deleted" accounts that weren't actually deleted from the database. If this is enough reason for you to fall back on Tinder for finding a friend with benefits, we don't blame you. Signing up with a burner email and avoiding using your real name as a username are wise moves (just pick a naughty word and add 69 to the end, maybe), though keeping your personal information private is hard when credit cards are involved.
In 2007, AFF was involved in a lawsuit with the FTC over allegations that the site used malware to send explicit pop-up ads to computers owned by people who hadn't signed up for the service. Though we haven't seen reports like this recently, so we're hoping those ridiculous ads you see are at least confined to people who actually use the site.
What is the best alternative to AdultFriendFinder?Surprisingly, AdultFriendFinder is one of the more tame hookup sites out there. While other hookup sites have names like Swing Towns and Instabang.com, AdultFriendFinder is probably the safest in terms of your Google search history. Most have the same general idea, which is to find sexual partners, have cyber sex, etc, but with names like those, you do start to question the authenticity. AdultFriendFinder is one of the biggest players in the world of legitimate adult dating/hookup sites and boasts a way larger and more diverse audience than a lot of these newer sites.
Horny Matches is one newer dating site that could be starting to slide in, but it hasn't stolen AdultFriendFinder's thunder just yet, perhaps due to its dodgy name. It does have its advantages, though. Horny Matches' first advantage is just that it's more modern and looks cleaner. The title is more obvious, but the main page encourages "taking the first step" rather than mentioning the words "horny" and "sex" multiple times. The audience isn't nearly as large as AdultFriendFinder, though, and most people will take more options and a less over an aesthetically pleasing app.
Is AdultFriendFinder right for you?AdultFriendFinder is possibly the easiest, most low pressure way to find a friends-with-benefits situation without insulting anyone. Everyone is pretty much there for the same reason — and though it'll feel pretty unorthodox if you've only ever used to Tinder to scope this type of thing out, AFF's blunt advertising at least means you won't have to explain that you're not looking for a relationship. It's niche-friendly, well-populated, and has a lot of interactive outlets to indulge your primal urges.
But that freedom comes with a price — the price being feeling like one of those people who falls for the ads that pop up before a free Pornhub video. It's not that a site dedicated to sex and sexting is inherently scammy — it's that AdultFriendFinder drowns you with explicit photos on profiles who might not even be real people while asking you to pay for a subscription with every click. Unfortunately, no matter how in the mood you are, some people aren't cut out for the nothing-left-to-the-imagination approach with grammar mistakes all over the place. It wants to be sex-positive so badly, but the way sign-up talks about the trans community is the furthest thing from that.
The functionality and safety of the site and the mobile app aren't where they need to be in 2021. If security measures were tightened, graphics and photos were cleaned up to feel more relevant, and decision-makers behind the scenes were given a lesson in inclusivity and pronouns/identities, AdultFriendFinder could be a handy tool to find attachment-free hookups and connect with a community that's down for anything.
If you're brave enough to jump into the action, you can register for AdultFriendFinder. Good luck out there — and don't try this at work.
Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder Learn MoreThe Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.
With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.
So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for August 7 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for August 7Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Wednesday, August 7, 2024:
AcrossThe tip of a sippy cup, essentiallyThe answer is straw.
The answer is piano.
The answer is armor.
The answer is needs.
The answer is net.
The answer is span.
The answer is tire.
The answer is ramen.
The answer is anode.
The answer is worst.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.
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.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for August 7 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for August 7If 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.
NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Oh, oh, oh!The hint for the theme is that each of these words are great for couplets.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedThe answers are related to words that rhyme with each other.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.
NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is RhymeTime.
NYT Strands word list for August 7Dough
Whoa
Chateau
Rainbow
RhymeTime
Mistletoe
Avocado
Looking for other daily online games? Find one you might like – or hints for another game you're already playing – on Mashable's Games page.
TikTok users are sharing videos of their athletic failures in a new Olympic meme. Now Olympic gymnast Sunisa "Suni" Lee herself has joined in, poking fun at her own fall during Monday's women's balance beam finals.
Numerous athletes have been posting clips of their sporting mishaps to TikTok, accompanied by text noting that they sadly weren't chosen to join the 2024 Olympic team. The videos are scored by an instrumental remix of "The Star-Spangled Banner," giving their earnest yet fumbling efforts the bombastic celebration they deserve.
