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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 today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for May 10 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for May 11, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A wooden fastener.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter D.

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...

DOWEL.

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 11

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

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

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

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is currently serving 11 years in prison for defrauding investors with her scam-laden blood testing start-up. Her partner, with whom she shares two children, is currently trying to raise $50 million for a blood testing start-up.

Despite the internet's initial response that it must be satire or fake...nope. This story is very real and reported in the Tony pages of the New York Times. Billy Evans' company is called Haemanthus — a flower also known as the blood lily — and bills itself as “the future of diagnostics” with “a radically new approach to health testing,” the Times reported. That sounds, well, pretty much exactly like Theranos.

You might wonder why Evans, described by the Times as an heir to a hotel fortune, wants to get into blood-testing of all businesses. And frankly, your guess is as good as mine. Maybe because technically it's the family business?

Citing unnamed sources, NPR reported Evans has "raised millions" so far, but mostly "among friends, family and other supporters." The company reportedly plans to begin testing pets for diseases before moving on to people.

The internet simply couldn't believe this whole story was real. One user on Bluesky poking fun at the headline had to clarify that no, the story was neither AI nor a joke.

The absolute fucking cackle I let out at this headline

[image or embed]

— Mrs. Detective Pikajew, Esq. (@clapifyoulikeme.favrd.social) May 10, 2025 at 11:32 AM

Stop asking me if this is fake or AI 😭😭😭 www.nytimes.com/2025/05/10/b...

[image or embed]

— Mrs. Detective Pikajew, Esq. (@clapifyoulikeme.favrd.social) May 10, 2025 at 12:33 PM

The internet, naturally, also had lots of jokes about Evans' start-up.

So ... I guess Elizabeth Holmes wasn't available for Surgeon General then?

— Stonekettle (@stonekettle.bsky.social) May 8, 2025 at 12:41 PM

It's so romantic that Elizabeth Holmes' boyfriend is starting his own fraudulent blood testing company while she's in prison for fraud

— Ian Boudreau (@ianboudreau.com) May 10, 2025 at 12:22 PM

This is a call from Camp Bryan Federal Prison from *deep voice* Elizabeth Press one to accept the charges. *BEEP* ELIZABETH HOLMES: I have another blood idea.

— Sen. Lemon Gogurt (@ugarles.bsky.social) May 10, 2025 at 12:34 PM

Has it occurred to anyone that maybe Elizabeth Holmes is just a very dainty vampire.

— Tim Carvell (@timcarvell.bsky.social) May 10, 2025 at 12:47 PM

In a time full of weird, unbelievable headlines, it's really remarkable that the news can still be surprising.

If you don't want AI to scrape your music to learn, then it might be time to leave Soundcloud.

The music streaming platform quietly updated its terms of service sometime last year to allow AI to train on audio uploaded to Soundcloud, TechCrunch reported this week.

“You explicitly agree that your Content may be used to inform, train, develop or serve as input to artificial intelligence or machine intelligence technologies or services as part of and for providing the services,” the terms read, via TechCrunch.

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Not long after the TechCrunch report was published, Soundcloud clarified that it does not currently use audio uploaded by users to train AI. However, the company did not rule out doing so in the future.

"SoundCloud has never used artist content to train AI models, nor do we develop AI tools or allow third parties to scrape or use SoundCloud content from our platform for AI training purposes," Marni Greenberg, SVP and head of communications at SoundCloud, told The Verge. "In fact, we implemented technical safeguards, including a 'no AI tag' on our site to explicitly prohibit unauthorized use."

Greenberg further noted that music from major labels would be exempt from any AI training and confirmed that other users would have the opportunity to opt out of any such usage.

Greenberg told The Verge:

"The [terms of service] explicitly prohibits the use of licensed content, such as music from major labels, for training any AI models, including generative AI. For other types of content uploaded to SoundCloud, the TOS allows for the possibility of AI-related use.

Importantly, no such use has taken place to date, and SoundCloud will introduce robust internal permissioning controls to govern any potential future use. Should we ever consider using user content to train generative AI models, we would introduce clear opt-out mechanisms in advance—at a minimum—and remain committed to transparency with our creator community."

So as of right now, if you're uploading music, podcasts, or other audio to Soundcloud, it is not using it to train AI. But it seems Soundcloud is preparing for the day it will.

Google will pay Texas $1.4 billion to settle a pair of lawsuits alleging that the company violated people's privacy rights.

The lawsuit alleged that Google collected users' biometrics without express consent and tracked their locations even if the feature was disable.

SEE ALSO: Google's stock falls as Apple actively considers AI search for Safari

“In Texas, Big Tech is not above the law. For years, Google secretly tracked people’s movements, private searches, and even their voiceprints and facial geometry through their products and services. I fought back and won,” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement this week. “This $1.375 billion settlement is a major win for Texans’ privacy and tells companies that they will pay for abusing our trust. I will always protect Texans by stopping Big Tech’s attempts to make a profit by selling away our rights and freedoms.”

The suit involved allegations that Google misused location history in Maps and data in Photos. Texas alleged, for instance, that Google used features in Photos to scan faces. The company told Engadget that Photos scanned faces for organizing purposes only. Google denied wrongdoing as it agreed to the settlement.

“This settles a raft of old claims, many of which have already been resolved elsewhere, concerning product policies we have long since changed,” Google spokesman Jose Castaneda told CNBC. “We are pleased to put them behind us, and we will continue to build robust privacy controls into our services.”

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Saturday, May 10, 2025:

AcrossCommon inclusion in a tourist's brochure

• The answer is Map.

Olympic honor

• The answer is Medal.

Any of a set of green plastic toys in "Toy Story"

• The answer is Soldier.

Still on the loose

• The answer is At large.

Driver's license or passport

• The answer is Photo ID.

Star of the Eras Tour

• The answer is Swift.

30, 45 or 50, on a beach bottle: Abbr.

• The answer is SPF.

DownChills (out)

• The answer is Mellows.

Prompt after swiping one's card at an iPad cash register

• The answer is Add a tip.

Form groups of two

• The answer is Pair off.

Flittering fliers around a flame

• The answer is Moths.

Totally authentic

• The answer is Legit.

Sticky stuff

• The answer is Sap.

"No turn on ___" (road sign)

• The answer is Red.

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

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

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

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

Living in Boston, I've adjusted to the sweltering summers. The best way to survive is a good AC unit and some well-timed trips out of town. So imagine my horror when, three years ago, I moved into an apartment that would make installing an AC unit impossible. With horizontally sliding windows, there was no way to make either a window or a portable AC unit work.

As someone who would probably get the most restful sleep of my life in a walk-in refrigerator, I was worried about being comfortable at night in the Northeast humidity without an AC. However, after some research, a former coworker recommended the Vornado 660 to get me through. And oh man, is it the best $100 I've ever spent.

Vornado 660 Fan $94.85 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $5.14 Shop Now

This table fan doesn't look like much. It doesn't oscillate and comes with just four speed settings, but don't judge a fan by its features. The Vornado 660 fan is the most powerful fan I've ever used. At max or even just medium-high speed, it circulates air vigorously, allowing me to sleep comfortably even when temperatures hit the 90s. That summer without AC, I slept easily and restfully thanks to the Vornado 660.

