Mashable

Subscribe to Mashable feed
Mashable is a leading source for news, information & resources for the Connected Generation. Mashable reports on the importance of digital innovation and how it empowers and inspires people around the world. Mashable's 25 million monthly unique visitors and 10 million social media followers have become one of the most engaged online news communities. Founded in 2005, Mashable is headquartered in New York City with an office in San Francisco.
Updated: 26 min 35 sec ago

Best documentaries streaming now on Prime Video

Sat, 08/03/2024 - 05:00

Sometimes real life is stranger than fiction, and sometimes it's just far more fascinating. If you're in the mood for a documentary that'll get your pulse pumping, your heart aching, or your mind running, you'll want to check out Prime Video.

Now streaming on Prime Video is a wealth of mesmerizing true stories, ranging from personal tales of trials and triumph to harrowing crime investigations to quirky and heart-warming explorations of unique creative vision.

Whether you're in the mood for something educational, emotional, or just downright wild, this list of top-notch documentaries has got you covered.

SEE ALSO: The 25 best documentaries on Disney+ 1. Man on Wire Credit: ©2008 Jean-Louis Blondeau / Polaris Images / Magnolia Pictures

Depicting the high wire artist Philippe Petit's mind-boggling 1974 walk on a wire between the Twin Towers in NYC, this doc from filmmaker James Marsh uses rare video footage of Petit's prep along with recreations of the event and current-day interviews with everyone involved to craft a heart-racing heist film. Winning every award within reach, up to and including the Oscar, the film memorializes not just Petit's stunt but also those buildings, and the legend of their monumental status. — Jason Adams, Contributing Writer

How to watch: Man on Wire is now streaming on Prime Video.

2. Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters

The same man who gave us the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park gave us the holographic chess game in Star Wars, the killer bugs in Starship Troopers, and the terrifying Enforcement Droid in RoboCop. That man's name is Phil Tippett, and those are just four of the special effects wizard's credits that this 2019 documentary on the man features. It's all covered in the run up to the long, long, long-delayed release of his stop-motion surrealist masterpiece Mad God — mostly because Tippett could never bring himself to stop tinkering with it – which also gets a lot of much deserved love here. Anyway, we love it when behind-the-scenes cinematic craftspeople of note get their proper due, and Tippett's one of the most deserving there ever was or will be. A magician. — J.A.

How to watch: Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters is now streaming on Prime Video.

3. Living With Chucky

The Child's Play franchise — meaning the slasher films starring Chucky the murderous doll that began in 1988 right up through the TV series that's currently in its third season — has been in the hands of the same people the entire time, save one spin-off reboot that we will not discuss. Namely, creator Don Mancini and his crew of delightful wackadoos. That's given the franchise not just a thematic throughline that the other '80s slasher franchises have lacked, but an actual personal one, since decades of relationships have bloomed behind the scenes. 

And that's the juice that this 2022 doc thrives on. For example, director Kyra Elise Gardner quite literally grew up with Chucky; her dad Tony has been working on make-up and puppeteering for all things Child's Play for decades. That personal touch gives this doc a sweetness and an intimacy, and maybe those are not the words you'd typically associate with a killer doll, but here we are. — J.A.

How to watch: Living With Chucky is now streaming on Prime Video.

4. Dior and I Credit: Everett / Shutterstock

While a look behind the scenes at the staging a fashion show can often induce terror, director Frédéric Tcheng's 2014 look at the first haute couture collection of Raf Simons for the legendary house is so awash in beauty that you hardly even notice any of that. Narrated via excerpts of Dior's autobiography, which was unpublished and only discovered at the start of the film's production, Dior and I is as intimate and exquisite as the garments themselves. — J.A.

How to watch: Dior and I is now streaming on Prime Video.

5. Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror

The Wicker Man. Midsommar. The Blair Witch Project. The Lighthouse. What do these seemingly disparate bunch of horror movies all have in common? They all belong to the scary subgenre of folk horror, which relies on natural environments and elements of folklore and myth to create nightmarish atmospheres. 

And if you're curious about them at all, boy oh boy, have I got the documentary for you!  Wildly informative at well over three hours, writer and historian Kier-La Janisse's 2021 doc will tell you everything you need to know about the past, present, and future of these films, scanning every corner of the globe. It's truly one of the most impressive documentaries on the subject of horror films ever crafted — an entire semester in one sitting. In addition to tons of great interviews and clips, you'll walk away with a list ten pages long of movies to watch. — J.A.

How to watch: Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror is now streaming on Prime Video.

6. One Child Nation

In China between the years 1979 and 2015, the government had a one-child policy; because of the surging population, families were "encouraged" to only have a single child. In Nanfu Wang and Jialing Zhang's 2019 documentary, they interviewed both the enforcers of that policy and the enforced-upon, and a picture of genuine horror emerges. 

The propaganda from the era seems downright goofy, but it had a chilling effect. Infanticide and human trafficking ran rampant. But the most moving parts of the doc are the ones seen from the ground level, especially from within Wang's family, where her own mother speaks of the terrible decisions she had to make. — J.A.

How to watch: One Child Nation is now streaming on Prime Video.

7. Nelly and Nadine

Looking for blossoms of hope within tales of the Holocaust can sometimes feel like a fool's errand, but Magnus Gertten's 2022 documentary about a love affair between two women who met in a concentration camp somehow manages that moving feat. Sylvie Bianchi spent most of her life too afraid to look into her grandmother Nelly's letters about her time in the female-only Ravensbrück camp. Once Sylvie does look into Nelly's letters, she discovers a a secret love story between her grandmother and another woman named Nadine. Somehow, these two women managed to find love amid all the horror, and years later they reunited and ran off to Venezuela to be together. It's astonishing stuff, and a reminder of how facing the worst imaginable thing will make the beauty in life shine all the brighter.  — J.A. 

How to watch: Nelly and Nadine is now streaming on Prime Video.

8. Grizzly Man

Werner Herzog has fully been a character for his 60-year-plus directing career. (See also the 1999 doc My Best Fiend, which is also currently streaming on Prime.) But it wasn't until this 2005 documentary that he truly became a brand unto himself — a voice iconic enough to inspire tributes and parodies far and wide, in addition to the occasional stunt-casting gig.  

