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There's a unique feeling that comes with watching two people flirting wildly with each other. You're a spectator to something that feels intimate, yet public, both of them dancing around the idea that they clearly fancy each other but haven't yet plucked up the gumption to shoot their shot. On the one hand: Should I.... leave you guys to it? On the other: Sorry, but I just can't look away.

This is how I felt watching the latest Chicken Shop Date episode with Andrew Garfield, an 11-minute flirt-fest of "powerful vibes" with Amelia Dimoldenberg that I had to watch in instalments because I couldn't handle the chemistry between the two. I literally felt jealous watching it.

Garfield, who's currently promoting his latest romantic movie We Live In Time which also stars Florence Pugh, declares in the interview that he and Dimoldenberg have had, in fact, two meet cutes. We all saw their viral first red carpet meeting back in 2022, in which Garfield sauntered up to Dimoldenberg and declared "I think you're great" before proceeding to tell her he's seen all her "Chicken Shop things." "I'm asking you out right now," Dimoldenberg says in the very same clip.

Their second meet cute happened at the 2023 Golden Globes on the red carpet. But, this video also mentions the fact that the pair were at a party together where a) Amelia was wowing with her dancing and b) Andrew asked for her number. Hello? What?!

SEE ALSO: Welcome to the 'Lover Girl' dating era. It's time to embrace romance.

"This is called flirting, Amelia!" Garfield bellowed at one point in their latest meeting. "This is called flirting." Yes, Andrew, we can see that. And, so did more than 5.3 million viewers who tuned in to watch the mega-viral video, which topped the YouTube trending videos over the weekend.

Flirting is having a major pop culture moment right now. And the internet's reaction to the latest Chicken Shop Date forms part of a landscape of our current cultural fixation on the art form of a good old fashioned flirt. The internet was ablaze with a kind of high-school K-I-S-S-I-N-G energy, along with an abundance of memes, shipping, and general commentary. Some hailed the video the "the best rom com of the year," others focused on the granular blush-worthy details: "I think something is wrong with me because I am blushing at Andrew saying 'I don’t like games Amelia.'" Side note: there's nothing wrong with you, we were all swooning.

Tweet may have been deleted

But it's not just Andrew and Amelia and our hope that they will soon be betrothed. The internet is crushing on multiple couples, both real and fictitious, for their excellent flirting on main.

Running parallel to the Chicken Shop Date buzz this past weekend was another swoon-worthy interaction between Suki Waterhouse and fiancé Robert Pattinson. For an ELLE video, Waterhouse prank-called Pattinson, pretending that she'd been asked to be the new host of Love Is Blind. Pattinson's voice sounds like he's smiling as he talks to his beloved and, as one commenter aptly put it: "he talks like he is kicking his feet and twirling his hair while talking to her." A true highlight (which prompted many memes) comes when Pattinson asks, "Darling, have you gone mad?" Stop it, you guyssssssss, I can't cope.

Speaking of IRL couples, brat summer isn't just about partying and living unapologetically as oneself, it's also about being publicly cutesy with your fiancé. Charli xcx had the entire internet begging her fiancé, producer George Daniel, to please do the "Apple" dance that swept TikTok, created by Kelley Heyer. It all started when the brat artist posted a doe-eyed TikTok video of her asking George, "Babyyyyy, why don't you want to do 'Apple' though?"

More adorable content came our way when Charli followed up her request as a birthday present. And then again when TikToks emerged of the singer performing "Girl, so confusing" during the co-headlined Sweat tour with Troye Sivan, when she called out George onstage for not singing along. "George, I don't see you singing," she said (with autotune), before smiling at him and shouting, "Come on!!!" He'd better be singing now!

Seriously, though, I want what they have.

Crossing over into the fictional realm, we've been blessed with a decent run of TV series with protracted, infuriating sexual tension-ridden storylines. The kind where you're yelling "kiss!" at the screen. Disney+'s adaptation of the 1988 Jilly Cooper romance novel Rivals is one such example. Alex Hassell plays beguiling yet incorrigible rake Rupert Campbell-Black, who's bewitched by Taggie O'Hara (Sex Education's Bella Maclean), and their palpable chemistry is both mesmerising and infuriating as they continue throughout an entire series to not even so much as kiss on the lips. Get a grip, please!!!!!!!

That's not even mentioning Rivals' slow-burn, eked-out romance between Cooper stand-in Lizzie Vereker (Katherine Parkinson) and businessman Freddie Jones (Danny Dyer), the appeal of which Parkinson puts down to the rarity of long-game romances in the online dating era. "I'm not sure how many slow burn relationships are allowed to happen in a world of Tinder and so on," Parkinson told the audience of a Rivals preview screening in London in September.

SEE ALSO: 'Rivals' cast describe their audacious Jilly Cooper characters

Not remotely debauched, but just as swoon-worthy is Netflix's Nobody Wants This, which helped reignite every millennial's teenage crush on Adam Brody of The OC's Seth Cohen fame. The series, which has thankfully just been renewed for a second season, is a refreshing break from tired rom-com hetero archetypes, in which we watch a self-actualised female protagonist fall for an emotionally unavailable male counterpart. Noah (Brody) is kind, reassuring and open-hearted in his courtship of Joanne (Kristen Bell). In short, he's the unproblematic romantic ideal that we have all been yearning for.

So, what's the deal? Why's everyone so obsessed with flirting right now?

My theory is that the pandemic has had a profound impact on the way we regard flirting. During the lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, going on dates wasn't possible, casual sex was banned, and our only way of interacting with potential partners was through our phone screens. Romance was temporarily on hold. Many of us single folk experienced something called touch hunger or even touch deprivation, where we don't receive enough or any physical contact (something neuroscientists tell us is a vital human need).

Many of us retreated into a fantasy world of romantic fiction (with the encouragement of SmutTok — TikTok's dedicated community of bodice ripper lovers), and since then romance and erotic lit has seen an astronomic rise in popularity in the publishing world. Since 2020, U.S. print sales of romance and erotica books have doubled from 18 million in 2020 to over 29 million in 2023, as reported by the Guardian. In the UK, sales of romance novels have increased by 110 percent over the same timespan, bringing in £53 million ($69 million) a year.

At the same time, meeting online is now the most popular way U.S. couples meet, according to 2019 research by sociologists at Stanford University.

Slow burn romances are, as Parkinson says, a rarity in the age of rapid swiping and job interview-esque first dates. Somewhere along the way, we adjusted our expectations and decided we wanted everything all at once: we wanted to fast-track our online dating matches into IRL boyfriends without the fun part... the lingering eye contact, the lust-filled looks from across the room, the buzz you get when their leg touches yours for the first time, the way their eyes light up when you walk into the room. As much as I've accepted that dating apps are not going anywhere, I also miss the pre-dating app days (yes, I'm a millennial) when we'd have blazing crushes on people we'd met organically and, every now and then, we'd muster the courage to awkwardly ask someone out.

SEE ALSO: I went to an offline 'Draw and Date' event for singles. Here's how it went.

