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We're almost at the end of the Moon's current lunar cycle, with only the tiniest sliver surface still visible. That crescent will to shrink nothing over the next few nights before the Moon reaches its New Moon phase.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Tuesday, Aug. 11, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon phase is in Waning Crescent phase, with 3% of its surface visible.

The Moon is not illuminated enough to be able to spot anything on its surface tonight.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on August 28.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon doesn't look the same from Earth every night. As it travels around our planet, it moves through a lunar cycle that takes roughly 29.5 days to complete, according to NASA. The changing positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon affect how much of the Moon's sunlit side we can see, creating the different phases. Over the course of the cycle, the Moon progresses from a narrow crescent to a half Moon and eventually a Full Moon, before starting the sequence over again.

The eight phases are:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you've ever watched football.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, 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 the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

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

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise 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 before the game ends.

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Staff

• Green: Halfbacks

• Blue: TV shows

• Purple: Types of penalties

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Members of a Staff

• Green: NFL Running Backs

• Blue: Sports TV Shows

• Purple: Illegal___Penalties in Football

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: Sports Edition #687 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Members of a Staff: COACH, SCOUT, TRAINER, VIDEO COORDINATOR

• NFL Running Backs: COOK, HALL, SWIFT, WALKER

• Sports TV Shows: COBRA KAI, FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, HEATED RIVALRY, RUNNING POINT

• Illegal___Penalties in Football: BLINDSIDE BLOCK, FORMATION, FORWARD PASS, SHIFT

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

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

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

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

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 11, 2026

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for August 11, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for August 11 Pips

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 1-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed horizontally; 2-1, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for August 11 Pips

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically; 0-0, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 4-6, placed vertically.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 5-0, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically; 5-6, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for August 11 Pips

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 0-5, placed vertically.

Number (16): Everything in this space must add up to 16. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 0-6, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically.

Number (17): Everything in this space must add up to 17. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed vertically; 0-1, placed vertically; 0-4, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 6-2, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally.

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you watch a lot of cable TV.

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

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

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

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

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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

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

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for August 7, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Finished

• Green: Cable TV

• Blue: At an auction

• Purple: Sounds like a body part

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Doomed

• Green: Basic Cable Channels

• Blue: Words in an Auctioneer's Chant

• Purple: Homophones of Facial Features

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 #1157 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Doomed: DONE, SUNK, THROUGH, TOAST

• Basic Cable Channels: BET, BRAVO, HISTORY, USA

• Words in an Auctioneer's Chant: GOING, ONCE, SOLD, TWICE

• Homophones of Facial Features: AYE, HARE, KNOWS, TUNG

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 7, 2026

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

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

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you live in a suburb.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 7, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for August 7, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A barrier, particularly seen around one's house.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter "E" appears twice.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter F.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

FENCE

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

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

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you like buying fresh fruits and vegetables.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, 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 August 7, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Fresh from the market

The words are related to buying produce.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe different fruits and vegetables.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Summer Harvest.

NYT Strands word list for August 11

• Tomato

• Corn

• Melon

• Carrot

• Pepper

• Zucchini

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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.

There’s a new robotaxi in town — Amazon's Zoox.

Paid rides on Zoox became available for the first time ever, with service launching in Las Vegas on Monday (Aug. 10). The Sin City service follows Zoox's recent availability as a free option for select San Francisco riders. 

While Alphabet's autonomous Waymo cars are also available in Vegas, Zoox has some distinct differences, most notably its carriage-style seating made possible by the absence of a steering wheel and gas pedal. Zoox vehicles also lack a formal front or rear, allowing them to drive in either direction seamlessly. Riders adjust temperature and music choices on screens in the cabin.

On July 30, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that Zoox could temporarily offer paid service. 

"This temporary exemption will allow the commercial deployment of up to 2,500 vehicles annually for two years, subject to an enhanced, adaptable oversight structure that can evolve as Zoox’s technology advances," according to the agency.

Zoox prices will be competitive with other rideshare services, according to the Los Angeles Times, with possible surcharges for trips to airports or special events. 

The Zoox app shows rides currently available in a wide swath of the Las Vegas Valley, with vehicles operating from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. On-demand service in Austin, Miami, and San Francisco will be up next. 

Waymo recently announced its van-style Ojai service is available for free to select riders in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix. While the Ojai has a steering wheel and pedals, it also features accessibility options such as elevator-style doors, low step entry and exit, and three large LED screens for customizing music and temperature. 