That would be odd in and of itself, but it becomes deeply weird when you take into account the film's subject. Grizzly Man is actually a deeply serious cautionary tale about the conservationist Timothy Treadwell, who went to live among the bears of Alaska and ended up killed by the creatures he got too comfortable with — recording himself all the while. So go rewatch Grizzly Man, setting aside your best existentially somber Herzog impression for a minute, and immerse yourself in the director's meticulous reconstruction of Treadwell's life, work, and multiple follies. This is ultimately an extremely moving and often disturbing portrait of one man's overreach and the indifferent natural world biting back.

How to watch: Grizzly Man is now streaming on Prime Video.

9. I Am: Celine Dion Credit: Amazon MGM Studios

What better moment to spend some of your time with the Quebecois musical icon than now, in the wake of her triumphant return to the stage for the opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympics? As this 2024 doc makes clear, it was not at all an easy journey to that perch on the side of the Eiffel Tower, where she sang Edith Piaf's ballad "Hymne à l'amour" straight into the heavens. After her 2022 diagnosis with stiff-person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that causes a person's muscles to seize up, she's been through the ringer. 

But in true Celine fashion, she refuses to be held back, and director Irene Taylor's film captures her in some deeply intimate and personal moments. There's nobody quite like Celine, whose humor and forthrightness will melt even the most cynical viewer's defenses. — J.A.

How to watch: I Am: Celine Dion is now streaming on Prime Video.

10. Gimme Danger

Gimme Danger is the definitive document of punk rock's origin point. The Stooges were so far ahead of their time they'd made three records and broken up before anybody could even realize what they'd done. Jim Jarmusch spent about ten years working on the doc, which comes to a head with their 2010 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. And everybody still alive to tell the wild tale happily tells their version of it. Of course it's Iggy, who's spent several decades hogging the spotlight, who walks away with the show yet again. — J.A.

How to watch: Gimme Danger is now streaming on Prime Video.

11. Silver Dollar Road

After 2016's I Am Not Your Negro and 2021's Exterminate All the Brutes, it's safe to say that director Raoul Peck is one of the greats working today. 2023's Silver Dollar Road, which is based on the 2019 ProPublica article "Kicked Off The Land" by Lizzie Presser, triple underlines that statement. The film tells the ongoing multi-generational story of the Reels family, whose prime slice of waterfront property in North Carolina became the focus of some greedy real estate developers. In just 100 minutes, it manages to be both a beautiful portrait of a loving family and an infuriating excavation of American institutionalized racism at work. — J.A.

How to watch: Silver Dollar Road is now streaming on Prime Video.

12. Val Credit: Courtesy of Amazon Studios

Val Kilmer is one of the greats, without question. He's played Batman and The Doors frontman Jim Morrison. His performance in Tombstone as Doc Holliday is a frequently quoted cult hit that's inspired any number of memes. And he's Hollywood's best Moses to date, with his star turn in The Prince of Egypt, an animated retelling of the Passover story from 1998, far exceeding that of Charlton Heston in The Ten Commandments.

In Val, the famed actor who largely fell out of public view in the mid-2010s as he battled throat cancer, bares his whole self. Kilmer himself created many of the home movies and behind-the-scenes clips featured in this Amazon Original documentary, and they're weaved together here to paint a picture of his life and career. Featuring narration from Kilmer's son Jack and words written by the actor himself, Val is about as personal as a biographical documentary can get. — Adam Rosenberg, Video Game Reporter

How to watch: Val is now streaming on Prime Video.

13. Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown Credit: Simon Pietri / Shutterstock

Released in 2014, the same year the late Chadwick Boseman starred as the Godfather of Soul in the biopic Get On Up, Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown plays like a fitting companion piece. But with an accomplished documentarian like Alex Gibney at the helm, Mr. Dynamite more than stands on its own.

Highlighted by a wealth of rare archival materials showing the funk and soul superstar during his early days, the film chronicles Brown's career from his time playing for Black audiences when the American Civil Rights movement was still taking shape, all the way into his mainstreamed blockbuster success. While Mr. Dynamite's largely uncritical look falls short on chronicling Brown's later years, there are more than enough archival materials and fascinating revelations to sustain this two-hour trip through music history. — A.R.

How to watch: Mr. Dynamite: The Rise of James Brown is now streaming on Prime Video.

14. The Imposter

Bart Layton's retelling of the extremely curious 1997 case of the French conman Frédéric Bourdin presents us with one of those true stories that seems too baffling to believe – indeed, when the 2009 horror film Orphan stole this documentary's big revelation, it came to be considered one of the greatest horror movie twists of all time! But the twist is indeed based in truth, as Bourdin was able to impersonate a missing Texan boy and “happily reunite” with the boy’s family, even though he was several years older, had a French accent, and didn’t much look like the boy at all. The power of belief is a powerful force indeed. — J.A.

How to watch: The Imposter is now streaming on Prime Video.

15. The Howlin' Wolf Story

Chester Burnett, the Howlin' Wolf himself: Hear that voice once, and you'll never forget it. Burnett's raspy, tortured growl is the sound of a freight train moaning at midnight, and it's just one piece of the portrait painted in filmmaker Don McGlynn's The Howlin' Wolf Story.

The legendary Chicago bluesman left an indelible mark on culture and rock music specifically, as the originator of what are now bona fide blues standards, like "Spoonful" and "Smokestack Lightnin'." This documentary recounts Burnett's early days spent learning under Charley Patton, his travels with Robert Johnson, his impact on the Rolling Stones (and music in general), and the larger-than-life energy he brought to every stage he set foot on as the Wolf. — A.R.

How to watch: The Howlin' Wolf Story is now streaming on Prime Video.

16. No No: A Dockumentary Credit: Ray Stubblebine / AP / Shutterstock

No No: A Dockumentary has one hell of a powerful hook: Dock Ellis, the late Major League Baseball pro who is its subject, once pitched a no-hitter as a Pittsburgh Pirate while tripping his face off on LSD.

Wild as it is, that incident is, of course, just a moment in a much larger and more complex life. Director Jeffrey Radice assembles his picture of Ellis from interviews with friends, family, and former teammates, bolstering the production even further with a generous helping of archival materials — including words from Ellis himself.

No No is a thorough look at the man behind the moment. The documentary anchors itself in that moment only to highlight and heighten the life that led to and followed it. We come away with a deeper understanding of who Ellis was, the various forces that shaped his life, and the highs and lows that characterized his journey. — A.R.

How to watch: No No: A Dockumentary is now streaming on Prime Video.