I think we're currently obsessed with watching people flirt — whether it's a fictional couple in a TV series, or two celebrities who are either dating or should be — because in our disillusionment with dating app culture, we are seeing a resurgence of old-school romance. We're turning to offline dating events to try and claw back the coveted chemistry you get from spending time with someone in real life developing a connection.

Flirting is having a moment right now because we've all realised how much we missed the feeling of lusting after someone in real life. Perhaps it's time we all went outside into the world and flirted brazenly with a sexy stranger.

Last month, Apple held a big event to show off the iPhone 16, among other things. Don't think the company is done for the year, though.

While it's unclear if Apple has another livestreamed event in store for us before 2024 is over, it seems likely that at least some announcements are coming in the near future. The month of October, specifically, has been earmarked in certain news reports recently as a time when Apple might make such announcements.

October might almost be over, but just in case Apple gets these things out under the gun, here's what you might be able to expect from the company during spooky season.

SEE ALSO: Apple goes after spambots with Business Caller ID Apple October 2024 potential announcements

Apple laid out the near future for iPhones, AirPods, and Apple Watches in September, so don't expect to hear much (if anything) about new hardware in those departments in October. However, there might be some beefy hardware on the way.

M4 Macs

Speaking of hardware, the expectation on the Apple rumor-mongering part of the internet is that there will be some powerful new Macs in the near future.

In his Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, Mark Gurman said back in August that Apple is planning on rolling out M4 variants of the MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac product lines before the end of 2024. Gurman also reported that MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro will get M4 upgrades later, sometime in 2025.

To put it bluntly, expecting these new M4 Macs to roll out in October may be wishful thinking, given that the month is almost over already. Last year, Apple did run a big livestream to announce some new Macs right before Halloween, so there is technically precedent. However, no such thing has been confirmed or even hinted at yet, at the time of writing.

Apple Intelligence rollout

With hardware more or less accounted for for 2024, the only Apple developments left to talk about are on the software side. Specifically, lots of people probably just bought iPhone 16s expecting to be use Apple Intelligence, given that it's heavily featured in every single TV commercial for the new iPhones. Strangely, though, those features aren't actually out yet.

October will see the end of that, at least partially. Apple has confirmed that iOS 18.1, which brings with it the first wave of AI features to new iPhones, will launch during the final week of the month. This update will include some of the more rudimentary Apple Intelligence features like Writing Tools, which uses AI to help you summarize, proofread, and edit text. Clean Up is also coming to Photos, which lets you use AI to remove unwanted elements from pictures.

Aside from iOS 18.1 and the potential (but no guarantee) of new Macs, Apple may not have much else before October is over. At least there's something, though.

SAVE HUNDREDS: As of Oct. 21, you can score $100 or more off an HP laptop or printer, including the HP OmniBook X.

Our top picks: Best deal overall 14-inch OmniBook X Copilot+ PC laptop (16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $899.99 at Best Buy (save $300) Get Deal Best budget laptop deal 14-inch HP 2024 Flagship laptop (16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD) $274.99 at Amazon (save $75 (with on-screen coupon) ) Get Deal Best printer deal HP DeskJet 4255e wireless all-in-one color inkjet printer, scanner, and copier (588S6A) $69.99 at Amazon (save $30) Get Deal

Apple seems to get all the acclaim and fame for innovation in the personal computer market, but HP has come a long way from being the budget PC brand. And right now, you can score hundreds off some of their most popular laptops and at-home printers at Amazon and Best Buy.

Here are some of our top picks as of Oct. 21:

Best deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: HP Our pick: 14-inch OmniBook X Copilot+ PC laptop (16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $899.99 at Best Buy
$1,199.99 Save $300.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The 14-inch OmniBook X Copilot+ PC laptop (16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) is $300 off at Best Buy, bringing the total price down to $899.99.

This 2024 laptop has an AI-powered Snapdragon X Elite processor with a dedicated Qualcomm Hexagon neural processing unit (NPU) to make your workday a little easier.

The Copilot+, with its 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and Windows 11, is ideal for students or professionals who need a reliable machine that won’t break the bank. And with a 2.2K IPS touchscreen display, you can really bring your ideas to life.

Bonus: You’ll also get 20% off select Logitech accessories when you purchase the Copilot+ laptop.

Best budget laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: HP Our pick: 14-inch HP 2024 Flagship laptop (16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD) $274.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $75.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If you’re low on cash but desperately need a new laptop that won’t quit mid-project, the 14-inch HP 2024 Flagship laptop (16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB SSD) is just $274.99 at Amazon right now (with an on-screen coupon).

It comes with one full year of Microsoft 365, can recharge to 50% in 45 minutes, and has an Intel 4-Core N4120 processor that can handle everything from email to video editing without flinching.

Best printer deal Opens in a new window Credit: HP Our pick: HP DeskJet 4255e wireless all-in-one color inkjet printer, scanner, and copier (588S6A) $69.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $30.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Having a printer at home is a luxury we don’t talk about enough, and the best deal we’ve found is on the HP DeskJet 4255e wireless all-in-one color inkjet printer, scanner, and copier (588S6A). It’s $69.99 at Amazon, down from the usual $99.99 price tag.

This printer comes with three months of ink, so you should have enough to power through most of your home printing needs without buying new cartridges right away. (You’ll have to activate an HP+ subscription to get it.) Once the three months are up, you’ll either need to pay for the HP+ Instant Ink delivery service or cancel and buy cartridges individually.

The coolest thing about this printer is that with the HP App, you can print, copy, scan, or fax (!) from your smartphone or tablet.

SAVE $140: Amazon has dropped prices on Samsung Galaxy Watches. Find the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 for $169.99 and 43% savings. Or catch the Samsung Galaxy Ultra that's down to $509.99, saving $140.

Best Samsung Galaxy Watch Deals Best Samsung Galaxy Watch Deal Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 $169.99 at Amazon (Save $130) Get Deal Best Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra Deal Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra $509.99 at Amazon (Save $140) Get Deal Best Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 Deal Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 $244.99 at Amazon (Save $55) Get Deal

Back in July, Samsung debuted a refresh to its line-up of Galaxy Watches. The latest watches included the new Samsung Ultra, a direct competitor to the Apple Watch Ultra, as well as an update to the standard model with the release of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7.

Samsung's smartwatches are impressive tech that are loaded with health features fit for the every man or the extreme athletes. This wearable tech is a lot more sophisticated than your standard fitness trackers, which unfortunately means they're also more expensive.

If you're looking to make an upgrade to a Samsung Galaxy Watch, now is the time with three models on sale at Amazon. And believe it or not — every model is down to its lowest price ever. Here are the best deals on Samsung Galaxy Watches.

Best Samsung Galaxy Watch Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 $169.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $130.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Before the new Samsung smartwatches arrived in July, there was the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, a fantastic device loaded with health insights for a better you. Like any good fitness tracker, it monitors your activity and health metrics while working out. Plus, it can even help you get better sleep as it detects your different sleep stages and snoring. But beyond fitness tracking, you can it connects to your Galaxy devices so you can control music, calls, texts, and even smartphone camera.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 dropped down to its lowest price ever of $169.99, saving $130 for 43% off.