An air conditioner pulls warm air from a room and recycles it through a refrigerant system to push out cool air, while a fan works by circulating air that evaporates heat on your body. So, while an AC unit tackles the whole room, a fan works best when positioned directly at you. That's the case with the Vornado 660, too, which, when pointed directly at you, keeps your temperature crisp even when it's sweaty outside. But the Vornado also focuses on air circulation, creating a vortex in a room that bounces air flow off walls. While I can't see those air paths to testify to its efficacy, I can attest that using this fan always leaves my room feeling refreshed rather than dense with stale air.

The Vornado 660 only has four settings but oh man are they powerful. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

If I had any beef with the Vornado 660, it's that it is a dust magnet, frequently collecting dust in its grates. Luckily, it can be taken apart for a thorough clean; otherwise, I recommend just developing a regular dusting schedule. But otherwise, it's a fantastic AC alternative, especially since it uses a fraction of the electricity. Even if you could install an AC, if you want to save money on your electric bill, go for a fan instead.

Since procuring the Vornado 660 three years ago, I've bought a second one for our home office. I use the Vornado 660 year-round while sleeping, both as gentle white noise and extra cooling. Even though we now have an AC unit in our bedroom, the fan helps the air stay fresh. Our household is so passionate about the Vornado 660 that my partner and I bring it on vacation when we don't trust our accommodation's cooling options.

If you can't install an AC in your home this summer or want to save on your electric bill, the Vornado 660 fan is my favorite option for staying cool.

Convoluted, jargon-laden hardware specifications (specs) can make laptop shopping difficult for those of us who aren't especially tech-savvy. But as Mashable's resident laptop expert, I know that being able to decipher them is essential to pinpointing PCs that fit your needs and identifying when deals are actually worthwhile. So, a basic working knowledge is valuable.

Below, I walk through common specs for today's Apple MacBook and Windows laptop components in plain language, and dole out some recommendations for different types of users. (For a deeper dive into specs for Chromebooks, which are cloud-based laptops that run on Google's ChromeOS, read our dedicated "Chromebooks versus laptops" guide.) Spoiler alert: The RAM in question is not a horned sheep, the chiclets are not edible, and the nits you'll encounter don't have the potential to hatch your scalp.

Processor Credit: Intel

The central processing unit (or CPU) is a chip inside a laptop's motherboard that's responsible for executing all tasks and commands. It's often referred to as the machine's brain or control center.

Modern MacBooks run on Apple's custom-made M-series chips. In Windows laptops, you'll find CPUs made by Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm (i.e., its Snapdragon line). Qualcomm processors are based on a different kind of Windows architecture than Intel and AMD chips, and as such, they don't work with some games and certain specialty apps.

SEE ALSO: The best laptops for 2025, tested by our experts

I don't typically recommend buying a laptop with a processor that's more than two generations removed unless your needs are basic, or if you care more about saving money than future-proofing. (Older laptops tend to be way cheaper and easier to find on sale than newer ones.) It's really easy to tell the age of a MacBook's CPU: The bigger the number in its M-something processor name, the newer and faster it is. Intel and AMD's naming schema is a bit more complex — the former has a CPU generation guide on its website — but put simply, they follow the same "higher model number equals newer/better" logic.

Shoppers can pick from three different Qualcomm chips in Windows laptops as of mid-2025: the Snapdragon X, Snapdragon X Plus, and Snapdragon X Elite. I've listed them in order from least to most powerful, but the low-end Snapdragon X chip is the company's latest release.

Graphics processor

The graphics processing unit (or GPU) is a specialized chip that's responsible for rendering the visuals on a laptop's screen.

There are two different species of GPUs out there. One is an integrated GPU, which is built into the laptop's CPU and shares its memory with it. They're cheaper than the alternative, but they're also not powerful enough for serious gaming or multimedia editing. Integrated GPUs have the same manufacturer as their CPU (Intel goes with Intel, Qualcomm with Qualcomm, etc.).

The other type of GPU you'll come across is a dedicated GPU, aka discrete GPU, which is a standalone graphics card that has its own memory. They offer more power for intensive tasks but consume a lot more of it: Laptops with dedicated GPUs (e.g., gaming laptops) tend to have lousy battery lives. They also cost a premium. Among dedicated GPUs, the biggest names are Nvidia's GeForce RTX series and AMD's Radeon RX series. GeForce RTX GPUs can be paired with CPUs from any manufacturer, but Radeon RX GPUs only come with AMD CPUs.

SEE ALSO: The best gaming laptops of 2025

In comparing dedicated GPUs between different laptops, I usually advise prospective buyers to go up to two generations back if they want a good deal or if they mainly play casual and indie games. If you're someone who keeps up with the latest Triple-A games (and you've got cash to burn), a current-gen GPU is worth the investment. When it comes to decoding GPU model numbers, higher numbers still indicate brawn and brand-newness.

Memory Credit: HUIZENG HU / Moment via Getty Images

A laptop's random-access memory (RAM) is where it temporarily stashes the data its CPU needs for any active applications. The more RAM a machine has, the more tasks its system can handle simultaneously.

Sixteen gigabytes of RAM has become the industry standard as of late, even among MacBooks, and that's going to be a great starting point for most people. You can bump that up to the next configuration tier (usually 32GB) or higher if you do a lot of demanding gaming or content creation. Those with basic workloads can get away with 8GB of memory — "basic" meaning sending emails, writing documents, watching YouTube, and maybe playing Minecraft — but don't go any lower than that.

As mentioned, dedicated GPUs have ready access to their own little stockpile of RAM called VRAM, or video random-access memory, for handling graphics data. The more visually intricate Triple-A games you play, the more VRAM you'll want.

Storage

A laptop's storage is the space where it keeps long-term data — your documents, downloads, photos, videos, and audio files.

You'll run into a few different types of storage at different pricing levels. SSD (Solid-State Drive) storage is used in mid-range and premium laptops, while UFS (Universal Flash Storage) and eMMC (embedded MultiMediaCard) flash storage are common in budget PCs. They go in that exact order from fastest to slowest data transfer speeds.

SEE ALSO: Chromebook vs. laptop: What are the differences?

Casual users can get by with 256GB of storage, the standard starting configuration for most laptops, but you'll want to upgrade to at least 512GB for a daily driver, especially if you do any sort of regular gaming or creative work. Keep in mind that the laptop's operating system takes up a chunk of its storage space, so you won't get to utilize the full advertised capacity.

Display Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

A laptop's display (or screen) is the panel on which it produces text and visuals. It's the focal point of the device's lid, the thin slab attached to its base (or chassis) with hinges. It also serves as your main way of interacting with the laptop's software, so it's crucial that it's relatively nice and apt for your needs. Consider the following display specs:

Screen size

Laptop screens range in size from 11 to 18 inches, and like TV screens, they're measured diagonally from corner to corner. Stick with the lower end of that range (11 to 13 inches) if you frequently work on the go and prioritize portability. Stay in the middle (14 to 15 inches) if you want a machine that has more power and screen real estate for multitasking, but is still relatively easy to tote around. Go for the upper end (16 to 18 inches) if you'll mainly be using your laptop for gaming or multimedia work, and you're OK with it staying parked in one spot most of the time.