17. American Movie

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the greatest year for movies in modern history has proven a Herculean effort in 2024, but no such celebration is complete without giving some love to Chris Smith's classic and endlessly quotable documentary American Movie. The doc has Smith following around the low-budget Wisconsinite filmmaker Mark Borchardt as he tries, against literally all of the odds, to make a horror movie called Coven, which tells the tale of a sobriety support group that is in reality the front for a bunch of witches. 

Borchardt is one of those subjects whom you just cannot look away from — and so too is his best friend Mike Schank and his uncle/financier Uncle Bill. They're a lovable, infuriating, and surprisingly ingenious bunch, under all the endless bungling. And so American Movie ends up in the same league of heartfelt odes to lo-fi creativity as Tim Burton's masterpiece Ed Wood, as well as being one of the funniest movies ever made. — J.A.

How to watch: American Movie is now streaming on Prime Video.

18. Hail Satan? Credit: Magnolia Pictures

Co-founded by Lucien Greaves and Malcolm Jarry in 2013, The Satanic Temple is a non-theistic organization that pushes back whenever our First Amendment rights are being undermined by Christian zealots. One such example of TST's advocacy, which is at the heart of this 2019 doc, is a life-size Baphomet statue that was to be installed at the Oklahoma State Capitol as a rejoinder to a (misspelled) Ten Commandments monument funded by Rep. Mike Ritze in 2012.

Director Penny Lane drops us into their righteous fight with thoughtfulness and humor, illustrating that in the modern battle between good and evil, it's really the Satanists who are proving to be on the right side of history. — J.A.

How to watch: Hail Satan? is now streaming on Prime Video.

19. Fiddler: Miracle of Miracles

Even if you know every word to Broadway bangers like "If I Were a Rich Man" and "Tradition," there's still a good chance you don't know the full history and impact of the play from which they hail: Fiddler on the Roof.

This documentary from Max Lewkowicz examines the 1964 musical from Jerry Bock (music), Sheldon Harnick (lyrics), and Joseph Stein (book) and the difficult road it took to reach the stage — and eventually the big screen. Featuring interviews and insights from luminaries like Lin-Manuel Miranda, Harvey Fierstein, and director Norman Jewison, Fiddler is must-watch material for any fan of Broadway past and present. — A.R.

How to watch: Fiddler: Miracle of Miracles is now streaming on Prime Video.

SEE ALSO: The best '90s movies on Prime Video for when you want to get nostalgic 20. Good Night Oppy Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video

No matter how much you thought you wanted the titular star of Pixar's animated masterpiece WALL-E to be real, it's guaranteed to only be a fraction of how badly Good Night Oppy director Ryan White and his cast of NASA nerds wanted WALL-E to be real, because they set out with this movie to anthropomorphize the dickens out of their Mars rover called Opportunity. (Or "Oppy" for cutesy short.)

While it is at times a bit much — like when listening to these serious scientists insist their hunk of metal doo-dads they've shipped 230 million miles away totally has a personality — Good Night Oppy doesn't lack for celestial splendor. And making the little can-do robot at its center the audience stand-in does often result in a true sense of the enormity of this mission, and the odds they all faced, both real and imagined. — J.A.

How to watch: Good Night Oppy is now streaming on Prime Video.

21. Stories We Tell

Sarah Polley began acting when she was four years old, which is a story she tells with typical intelligence and emotional precision in her 2022 memoir Run Towards the Danger. But a full 10 years earlier, she told us a totally different story with her film Stories We Tell — the one about her parents, the secrets of her own birth, and about the ways her family processed and didn't process certain events and revelations over the years.

The less said beforehand with regards to this movie's unfolding mysteries, the better. And if we're being absolutely forced to exist without her acting on-screen, this is further proof (alongside her other directorial efforts, Away From Her, Take This Waltz, and Women Talking) that she's got more than enough magic to share from behind the screen. — J.A.

How to watch: Stories We Tell is now streaming on Prime Video.

22. Judy Blume Forever Credit: Courtesy of Prime Video

We personally have been celebrating "the year of Judy Blume" for decades. But it's hard to not make the case that 2023 – with the delightful adaptation of Blume's book Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret and this documentary both hitting screens – is a real big year for Blume-heads. And Davina Pardo and Leah Wolchok's film on the author is thankfully attuned to Blume's endurance as much as her legacy, and so we get to hear as much on her thoughts about the world today as we do her career past. Seeing as how she's been on the front-lines of book bans and censorship for decades, there's no better authority. – J.A.

How to watch: Judy Blume Forever is now streaming on Prime Video.

SEE ALSO: How 'Judy Blume Forever' uses animation to illustrate taboo topics 23. Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World Credit: Jim Wells / AP / Shutterstock

Music is awash with secret histories like the one explored in Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World. The documentary from co-directors Catherine Bainbridge and Alfonso Maiorana takes a look at the impact indigenous populations in America had on popular music.

In addition to Link Wray, the famed Shawnee singer/songwriter and guitarist whose most famous song serves as the film's title, Rumble profiles Jimi Hendrix, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Mildred Bailey, Redbone, and even formative blues legend Charley Patton, among others. — A.R.

How to watch: Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World is now streaming on Prime Video.

24. Between Me and My Mind

Director Steven Cantor's "slice of life" look at Phish frontman Trey Anastasio isn't going to turn any doubters into true believers, but it does offer a glimpse into the life of the guitarist and singer who fuels many of the band's creatively playful and often deeply nerdy antics.

While the film centers itself in a particular moment — a busy period in which Anastasio is finishing up the solo album Ghosts in the Forest as he prepares for Phish's 2018 run of New Year's Eve concerts at Madison Square Garden — it's not all about the music. This is a family affair that presents viewers with a glimpse into the subdued rocker's home life and off-stage history. Through that lens, we learn much about the way Anastasio thinks and approaches his work. — A.R.

How to watch: Between Me and My Mind is now streaming on Prime Video.

25. The Booksellers

If your toes curl during the scene in Beauty and the Beast where the Beast shows Belle his enormous library and she spins around so we can stare at the shelves of books going up, up, up into the rafters, then have we got the documentary for you! D.W. Young's 2019 doc (executive produced and narrated by Party Girl star and librarian icon Parker Posey) takes us into the world of rare and antiquarian book shops and book dealers in New York. Speaking with the people who run famed institutions like the Strand and the Argosy, as well as erudite authors and personalities like Fran Lebowitz and Gay Talese, you can practically smell the bookshop smell — you know, that sweet musty something — wafting off your screen as you watch. It'll make your best Belle fantasies come roaring back. — J.A.

