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SAVE $100: As of June 3, get the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 for $199.99, its lowest price ever at Amazon. That saves you $100 for 33% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 $199.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $100 Get Deal

When we talk about smartwatches, so often Apple Watches are front of mind. But there are plenty of other great smartwatches out there that are compatible with more than iPhones. Last year, Samsung launched its Galaxy Watch 7 at Samsung Unpacked, a new smartwatch with advanced AI and sensors for detecting sleep apnea and blood pressure. And, nearly a year after its launch, it finally reached its lowest price ever.

As of June 3, shop the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 for just $199.99. That knocks off $100 from its usual $299.99 for 33% in savings — and officially brings the watch down to its lowest price ever.

SEE ALSO: Save $300 on the zippy Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra at Amazon

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 offers far more health sensors than you'll find in an Apple Watch. Now, it comes with a sleep apnea and blood pressure monitor so that you can have accurate health data to bring to your medical provider. In addition to these sensors, it's also a phenomenal fitness tracker, as it calculates all of your data and with Samsung Galaxy AI produces a daily Energy Score.

Grab the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 for $199.99, its lowest price ever.

Best tech deals

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)

• Beats Pill Bluetooth Speaker — $99.95 (List Price $149.95)

• Roborock Qrevo Master Robot Vacuum and Mop — $899.99 (List Price $1599.99)

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

• DualSense Edge Wireless Controller — $169.00 (List Price $199.99)

SAVE $300: The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (512GB) is on sale for $1,119.99 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $1,419.99. That's a 21% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (512GB) $1,119.99 at Amazon
$1,419.99 Save $300 Get Deal

Buying a premium flagship model of anything tends to come with a steep price. That's true across the board whether you're buying a new electric car or the fanciest eggs on the shelf. But if you're shopping for a new Android device, you can score a flagship model with a hefty discount thanks to Amazon.

As of June 3, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (512GB) is on sale for $1,119.99 at Amazon, marked down from the standard price of $1,419.99. That shaves $300 off the normal price which works out to a 21% discount. Choose between the Titanium Whitesilver and Titanium Gray to snag this sale price.

Samsung's family of S25 phones continues with the super savings. Last week we noticed the base Galaxy S25 phone dip to the lowest price ever and the S25+ is also seeing a sweet $250 discount. But if you want the best of the best, today's deal on the S25 Ultra is a steal.

For starers, it's the brand's top-tier offering and it measures 6.9 inches on an AMOLED display that can reach 2,600nits of brightness. Like the others in the S25 family, the Ultra uses the zippy Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, but it comes with some significant camera upgrades.

The 5,000mAh battery is also top of the line, getting up to 31 hours of video playback time before you'll need to recharge. In Alex Perry's review of the phone for Mashable, he found the phone to last for almost 27 hours while looping a 1080p video on the phone's display. Since you probably won't be doing that in real life, you might be able to recharge the S25 Ultra every other day.

Another benefit of today's deal is that it's on the 512GB version of the Ultra so you'll have room for downloaded shows, movies, and the hundreds of dog pictures that tend to accumulate. The S25 Ultra also comes with an S Pen so you can circle to search all day long or write notes to your friends.

While it's $300 off, snag the powerful Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra at Amazon and then sit back to enjoy the speedy processor, long battery life, and functional S Pen.

The best tech deals to shop this week

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)

• Beats Pill Bluetooth Speaker — $99.95 (List Price $149.95)

• Roborock Qrevo Master Robot Vacuum and Mop — $899.99 (List Price $1599.99)

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

• DualSense Edge Wireless Controller — $169.00 (List Price $199.99)

SAVE $14: As of June 3, get the Stanley Quencher H2.0 Tumbler (30-ounce) for $21 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $35. That's a discount of 40%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Stanley Quencher H2.0 Tumbler (30-ounce) $21 at Amazon
$35 Save $14 Get Deal

It's getting hot outside, which means we should be drinking more water. If you want to make it even easier to stay hydrated on the go this summer, it might be time to grab a Stanley and call it a day.

As of June 3, get the Stanley Quencher H2.0 Tumbler (30-ounce) at Amazon for $21, down from its usual price of $35. That's $14 off and a discount of 40%. This price applies to the Blue Spruce colorway.

SEE ALSO: The 11-inch Apple iPad (A16 chip) is back to its best-ever price at Amazon

This 30-ounce tumbler has vacuum insulation to make sure your cold drinks stay cold stay chilled and hot drinks stay steamy for as long as you're sipping. It features a FlowState lid with a rotating cover that lets you lock its reusable straw in place or sip from the opening as well, all without worrying about leaks. And if you're the type of person who likes to drink from or carry by the handle, the comfort grip makes it easier to do just that.

You can just toss this Stanley in the dishwasher whenever it needs a cleaning. You can feel good about using it instead of single-use plastic bottles to get your hydration on, as it's made of 90% recycled stainless steel inside for a lifetime of use. And it has a lifetime warranty from Stanley in case you run into any issues.

So grab it for the sake of being trendy, grab it for drinking more water, or just grab it because it makes lunch convenient — but definitely grab it before it's no longer on sale.

Best home and kitchen deals

• Skylight Frame 10-inch Digital Picture Frame — $139.99 (List Price $159.00)

• Ninja Crispi Air Fryer — $159.99 (List Price $179.99)

• Birdfy AI Smart Solar Powered Bird Feeder with Camera — $179.99 (List Price $249.99)

• KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer — $449.95

• Eufy Omni C20 Robot Vacuum and Mop With Self-Emptying Base — $499.99 (List Price $699.99)

When the Switch 2 made its grand debut in a lengthy Nintendo Direct livestream six weeks ago (so much has happened in those six weeks), a lot of gamers had two major questions concerning the console's impending June 5 launch:

1. Is Mario Kart World really worth $80?

2. Is Mario Kart World enough to justify getting the console on day one?

Though Nintendo has tried to answer that first question, many of the fans I know still aren't convinced. However, after getting roughly six hours of relatively unconstrained hands-on time with the game recently, I think I can answer the second one.

In short, yes, I absolutely think Mario Kart World has enough meat on the bone to keep Switch 2 early adopters happy until more first-party games like Donkey Kong Bananza start dropping later in the summer. (And if you're looking for more Switch 2 launch titles to play, I have some recommendations.) The iconic kart racing series' first foray into open-world design carries a ton of promise, and after getting to spend a huge chunk of time roaming around its giant world, I think people will find plenty to do for the first few weeks after launch when there may not be a lot of other new games to play.

Also, did I mention that I got paid to play Mario Kart World for six hours? The lengthy pre-launch demo event I attended included a pretty comprehensive look at what Mario Kart World has to offer. Let's dive in.

Mario Kart World: My final hands-on impressionsI am going to spend so much time in free roam The world feels very lively, with lots of NPC traffic and even wildlife. Credit: Nintendo

In case you've been living in the jungle or something since early April, you should know that Mario Kart World's big change to the series is the inclusion of a seemingly very large open world that players can roam around at their leisure. Every racetrack is contained within this world, and in the classic Grand Prix mode, you actually have to race other drivers to the next track after you finish one.

This flagship Switch 2 launch game didn't take long to make me grin like a child, as I realized early in the demo that you can seamlessly enter free roam from the game's main menu without any kind of loading screen whatsoever. You can actually see Mario idly driving around the world behind the menu, and pressing the Switch 2's plus button removes the UI, places the camera behind him, and sets you off on your adventure instantly. It's a really neat trick.

