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With a 90 percent share of the A.I. chip market, the company is facing antitrust investigations into the possibility that it could lock in customers or hurt competitors.

Nearly a quarter-century after Microsoft lost a similar case, a judge’s decision that Google abused a monopoly in internet search is likely to have major ripple effects.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 obliterated the need to ask that one cringey question shy travelers and content creators despise asking: "Can you take my picture?" Shudder.

"What's the big deal?" you may be thinking. "Get a backbone and ask a stranger for help."

For a shy person like me, I'd rather explain TikTok to my grandparents than face the awkwardness of interrupting strangers to indulge my self-serving needs. Plus, you often need more than one take to get the perfect shot — and I refuse to pester someone I don't know.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

So what's a coy girl supposed to do if she wants to share her experiences on her social media — but can't fathom the thought of asking random people to take photos of her?

I've said it once before and I'll say it again. The Galaxy Z Flip series continues to be the best phone for travel enthusiasts, particularly solo globetrotters, who want to maintain as much independence as possible. Read on to find out whether the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is right for you.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 price and specs

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 I tested in this review costs $1,099 via Samsung and comes with the following specs:

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset

• 256GB of storage

• 12GB of memory

• 6.7-inch, 2,640 x 1080-pixel main screen

• 3.4-inch, 720 x 748-pixel cover screen

There's also a 512GB model, too, that costs $1,219.99, but interestingly, as of this writing, Amazon is selling this model for $1,099.

Keep in mind that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is $100 more than the previous-generation Galaxy Z Flip 5. And I'm not quite convinced the upgrades on this model warrant such a price hike.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 $1,099.99 at Amazon
Get Deal Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 design

Someone asked me if they can slam Galaxy Z Flip 6 shut, with one hand, like an old school flip phone. The answer is no. Closing it this way is a bit awkward.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

However, this isn't as disappointing as you may think. The Galaxy Z Flip series has always had a tightly wound hinge to fortify its a vulnerable form factor. Stepping up its durability, Samsung boasts that it further reinforced the Galaxy Z Flip 6's hinge, making it stronger. So no, the hinge doesn't allow you to do the nostalgic and satisfying snap-shut action, but it's robust AF.

I also gotta give Samsung a pat on the back for the build quality. Constructing a sturdy foldable that meets the standards of non-foldable flagship devices isn't easy, but the Galaxy Z Flip 6 comes close, with an IP48 rating.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

No, it doesn't quite measure up to the likes of the IP68-rated Galaxy S24 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which are less vulnerable phones due to their non-foldable nature, but it's a step in the right direction. What's the difference between IP48 and IP68? They both have similar water tolerability (up to five feet for 30 minutes), but the latter has better dust resistance.

Admittedly, I sometimes get disappointed in the colorways that vendors send to Mashable for review, but this time around, I can't stop staring at my Galaxy Z Flip 6. The one I have sports the "yellow" colorway, which has a gold-and-black scheme — my favorite color duo.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The gold accents that surround the camera lenses above the cover display add a glitzy touch, too.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 also comes in the following colors:

• Mint

• Silver Shadow

• Blue

• Crafted Black

• Peach

• White

Again, the Yellow colorway is so striking, I'm tempted to go caseless.

There is very little difference between the new Galaxy Z Flip 6 and its predecessor, but I did notice that its chassis now has a matte look compared to the last year's glossy finish. And I like it. It looks more refined — more sophisticated.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

For anyone who is tired of giant, unwieldy phones, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is a pocketable powerhouse. Unlike the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, you can slip this bad boy into your jean pocket without it rearing its ugly little head because it's too big.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 inner display

Indoors, the Galaxy Z Flip 6's inner display looks decent. The 6.7-inch, 2460 x 1080-pixel display has a very zippy feel, thanks to the 120Hz adaptive refresh rate.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

For the uninitiated, adaptive means that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 can drop the refresh rate down to 1Hz for little to no activity, helping to conserve energy. However, if you're gaming or doing some other high-intensity activity, the refresh rate can skyrocket to 120Hz.

If you're coming from a 60Hz phone like the iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Plus, you'll definitely notice the ultra-slick and snappy response to your touches.

Although Samsung claims that the Galaxy Z Flip 6's inner display has a new peak brightness of 2,600 nits (compared to the Z Flip 5's 1750-nit screen), it was slightly difficult to see when I took it for a spin outside during overcast weather — even with the brightness maxed out.

In overcast weather, visibility is slightly compromised on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 despite its reported high peak brightness. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

I watched the new Joker: Folie à Deux trailer on the Galaxy Z Flip 6, and again, the display is alright.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The colors are rich. From the vivid red lips smeared across Joaquin Phoenix's face to the bright mustard yellow dress on Lady Gaga, the panel reproduces color impressively well. No, it's not intensely sharp and crisp as other popular flagship phones on the market (forgive me; I'm a bit of a display snob), but for the average Joe, it will be a visually pleasing display.

The inner display still rocks my socks as a top-of-the-line multitasking tool. I can, for example, scroll through an article on Mashable on the top half of the screen while playing music from YouTube on the bottom.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

As for the crease, it's definitely much less noticeable on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 than the last-generation device. But to be honest — and I know this may be a hot take — I just never really cared about the crease, even when it was more prominent in earlier generations. I like having a differentiator that creates a subtle border between two apps while I'm juggling two apps or websites. Sue me!

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 cover display

Samsung didn't make any gen-over-gen changes for the 3.4-inch, 720 x 748-pixel display, but I'm OK with that. The Korea-based tech giant already made a significant leap to a larger screen when it debuted the Galaxy Z Flip 5. It was a pivotal upgrade over the Galaxy Z Flip 4, which had a yawnworthy 1.9-inch cover display.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

I don't have anything critical to say about the cover screen. It's a space where you can add your favorite widgets and interact with apps, like weather, alarms, contacts, and calendar, in a small-screen space. The best use case for me is using it to respond to my WhatsApp messages without needing to unfurl the Galaxy Z Flip 6.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Plus, I can use it to take photos, too. (Again, I don't need to unfold the foldable device to do so.)

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 cameras

I'm not too proud to say that the Galaxy Z Flip 6's 10MP selfie camera on the inner display makes me feel insecure.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

It picks up on imperfections and bumps that I don't even notice in the mirror. One could say that the Galaxy Z Flip 6's selfie camera is too good.

Selfie with Galaxy Z Flip 6 (natural tone) Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Selfie with Galaxy Z Flip 6 (warm tone) Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

You don't even need to unfold the Galaxy Z Flip 6 camera to take a selfie. Because the main camera — the new 50MP camera that got upgraded from Galaxy Z Flip 5's 12MP wide lens — faces you while the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is closed.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

However, my favorite way to take a selfie is to place the Galaxy Z Flip 6 on any surface in clamshell mode and take hands-free selfies by simply using the high-five gesture.

