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TL;DR: Get a MacBook Air for only $199.97 (reg. $1,199) while supplies last.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air 2018 (Refurbished) $199.97
$1,199 Save $999.03   Get Deal

There’s a reason MacBooks typically come with sky-high price tags — they deliver Apple’s top features in a sleek, highly portable package. Fortunately, now you can get a MacBook Air for only $199.97 (reg. $1,199) if you act fast.

The MacBook Air is Apple’s lightest-weight laptop, letting you tackle your to-do list from anywhere. This model weighs in at only 2.75 pounds, but don’t be deceived by its sleek frame. It still packs plenty of power — a 1.6GHz Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM to be exact.

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If you like to store important files on your device, you’ll appreciate the 128GB of storage offered. There’s also an ample 13.3-inch widescreen display equipped with Intel UHD Graphics 617, so you can enjoy your favorite content in vibrant color.

WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity make it easy to connect everywhere. You’ll also have an impressive 12 hours of battery life on a single charge, so you can handle a full day’s work without having to recharge.

This model comes with a Grade A refurbished rating, which means your device arrives in near-mint condition after undergoing a comprehensive process to ensure functionality and quality.

Upgrade your computer with this MacBook Air, now only $199.97 (reg. $1,199).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

At a time when people are treating AI as a therapist, an AI companion company is hiring a human one.

EVA AI, which hosted a pop-up "first date" cafe that Mashable attended in Feb., has opened applications for an "AI companionship therapist." The job would be to help people work through their relationships with AI. In a survey EVA AI conducted of 1,000 adults with AI partners, 68 percent have hidden their AI relationship for fear of being judged, and 72 percent wished therapists specialized in this.

SEE ALSO: My awkward first date with an AI companion

But why doesn't EVA AI program a therapist to do this job?

"AI companionship is a relatively new concept, which means the dynamics are genuinely new — so we want a qualified therapist with professional expertise to guide such couples," Julia Momblat, head of partnerships and sales at EVA AI, told Mashable over email.

"Therapy involves clinical judgment, ethical accountability, and a duty of care that is a licensed expert's responsibility. Using AI to mediate AI relationships would defeat the purpose of seeking an outside perspective," she continued. "After all, our platform is built for companionship, not clinical care. We're building the platform where humans form connections with AI, and we do it well. We leave therapy to the experts."

What do therapists think of AI companions?

Therapists and other professionals themselves have varying opinions of AI companions. Therapist Dr. Rachel Wood told Mashable last year about numerous potential harms, such as loss of social skills, unhelpful feedback loops, and sychopancy.

Jaime Bronstein, LCSW, EVA AI's resident relationship therapist, told Mashable over a video call that these relationships can be "very beneficial for somebody who maybe wasn't feeling very loved in the past and wants to feel or be listened to and heard and understood and validated."

She also said that AI could be good practice for communication. Executive director of the Kinsey Institute, Justin Garcia (who is an evolutionary biologist, not a therapist), told Mashable in Feb. that AI can be somewhat helpful if thought of as "training wheels," but at some point the training wheels should come off.

When asked about AI psychosis and the violence that occurred after suspects had conversations with chatbots, Bronstein said that EVA AI is trained for this — and that "very scary things" have been happening since before AI, "because we've had Google for a long time."

"But it is very, very scary. But luckily, EVA is trained...to help with mental health and not to make it worse," she said. Overall, from what she's seen, AI relationships are more beneficial than harmful.

Bronstein, despite being the company's resident relationship therapist, isn't one of the therapists EVA AI is hiring. She was brought on to provide commentary for articles.

SAVE OVER $100: As of Aug. 18, the DJI Air 3S Fly More Combo is at its lowest-ever price of $1,439 on Amazon. That's $160 off its full price of $1,599.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Air 3S Fly More Combo $1,439 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $160   Get Deal

A drone's ability to capture high-quality video from the sky is something content creators and hobbyists alike can enjoy.