But what matters most is what actually happens once you're in free roam. This isn't necessarily like other open-world racing games such as Burnout Paradise or Forza Horizon where you drive up to an icon on the map to start a series of races, as far as I could tell. Instead, the rhythm of free roaming revolves around simply driving until you see something fun to do. In my experience, this happens about every 30 seconds or so.

Starview Peak was my favorite track I saw in the demo. Credit: Nintendo

The fun largely involves big blue P-switches that you can drive over to start little bespoke challenge missions. Each one of these takes about 30 seconds at max to complete if you do it right, and they come in a handful of different flavors: collecting blue coins, driving through a series of checkpoints before time comes out, or even completing something akin to a 3D platforming challenge with a kart. If you're coming to this game looking for something more weighty than that, I don't know if you'll find it here; I don't think Mario Kart World is aiming to wrap the player in the mystery of its world the same way The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild did when the first Switch came out.

That's fine, though, because what it is aiming to do is give you a lot of fun, bite-sized activities that you can do between intense online races. It's an easygoing, stress-free experience, one that will make for a perfect couch companion while a baseball game is on the TV. Need to kill a couple of hours on a flight? Perfect, just go into free roam and keep hitting blue switches until you can't anymore. I don't know how many of those are in the game, but you get the impression early on that the number is huge. Another important thing to note is that there is more to the free roam mode than just P-switches, as I encountered special collectible coins and even some other things I won't spoil that I couldn't even really explain if I wanted to.

In total, I got about 90 minutes with the free roam mode, and it left me wanting to play a lot more. Crucially, it seems like free roaming is something you can simply choose to do if you want to, not something you have to do to have fun with Mario Kart World. All of the traditional modes (as well as new ones like the battle royale-esque Knockout Tour) are here too, and you can access them the same way you always could from a menu.

Put simply, this is going to be the perfect podcast game.

But an open world is not the only profound addition to Mario Kart World That's a cool dude, right there. Credit: Nintendo

Real quick, I'd like to acknowledge that this isn't just Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with an open world jammed into it. Nintendo has actually made some really meaningful changes to the core mechanics. As you may have seen in various promotional materials, karts can now grind on rails and even ride on walls, both things that are new to the series. Of course, every track and even the non-track parts of the open world have been meticulously constructed with those mechanics in mind, and mastering them will be key to putting yourself in the position to win...until a blue shell ruins everything.

What impressed me the most about this is that there's legitimate technique to it. Nintendo has added a new move to every racer's toolkit, where if you hold down the drift button without turning in a particular direction, your racer will charge up a little vertical jump. This jump is how you get onto rails and walls in the first place, and I was told you can also use it to avoid certain obstacles and even shells coming your way. What makes this work so well is that it takes a few seconds to prime the jump, so you can't just decide on a whim that you'd like to ride the wall next to you. You need to learn each track and plan ahead, and this is something that I think free roaming will also help with, since you can drive freely on each track without worrying about other racers.

To wrap back around to my original point, I'm no longer worried about whether or not I'll be satisfied with Mario Kart World as the Switch 2's only big first-party launch game. For starters, there are other games to play, contrary to what some people might say online. Beyond that, I got the distinct impression that there's a ton to see and do in Mario Kart World, and all of it can be seen and done at as leisurely a pace as you would like. There aren't even a bunch of overwhelming icons on the world map, if that helps.

Of course, to enjoy all this, you have to complete a very important challenge first: Actually securing a Switch 2 preorder.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo 'Mario Kart World' $79.99 at Target
Pre-order Here

Let's get one thing out of the way early: Yes, I understand that voice chat in online console games has not only been possible, but has also been commonplace for two decades now. Nintendo is way behind the curve on this one.

That said, I got to try the new Switch 2's GameChat functionality at a recent event ahead of the console's June 5 launch, and I came away pretty impressed, all things considered. I also got to spend six hours playing Mario Kart World, so all in all, a pretty awesome day.

Nintendo hasn't really invented anything new here but rather has synthesized its family-friendly, intuitive sensibilities with the way people hang out with each other on Discord in 2025. Thanks to a dedicated button on every Switch 2 controller, a slick interface, and some pretty thoughtful accessibility features (that's new for Nintendo), I expect Switch gamers are going to love GameChat.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 preorder guide: Track latest restocks, see our first-hand impressions Nintendo Switch 2 GameChat preview: Nintendo joins the 21st century

As originally outlined in the big Nintendo Switch 2 Direct livestream back in April, GameChat is Nintendo's version of something you've been able to do on Xbox consoles since I was roughly 10 years old and playing Halo 2. Put simply, it's a way to create voice chat parties for up to 12 Nintendo Switch Online users.

Take a moment to pick your jaw up from the floor. Nintendo is finally doing what Xbox Live users could do back in the Bush administration. Sarcasm aside, there are actually a couple of unique features that make GameChat stand out. One is that it's immediately accessible at any time via a new "C" button on every Switch 2 controller. This, of course, makes it very easy to bop in and out of chat rooms at will without having to go to the Home menu and spend a few seconds navigating a series of icons.

The interface for all of this could not be more straightforward, in a good way. There's a button for creating a room, a button for joining an existing room (made by someone you're friends with, not strangers), and some settings for you to fiddle with. It feels very Nintendo-like in its simplicity and elegance.

Another distinguishing characteristic of GameChat is that it's designed to be used with an open microphone that's built into the console itself. This has been, by far, my biggest worry with GameChat; some of us have to deal with noise complaints from neighbors, for example. I was also concerned this would inevitably create problems with game audio or miscellaneous real-life noises bleeding into voice chat.

Granted, I was in a demo environment set up by Nintendo, but it was a very loud room with a lot going on and I gotta say...it works. I could hear everyone clearly and, as far as I could tell, they could hear me without any problems. However, I'd like to acknowledge that I was told you can plug a regular headset into the Switch 2 Pro Controller's headphone jack and voice chat like you would on any other console. I will probably be doing that exclusively, to be honest.

It's like Discord on your TV. Credit: Nintendo Nintendo Switch 2 GameChat: More first impressions

There are a few other odds and ends I noticed during the demo. One is that you can stream a live feed of your gameplay to anyone else in the GameChat room, and they can do the same for you. If you've seen any promotional footage of GameChat, you probably noticed that those video feeds are pretty blurry and run at a very low frame rate. You can blow one up to full-screen, but I wouldn't recommend it. Otherwise, they live in a horizontal row at the bottom of the screen.

I can confirm that they look like that in practice, not just in marketing videos. I'm not sure how much I want to use that feature, especially given that it reduces the total amount of the screen I get to use for my gameplay purposes. With that in mind, though, there's something nice about being able to discern what your friends are doing at a glance. Our demo involved playing through a co-op level in The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords for Game Boy Advance, and it was kinda cool to know that one of my partners was in another room collecting Rupees without me needing to ask where he was. This feature seems built for that sort of cooperation, those little moments when you want to quickly check a friend's feed.

I also noticed a pretty neat number of customization options for GameChat. You can turn off a friend's video feed, adjust the size of your gameplay window, adjust individual users' volume levels, and just play in a regular full-screen mode, if you want. Most surprising was the inclusion of a speech-to-text window you can optionally display on screen for users with hearing issues. In the very brief demo I got of that feature, it seemed pretty good at picking up what the demonstrator was saying, and it actually labeled individual speakers in the text window.

Look, all of this could completely fall apart once it's in the hands of regular goobers like my friends and I, outside of an ideal demo environment. I also expect that parents will have a lot of questions about safety and CamgeChat parental controls. But I came away from my short time with GameChat feeling a lot better about the feature. The open-mic stuff works better than expected, but I'm also glad you can opt out of it. Streaming gameplay to other users does seem to have genuine use cases, but again, it's totally optional and decently configurable. And the inclusion of the speech-to-text window is so much more cognizant of accessibility issues than Nintendo has been in the recent past.