Screen type

Delving into laptop display technologies gets convoluted and acronym-heavy fast, so I've done my best to compile a brief, no-nonsense rundown of the two-ish types you'll encounter most often. Touchscreens come in both varieties, for what it's worth.

LCD screens are the standard among low-end to mid-range laptops. They look fine and don't suck up a ton of power. There are two notable LCD subtypes, one being IPS displays, which have better, more realistic colors from wider viewing angles compared to regular LCD displays. The other is mini-LED displays, which are brighter and have better contrast. They're newer and pricier.

SEE ALSO: When to buy a laptop, whether you need the latest specs or a great deal

The other main type of laptop screen out there is the thin OLED display, which features rich colors with deep blacks and stark contrast. They can be decently energy-efficient if their picture isn't constantly super bright or white. (The main trade-off is a proclivity for burn-in.) They used to be reserved for high-end laptops, but nowadays they're available on models at a variety of price points.

Resolution

A laptop screen's resolution refers to its dimensions in pixels. (Pixels are teeny little light-emitting dots that make up the screen's picture.) The higher the resolution, the sharper the picture is going to be. Full HD (or 1920 x 1080 pixels) is a good baseline for general-purpose usage and even some gaming, but feel free to go up from there if there's some wiggle room in your budget, or if your workflow necessitates it. Gamers and creatives who like detailed visuals should look into QHD (2560 x 1440) or 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) options.

Resolution is directly tied to another minor display spec called aspect ratio, which is basically just a width to height comparison. A wider 16:9 aspect ratio has traditionally been the go-to, but 16:10 and 3:2 aspect ratios with more vertical space are getting more popular. They're considered better for general productivity versus entertainment.

Refresh rate

A laptop screen's refresh rate (measured in hertz) refers to the number of times it updates its picture per second. The higher the refresh rate, the smoother motion looks. General-purpose laptops typically have 60Hz displays, while fancier gaming laptops range from 120Hz to 240Hz so action-packed titles look clean. There are some gaming laptops out there that go all the way up to 480Hz, but that's way overkill.

Brightness

The brightness of a laptop's screen (that is, the amount of light it produces) is measured in nits. The more nits, the brighter the screen and the easier it is to see its picture in direct sunlight.

Laptop displays generally range from 250 nits on budget models to 600 nits on premium PCs, with some elite content creation laptops capable of cranking up to 1,000 nits and beyond. I wouldn't go any lower than 300 nits, but I also don't think it's necessary to buy the brightest screen possible: There's a good chance you'll hardly use it at its maximum setting because it'll strain your eyes. It'll also zap the laptop's battery life. (For reference, I can work all day with my 500-nit MacBook Pro set to about 75 percent brightness.)

Webcam Credit: Molly Flores / Mashable

A laptop's webcam is the front-facing camera built into its display. It's located in the top bezel (screen border), or in the case of MacBooks, in a small notch that juts down into the screen. Some webcams come with physical privacy shutters that you can slide open or closed with a finger.

Laptop webcams aren't as lousy as they used to be: While some gaming PCs still have 720p webcams, manufacturers have mostly (finally) moved on to 1080p as the standard resolution, and many newer models boast 5MP, 9MP, or 12MP options. That said, most of them are still pretty lousy compared to smartphones' front-facing cameras, no matter the resolution. If you care deeply about video call quality, I'd just resolve to buy an external webcam.

Keyboard Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Laptops have "island-style" keyboards with low-profile, spaced-out keys. They're also frequently called "chiclet" keyboards (as in Chiclets, the square-shaped gum candies). Some include numeric keypads, or numpads, next to their QWERTY setups, but they feel rarer nowadays, with most keyboards opting for just the top row of numbers.

Most modern laptops have backlit keyboards; snazzy gaming laptops' keyboards sport colorful "RGB" backlighting. They also typically have fingerprint readers built into one of their keys for security purposes. Windows laptops from 2024 on have dedicated Copilot keys — Copilot being Microsoft's AI assistant.

Touchpad or trackpad

A laptop's touchpad or trackpad is the touch-sensitive rectangle below the keyboard that allows you to control its cursor without needing a separate mouse. It can be made of plastic (on cheap laptops) or glass (on nicer laptops).

Touchpads on MacBooks and Windows laptops support gestures — e.g., pinching your fingers on the surface to zoom. Some higher-end models have haptic touchpads that produce subtle vibrations when certain actions are performed.

Connectivity Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Every laptop has a selection of ports on the side of its chassis — or in the case of some gaming laptops, the rear portion below its hinges — which let the user connect different accessories and peripherals. Think external monitors, keyboards, and wired headphones.

Common ports on today's laptops include USB-C ports, Thunderbolt 4 ports, 3.5mm audio jacks, and a charging port. Some models still tack on a USB-A port, but those are being phased out. (Such older ports are referred to as legacy ports.) Laptops geared toward multimedia editing come equipped with HDMI ports and SD/microSD card slots.

Battery life

A laptop's battery life is a measure of how long it lasts on a single full charge. This can vary greatly depending on the specs of its other components, their settings, and the tasks the machine runs throughout the battery cycle. Manufacturers typically list laptops' battery lives as potentials — "up to 18 hours," for example — and in my experience, they rarely hit their advertised maximum in practice.

Weight

Laptops keep getting thinner and lighter as time goes on, which is stellar if you value portability and sleekness. (Models under three pounds are deemed lightweight.) However, gamers and creative professionals shouldn't shy away from heavier options. In the laptop world, heft is associated with power.

Final thoughts: What's the best laptop for you?

If you live near a major tech retailer like Best Buy or Costco, consider paying them a visit to see some laptops in person. You'll be able to check out different brands' keyboards, touchpads, displays, webcams, and overall build quality — maybe not for the purpose of actually buying one of the models on display, but just to figure out your preferences for certain components so you can hone a pool of contenders.

Of course, you won't be able to get a real feel for a laptop's internal specs until you take it home and start using it. That's why we put myriad laptops through an exhaustive real-world testing process involving performance and battery life benchmarks (which we combine with design and value judgements to produce final ratings). We want to give our readers the knowledge to make smarter buying decisions from the jump.

For the latest takeaways from our testing, check out Mashable's guides to the best laptops we've tried, including breakouts for the best MacBooks, Windows laptops, gaming laptops, and cheap laptops. At the time of writing, we think the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4) is the best MacBook for most people. Among Windows laptops, the 13-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 is our top pick. And for gamers, the Alienware m16 R2 is the best option we've tested to date.

Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $1,049 at Best Buy
$1,199 Save $150 Shop Now Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, 13-inch (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,199.99 at Amazon
$1,399.99 Save $200 Shop Now Alienware m16 R2 (Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,899.99 at Best Buy
Shop Now

A black hole skulking in the shadows 600 million light-years away in space gave itself away with a dazzling flash, the light of a star it had just gnashed and eaten. 