I've always felt that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 was a revolutionary phone for solo travelers. As I mentioned at the outset, I despise asking strangers to take photos.

However, with the Galaxy Z Flip 6, I can prop this bad boy anywhere and take photos, sans the weird selfie arm, without enlisting the help of others. This is a big win!

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Next, here's a shot with the new 50MP wide camera:

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

I took a picture of the same scene with the 12MP ultrawide lens:

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Finally, here are some zoomed-in shots, with the top one at 2x and the last one at the max zoom level (i.e., 10x).

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 2x zoom Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 10x zoom Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 audio

I fired up the Apple Music app on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and played Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso." It gets loud and impactful at max volume. There's a slight metallic edge to it, but there's plenty of clarity and it's reasonably clear.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 ports and buttons

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 features a USB-C 3.2 port on the bottom.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

On the right side, you'll find a volume rocker as well as a power button that doubles as the fingerprint sensor. (As far as biometric authentication is concerned, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 also supports facial recognition.) On the left side, you'll find a nanoSIM tray. (The Galaxy Z Flip 6 supports eSIMs, too.)

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 keyboard

The haptic keyboard on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is absolutely addicting. Typing on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max, I wondered, "Why can't these phones offer the same experience?"

Feeling such tangible feedback while my fingers hit each letter and symbol makes texting on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 far more accurate the aforementioned flagship phones.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy AI

Galaxy AI officially debuted earlier this year alongside the Samsung Galaxy S24 series. It brought a host of AI-powered features, including real-time translation during calls, transcription for audio recordings, and my favorite, Generative Edit, which lets you use AI to make complex changes to your pictures (e.g., object removal).

However, the Galaxy AI feature that I had the most fun with is the Sketch to Image feature in the Notes app. Below, you'll see my rudimentary sketch of a woman in a pointy hat that got transformed into a masterpiece.

My sketch of a woman with a pointy hat (left); Galaxy AI's interpretation (right) Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The same could be said for my sketch of a swan:

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

All of the Galaxy AI Sketch to Image results come with a label that flags to people that it's an AI-created picture.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 benchmarks and performance

On Geekbench 6, which tests the Galaxy Z Flip 6's processor performance, the Samsung foldable has a multi-core of 6,069, which is on par with the likes of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 (6,043) and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (7,078).

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The former is packed with an Intel Core i5 CPU and considered to be an entry-level laptop. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the Z Flip 6's non-foldable flagship cousin, shares the same chipset, but it's a smidge more performant.

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 - 6,069

• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 - 6,300

• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra - 7,078

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 may seem like it's in last place, but trust me, it still has quite a lot of power. While running two apps simultaneously, thanks to the 12GB of RAM, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 handled everything smoothly and seamlessly while I juggled both YouTube and Spotify.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 battery life

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 lasted 12 hours and 13 minutes on our TikTok rundown.

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 - 12 hours and 13 minutes

• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 - 12 hours and 44 minutes

• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra - 13 hours and 1 minute

The Galaxy Z Fold 6, the foldable Samsung phone that can open up like a book, lasts 31 minutes longer. Keep in mind that if you want an extra hour, give or take some minutes, consider the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 worth it?

A better question is who is this for? Because I believe this phone is for consumers with specific use cases. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is best for the following:

• Solo travelers

• Independent content creators

• Multitasking app jugglers

• Tiny, portable phone lovers

As aforementioned, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is ideal for solo travelers and independent content creators who want to capture better photos and videos of themselves without relying on a companion. On top of that, it is a foldable, so it benefits from having excellent multitasking capabilities where you can place an app on the top part of the screen and another on the bottom.

And finally, the Galaxy Z Flip 6, when closed, is a super portable phone that can slip comfortably into any pocket or travel bag without adding too much clunkiness. For anyone who misses Apple's iPhone mini series, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is a decent alternative.

If you fall into any one of those categories, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is totally worth the splurge. Otherwise, shelling out $1,099 may not give you enough bang for your buck.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 $1,099.00
$1,099.01 Save $0.01 Get Deal

When you live in tech bubble central, signs of a tech bubble become easier to spot every time. Drive to Silicon Valley on any of the Bay Area's main arteries right now, and you'll notice nearly every billboard pumping a product "driven by AI."

On the same drive five years ago, you'd see the same scene with the word "blockchain." Ten years ago: "big data." Twenty-five years ago: literally any word followed by ".com." Each one in turn, for all its promise, became a punchline.

It's not a question of whether the Silicon Valley machine was wrong on any of these technologies. Especially not the dotcom thing. Heck, the entire internet had just dropped into our laps in the 1990s; you can't blame anyone for dreaming about creating all the stuff we now take for granted. It's a question of impatience: all the investors, startup shysters and panicked CEOs that rush in when a promising new technology emerges are eager for immediate results.

Then reality dawns, as it has evidently done for AI investors this summer. Amid a general stock market downturn Monday driven by the worst one-day crash the Japanese stock market has seen in decades, AI stocks like Nvidia — which delayed its next-gen AI chips, and has reportedly been scraping "a human lifetime" of videos every day for an unreleased AI product despite internal concerns — are taking a beating. Nvidia stock has lost a trillion dollars of valuation, 30% of the total, since its 2024 high.

If history is any guide, and it usually is, there's no coming back from a tipping point like this. The next part will be really painful for a lot of people — and yet more beneficial for longterm tech progress than the bubble mentality could ever be.

How the AI bubble burst

What accounts for the AI vibe shift?

Take your pick. Maybe it was a study revealing that consumers are so turned off by the term "AI," they are less likely to buy a product that uses it.

Maybe it was Sam Altman and his weird unforced error with Scarlett Johansson, or Elon Musk trying to sell a flawed AI chatbot while pushing AI deepfakes.

Maybe it was one of the largest and oldest hedge funds in the world telling clients that AI products are "never going to be cost-efficient, never going to actually work right, will take up too much energy, or will prove to be untrustworthy."

Or maybe it was a Goldman Sachs report on generative AI titled "Too Much Spend, Too Little Benefit?" (That minces words just about as much as one of the best-titled academic papers of 2024, an inquiry into the growing phenomenon of AI hallucination: "ChatGPT is bullshit.")

Tweet may have been deleted

Whatever it was, the signs of panic are everywhere. Tech stocks are getting hammered no matter if they're planning to increase their expenditure — Mark Zuckerberg announced $5 billion in "aggressive" new AI spending on his earnings call last week, then Meta stock dropped as much as 15% the next day — or decrease it to make up for all their AI investments — as was the case with Intel, where $10 billion in cost-cutting tanked the stock 25%.

"Generative AI itself won’t disappear," wrote Gary Marcus, a noted AI skeptic, on his blog over the weekend. "But investors may well stop forking out money at the rates they have, enthusiasm may diminish, and a lot of people may lose their shirts. Companies that are currently valued at billions of dollars may fold, or stripped for parts."