How to watch: The Booksellers is now streaming on Prime Video.  

26. Welcome to Chechnya Credit: Courtesy of HBO

Focusing on LGBTQ refugees escaping from Chechnya, where they've been subject to government-sanctioned torture and murder, How to Survive a Plague filmmaker David France's harrowing 2020 doc follows its subjects' flight from their homeland using a wealth of modern tech, including cell phones and GoPros.

But it's the film's usage of AI technology, in order to disguise the refugees' faces and preserve their anonymity, that proved revolutionary, showing that AI can actually be used for good in some instances (rather than to just obliterate all artists' well-being, as has been the case as of late). But that tech still never manages to outshine the very human and very scary stories at the film's heart — one which has only felt closer to home with time — and which should shake any decent person to their core. — J.A.

How to watch: Welcome to Chechnya is now streaming on Prime Video.

SEE ALSO: 67 essential LGBTQ films to stream this Pride Month 27. Time

Documenting Sibil Fox Richardson's 20-year battle to get her husband Rob out of the Louisiana State Penitentiary for a crime that he very much did commit, filmmaker Garrett Bradley pieced together Time using home movies that Richardson herself filmed over the years. What the two summon forth is a devastating critique of the prison industrial complex and the state-sanctioned gears that grind up families. Because, as the film's moving footage attests at every turn, Rob's guilt is not who he is, not as a man or a husband or a father. We are all so much more than the mistakes we make, and the system as it's designed is blind, cruel, and indifferent. Rob was granted clemency in 2018, 21 years after he was convicted as a first-time felony offender to 60 years in jail, with no possibility for parole or probation. — J.A.

How to watch: Time is now streaming on Prime Video.

UPDATE: Aug. 1, 2024, 11:33 a.m. EDT This list was first published on Aug. 1, 2020. It has since been updated to reflect the current streaming options.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Prime Prime Video Sign up now for a subscription to Prime Video. Shop Now

How to watch the NFL online for free

Sat, 08/03/2024 - 00:00

TL;DR: Live stream the NFL for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Football might be America's favorite sport, but interest from around the world has been steadily growing in recent years. You can find fans of the sport in every corner of the globe, all with the same burning questions about how to follow the game without a costly subscription.

Fortunately, it's possible to watch the NFL without spending anything. If you want to watch the NFL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the NFL?

The NFL is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC).

Each team plays 17 games in the regular season. Following that, seven teams from each conference advance to the playoffs, culminating in the Super Bowl. This game is played in early February between the winners of the AFC and NFC championship games.

When is the NFL?

The NFL season begins annually with a three-week preseason in August, followed by an 18-week regular season running from September to January.

How to watch the NFL for free

Fans can live stream the NFL for free on these platforms:

  • Australia — 7plus (select regular season games and every NFL playoff game)

  • France — 6play (one game per week)

  • Germany — RTL (select regular season and postseason games)

  • New Zealand — TVNZ (up to three games per week)

  • UK — My5 (Monday Night Football games)

These streaming services are geo-blocked, but anyone from around the world can access these free platforms with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, meaning you can unblock free streaming services from around the world without hassle.

Access free live streams of the NFL by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with free coverage of the NFL

  4. Visit 7plus, 6play, RTL, TVNZ, or My5

  5. Watch the NFL for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams of the NFL without committing with your cash. This is clearly not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch select NFL fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the NFL, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries

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

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

  • Fast connection speeds

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream the NFL for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

How to watch the women's 1,500m final at Paris 2024 online for free

Sat, 08/03/2024 - 00:00

TL;DR: Live stream the women's 1,500m final at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There's so much incredible, pulse-pounding athletics at Paris 2024 that it's hard to know which races to concentrate on watching (the answer's all of them of course, but not everyone has the time for that). But if there's one final you really should check out, it's the women's 1,500m.

That's because Kenyan mid-distance dynamo Faith Kipyegon is going for gold at her third consecutive games. Indeed, she nabbed the gold at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020. To get the gold for a third time in the same event would be an incredible feat — she'd be the first women in history to do it in a track event.

Keep reading to find out how you can watch the women's 1,500m final for free, from anywhere in the world.

When is the women's 1,500m final at Paris 2024?

The women's 1,500m final at Paris 2024 takes place at 2:15 p.m. ET on Aug. 10. The event is hosted by the Stade de France.

How to watch the women's 1,500m final at Paris 2024 for free

The women's 1,500m final at Paris 2024 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is a free streaming site that's geo-blocked for UK viewers only. But anyone can access this free platform with a VPN. VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure UK-based server, which helps you bypass restrictions and gain access to BBC iPlayer for free worldwide.

Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:

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

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

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

  4. Visit BBC iPlayer

  5. Live stream the women's 1,500m final at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but the leading VPN providers usually have incentive deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. You can leverage these offers to unblock BBC iPlayer — and all without spending anything in the long-run. It's a short-term solution, of course, but it gives you enough time to stream the women's 1,500m final at Paris 2024 (plus the events that follow) before reclaiming your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

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

  • Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds free from throttling

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95, which gives you an impressive discount of 49%. The plan includes a bonus three months at no additional cost, plus a whole year of unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the women's 1,500m final at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.

How to watch the women's 5,000m final at Paris 2024 online for free

Sat, 08/03/2024 - 00:00

TL;DR: Live stream the women's 5,000m final at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Many people have done the 5K — it's the standard goal for recreational joggers or anyone making the effort to get in shape — but imagine doing it at the level of a Paris 2024 athlete. The 5,000m final is the equivalent of going around the track twelve and a half times times. It takes a special kind of athlete to vie for a gold medal.

Incredibly, Dutch runner Sifan Hassan is attempting the 5,000m, the 10,000m, and the marathon at Paris 2024. Hassan won gold in the 5,000m at Tokyo 2020, so it's not necessarily an impossible dream. And you can watch Hassan in the women's 5,000m final for free, no matter where you are in the world.

Here's how to watch the women's 5,000m final at Paris 2024.

When is the women's 5,000m final at Paris 2024?

The women's 5,000m final at Paris 2024 takes place at 3:15 p.m. ET on Aug. 5. The event is hosted by the Stade de France.