If you've been thinking about dropping some cash on a model that captures great content, we've spotted some deals on Amazon so you can save some cash in the process. One standout offer is the DJI Air 3S Fly More Combo, which is back to its lowest-ever price on Amazon via a third-party seller.

As of Aug. 18, you can snag this bundle — which includes the Air 3S, three intelligent flight batteries, one battery charging hub, an ND filter set, and a DJI RC 2 remote controller — for $1,439 on Amazon. Normally, it's priced at $1,599, so this deal saves you $160. Again, it's sold by a third party, but they have a glowing 99% positive rating.

SEE ALSO: Trump drone tariffs: Who is impacted?

The DJI Air 3S features a one-inch CMOS primary camera for capturing your favorite shots from the skies, and the store page also notes it can enhance detail in low-light scenarios, such as sunsets or night shots. It's also capable of recording 4K/60fps videos with stunning detail and comes with forward-facing LiDAR technology that helps it sense and avoid obstacles as it flies.

It can remain in the air for quite a while, with a maximum flight time of 45 minutes. It even has a Smart Return-To-Home feature that allows it to fly back to the Home Point it took off from, so you don't have to worry about losing it.

This DJI Air 3S Fly More Combo may not be on sale for long on Amazon, so be quick to act on this deal.

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California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey are taking the social media giant to trial in the first bellwether federal case over child harm.

At home, moderation and restraint are the rule for tech parents. Boredom is exalted. Maybe they’re onto something.

The power grid relies on thousands of aging, hand-built transformers. If enough fail, the blackout could last years.

Astronomers have uncovered the 12.3-billion-year-old ruins of an ancient galaxy hiding in the jumbled jungle of the Milky Way's center.

For billions of years, our home galaxy grew into a cosmic giant by crashing into and absorbing smaller neighboring dwarf galaxies. Over years of research, scientists have mapped several of these galactic mergers, including a slow-speed collision with the Sagittarius dwarf galaxy, which began roughly 6 billion years ago. Scientists say it continues today.

The discovery of this even earlier space merger, published in Nature Astronomy, helps make sense of the tangled mess that is the center of the galaxy. And it shows that scientists can use the ages and ingredients of star clusters to retrace the steps of the Milky Way's violent past.

"Our home is the Milky Way galaxy, but we do not know how our house was built," said Davide Massari, lead author of the research, in a statement. "In this paper, we discover where the first significant batch of bricks came from."

SEE ALSO: Bright planets can blind the Webb telescope. A fix is coming.

Before this new finding, astronomers considered a collision with a massive galaxy named Gaia-Sausage-Enceladus to be the oldest major impact. That wreck occurred about 10 billion years ago and contributed to the bulge in the Milky Way's massive, thick disk of stars.

Given that billions of years have passed, peering back into earlier phases of galactic history posed a considerable challenge for the team. The inner core of the primitive Milky Way acted like a giant gravitational blender, mixing ancient stars together and jostling their prior orbits. Because of this chaos, astronomers have spent years arguing whether the oldest stars in the galactic center grew there natively or immigrated from somewhere else by way of collisions.

To try to settle this debate, a team of researchers turned to NASA's Hubble Space Telescope to target globular clusters, tightly packed balls of thousands to millions of ancient stars. These clusters are sort of like fossils from the early universe.

The scientists studied 39 clusters in the inner galaxy, compared their relative ages, chemical distributions of heavy elements, and orbits using advanced statistical tools. 

Their analysis revealed that the clusters split into three distinct families rather than the expected two: One group belonged to native Milky Way stars, another belonged to the known Gaia-Sausage-Enceladus merger, and a third revealed an entirely unknown population.

Dubbed Low-energy-Kraken-Heracles or LKH, the galaxy would have slammed into our galaxy roughly 1.8 billion years before Gaia-Sausage-Enceladus. The newly identified system's name is a mashup of three earlier research papers that proposed a merger happened earlier in the galaxy's history.

"Some past studies have argued that the earliest phases of our galaxy's evolution were defined by stars born only in our galaxy," said Massari, who works at the Astrophysics and Space Science Observatory of Bologna in Italy. "Here, we have shown that stars born in external galaxies also need to be considered."