Marcus had previously written that the crash would happen in 2025, but now believes it has arrived months ahead of schedule.

Rather than find revenue on their own, AI startups are suddenly keen to be gobbled up by one of the big fish. A chatbot maker called Character.AI, founded by a couple of AI enthusiasts who left Google because they were frustrated by the bureaucracy, just licensed its product to Google — who will fold the founders and main researchers back into its bureaucracy. In recent weeks, Amazon ran the same acqui-hire playbook on an AI startup called Adept, while Microsoft did it to Inflection.

Could it be any more clear that we've reached an inflection point?

AI's biggest hallucination is being solved

Clearly, there is some promise in generative AI. It's just that much of that promise, as we've said before, lies in the small and boring business tasks: saving a bit of time on code development here, writing the first draft of a document there.

The vision of vast, exponential growth in AI tech, to the point where it is an imminent threat to humanity, should not trouble us much longer. Sam Altman's OpenAI has spent the last two years hyping up this threat; increasingly, Altman is seen as the boy who cried wolf. Large Language Models like ChatGPT have run out of stuff to train on, and the more they are trained on "the internet," the more the internet contains a body of work written by AI — degrading the product in question.

Our excitement about AI art has also popped like a bubble. Everyone has access to the tools — including your family members on Facebook — therefore no AI art is special anymore. Indeed, we're more alert than ever to the shady theft and energy drain involved in making this stuff. AI-generated video is even worse on both counts, and has a harder problem leaving the uncanny valley.

Back in Silicon Valley, what this means is that AI companies and products must have something special to survive the coming correction. Look at the startups that were still standing after the dotcom collapse in 2000 and you'll see some familiar names, like Google and Netflix.

Only if it happens slowly, over many years, without so much venture capital investment creating so much froth, will we finally arrive in the AI future today's startups can only dream about.

This column reflects the opinion of the author.

TL;DR: This M36 mini LED Bluetooth Speaker offers great sound and fun LED lighting for just $19.99 for a limited time.

Opens in a new window Credit: Waloo M36 Mini LED Base Bluetooth Speaker $19.99 at the Mashable Shop
$34.99 Save $15.00 Get Deal

Why settle for ordinary when you can jazz up your next summer gathering with the M36 mini LED Bluetooth speaker? Whether you're at the beach, camping, or just chilling at home, this speaker brings the party with its vibrant LED lights and surprisingly high-quality sound.

It's small, portable, and perfect for those who want to add a splash of color and quality to their audio experience without breaking the bank. Right now, it's on sale for only $19.99 (reg. $34.99) — a 42% discount.

This budget-friendly speaker may be mini, but it packs a punch. The larger version, in particular, is known for its impressive bass. Bluetooth connectivity makes it easy to connect to your devices, and the compact design means it fits easily in your bag or backpack, ready to go wherever you are.

Aside from its affordability and portability, the M36 mini stands out with its fun LED light feature. Sync your music with a light show that sets the mood, whether you're hosting a pool party or just relaxing solo. The long-lasting battery means the music (and the lights) won't stop until you do.

With its combination of fun features, good sound quality, and a price that won't make your wallet cry, it's a no-brainer addition to your tech collection.

Regularly $34.99, you can get the M36 Mini LED Base Bluetooth Speaker for a steal at $19.99 for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: For a limited time, you can get these soft, cooling bamboo sheets on sale, with twin sets starting at $29.99.

After a long day, flopping into bed is something many of us look forward to. But in the summer, sometimes that moment of bliss is followed by uncomfortable sweating under the sheets. There's a simple solution to the summer sweats: upgrading your sheets to cooling bamboo sheets designed to regulate temperature.

During this end of summer sale, you can get cooling sheets starting at just $29.99. You can pick from a wide selection of colors (white, cream, purple, orange, raspberry, taupe, gray, blush, blue, or silver), in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California King to fit your style and bed size. Starting at $29.99 for a twin, queen and king-size sheets cost just a few dollars more. In any size, this 2,000–thread count set of bamboo sheets could be a game-changer.

What's so cool about bamboo sheets?

• Temperature-regulating: These sheets are designed to help keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

• Soft and smooth: Its high thread count offers a luxurious bedtime experience. It also claims to help protect your hair and skin from breakage.

• Wrinkle-resistant: It's a natural, hypoallergenic fiber that is tightly woven to reduce wrinkling.

These particular sheets also feature a deep pocket and a snug grip that fits mattresses up to 16 inches thick, so you don't have to worry about it slipping off the corners and hitting you in the face in the middle of the night. The set comes with a fitted sheet, flat sheet, and four pillowcases in your desired size and color (twin sets only come with two pillowcases).

Drift off to sleep in comfort and style with this Bamboo 2,000-Count Sheet Set, starting at $29.99 (reg. $99) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bibb Home Bamboo 2000-Count 4-Piece Sheet Set with SnugGrip $29.99 at the Mashable Shop
$99.00 Save $69.01 Get Deal

TL;DR: Grab this near-mint MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar for 61% off and get the most bang for your buck by going refurbished.

Ever wondered if the Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro could be more than just a gimmick? Here's your chance to find out. This refurbished MacBook Pro has a 3.1GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD, all for a 61% discount at $379.99 (reg. $979).

The Touch Bar: love it or hate it, it's undeniably handy. Whether you're customizing shortcuts for your favorite apps, scrubbing through your timeline in Final Cut Pro, selecting emojis without leaving your keyboard, or using it to quickly access other tools on your Mac, this feature adds a layer of convenience that traditional function keys just can't match.

Customization is key with the Touch Bar. It adapts to different applications, providing unique shortcuts tailored to your workflow. From browsing the web to editing photos, the Touch Bar can be configured to fit your needs perfectly. And with Apple’s support, you can make the most out of this feature with ease.

This MacBook Pro isn’t just about the Touch Bar, though. With a sleek Space Gray finish, it looks as good as it performs. The Retina display delivers stunning visuals, making it a great option for everything from graphic design to binge-watching your favorite series. Plus, with 512GB of storage, you'll have plenty of room for all your files and applications.

It was given an impressive "A" refurbished rating, which means the device has minimal to no signs of use, and has been certified to work like new.

Enhance your overall experience by taking advantage of this sale on a grade-A refurbished MacBook Pro featuring a Touch Bar for $379.99 for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports) MPXV2LL/A 3.1GHz i5, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD - Space Gray (Refurbished) $379.99 at The Mashable Shop
$979.00 Save $599.01 Get Deal

TL;DR: See how much easier it is to get your security deposit back when you have your own portable carpet cleaner, like the AILLTOPD C4, which is on sale now for $89.99.