How to watch the women's 5,000m final at Paris 2024 for free

The women's 5,000m final at Paris 2024 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is a free streaming site that's geo-blocked to the UK. But anyone can access this platform with a VPN. VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure UK server, which helps you sidestep restrictions and gain access to BBC iPlayer from anywhere worldwide.

Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:

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

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

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

  4. Visit BBC iPlayer

  5. Live stream the women's 5,000m final at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not actually free to use, but the leading VPNs usually offer free trial periods or money-back guarantees. You can leverage these offers to unblock BBC iPlayer — and without spending anything in the long-run. It's a short-term solution, but it gives you enough time to stream the women's 5,000m final at Paris 2024 (plus the events that follow) before reclaiming your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

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

  • Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds free from throttling

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95, for an impressive discount of 49%. The plan also gives you a bonus three months for free, plus a whole year of unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the women's 5,000m final at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.

How to watch the women's 800m final at Paris 2024 online for free

Sat, 08/03/2024 - 00:00

TL;DR: Live stream the women's 800m final at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

You have to admire the power, speed, and determination it takes to excel at the 800m. That's why the women's 800m final at Paris 2024 is quite simply can't-miss. Great Britain's Keely Hodgkinson looks to be the frontrunner of this exciting event — and it would be her first gold medal at this level, following two silver medals at Tokyo.

And you can watch Hodginkson race for the gold for free, no matter where you are in the world. Here's how to watch the women's 800m final at Paris 2024.

When is the women's 800m final at Paris 2024?

The women's 800m final at Paris 2024 takes place at 3:47 p.m. ET on Aug. 5. The event is hosted by the Stade de France.

How to watch the women's 800m final at Paris 2024 for free

The women's 800m final at Paris 2024 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is a free streaming site that's geo-blocked to the UK. But anyone can access this platform with a VPN. VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure UK server, which helps bypass restrictions and enables access to BBC iPlayer from wherever you are in the world.

Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:

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

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

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

  4. Visit BBC iPlayer

  5. Live stream the women's 800m final at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not actually free, but the top VPNs will usually offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. You can leverage these offers to unblock BBC iPlayer but without committing any cash in the long-run. This is obviously a short-term solution, but it gives you enough time to stream the women's 800m final at Paris 2024 (as well as all the events that follow) before reclaiming your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

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

  • Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds free from throttling

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95, which gives you an impressive 49% off for a limited time. The plan includes an extra three months for free, plus a whole year of unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the women's 800m final at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.

How to watch the men's 800m final at Paris 2024 online for free

Sat, 08/03/2024 - 00:00

TL;DR: Live stream the men's 800m final at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

If running round the entire track once sounds tough, try doing it twice — and at world-beating speed. Because that's what you'll get when you tune into the 800m final at Paris 2024: Some of the greatest athletes on the planet racing one of the most demanding distances possible on the track.

The men's 800m final will last a little over 1.40 minutes. And the medals will be hotly contested between Algeria’s Djamel Sedjati, Kenya’s Emmanuel Wanyonyi, France's Gabriel Tual, and Spain’s Mohamed Attaoui, who all ran impressive times in pre-Paris competition. It's a race that's not to missed. And the good news is, you don't have to.

If you want to watch the men's 800m final at Paris 2024 for free from anywhere in the world, read on to find out how.

When is the 800m final at Paris 2024?

The men's 800m final at Paris 2024 takes place at 1:05 p.m. ET on Aug. 10. The event is hosted by the Stade de France.

How to watch the 800m final at Paris 2024 for free

The men's 800m final at Paris 2024 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is a free streaming site that's geo-restricted to the UK. But anyone can access this platform with a VPN. A VPN can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, which will bypass restrictions and give you access to streaming sites such as BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:

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

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

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

  4. Visit BBC iPlayer

  5. Live stream the men's 800m final at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not actually free to use, but the top VPNs tend to offer free trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to stream the men's 800m final at Paris 2024 (along with all the events that follow) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

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

  • Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds free from throttling

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream the men's 800m final at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.

51 of the best Harvard University courses you can take online for free

Sat, 08/03/2024 - 00:00

TL;DR: Take a wide range of online courses from Harvard University for free with edX.

edX is a special place that hosts free online courses from some of the top educational institutions in the world, including Harvard University. You can become a student of this famous school without spending anything or leaving home.

You can find free online courses from Harvard University on everything from AI to cybersecurity with edX, so what are you waiting for? These are the best free online courses from Harvard University this month:

You won't get a certificate of completion with these free courses, but don't let that hold you back. Students can still enroll at any time and start learning at their own pace.

Find the best free online courses from Harvard University with edX.

Opens in a new window Credit: Harvard University Harvard University Courses Free at edX Get Deal

How to watch USA vs. Puerto Rico at Paris 2024 online for free

Sat, 08/03/2024 - 00:00

TL;DR: Live stream USA vs. Puerto Rico at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The basketball at Paris 2024 has been really entertaining, and we can't see that changing as USA take on Puerto Rico. The U.S. team is absolutely stacked with incredible talent, which makes for some truly special moments. Things will be tough for Puerto Rico, but they won't go down without a fight.

If you want to watch USA vs. Puerto Rico at Paris 2024 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is USA vs. Puerto Rico at Paris 2024?

USA vs. Puerto Rico at Paris 2024 takes place at 11:15 a.m. ET on Aug. 3.

How to watch USA vs. Puerto Rico at Paris 2024 for free

USA vs. Puerto Rico at Paris 2024 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These are tools that hide your real IP address and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:

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

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

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

  4. Visit BBC iPlayer

  5. Live stream USA vs. Puerto Rico at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream USA vs. Puerto Rico (plus the rest of Paris 2024) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

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

  • Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds free from throttling

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream USA vs. Puerto Rico at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.

How to watch the women's 400m final at Paris 2024 online for free

Sat, 08/03/2024 - 00:00

TL;DR: Live stream the women's 400m final at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Of all the events at Paris 2024, the 400m must be one of the most impressive. It covers a whole lap around the athletics track and demands a combination of both speed and strategy.

The finals are approaching fast — quite literally considering the pace of these athletes — including the women's 400m. Jamaican runner Nickisha Pryce is one to watch, as well as the Dominican Republic's Marileidy Paulino.

If you want to watch the women's 400m final at Paris 2024 for free from anywhere in the world, here's all the information you need.

When is the women's 400m final at Paris 2024?

The women's 400m final at Paris 2024 takes place at 2:00 p.m. ET on Aug. 9. The event is hosted by the Stade de France.