In other words, Nintendo put a lot more thought into GameChat than I expected. This is just how people (gamers and otherwise) interact with each other now, and Nintendo is meeting folks where they are. I'm excited to try it out in real-world settings, at the very least.

Nothing, the company that makes affordable, semi-transparent smartphones, has a new flagship coming, and now we have the exact date.

In an invite sent to the media, the company revealed that Nothing Phone 3 will launch on July 1st at 6 p.m. BST (that's 1 p.m. ET).

The company also added a cryptic, pixelated image and shared an animation that tell us very little. However, we know a little bit about the phone from previous rumors and reports.

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First, the official stuff: Nothing CEO Carl Pei said last month that Nothing Phone 3 will cost around £800 (that's about €949 or $1,081 at today's exchange rate, but expect significantly different prices depending on the market). Besides that, Pei said that the phone will have "major performance upgrades," revamped software, and will be made of premium materials.

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

More precisely (but less certainly), a leaker said yesterday that Nothing Phone 3 will be available in black or white (no surprise there, given previous Nothing phones mostly come in these colors), and in two variants: One with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and the other with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. The same source says the pricing will be $799/$899, depending on the variant.

SEE ALSO: Nothing's new Phone 3a and 3a Pro are the coolest-looking phones you can get

We'll find out more in the weeks to come, and we'll follow the launch on July 1 to bring you all the news about Nothing's new flagship.

SAVE $80: As of June 3, the Apple Watch SE (GPS, 40mm) is on sale for $169 at Amazon. This is 32% off its list price of $249.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) $169 at Amazon
$249 Save $80 Get Deal

Some smartwatches come with very high price tags, but if you're looking for something that just covers the basics, there are quite a few budget-friendly options to look through. If you're an Apple user, the Apple Watch SE is a pick that's worth checking out. That's especially true now as it's currently discounted at Amazon.

The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen, GPS, 40mm) has received a 32% discount at Amazon, dropping its price from $249 to $169. This discount applies to multiple color options as well, so you can choose between the starlight aluminum case with a lake green sport loop, the silver aluminum case with denim sport band, the silver aluminum case with blue cloud sport loop, the midnight aluminum case with midnight sport band, the midnight aluminum case with ink sport loop, and the starlight aluminum case with starlight sport band.

SEE ALSO: The 11-inch Apple iPad (A16 chip) is back to its best-ever price at Amazon

The Apple Watch SE has plenty of features to help you out throughout the day. This includes health tracking for heart rate and sleep, safety features like Fall Detection, Crash Detection, and Emergency SOS, and activity tracking to help with your fitness goals. It also fits in perfectly with an Apple ecosystem, allowing you to send texts or take calls from your wrist.

Don't miss out on 32% off the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen, GPS, 40mm) at Amazon.

If you're hoping for a little bit more from your smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 10 is also on sale at Amazon right now. It's currently back down to its lowest-ever price, so there's no better time than now to grab it.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)

• Beats Pill Bluetooth Speaker — $99.95 (List Price $149.95)

• Roborock Qrevo Master Robot Vacuum and Mop — $899.99 (List Price $1599.99)

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

• DualSense Edge Wireless Controller — $169.00 (List Price $199.99)

SAVE $100: As of June 3, the Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm) is on sale for $299 at Amazon. That's a 25% price drop from its list price of $399.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm) $299 at Amazon
$399 Save $100 Get Deal

There have been a wide range of smartwatch deals popping up lately, which is good news if you've been looking to pick something up for outdoor adventures. If you're an Apple user, some of its smartwatches have even received some nice discounts, including the Apple Watch Series 10.

The Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm) is on sale for $299 at Amazon. This is 25% off its list price of $399 and even marks a return to its lowest-ever price according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. If its caught your eye, there's no better time than now to scoop it up.

SEE ALSO: Everything we expect from WWDC 2025: an iOS overhaul, Apple Intelligence, and macOS

Whether you want it for workouts or just everyday use, the Apple Watch Series 10 boasts a variety of features to get you through the day. This includes heart rate tracking, sleep tracking, respiratory rate, advanced metrics for a variety of workouts, and safety features like Fall Detection, Crash Detection, and Emergency SOS. On top of all that, it fits perfectly into an Apple ecosystem so you can send texts and take calls right from your wrist.

If you've been on the lookout for a smartwatch upgrade, now is a great time to do it with this deal on the Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm) at Amazon.

There are quite a few more Apple deals worth checking out right now, too. The 11-inch Apple iPad (A16 Chip) is back down to its best price at Amazon as is the M3 iPad Air.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)

• Beats Pill Bluetooth Speaker — $99.95 (List Price $149.95)

• Roborock Qrevo Master Robot Vacuum and Mop — $899.99 (List Price $1599.99)

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

• DualSense Edge Wireless Controller — $169.00 (List Price $199.99)

Non-monogamy has entered popular consciousness in recent years, with terms like open relationship and polyamory becoming more visible online. But what about relationship anarchy?

Relationship anarchy (or RA) is a philosophy that regards all relationships as equally important and unique. In RA, no relationship should be bound by rules that aren't entirely agreed on by the involved parties. The phrase was coined by writer and activist Andie Nordgren and seeks to apply the principles of anarchism (which calls for abolishing authority and hierarchy) to relationships.

SEE ALSO: Is Feeld for normies now?

RA takes center stage in Feeld's (the app for kinky and non-monogamous people) latest State of Dating Report, which is co-written by sex educator and author Ruby Rare. The report states that RA could be the antidote for Gen Z's loneliness.

Both before and since the outbreak of COVID, Americans have felt lonely. In 2023, then-Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory about the loneliness epidemic. As the report cites, Gen Z is the loneliest generation, according to experts.

But relationship anarchists on Feeld report less loneliness and a higher likelihood of valuing deep and broad connections. RA practitioners on the app are 1.5 times more likely to say having a diverse range of connections helps with loneliness, 31 percent more likely to report feeling like they can shape their relationships to meet their personal needs, and 20 percent more likely to report having a reliable support network. (This is according to internal and external surveys of over 3,000 Feeld users and 6,000 non-users taken in February 2025.)

"RA is one of several possible avenues to develop emotional depth and resilience, and broaden your community: there’s no-one-size-fits-all approach here," the report states.

While relationship anarchy isn't as well-known a term as non-monogamy, polyamory, or swinging, one in five non-Feeld members realized they've practiced it (or are practicing) a relationship style that fits within its definition. The realization spiked to one in two people who are on Feeld.

But, as with any relationship style, there are challenges to RA. Negotiating relationship boundaries was 536 percent(!) more challenging for RA Feeld members than non-RA members. A reason for this could be the lack of a script to follow when practicing something like RA — anything other than monogamy, really. Those who practice RA were also 96 percent more likely to have experienced negative reactions from prioritizing seeing multiple partners over focusing on one partner. But as the recent dating scene has shown, daters have trouble being in communication with other people to begin with.

Last year, Feeld's State of Dating Report found that Gen Z actually fantasizes about monogamy (and kink). Guess that didn't last long. You can see all the findings in Feeld's State of Dating Report.