Scientists used the Hubble Space Telescope to study 39 globular clusters in the Milky Way's core to trace the origins of star populations to previous galaxy merger events. Credit: NASA

Weighing roughly 500 million times more than the sun, the LKH system dumped most of its stars, gas, and other material straight into the inner 20,000 light-year span of the Milky Way.

Advanced computer simulations support the team's findings, matching the timelines and chemical patterns predicted by the Hubble cluster data.

Astronomers are eager for future space telescope missions to scan the galactic core even deeper to reveal more information about the Milky Way's beginnings. The team plans to continue scouring globular clusters for evidence, said Fernando Aguado-Agelet, a coauthor from the universities of Vigo and La Laguna in Spain, in a statement.

"This will help us characterize the merger events that are far back in time in the Milky Way galaxy's history," he said.

An advertiser paid for editorial consideration of this deal. Our editorial experts vetted the deal based on our independent expertise. Because we determined that the deal will save money for the consumer, we wrote the content.

SAVE 58%: From Aug. 18-31, Incogni's annual data removal plans are on sale for 58% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Incogni Incogni Save 58% on Incogni's annual data removal plans through Aug. 31. Get Deal

Somewhere out there, a website you never signed up for has your home address. You didn't put it there. A data broker did, and it's a lot bigger than most people realize. Incogni is one of the better-known services designed to fix it, and its annual plans are 58% off from Aug. 18-31.

Incogni tracks your online info and files removal requests on your behalf, so your name stops circulating across the sites that collect it.

The service automatically contacts more than 420 data brokers, including people-search sites and health, employment, and financial databases. It also resubmits removal requests to people-search sites every 60 days to make sure your info doesn't creep back online after it's gone.

From Aug. 18, every annual plan is 58% off:

• Standard — $6.79/month (down from $7.99/month)

• Unlimited — $12.74/month (down from $14.99.month)

• Family (5 users) — $13.59/month (down from $15.99.month)

• Family Unlimited (5 users) — $19.54/month (down from $22.99.month)

• Protect (Incogni + Coveron) — $17.63/month (down from $20.74.month)

Incogni's Unlimited-tier plans — Unlimited, Family Unlimited, and Protect — also unlock a couple of newer features: an Exposure Scanner that continuously hunts down where your data shows up online, and a monthly Risk Assessment that breaks down your exposure across physical safety, privacy, and scam risk.

The Protect plan goes a step further, bundling in identity-theft insurance, credit and dark-web monitoring, real-time breach alerts, up to $10K toward losses from online scams, and an identity-restoration case manager, through Incogni's partner, Coveron.

Every plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so there's a safety net if it's not for you.

Your data's been floating around for free this whole time — might as well deal with it while it's 58% off.

Reddit is testing a new feature that uses AI to convert text posts to video and audio.

Rolling out from Monday in web browsers, the feature hopes to capitalise on the popularity of videos that read Reddit posts aloud. The AI-generated videos will expand to iOS and Android on Tuesday.

Though currently restricted to a few manually selected English-language posts in designated subreddits, Reddit plans to eventually broaden the trial further.

SEE ALSO: Reddit is ramping up its AI moderation tools. Moderators aren't happy.

"The experiment uses AI to create new audio and video formats and bring real human conversations to life, including multi-voice text-to-speech, captions, and visual template," a Reddit spokesperson said, confirming the test to Mashable. 

Fortunately, this test doesn't mean you'll be forced to ingest your favourite subreddits in video form. The original text posts and comments will still be available in their usual format, allowing you to choose whether to read or listen to the content.

Credit: Mashable screenshot: Reddit

Posts with this new feature available will have a toggle appear above them, allowing users to switch between "Read" and "Play." While "Read" displays the Reddit post and comments as normal, switching to "Play" produces a video in a TikTok-style portrait orientation. An AI-generated voice reads out both the post and select comments, displaying the text and lighting up words like a karaoke video, while a note below the video states that it is a "Real conversation voiced by AI."