Using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and other observatories, astronomers found the cosmic object in an unexpected place. Rather than sitting dead center in its galaxy like most supermassive black holes, this one was thousands of light-years away from the core — 2,600, in fact. 

What's more, there is another enormous black hole that is the actual nucleus. While the catawampus black hole has the mass of 1 million suns, the one that defines the galactic center is 100 million times the mass of the sun. 

The burst of radiation detected, known as a tidal disruption event or TDE, began when a star wandered too close to the black hole. If not for that stellar snack, the black hole would have escaped astronomers' notice. 

"It opens up the entire possibility of uncovering this elusive population of wandering black holes with future sky surveys," said study author Yuhan Yao of UC Berkeley in a statement. "I think this discovery will motivate scientists to look for more examples of this type of event."

SEE ALSO: Soviets were headed to Venus in 1972. The spacecraft is about to return. The Hubble Space Telescope, a partnership of NASA and the European Space Agency, confirms the presence of a wandering supermassive black hole, 600 million light-years from Earth. Credit: NASA

Out of about 100 TDE events discovered through surveys so far, this one, dubbed AT2024tvd, is the first scientists have seen emerging from a supermassive black hole that is not a galactic nucleus. The research team's findings, announced by NASA, will be published in an upcoming issue of The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Black holes are some of the most inscrutable phenomena in outer space. About 50 years ago, they were little more than a theory — a kooky mathematical answer to a physics problem. Even astronomers at the top of their field weren't entirely convinced they existed. Today, not only are black holes accepted science, they're getting their pictures taken by a collection of enormous, synced-up radio dishes on Earth. 

Unlike a planet or star, black holes don't have surfaces. Instead, they have a boundary called an "event horizon," or a point of no return. If anything swoops too close, like the doomed aforementioned star, it will fall in, never to escape the hole's gravitational clutch.

The most common kind, called a stellar black hole, is thought to be the result of an enormous star dying in a supernova explosion. The star's material then collapses onto itself, condensing into a relatively tiny area. 

How supermassive black holes form is even more elusive. Astrophysicists believe these invisible giants lurk in the heart of virtually all galaxies. Recent Hubble observations have bolstered the theory that they begin in the dusty cores of starburst galaxies, where new stars are rapidly assembled, but scientists are still teasing that out. 

A supermassive black hole is off-center in a galaxy 600 million light-years from Earth. Credit: NASA / ESA / STScI / Ralf Crawford illustration

As the star was stretched and torn asunder in the TDE, some of its gas formed a glowing ring around the black hole. The resulting flare flashed brightly in ultraviolet and visible light.

Telescopes on the ground, such as the Zwicky Transient Facility in California, first detected it. But it was Hubble that confirmed the flare's off-center location. NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory in space and the Very Large Array in New Mexico provided supporting data.

The two supermassive black holes both reside in the same galaxy, yet they are not a binary pair, meaning they're not bound to each other through gravity. Scientists don't know how the wandering black hole got there. 

A star's remnants form a disk around a hidden supermassive black hole. Credit: NASA / ESA / STScI / Ralf Crawford illustration

One possibility is that the smaller black hole came from a smaller galaxy that at some point merged with the larger one, bringing its central black hole along for the ride. Eventually, the smaller black hole may spiral into the larger one. For now, it's doing its own thing. 

Another possibility is that it was ganged up on by a couple of bully black holes. In so-called three-body interactions, the lowest-mass object can be evicted from the center of a galaxy, with the two others remaining in the galaxy's core. 

"Theorists have predicted that a population of massive black holes located away from the centers of galaxies must exist," said Ryan Chornock, a member of the ZTF team, in a statement, "but now we can use TDEs to find them.”

The Bumble CEO has returned to run the struggling company she founded, and says she has a plan for getting Gen Z back.

Some eco-friendly home swaps hit harder than others. While some are technically sustainable in material (e.g., a bamboo soap dish), they don't exactly tackle the root of a daily environmental threat (e.g., recurring plastic waste).

For the past several years, I've rewired myself to find the path of least waste in any situation, especially in my habits at home. What I've come to realize is that the list of things you could be doing to live more sustainably (but aren't) doesn't have to be the massive or frumpy undertaking that most people think it is. The Suri toothbrush is a stellar example of that, merging style and sustainability in a way that could finally convince people to green up their bathroom routine.

Suri and its travel case are super lightweight and go with me everywhere. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The Suri recyclable electric toothbrush fills a huge gap

Eco-friendly toothbrushes historically haven't been stylish. I can't blame anyone for thinking a bamboo handle feels splintery, or for being icked out by the way white toothpaste dries on the wood-like texture.

Plus, many modern folks don't even want to settle for a manual toothbrush, anyway. In the ancient aughts of the 2000s, manual toothbrushes were overwhelmingly the norm. If I went to a friend's house and they had an electric toothbrush, it was like, "OK, this is a fancy house." But now, it's kind of the opposite. It's super likely to walk into someone's bathroom and see an electric toothbrush, especially given the fact that you can find one for as low as $20 or $30.

That demand then posed a need for an eco-friendly electric toothbrush option. Suri found a way to meet people where they're at with this hygiene habit.

How does Suri's recycling process work?

Electric toothbrushes in general aren't necessarily better for the environment than manual ones if the plastic replacement heads are just going in the trash. But that's not what's happening with Suri's plastic-free design.

Suri replacement heads come with a mailer to send back the old ones. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The handheld body, which you'll reuse, is made of sturdy, recyclable aluminum, while the replaceable brush heads are made of cornstarch.

Materials aside, the best part about the Suri toothbrush is that you don't have to figure out what your local recycling rules are — because Suri does it for you. Around every two or three months, once your bristles are noticeably frayed, you just pop the old brush head into an included pre-paid mailer and drop it off with USPS. A pack of three replacement heads costs $18.99, and three heads should last nearly nine months.

Sustainable options need to be as easy as Suri

In my many years of being on everyone's ass about making more earth-friendly decisions, I've developed a pretty solid idea of what changes people are willing to make in their daily lives.

Given the financial and mental stresses of simply existing as an adult, the "but it's good for the environment!" argument often doesn't justify having to jump through hoops to live more sustainably. Understandably, it's also hard to get people motivated when they know that their personal efforts are probably being canceled out by the emissions spewed out by big tech like Google or the billions of pounds of plastic waste dumped by Coca-Cola each year.

SEE ALSO: What if protecting coral reefs means growing them on land?

But ignoring personal action because it "won't matter" in the grand scheme of things is a fallacy. What if a giant group of people decided that their personal daily habits actually would do something? As minuscule as it sounds, a toothbrush is a great place to start — a mass of people ditching disposable toothbrushes for good could put a real dent in the billion toothbrushes thrown away globally each year.

Are electric toothbrushes better than manual ones?

Mouth hygiene deserves so much more attention than the mindless two-ish minute motion implanted into our brains since childhood. Like TikTok's beloved Tefi Pessoa (@hellotefi), many of us were today years old when we found out that the correct order for your oral care regimen is floss, then mouthwash, then brush teeth. Similarly, it may or may not be common knowledge that traditional manual toothbrushes aren't as effective as electric ones.