SEE ALSO: Tesla wants to be the first company to offer wheelchair-accessible autonomous vehicles

Supergirl is flying into theaters, and DC fans have plenty of reason to rejoice. The spinoff from 2025's Superman follows Kara (Milly Alcock), Clark Kent's cousin from Krypton, as she pub-crawls across the cosmos.

Her plans for devil-may-care merriment are disrupted, however, when she crosses paths with an orphaned girl named Ruthye (Eve Ridley) on a quest for vengeance. Whether Supergirl likes it or not, she can't help but be the hero — and the role model — Ruthye needs. And along the way, she'll run into fiends and foes, including the outrageous bounty hunter Lobo (Jason Momoa). But above all, she offers a lesson that seems to fly in the face of her chipper cousin: Don't be nice. Be kind.

When Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko sat down in virtual interviews with Alcock, Momoa, and Supergirl screenwriter Ana Nogueira, they dug into what exactly that means. What's so bad about being nice? And what distinguishes being kind and being nice? And where does Lobo fit into this? You better believe Momoa and company had thoughts.

Supergirl opens in theaters on June 26.

New Orleans, home to more than 300,000 residents and an emergency system that handles thousands of calls each day, is turning to AI for help.

The city recently confirmed that emergency services, overseen by the Orleans Parish Communication District, are deploying an AI triage tool to screen and sort incoming calls to assist human operators. City representatives explained the technology is intended to reduce the number of repetitive calls and prevent lines from bottlenecking.

Basically, if a resident calls in an incident that's already been reported, like a car crash, the AI dispatcher is supposed to handle it.

SEE ALSO: AI companies keep destroying old books. Here's why.

The tool, referred to as AI Emergency Call Triage, was developed by AI emergency services company Carbyne. It's still undergoing real-world testing by operators, according to reporting by the Shreveport Times, but has been involved in triaging traffic-related emergency calls since at least 2023. The city also introduced an AI tool for its 311 non-emergency services in April.

New Orleans is one of several cities introducing AI into emergency and non-emergency call operations, and Carbyne is already working with public safety agencies across the country.

In 2024, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) published a fact sheet exploring the implementation of AI into emergency service operations, including testimony from early adopters like the Orleans Parish Communication District. The agency determined AI could assist in "automating initial detection and triage, streamlining call flow," and reducing call load for human operators. The NTIA's fact sheet argued AI would be most efficient when deployed for translation, triage, automatic callback systems, and geofencing.

SEE ALSO: Real-life 'Minority Report': AI hopes to stop crime before it starts

Carbyne has multiple partnerships with transportation and law enforcement authorities around the country, including a recent partnership with Washington, D.C. city services to modernize public safety systems like 911 call handling.

In June, reporting from the Seattle Times revealed that the Seattle Fire Department had been deploying an AI-powered triage tool similar to Carbyne's product for nearly two years. The tool in question, developed by Denmark-based company Corti, monitored live medical calls and advised operators on where and when to dispatch immediate services. Corti's AI was also deployed by Boston Emergency Medical Services, according to the company.

Critics of such generative AI products have repeatedly raised concerns about caller data privacy, the potential for AI model bias when interacting with diverse populations of callers, and the limitations of AI-generated voice tools in general. Many have taken issue with the lack of transparency by city services integrating AI into public-facing call lines without explicit notice.

YouTube built one of the creator economy's biggest payment systems, but now it is raising the bar for who gets to share in it.

Beginning Feb. 1, 2027, new creators will need 8,000 qualified watch hours over the previous year or 20 million qualified Shorts views within 90 days to earn advertising and YouTube Premium revenue, the company announced Aug. 10.

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Both figures are double YouTube's current requirements of 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views. The announcement did not mention a change to the existing requirement that creators have at least 1,000 subscribers.

The new rules will also affect creators who are already part of the YouTube Partner Program. To earn ad and subscription revenue from Shorts each month, they will need to maintain 10 million qualified views during a rolling 90-day period.

Channels that fall below the threshold will remain in the program and can continue making money from long-form videos. Shorts revenue sharing will resume automatically if their views climb back above it.

YouTube said creators who already earn "significant revenue" from Shorts are unlikely to be affected, but did not disclose how many channels currently fall short of the requirement.