"We are testing whether these formats are useful and how Reddit can authentically scale these experiences, with the goal of understanding how different conversation formats can make Reddit more accessible and immersive in more moments," Reddit said in a statement. "Someone might want to listen to Reddit while exercising, walking, running errands, or watch written conversations come to life through video and audio."

Credit: Mashable composite: Reddit

This new AI-powered feature was previously mentioned during the company's Q2 earnings call in July, with CEO Steve Huffman noting the increasing popularity of videos and podcasts in which people read Reddit posts aloud. Though such clips are now common on video platforms like TikTok and YouTube, Reddit itself remains primarily text-based. Unsurprisingly, the social media platform now wants in on the action, aiming to use AI to cut out the middleman.

"[W]e're working on… just a video Reddit experience, so letting users not just watch video on Reddit, but listen to posts, background listen to posts," Huffman said during the earnings call. "We see folks doing this off platform. There's an emerging content type elsewhere in the internet of basically, a podcast where people read Reddit content. And so I think this version of like, listened to — or spoken — Reddit can be really engaging as well."

Reddit indicated an increased focus on video content in its Q2 shareholder letter, stating that it's working toward "reimagining how users and communities connect, share, and consume content through a modernized video experience." The company previously launched video comments in June, allowing users to record and upload short clips in response to posts. Reddit is also increasing the integration of AI into the platform, having expanded testing of its AI-powered moderation tools to all new subreddits earlier this month.

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Featured Video For You Girlbossification of AI

SAVE $70: As of Aug. 18, the Insta360 X3-360 is on sale for $229.99 at Amazon. That's a 23% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Insta360 Insta360 X3-360 $229.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $70   Get Deal

In the market for an action camera? The Insta360 X3-360 is currently on sale at Amazon, with the price dropping to a record low for a limited time. As of Aug. 18, you can pick it up for $229.99, which is $70 less than usual.

This camera is great for shooting action content, including land and water sports. It combines a 5.7K 360-degree camera with the quality of a 4K action camera, giving you more filming options. It can record 5.7K 360 Active HDR video, which you can then reframe in the Insta360 app to choose your preferred angle after recording.

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If you prefer wide-angle footage, this Insta360 camera can shoot in 4K at 30fps, or use its 170-degree field of view at 2.7K and 60fps with MaxView. It also has features called FlowState Stabilization and Horizon Lock, which work together to keep videos smooth and level, even during quick movements.

With the camera, you'll also get a charging cable, a protective pouch, a lens cloth, and a user guide, along with a collection of Insta360 stickers you can use wherever you like.

Get this action camera deal at Amazon now.

SAVE $100: As of Aug. 18, the Garmin Forerunner 265 is on sale for $349.99 at Amazon. That's a 22% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin Forerunner 265 $349.99 at Amazon
$449.99 Save $100   Get Deal

Fitness trackers are a great companion to any kind of workout, but particularly for running. They can help you keep track of everything from your pace and distance to your heart rate, helping you improve over time. Garmin is one of the most popular brands in this market, with watches suitable for all skill levels and budgets. And as of Aug. 18, one of the most popular models is on sale: the Garmin Forerunner 265.

The Forerunner range is designed, as the name might suggest, for runners. It's packed with endless features to help you track, recover, and run better. And it's currently $100 off, bringing the price down to $349.99. It comes in several color options: black and powder gray, aqua and black, and whitestone and tidal blue.

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For tracking your activity, this watch has over 30 built-in activity profiles. It covers running, triathlons, cycling, open-water swimming, and more, so it's not just for runners. Training features also include a morning report covering sleep, recovery, and training outlook, as well as a training readiness score based on your sleep, recovery, training load, and HRV status. And if you're training for a race, you can even enter the race and course in the Garmin Connect app to get personalized plans and workouts.

All of these features come packaged in a nifty 46mm design, with a bright AMOLED touchscreen and traditional button controls.

You can find this Garmin deal at Amazon right now.