The best streaming deals to watch "Presence" at a glance: BEST NON-STREAMING OPTION Rent "Presence" at Prime Video $5.99 Shop Now BEST OVERALL Hulu annual subscription $99.99 per year (save $19.89) Get Deal BEST BUNDLE DEAL Hulu and Disney+ $10.99 per month (save $8.99 per month) Get Deal BEST FOR STUDENTS Hulu Student $1.99 per month (save $8 per month) Get Deal BEST WAY TO GET HULU FOR FREE Hulu (with ads) free for T-Mobile Go5G Next plan subscribers (save $9.99 per month) Get Deal

If you missed out on seeing Presence in the theaters early this year, you now have the chance to experience one of the most unique films of 2025 from the comfort of your couch. Directed by the inventive Steven Soderbergh and written by David Koepp, Presence is an unconventional haunted house story. Though it's billed as a horror film, the genre-bender flips the traditional ghost story on its head, ultimately creating a story that is "sharply funny, beguiling, a bit chilling, and ultimately sweet," as Mashable Film Editor Kristy Puchko puts it.

Told from the viewpoint of a "presence" in the house, the film is shot entirely in first-person perspective. Puchko writes, "Soderbergh's steady hand is so mindful in its performance that you can practically feel the expressions of a face you cannot see." It's captivating and vulnerable and incredibly tense. And as of June 3, you can finally stream it. Here's what you need to know to watch Presence at home.

What is Presence about?

Presence follows the Payne family — mom Rebekah (Lucy Liu), dad Chris (Chris Sullivan), son Tyler (Eddy Maday), and daughter Chloe (Callina Liang) — who have just moved into a new house in the suburbs. While they appear to be the perfect nuclear family on paper, cracks start to form within their unit. All the while, strange and supernatural events begin to occur around the house. Who is the ghostly presence in the house, and what does it want from them?

Get a glimpse into the unique ghost story in the official trailer:

Is Presence worth watching?

With Soderbergh shouldering the camera, Presence is "a remarkable union of a clever concept and a superb execution," Mashable's reviewer writes. "I'll be absolutely shocked if Presence doesn't get a Best Cinematography Oscar nomination."

Of course, with that first-person perspective comes tension. Sullivan, one of the leads in the film, put it best: "This movie is going to wring you out before it releases any of that tension."

He adds that some people walked out of the theater due to the stomach-churning tension. If that's not your cup of tea, Presence might not be for you. For everyone else, Puchko calls it "a sublimely realized ghost story that is easily one of the best films of the year."

Other film critics largely agree, as it currently holds an 87 percent critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences are more torn; it holds only a 52 percent audience rating. Of course, it's up to you to be the judge.

Check out our full review of Presence.

How to watch Presence at home Credit: NEON

Originally hitting theaters in January 2025 and then quickly heading to digital, Presence is finally making its streaming debut. That means you'll have three different ways to watch it at home: buy it on digital video-on-demand retailers, rent it at digital video-on-demand retailers, or stream it. See the details below.

Buy or rent on digital

Just a little over a month after its theatrical debut, the Soderbergh and Koepp ghost story officially became available to watch at home on Feb. 25. You can purchase the film at video-on-demand retailers like Prime Video and Apple TV or rent it for 30 days. If you choose to rent, just keep in mind that once you start watching, you'll only have 48 hours to finish.

Here are some quick links to buy the film on digital:

• Prime Video — $5.99 to rent, $19.99 to buy

• Google Play — $5.99 to rent, $19.99 to buy

• Fandango at Home — $5.99 to rent, $19.99 to buy

• Apple TV — $5.99 to rent, $19.99 to buy

Stream it on Hulu

Streamers can finally tune into Presence as well. It officially made its debut on Hulu on June 3, 2025. Hulu subscriptions start at $9.99 per month, but there are a few different ways you can save. We've rounded up the best ongoing Hulu streaming deals below.

The best Hulu streaming dealsBest Hulu deal for most people: Hulu annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu (with ads) annual subscription $99.99 per year (save $19.89) Get Deal

The best way to cut back on Hulu's streaming cost is to opt for an annual plan instead of a monthly plan. If you pay for a year up front of Hulu with ads, it'll cost you $99.99 ($8.33 broken down monthly). Meanwhile, a $9.99 monthly plan would add up to $119.88 in a year. That means you'll save about 16% or just shy of $20 in the long run. It ain't much, but every dollar counts in this economy.

Best bundle deal: Get Hulu and Disney+ for 45% off Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu / Disney+ Hulu and Disney+ (with ads) $10.99 per month (save $8.99 per month) Get Deal

Disney's bundle plans remain the best way to slash costs of multiple streamers at once. You can bundle Hulu with Disney+ in the Disney Duo Basic bundle and get both streamers with ads for only $10.99 per month. That's only a dollar more than paying for one streamer on its own, saving you about 45%. You can also throw in HBO Max for just $16.99 per month total, which saves you about 44$ on all three.

Best for students: Hulu Student Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu Student (with ads) $1.99 per month (save $8 per month) Get Deal

College students can save 80% on a Hulu with ads subscription. Sign up through the Hulu Student promotional page and verify your college email address using SheerID, and the price will drop from $9.99 to just $1.99 per month.

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

Aside from the free trial, the only way you can get Hulu for free in 2025 is through T-Mobile's Go5G Next plan and Experience Beyond plan. Better yet, you'll also get Netflix and Apple TV+ for free. If you're already on one of these plans, head over to the T-Mobile promo page and choose "redeem now" to claim the offer. You'll just have to enter your T-Mobile number and account details to sign up for Hulu. Not on the Go5G Next plan or Experience Beyond plan? Switch your plan and start taking advantage of the best free streaming lineup around.

Elon Musk is stepping back from running his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), with the Tesla CEO attending a deeply strange press conference with Donald Trump in the Oval Office last week. On Monday night, The Late Show's Stephen Colbert unpacked the real elephant in the room: Musk's black eye, which he blamed on rough-housing with his son, X Æ A-12.

"The weirdest part of this weird, weird meeting was Elon's face, because for some reason he had a black eye," says Colbert in the clip above. "Oh no! If only someone in the White House had access to makeup!"

But Colbert wasn't convinced the tiny suspect was X, instead asking the audience to reconsider while wearing Sherlock Holmes props.

"Why the black eye? Who hates Elon Musk enough to punch him in the face? I'm not Sherlock Holmes but could it be...EVERYONE?"

Announced last week, Elon Musk is stepping back from his "special government employee" role running his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for Donald Trump. On Monday night, The Daily Show's Jon Stewart unpacked the Tesla CEO's decision with his signature gleeful gusto.

"DOGE has finally rooted out one of America's least efficient government workers and marked him for dismissal," Stewart says in the clip above. "He's leaving his job to make more family with his time."

Stewart noted it's only been four months since Musk mobilised his DOGE task force and all the ill-advised emails that went with it, with the group systematically seizing federal government computers and accessing databases, firing over 280,000 government workers, and entirely closing government agencies including USAID. But as Stewart wonders, was it worth it for Musk?

"Elon spent $300 million of his own money to get Trump elected, irreparably damaged his personal brand and almost all of his businesses, and is clearly suffering some kind of issue," Stewart said. "But don't worry, Trump made sure that Elon got something in return."

Stewart's talking about the golden key that Musk received from Trump in the Oval Office, presented by the president as a token he gives "to very special people" now including Musk — but notably, not only Musk.

"You couldn't just give him the f***ing key. You had to make sure that everybody knows you give 'em to a lot of people. It's just not that special," Stewart said before imitating Trump: "You know I've got a bunch of these. I give 'em to special people. Who's the guy who brings me my Diet Cokes? I give him one for every Diet Coke."

SAVE $50: As of June 3, the 11-inch Apple iPad (A16 chip, 128GB, WiFi) is on sale for $299 at Amazon. That's 14% off its list price of $349.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad 11-inch (A16 chip, 128GB, WiFi) $299 at Amazon
$349 Save $50 Get Deal

If a new iPad has been at the top of your shopping list, you're in luck. The new 11-inch Apple iPad (A16 chip, 128GB, WiFi) is back down to its lowest-ever price at Amazon.