SEE ALSO: So, uh, why did everyone keep falling off the balance beam at the Olympics? The internet wants to know.Athletes from across the sporting spectrum have taken part in this meme, from divers smacking the diving board, to hurdlers tripping on multiple hurdles in a row, to gymnasts swinging around the uneven bars or prepping to backflip for far longer than intended. Even celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey got in on the meme, sharing a video of him failing to score a point while shooting some hoops on a basketball court.
Yet even when you are chosen to join the Olympic team, your best efforts won't always go to plan. Six-time Olympic medalist Lee demonstrated as such when she unexpectedly fell from the balance beam during the finals on Monday, tying for fifth place with her teammate Simone Biles. Italian gymnasts Alice D'Amato and Manila Esposito would end up winning gold and bronze respectively, while Chinese gymnast Yaqin Zhou took silver.
Despite her disappointment, Lee chose to make the best of the situation. Taking the opportunity to join in on the viral Olympic TikTok meme, Lee poked fun at herself by sharing a clip of her balance beam fall just one day after the finals.
"unfortunately i was selected for the olympics," Lee wrote on the video posted to TikTok on Tuesday.
Punctuating the joke with a heart emoji, she followed up in the video description with a loudly crying face emoji and two emojis of smiling faces with tears.
Why the Olympic women's balance beam finals was so awkwardLee and Biles were among four competitors who fell off the balance beam during the women's finals on Monday. This was a significant number considering only eight gymnasts were competing, all of whom are world-class athletes. As such, the uncharacteristic spills quickly prompted online speculation and conspiracy theories regarding the state of the Olympic equipment.
It wouldn't be the first time an equipment issue undermined gymnasts' performances at the Olympics. Infamously, the women's vault at the 2000 Sydney Olympics was mistakenly set 5 cm (2 inches) too low, causing multiple athletes to fall before the error was detected and corrected.
Regardless of such conjecture, there have been no reports of anything actually rotten with the state of the balance beam at this year's Paris Olympics. However, some gymnasts have stated that they were unsettled by the lack of background music or noise during the finals.
Gymnasts typically train alongside others in loud gymnasiums, growing accustomed to performing their impressive flips amidst significant noise. Even so, the Paris Olympics bizarrely opted to do away with background music for the individual gymnastic event finals. The oppressive silence was further imposed by audience members who reportedly shushed other spectators during the women's beam finals — and also shushed the athletes themselves when they cheered for their teammates.
"Honestly, we do better in environments when there's noise going on because it feels most like practice," Biles said afterward, calling the final "weird and awkward."
"[The silence] adds to the stress, just because it’s like you, yes, you’re the only one up there," Lee concurred. "So I was feeling the pressure."
Though she missed out on a podium place for the balance beam, Lee still ended her 2024 Olympic run with three shiny new medals: A gold for the team event and two bronzes for the women's artistic all-around and uneven bars. And while there are no medals for winning TikTok memes, it's safe to say Lee thoroughly dominated this one as well.
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Opens in a new window Credit: 1minAI 1minAI: Lifetime Subscription £39.99 at the Mashable ShopOh 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 August 7's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
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.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.
What's the best Wordle starting word?The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.
Is Wordle getting harder?It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.
SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for August 6 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for August 7 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:Tropical bird.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?The letter A appears twice.
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter M.
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...
MACAW.
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for August 7's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
What is Connections?The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
Tweet may have been deletedEach puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
Tweet may have been deletedPlayers 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 August 7 Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Load as much as you can
Green: Service industry
Blue: EMS, but not the medical kind
Purple: Small things or acts
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Cram
Green: Restaurant Jobs
Blue: Electromagnetic Spectrum
Purple: Things with Bits
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 #423 is...
What is the answer to Connections todayCram: JAM, PACK, RAM, STUFF
Restaurant Jobs: COOK, DISHWASHER, HOST, SERVER
Electromagnetic Spectrum: MICROWAVE, RADIO, VISIBLE, X-RAY
Things with Bits: BRIDLE, BYTE, COMEDIAN, DRILL
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.
Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Microsoft and Delta aren't happy with each other in the aftermath of July's massive CrowdStrike outage.