Best Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra $509.99 at Amazon
$649.99 Save $140.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Samsung debuted its best smartwatch tech yet with the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. The brand claims it can run up to 48 hours on a single charge or 100 hours on power saving mode — great for those spending a few days out in the wilderness. Additionally, it also comes with the ability to detect symptoms of sleep apnea, important data you can bring to your doctor. While we haven't had the opportunity to test these claims, we have liked what we've seen in our initial hands-on review.

At $509.99, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is officially down to its lowest price ever, saving $140 for 22% off.

Best Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 $244.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $55.00 Get Deal Why we like it

While an 18% discount and $55 off doesn't seem that impressive on its face, especially compared to the deals above, we can promise you this is a fantastic sale on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7. At $244.99, this smartwatch is officially down to its lowest price ever.

This smartwatch comes with Samsung's latest AI technology to maximize your fitness goals. Galaxy AI calculates an Energy Score to give you a sense of your physical readiness. Plus, like the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra, the 7 comes with the sleep apnea sensor too.

The best streaming deals to watch 'Cuckoo: WATCH NOW Rent or buy 'Cuckoo' on Prime Video $5.99 or $9.99 (save $5 with Prime) Get Deal WATCH NOW Rent or buy 'Cuckoo' on Apple TV $5.99 or $14.99 Get Deal WATCH NOW Rent or buy 'Cuckoo' on Vudu $5.99 or $14.99 Get Deal WATCH NOW Rent or buy 'Cuckoo' on YouTube $5.99 or $14.99 Get Deal WATCH NOW Rent or buy 'Cuckoo' on Google Play $5.99 or $14.99 Get Deal WATCH LATER Hulu annual subscription $99.99 per year (save 16%) Get Deal

Looking for a new horror film to watch this Halloween season? Cuckoo, a bonkers mountain horror-thriller starring Hunter Schafer (Euphoria), is now available to watch at home after a successful release this summer.

It's got its fair share of creepy characters, eerie atmosphere, dramatic tension, and cinematic mountain lodge vibes a la The Shining. Far from a jump scare-filled traditional horror movie, Cuckoo is more dependent on building unnerving, creeping dread. Prepare for an uncomfortably tense, truly bizarre movie night.

Here's everything you need to know about how to watch Cuckoo at home.

What is Cuckoo about?

Written and directed by Tilman Singer, the film follows 17-year-old American Gretchen (Schafer) who is uprooted to a resort in Bavaria with her father Luis (Márton Csókás), stepmother, Beth (Jessica Henwick), and 8-year-old stepsister, Alma (Mila Lieu).

Resort owner Mr. König (Dan Stevens) finds Gretchen a job working reception at a nearby lodge, where one day she's chased back to her new home on her bike by a mysterious hooded figure with glowing eyes. When nobody believes she was attacked, she's forced to investigate largely on her own. What she uncovers is quite bonkers and might leave you scratching your head.

Check out the full trailer below:

Is Cuckoo worth watching?

Cuckoo reviews are a mixed bag, but lean mostly positive, with a 77 percent critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes and 61 percent audience rating. Mashable's own reviewer Siddhant Adlakha calls it "incredibly strange and deviously fun."

"Whatever the film's more overt horrors, whether its chilling atmosphere or its attempts at amusing moral and visceral obscenities, they're all bound by Schafer's increasing physical and emotional despondency," wrote Adlakha in his review. "She doesn't just save the movie. She is the movie, making it all the more remarkable to watch."

As Schafer's first lead role in a film, she knocks it out of the park. And for her performance alone, it's worth a watch. Plus, of course, there's Dan Stevens.

How to watch Cuckoo at home Credit: NEON

If you skipped the big screen, you're in luck. You can watch Cuckoo at home as of Sept.17. The mountain horror-thriller is now officially available to rent or buy on digital-on-demand retailers like Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV for those who'd rather watch the film from their couch. If you'd rather wait and stream the film, keep reading for more information.

Note: If you choose to rent the film, you'll have 30 days to start watching and just 48 hours once you begin.

Here are some of the platforms where you can rent or purchase the film online:

• Prime Video — $5.99 to rent or $9.99 to buy with Prime (save $5)

• Apple TV — $5.99 to rent or $14.99 to buy

• Fandango at Home (Vudu) — $5.99 to rent or $14.99 to buy

• YouTube — $5.99 to rent or $14.99 to buy

• Google Play — $5.99 to rent or $14.99 to buy

When is Cuckoo streaming?

There's no official streaming date yet for Cuckoo, but since the indie film distributor Neon has a deal with Hulu, we expect the film to make its streaming debut on the service later this year. You can set yourself up for success by signing up for the streamer ahead of time. Hulu is surprisingly one of the most generous streamers for newbies, as it offers a free 30-day trial. Subscriptions start at $9.99 per month, but we've rounded up a few different ways you can save on your subscription below.

The best Hulu streaming deals to watch laterBest Hulu deal for most people: Hulu annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu (with ads) annual subscription $99.99 per year (save 16%) Get Deal

Rather than paying $9.99 per month for Hulu, which adds up to $119.88 in a year, you can opt for an annual subscription and save 16%. An annual subscription with ads costs just $99.99 up front, which drops the monthly fee down to just $8.33 per month. Sure, you'll have to pay more up front, but you'll end up keeping more in your pocket in the long run.

Best bundle deal: Get Hulu and Disney+ for 37% off Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu / Disney+ Duo Basic bundle: Hulu and Disney+ with ads $10.99 per month (save 45%) Get Deal

If you're already a Disney+ subscriber or you want to get more bang for your buck, you can sign up for the Disney Duo Basic bundle and get both Disney+ and Hulu for $10.99 per month. That's just $1 more than paying for Hulu alone, or a savings of 45%. Even better, if you're a sports fan, you can throw ESPN+ into the mix for only $16.99 per month total. That's 47% in savings on all three services.

Best for students: Hulu Student Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu Student $1.99 per month (save 80%) Get Deal

Students looking to stream Cuckoo and other Neon hits can sign up for Hulu for only $1.99 per month. That's a savings of 80% compared to the full cost of Hulu with ads. You'll just have to verify your college email address using SheerID to score the deal.

Best for T-Mobile users: Hulu (with ads) included for one year for Go5G Next customers Opens in a new window Credit: T-Mobile / Hulu Hulu (with ads) Free for select T-Mobile customers Get Deal

One of the best ways to get free streaming services, including Hulu, is to switch your mobile plan to T-Mobile's Go5G Next plan. Customers on this plan get Hulu with ads included in their plan for no extra cost, plus Netflix and Apple TV+. If you're already on a Go5G Next plan, head over to the T-Mobile promo page and choose "redeem now" to claim your offer. You'll have to enter your T-Mobile number and account details in order to sign up for Hulu.

Note: After your initial 12-month promotional period, you'll also have to take action in order to keep your subscription alive.