Moving apartments is the worst, but the allure of getting your security deposit back is the light at the end of a long tunnel. Except, you might not get it back if the place isn't spotless, and that includes the carpet you've been walking, spilling, and living on all this time. Hiring a professional carpet cleaner is the expensive option. The affordable way to go is to get a personal carpet cleaner like the AILLTOPD C4, and you can get $100 off yours. 

Are portable carpet cleaners worth it?

Some messes are unavoidable. Coffee spills, mud tracks...and pets do what pets are gonna do. It's a lot for your regular ol' vacuum to handle, but the AILLTOPD has a powerful 450W motor and multiple ways to tackle all kinds of carpet messes. 

Don't let the size fool you. This carpet cleaner has a 450W motor and can power through messes left by spilled drinks, pets, dirt, and dust. It even comes with an attachable brush to help get fur and stubborn spills out of the carpet. And when you're all done cleaning, everything has its own tidy little spot to settle into. The C4 cleaner doesn't stop at the carpet. Try it out on sofas, mattresses, and even car seats. 

As great as it is to have a lightweight carpet cleaner, you might not need to carry this one far. The power cord is 16.4 feet long and the long host adds an extra 3.57 feet to maneuver. 

Changing your vacuum bag is a great opportunity to spill everything you just worked so hard to clean. The C4 makes cleanup easier by keeping two separate tanks: one full of clean water to power through messes and one for dirty water to pour out. 

This product is a new open box item, meaning it may have been excess stock or a return. Either way, it's in brand new condition with no cosmetic or operational issues. 

Get that security deposit back

Keep your carpet so clean your landlord may question whether or not you ever lived there. 

Get the AILLTOPD C4 Portable Carpet Cleaner on sale for $89.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

Opens in a new window Credit: AILLTOPD AILLTOPD C4 Portable Carpet Cleaner (New - Open Box) $89.99 at The Mashable Shop
$189.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal

How can you best sum up the House of the Dragon Season 2 finale? Four words: good episode, underwhelming finale.

In many ways, the Season 2 closer, titled "The Queen Who Ever Was," should be a House of the Dragon viewer's wildest dream. The show treats us to scene after scene of incredible, dialogue-driven character work, from Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) and Alicent Hightower's (Olivia Cooke) charged reunion to Alyn of Hull's (Abubakar Salim) brutally honest confrontation with his father, Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint). Plus, we get several fascinating nods to the magical powers at work in Westeros, like Daemon Targaryen's (Matt Smith) weirwood vision and Helaena Targaryen's (Phia Saban) dragon dreaming prophecy.

SEE ALSO: The 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 finale, explained

But much of that goodness loses its shine when you consider "The Queen Who Ever Was"s many missteps, and where this episode stands in the context of House of the Dragon as a whole. It's the end of the season, so why are we just now spending so much time on Tyland Lannister's (Jefferson Hall) excursion to Essos? Why does Rhaena Targaryen (Phoebe Campbell) hunt the dragon Sheepstealer for the entire episode, only for the finale to end before they truly interact? Why do the last two minutes play like a "next week on" trailer for a nonexistent ninth episode, instead of delivering a definite conclusion to Season 2?

The point is, it feels like something is missing as the finale's credits roll. And what's missing are the extra two episodes that would have taken this season from eight episodes to a much-needed 10, just like House of the Dragon's first season and much of its predecessor Game of Thrones. Two more hours of storytelling — I'd even settle for just one! — would have allowed House of the Dragon more room to expand on the many arcs that feel woefully incomplete by the end of Season 2. One in particular comes to mind: the much-teased Battle of the Gullet.

"To the Gullet on the morrow!" (But really, Season 3.) Abigail Thorn in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Ollie Upton/HBO

The House of the Dragon storyline that is perhaps most emblematic of all the disappointment towards the Season 2 finale is that of the Velaryon blockade in the stretch of ocean known as the Gullet. We've heard about the blockade since Season 2's very first episode, and it's been a constant murmur throughout the season ever since: Rhaenys (Eve Best) discusses patrolling it, Corlys plans to join it once his ship is repaired, Team Green laments the pressure it puts on King's Landing, and Rhaenyra and Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) eventually use it to their advantage in gaining the smallfolk to their side. Basically, House of the Dragon is telling you time and again that the blockade in the Gullet is a big deal.

SEE ALSO: How 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 is different from George R.R. Martin's 'Fire and Blood'

All this emphasis on the blockade creates expectations. With every mention of the blockade, House of the Dragon sets up a narrative pattern that it wants you to pay attention to. Think of it like Chekhov's gun. When we see a loaded gun onstage, we know it must go off by the end of a play. When we hear so much about the blockade in the Gullet, of course we'll anticipate that a large-scale conflict will play out in the Gullet by the end of House of the Dragon Season 2.

Unfortunately, Chekhov's gun gets jammed here, and House of the Dragon does not go to the Gullet in Season 2. Instead, it pushes the pivotal battle off to Season 3 along with Rhaena's (likely) claiming of Sheepstealer, whatever's up with jailed Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), Rhaenyra and her dragonriders' attack on King's Landing, and the many forces converging upon the Riverlands. The frustration around these storylines not reaching any solid conclusions is not as simple a complaint as "we yearn for sweet, sweet dragon action!" It's actually exasperation over being promised something for an entire season, then being told to wait another few years for payoff. As it stands, "The Queen Who Ever Was" feels like an episode building up to a finale. Imagine if House of the Dragon followed it up with the Battle of the Gullet in a potential Season 2 episode 9 or 10! We would have gotten closure on one of Season 2's largest-scale conflicts — and still had more than enough to get excited about in Season 3.

Why House of the Dragon's Season 2 ending doesn't work — and why we needed the Battle of the Gullet. Steve Toussaint in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Ollie Upton/HBO

The balance between narrative satisfaction and building anticipation is a tricky line that all season finales must walk. With the exception of Rhaenyra and Alicent's sublime confrontation and Daemon finally bending the knee after six episodes of weirwood therapy, "The Queen Who Ever Was" doesn't really deal in satisfaction. It leans too far into anticipation and mistakes an unfulfilling cliffhanger for narrative momentum (something we could have used in the lull following Rook's Rest).

To understand just how unsatisfying House of the Dragon's Season 2 finale was in the grand scale of Westerosi storytelling, let's compare it to a similar season finale from a familiar show: Game of Thrones.

SEE ALSO: The new 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 intro shows the history of House Targaryen

"The Winds of Winter," the Season 6 finale of Game of Thrones, shares some similar-seeming beats with "The Queen Who Ever Was." Both episodes feature game-changing visions: Bran learns that Jon is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, while Daemon learns of the Song of Ice and Fire. Both episodes also end with new alliances. In Game of Thrones, the Tyrells, Yara Greyjoy, and Sand Snakes ally with Daenerys Targaryen, while in House of the Dragon, Alicent and Rhaenyra hatch a plan together, and Tyland Lannister secures the Triarchy's naval support. But the biggest commonality that stood out to me was the very simple fact that these finales end with "People On Boats Sailing Towards Big Things." Game of Thrones' version of this is Daenerys finally sailing to Westeros with her fleet (and many allies). House of the Dragon, on the other hand, features Alyn and Corlys rowing out to the blockade, with Tyland and Lysene admiral Sharako Lohar (Abigail Thorn) sailing to meet it.