The updates mark the first significant overhaul of the Partner Program since 2018. More than 3 million creators now participate in the program, which distributes revenue from advertising and subscriptions and provides access to fan contributions and shopping tools.

YouTube’s business has grown considerably since its last overhaul, particularly around short-form video. The platform now records more than 200 billion Shorts views each day, nearly three times the 70 billion daily views it reported in 2024. Viewers also reportedly watch more than 1 billion hours of YouTube on televisions daily.

As it places tighter requirements on Shorts revenue, YouTube is promising other ways for smaller channels to earn money. The company said it plans to introduce bonuses tied to YouTube Shopping, incentives for brand partnerships, and additional payments for creators who start or grow trends.

Details about the value of those incentives, their eligibility rules, and when they will become available have not been announced.

The lower level of the Partner Program will remain unchanged. Creators can still qualify for fan-funding and shopping tools with 500 subscribers, 3 public uploads within 90 days, and either 3,000 qualified watch hours or 3 million Shorts views. That tier does not include advertising or Premium revenue.

According to YouTube's eligibility guidelines, qualified watch hours come from public long-form videos. Qualified Shorts views are engaged views from public videos shown in the Shorts feed. Activity from private, unlisted, or deleted videos does not count toward either requirement.

Premium Lite will create another subscription revenue pool

YouTube is also expanding Premium Lite to every country where the full YouTube Premium subscription is available. The service offers uninterrupted, offline, and background viewing of most content.

Under the updated structure, YouTube will place 60 percent of net Premium Lite subscription revenue into a dedicated pool for creators. The equivalent pool for full Premium subscriptions receives 30 percent.

The money is distributed based on what subscribers watch. Creators will continue to receive 55 percent of the revenue allocated to their long-form videos and 45 percent of the revenue allocated to Shorts.

YouTube said partners earn more on average when a viewer subscribes to Premium than when the same person watches ads. It expects the Premium Lite expansion and other updates to enable it to pay creators more in 2027 than in 2026.

The company did not disclose its total 2026 payout or estimate how many channels could see their Shorts revenue pause under the new rules.

When the changes arrive next year, creators will find out firsthand whether YouTube’s promise of more money still leaves room for smaller channels to earn it. Only time will tell.

House of the Dragon closed out its third season with the Battle of Tumbleton, a massive set piece that combined a military siege with some serious dragon firepower.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 3: How does the Battle of Tumbleton compare to the book?

The first of these dragons is Daemon Targaryen's (Matt Smith) Caraxes, who busts through Tumbleton's gate. The second of these dragons is Silverwing, ridden by traitorous dragonseed Ulf the White (Tom Bennett). Once an ally of Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy), Ulf defected to Team Green when Ormund Hightower (James Norton) offered him Driftmark. (Daeron Targaryen's (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) small dragon Tessarion also makes a brief appearance, though he remains confined to his stable.)

In the battle's aftermath, as Caraxes chases Silverwing over Tumbleton, another dragon flies into view. Given its size, viewers were quick to believe it was Vhagar, who has been missing since she dropped Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) off for his vision quest at Harrenhal.

Was Vhagar at the Battle of Tumbleton?

However, that dragon is not Vhagar. It's actually Vermithor, aka "the Bronze Fury," Hugh Hammer's (Kieran Bew) dragon.

In George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood, Hugh also betrays Rhaenyra at the Battle of Tumbleton. In the show, he shows up for the fight in a different way, charging through the Tumbleton streets in search of his estranged wife Kat (Ellora Torchia). That leaves Vermithor up to his own devices.

Vermithor and Silverwing are actually a bonded pair of dragons. So when Vermithor pops up in that dragon-heavy shot, he's likely not coming to Caraxes's aid in taking down Silverwing and her turncoat rider. Instead, he's probably coming to his beloved Silverwing's defense.

House of the Dragon cuts away from that sequence before we can see yet another dragon dogfight. But unless Season 4 picks up seconds after the end of Season 3, it's likely all three dragons make it out of this situation alive. However, given Hugh's grief over Kat's death and Silverwing and Vermithor's bond, we may see yet another dragonrider switch sides in the coming conflict.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max.

Since Elon Musk's takeover of the former Twitter, now known as X, there have been plenty of criticism leveled against the platform and the changes Musk instituted. 

Regardless of one's political background or general feelings on Musk, one of the main unanimous complaints has been the overall diminishing quality of content of the social media site due in part to the Revenue Sharing program.