Legal representation for Microsoft sent a letter to Delta's lawyers pushing some of the blame for Delta's flight issues that weekend onto Delta itself, per The Verge. The letter, which was sent in response to comments by Delta CEO Ed Bastian that questioned Microsoft's competence, called Bastian's remarks "incomplete, false, misleading, and damaging to Microsoft and its reputation."
SEE ALSO: Microsoft says CrowdStrike outage affected many more devices than reported Microsoft refuses to take blame for Delta's outage issuesAccording to Microsoft, it offered to help Delta solve the CrowdStrike problem in the immediate aftermath of the outage at no charge, but it got turned down. Furthermore, Microsoft alleged that Delta rejected the help because the IT infrastructure that needed servicing actually belonged to another company, like IBM, not Windows.
It's not really possible for us to determine who is right and wrong here, but it's clear that Microsoft and Delta fundamentally disagree on what ultimately caused Delta to suffer so many flight delays and cancellations that fateful weekend.
The outage was the result of a faulty update to the CrowdStrike security software, which is not owned nor created by Microsoft. However, the update went out to millions of Windows computers around the world, resulting in widespread blue screens of death on a massive scale.
Fresh off relaunching his own lawsuit against OpenAI just yesterday, Elon Musk's X announced it was taking on a major coalition of some of the biggest advertisers on the planet.
On Tuesday, X, formerly known as Twitter, filed a lawsuit in Texas federal court against Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM), a coalition made up of major advertisers.
GARM is an initiative of the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) and represents companies like Disney and Walmart. The suit names WFA, alongside GARM members CVS, Mars, Unilever, and clean energy company Orsted, as well.Ørsted
Tweet may have been deleted"We tried peace for 2 years, now it is war," Musk posted on X in reference to the lawsuit.
X's lawsuit against advertisersX's lawsuit claims that GARM "conspired" with brands like CVS to “collectively withhold billions of dollars in advertising revenue” shortly after Musk took over the company in 2022.
It's important to note that this lawsuit is not related to last year's more recent advertiser boycott of X, which occurred after Musk seemingly endorsed a far-right conspiracy theory and a Media Matters for America report found ads on pro-Nazi content. (X has an ongoing lawsuit against Media Matters as a result of that report, which it filed last year.) Musk had famously told advertisers to "go fuck yourself" as a result of that boycott.
X CEO Linda Yaccarino posted both a video and article on X about the lawsuit on Tuesday. The video posted with the headline "A Message to X Users," Yaccarino claims that "a group of companies organized a systematic illegal boycott against X."
Tweet may have been deletedYaccarino and X's lawsuit cites the Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee’s report, “GARM’s (Global Alliance for Responsible Media) Harm." The report claims that "evidence obtained by the Committee shows that GARM and its members directly organized boycotts and used other indirect tactics to target disfavored platforms, content creators, and news organizations in an effort to demonetize and, in effect, limit certain choices for consumers."
The House Judiciary Committee’s report claims that "GARM recommended that its members 'stop all paid advertisement' on Twitter in response to Mr. Musk’s acquisition of the company."
"The illegal behavior of these organizations and their executives cost X billions of dollars," said Yaccarino.
According to the WFA, its members control 90 percent of global marketing spending.
Mashable will continue to follow this story and update it as we learn more.
Google may have lost the antitrust case that deemed it a monopolist, but the search engine giant continues to dominate the market with Google Search. According to Impression Digital, Google's share of the global search market is 83% compared to Microsoft Bing's 9.19%.
The aforementioned antitrust ruling, however, outlined in a 286-page document written by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta, appears to convey that Apple shares the same sentiment as the average user: Google Search is the preferred tool for information discovery.
In addition to Mehta's landmark conclusion that Google is a monopolist due to its massive scale, high capital costs, control of key distribution channels, and more, we got some insight into why Apple denied Microsoft's pitch to install Bing as the default generative search experience (GSE) on Safari.
5 reasons why Apple denied Bing for SafariThe partnership between Apple and Google to use Google Search as Safari's default search engine dates back to 2002. At the time, however, the agreement was non-exclusive. In other words, Apple could feature other search engines without breaching its contract with Google. In 2007, Google inked a deal to solidify default exclusivity on Safari.