How to watch the women's 400m final at Paris 2024 for free

The women's 400m final at Paris 2024 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is a free streaming platform that's geo-restricted to the UK. But anyone can access BBC iPlayer with the use of a VPN. A VPN can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer, along with all the Paris 2024 action, from anywhere in the world.

Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:

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

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

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

  4. Visit BBC iPlayer

  5. Live stream the women's 400m final at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPN providers usually offer free trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing any cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it will give you time to stream 400m final at Paris 2024 (plus any events that follow) before you recover any upfront investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

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

  • Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds free from throttling

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months at no additional cost — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the women's 400m final at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.

How to watch the women's 100m Hurdles final at Paris 2024 online for free

Sat, 08/03/2024 - 00:00

TL;DR: Live stream the women's 100m hurdles final at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Paris 2024 is well underway, and it's already been a thrilling watch for sports fans from across the globe. From athletics to fencing, the competition is hot this year. And with athletes from all around the world competing for the chance of a gold medal, the talent is abundant.

If watching seriously-fast athletes is your thing, you won't want to miss the women's 100m hurdles final. Competitors are likely to include Nigeria's Tobi Amusan and the USA's Masai Russell.

If you want to watch the women's 100m hurdles final at Paris 2024 for free from anywhere in the world, keep on reading because we have all the information you need.

When is the women's 100m hurdles final at Paris 2024?

The women's 100m hurdles final at Paris 2024 takes place at 1:35 p.m. ET on Aug. 10. The event is hosted by the Stade de France.

How to watch the women's 100m hurdles final at Paris 2024 for free

The women's 100m hurdles final at Paris 2024 is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

While BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, anyone can access this streaming platform with the use of a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:

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

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

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

  4. Visit BBC iPlayer

  5. Live stream the women's 100m hurdles final at Paris 2024 from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are often not free, but most do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. If you take advantage of these offers, you can unblock free streaming services such as BBC iPlayer without spending any cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream the women's 100m hurdles final at Paris 2024 (plus all the events that follow) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

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

  • Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds free from throttling

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream the women's 100m hurdles final at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.

The best strimmers for tidying up your garden

Sat, 08/03/2024 - 00:00

A beautiful lawn doesn't come easy. It takes, blood, sweat, tears, and the real equipment. That's the same for everyone, whether you just dabble in gardening or you're a pro landscaper. Even if you struggle with the blood, sweat, and tears bit, it's certainly worth tooling up with the best gardening equipment you can afford.

Top of the list, of course, is a lawn mower. But it's worth backing that up with a strimmer (sometimes called a lawn trimmer). If a lawn mower does the bulk of the worth, a strimmer is for the finer details. Strimmers are designed to trim the edges, borders, and even keep the lawn itself tidy by cutting back weeds and long patches. In other words, the strimmer takes care of the bits that your lawn mower can't reach.

But unless you’re a gardening expert, choosing the right strimmer is harder than lugging a mower around. There's plenty of jargon and spec that might not make sense — not to mention a selection of brands to choose from. But we're here to help put you on the right (garden) path by recommending some top models. But before we get to that, here’s some helpful information about buying a new strimmer.

Are there different types of lawn strimmers?

The main types you’ll have to choose from are electric strimmers that plug into the mains, cordless strimmers powered by rechargeable batteries, and petrol strimmers which give you extra power. The best option for you really depends on the size of your garden and its current state. Is it big and overgrown? In that case you'll need power.

Corded vs. cordless strimmers — which are best?

It’s less a case of which is best and more which type best suits your garden and gardening needs. Corded strimmers are generally cheapest and best for casual use, but they’re slightly limited by the cord. You’ll need easy access to a mains outlet — and you must check that the cord reaches far enough to cover your lawn.

Cordless strimmers are built for convenience — lightweight and easy to handle around the garden. The main drawback is that you have to recharge them after use. Look for a model with battery power to match the size of your garden. 

What are the benefits of a petrol strimmer?

Petrol-powered strimmers give you power. If you have a large garden, or particularly tough grass and weeds to cut through, a petrol strimmer is likely the best option. They’re not always the best for delicate or precision-perfect jobs.

What is lawn edging?

Lawn edging is pretty much as it sounds — the art of keeping your lawn neat, tidy, and even styled. It can be surprisingly hard to do if you don’t have the right tools. Some strimmers are built for both regular trimming and edging, or may have a cutting head that converts into an edger. This can add a touch of artistic flair to your gardening.

What are the most important lawn strimmer features?

As well as edging, there are other handy features that can elevate a strimmer from good to great. They can include a telescopic shaft, adjustable handle, shoulder strap, and brush cutter for tackling brambles and shrubbery.

What's an automatic line feed?

Another feature that can be a deal-breaker for some gardeners is an automatic line extension. The “line” is the thing that whips around quickly and does the actual business of grass cutting (though some strimmers use a blade). The line can sometimes break, so you need a system to replace the line mid-cut. Strimmers may have an automatic line feed, which replaces the line as you cut, meaning you do don't have faff about with changing spools. Others replace the line with the press of a button — or by giving the head a bump on the ground.

What is the best lawn strimmer?

There are plenty of impressive models out there from top brands like Bosch and Flymo. To help you find the right strimmer for you and your garden, we have lined up a selection of the very best models. We have considered customer reviews, specifications, and features to give you a clear idea of what's out there.

These are the best garden strimmers in 2024.

Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for August 3

Fri, 08/02/2024 - 22:00

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

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for August 2's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for August 2 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Something a reptile may shed.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no reoccurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter 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...

SCALE.

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

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

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

NYT Strands hints, answers for August 3

Fri, 08/02/2024 - 22:00

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for August 3 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for August 3

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: A night at the museum

The hint for the theme is that they are eras.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The answers are related to artistic periods.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is ArtHistory.

NYT Strands word list for August 3
  • Classical

  • Medieval

  • ArtHistory

  • Baroque

  • Modern

  • Romantic

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

Prep for 8 different IT certifications in this £23 course bundle

Fri, 08/02/2024 - 21:01

TL;DR: Improve your CV with the Ultimate Cybersecurity and IT Career Certification Pathway Training, on sale for £23.40 as of Aug. 2.

As the majority of the world migrates from physical offices to virtual ones, companies depend more than ever on IT professionals who can help employees communicate, collaborate, and automate routine tasks. They provide teams with the functionality and security needed to actually do their jobs — plain and simple.