The 11-inch Apple iPad (A16 chip, 128GB, WiFi) has been marked down to $299 at Amazon. This is a 14% discount from its list price of $349 and marks a return to its lowest-ever price according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. If you've been waiting for a good time to pick up an iPad upgrade, now is a great time to do it.

SEE ALSO: Get the Apple Pencil Pro for under $100

This iPad is well worth the investment, too. It boasts a nice performance boost thanks to the A16 chip, a bright Liquid Retina display, speedy WiFi, and so much more. We even consider it the best iPad on a budget in our roundup of the best iPads, with Mashable's Samantha Mangino saying it, "doesn't possess the flair of the Pro or Air, but it is a testament that Apple can still produce good entry-level tech."

This deal may not stick around for long, so act fast to score the 11-inch Apple iPad (A16 chip, 128GB, WiFi) for under $300.

It's not the only iPad deal that's caught our eye recently, though. If you don't mind spending a bit extra, the M3 iPad Air is back down to its lowest price ever as well.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)

• Beats Pill Bluetooth Speaker — $99.95 (List Price $149.95)

• Roborock Qrevo Master Robot Vacuum and Mop — $899.99 (List Price $1599.99)

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

• DualSense Edge Wireless Controller — $169.00 (List Price $199.99)

The best streaming deals to watch 'Sinners' at home: WATCH NOW Buy 'Sinners' on Prime Video $24.99 Get Deal WATCH NOW Rent 'Sinners' on Prime Video $19.99 Get Deal WATCH LATER Max (With Ads) annual subscription $99.99/year (save $19.89) Get Deal WATCH LATER Max Standard annual subscription $169.99/year (save $33.89) Get Deal WATCH LATER FOR FREE Max Basic With Ads for Cricket customers Free for Cricket customers on the $60/month unlimited plan (save $9.99/month) Get Deal WATCH LATER FOR FREE Max Basic With Ads Free for DashPass annual plan subscribers (save $9.99 per month) Get Deal WATCH LATER Max Student $4.99 per month for 12 months (save 50%) Get Deal WATCH LATER Disney+, Hulu, and Max $16.99 per month (with ads), $29.99 per month (no ads) (save up to 38%) Get Deal

Black Panther director Ryan Coogler is back with another smash hit. The third movie Warner Bros. has released in 2025 that features an A-lister playing dual roles, Sinners is "easily one of the best movies of the year," according to Mashable's head movie critic.

Besides Michael B. Jordan times two, it stars Hailee Steinfeld (Hawkeye), Jack O’Connell (Ferrari), Wunmi Mosaku (Passenger), Jayme Lawson (The Woman King), Omar Benson Miller (True Lies), and Delroy Lindo (Da 5 Bloods). With bits of horror, history, and musical theater all sprinkled in, it's a genre-fluid movie in every sense of the term.

If you haven't caught it in theaters yet, there's still time. However, if you'd rather watch it at home, it's now available on digital-on-demand services as of June 3. Here's everything you need to know about how to watch Sinners at home.

What is Sinners about?

Set in the 1930s Jim Crow-era South, Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan in a dual role as Smoke and Stack, twin brothers who return to their hometown with the goal of setting up a juke joint — only for its grand opening to be disrupted by something supernaturally monstrous.

"There are vampires in the film, but it's really about a lot more than just that. It's one of many elements, and I think we're gonna surprise people with it," director Ryan Coogler explained at a press conference.

Check out the official trailer:

Is Sinners worth watching?

Sinners is a huge success story for original horror. It's only the second movie in 2025 to pass the $250 million domestic box office milestone and is one of the 10 highest-grossing horror movies to date. Not only has it been a smash hit at the box office, now climbing to over $338 million worldwide and $258 million domestically, but the reviews are outstanding. It currently holds a near-perfect 97 percent critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 96 percent audience rating. That's no easy feat.

"Sinners is more than a hell of a thrilling vampire movie. Like Black Panther, it expands beyond the expectations of its genre to become a magnificent film, emanating with spirit, power, and purpose," Mashable's Kristy Puchko writes in her review of the film. "Smoothly blending vampire horror into a unique tale of regret, resilience, and redemption, Coogler and Jordan have made a cinematic marvel that is terrifying, satisfying, and unforgettable."

Read our full review of Sinners.

How to watch Sinners at home Credit: Warner Bros.

Sinners smashed into theaters on April 18, 2025, and is still floating around in select theaters nationwide. However, if you would rather watch it at home, there are now a couple of different options: purchasing via digital video-on-demand or renting via digital video-on-demand. It will also eventually be streaming, offering a third option.

Buy or rent Sinners on digital

As of June 3, Sinners is available to purchase or rent on digital video-on-demand platforms like Prime Video. You can purchase the movie for your digital collection or rent it for 30 days. If you choose to rent, just note that you'll have 30 days to watch, but only 48 hours to finish once you begin.

You can purchase and rent the film at the following retailers:

• Prime Video — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99

• Apple TV — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99

• Fandango at Home (Vudu) — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99

Opens in a new window Credit: Prime Video Rent or buy 'Sinners' at Prime Video $19.99 or $24.99 Get Deal Stream Sinners on Max

As a Warner Bros. Pictures film, we expect that Sinners will make its streaming debut on Max (soon to be called HBO Max once again) — the Warner Bros.-owned streaming service. While there is no official streaming date yet, we'll be keeping our eyes peeled. Based on the digital-to-streaming trajectory of other recent theatrical hits from Warner Bros. like Companion, Mickey 17, and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, we expect that Sinners will make its streaming debut sometime around late July to mid-August.

Max subscriptions start at $9.99 per month, but there are a few different ways to save some money on your plan. Check out the best Max streaming deals below.

The best HBO Max streaming dealsBest for most people: Save 16% on Max Basic annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max Basic with ads yearly subscription $99.99 per year (save $19.89) Get Deal

The Max Basic plan with ads typically goes for $9.99 per month, but if you pay for the entire year up front, that cost drops down to $8.33 per month. An annual plan is just $99.99 total, which saves you about 16% compared to the monthly plan.

Best Max deal with no ads: Save up to 16% on a Max Standard annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max Standard annual subscription $169.99 per year (save $33.89) Get Deal

Similarly, you can opt for the annual Max Standard or Premium plans and save about 16% if you'd rather go ad-free. The Standard tier costs either $16.99 per month or $169.99 per year (about $14.16 per month), while the Premium tier costs either $20.99 per month or $209.99 per year (about $17.50 per month). While both tiers offer ad-free viewing, the Premium tier goes a step further with 4K Ultra HD video quality, Dolby Atmos immersive audio, and the ability to download more offline content.

Get HBO Max for free: Switch to Cricket's $60/month unlimited plan Opens in a new window Credit: Cricket / Max Max (with ads) Free for Cricket customers on the $60/month plan Get Deal

If you switch your phone plan to Cricket's $60 per month unlimited plan, you'll get HBO Max included for no extra cost. When you open up the HBO Max app, you'll just select Cricket as your provider and use your credentials to log in. That's all, folks.

Get HBO Max for free: Sign up for DashPass annual plan Opens in a new window Credit: DoorDash / Max Max (with ads) Free with DashPass annual plan ($8/month) Get Deal

Another way to get HBO Max for free in 2025 is by signing up for a DoorDash DashPass annual plan for $96 per year ($8 per month). A DashPass membership gets you $0 delivery fees and reduced service fees on eligible DoorDash orders all year long. You'll just have to activate your HBO Max with ads subscription through your DoorDash account to get started. If you'd rather watch ad-free, you can upgrade for a discounted rate as well.