That's now coming to an end. X has announced its going to sunset its current Revenue Sharing program for creators and roll out a new monetization program known as Original Content Rewards.

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According to X, the Original Content Rewards program will seek to "reward creators who bring original ideas, expertise, reporting, creativity, and commentary to X."

"The best content on X doesn't stop at resharing what already exists — it adds something new," X said in its announcements about the new monetization program. The statement hints at an ongoing issue that was devaluing content on the platform. Monetized users were simply sharing screenshots of other users' content, re-uploading other users' videos, and generally attempting to make as much money off of content they didn't create.

Other platforms' monetization programs, such as YouTube's, have long rejected or demonetized accounts that attempted to spam stolen content simply to garner views to profit off of. X seems like it will finally address this issue on its platform.

The current Revenue Sharing program on X will run through September 7, with final payouts going out around September 11. 

How X's new Original Content Rewards program will work

According to X, Original Content Rewards will kick off on September 8.

Some qualifications for the new monetization program on X are similar to the previous Revenue Sharing program. For example, users will still need to be a paying X subscriber to X Premium, Premium+, or Premium Business in order to qualify for Original Content Rewards.

However, there are some new requirements as well. Creators will now need to have a minimum of 500 verified followers or followers who also pay for X Premium, Premium+, or Premium Business. In addition, creators will need to have at least 500,000 Home Timeline impressions from verified users over the last 90 days. According to X, impressions on replies are not included in this requirement.

Creators on X can check if they meet these requirements by clicking Premium on the sidebar menu of their account, followed by Creator Studio, and Original Content Rewards.

The new Original Content Rewards program will attempt to ensure that only original content is monetizable. Content must be completely original or significantly transformed in order to qualify. Copy and pasted content or re-uploaded videos that don't belong to the uploader are not eligible for monetization. 

In addition, original content payouts will be determined by "qualified impressions." According to X, a qualified impression is a unique impression from "subscribers to X Premium Basic, Premium, Premium+, or Premium Business on the Home Timeline feed, where at least 50% of the post is visible."

X says that it will continuously check on the eligibility of users and posting disinformation, utilizing bots for views, and purposefully soliciting engagement could disqualify users from the program even if they were previously accepted.

X accounts can be temporarily suspended or even permanently removed from the Original Contend Rewards program. There is an appeals process for users who believed they were wrongly suspended or terminated from the monetization program.

Some users who commonly break these rules under the current monetization program are frequently shared by X owner Elon Musk, himself so it will be interesting to see if the new Original Content Rewards program changes how monetized accounts post on X or if the rules are even fairly enforced across the platform. 

Save 41%: As of Aug. 10, the Lego Animal Crossing Blathers's Museum set is available for $47.17, down $32.82 from its list price of $79.99. This is the absolute lowest price the set has ever hit.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Animal Crossing Blathers's Museum $47.17 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $32.82   Get Deal

It's been over six years since the release of the last Animal Crossing title, so chances are your island's museum is well and fully complete.

That doesn't mean you have to wait for a new game to get the good times going again. That's because the Lego Animal Crossing Blathers's Museum exists, and as of Aug. 10, the set is on sale $47.17, marking a first-time drop to its lowest price ever. At full price, the 543-piece set costs $79.99, meaning this deal amounts to a 41% discount.

The suggested age on this set is seven years and older, so it suits kids and adults alike. Along with the facade of the museum, the set features Blathers, Lily, a triceratops, plus two small exhibits and an homage to the Roost. While it's not exactly a true-to-game design, the smaller build means you won't have to make space for a replica in your home. Plus, this deal brings it down to a price point that makes a lot more sense for the scope of the set.

SAVE $1,090: The Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $1,709, down from the standard price of $2,799. That's a 39% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus $1,709 at Amazon
$2,799 Save $1,090   Get Deal

We're well into back-to-school season now and we're counting down the final few weeks of summer. If you live in an area that experiences fall storms, it might be time to start thinking about prep. Some of us are fine with a small portable power bank to keep phones charged up but other homes are looking for more. If you want to still use larger items like kitchen appliances while the power is out, check out this deal.

As of Aug. 10, the Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $1,709, down from the standard price of $2,799. That's a 39% discount that saves over $1,000.

With a major 3,584Wh capacity, the Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus is perfect for home backup. It has four AC ports for appliances like the coffee maker, kettle, blender, and lamps. Dual USB-A and USB-C ports will help keep smaller gadgets charged up like phones, tablets, and earbuds. For larger appliances or RV adventures, the 30amp port will help out.