If you’re looking to join these computer superheroes in keeping the workforce working, you’ll need to have some certifications and skills under your belt. This IT career training from experts David Bombal and Total Seminars can help. 

Bombal is dubbed a CCIE #11023 Emeritus, which means he’s held an active Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert status for over a decade. He’s also taught Cisco courses for almost as long, and boasts an instructor rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars.

Total Seminars provides certification training services and materials to thousands of schools, corporations, and government agencies — like the U.S. Department of Defense and the United Nations. The Total Seminars team also produces the number one-selling CompTIA A+ and Network+ Certification books.

Together, these experts will lead you through eight courses and over 169 hours of prep content on the most in-demand Cisco and CompTIA certifications, including the CCNA 200-301, CompTIA IT Fundamentals ITF+, A+ Certification Core 1 and 2, Network+, Security+, CySA+ Cybersecurity Analyst, and PenTest+.

It’s not going to be easy by any means, but the beauty of having unlimited lifetime access to this content is that you can work through it all on your own time. You can access it on your desktop or mobile device, so it’s easy for you to study from practically anywhere.

For a limited time, you can learn what it takes to secure eight different IT certifications for only £23.40 (valued at £143.68).

Opens in a new window Credit: David Bombal Ultimate Cybersecurity and IT Career Certification Pathway Training £23.40 at the Mashable Shop
£143.68 Save £120.28 Get Deal

NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for August 3

Fri, 08/02/2024 - 21:00

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

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for August 3's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

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

Tweet may have been deleted

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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for August 3 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

  • Yellow: Elation

  • Green: Being civil with someone you don't like

  • Blue: That's BS

  • Purple: Things you press

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

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

  • Yellow: Bit of Excitement

  • Green: Tolerate

  • Blue: Nonsense

  • Purple: Things to Click

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 #419 is...

What is the answer to Connections today
  • Bit of Excitement: HIGH, KICK, RUSH, THRILL

  • Tolerate: BEAR, STAND, STOMACH, TAKE

  • Nonsense: BALONEY, BULL, BUNK, TRIPE

  • Things to Click: HEELS, MOUSE, REMOTE, TOUNGE

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

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

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

Google pulls 'Dear Sydney' Gemini AI ad after online backlash

Fri, 08/02/2024 - 17:52

Apparently using Google Gemini to write a fan letter in the voice of a little girl doesn't sit well with people.

Google has pulled its "Dear Sydney" ad after major backlash that criticized Google for misjudging how much the public values genuine human expression.

The ad features a father using the Google Gemini chatbot to help his daughter write a fan letter to Olympic track and field star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. "I'm pretty good with words," says the father, "but this has to be just right." Cue Gemini, and a fan letter written entirely by a bot that, being a bot, can't possibly understand concepts like admiration, inspiration, or just the experience of being a human child.

"We believe that AI can be a great tool for enhancing human creativity, but can never replace it," said a Google spokesperson in a statement to Mashable. "Our goal was to create an authentic story celebrating Team USA. It showcases a real-life track enthusiast and her father, and aims to show how the Gemini app can provide a starting point, thought starter, or early draft for someone looking for ideas for their writing."

SEE ALSO: The new iPad ad essentially flips AI-weary creatives the bird

But given the negative reaction online, Google missed the mark. The ad's message is offset by a recurrent theme in the generative AI era: companies have eagerly adopted generative AI in the hopes of attracting users. But in a classic case of a tech solution in search of a problem, they've sometimes repulsed consumers, and have struggled to find applications that prove genuinely useful. Earlier this week Meta scrapped its celebrity AI personas, while Taco Bell has expanded its AI voice automated ordering system despite McDonald's failings with a similar experience.

Even if Gemini nailed the tone and successfully mimicked the tone and age-appropriate literacy of the little girl, people online were horrified by the premise of using AI to write a fan letter. "It is one of the most disturbing commercials I’ve ever seen," posted Shelly Palmer, professor of advanced media at Syracuse University Newhouse School. "This is exactly what we do not want anyone to do with AI. Ever."

Tweet may have been deleted

"I cannot think of a less inspiring ad. What is even the point of sending that letter," posted X user @chikkadee.

Tweet may have been deleted

"Re: Google’s 'Dear Sydney' AI Ad - much like Apple’s Crush, the question we need to ask ourselves isn’t 'what can AI/texhn do for us?'" wrote another user @Aerocles referring to a similarly tone-deaf ad from Apple that literally crushed creative tools. "But 'what role do we want it to play in our lives?' Just because AI can do something, doesn’t mean we want it to."

Tweet may have been deleted

Washington Post columnist Alexandra Petri was so infuriated that she wrote an entire column about it saying, "This ad makes me want to throw a sledgehammer into the television every time I see it."

It's hard to summarize all the ways the public feels Google's ad fell short. Whether it's coming under fire for implying that automated text is more valuable than children's expression, or discouraging kids doing their own writing, or simply signaling to parents that this is a good use of generative AI, there are so many issues. But the Los Angeles Times's Ryan Faughnder encapsulated the overall mood pretty well in a post on X: "Turns out it's really hard to market apocalyptic A.I. technology."

Tweet may have been deleted

Elon Musk's X is the 'home of social media piracy,' sports leagues say

Fri, 08/02/2024 - 16:51

"The home of unlawful social media piracy."

That's what some of the biggest football leagues in the world are calling Elon Musk's X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, in a letter obtained by the Associated Press.

The letter from soccer leagues like Premier League, LaLiga, Bundesliga, and Serie A, which was sent to X CEO Linda Yaccarino, demands that the company take more action against copyrighted content being illegally published on the platform.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk spreads doctored Kamala Harris campaign video on X

Since Elon Musk took over X, then known as Twitter, in October 2022, pirated content has run rampant. Almost immediately after Musk's acquisition, users began sharing full-length films from major companies with little-to-no oversight. The company seemingly made matters worse by rolling out new updates and features, like the ability to upload longer videos, that seemed to further enable the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted content.

The football world calls out X

Along with the Premier League and LaLiga, the letter to X was also signed by major soccer governing bodies like UEFA and CONMEBOL. 

Potentially even more concerning for X is the fact that networks and platforms that air the leagues' games signed the letter too. Companies like DIRECTV, Sky, Movistar Plus+, beIN, and DAZN – all of which signed the letter – have distribution rights to a variety of sports, not to mention entertainment events and shows, in addition to soccer.