As of this writing, Safari still uses Google. Google pays Apple a lot of money to maintain its presence on Safari. (According to Bloomberg, Google paid Apple $20 billion in 2022.)
Interestingly, and some would say humorously, Microsoft wouldn't be able to do the same with Bing. The Redmond-based tech giant made numerous attempts to make Bing the default for Safari, but according to the antitrust ruling, Apple's SVP of Services Eddy Cue said that there's no price that Microsoft could ever offer to Apple to preload Bing within Safari.
Here are five reasons why Apple denied Bing for Safari:
1. Bing's 'inferior' search qualityCue said that Bing is "inferior" compared to Google Search. In 2021, Apple conducted a study that measured the relevance of search results on Google and Bing. While Bing outperformed Google Search when it comes to the desktop user interface, Apple's investigation found that Google had the edge over Bing on all other benchmarks.
2. Bing's 'horrible' ad monetizationAlthough Microsoft proposed sharing 100% of Bing's revenue with Apple to secure the default position on Safari, Cue was still concerned that Bing would not be able to deliver enough revenue because it was "horrible" at monetizing advertising.
3. Google deal is too goodIn order to get into a partnership with Microsoft, Apple would need to drop its deal with Google. In an email to Apple CEO Tim Cook, Cue said that Apple would "jeopardize its revenue" if it stopped partnering with Google.
Interestingly, Google analyzed how much Microsoft would need to offer Apple to "outbid" Google's current offerings. As it turns out, the Redmond-based tech giant would have to pay Apple "122% of Bing's revenue share" just to equal Google's 33.7% revenue share.
4. Google has better brand recognitionThe antitrust ruling claims that Google has excellent brand recognition, giving Apple an incentive to keep Google as Safari's default GSE.
"It's a great product for our customers, and we wanted our customers to know that they're getting the Google search engine," Cue said. It's a symbiotic relationship, according to Cue, because Google benefits from Apple telling the world that "Google is the best search engine." After all, Apple is arguably one of the most trusted brands, and by extension, users expect that Apple would partner with a company that delivers great service, too.
That being said, partnering with Microsoft Bing, which has a low market share, may not be as well received by Apple users.
5. Google knows its stuffCue claimed that Google knows how to advertise and it can monetize very well. Apple's SVP of Services maintained that the Cupertino-based tech giant would only get out of a partnership with Google if Apple viewed it as an entity it no longer wanted to do business with. "It [was a] no brainer to stay with Google as it is as close to a sure thing as can be," Cue said.
Elon Musk's X, formerly known as Twitter, is once again planning a controversial design change to the platform.
X is currently testing the removal of like, comment, and repost buttons, along with their counts, from replies to posts. The view count would be removed from reply posts as well.
Tweet may have been deletedThis change to X has not yet been released, but was discovered in code of the most recent X app, X for iOS v10.53, by X user @aaronp613. New features and platform changes discovered this way don't always go live and sometimes remain unreleased. However, this does shows that the company is seriously considering the move and officially testing out the removal of these buttons and counts.
The removal of these features would only affect how replies look while viewing the original post. If a user clicked on a reply, the post page for that reply would reveal the like, comment, and report buttons and views.
Unpopular changes to XRemoving interaction counts from replies would undoubtedly change the culture of X by affecting the social media meme known as the "ratio." When a user publishes a controversial or unpopular post on X, the reply posts from users who comment in the replies often receive more reposts and likes than the original post. This is known as a "ratio."
Musk is no stranger to making major cultural changes to X. Of course, the most obvious example is the complete rebranding of Twitter to X and the removal of the vernacular "tweet" to refer to posts.
Most recently, Musk's X made all users' likes private, a move that the company admitted was made in order to protect users who like controversial posts.
However, there have also been instances where X has backtracked on unpopular changes. Last year, X removed link headlines from posts because Musk did not like the way it looked. The contextless link previews caused trouble on the platform and X soon-after reverted back to displaying headlines.
Last month, another similar X test was discovered in the code of the X for iOS app that removed like, comment, and reply buttons from the main original post when viewed in the feed. This change required that users swipe left or right to interact with a post. As of publishing, X has yet to make this feature live.