The Daily Mini Crossword is one of the many popular daily word games available on Mashable. Powered by Arkadium, the mini crossword offers a speed round of puzzle fun with clues that are sure to challenge experienced crossword enthusiasts.

But there's no need to let the challenge get in the way of your enjoyment! If moments are turning to minutes after getting stuck on a clue, find the answers you need to progress right here.

And when you're done, check out the many other word games you can play on Mashable, including a full-size crossword.

Also, if you get stuck on any other daily word games, such as Wordle, Connections, or Strands — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle hints and answers for October 21 SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to Daily Mini Crossword for Monday, October 21, 2024:

AcrossChinese flatbread

• The answer is Bing.

Movie music

• The answer is Score.

"That makes sense now"

• The answer is OhISee.

Award-winning Jennifer Aniston character

• The answer is Rachel.

Nosferatu antogonist

• The answer is Orlok.

Sunday seats

• The answer is Pews.

DownFrozen spike

• The answer is Icicle.

Unexpected absentee

• The answer is NoShow.

Leonida and Aristotle, e.g.

• The answer is Greeks.

Electric fish

• The answer is Eel.

Eldest fighter in the Street Fighter series

• The answer is Oro.

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

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

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

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

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

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

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

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

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

Boxers do this for work.

SEE ALSO: Mini crossword answers for October 21 Hurdle Word 1 answer

FIGHT

Hurdle Word 2 hint

They are gathered to hunt outlaws.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 21 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

POSSE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A way to describe a chimney sweep's appearance.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for October 21 Hurdle Word 3 answer

SOOTY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

What winners get.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for October 21 Hurdle Word 4 answer

PRIZE

Final Hurdle hint

A bit of hail, a bit of rain.

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

SLEET

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

National treasure Dame Jilly Cooper wrote beloved romantic novel Rivals in 1988, and it's now been adapted into a fittingly saucy TV series with Disney+ and Hulu. Part of the author's famous Rutshire Chronicles, the story throws you into the competitive TV industry in the '80s, where filthy rich neighbours — Olympic show jumper turned Tory politician Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) and TV exec with a chip on his shoulder Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) — would love to see the other burn. And for the most part, everyone's having not-so-secret sex with everyone else in the sprawling estates of said industry heads in the Cotswolds. 

But as Cooper herself told the audience of a Rivals preview screening in London in September, "It's about love, really. I think world's very low at the moment, we all need cheering up."

SEE ALSO: Here's your first rambunctious look at Jilly Cooper TV adaptation 'Rivals'

The series was written and executive produced by A Very English Scandal's Dominic Treadwell-Collins with playwright Laura Wade, and Ted Lasso's Elliot Hegarty as lead director, alongside directors Dee Koppang O’Leary and Alexandra Brodski. It's an '80s dream, a shoulder-padded world of prawn cocktails, Blue Lagoons, and Depeche Mode blaring on tiny stereos. But ultimately, the show (and Cooper's book) is an ode to television in the '80s and how things were done.

"I remember my first job, the boss going off for a lunch with a channel and coming back hammered and going, we've got two new shows," said Treadwell-Collins. "And I thought, 'Wow, this is telly.'"

Just look at that '80s party table. Credit: Hulu / Disney+

Treadwell-Collins spoke about people's reservations over how adaptable Cooper's raunchy books were for TV, saying, "I read Rivals over 20 years ago, and I've been wanting to put it on television. Lots of people laughed at me, and television people laughed at me and kept saying, "Ooohh Jilly Cooper. Jilly Cooper.' I kept saying, 'No, no!' It's such an amazing book with such a beautiful, twisted love story at the heart of it, and it's funny and witty and warm and clever, and it's a beautiful, beautiful, beautiful book."

However, he ended up going directly to the source.

"I wrote to Jilly in the end. Felicity [Blunt, Cooper's literary agent] called me from lunch with her and said, 'Jilly's read your letter, and she wants to give you the rights, and she wants you to write it.' And that was magic. So we went to Jilly's house and sat on her living room floor with lots of bits of paper and planned out what we're going to do."

"It's about love, really. I think world's very low at the moment, we all need cheering up." - Dame Jilly Cooper

Yes, this is Jilly Cooper so the series is about love and sex, but it's also deeply about class. "We talked about it a lot and it's the heart of Jilly's book," said Treadwell-Collins. "British people are obsessed with class, and everyone else around the world is obsessed with our obsession with class. I think what we're showing here is: you may be upper class, but that doesn't make you classy. We skewer the class system. We skewer our obsession with class, with garden parties and dinner parties and Tupperware parties. And as you go along, you'll see these characters' obsession with class starts to destroy people, and that's at the heart of the show."

The Rivals cast and crew spoke to British comedian and TV host Sue Perkins at a London preview about the series, joined by Cooper herself. As they spoke about their characters and the challenge of adapting Cooper's writing, we've distilled their conversation into a guide to each Rivals character and what to expect from the series.

Rupert Campbell-Black (Alex Hassell) Alex Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black. Credit: Hulu / Disney+

The Boys star Alex Hassell plays Rivals' big cheese, the philandering MP Rupert Campbell Black, who spends little time serving his constituents and considerable time serving the women of the Cotswolds. At the preview, Perkins described Campbell Black as "one of the most iconic dashing bastards in modern literature — read about, fawned over, and the subject of much adolescent frotting." I honestly can't do better than that. Being Cooper's leading aristocratic lothario, Hassell acknowledged the big shoes he needed to fill, and said Cooper's presence on set was always supportive, with tiny notes.

"Yes, it was quite intimidating," he said. "I'll be honest, what was very, very useful was every room that I went into as Rupert Campbell Black, everyone in the room was told before I got into the room to treat me as if I was the most attractive man in the world. Extremely helpful.

"When I got the part, I read Riders for the backstory, and once I got over being really intimidated by playing Rupert Campbell Black, I read Rivals too. I had to get over the fear of not being as ravishing as I should be. But as we went on, and basically, after I took my clothes off, I felt more comfortable, weirdly."

Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) David Tennant as Lord Tony Baddingham. Credit: Hulu / Disney+

The new-money antithesis to Campbell-Black's blue bloodedness, Lord Tony Baddingham is played by Doctor Who himself, David Tennant. The brusque managing director of independent commercial TV channel Corinium, Tony will do anything to triumph — over his competitors, over his neighbours, but mostly over his nemesis Campbell-Black.

"It's so potent, it's very British, but it's very human, I think as well, that 'I can never quite be where I want to be.' That sense of always being disappointed. That however hard you try, there's a club you're not allowed to be in," said Tennant. "For someone like Tony, that's devastating, and he can only try harder. He will never be satisfied because he's always one peg down from the exclusive club. And it kills him."

However, Tony's wife Lady Monica Baddingham (Claire Rushbrook) is the real key to his character, Tennant said.

"I love those scenes [between Tony and Monica] because it's where all the armour sort of falls away. You see the little boy again, and he's sort of got his mum there. He's got that comfort, that need. He's very at home with her, he absolutely needs her, he knows her entirely. Because he often runs this extraordinary lifestyle full of treachery and debauchery and everything else, but he always has to have Monica."