This mostly has to do with how their respective bristles combat plaque. Electric toothbrushes use high-speed buzzes to push bristles (and subsequently, toothpaste) between teeth and chip away at plaque on the surface.

SEE ALSO: As tariffs invade the apparel market, selling your clothes online is the move — here's how

This is a level of meticulousness that just can't really be achieved with manual brushing alone. Plus, using too much elbow grease when brushing manually is just begging for irritated gums and frazzled bristles that look like they just clean grout.

Suri dishes out 33,000 sonic vibrations per minute to scrub your teeth. Even though it's not the oscillating design that some competitors have, Suri says this strategic vibrational approach removes five times more plaque than a manual toothbrush. Quip toothbrushes use a similar approach. After more than six months with my Suri, I can confirm that it's a noticeably more wholesome clean than what I was doing by hand with my old toothbrush.

Suri's settings aren't as advanced as some other electric toothbrushes. A single button controls two intensity modes, and I am personally very fine with an app not being involved. Every 30 seconds, buzzing pauses momentarily to tell you to move to a different quadrant of your mouth. Simple, yet effective.

Working Suri into your routine is seriously seamless

Suri is not only more sustainable but also arguably cuter than other electric toothbrushes. And in a world where morning and nighttime routines have become somewhat of a religious experience, the aesthetics of the once-humble toothbrush cannot be understated.

The color options here are the cherry on top of the already-appealing minimalist design. There are five pastel hues to choose from: winter fern (green), morning waves (blue), midnight black, sea mist (pearly white), and sunset bloom (salmony pink). There's a chic shade for everyone, to the point where this is the rare occasion that a toothbrush would actually be a cool gift to give or receive. That's how my mom now has a Suri.

The Suri toothbrush hanging on my bathroom mirror. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The Suri toothbrush charging on my bathroom counter. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

You can let your Suri chill upright on the counter or hang it on the mirror with the included mirror mount. Either way, its curb appeal objectively beats that of the average plastic toothbrush in a toothbrush holder that's never been washed.

Speaking of de-crustifying, the travel case that comes with Suri feels significantly more sanitary than any previous toothbrush travel case I've used. (They somehow perpetually have dried toothpaste on them no matter how many times I've washed them.) Inside the Suri case lid lies a UV-C light said to kill 99.9 percent of any harmful bacteria that's inevitably building up on your bristles.

Crisp hotel bed sheets and a fancy, UV-sanitized toothbrush. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Regardless of how you store it, you won't have to worry about setting up the charging cord more than once a month. I've been using my Suri for six months now and have only had to charge it a handful of times — the claimed "40+ day battery life" isn't a stretch at all. When the red light indicates that the battery is running low, you can get back to a full charge in four hours. I didn't even have to pack my charger on my eight-day trip to Disney World. At home, I have to charge my Suri so infrequently that I keep forgetting where I store the charger.

Is the Suri electric toothbrush worth it?

Yes, I genuinely think the Suri toothbrush is worth it. Of all of the sustainable swaps I've tried in my bathroom routine, Suri required some of the least work on my part. Plus, there's just something energetically rewarding about knowing a product is actively reducing your personal trash output.

To be fair, Suri's recycling system does cost more than many traditional toothbrushes, and does require you to make an occasional pitstop at USPS. Not everyone will be down to make those changes. But IMO, Suri's cost and minimal extra effort was a negligible adjustment, one absolutely worth it to cut back on my personal landfill contribution.

Suri Sustainable Electric Toothbrush $101.15 at Amazon
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The Tesla billionaire is using his social media site X to rant and accuse. The politics of rage rarely worked out well for earlier moguls.

Save 20% on Lego Botanicals: This weekend, you can save $10 on one of our favorite Lego Botanicals when you grab the Tiny Plants building set for $39.99

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Botanicals Tiny Plants $39.99
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Legos are made to bring us joy. And who couldn't use a little more joy in their life?

So, if you're feeling sick of your boring old desk, cubicle, nightstand, coffee table, or bookshelf, then add some extra flair courtesy of Lego Botanicals.

We've written about Lego Botanicals a lot here at Mashable. You could say we're fans. What can we say? There's just something about these colorful, everlasting botanical creations that hits us right in the inner child. Cherry blossoms. Roses. Orchids. Succulents. Floral bouquets. Heck, even the Bamboo one looks cool.

Oh, and did we mention that they're pretty much all on sale right now? Actually, we did.

Couldn't your bookshelf use a little more color? Credit: Lego

This weekend, we're focused on Lego Tiny Plants, the adorable building set that lets you "craft nine plants based on arid, tropical, and carnivorous species, each nestled in a buildable, terracotta-colored flower pot." Personally, we prefer the cacti, but you can always swap them out as you like. In total, Tiny Plants comes with 758 pieces, so it's not a 10-hour project for die-hard brickheads (not that there's anything wrong with that).

For anyone whose cubicle or home office could use a little bit more color, this kit's for you. Head to Amazon to pick up the Lego Tiny Plants building kit while it's on sale.

Before NASA shot astronaut Scott Kelly into orbit for the first time in 1999, he had an important order from his commander: Take one of these diapers, and go practice at home. 

So there he was, wearing a government-issued space diaper, lying down in his bathtub with his legs propped up. He was trying to simulate the way he'd be sitting in the Space Shuttle. 

After living his whole life trying to avoid peeing his pants, Kelly found it took some unlearning to be able to relax and let the good times, er, flow. But he eventually figured out how to open the floodgates. When it was his turn as commander on his next mission, he gave the same instructions to his crew: Go practice. That order, however, didn't go over so well with one male astronaut.

"I actually had a crew member that wouldn't practice, refused to, and then almost had to be catheterized in space," Kelly told Mashable, adding empathetically that being an astronaut is a lot of pressure. 

That's why when his agent called him with a promotional opportunity to work with Goodnites, a maker of children's disposable bedtime underwear, he wanted to help reduce the stigma of bedwetting. It wasn't just the shared experience of needing to wear a diaper-like undergarment he identified with, it was the incredible pressure he realized children also must feel. Nighttime incontinence affects one in four 5-year-olds, one in five 7-year-olds, and one in 20 10-year-olds, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

"Kids have a lot of stuff on their plate," said Kelly, who has two adult children, "so if this could help some kids feel less embarrassed about wetting the bed, I was all in."

SEE ALSO: Yes, NASA astronauts will still pee in their new spacesuits NASA astronaut Scott Kelly prepares for the Expedition 43 launch inside the Soyuz TMA-16M spacecraft at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Credit: NASA / Victor Zelentsov

It's common knowledge that astronauts wear diapers. Perhaps no one brought that to the fore more than former astronaut Lisa Nowak — but that's a 900-mile story for another time. 

The shuttle and International Space Station have toilets, but sometimes the crew don't have access to them. During launches and landings, astronauts must stay strapped into their seats, and spacewalks — when astronauts venture outside for experiments or maintenance tasks — often require being sealed in a spacesuit for up to eight hours. 