A changing of the guard is underway as more OpenAI leaders leave the company.
On Monday, co-founder and ChatGPT lead John Schulman announced that he was leaving OpenAI for rival AI company Anthropic.
Tweet may have been deletedHours later, co-founder and president Greg Brockman shared that he was taking a sabbatical until the end of the year. According to The Information, VP of product Peter Deng has also left OpenAI.
Tweet may have been deletedThe alleged staffing triple-whammy comes not long after other high-profile departures from OpenAI due to reported disagreements over the company's mission and approach to safety. OpenAI's chief scientist Ilya Sutskever resigned in May, and days later, safety leader Jan Leike who worked under Sutskever quit, after publicly criticizing OpenAI on X, saying "safety culture and processes have taken a backseat to shiny products."
Tweet may have been deletedPublicly, Sutskever said his decision to leave OpenAI is to focus "on a project that is very personally meaningful." But the internet immediately began speculating about whether his departure was triggered by the attempted ouster of CEO Sam Altman, which was allegedly led by Sutskever who reportedly disagreed with Altman's prioritization of profit over safety.
Tweet may have been deletedSchulman has taken a similar public stance by explaining his decision to leave OpenAI as a matter of personal growth. "I've decided to pursue this goal at Anthropic, where I believe I can gain new perspectives and do research alongside people deeply engaged with the topics I'm most interested in," said Schulman. "To be clear, I'm not leaving due to lack of support for alignment research at OpenAI... my decision is a personal one, based on how I want to focus my efforts in the next phase of my career."
SEE ALSO: The AI bubble has burst. Here's how we know.Brockman's only explanation for his decision to take leave was, "first time to relax since co-founding OpenAI 9 years ago."
Of course this could all be as straightforward as OpenAI leadership moving on and taking time off after many years of achievements and hard work now that the company has entered a new chapter of its existence. However, the timing of the departures can't be ignored. First, there's Altman's behavior: the former OpenAI board fired Altman for "outright lying," and then there was the whole Scarlett Johansson debacle.
Plus, ChatGPT has massive operating costs. Rival companies are catching up, with some of those companies like Meta offering free open-source models, and there's no news of GPT-5. Combine those issues with a really bad day for tech stocks on Wall Street and Goldman Sachs' bearish take on generative AI, and it starts to look like those who left OpenAI saw the writing on the wall — and the writing said the AI bubble has burst.
Tweet may have been deletedThat said, there's still lots to expect from the OpenAI pipeline. The company's search engine prototype SearchGPT is coming soon, and its AI video generator Sora awaits its public debut. So, a splashy launch could reignite interest and market demand, even without OpenAI's old guard. We'll just have to wait and see.
Mashable has reached out to OpenAI about the significance of its staffing changes, and will update if we hear back.
Ti West and Mia Goth are at it again with the final entry in the X trilogy: MaXXXine. This time around, ambitious porn starlet Maxine Minx (Goth) pursues stardom in '80s Hollywood. Star-studded like the first film, the third installment also stars Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Lily Collins, Halsey, Giancarlo Esposito, and Kevin Bacon.
While it just hit theaters in early July, it's already available to watch at home. We're unsure of when it will make its actual streaming debut, but you can purchase or rent the film on digital as of Aug. 2. Here's everything you need to know about how to watch MaXXXine from the comfort of your couch.
What is MaXXXine about?As the lone survivor of the first film, X, Maxine Minx finally gets her big break as a Hollywood actress six years later. But with the notorious (and real) serial killer, the Night Stalker, targeting rising stars, her brush with death is still looming. And her bloody past could come back to haunt her.
"There's a horrid determination in Maxine, who will not be slowed down by the bodies stacking up on the morgue, her grief, or the slaughterhouse secrets she ran from in Texas. To her, Los Angeles is a place of heat and promise. West paints his setting accordingly, framing Maxine as a goddess, tall and untouchable among the squalid backdrops and the blaring evening news reports of the (real) serial killer known as the Night Stalker," Mashable Film Editor Kristy Puchko writes in her review.