That's a lot of People On Boats about to do Big Things, but there's one key difference between the two. Game of Thrones spent all of Season 6 — no, the whole show — building towards Daenerys leaving for Westeros. Her departure from Essos is in itself the end of one narrative arc for her, and the start of another. It's both narratively satisfying (she's leaving, what a big step!) and also makes you want to know what she'll do when she reaches the next phase of her journey. In House of the Dragon, we're still mid-blockade arc. The show has specifically been building to the Battle of the Gullet (and Rhaena's dragon claiming, and the showdown in the Riverlands, and Daeron's arrival from Oldtown, and, and, and...) for the whole season, so stopping now is basically the equivalent of stopping Game of Thrones Season 6 before the Battle of the Bastards.

House of the Dragon is already falling into the pitfalls of shorter seasons. Freddie Fox in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Ollie Upton/HBO

While Game of Thrones certainly stuck the landing on its Season 6 finale, its seventh and eighth seasons proved disappointments. Just like House of the Dragon Season 2, those two seasons were shorter than their predecessors, meaning the story got less breathing room. Overly rushed character development and plot points compounded on one another until we were left with an underdeveloped, unsatisfying letdown.

Similarly, House of the Dragon Season 2 is already feeling the strain of a shorter episode order. In the finale alone, there were several scenes that felt like we were missing connective tissue between "The Queen Who Ever Was" and its predecessors. How did Aemond Targaryen's (Ewan Mitchell) barbecuing of Sharp Point play out? How did Alicent act upon her return from her cleansing lake swim? Why did Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) choose this episode of all episodes to suddenly confront Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) over his affair with Alicent? These are all things House of the Dragon lets us infer fairly well, but there's still enough of a disconnect between episodes that we could have used a little more time fleshing out the moments between them.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon's Abubakar Salim on Alyn's relationship with Corlys: 'He's haunted by him'

House of the Dragon is far from the first genre show to struggle with a shorter episode order, a sacrifice likely made in order to pull off high-budget sequences like Rook's Rest and the Red Sowing. Game of Thrones, obviously, comes to mind, and as much as I love recent Star Wars offering The Acolyte, I'll be the first to admit it needed more time to truly develop its story and ideas.

However, House of the Dragon does feel like the first show whose "missing" episodes I've felt the most. At least with Game of Thrones and The Acolyte, you're getting the whole story. Watching House of the Dragon Season 2, I feel like I'm missing 20 percent of the narrative — and a crucial 20 percent at that.

House of the Dragon Season 2 is now streaming on Max.

Road trips offer a great, comparatively affordable getaway from your everyday routine. Even so, you don't want to feel like you're holidaying on a budget. A relaxing trip can quickly become much less relaxing when you find yourself hampered by flat tyres, cold coffee, and drained phone batteries. Thoughtful packing can make all the difference on a road trip, with the right gadgets helping to make those long hours on the highway feel refreshingly meditative rather than tedious and dull.

In no particular order, here are six overlooked and underrated road trip essentials.

SEE ALSO: 9 overlooked and underrated travel essentials 1. Denvix Smart Tire Inflator Credit: Denvix

Nothing brings a road trip to a grinding halt like a flat tyre. Precious vacation time which should be spent relaxing can quickly be lost to the search for a service station, anxiously hoping that the next one isn't too far away. 

Portable air compressors like the Denvix Smart Tire Inflator can greatly alleviate this inconvenience, allowing you to top up your tyres no matter where you are. Easily operated with a single button, this compact gadget can pump up a car tyre from 0 to 36 psi in mere minutes, quickly getting your trip back on track. It doesn't just inflate tyres either. In addition to having preset modes for cars, motorbikes, regular bikes, and balls, the Smart Tire Inflator's touch screen buttons allow you to set a custom psi for anything else you need to pump full of air.

Of course, if you don't end up needing it, a tyre inflator may feel as though it's simply taking up precious car space which could better be utilised for road trip snacks. Fortunately, the Denvix Smart Tire Inflator also serves as a giant power bank, holding a substantial 15,000 mAH of power. That's enough to charge your phone several times over — or keep all your travelling companions' devices topped up. It has a bright light attached as well, allowing you to cycle between white, yellow, and red lights to illuminate your nighttime activities.

Opens in a new window Credit: Denvix Denvix Smart Tire Inflator at Amazon
Shop Now 2. Ember Travel Mug 2+ Credit: Ember

Forgetting your hot drink until long after it has cooled is the bane of coffee and tea fiends the world over. A morning brew is notably less enjoyable once it has drifted away from its thermal sweet spot, and while vacuum flasks are great for slowing temperature changes, they can't ensure your drink stays at its ideal temperature.

The Ember Travel Mug 2+ lets you keep up to 12oz (355mL) of liquid steady at any temperature ranging from 120°F to 145°F (50°C to 62.5°C), averaging around three hours of battery life at 135°F (57°C) (or longer if you rest it on the included charging coaster). The temperature is manually adjustable by touch controls as well via Ember's app, which also sends notifications when your drink has reached the set temperature or when the Mug is about to run out of battery. This means slow sippers are less likely to forget their drink and end up downing its disappointingly cold dregs hours later.

The Travel Mug 2+ can be connected to Apple Find My, helping you to track your mug down if you inadvertently leave it behind, and comes with three interchangeable regional power plugs — handy if you plan to sample coffee on different continents. Unlike a vacuum flask, it also isn't completely insulated, meaning it can still give you the delightful experience of wrapping your hands around a warm mug on a cold day.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ember Ember Travel Mug 2+ at Amazon
Shop Now 3. Belkin's Boostcharge Magnetic Wireless Power Bank 5K + Stand  Credit: Belkin

Most mobile phones have fairly decent batteries that can last you from morning until night — provided it's a regular day. Being on vacation means you're more likely to rapidly chew up your battery by snapping photos, filming videos, and feverishly consulting Google Maps to ensure you don't get lost. It's never fun when your phone dies, but one of the worst, most stressful times for it to happen is while you're travelling in a foreign country.

Belkin's Boostcharge Magnetic Wireless Power Bank 5K + Stand magnetically attaches to the back of your phone in order to charge it, so you don't have to worry about leaving a wire trailing out of your pocket or dangling from your hands. You'll have to invest in a MagSafe adapter if you're using an Android or an older iPhone, but it's still much less hassle than wired options. Belkin's power bank is also small enough that it doesn't obscure your phone's camera while attached, letting you keep taking snaps while charging.