Not many people can hold it for that long while continuously hydrating, so diapers have become a necessity — especially after the astronaut corps expanded to include women. The original urine collection contraptions designed for male astronauts couldn't be easily adapted for female anatomy. 

A sample of an adjustable Maximum Absorbency Garment, or "MAG." Credit: NASA / Center for the Advancement of Science in Space NASA donated unused MAG samples to the National Air and Space Museum. Credit: NASA / National Air and Space Museum

In 1988, NASA started making MAGs — Maximum Absorbency Garments — for all its astronauts, said Kiona N. Smith, author of Peeing and Pooping in Space. The MAG uses a highly absorbent polymer compound between layers of material to remove moisture, which turns the pee into a solid gel.

Perhaps deep down we're all snickering 12-year-olds, a fact that may have inspired Smith's book, but that curiosity is as innate as nature's call. 

"As silly as the questions and answers sometimes sound," Smith told Mashable, "it's that human urge to go, 'OK, but how does this work?'"

Goodnites' new "Mission Dry" ad campaign, which launched last month, includes a commercial featuring Kelly. The video opens with the astronaut and a young crewmate doing a spacewalk and basking in the once-in-a-lifetime view of the stars. But the child can't enjoy the experience because he's distracted. He accidentally peed in his spacesuit and fears mission control will make fun of him. 

Child: Houston's probably laughing. 

Kelly: They're not laughing. 

Child: How do you know?

Kelly: Because I just peed.

Child: Just now? 

Kelly: Just now. 

Kelly, who is now retired after spending 520 days in space, was paid for the gig. As a public space agency, NASA doesn't usually endorse companies or their products. But he's not the only astronaut who liked the campaign's message. Cady Coleman, also retired from NASA, and a handful of other people who have flown on parabolic and short commercial flights, are also lending their voices. 

"On one of my missions, I did need to pee while I was wearing my spacesuit, and it went just fine," Coleman said in a reel on Instagram. "My suit was clean and dry, ready to go, and so was I."

Retired NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and others have joined a Goodnites disposable nighttime underwear ad campaign. Credit: Goodnites

For four decades, NASA has used the same spacesuit technology for astronauts. Axiom Space is designing a new one for the Artemis III crew, who will be the first people to walk on the moon since 1972. Though engineers have made several improvements, including dust-resistant materials, a compact life support system, and an HD video camera attachment, some things won't change, like wearing a MAG, said Russell Ralston, Axiom Space's deputy program manager for extravehicular activity.

"If it's not broken, don't fix it," Ralston told Mashable during the news conference in 2023. "They're just honestly a very effective solution. Sometimes simplicity is best."

That means a long and illustrious legacy of pants-peeing on the moon will continue, following in the boot prints of Apollo 11's Buzz Aldrin, the self-proclaimed first.

"He stepped off the bottom step of the lunar lander and realized he had to go," Smith said. "So you've got this picture of him standing there on the lunar surface, and what you don't realize is he is 100 percent peeing into his urine collection device at that moment."

TL;DR: This refurbished MacBook Air combines portability and power, and now it’s just $199.97 (reg. $999) through June 1.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Refurbished Apple MacBook Air (1.8GHz i5, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) $199.97
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In the market for a new laptop? If you’re hoping to snag something lightweight that doesn’t skimp on power, you can’t get much better than a MacBook Air. And right now, you can snag one of these refurbished Apple favorites for just $199.97 (reg. $999) through June 1.

Tackle anything, anywhere for 12 hours straight with this lightweight MacBook

Some laptops make you choose between power and portability, but this MacBook provides both in a sleek silver package. This model weighs in at just 2.96 pounds, but still manages to come equipped with a powerful 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM to tackle whatever the day brings.

With a 13.3-inch widescreen display, it’s easy to answer emails or take a break and binge-watch a show. The Intel HD Graphics 6000 provides crystal-clear visuals and a smooth streaming experience. And if you’re hoping to save content right on the device, you have plenty of room with its impressive 128GB of storage.

An impressive 12-hour battery life lets you get things done without hunting down an electrical outlet halfway through the day. And Bluetooth and WiFi capabilities allow you to connect easily wherever you go.

Wondering how you’re scoring this model for 80% off? It’s a grade A refurbished device, which means it will arrive on your doorstep in near-mint condition with virtually no signs of prior use, while you enjoy a deep discount.

Act fast to bring a MacBook Air home for only $199.97 (reg. $999) through June 1, while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Stop scrolling endlessly to find your next binge sesh with help from a lifetime subscription to BitMar Streaming Content Finder, now $14.99 (reg. $150) with code BITMAR5 through June 1.

Opens in a new window Credit: BitMar BitMar Streaming Content-Finder: Lifetime Subscription $14.99
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Need help finding something to watch? If all the streaming services you pay for aren’t cutting it, it’s time to think about switching to BitMar.

This streaming content finder helps you discover movies, shows, songs, and more, and you can currently secure a lifetime subscription for less than your other streamers cost monthly — just $14.99 with code BITMAR5 — through June 1.

Pay once, enjoy endless entertainment for life

Tired of jumping between apps to find something to watch? BitMar ends that by serving as your own personal AI-powered free content finder.

Think of BitMar as a smart, Bing-powered search engine for what to watch, as it puts millions of free movies, TV shows, videos, music, and more at your fingertips on one easy-to-use platform — like an all-you-can-eat buffet of entertainment.

Aside from easily finding you new things to watch, BitMar also lets you enjoy ad-free content. This especially helps when you select content on popular sites like YouTube, as you can watch without any annoying interruptions.

This lifetime subscription lets you stream on up to five devices so that you can hop between your smartphone, laptop, tablet, and smart TV easily.

If this sounds too good to be legal, don’t worry. BitMar complies with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and its content-finding model allows content creators and owners to monetize via the free traffic BitMar brings them. And you can snag it all for a low one-time price because you’re paying for the platform, not the content itself.

Secure your own lifetime subscription to BitMar Streaming Content Finder for just $14.99 (reg. $150) with code BITMAR5 through June 1.

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TL;DR: Streamline your workflow with instant access to multiple AI tools in one place with 1min.AI’s Advanced Business Plan lifetime subscription for just $99.99 (reg. $540).

Opens in a new window Credit: 1minAI 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime Subscription $99.99
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Tired of juggling multiple AI tools? 1min.AI brings ChatGPT, Gemini, Midjourney, and more into one easy-to-use platform that lets you take advantage of their individual strengths without the chaos of constantly switching tabs. And right now, a lifetime subscription to 1min.AI’s Advanced Business Plan can be yours for only $99.99 (reg. $540).

Put AI to work for you with this handy platform

Overwhelmed by AI? If you’re new to this booming technology field, keeping up with all the various platforms and their individual perks can be tough. That’s where 1min.AI really shines, consolidating them all in one convenient spot. Create images, optimize your website, or get help with text-based tasks on one platform, as 1min.AI takes advantage of platforms like Google AI, Meta AI, Gemini, Mistral, ChatGPT, and more.