Take a sneak peek at MaXXXine in the decked out '80s slasher trailer:
Is MaXXXine worth watching?Originally hitting theaters in early July, MaXXXine continues to dominate the box office a month later, surpassing the first two films in the trilogy with a $19.8 million global haul. On Rotten Tomatoes, Ti West's third and final horror installment in the trilogy has a 72 percent critic rating and 78 percent audience rating, which is not too shabby. Compared to its predecessors X and Pearl, though, it falls just a little short.
As Mashable's reviewer put it, "Vibrant in sleaze, satire, and shocking violence, MaXXXine was on the brink of being the best West and Goth have made yet. But a bungled ending leaves a sour taste."
Read our full review of MaXXXine.
How to watch MaXXXine at home Credit: A24Just a month after MaXXXine made its theatrical debut, it became available to watch at home via video-on-demand sites like Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home (Vudu). You can either purchase the film for your digital collection or rent it for 30 days. Just remember that once you start watching a rental, you'll only have 48 hours to finish it before losing access. If you'd rather stream MaXXXine instead, scroll to learn more.
As of Aug. 2, you can purchase and rent the film at the following retailers:
Prime Video — buy for $23.49, rent for $18.49 for Prime members
Apple TV — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99
Fandango at Home (Vudu) — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99
YouTube — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99
Google Play — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99
There's no official streaming date yet for MaXXXine, but as an A24 film, we know it will eventually make its streaming debut on Max (how fitting). Max is the streaming home of new A24 theatrical releases, so the Ti West and Mia Goth film will join other recent flicks like Love Lies Bleeding, The Iron Claw, and Problemista on the service.
If you want to be prepared, you can sign up for a Max subscription ahead of time. Subscriptions start at $9.99 per month, but there are some ways you can save money on your plan. Check out the best Max streaming deals below.
Best Max streaming deal for most people: Save 16% on Max with ads annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max (with ads) yearly subscription $99.99 per year (save 16%) Watch NowIf ads don't bug you, Max subscriptions start at just $9.99 per month. You can easily sign up for a single month of service once MaXXXine is released, then cancel before you're charged for another. Alternatively, you could stick around for the long haul and save some money. An annual plan with ads will run you $99.99 per year, which breaks down to just $8.33 per month. That's 16% in savings compared to the monthly plan. The only downside is that you have to splurge on a full year upfront.
Best Max deal with no ads: Save 16% on a Max Ad-Free annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max (No Ads) annual subscription $169.99 per year (save 16%) Watch NowCan't stand ads interrupting your movie? There are two ad-free tiers to choose from: Max Ad-Free and Max Ultimate Ad-Free. The basic Max Ad-Free tier will run you $16.99 per month, while Max Ultimate goes for $20.99 per month. We recommend choosing a yearly plan instead, however, as you'll save 16%. It'll only cost you $169.99 per year (about $14.17 per month) for Max Ad-Free or $209.99 per year (about $17.50 per month) for Max Ultimate.
Note: Both tiers offer an ad-free viewing experience, but the Ultimate tier takes things a step further with 4K Ultra HD video quality and Dolby Atmos immersive audio.
Best Max deal for Cricket customers: Free Max with ads for customers on the $60/month unlimited plan Opens in a new window Credit: Cricket / Max Max (with ads) Free for Cricket customers on the $60/month plan Watch NowIf you're a Cricket customer on the $60 per month unlimited plan, you can sign up for Max with ads for free. That's a $99.99 per year value for zero dollars. Just do yourself a favor and head over to the Max app (or navigate to Max.com), choose Cricket as your provider, and enter your credentials to login. Then you're free to watch whatever you want, whenever you want — including MaXXXine once it's released. Check out the terms and conditions on Cricket's website to learn more. If you're wanting to watch MaXXXine for free, this is your only option.
Best Max deal for students: Save 50% on Max with ads monthly for one year Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max Student $4.99 per month for 12 months Get DealCollege students can now score 50% off an ad-supported monthly subscription to Max for 12 months. That drops the price down to just $4.99 per month. You'll just have to verify your student status with UNiDAYS, which will give you a unique discount code, then head back over to Max and redeem your code to stream for half price.