But above all, Tony values one thing. "Winning!" said Tennant. "Whatever that means in whatever the situation that he's in. It's the sense that because he can never quite have the ultimate prize, he must have all the other prizes, and everyone else must be at his feet. He's very balanced. There's no daddy issues at all."

Taggie O'Hara (Bella Maclean) Bella Maclean as Taggie O'Hara. Credit: Hulu / Disney+

Sex Education actor Bella Maclean takes on Taggie O'Hara, the daughter of journalist Declan O'Hara (Aidan Turner) who finds adjusting to the Costwolds community pretty tumultuous — alongside her sister Caitlin, played by Enola Holmes 2's Catriona Chandler — and especially her interactions with Rupert Campbell-Black.

"I loved Taggie. When I was doing the audition process. I had about three days to read Rivals before my final round, and I was panicked because it's quite a hefty book, Jilly, and I read it pretty much overnight," said Maclean. "I became quite obsessed with Taggie. I think she's got quite an amazing moral compass, and she's in a world with quite strong characters, and she's not afraid to share her mind and stand up to you [Rupert]. And I think maybe that's why we start our love affair."

Declan O'Hara (Aidan Turner) Aidan Turner as Declan O'Hara Credit: Hulu / Disney+

A hard-boiled journalist who leaves the BBC for a lucrative commercial TV studio, promised his own interview show, Declan O'Hara is the straight man of the series, played by Poldark's Aidan Turner. He's a protective father and attempted family man, but he spends most of the show on his program, Declan — much to the shagrin of his colleague and jealous host James Vereker (My Lady Jane star Oliver Chris) and his bored wife Maud (Ballykissangel star Victoria Smurfit).

Turner based his character on TV presenters from over the decades, including conservative columnist William F. Buckley Jr. "One in particular I quite like was The Firing Line, some of those older American, longform, dusty, smoky interviews. They were useful."

But it's not the only inspiration Turner drew on for his character. "I kind of stole from lots of people for the presenting stuff, and then lightly based it, I thought, on my dad. The more I watched it, that's my dad. That's his accent, that's the way he walks, he had a tach for 20 years exactly the same as that. So yeah, I think it's closer to my father that I might care to admit actually."

Cameron Cook (Nafessa Williams) Nafessa Williams as Cameron Cook. Credit: Hulu / Disney+

Powerhouse American TV producer Cameron Cook, played by The Gentlemen actor Nafessa Williams, is flown over by Tony to Corinium to produce Declan's show. Williams found a lot of similarities in the fish-out-of-water experience of her character.

"It was a lot of life imitating art, right?" said Williams. "She came from New York to come here; I came from Atlanta to come here. So I understood her world, I understood her coming here being new, not understanding the world so much. I think what got me is when I read the script, I was just like, she's so strong, so smart, and so firm in who she is. I just felt like she also could hold her own amongst these really strong, powerful men, and I was just really excited to give my voice over to it. It's been really fun. I learned a lot."

Williams studied producers and portrayals onscreen like The Morning Show for her role, but she also got into the headspace of Cameron by channelling her own family.

"I always wanted to be an adult in the '80s. So I just remember those images of my mom and my grandmom — the red lip, the hair, and the fashion — and just really wanting to emulate that. So that was a good bit of my research, having that visual."

Lizzie Vereker (Katherine Parkinson) Katherine Parkinson as Lizzie Vereker. Credit: Hulu / Disney+

Played by The IT Crowd's Katherine Parkinson, Lizzie Vereker is the eyes and ears of the Cotswolds. A writer, observing and recording the indulgent, dramatic shenanigans of her neighbours, Lizzie is like the Lady Whistledown of Rivals — and based on Cooper herself.

"Dame Jilly said to me, you know you're playing me? And I was extremely flattered to take on that responsibility," said Parkinson. "But I think it's important when you're playing a writer, to look invested in the people around you, and to be quite watchful, because that's something I've noticed with writers and so did that. But my hair isn't nearly as good as Jilly's, as you'll see."

Lizzie finds herself attracted to businessman Freddie Jones (played by EastEnders' Danny Dyer) and the two share a wonderful chemistry onscreen in the series' slowest burn romance.

"We really can't stand each other. I've asked him not to look at me except during the scenes," Parkinson joked. "No, I was very pleased that Danny played that part. I think it's so beautifully drawn throughout the series, their dynamic, in these quite economically written scenes by Laura Wade and Dom. It says so much with so little sometimes. And, you know, it's over eight episodes so it's a kind of slow burn relationship, which feels very '80s. I'm not sure how many slow burn relationships are allowed to happen in a world of Tinder and so on."

Rivals is now streaming on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ in the UK.

SAVE OVER $20: As of Oct. 21, the Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones are on sale for $38 at Amazon. That's a saving of 37% on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones $38.00 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $21.99 Get Deal

You can't go wrong with a good pair of over-ear headphones. They're comfortable, block out distractions, and of course, offer incredible sound quality. And if you're looking for a quality, reliable pair of headphones that don't cost hundreds of dollars, we've found the deal for you.

As of Oct. 21, you can grab the Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones for just $38, reduced from $59.99. This deal is available in all four colorways: Black, White, Blue, and Cappuccino. Not to mention, this is the lowest price they've ever been at Amazon.

SEE ALSO: The best headphones for iPhone owners in 2024

A big selling point of these headphones is the battery life, lasting up to 50 hours — perfect for those of us who always forget to charge our tech. It also has quick-charging capability, so when it does run out of juice it won't be long before they're back in use.

In terms of sound quality, these headphones offer customizable sound settings through the Sony app, so users can adjust the equalizer to match their preferences. It also comes with Sony's DSEE technology, which enhances the quality of compressed music files, giving you a much better listening experience.

And here's looking at the forgetful among us, this model also comes with a fast pair option. If you misplace your headphones, you can easily find them by sound or check their last known location in Google’s Find My Device app on your smartphone.

This is a limited-time deal at Amazon, so don't miss out.

iFixIt's Shahram Mokhtari took a peek inside the Meta Quest 3S, the cheaper (but not very) alternative to the Meta Quest 3.

SAVE OVER $9: As of Oct. 21. the CHONCHOW gaming keyboard and mouse bundle is on sale at Amazon for $9.49. That's a saving of 50% on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: CHONCHOW CHONCHOW Gaming Keyboard and Mouse $9.49 at Amazon
$18.99 Save $9.50 Get Deal

Gaming accessories don't have to break the bank. With many products costing hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars, it's easy to forget that you can do it cheaply.

And that's exactly what this gaming keyboard and mouse bundle offers. As of Oct. 21, you can treat yourself to a gaming keyboard and mouse for under $10. This CHONCOW bundle is reduced by 50%, now just $9.49. This is only available on the White and Black option, however. For White Transparent you'll pay $18.99.

SEE ALSO: Save over $50 on this versatile and responsive gaming headset

With 104 keys and a sturdy tripod design, both the keyboard and the mouse are built to reduce stress on your hands. So if you're planning some long gaming sessions, comfort comes front and center with this keyboard.