SEE ALSO: The DJI Power 1000 V2 is $300 off at Amazon and ready to power up your next adventures

Of course, the 3,584Wh is pretty heavy, so Jackery equipped this model with durable wheels and a telescoping handle. Jackery mentions this model will be able to keep a 100W refrigerator cooling for at least two days or it'll run the washing machine five times.

Instead of sitting in the dark during the next storm outage, rely on the Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus. It's on sale for a limited time only for a major 39% off.

Anthropic's AI programming tool just made a somewhat big change.

In a blog post, Anthropic announced that "auto mode" will, going forward, be turned on by default in Claude Code for anyone with a Pro, Max, or Team account. The change takes effect on Aug. 14, though you might get a prompt asking if you want to turn on auto mode depending on what settings you've chosen for yourself.

SEE ALSO: Shared a Claude conversation? Google may have seen it. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

For the uninitiated (read: me), auto mode in Claude Code stops asking for human prompts at each step of the development process, instead giving the AI agent permission to proceed on its own unless the action it's taking would be destructive or impossible to reverse. That sounds like it'd be difficult to trust as a programmer, but Anthropic claims that in testing, auto mode caught 89 percent of harmful actions, while real humans only caught 13.6 percent.

And now, that will be the out-of-the-box experience for Claude Code users. As always, though, you can still turn it off.

SAVE 10%: As of Aug. 10, you can get the Acer Predator GM7 2TB SSD for $278.99, down from $309.99, at Amazon. That's a 10% discount or $31 in savings.

Acer Predator GM7 2TB SSD $278.99 at Amazon
$309.99 Save $31   Get Deal at Amazon

If you're tired of deleting games just to make room for new updates on your PC or PS5, adding a second solid-state drive is the easiest fix.

As of Aug. 10, you can get the Acer Predator GM7 2TB SSD for $278.99 on Amazon (down from its $309.99 list price). That's a 10% discount or $31 in savings.

SEE ALSO: The best SSD deals at Amazon this weekend: Live deals on Samsung, Lexar, Kingston, and more

This drive uses a PCIe 4.0 NVMe 2.0 interface to hit read speeds up to 7,400 MB/s and write speeds up to 6,500 MB/s, which means faster load times for your games and large files. It also includes built-in thermal throttling and power management to keep temperatures under control during long gaming sessions.

Its standard M.2 2280 form factor makes it compatible with most desktop PCs, modern laptops, and the PlayStation 5. If you're installing it in a PC, it also supports Acer's Biwin Intelligence software to help you run speed tests, migrate files, and clone your primary drive.

Trends among teenagers are an ever-changing hellscape, and finding the best gifts for teen girls (that they'll actually use for longer than a month) is a coveted skill. Even millennials — people who are not that old, thank you very much — can have trouble keeping up with the world predominantly ruled by TikTok and content creators.

An important reminder: Don't just wing it. Gen Z girls are clearly loyal to a defined handful of brands and have very specific aesthetic goals. Goals that could be torched by the honest mistake of grabbing generic white earbuds instead of the best AirPods or not realizing that Owala has eclipsed Stanley in the hierarchy of trendy water bottles.

SEE ALSO: Claire's is betting Gen Alpha wants creators, not celebrities

But you know who does know what teenage girls want this year? Other teenage girls. I'm regularly tracking viral TikTok products and compiling the most popular stuff with items that the high schoolers in my own life have mentioned. So even if you don't know what terms like whimsymaxxing mean, you're definitely in the right place to find a gift that a teenager thinks is cool. Whether it's for a birthday, holiday, high school graduation, or just because, here are 35+ unique gifts for teenage girls in 2026.

Dating app Hinge is releasing its first-ever audiobook, The Bookseller reported. It features writing and narration from Rufi Thorpe, author of Margo's Got Money Troubles, Curtis Garner, Tembe Denton-Hurst, Nicola Dinan, and Raven Smith. Each author wrote about a real-life couple that met on Hinge, and the couples contribute epilogues with their own reflections.

The audiobook expands the app's "No Ordinary Love" ad campaign of as-told-to love stories. It first launched in 2024 with six stories by writers such as Roxane Gay. No Ordinary Love continued last year with five additional stories published weekly on Substack. They were penned by five new writers, including Hunter Harris, who wrote the audiobook's foreword.