Best HBO Max deal for students: Save 50% on Max Basic with ads Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max Student $4.99 per month for 12 months Get Deal

College students looking to expand their movie horizons can get an entire year of HBO Max with ads for half price. Just verify your student status with UNiDAYS and retrieve the unique discount code to drop the price from $9.99 to $4.99 per month.

Best bundle deal: Get Max, Disney+, and Hulu for up to 38% off Opens in a new window Credit: Disney / Hulu / Max Disney+, Hulu, and Max $16.99 per month (with ads), $29.99 per month (no ads) Get Deal

For the most bang for your buck, check out the Disney+ bundle deal that includes Disney+, Hulu, and Max for just $16.99 per month with ads. That lineup of streamers would usually cost you $25.97 per month, so you'll keep an extra $9 in your pocket monthly.

If you'd rather go ad-free, the bundle will run you $29.99 per month as opposed to $48.97. That's up to 38% in savings for access to all three streaming libraries.

Astronomers have believed for decades that the Milky Way is on a collision course with our nearest big neighbor, Andromeda. They seemed all but certain the two galaxies were destined to smash in about 4 to 5 billion years, combining into one colossal galaxy in space. 

In that scenario, the merger would trigger a riot of star births and deaths and maybe even thrust the sun into a different orbit. We were told all this was inevitable. 

But new data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the Gaia spacecraft, run by the European Space Agency, suggests that the future of Earth's home galaxy is not that cut and dried. The study, which relied on 100,000 computer simulations stretching 10 billion years into the future, appears in the journal Nature Astronomy.  

"Based on the best available data, the fate of our Galaxy is still completely open," the scientists wrote.

SEE ALSO: Astronomers saw one galaxy impale another. The damage was an eye-opener. A close-up view of a prodigious number of stars in the Andromeda galaxy. Credit: NASA / ESA / B. Williams

The Milky Way and Andromeda are part of a cluster of about 100 galaxies, held together by gravity, known as the "local group." For more than a century, scientists have known Andromeda is creeping toward the Milky Way. That led many experts to believe a collision was unavoidable.

Turns out the future is much more murky. 

The researchers ran computer simulations with 22 different variables that tested different possible routes for the galaxies, trying to predict where they would end up. Their study found that the two galaxies would remain in the same plane as they circle each other.

"But this doesn't mean they need to crash," said Till Sawala, the lead author, who is based at University of Helsinki in Finland, in a statement. "They could still go past each other." 

These are possible scenarios for a future encounter between the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies. Credit: NASA / ESA / STScI / DSS / Till Sawala / Joseph DePasquale

The researchers found that two other nearby galaxies — the Large Magellanic Cloud and Messier 33 — could have significant influence on whether the Milky Way and Andromeda ultimately collide. Though these galaxies are smaller, they have enough mass to tip the scale. 

Here's where things get downright mind-blowing: When Messier 33, sometimes called M33 or the Triangulum galaxy, is included in the simulation, it makes a galactic merger more likely. But the Large Magellanic Cloud, whose orbit intersects those of the Milky Way and Andromeda, makes it less likely. 

In short, it's a real "will they, won't they?". With all of the data put together, the team arrived at a near-equal, 50-percent chance of the two galaxies hitting within the next 10 billion years. In about half of the possible outcomes tested, the two main galaxies skirted by each other, with a margin of 500,000 light-years between them or less: That's about five times the width of the Milky Way.

Sawala acknowledges the irony that with more precise Hubble data, scientists are less sure about what will happen. After all, they've only narrowed down the odds of a cosmic cataclysm to a coin toss. 

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"That’s because of the more complex analysis and because we consider a more complete system," Sawala said. "But the only way to get to a new prediction about the eventual fate of the Milky Way will be with even better data."

Galaxy mergers happen over an unfathomable timescale for humans to imagine, on the order of several hundred million years. Previous Hubble research has shown that these crashes were more common in the past when the universe was smaller. Regardless, collisions continue to occur because galaxies are thought to be bound by the gravity of so-called dark matter — invisible space material suspected to exist — surrounding them.

There are still a lot of unknown factors. In addition to dark matter, galaxies in the vicinity that have yet to be discovered could also influence whether Andromeda and the Milky Way merge. Future data releases from the Gaia mission, which is mapping the positions and movements of stars, could help improve predictions. 

"As it stands," the scientists wrote, "proclamations of the impending demise of our Galaxy seem greatly exaggerated."

TL;DR: Snag a pair of Sony WF-C510 True Wireless Earbuds for 40% off at just $34.99 (reg. $59.99) while supplies last.

Ready for a sound upgrade? These Sony WF-C510 True Wireless Earbuds provide up to 22 hours of immersive audio — and they’re comfortable enough to keep wearing that long, too. Right now, you can snag a pair for just $34.99 (reg. $59.99).

Earbuds are convenient, but they’re not exactly known for comfort. Sony’s WF-C510 True Wireless Earbuds aim to change that, delivering all-day comfort as you take on your daily routine thanks to a design that perfectly matches the human ear.

If you think these earbuds focus only on comfort and skimp on sound quality, think again. They’re powered by Sony’s Digital Sound Enhancement Engine, so you’ll enjoy clear, natural vocals and deep, punchy bass. Stable Bluetooth transmission also makes sure you don’t miss a beat.

You can rock these earbuds anywhere with peace of mind, as the ambient sound mode helps keep you aware of your surroundings. You can also perfect your preferred sound experience and save your own presets with EQ customization.

A single charge provides 11 hours of playback, and the included charging case gives you an extra 11 hours for a total of 22 hours of listening on the go. If you’re in a pinch, you can also do a 5-minute quick charge that gives you an hour of listening.

They’re IPX4 water resistant, so you can take them on intense workouts or runs in the rain worry-free. They also offer hands-free calling and a voice control option to get hands-free help from Google or Siri.

You’re scoring these earbuds for 40% off thanks to their grade A refurbished rating. That means they’ll arrive on your doorstep in near-mint condition, while you enjoy a deep discount.

Enjoy premium sound for a bargain price with these Sony WF-C510 True Wireless Earbuds for only $34.99 (reg. $59.99) while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WF-C510 True Wireless Earbuds (Refurbished) $34.99
$59.99 Save $25 Get Deal

TL;DR: Learn to play guitar this summer with help from The Complete Beginner to Expert Guitar Lessons Bundle, now just $29.97 through July 20.

Looking to learn something new this summer? How about the guitar? This online bundle of guitar lessons is ready to teach you, with over 30 hours of content you can work through at your own pace. And right now, you can train to become a golden god for just $29.97 — less than $3 a course.

Make this a summer of six strings

Whether you’re totally new to the instrument or you just want to beef up your shredding skills, The Complete Beginner to Expert Guitar Lessons Bundle is ready to school you on the art of guitar over 14 info-packed courses. It covers essential techniques, music theory, and practical exercises you can work on to improve your playing.

Kick off your education with Beginner Guitar Lessons Crash Course. It’s a two-and-a-half-hour course that covers the topics beginners need to get started on, like basic theory, notes, chords, strumming, and TAB. From there, newbies will be able to start strumming.

Once you’ve got the fundamentals down, you can move on to Guitar Lessons for the Curious Guitarist. This 30-hour course dives a little deeper, offering complete lessons on strumming, chords, soloing, theory, and technique that will have you playing your favorite songs in no time.