It's also compatible with a long list of platforms including Windows XP, 7, and 10, iMac, Linux, and gaming consoles like PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Switch. Thanks to the USB-A connection, it's plug-and-play, so there's no complicated setup — just connect it and off you go.

But the main selling point is the rainbow backlighting which you can easily control and create lighting effects, switching between breathing or solid modes.

Head over to Amazon to grab this deal before it runs out.

SAVE $300: As of Oct. 21, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is on sale for $1,599.99 at Amazon. This deal saves you 16% on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 $1,599.99 at Amazon
$1,899.99 Save $300.00 Get Deal

Wherever you stand on the iPhone vs. Samsung Galaxy argument, there's no denying that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 looks cool. A folding touchscreen phone? Come on, our teenage flip-phone-owning selves would go wild for it. And if it's been on your adult wishlist for a while, you'll be pleased to know it's currently on sale at Amazon.

As of Oct. 21, you can live out your folding touchscreen phone dreams for $1,599.99, reduced from $1,899.99. This deal is available on the 256GB option in the Navy and Silver colorways.

SEE ALSO: Snag a Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 for a new low price at Walmart

Besides the folding tech, the outer display really just functions like a regular smartphone screen, while the larger inner screen provides more space for apps or split-screen use, similar to that of a tablet. And like most newer smartphones, it comes with a range of photo abilities, from wide-angle to telephoto.

We really like the "With Circle to Search" feature. With this, you can circle anything on your screen — like shoes or gadgets — and instantly find where to buy them. The phone also comes packed with various AI tools, such as Generative Edit which helps you clean up images, remove objects, and enhance colors.

This is a limited-time deal on Amazon, so act quick before it runs out.

New images from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope demonstrate how a withered star remnant is only mostly dead — that is until a bloated nearby star reanimates it, a la Frankenstein. 

The legendary observatory has monitored a double star system about 700 light-years away from Earth for more than 30 years, capturing how it dims and brightens over time as a result of strong pulses from the primary star. The binary, composed of a white dwarf star and a red giant star, has a caustic relationship, releasing tangled streams of glowing gas into the cosmos like an erratic lawn sprinkler. 

Astronomers have dubbed this toxic pair in the constellation Aquarius a "stellar volcano" for how it sprays streams of glowing gas some 248 billion miles in space. For comparison, that's 24 times farther than the diameter of our solar system.

NASA is watching the stars to study how they recycle elements into the universe through nuclear energy. 

"The plasma is shooting into space over 1 million miles per hour – fast enough to travel from Earth to the Moon in 15 minutes!" NASA said in a statement. "The filaments are glowing in visible light because they are energized by blistering radiation from the stellar duo."

SEE ALSO: This nova is on the verge of exploding. You could see it any day now. When a white dwarf star swings close to a red giant star, it draws away hydrogen. Credit: NASA Goddard illustration

The binary star system, known collectively as R Aquarii, is a special type of double star, called symbiotic, and it's the closest such pair to Earth. In this system, an elderly red giant, bloated and dying, and a white dwarf, the shriveled core of a dead medium-sized star, are orbiting each other. 

The big star is over 400 times larger than the sun and varies dramatically in brightness over a 400-day period. At its peak, the red giant is 5,000 times brighter than the sun. Like the big star in R Aquarii, the sun is expected to bloat into a red giant in about 5 billion years.

When the white dwarf in R Aquarii gets close to its hulking companion along its 44-year orbit, the dead star steals stellar material away with gravity, causing hydrogen gas to heap onto its cool surface. That process makes the corpse rise from the dead, so to speak, warming up and eventually igniting like a bomb. 

NASA and the European Space Agency created the above timelapse video of R Aquarii using Hubble images that spanned 2014 to 2023.

This thermonuclear explosion is called a "nova" — not to be confused with a supernova, the obliteration of an enormous star before it collapses into a black hole or neutron star. The nova doesn't destroy the white dwarf — rather, the explosion merely causes it to spew more elements, like carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and iron, back into space. 

This year scientists have been on the edge of their seats, waiting for a nova to emerge from T Coronae Borealis, or T CrB, a binary star system about 3,000 light-years away in the Milky Way. This particular nova, which should be visible to the naked eye, is intriguing because it experiences periodic outbursts. Experts have determined it detonates about every 80 years. 

A few months ago, experts believed the white dwarf would go nova sometime before September. Curiously, that sudden brightening hasn't happened yet.

Tweet may have been deleted

"Recurrent novae are unpredictable and contrarian," said Koji Mukai, a NASA astrophysicist, in a June statement. "When you think there can’t possibly be a reason they follow a certain set pattern, they do — and as soon as you start to rely on them repeating the same pattern, they deviate from it completely." 

These events are critical to understand because of how important they are for generating and distributing the ingredients for new stars, planets, and life. And this is what astronomer Carl Sagan meant when he said humans are made of "star stuff." The same substances that make our bodies were literally forged within the cores of stars, then flung through the cosmos when the stars burst.

R Aquarii blasts glowing jets that twist up and out following strong magnetic fields. The plasma seems to loop back onto itself, weaving an enormous spiral. 

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Oct. 21: Our top pick ecobee Smart Thermostat bundle $239.99 at Amazon (save $89.99) Get Deal Best heater deal Dreo space heater $35.96 at Amazon (save $3.94) Get Deal Best power station deal Anker 535 PowerHouse $329.99 at Amazon (save $170 with on-screen coupon ) Get Deal

Now that we’re over the Prime Day threshold, Amazon’s getting ready for the holiday shopping season by rolling out deals across a wide range of products, including smart home gadgets and appliances. If you want to get ahead of winter’s chilly embrace, we’ve rounded up some of the best deals to help you stay cozy without breaking the bank.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day on Oct. 21. If none of these seem particularly exciting, we’ll have a new post up tomorrow with the latest batch of deals to check out. You can also check our lists from Oct. 19 and Oct. 18. Most of these deals are still available, including the JBL Tune Flex true wireless noise-canceling earbuds and the Oura Ring Gen3 Horizon.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: ecobee ecobee Smart Thermostat bundle $239.99 at Amazon
$329.98 Save $89.99 Get Deal Why we like it

The ecobee Smart Thermostat bundle (which includes a built-in air quality monitor and smart sensor with SmartSensor for doors and windows) is on sale for $239.99, down from $329.98. That’s a 27% discount or $89.99 off.

The bundle includes an ecobee Smart Thermostat (with a built-in air quality monitor) and a SmartSensor two-pack to help keep your home comfortable. The door and window sensors can monitor when doors and windows are opened and closed and adjust the temperature accordingly to save you energy (up to 26% per year, according to the manufacturer).

Best heater deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dreo Dreo space heater $35.96 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $4.03 Get Deal Why we like it

If you get cold easily or work in a chilly office, the Dreo space heater is 10% off and includes a remote. It’s small enough (3.04 pounds) to take to work or carry from room to room but has a 1500W advanced PTC system that can deliver heat up to 200% farther than a traditional space heater.