This lifetime subscription to the Advanced Business Plan is an excellent option for helping you tackle work tasks. You’ll gain unlimited access to the prompt library, brand voice options, storage, and collaboration features for up to 20 colleagues.

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Need help with SEO? You can research up to 5,933 SEO keywords per month with this plan. And if you need more credits, it’s easy to earn them — just visit the app, leave a review, or refer a friend.

Let AI help you take a load off with 1min.AI’s Advanced Business Plan lifetime subscription, now only $99.99 (reg. $540).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: This gaming console, the Kinhank Super Console X2, has something for everyone in the family, and it’s now just $89.97 (reg. $159.99) through June 1.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kinhank Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro Retro Gaming Emulator & Streaming Console $89.97
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It’s not easy finding something that entertains the whole family, but the Kinhank Super Console comes pretty close. Packed with over 70,000 classic retro games from Atari, Nintendo, PlayStation, and more, this all-in-one device also doubles as a streaming hub that runs Android apps like Netflix and Disney+.

Right now, you can keep everyone happy for less while the Kinhank Super Console is just $89.97 (regularly $159.99) and includes free shipping through June 1.

This multitasking console covers everything from arcade to Android

The Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro is a multitasking gaming console that can bridge the generation gap. Let the Gen X-ers, and Millennials get in a healthy dose of nostalgia via retro games like Pac-Man, Street Fighter II, and Sonic the Hedgehog, then let the Gen Alphas in the group catch up on their Netflix favorites as it turns into a streaming device.

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The Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro offers easy plug-and-play use, just connect it to a TV, projector, computer, or laptop, and it’s ready to play. If you’re streaming, you’ll enjoy stunning 4K HD output.

It comes with two controllers, but if more people want to join the fun, you can connect more Bluetooth controllers. It also includes a 4GB TF card, a 256GB game card, a USB receiver, a power adapter, an HD cable, and a remote with your console.

Entertain everyone with the Kinhank Super Console X2, now just $89.97 (reg. $159.99) with free shipping through June 1.  

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Should AI chatbots have the same rights as humans?

Common sense says no — while such a far-fetched idea might make for good sci-fi, it has no place in American law. But right now, a major tech company is trying to bring that idea to life, pressing a federal court to extend legal protections historically primarily afforded to humans to the outputs of an AI bot. 

Character.AI, one of the leading AI companion bot apps on the market, is fighting for the dismissal of a wrongful death and product liability lawsuit concerning the death of 14-year-old Sewell Setzer III. As co-counsel to Sewell’s mother, Megan Garcia, and technical advisor on the case, respectively, we’ve been following these motions closely and with concern. 

In a hearing last week, Character.AI zeroed in on its core argument: that the text and voice outputs of its chatbots, including those that manipulated and harmed Sewell, constitute protected speech under the First Amendment.

But… how? The argument is subtle — deftly designed to remain inconspicuous even as it radically reshapes First Amendment law. Character.AI claims that a finding of liability in the Garcia case would not violate its own speech rights, but its users’ rights to receive information and interact with chatbot outputs as protected speech. Such rights are known in First Amendment law as “listeners rights,” but the critical question here is, “If this is protected speech, is there a speaker or the intent to speak?” If the answer is no, it seems listeners' rights are being used to conjure up First Amendment protections for AI outputs that don't deserve them. 

Character.AI claims that identifying the speaker of such “speech” is complex and not even necessary, emphasizing instead the right of its millions of users to continue interacting with that “speech.” 

But can machines speak? Character.AI’s argument suggests that a series of words spit out by an AI model on the basis of probabilistic determinations constitutes “speech,” even if there is no human speaker, intent, or expressive purpose. This ignores a cornerstone of First Amendment jurisprudence, which says that speech — communicated by the speaker or heard by the listener — must have expressive intent. Indeed, last year four Supreme Court justices in the Moody case said the introduction of AI may “attenuate” a platform owner from its speech.

In essence, Character.AI is leading the court through the First Amendment backdoor of “listeners’ rights” in order to argue that a chatbot’s machine-generated text — created with no expressive intent  — amounts to protected speech. 

SEE ALSO: AI companions unsafe for teens under 18, researchers say

This defies common sense. A machine is not a human, and machine-generated text should not enjoy the rights afforded to speech uttered by a human or with intent or volition.

Regardless of how First Amendment rights for AI systems are framed — as the chatbot’s own “speech,” or as a user’s right to interact with that “speech” — the result, if accepted by the court, would still be the same: an inanimate chatbot’s outputs could win the same speech protections enjoyed by real, living humans. 

If Character.AI’s argument succeeds in court, it would set a disturbing legal precedent and could lay the groundwork for future expansion and distortion of constitutional protections to include AI products. The consequences are too dire to allow such a dangerous seed to take root in our society.

The tech industry has escaped liability by cloaking itself in the protections of the First Amendment for over a decade. Although corporate personhood has existed since the late 19th century, free speech protections were historically limited to human individuals and groups until the late 1970s and peaked in 2010 with the Supreme Court’s Citizens United case. Tech companies have eagerly latched onto “corporate personhood” and protected speech, wielding these concepts to insulate themselves from liability and regulation. In recent years, tech companies have argued that even their conduct in how they design their platforms — including their algorithms, and addictive social media designs — actually amounts to protected speech.

But, at least with corporate personhood, humans run and control the corporations. With AI, the tech industry tells us that the AI runs itself — often in ways humans can’t even understand.

Character.AI is attempting to push First Amendment protections beyond their logical limit — with unsettling implications. If the courts humor them, it will mark the constitutional beginnings of AI creeping toward legal personhood.

This may sound far-fetched, but these legal arguments are happening alongside important moves by AI companies outside of the courtroom. 

AI companies are fine-tuning their models to appear more human-like in their outputs and to engage more relationally with users — raising questions about consciousness and what an AI chatbot might “deserve.” Simultaneously, AI companies are funneling resources into newly established “AI welfare” research, exploring whether AI systems might warrant moral consideration. A new campaign led by Anthropic aims to convince policymakers, business leaders, and the general public that their AI products might one day be conscious and therefore worthy of consideration. 

In a world where AI products have moral consideration and First Amendment protections, the extension of other legal rights isn’t that far off. 

We’re already starting to see evidence of AI “rights” guiding policy decisions at the expense of human values. A representative for Nomi AI, another chatbot company, recently said they did not want to “censor” their chatbot by introducing guardrails, despite the product offering a user step-by-step instructions for how to commit suicide. 

Given the tech industry’s long-standing pattern of dodging accountability for its harmful products, we must lay Character.AI’s legal strategy bare: it’s an effort by the company to shield itself from liability. By slowly granting rights to AI products, these companies hope to evade accountability and deny human responsibility — even for real, demonstrated harms. 

We must not be distracted by debates over AI “welfare” or tricked by legal arguments granting rights to machines. Rather, we need accountability for dangerous technology — and liability for the developers who create it.

Meetali Jain is the founder and director of the Tech Justice Law Project, and co-counsel in Megan Garcia’s lawsuit against Character.AI. Camille Carlton is policy director for the Center for Humane Technology, and is a technical expert in the case. This column reflects the opinions of the writers.