This device only holds around enough juice to fully recharge an iPhone once, so you will have to plug it in once you get back to your hotel room for the night. Even so, that should be more than enough to keep you going.

Opens in a new window Credit: Belkin Belkin's Boostcharge Magnetic Wireless Power Bank 5K + Stand $47.75 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $12.24 Shop Now

 

SEE ALSO: Review: The best travel camera for every type of photographer 4. July's Carry All Tote Credit: July

A good day bag is vital when travelling, so it's important to carefully consider your options. While backpacks offer even weight distribution, they can be annoying to access and are carried out of sight — a boon to any light-fingered opportunists you might encounter. A messenger bag can work, but flap closures aren't the most secure option, and said flap can be irritating when you want to quickly grab something.

July's Carry All Tote has a slew of features that make it an excellent bag for travelling, allowing you to easily access your belongings without taking it off. These include a zip close for security, a luggage passthrough band for securing it atop a suitcase, an internal pocket to keep your water bottle upright, and a detachable shoulder strap in addition to its two handles, offering extra security and allowing users to go hands free. 

It's difficult enough to find all of these features in one tote bag. But the Carry All Tote goes one better, boasting a lightweight unisex design made of robust nylon fabric. It's even attractive enough that it won't mark you as a tourist while you're wandering around an unfamiliar city. 

If you'd prefer leather and can live without a luggage passthrough, Madewell's Zip-Top Transport Carryall is another more stylish but less functional option you might consider. Just check its weight before you commit, as you'll want something fairly lightweight if you're planning a lot of exploring.

Opens in a new window Credit: July July's Carry All Tote at July
Shop Now 5. Sonos' Roam Credit: Sonos

Though travelling is by nature packed with new experiences, it can be comforting to return to something familiar at the end of a day of exploring. That could be anything from a drink, to a skincare routine, to a favourite playlist.

The Sonos Roam is a light, portable Bluetooth speaker that is waterproof, drop resistant, and small enough to fit in a handbag if needed. It also offers sound quality that belies its size. With 10 hours of battery life, the Sonos Roam uses inbuilt microphones to automatically tune itself, delivering the best sound according to its environment no matter where it's moved. This makes it ideal for travel, whether you're moving between hotel rooms, headed to the beach, or even going camping. 

In addition to enabling travellers to listen to their tunes while settling in for the night, the Sonos Roam may be particularly useful to anyone who sleeps with white noise — or who travels with children who sleep with white noise. Putting an infant to bed is tough enough, but it's an extra challenge when you're in an unfamiliar place and don't have your usual tools on hand. Just remember to keep your soothing audio at a reasonable volume so you don't disturb your fellow campers or hotel patrons.

This pick does come with a caveat. Multiple users have encountered an issue when using a free Spotify account with the Roam, finding that it will stop playing audio and refuse to progress when it reaches an ad. Sonos is aware of the problem and is apparently working on a solution, but until then Spotify users are best off either upgrading to a Premium account or playing audio already saved to their phone.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sonos Sonos Roam $143.00 at Amazon
$179.00 Save $36.00 Shop Now 6. Dr Martens' Voss II Sandals Credit: Dr Martens

Travel sandals need to be able to withstand a lot, whether that's exploring cobblestoned streets, playing on sandy beaches, or getting tossed around in a suitcase. Dr Martens may be most popularly known for its iconic boots, but that doesn't mean you should overlook its equally sturdy sandals.

Dr Martens' Voss II is a stylishly chunky sandal, with adjustable buckled straps at the ankle and across the top of the foot to keep it securely in place while walking. The thick soles elevate the feet, keeping your toes dryer in wet terrain, while the PU-coated Hydro leather means you don't have to waterproof the sandals before wearing them. They also look really good.

Dr Martens' shoes do have a reputation for being painful to break in, owing to the same stiff, thick leather that enables its boots to last. Fortunately the Voss II eschews this, using a leather that feels comfortable enough to wear out of the box without giving you blisters on your heels. Dr Martens also offers the original Voss in a synthetic substitute if you prefer a vegan option. 

Of course, you should still wear your sandals on several shorter outings close to home before you pack them in your suitcase. Taking any new shoes on a trip without first breaking them in is just asking for trouble. But breaking in these Dr Martens sandals won't be anywhere near as difficult as dealing with their boots, and the best travel shoes should also work for everyday wear anyway.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dr Martens Dr Martens' Voss II Leather Strap Sandals $79.89 at Amazon
$110.00 Save $30.11 Shop Now

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for August 6 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for August 6

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Monday, August 6, 2024:

AcrossPetty fight

• The answer is spat.

Funny little habit

• The answer is quirk.

"I can't ___ that!" (response to being told that Colonel Sanders's bow tie looks like a stick figure's body)

• The answer is unsee.

Mother-of-pearl design on a guitar, e.g.

• The answer is inlay.

Colored, as hair

• The answer is dyed.

DownSource of edible ink

• The answer is squid.

Like the horror movie titles "Chopping Mall" and "Santa's Slay"

• The answer is punny.

Airplane seat choice

• The answer is aisle.

Grippy part of a tire

• The answer is tread.

Paper with the answers on it

• The answer is key.

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.

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for August 6 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for August 6

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.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Bed, bath and beyond

The hint for the theme is that each of these things are represented in one place.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The answers are related to describing cloth items from around the house stored in the same closet.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Linencloset.

NYT Strands word list for August 6

• Sheet

• Towel

• Blanket

• Pillowcase

• LinenCloset

• Tablecloth

Looking for other daily online games? Find one you might like – or hints for another game you're already playing – on Mashable's Games page.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

Online dating is now the norm. "We met on Tinder" is the new "we met in a bar." And this isn't going to change any time soon.

Countless children have been born to parents who met via an online dating app like Match or eharmony, and according to eharmony, more than 50% of couples will meet online by 2031. They would say that, but it’s understandable given online dating’s popularity.

The only real problem with online dating is that there are so many services out there to consider. With so many options on the table, it can be difficult to know where to find the best crop of potential lovers. Each dating app will have features that will matter differently to you depending on your lifestyle, what you are actually looking for, and what's most important to you. Looking for Ms. Right? Or perhaps just Mr. Right Now? It's helpful to know how each dating app is different so that you can surround yourself with people who want the same thing as you.

What are the benefits of using a dating site?

Dating sites and apps allow you to get your information out there to a massive network of like-minded individuals. Plus, you can save a lot of time, energy, and cash by testing out a potential relationship on an app before actually meeting. We know that some dating apps can be expensive, but just think about all those wasted coffees you could avoid by chatting through an app first.

Should you use free dating apps?