Best Boox deals at a glance: Best overall deal Boox Palma2 Pro Tappy Bundle with case $404.97 at Amazon (save $50.05) Get Deal Best mid-sized tablet deal Boox Go 7 Tappy Bundle with case $279.59 at Amazon (save $61.38) Get Deal Best large tablet deal Boox Go 10.3 Gen II Lumi Tappy Bundle with case $461.94 at Amazon (save $69.03) Get Deal

It's time to get ready for cozy season. Crisp fall air will be here in just a few weeks. If you have plans to spend the fall and winter catching up on books, sketching, or working on other creative projects, the Boox back-to-school sale could be a savior.

SEE ALSO: A new small but mighty Boox e-reader is on the way

The brand makes some of the most versatile e-ink tablets and e-readers. The sale extends to the brand's own website as well as its Amazon storefront. Plenty of models are included in the sale, and most bundle the brand's Tappy Wireless Page Turner. Unlike Kindle, Boox has its own page-turner device, so you don't have to readjust with every page turn.

Keep in mind, Boox says these deals will disappear on Aug. 23, so it's best to shop soon to get the best selection.

Best overall deal Opens in a new window Credit: Boox Boox Palma2 Pro Tappy Bundle with case $404.92 at Amazon
$454.97 Save $50.05   Get Deal Why we like it

The Boox Palma2 Pro is a palm-sized e-reader that gives you great portability. The 6-inch display is perfect for travel, evening reading, or taking back and forth to campus. The Boox Palma2 Pro uses the brand's Kaleido three-color display, which doesn't emit blue light. The 128GB of storage provides plenty of room for books, magazines, and other downloaded content. There's also a built-in speaker.

The bundle includes a magnetic case and the new Boox Tappy Remote Wireless Page Turner.

AirPods with built-in cameras have been the subject of rumors for years, but now we have evidence that Apple is really working on these, and that they're probably coming very soon.

The latest macOS Tahoe 26.7 beta contains a video that shows the device in action (via MacRumors). The short video demos how a user could save real-life visuals using Apple's Visual Intelligence with the help of AirPods.

SEE ALSO: Apple's iPhone Ultra might have a staggered, country-by-country rollout

In the video, a man wearing AirPods (and seemingly no other wearable) looks at a book. "With Visual Intelligence, your world becomes saveable. See something you like? Just ask me to save it for later," a video voiceover says.

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

This sort of functionality could be enabled by the built-in cameras on the AirPods, which would collect the visual data and send it over to Apple's Visual Intelligence.

Other references in macOS prove that this is indeed enabled by the camera-equipped AirPods. One note says: "To get the most accurate information about things in your environment, make sure AirPods are not covered."

Recent reports indicated that AirPods with built-in cameras will launch soon; given that Apple is likely to launch new iPhones within weeks, in early September, we're probably going to see these new AirPods launch along them.

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The best meal kit delivery deals to shop: Best overall meal kit deal Home Chef $4.99/serving on your first box (for 6-8 meals/week plans), free shipping on box 1, plus a free dessert item on every box Shop Now Best plant-based meal kit Purple Carrot $100 off first 4 weeks Shop Now Best meal kit deal for early risers HelloFresh 10 free meals on your first box, plus a free breakfast item for life while subscribed. Shop Now Best budget meal kit Dinnerly Meals start at $6.30 per person Shop Now Best deal for variety Marley Spoon Save up to 40% across your first 5 boxes, plus free shipping on box 1. Shop Now

The hardest part of cooking usually isn't the cooking itself — it's figuring out what to make. Between work, errands, and everything else going on, deciding on meals for the week can feel like its own chore, especially when you're staring at the same handful of go-to dishes on repeat.

Meal kits exist to take that decision away from you entirely. The menu's already planned, the ingredients are pre-portioned, and all that's left to do is cook (or in some cases, just heat and eat). Pair that with a solid discount, and you're saving time and skipping the nightly "what's for dinner" debate entirely.

We dug through the best live deals so you don't have to — here's what's worth grabbing.