Speaking of particular songs, this bundle includes courses dedicated to specific genres, too. Dive into offerings like Children’s Songs for the Guitar, Bluegrass for the Curious Guitarist, and Jazz for the Curious Guitarist. Feeling festive? There’s also a course on Christmas Songs for the Curious Guitarist.

Strum your way from beginner to pro with The Complete Beginner to Expert Guitar Lessons Bundle, now just $29.97 through July 20.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: StackCommerce The Complete Beginner to Expert Guitar Lessons Bundle $29.97
$2,800 Save $2,770.03 Get Deal

TL;DR: Bring home an unlocked Apple iPhone SE 2nd Gen for just $124.99 (reg. $399) while supplies last.

An iPhone for under $150? It may sound too good to be true, but it’s a reality with this red iPhone SE 2nd Gen. It’s packed with all the features you know and love from this smartphone staple, but without the usual hefty price tag and now just $124.99 while supplies last.

Your next phone doesn’t need to cost a fortune

This iPhone SE 2nd Gen offers all the efficiency of the Apple staple in a sleek, more convenient size. This model has a 4.7-inch Retina HD display that provides stunning visuals for your daily tasks, and 64GB of storage to house your photos, videos, files, and apps.

Don’t be worried about power — this iPhone SE is equipped with the same A13 Bionic chip as the iPhone 11 series. That means you can enjoy lightning-fast speeds, and it can keep up with all your usual multitasking between work and play.

If your smartphones tend to double as your go-to camera, you’ll appreciate this model’s 12MP rear camera that can record your memories in 4K. It also offers awesome iPhone features like wireless charging and the Touch ID button to keep your phone safe.

If you’re wondering how you’re scoring an iPhone for just $124.99, it’s thanks to this model’s grade A refurbished rating. That means it will arrive on your doorstep in near-mint condition, while you enjoy the deep discount.

Take advantage of this amazing deal on an unlocked red Apple iPhone SE 2nd Gen for just $124.99 (reg. $399) while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPhone SE 2nd Gen (2020) 64GB Unlocked Red (Refurbished) $124.99
$399 Save $274.01 Get Deal

TL;DR: Create non-fiction content with just a few prompts thanks to this lifetime subscription to Youbooks AI Non-Fiction Book Generator, now just $49 (reg. $540).

Have a great idea for a book but no time to write it? Youbooks is ready to help turn your concept into a full-length, nonfiction book. And right now, you can secure a lifetime subscription to this helpful platform for just $49 (reg. $540).

Let Youbooks turn you into a published author in a fraction of the time it usually takes to crank out a novel, thanks to the power of AI. All you need to supply is a good concept, and this AI-powered platform can transform it into a manuscript of up to 300,000 words.

Youbooks makes writer’s block a thing of the past, helping you write non-fiction books on topics you’re interested in. It even uses samples of your preferred writing style to emulate your tone and sound true to your voice.

Working on a topic you’re an expert in? You can upload documents, transcripts, or memos to guide the AI with your own unique facts. Youbooks also uses multiple AI models, so you can rest easy knowing your book will include up-to-date facts, statistics, and news with searches powered by platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Llama.

Your final draft undergoes 1,000 steps, so you’ll be left with a full-length manuscript with full commercial rights. And once it’s done, it will be ready to download as a PDF, EPUB, Word, or Markup file.

A lifetime subscription gives you 150,000 monthly credits that you can use toward writing or source uploads. Each credit equates to one word or uploaded source word. And to make sure Youbooks is always writing in your unique style, you can store up to 100 style samples.

Make your publishing goals a reality with this lifetime subscription to Youbooks, now $49 (reg. $540).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Youbooks Youbooks - AI Non-Fiction Book Generator: Lifetime Subscription $49
$540 Save $491 Get Deal

In just three decades, our tiny pocket computers have become the center of our worlds. In the eyes of many, the root of all evil. Smartphones are the fascination of businesses, researchers, and even politicians, who are seeking to regulate the impact of the palm-sized technology. 

The results vary. And, to be blunt, there's no putting that cat back in the bag. So what, then, is the solution?

SEE ALSO: Trump, stockholders, algorithms all coming for nonprofit kids' TV, including 'Sesame Street'

"I'm interested in the role of technology in modern life, fundamentally," said Graham Dugoni, founder and CEO of Yondr, one of the biggest names in the phone-free movement, a company that provides the infrastructure for anti-device social settings with their now recognizable lockable phone pouch. 

Maybe, suggests Dugoni and other advocates, instead of putting the kibosh on devices entirely, we need to treat modern society like a teenager on a rebellious streak. Rather than saying no, we need to show them support, offer a gentle hand, maybe even make them think it's their idea. In a way, it's time for some gentle parenting.

Phone free spaces defy Big Tech

Before moving to Silicon Valley, Dugoni was soaking up the work of existentialists like Martin Heidegger, Søren Kierkegaard, and University of California, Berkeley, professor Hubert Dreyfus. Dugoni even snuck a Kierkegaard quote — "The highest and most beautiful things in life are not to be heard about, nor read about, nor seen but, if one will, are to be lived" — into Yondr's sparse online branding.

"As digital media and smartphones were kind of taking root, and there was this general feeling that everything was going to become connected everywhere, all the time, and that was going to lead us to this great outcome, I had a very different belief," he explained. "I thought that, especially for digital natives, the experience of walking around in the world with a phone in their pocket was going to be a radically different human experience." 

Too many existential quandaries — privacy, identity, community, and especially critical thinking — were being overlooked by Big Tech as phones took over lives, Dugoni thought. Of course, that turned out to be true: Constant access to the darker sides of the internet and recording devices that act like personal Big Brother drones have fostered a sense of detachment, apathy, and fear, argues the modern Luddite and researcher, alike.

So Dugoni set out to probe the big, nebulous questions with what he describes as a "National Park Service" for disconnected space. With Yondr, he would offer physical areas that were carved out from the rest of the digitally-attached world; neutral environments to remind people what a screen-free human existence feels like. 

Every generation needs a counter culture. What's this generation's going to be? - Graham Dugoni, Yondr

Yondr has since ballooned, with hundreds of connected social spaces utilizing the company's green-edged pouches, locked by a magnet and, importantly, kept in the user's possession. When entering a phone-free space supported by Yondr, individuals pop their phone into a provided pouch, seal it up, and sign a metaphorical social contract that they won't touch the device until the event is over. If they must look, they have to leave the space, and use a provided unlocking area. Pouches are thin enough to see a screen light up, if someone is waiting on an important notification.  

Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Mashable

Different from a locker or coat-check system, Dugoni explains that allowing the pouch to stay in a person's possession is meant to help break the phone addiction. "Once you interrupt the impulse [to look at your screen], it allows for a new habit or new neural pathway to form. My belief is that's how you educate people about the influence of technology — implicitly."

Schools, venues, and more go phone-free

Yondr provides the infrastructure for phone-free spaces, but it doesn't enforce phone ban policies. For example, Yondr pouches are behind the scenes in many schools across the country, as phone and social media bans sweep through the nation's education system. Schools purchase the three-part Yondr pouch system, which includes a curriculum that teaches partners how to build a campaign to go phone-free, educate students about digital literacy and phone dependence, and maintain a positive relationship to the pouch. Yondr steps in as needed and offers ongoing support, but building a phone free culture is the job of staff and students. 

At Fern Creek High School in Kentucky, which is finishing up its first school year with the pouches in place, Yondr was an answer to a longstanding problem. "We were trying to eliminate phones as a distraction; we wanted to make sure students had access to the resources they needed, thinking about special education or medical conditions; and we wanted to reduce the burden on teachers," explained assistant principal Ken Christian. Inspired by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt's insights into youth mental health in The Anxious Generation, school leaders created a committee, polled the student body and teachers, and eventually settled on building a full phone-free school using Yondr. 