There are a lot of free dating sites and apps out there, and the likes of Tinder and Hinge are seriously popular options with massive networks of users. Plus, most of the biggest and best dating sites have free versions with limitations on certain features. So yes, you can easily enter the online dating game without spending anything. There are levels to this game though, and sometimes free apps just don't cut it.

SEE ALSO: The best dating sites and apps for women

This won't be a surprise to hear, but you get what you pay for with dating sites and apps. For the best experience with the greatest possibility of finding exactly what you're looking for, you are going to have to cough up the cash. We're sorry to break it to you, but the best dating sites don't come cheap.

What is the best dating app?

Whether you're looking for something super specific or have tried every app on the market, we have put together a handy guide that breaks down what the deal is with each of these online dating experiences. We have lined up a selection of your best options for finding love, finding a hookup, and more, including leading services like EliteSingles and AdultFriendFinder.

These are the best dating apps in 2024.

TL;DR: As of Aug. 6, you can get Windows 11 Pro for only £15.64 — that's a savings of 89%, but only for a limited time.

Upgrading your operating system is a great way to give an older device some of the functionality of a newer machine. Buying a whole new computer is a pretty big investment, but upgrading the OS could add new security features and functionality, and even expand the games you can play. 

Still, upgrading the OS usually isn't cheap, but for a few more days, you can get a Windows 11 Pro license for up to two desktop devices for just £15.64 instead of £155.85. And you don't even need a coupon. 

Upgrade to Windows 11 Pro

Whether you're a creative, an office professional, a student, or even a gamer, you might benefit from upgrading your OS to Windows 11 Pro. This robust operating system comes with enhancements for security, productivity, and hardware accessibility. 

If security is your priority, check out what 11 Pro brings to the table. Security upgrades include support for biometric login, encryption protocols, wake and lock, and a whole lot more. 

Need to run demanding software for games, development, or work? Windows 11 Pro supports DirectX 12 Ultimate to elevate your graphics, and it also upgrades hardware compatibility. Computers with Windows 11 Pro installed can run up to 2TB RAM and two CPUs with a max of 128 cores. 

In terms of basic functionality, 11 Pro also adds features like snap layouts, desktops, and improved voice typing. Just make sure your device can run Windows 11 Pro before purchasing. If you have Windows 10 installed and can't use the free upgrade to get Windows 11 Home, Pro won't work either. 

Take advantage of this limited-time deal

Give your computer a major upgrade with this Windows 11 Pro deal. For a one-time purchase, you can use this OS for the rest of your device's life.

Until Aug. 8 at 11:59 p.m. PT, get Windows 11 Pro on sale for just £15.64.

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Retail King Windows 11 Pro £15.64 at the Mashable Shop
£155.85 Save £140.21 Get Deal

TL;DR: Live stream the women's marathon at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The marathon events at Paris 2024 are some of the most impressive in the sporting lineup. Taking place a day after the men's race, the women's marathon is set to be an incredible battle with no shortage of talent.

The competition will be thrilling as athletes such as Ethiopia's Tigist Assefa and Netherlands's Sifan Hassan will take to the start line. There will also be steep competition from Peres Jepchirchir, as the Kenyan athlete looks to build on her success from this year's London Marathon where she bagged the women’s world record.

If you want to watch the women's marathon at Paris 2024 for free from anywhere in the world, don't go anywhere because we have all the information you need.

When is the women's marathon at Paris 2024?

The women's marathon at Paris 2024 begins at 2 a.m. ET on Aug. 11.

How to watch the women's marathon at Paris 2024 for free

The women's marathon at Paris 2024 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is technically geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone who wants to watch the marathon events can access this streaming platform with the use of a VPN. VPNs are tools that hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Live stream the women's marathon at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming often charge a small fee, but most do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. If you take advantage of these offers, you can unblock free streaming services such as BBC iPlayer without spending any cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream events such as the marathons at Paris 2024 before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the women's marathon at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

In a world where online dating and casual hookups have become the norm, dating can still feel exhausting. Sometimes, just the thought of putting on proper clothes, coming up with witty conversation starters, and commuting to the actual meetup spot can be tiring.

No matter what kind of encounter you plan, when it comes to dating, there'll always be some sort of physical effort required. The good news? There is a loophole: Sexting.

What is sexting?

Sexting is the art of sending sexually explicit photos or messages to one or more people via text. Thanks to its recent rise in popularity, there are now apps for sexting and new sexting features in apps that are otherwise for dating in person.

What do you need to know about sexting?

Whether you're interested in giving sexting a try or you're a seasoned pro, there are a few things to keep in mind when downloading and using a new dating app to sext. Sure, there are fewer inhibitions when scoring a new sexting partner when compared to finding a long-term lover, but there are rules you should follow in order for all parties to feel at ease. Here are three big ones:

• Mutual respect — Assess the situation and know your audience. Usually, it doesn't take much more than a few pre-sext texts (or pre-sexts) to gauge whether or not someone is interested in doing the cyber-dirty with you. Take the time to figure that out before you lead with something raunchy and uncalled-for. AKA, don't just start throwing dick pics at people left and right if they didn't ask.

• Mutual trust — Be respectful: Privacy is sacred. The internet has the scary ability to make fleeting moments very permanent. If someone asks you to keep something to yourself, do it. While sexting can be light and fun, it also requires a serious level of trust. If you betray that trust, you're ruining it for everybody.

• Privacy — No app can completely protect your privacy for you — that's your job. Though there are apps that have certain features that are designed to protect your identity/content, they don't rule out all scenarios. For example, someone doesn't need to take a screenshot to capture a picture you send. They could easily use another phone or device to snap or record your photos and/or videos. You should always keep this in mind before sending anything that could be compromising, and do your best to make sure you trust the person who's receiving your messages.

Keep these points in mind when engaging in NSFW messaging.

Should you engage in sexting?

Real-life dating is obviously the best way to get to know somebody long-term, especially if you're looking for any kind of serious, in-person relationship. And real sex will always be better than sexting. However, sexting is an alternative that may help you out in ways you didn't even think about.

• Convenience — Whether you plan to wine and dine on your date or just meet to hook up, it always requires some extra effort. For those with super hectic schedules or those who just don't have room in their life (for whatever reason) for a steady in-person relationship, sexting is practically a saving grace. After all, your sex drive doesn't go away just because you're busy. Sexting allows you to take care of your sexual needs without putting yourself out.

• Exploring trust and intimacy — Getting comfortable with another person in close quarters doesn’t always come naturally for everyone — but opting for sexting gives way to a new level of exploration in terms of intimacy and trust. You don’t ever have to meet the person behind the screen if you don’t want to, but being able to practice feeling vulnerable without any strings attached can be a great lesson in being more open.

• Freedom — As is the case with most behind-the-screen activities, with sexting, you can let go of your inhibitions and get comfortable exploring your sexual side. Knowing there's a certain barrier between you and the other person may allow you to experiment with language and ideas that you wouldn't otherwise explore in person.