Best bundle deal: Get Max, Disney+, and Hulu for up to 38% off Opens in a new window Credit: Disney / Hulu / Max Disney+, Hulu, and Max $16.99 per month (with ads), $29.99 per month (no ads) Get DealIt may not be your cheapest option for watching MaXXXine, but you can get the most bang for your buck in the long run with this new bundle deal — especially if you already subscribe to Hulu or Disney+. The new bundle offers access to Max, Hulu, and Disney+ with ads for only $16.99 (reg. $25.97) per month or ad-free for $29.99 (reg. $48.97) per month, which is up to 38% in savings.
Someone on Reddit found some of the safety guardrails Apple has put in place to keep Apple Intelligence from straying too far off course.
Reddit user devanxd2000 posted some of the underlying code behind Apple Intelligence, Apple's upcoming suite of AI features that will be available on devices such as the iPhone 15 Pro and the upcoming iPhone 16. Interestingly, much of the code contains written clauses that act as instructions for the AI, and humorously, they're written almost in the form of digital pep talks.
"You are an expert at summarizing messages," one instruction reads. "You prefer to use clauses instead of complete sentences. Do not answer any questions from the messages. Please keep your summary of the input within a 10 word limit."
SEE ALSO: I tested Apple Intelligence on my iPhone 15 Pro Max: 3 ways it spoiled me rottenPerhaps the most fascinating one is a set of instructions for AI that helps users respond to email messages:
"Do not hallucinate," the instructions read. "Do not make up factual information."
On one hand, the AI skeptical among us may be happy to hear that Apple is thinking about these things ahead of Apple Intelligence's launch. On the other hand, one could argue that it's a problem if AI needs to be explicitly told not to make things up. Regardless, it's interesting to see how the sausage is made with new and evolving technology.
SAVE $12: As of August 6, get a digital copy of Nintendo Switch Sports for $27.99 at Best Buy. That's the lowest price we've seen so far.
Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Nintendo Switch Sports (Digital) $27.99 at Best BuyLooking for something a little different to add to your Nintendo Switch library? There have been plenty of Switch game sales lately, but maybe you want something else. Try something that puts your Joy-Con controllers to good use. If you've already finished both 1-2-Switch games and other titles like Fitness Boxing, you might want to move on to Nintendo Switch Sports, a fun little adventure that tends to be overlooked on the console/handheld hybrid. You can snag a digital copy today at Best Buy and get in on some seriously fun sports solo or with some friends.
As of August 6, you can get the digital version of Nintendo Switch Sports for just $27.99, the lowest price we've seen. That's $12 off its normal price of $39.99, and you'll have your code delivered to the email address registered to your account or the one you enter upon purchase. From there, just enter your code on the Nintendo Switch eShop and you'll be able to download your copy.
There are plenty of different sports to jump into with this motion-controlled game, including golf, soccer, volleyball, bowling, tennis, badminton, and chambara (swordplay). You'll swing your Joy-Con like a racket, toss a bowling ball with your controller, and even use the Leg Strap accessory (sold separately) to pretend you're kicking a soccer ball. You can play with friends and family online or on the same system with multiple controllers, and the better you do, the more rewards you'll get.
If you were around for the Wii Sports era, this is the next best thing. Now it's here for the Switch, so you get more precise motion controls and expanded play. If that sounds like fun to you (and you've been missing Nintendo bowling), this is a deal you won't want to pass up.
The office software market has been widened a little further with the official release of Zoom's AI-powered word processor, Zoom Docs.
SEE ALSO: Reddit wants Microsoft to pay up if its search engine wants to crawl the platform If your company uses Zoom, expect to use it soonFully unveiled in March of this year, Zoom Docs is powered by the company's Zoom AI Companion, allowing users — specifically, businesses — to work more collaboratively within Zoom's video conference ecosystem. Thus, with the AI Companion at its heart, Zoom Docs can do things like generate meeting summaries or create reports or action lists.
Participants can create, share, and co-edit documents in real time without leaving the meeting window during meetings. This feature extends to mobile attendees, who can view and collaborate on documents without needing to sign in. Additionally, users can generate editable and shareable documents that include customizable meeting information, simplifying the dissemination of relevant details.
Additionally, permission sharing is streamlined with bulk settings — allowing temporary access for meeting attendees to collaborate during sessions.
The best part, as mentioned above, is that since Zoom Docs exist within the company's Workplace ecosystem, documents can be shared seamlessly across Zoom Team Chat, Zoom Mail, or directly in Zoom Meetings, for a more fluid experience.