In the letter, these organizations specifically call out X for its "persistent failings" in moderating unlawful distribution of copyrighted material. The letter makes it clear that this problem is unique to the platform since Musk's acquisition.

"X’s approach to taking down unlawful live content notified to them is woefully insufficient and inadequate," reads the letter sent to Musk, Yaccarino, and X. "This makes our respective intensive efforts to tackle this problem hugely inefficient. Critically, since you acquired the platform, we have witnessed a demoralizing reduction in technical support making it ever more difficult to engage with the platform in any kind of meaningful discussion on this topic."

The letter mentions how X under Musk has severely lacked in providing support for these companies, an issue the letter says has been exacerbated by the fact that X's content moderation resources were recently decreased by 20 percent. The letter also says that X "lacks many of the features which other responsible social media operators deploy to combat piracy.”

All of these issues combined have resulted in "an increased perception among pirates that they can do as they wish on X with impunity," according to the letter, which provides examples of illegal live streams being broadcast on X. 

Mashable noticed such livestreams spreading on X during the recent 2024 Copa América and Euros tournaments as well, and monitored some of these streams. These streams were rarely taken down on X. When one was removed, often a new feed would just be shared in its place.

Mashable has reached out to X about these streams, and the others mentioned in the letter, and will update if we hear back.

Will this affect X's sports dominance?

X has lost users from various online communities to competitor platforms like Threads and Bluesky over the past few years.

However, one user base that's continued to hold strong on X are sports fans. 

X is still the place for real-time discussion of the biggest games and matches on social media. Because X is where the fans are, many sports leagues and teams have remained active on the platform. Right now, for example, X is filled with not only Olympics-related content but also paid advertising from the networks currently airing the 2024 summer games in Paris.

However, X's relationship with sports leagues and broadcasters could certainly be affected by the company's blasé response to the publication of pirated content. X is already very familiar with advertiser boycotts as a result of Musk's leadership or even his own behavior. 

The leagues and organizations behind the letter sent to X says that they "urgently call for a meeting with X’s representatives to address this unacceptable situation."

Porn site BangBros apparently leaked millions of records, including user data

Fri, 08/02/2024 - 15:44

Porn site BangBros has allegedly exposed user and model information, cyber security site Cybernews reported.

In June, the research team at Cybernews discovered more than eight gigabytes of sensitive information about BangBros users. This information included IP addresses, usernames, messages, countries and geolocations, and model names, ages, and descriptions.

SEE ALSO: Should I use a VPN to watch porn?

"Although the credentials were not leaked directly, hackers can associate the IP addresses with the identity from other leaks," explained Cybernews information security researcher Mantas Kasiliauskis in its reporting.

The sensitive information had been stored on an unprotected instance of Elasticsearch, a searchable distributed document storage system typically used for high-volume data. The largest file of the leak contained nearly 11 million records. Cybernews researchers claim this data was likely left unprotected because of an "inadvertent configuration error."

Cybernews contacted BangBros, and the error was fixed. According to Cybernews, however, there's still a risk to users if adversaries accessed the data.

"If bad actors managed to get their hands on this data, they might trace and link adult content viewers' habits to specific individuals," Kasiliauskis said. "Combined with other private information, this could lead to significant privacy issues, cause personal embarrassment, and result in social stigma in places with conservative attitudes."

Mashable has reached out to BangBros for comment and will update if we hear back.

The U.S. is suing TikTok for allegedly violating children's privacy laws

Fri, 08/02/2024 - 14:26

A new fight has popped up in the ongoing battle between TikTok and the U.S. government, but this time, it's about children's online privacy.

The Justice Department sued TikTok on Friday, alleging that the social media platform violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by allowing children to create accounts and interact with adults — and collecting and retaining their data without getting consent from their guardians. COPPA, which was passed over two decades ago, requires social media platforms and other websites to get parental consent before collecting personal information from children under 13. In response, most social media platforms — including Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat — simply don't allow anyone under 13 to make an account. TikTok, on the other hand, offers a view-only experience for children under 13.

SEE ALSO: Here's how the TikTok ban will likely play out in the courts

"This action is necessary to prevent the defendants, who are repeat offenders and operate on a massive scale, from collecting and using young children’s private information without any parental consent or control," Brian M. Boynton, the head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, told the Associated Press in a statement.

This comes after the FTC sued Musical.ly, the app that would later become TikTok, for violating COPPA in 2019, the AP reported; Musical.ly paid $5.7 million to resolve the allegations at the time.

"TikTok knowingly and repeatedly violated kids’ privacy, threatening the safety of millions of children across the country," FTC Chair Lina Khan said, according to NBC News. "The FTC will continue to use the full scope of its authorities to protect children online — especially as firms deploy increasingly sophisticated digital tools to surveil kids and profit from their data."

TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Mashable.

LeBron James joins Simone Biles in shading Trump after her gold medal win

Fri, 08/02/2024 - 14:02

Simone Biles dunked on Donald Trump, and it didn't take long for LeBron James to join in.

Some context: Biles, the undisputed gymnastics GOAT, won the all-around gold in women's artistic gymnastics at the 2024 Paris Olympics on Thursday. This followed Team USA gold earlier in the week. All that winning — and likely more to come in individual events — elevated Biles to a standing all her own in modern artistic gymnastics.

SEE ALSO: How women’s gymnastics is scored at the Olympics, and how Simone Biles pushes those boundaries

In the wake of the golds, Biles took a pretty clear jab at former President Donald Trump. Ricky Davila posted on X: "Simone Biles being the GOAT, winning Gold medals and dominating gymnastics is her black job." That was a reference to Trump saying migrants were "taking Black jobs."

Biles quote-tweeted Davila, saying, "I love my black job."

Tweet may have been deleted

It was a quick shot at Trump after his comments at the National Association of Black Journalists annual convention, and apparently, James approved. He quote-tweeted Biles with "Black [goat emoji]."

Tweet may have been deleted

James, who some folks argue is the basketball GOAT, has taken a shot at Trump on Twitter before, calling him "U bum" back in 2017. Biles, meanwhile, has clearly made it a point to enjoy the Paris Olympics her way after getting lots of hate following her decision to withdraw from the 2021 Tokyo Games due to "the twisties." She previously went out of her way to shade her former teammate MyKayla Skinner, who had questioned the talent and dedication of Team USA.

So look out world: Simone Biles is not just winning golds, she's settling scores.

Pages