• Fun — A little honesty, please. A night of sexting is always going to be a lot more fun than endlessly swiping right on a dating app and starting the same conversation over and over. Having the option of opening an app on your phone and engaging in a little virtual foreplay offers instant gratification and (almost) guaranteed pleasure.

• Safety — We've touched on the reasons why sexting might not be completely safe in terms of privacy, but to its credit, sexting offers an element of safety that in-person meetings don't. Sexting allows you to interact with both people you know and total strangers without putting yourself in dangerous or unwanted physical situations. Your experience should always be what you want it to be, and with sexting, if it's not going in the direction you want, it's just a matter of closing an app.

The benefits are clear for all to see, so not give it a try?

What makes an app good for sexting?

You'll want to look for certain features in an app if you're planning on sexting:

• Ease of use — You don’t want to find yourself in a hot and steamy conversation trying to figure out how to attach an image or a voice note. When it comes to sexting, the more user-friendly the platform is, the better. You’ll want something that’s efficient and fast.

• Privacy features — What happens in a sexting app doesn’t always stay in a sexting app; there are no guarantees that your conversations or selfies won’t wind up a screenshot on someone’s phone. That said, certain apps include instant self-destruction features that delete photos and conversations after a certain amount of time.

• Safety — If you’re looking for a night of no-strings-attached fun online, it doesn’t really matter if the person on the other end of your conversation has been verified — but if you do want to ensure you’re not being catfished or chatting with a bot, consider using an app that links social media or verifies users.

• Subscription pricing versus free features — How much are you willing to pay for bells and whistles? There are several free apps out there, but if you're looking for something a little fancier, you can pay a few pounds a month for premium features.

With these features in mind, you should be ready to select an app and start sexting. You've got this.

What is the best app for sexting?

Since sexting, by nature, comes with a lot of factors to consider (consent and privacy, for example), we've picked out the best sexting apps to get you off — to a good start, that is. We've tried to line up something for everyone, so check out these options, and pick your favourite.

These are the best sexting apps in 2024.

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

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for August 6's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for August 5 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A heavy object dropped on the heads of pesky coyotes.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no reoccurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter A.

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...

ANVIL.

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

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

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

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

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for August 6's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

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

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for August 6 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Poofy objects of fair complexion

• Green: Control group

• Blue: Opposed

• Purple: Types of horns

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Fluffy White Things

• Green: One in a Research Study

• Blue: Take Issue

• Purple: ___Horn

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 #422 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Fluffy White Things: CLOUD, COTTON BALL, DANDELION, SHEEP

• One in a Research Study: GUINEA PIG, PARTICIPANT, SUBJECT, VOLUNTEER

• Take Issue: DISAPPROVE, MIND, OBJECT, PROTEST

• ___Horn: BULL, FOG, MATTER, SHOW

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

Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections.

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

Five months ago, Elon Musk filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, claiming the company breached its contract and it should once again revert to a non-profit. 

Just two months ago, Musk dropped his lawsuit against OpenAI.

Today, Elon Musk has filed a new lawsuit against OpenAI, claiming he was "manipulated" into co-founding the non-profit organization that has since become the for-profit OpenAI. This new lawsuit includes much of the same as Musk's previously dropped suit. 

SEE ALSO: OpenAI has a '99% effective' ChatGPT-detection tool ready. So why aren't they releasing it?

The new suit reads, "Elon Musk’s case against Sam Altman and OpenAl is a textbook tale of altruism versus greed... Altman, in concert with other Defendants, intentionally courted and deceived Musk, preying on Musk’s humanitarian concern about the existential dangers posed by artificial intelligence (AI)." 

"Altman and his long-time associate Brockman assiduously manipulated Musk into co-founding their spurious non-profit venture, OpenAI Inc., by promising that it would chart a safer, more open course than profit-driven tech giants," Musk's lawsuit continues.

Musk was one of the original co-founders of OpenAI and has become one of the company's biggest critics in recent years. Musk has publicly voiced his opposition to OpenAI becoming a more closed, traditional business instead of the open-source project it originally claimed it aspired to be. Musk has cited the potential dangers of AI as the main factor driving his concerns about an OpenAI motivated by profit.

However, Musk himself has also started his own AI competitor, xAI, and raised billions since OpenAI became the biggest company in the AI industry following the success of its AI chatbot ChatGPT.

As for why Musk chose to drop the previous suit and file a new one, Musk's lawyer, Marc Toberoff, told The New York Times that "the previous suit lacked teeth — and I don’t believe in the tooth fairy."

“This is a much more forceful lawsuit," Musk's lawyer confirmed.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's X is using your posts to train its AI chatbot Grok. Here's how to opt out.

Armond "Mondo" Duplantis has officially set the bar higher than anyone else in the world.

The Swedish-American pole vaulter took home gold and then some at the 2024 Paris Olympics. After remaining entirely unbothered throughout the event, he secured the medal and the Olympic record. Then, he continued to compete against himself and his previous world record. On his third attempt, he cleared 6.25 meters, setting a new world record.

He did it all with a coy smile and the best hair we've seen at these Olympics since Kim Yeji's severe bob.

SEE ALSO: 9 Olympians to follow on TikTok right now Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

The Louisiana-born athlete competes for his mother's country, Sweden, and is coached by his father, Greg Duplantis. He's won 19 straight competitions and set the world record in pole vaulting nine times. He's unsurprisingly the crowd's and the internet's favorite of the day. As one X user wrote, "Today’s Olympic crush is Swedish pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis."

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The pole vaulter didn't need to compete at all the heights at the event, so he spent a couple of hours sitting around—foam rolling and checking his watch—while the others competed. When it was finally his turn, he easily clinched his second gold medal.

People recognized Duplantis' undeniable greatness and appreciated his laidback and confident approach to the sport. One user posted an image of a sleeping woman with the caption, "everyone fighting for their lives duplantis:" It currently has over 2,000 likes.

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After his world record-breaking performance, the fan cams and love came pouring in, but according to Duplantis, he was already getting "mobbed" in Sweden before he left for the Olympic Games. In recent years, he's gained a teen following thanks to his high-profile relationship with Swedish model and influencer Desire Inglander. It's safe to say his fame just got a lot more intense — and global.

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Thanks to his deep-set green eyes and face-framing curls, X users began comparing him to internet boyfriends like The Bear star Jeremy Allen White and Timothée Chalamet, but he's got that world record swag they could never have. One person jokingly wrote, "What’s most impressive about Mondo Duplantis is how he turned his family’s humble Chicago sandwich place into a fine-dining restaurant."

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He also got involved in some Olympic lore with a celebratory gunshot pose that fans perceived as a callback to the Turkish silver medalist, Yusuf Dikec.

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Everyone is ready to cheer him on the next time Duplantis breaks the world record.