Best overall meal kit deal Opens in a new window Credit: Home Chef Home Chef Get your first Home Chef box for $4.99/serving with free shipping, then 17% off your next four boxes and 35% off the two after that — plus a free dessert with every box. Get Deal Why we like it

Home Chef's meal kit deal is hard to beat on value alone: your first box comes out to $4.99 a serving with free shipping, then the discount keeps rolling — 17% off your next four boxes, and 35% off the two after that. That's seven boxes of savings, not just one.

And it doesn't stop there. You also get a free dessert with every box for as long as you stay subscribed, so the perks don't disappear once the promo pricing ends. Add in up to 30 weekly recipe choices and zero commitment — skip or cancel whenever — and it's easy to see why this is our top overall pick for meal kit deals right now.

Best meal kit deal for early risers Opens in a new window Credit: HelloFresh HelloFresh Get 10 free meals on your first HelloFresh box, plus a free breakfast item on every box for as long as you stay subscribed. Get Deal Why we like it

HelloFresh's offer front-loads real savings — 10 free meals applied to your first box (based on a 4-person, 5-recipe plan; bigger plans get even more free meals). But the real hook is what comes after: a free breakfast item on every single box, for as long as your subscription stays active. It's not a one-time discount that fades after a few weeks — it's a standing perk that keeps paying off.

Just know that shipping kicks in after the first box, and if you ever cancel, the free breakfast perk is gone for good, even if you resubscribe later.

Best meal kit deal for variety Opens in a new window Credit: Marley Spoon Marley Spoon Get 40% off your first Marley Spoon box, plus free shipping — with discounts up to 20% continuing through box 5. Get Deal Why we like it

Marley Spoon's discount doesn't stop after box one — it's 40% off plus free shipping on your first order (bringing a two-person, three-meal week down to $43.16 from $82.93), then 35% off box two, and smaller discounts through box five. That's five discounted boxes total, not just a one-time promo.

The menu holds up its end too: 100+ recipes weekly across meat, fish, vegetarian, vegan, low-carb, and gluten-free, plus Saver recipes if you want to trim the per-serving cost even further. And since you can skip, pause, or cancel at any time, there's no risk in trying it out.

More meal delivery kit deals

• EveryPlate — Meals from $2.99/serving on your first box (two-person, three-recipe plan), plus 10% off boxes 2-5. Pause or cancel anytime. New customers only; shipping fee applies to all deliveries.

• Green Chef — 50% off your first box, 15% off boxes 2-9, plus a free Staub 2-piece mixing bowl set (a $79.99 value) with your third box.

• Gobble — Get your first six meals (three recipes, serves two) for $36, plus free shipping, with code RMNSHIP. New subscriptions only; applies to standard dinner kits only, first week only.

• The Cumin Club — 20% off your first order, plus free shipping, for a limited time. Use code WELCOME20.

• CookUnity — 50% off your first week of chef-crafted, ready-to-eat meals. Never frozen, ready to eat in two minutes.

• Tovala — Free Smart Oven when you order meals six times in your first six months. Scan a QR code, and dinner's ready in 20 minutes with minimal prep.

• Daily Harvest — Up to 25% off smoothie, oat bowl, and snack multipacks (no membership/promo code required, pricing varies by pack size).

• Modify Health — 25% off your first order, plus free shipping, using code THRIVE25 (National Wellness Month offer).

• Factor — 50% off your first box, 20% off boxes 2-5, plus a free breakfast item on every box for a year while your subscription is active. New customers only.

Try one, try a few — most of these let you cancel anytime, so there's little risk in seeing which one actually fits your week.

TL;DR: The new Motorola Razr+ is available for free with T-Mobile. To qualify for this promotion, simply activate a new line on an Experience Beyond plan.

Opens in a new window Credit: Motorola Motorola Razr+ Free when you activate a new line on an Experience Beyond plan. Shop Now

It has been an exceptionally busy few weeks in the world of mobiles. First, we had Samsung Unpacked, where we got announcements on the latest foldables, smartwatches, and even smart glasses. Then, before we had the chance to catch our breathe, Google dropped its own range of new devices.