It also has a 12-hour timer, child lock, and memory function, so you can stay comfy no matter where you are. Plus, the tilt-detection safety system and V0 flame-retardant materials make it a safer heating option.

Best power station deal Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker 535 PowerHouse $329.99 at Amazon
$499.99 Save $170.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the Anker 535 PowerHouse.

If there’s one thing we can count on, it’s unpredictable weather. With winter just around the corner and hurricane season still in full swing, it's smart to have a power source on hand for emergencies.

Right now, you can get the Anker 535 PowerHouse for $329.99 — that’s $170 off and a nice deal if you're looking for a backup power solution to keep your devices charged and running during an outage. The Anker 535 is also a Mashable favorite that we’ve recommended in the past for its powerful 1,024Wh battery capacity, multiple ports, and fast 60W USB-C charging.

“At $500, I can say that it is worth the investment for somebody who needs to be prepared for inclement weather (like myself living in Florida) or spends lots of time in remote areas and may not have access to outlets such as campers or those on a road trip,” writes Mashable contributor Jenna Clark.

None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.

There's nowhere but up for the AI gadget market to go in 2025, because that market in 2023 and 2024 was, sadly, riddled with junk.

Overly ambitious devices debuted — seemingly pegged to the rapturous response to ChatGPT and other LLMs — but once they got into the hands of consumers, to say they did not please would be an understatement.

There was rabbit r1, an underwhelming orange box that, according to Mashable's Kimberly Gedeon, was essentially a fidget spinner with a screen, with which the user could... do very little. The Verge's headline summed it up as "an unfinished, unhelpful AI gadget." Then came the Humane AI Pin, which YouTube tech reviewer Marques Brownlee described bluntly as "the worst product I've ever reviewed."

SEE ALSO: A huge Windows 11 2024 update dropped today: 5 new AI-powered features, including Recall

So the first movers got attention, but it wasn't for their utility, and it wasn't exactly positive. The early AI gadget entrepreneurs have been more like the inventors in that old stock footage of crazy, turn-of-the-century flying machines that don't actually fly.

As we look ahead to 2025, the hope is for more polished, functional devices. There is, to be absolutely clear, no guarantee we'll get any such thing.

1. AI apps preprogrammed into hardware

Useful AI that you can actually hold in your hand might not come in the form of a shiny new "AI-powered" device at all in 2025. Instead, it might materialize via an update to the smudged and scratched device you already have in your pocket.

You might not have even noticed, for instance, that the vaunted "Apple Intelligence" suite of features that made headlines earlier this year didn't actually ship with the new iPhone 16. This may have been on purpose. Features like "Genmoji" and new Siri are neat ideas that are nonetheless far from revolutionary, and it's unlikely Apple wanted iPhone 16 reviewers including long digressions about disappointing AI in otherwise positive hardware reviews. But Apple will inevitably roll out more new phones in 2025, and they'll inevitably ship with these AI features. Instead of a bang, AI will arrive on iPhones with an "oh there that is."

And don't be too surprised if AI features "debut" in this low-key way on other devices like smart TVs and car infotainment systems in 2025.

2. AI complementing existing wearables

"AI you can wear" has been part of AI fever since before ChatGPT, and the integration of AI into wearables has definitely already begun. In 2025, however, we should start to see wearables large numbers of people actually own featuring AI software they might actually use. So even if you're not exactly planning to be first in line at an Apple Store to buy a next-generation device in the Apple Vision product line — even though the multi-thousand-dollar headset will probably get a huge AI update in 2025 — there might still be an AI-enabled wearable in your price range next year.

SEE ALSO: First impressions of Humane's Ai Pin: A very out-of-hand proof of concept

During a recent Meta keynote from Mark Zuckerberg — which was focused more on a far-out new wearable technology very much not coming in 2025 — Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses received some AI updates without too much fanfare. This came right as Meta deepened its investment in the world of glasses. Don't be surprised, then, if this niche piece of tech, mostly touted for its hands-free photography capabilities, suddenly materializes on faces all over your community next year, and seems to be less a livestreaming tool than a sort of wearable assistant or companion.

Similarly, Fitbit's AI upgrades, and upgrades that make Apple Intelligence features accessible via the Apple Watch should show up on people's bodies next year.

3. 2024 announcements becoming reality

This is probably the AI-powered stuff you're looking for.

In 2025, we’ll start seeing concepts from 2024 materialize as real hunks of plastic — at least, the ones that survive the hype cycle. One such example is the "Friend" AI medallion, a wearable, orb-like companion thingy, created by Avi Schifmann (though its origins are somewhat in dispute). Its purpose is ostensibly to offer emotional support — to be an AI friend who can provide advice and commiseration, rather than, say, summarizing your Zoom meetings. It's supposed to ship in the first quarter of 2025.

Samsung's Ballie, an AI-powered smart robot shaped like a ball that charmed attendees at CES this year could also receive a 2025 release.

4. Expect the unexpected in AI gadgets

If 2025 is anything like the past few years, we can expect some bizarre, unexpected AI gadgets to emerge — things no one asked for but which might weirdly work.

If 2025 sees the release of, say, a line of AI-powered spoons that stir your sauces, but also taste them and suggest changes to your recipe, well, would you be all that surprised? It's a weird time for tech.

By now, you’re probably aware of AI chatbots and their basic pros and cons: They churn out passable text about almost anything you want, but they’re not about to be mistaken for real people. They also hallucinate often. 

But the word "chat" is right there in the name, and you can engage in a back-and-forth with them, although the sort of “can you feel pain”-type questions that researchers and commentators were eager to ask when they first came out have been exhausted, and pretty much no one thinks these machines are sentient. Some people nonetheless enjoy playing make-believe with AI companion chatbots, but if that’s you, you probably don’t need this article.

Instead, you’re probably more of a chatbot normie, and you're wondering how you can have a memorable experience with this new category of software. At their best, chatbots can be a little like funhouse mirrors. They reflect back just enough of a human-like form that you can have some introspective fun by staring into them — and maybe even learn a little about yourself in the process.

SEE ALSO: X to allow third parties to train AI on your posts

Below are five genuinely fruitful prompts you can punch into a chatbot. Despite all of your silicon-based interlocutor's flaws, you might find yourself roped into a lively or even contentious interaction. 

1. "What’s an overwhelmingly common opinion I might hold that is probably wrong?"

Different Chatbots will have different notions of what qualifies as an "overwhelmingly common opinion," but the answers they give in response to this prompt are diverse, and at times, genuinely remarkable. At one point, ChatGPT served me a hot take about real estate in response to this. Normally, however, chatbot responses to this are like mini Malcolm Gladwell chapters. 

Credit: Mashable screenshot via OpenAI

Smaller models might refute conventional wisdom no one actually believes, like "money buys happiness." But you can always just demand something less trite in a follow up prompt. It’s impossible to be rude to a robot.

2. "Tell me a story in elementary school [insert language you are learning]."