SEE ALSO: Hinge founder's AI matchmaker coming later this year

The audios are available now on Substack, Spotify, Libro.fm, Apple Audiobooks, Barnes & Noble Audiobooks, and the library app Libby. You can also read the written companions on Substack.

"Hinge continues to find inspiration in the rise of book-focused conversations on social media and how it deeply resonates with Gen Z," the company told The Bookseller. "Romance is the most popular genre read by 18 to 29-year-olds, and audiobooks are growing in popularity with readers, who listen as they go about their daily lives."

Mashable attended this year's BookCon, and it was such a success that next year's conference is set to be even bigger.

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Hinge's chief marketing and communications officer, Tamika Young, told The Bookseller that the campaign has always celebrated the real stories behind relationships, and that this year, the team focused on the conversations that moved those relationships forward, "the moments where someone asks the question, sends the text, or finally says the hard thing out loud."

SEE ALSO: The best dating apps for serious relationships

"These stories were meant to be heard, and an audiobook gave us the opportunity to bring listeners into those moments — to hear the pauses, the hesitation, and everything that happens just before someone finally says it," Young said.

In Hinge's latest report, it found that the majority of LGBTQ daters said that consistent communication from someone they're starting to date makes them feel less anxious. Its latest feature, Friend's Take, lets a user's loved ones contribute something in writing (or audio, or an image) to their profile.

Save $20: As of Aug. 10, you can pick up the Shark ChillPill on sale at Amazon, SharkNinja, and Best Buy. The personal fan is back down to a record low price of $129.99 from $149.99, saving you 13%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark ChillPill $129.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $20   Get Deal

Picture this: it's 95 degrees, the sun is high in the sky, and you have tickets to a Dodger game, with seats right in the sun. This was my predicament one week ago, and though I wasn't thrilled, I applied a thick layer of sunscreen and packed my Shark ChillPill with the hope it delivered on its name.

I am thrilled to announce I did not burn or melt (the former thanks to the sunscreen, the latter, the ChillPill). Swapping between the fan and cooling heads, I endured the heat just fine, which I didn't think possible (having been in this predicament before). That's why I'm also thrilled to announce the 3-in-1 version of the Shark ChillPill is back on sale for its lowest price ever at several retailers as of Aug. 10, including Amazon, Best Buy, and Shark Ninja. With this deal, the usually $149.99 is down to $129.99, bring the price down $20.

SEE ALSO: Dyson Hushjet Mini Cool review: I tested this portable fan during 2 heatwaves to find out if it's worth $100

Admittedly, this is a steep price for a personal fan, when Amazon does have plenty of options under $25. However, the Shark ChillPill is versatile, coming with a standard fan head, a cooling head, and a misting head. Plus, I'm not the only Mashable staffer that's been saved by this mini fan. Lead Shopping Reporter Sam Mangino tested the fan out during the hottest day of the year and appreciated its 10 levels of adjustable speed and 11 hour battery life.

While it did the trick, she did mention that the shape could be bulky while holding it, the tank on the misting head was small, and higher speeds could get loud. I agree with most of the above — while it wasn't exactly sleek, I was able to hold it while walking around Dodger Stadium with relative ease. Mangino's recommendation was ultimately to buy the fan on sale, which makes this the perfect time to pick one up.

TL;DR: Dunkin' is giving away 1 million free drinks on Monday, Aug. 10, just a week after giving away 1 million free medium Refreshers on Aug. 3. Use the code FRSHDROP2 to claim your free refresher.

Dunkin' just dropped another giveaway, and it's a big one — 1 million free drinks are up for grabs today. Grab your free refresher with code FRSHDROP2.

The code came through Dunkin's Diehards Instagram broadcast channel, the same spot the chain's been using to drop its surprise deals lately. Heads up — it's likely one per customer, as with past giveaways, so don't expect to stack them.

Just a week ago, on Aug. 3, the chain gave away 1 million free medium Refreshers to celebrate the launch of the Diehards channel. And this isn't Dunkin's first rodeo with million-drink drops this year, either. The chain gave away 1,000,001 free hot or iced coffees on April Fools' Day, then followed up with another million free coffees on April 21, and another on May 19.

At this point, if you want in on these before they disappear, following the Diehards channel with notifications enabled is no longer optional. Head to Dunkin's Instagram, find the Diehards broadcast channel under the bio, and turn on notifications so you don't miss the next one.