It's easy to forget that Motorola launched some of the most impressive foldables on the market just a few months ago. These smartphones aren't outdated. They are still leading the way.

And better yet, you can get the new Motorola Razr+ for free right now with T-Mobile. To claim, simply activate a new line on its Experience Beyond plan. The total cost is covered via 36 monthly bill credits. If you cancel or switch carriers before the two-year mark, you’ll owe the remaining balance on the phone’s full retail price.

The key point here is that no trade-in is required for this limited-time promotion. You will need to pay taxes and a one-time $35 connection charge, but that's a small price to pay for a "damn fine phone."

Score the new Motorola Razr+ for free with T-Mobile.

After nights of almost complete darkness, the Moon is well and truly back in the sky. Each night it will appear more illuminated to us on Earth, signalling its current phase of the lunar cycle, Waxing Crescent.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Tuesday, Aug. 18, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon phase is in Waxing Crescent phase, with 33% of its surface visible.

Without any visual aids, tonight you can see the Mares Crisium and Fecunditatis. With binoculars you'll also be able to see the Endymion Crater. A telescope will also help you spot the Apollo 17 landing spot, the final Moon landing in the Apollo program.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on August 28.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon goes through a series of phases that cause its appearance to change as seen from Earth. As the Moon orbits Earth, it goes through a lunar cycle that takes about 29.5 days to complete, according to NASA. The positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon determine how much of the Moon’s illuminated side is visible from Earth, creating its different phases. Throughout the cycle, the Moon changes from a thin crescent to a half Moon, then a Full Moon, before repeating the cycle once more.

The eight phases are:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight, and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Yellow: L

• Green: Money spent for and at the game

• Blue: US gymnasts

• Purple: Sounds like Knicks

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Not Winning

• Green: Purchases at a Game

• Blue: Members of the "Magnificent Seven"

• Purple: Ends in a Homophone for Knicks

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #694 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Not Winning: BEHIND, DOWN, LOSING, TRAILING

• Purchases at a Game: CONCESSIONS, PARKING, PROGRAM, TICKET

• Members of the "Magnificent Seven": CHOW, DANIELS, MILLER, STRUG

• Ends in a Homophone for Knicks: BEATNIKS, FINICKS, PENIX, PICNICS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to play Pips

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 18, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for August 18, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for August 18 Pips

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

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

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

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

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 2-0, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-6 placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for August 18 Pips

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

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically; 1-3, placed horizontally.

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

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed horizontally.

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

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

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 4-1, placed horizontally.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for August 18 Pips

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

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

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 2-2, placed vertically; 1-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 2-2, placed vertically.

Greater Than (11): Everything in this space must be greater than 11. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed vertically.

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

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

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally; 0-4, placed vertically.

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

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 5-3, placed horizontally; 2-0, placed vertically.

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

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

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (11): Everything in this space must be greater than 11. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically.

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're familiar with the theater.

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

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

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

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

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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.

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for August 17, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Premiere

• Green: Not pajamas

• Blue: Orange but not the fruit

• Purple: Courageously persistent

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

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Seen at a Movie Premiere

• Green: PJs

• Blue: Things That Are Orange

• Purple: Things That Are Gritty

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 #1164 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Seen at a Movie Premiere: LIMOUSINE, PAPARAZZI, RED CARPET, VELVET ROPE

• PJs: PETROLEUM JELLY, POETIC JUSTICE, PRACTICAL JOKE, PRIVATE JET

• Things That Are Orange: BASKETBALL, ORAGUTAN, SWEET POTATO, TRAFFIC CONE

• Things That Are Gritty: COWBOY COFFEE, FILM NOIR, FLYERS MASCOT, SANDPAPER

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 13, 2026

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

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

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

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

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you steal things.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 17, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for August 18, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Removal of clothing.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

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...

STRIP

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

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

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

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

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

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