No chatbot will generate a riveting story, but that’s not the point here. The point is to get an instant lesson on demand. Ask it what the words you don’t know mean, and then ask it whatever comes to mind after that — but do it without using your native language. 15 minutes of chatbot language immersion is a great workout you can include in a balanced language-learning regimen.

3. "Ask me a question I might find too painful to answer." Credit: Mashable screenshot via OpenAI

Just to be clear, no chatbot I encountered was able to come up with a question "too painful to answer." Chatbots are pretty trite, but if you set the standard impossibly high for potential impact — you’re asking it to be so provocative that you break down emotionally — you just might get something that at least registers on your emotional Richter scale in some way. That’s pretty good.

Note: This prompt is apparently too spicy for Anthropic's Claude to answer at all.

4. "[Insert most original thought you've ever had] Who are some people who thought of this before me and what did they say?"

Many of us think we’re original thinkers with unique minds, and that our opinions are so brilliant we should be made philosopher kings. If that’s you, or even if it isn’t, one fairly accessible stress test for your latest kernel of wisdom is to throw it into the chatbot of your choice and prompt it to tell you how unoriginal you really are. 

The chatbot’s response might trace back through the great thinkers of history and literature — a humbling and enlightening exercise — or it might completely misunderstand what you’re getting at. Either way, it opens up a dialogue with the past and shows how thoughts like yours fit into the wider evolution of human ideas. 

5. Summarize, contextualize, and refute [XYZ concept] in 100 words. Credit: Mashable screenshot via Anthropic

Can a chatbot take a complex idea and compress it into just 100 words? No! But once again, if you set the bar extremely high, when the chatbot doesn’t reach that bar, you at least get a shortcut to basic understanding out of the deal. 

 The bot’s summaries will leave out key details — enough to make the answer a bit inscrutable in some cases, but this prompt can spark a useful discussion. After a few follow up questions, the lightbulb in your brain just might turn on. If not, you can always ask it for its human-written source, and then go and read that source.

TL;DR: Take flight with the Ninja Dragon Sky 8 — an obstacle-avoiding smart drone, now available for $99.99 (reg. $199).

• Advanced obstacle avoidance tech lets you fly confidently, even in tight spaces

• Optical flow positioning helps you hover smoothly and take sharper shots

• Equipped with an HD camera for capturing high-quality aerial photos and videos

• Simple one-button takeoff and landing makes it easy to master flying

• Can handle 360-degree flips and rolls — impress your friends!

• Lightweight and portable, so you can bring it along on all your adventures

• LED lights make flying at night as fun as it is during the day

Get the Ninja Dragon Sky 8 Obstacle Avoidance Smart Drone with optical flow for $99.99 and experience seamless, obstacle-avoiding flights on your next outdoor adventure.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Dragon Ninja Dragon Sky 8 Obstacle Avoidance Smart Drone With Optical Flow $99.99
$199.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal

TL;DR: Get the Mini 4G Dual SIM Smartphone for $94.99 (reg. $119) and enjoy compact convenience with dual SIM support.

Opens in a new window Credit: Rochas Divine Mart Mini 4G Dual SIM Smartphone $94.99
$119.99 Save $25.00 Get Deal

If you’re looking for a versatile and compact smartphone that won’t break the bank, the Mini 4G Dual SIM Smartphone could be just the ticket

Get the Mini 4G Dual SIM Smartphone for $94.99 (reg. $119) and enjoy compact convenience with dual SIM support. This Android-based device is perfect for travelers, busy professionals, or anyone who needs the flexibility of two phone lines in one pocket-sized device.

With dual SIM slots, you can easily manage separate work and personal numbers, or save on international roaming fees by using a local SIM while abroad.

The Mini 4G comes in black and silver, offering a sleek look that resembles the design of a Samsung Galaxy, but at a fraction of the price. It’s great for those who prefer a smaller phone that can easily slip into a pocket or bag. The familiar Android interface means you’ll have access to apps via Google Play, making it a practical choice for anyone already accustomed to Android.

Parents may find it’s an affordable starter phone for kids or teens, providing essential features without the expense of a high-end device. It keeps them connected, while the budget-friendly price tag gives parents peace of mind. The Mini 4G isn’t just about affordability — it’s a reliable choice for anyone needing essential smartphone functions in a straightforward, no-fuss package.

For a limited time, the Mini 4G Dual SIM Smartphone is on sale for $94.99 — a smart choice for anyone seeking a portable, affordable, and functional device for everyday use.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: These open-box JBL Tune 520BT headphones give you wireless audio and deep bass for just $36.99 (reg. $49).

• Deliver rich, deep bass that makes every song feel like a live performance

• Wireless and lightweight, perfect for all-day listening on the go

• 40-hour battery life means more music and fewer charges

• Bluetooth 5.0 for easy pairing and reliable connections with all your devices

• Hands-free calls and voice assistant support keep you connected without missing a beat

• Comfortable on-ear design that’s easy to wear wherever you go

• Considered "open-box", which just means the headphones were briefly handled or returned, inspected for quality, and are in new condition — allowing you to enjoy a discount on a top-notch product

Get ready to enjoy your favorite tracks in style with these open-box JBL Tune 520BT on-ear wireless headphones, all for just $36.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Tune 520BT On-Ear Wireless Headphones (Open Box) $36.99
$49.95 Save $12.96 Get Deal

TL;DR: Host your WordPress site for life with a Hostverge Lifetime Subscription on sale for just $39.99 (reg. $99). 

Opens in a new window Credit: Hostverge Hostverge WordPress Hosting Lifetime Subscriptions (Starter Plan) $39.99
$99.00 Save $59.01 Get Deal

Managing a website means more than just creating content. You also have to make sure the site itself runs smoothly, stays secure, and handles growth effectively. It's a lot of work to do on your own, but there are tools out there that will do the hard parts for you.

Hostverge is a WordPress hosting service that gives users the tools they need to manage websites. Plus, you don't have to worry about any ongoing costs, because Hostverge has a lifetime plan available for just $39.99 (reg. $99). That means no more monthly hosting payments to worry about — but that's just the beginning. 

The host with the most

Lifelong hosting is easy on the budget, but affordability doesn't mean much if the platform is completely bare bones. So it's a good thing Hostverge also offers a bunch of other exciting (and unlimited) services. That includes unlimited storage and bandwidth, so users can expand their sites without encountering technical restrictions. With free SSL certificates and malware protection, Hostverge also provides the security necessary to safeguard websites and maintain visitor trust.

You'll also benefit from a global CDN that accelerates website loading times for audiences across different regions. Hostverge’s hosting solution includes unlimited email accounts, allowing businesses to manage communication seamlessly with built-in spam protection. The platform’s WordPress staging environment even makes it possible to test changes before making them live, minimizing the risk of errors.

Running a shop and can't afford losing a sale because your site is offline? Hostverge has a 99.99% uptime guarantee, so you'll have uninterrupted service around the clock.

Why pay monthly for web hosting?

If you're going to keep your WordPress site live indefinitely, then paying monthly just means one more bill that's never going away. 

Instead, get a Hostverge Lifetime Subscription on sale for $39.99. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.