Credit: Yondr

Despite some early whispers of a student protest, the year has gone off without a hitch, and Fern Creek High began hosting walkthroughs for other institutions interested in the program. Students, but especially teachers, have noticed positive behavioral changes. "In a world where we are losing teachers by the day, if we can create an environment where people feel validated in their work and valued for their expertise, we're doing something right," Christian said. "We're still a public high school, and we still have behavior incidents. Our children do not act perfectly at all times. But what we have seen is the severity of those things are greatly diminished."

According to the company, pouches cannot be used as a punitive measure. Instead, Yondr wants to seed the ground for a social shift. "Every district and school launch is like a mini campaign. You have to get the whole community on board, because this is a social problem that we're dealing with," Dugonia explained of their bespoke model. "It's the same way that just patching up things on social media to protect certain people or classes is not going to solve the bigger systemic issues."

Yondr pouches have also appeared across live event spaces, including the now history-breaking run of Broadway's Othello, led by Hollywood giants Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal. Live comedy has proven to be a ripe area for the pouches, too. "It's like a game changer for the comedians," said Roze Lleshi, director of talent for the Los Angeles-based venue the Comedy Store. "They really love it because they feel like it's more free. You need freedom of expression as a comedian." 

Lleshi says she feels like audiences are more engaged with their phones stowed away, more willing to stay in the space longer, and have had less confrontations with security. Audiences have yet to push back on the policy, which is flagged at the time of purchase and repeated during an entry spiel. The venue was inspired by other comedy venues using pouches.

"The tech world promises that there's endless options in life — there's only more [options], and that leads you to a better place," Dugoni says. "The issue is, I don't see that mirrored anywhere in human nature or physical nature. Everything is finite. Boundaries are really important. Embracing limitations is actually a precondition for meaning in people's life." 

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As Yondr pouches and other phone-free policies have spread, many have remained skeptical of their efficacy. 

Critics have noted that pouches can be easily broken, damaged, or "jailbroken" with external magnets. Parents have expressed concern over their child not having personal devices during an emergency. Others have taken issue with the cost — money that, they say, could be better used elsewhere. Fern Creek High School's program totaled $35,000. Programs generally run at $30 per student, Yondr explained, with discounts available.

Some have concerns that phone bans will make it harder to hold public figures accountable. One of Yondr's most notable performer partners, for example, is Dave Chapelle, who chose to enforce phone-free shows following public protests of his gigs after numerous transphobic statements.   

I think it's even more important to be talking about phones and humanity. - Larissa May, #HalfTheStory

None of this has deterred partners from purchasing from Yondr, however, and organizations have found ways to adjust to the needs of their physical spaces in the name of a digital revolution. At the Comedy Store, most but not every show is a phone-free space, with some of the venue's promoters encouraging the interaction between phones and performers in the name of art, like during a roast.

As Christian asks fellow educators: "If I told you there was one single product that could change the culture of your building, so that students and staff feel more positively about being there, and you could reduce the severity of your behavior events and see academic improvements, do you think it would be worth $35,000? Being a phone-free school was worth that investment, and we would make that investment every year if we had to."

Even for all their ills, phones can also be lifesaving, with accessible and democratizing tools for education, health, and revolutionary action. Phone-free spaces thus exist in a grey area amid the modernization of accessible tech, and the obligations of venues under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). During the recent Othello run, some guests reported that they were simply offered a ticket refund after asking to keep their phones unlocked in order to monitor hearing aid levels and blood sugar counts, using popular technology like Dexcoms. 

In schools, many students are reliant on phones for language translation, or alternative communication devices, in addition to health monitoring. 

Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Mashable

This is a failure of communication, not the program itself, the company said. Christian explained that students with special cases are given Yondr velcro pouches rather than magnetized ones, making it easier for them to reach their device quickly, while Chromebooks have been used as substitute for phone apps among the schools' multilingual students. And he says it hasn't impeded the wider phone-free culture, as there's a growing awareness among students that their peers may have different tech needs.

"We recognized early on that technology is quite literally a lifeline for many, and quick access to a phone or mobile device for medical needs requires accommodations," a Yondr spokesperson clarified. "When developing our phone-free program, we made sure to create an alternative option so people could easily get to their device if needed. We accommodate medical exemptions on-site. Upon arrival, guests notify Yondr or venue staff that they require immediate access to their device for medical purposes…most often through designated wristbands that allow for easy device retrieval while maintaining the phone-free experience for others."

The next disconnected generation 

The phone-free movement exists in a multitude of forms and has benefits for all ages, but it is increasingly focused on younger generations, as the youth mental health crisis looms. 

Larissa May, founder of the youth-led nonprofit #HalfTheStory, argues that, rather than a hard line, phone-free advocates need to keep phone boundaries flexible. #HalfTheStory is an education and social initiative focused on improving the next generation's relationship with technology, including an online digital literacy curriculum known as Social Media U. 

"At a time where it is important to be talking about phones and academic performance," explained May, "I think it's even more important to be talking about phones and humanity, and #HalfTheStory is in the business of preserving humanity."

May was inspired to launch the effort by her own experiences with emotional well-being and technology, leading to a viral social media purge that turned her into a leading mental health advocate. In 2025, #HalfTheStory's mission is strongly research-based, centered on the Digital Flourishing Scale for Adolescents, with an equally knowledgeable May at the helm. It pioneers multiple digital well-being programs, including phone-free spaces. 

For example, #HalfTheStory recently partnered with youth advocates and Pinterest to launch a series of screen-free proms, where teens designed their own version of an offline social event complete with phone lockers and a return to old school memory keepers: Polaroid cameras. 

Credit: #HalfTheStory Credit: #HalfTheStory

"We can't save the world through fear," said May. "We can't scare young people into long term change, and kids are much more excited about putting their phones away and getting out a Polaroid camera than they are in having an adult rip a phone out of their hand."

Dugoni agrees, noting that Yondr was one of the first to popularize the use of "phone-free" rather than "phone ban." "We want people to feel a sense of freedom, not that the online world or technology is bad or evil. That's not the point. The point is to get people to experience something different and see what that means for them."

Raising a phone-free counter culture

In every phone-free framework, the most important determinant of success is social buy-in, these phone-free advocates say, prioritizing the input of digital natives and making everyone feel like they had a say in how and when they use tech. 

"We know that not all screen time is created equal, and that if we don't put teens at the center of this movement, we won't be able to make long term change," said May. "It has to be their idea for them to believe and authentically participate in it." The organization's programs work, she says, because they are built from the bottom-up. And policies should meet societies and communities where they are. "There's a more low friction way to do it, and it's putting teens at the center, giving teens the keys."

At Fern Creek High School, Christian said that if they hadn't gotten approval from the school's stakeholders, primarily, its students, the phone-free policy would have never gotten off the ground. And in live event spaces, like the Comedy Store, it's artists who are asking for devices to go away, not business owners. 

Among the public, young people especially, there exists a desire to reconnect to community, said both May and Dugoni. May's work approaches this through preserving the last vestiges of youthful freedom. Christian says it's by framing phone-free spaces as an act of love. Dugoni pitches it like being phone-free is the coolest way to rebel against what those in power want from you.

"My opinion is life is always full, so if something new comes in, it pushes out something else that was there. Maybe part of the task with this generation is asking, 'What are we pushing out, and what do we value?'" said Dugoni. "What I'm most interested in is stoking that rebellious streak, and hopefully helping it find a productive outlet. Because every generation needs a counter culture. What's this generation's going to be?"