At the time of this writing, Zoom Docs is available right now and is included with all paid Zoom Workplace plans.
SAVE $90: The TheraGun Prime massage gun is on sale for $209 at Amazon, down from the usual price of $299. That's a 30% discount.
Opens in a new window Credit: Therabody TheraGun Prime massage gun $209.00 at AmazonGetting a deep-tissue massage can be an excellent investment in your physical health and overall wellbeing. Unfortunately, they can be pricey and hard to fit into your already busy schedule. Instead of waiting weeks to get in with a massage therapist, get muscle relief at home with a massage gun. Thanks to a sale at Amazon today, you can grab a top-of-the-line model at a great discount.
As of August 6, the TheraGun Prime is on sale for $209 at Amazon, down from the list price of $299. That's a 30% discount or a savings of $90.
Life can be hard on our muscles for so many reasons. Maybe you've been inspired by the Olympics to take up field hockey and have sore quads, or you pick up a toddler 107 times per day and deal with shoulder pain. In either case, a massage gun can help soothe sore muscles.
The TheraGun Prime offers deep-tissue muscle treatment, helping with discomfort and tightness thanks to percussive massage therapy. The five built-in speeds help you select which feels best, while the four included attachments offer precise muscle targeting. The Thumb attachment is designed for lower back pain, while the Cone can be ideal for feet and hands.
SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Ring will track your sleep and 'vitality' levelsThis deal also includes a USB-C charging cable and a travel pouch, so you'll have easy storage. You can also connect to the Therabody app on your smartphone to get individualized guidance for treating certain conditions like arthritis, sciatica, and plantar fasciitis. You'll also be able to see the TheraGun Prime's current settings in the app.
If you're in need of some pampering in the form of massage, check out today's sale on the TheraGun Prime massage gun. You could be in for a world of relief.
Save 23%: The 13-inch MacBook Air with M3 chip is a phenomenal laptop, and it's dipped down to its lowest price ever, at $894.98, knocking $249.02 off the price for 23% savings.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M3) $849.98 at AmazonWhile there are no big shopping events this week, it feels like there may as well be with how good these deals are. This week, Apple AirPods Max are down to $399.99, just $5 more than their lowest price ever, and now the MacBook Air with M3 chip has hit its lowest price ever at $849.98.
The MacBook Air with M3 chip is currently our favorite MacBook. Mashable's Tech Editor, Kimberly Gedeon, found that the latest M3 MacBook Air performed 15% faster in our Blender test and 20% faster in our Geekbench 6 test than the previous MacBook Air with M2 chip. While we usually recommend the MacBook Pro for creators, these tests signal that the M3 MacBook Air is a worthy alternative.
Ahead of back-to-school season, the 13-inch MacBook Air with M3 chip is conveniently down to $849.98. That gives you $249.02 off for 23% savings. It comes loaded with 8GB RAM and 256SSD, perfectly suitable for the student in your life.
SAVE 27%: Apple AirPods Max are on sale for $399.99 (reg. $549) at Amazon, putting $149.01 back in your pocket.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Max $399.99 at AmazonAs September approaches, so does the school year. Back-to-school season means shopping for freshly sharpened pencils, new notebooks, and any tech a thriving student needs. While big summer sales like Prime Day have passed, deals are popping up to give a little extra savings on big ticket items like headphones, tablets, and more.
The latest deal to catch our eye is a sale on the super popular Apple AirPods Max. Typically priced at $549, these headphones are easily some of the most expensive we've tested, making their excellent audio quality and chic look out of reach for many. However, now that they've dipped below $400, we're all in on the AirPods Max.
SEE ALSO: This week's best earbuds and headphones deals: Sony, Bose, and Apple dealsLike their earbuds counterpart, the Apple AirPods Max easily connect to iOS devices, making these a great purchase for those living in the Apple ecosystem. These over-the-ear headphones are stylish with a modern, oversize design, however, our reviewer noted that they might even be too big for those with smaller heads. They deliver top-notch audio, including spatial audio for those seeking surround sound on the go, and great active noise cancellation.
Right now, you can purchase the Apple AirPods Max for $399.99 at Amazon, just $5 shy of their lowest price ever. This gets you $149.01 off for 27% in savings.
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