TL;DR: Live stream Golden State Warriors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (Game 3) in the 2025 NBA playoffs for free on Ran.de. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 NBA playoffs have been really entertaining, with a number of fascinating series between well-matched teams. We're expecting an absolute battle between the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves. Can Anthony Edwards lead his side to victory against the experience of Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green?

If you want to watch Golden State Warriors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (Game 3) in the 2025 NBA playoffs for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Golden State Warriors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (Game 3)?

Golden State Warriors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (Game 3) starts at 8:30 p.m. ET on May 10. This game takes place at the Chase Center.

How to watch Golden State Warriors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (Game 3) for free

Golden State Warriors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (Game 3) in the 2025 NBA playoffs is available to live stream for free on Ran.de.

Ran.de is geo-restricted to Germany, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Germany, meaning you can access this free streaming service from anywhere in the world.

Stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 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 Germany

4. Connect to Ran.de

5. Watch Golden State Warriors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (Game 3) for free

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (2-Year Subscription + 4 Months Free) $139 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Learn More

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select games from the NBA playoffs before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing free live streams on platforms like Ran.de, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Germany

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A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% 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 Golden State Warriors vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (Game 3) for free with ExpressVPN.

On any given day, poking around for TVs on sale is all but guaranteed to turn up at least some decent steals.

Of course, retailers don't casually offer their best TV prices year-round, and TV deals may soon be much harder to come by as tariffs invade the consumer tech market. Though TVs haven't quite been affected as overtly as the Nintendo Switch 2 or Xbox consoles, a majority of the best TV brands do their manufacturing in countries facing steep import rates. (LG is reportedly considering raising prices due to tariffs, while Samsung may be safer since most of its production is anchored in Mexico.)

Either way, knowing when TVs are cheaper than usual is a good adult shopping skill to have. The selection of live TV deals fluctuates depending on the month, and understanding the peaks of the TV calendar is a crucial chapter in the unofficial TV buyer's guide.

SEE ALSO: A tariff survival guide to buying refurbished smartphones, TVs, and headphones

Luckily, the best TV deals do peak at a few specific times throughout the year. You're not totally screwed if you don't have the time or the budget to scope out a new TV during Black Friday chaos (though that is the best time to buy a TV — spoiler alert). Aside from Black Friday, NFL playoffs season, and spring are two other times that you'll find a lot of TVs on sale (and at lower-than-usual sale prices), including premium flagship models that don't get much action otherwise. Let's break down the strategy.

(If your search is a more straightforward "just tell me the best TV deals right now" vibe, check out Mashable's dedicated TV tab. If we find a noteworthy TV deal on any given day, it'll pop up here.)

The #1 best time to buy a TV: Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Months: Late October, November, and early to mid-December

People may not be throwing down in a Best Buy parking lot at the crack of dawn anymore, but Black Friday TV deals are still unmatched — they're just not nearly as fleeting.

Black Friday is trending toward a month-long affair at this point, with retailers shifting into Black Friday mode online as early as October. The extended time frame raises the question of whether TV sale prices will drop even further closer to Black Friday. Thankfully, most of the big retailers aren't trying to trick you — in fact, Best Buy and Samsung will straight-up tag a certain deal as a Black Friday deal if they drop it ahead of time, confirming to buyers that there's no need to hold out until the week of Thanksgiving.

This is an especially auspicious time for budget shoppers looking for the cheapest possible version of a 4K TV at a certain size. During Black Friday, basic budget-friendly 4K TVs are typically the doorbusters that sell out soon after they drop — and are much less likely to return in the next few months.

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In-store or not, Best Buy TV deals during Black Friday include elite prices on top 65-inch TVs (or larger). You can save hundreds on high-end QLEDs, OLEDs, and big-screen cheap QLEDs at shockingly low prices. Budget-friendly TVs get even more. Our favorite TV deal from Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2024 was a Hisense 75-inch QLED TV for $449.99 at Best Buy. Walmart also stays in the mix with a handful of wild doorbuster deals on the best cheap TVs. Amazon mostly dabbles in the affordable TV crowd and focuses on its own Fire TVs, which often drop to record-low prices.

Post-holiday sales and New Year sales are absolutely a thing, but you can be confident that most TV prices are generally better before Christmas than after. We've seen firsthand how sale prices on TVs subtly go up by $100 or two (or three) during post-holiday sales. However, if you miss the Black Friday-Cyber Monday season, another chance to save soon follows...

The second-best time to find TV deals: NFL playoff season

Months: Mid-January to early February

The people want to know: Are TVs cheaper after the holidays? The answer is technically yes, but not in the "after-Christmas sales slash New Year's sales" way that you're thinking.

If you didn't snag your TV during Black Friday, your next best bet is to wait in the wings until the end of January for football-fueled deals, which kick off near the start of the NFL playoffs (sometime in mid to late January) and last until the big game (some in early to mid-February).

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The month-long lead-up to the biggest football game of the year — one of the most-watched sporting events of the year — is prime time to find a TV on sale. In particular, these deals may focus more on TVs that are good for watching sports: i.e., big-screen QLEDs. The vibrant lighting supplied by a QLED panel is ideal for following small details like a ball or tiny score box, as well as the brightness of the team's colors and the field to make your experience feel as live and in-person as possible. It's not uncommon for most of these deals to be identical to what we saw during Black Friday, or in some cases, drop even lower in price due to proximity to CES. (See explanation below.)

There is one group of TVs that still may not be seeing their lowest possible sale price during football sales: If you're eyeing one of the most premium, most recent models from a certain brand and still aren't seeing a discount of more than $100 or two, you might consider pumping the breaks until spring.

The third-best time to find TV deals: Spring

Months: March and April

Flagship TVs don't go on sale that often. And even when we get deals, the discounts hardly feel like a deal. (Oh, wow: $200 off a $2,000 TV? You shouldn't have.)

Until CES happens, that is. CES is a Las Vegas-based tech trade show where the latest and greatest consumer tech is unveiled to gadget enthusiasts. The annual TV release cycle mostly revolves around CES, as it's where brands like Samsung, LG, TCL, and Hisense show off their new TV designs for the year. While these fresh releases aren't the ones going on sale, those splashy new TV releases do force last year's models to go on sale.

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The key here is that the best deals start not when the TVs are announced at the event in January, but once they're officially up for grabs to the public in the spring. As of May 2025, most highly-awaited flagship TVs for the year are out, or at least have prices announced. For example, LG released the OLED C5 OLED in March, TCL released the QM6K Mini LED in March, and Samsung released the Frame Pro and unveiled prices for its S95F OLED in April. Funny enough, we already caught some small discounts on those new models in their first weeks on the market. Those were fleeting, but deals on the predecessors like the LG C4 OLED, TCL QM7, and older Samsung Frame models are what we're really eyeing.

Now that LG has finally released the 2025 C5 OLED, keep an eye out for drops on the C3 and C4. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The one outlier here is Sony, which has been sitting CES out for the past few years in favor of its own release schedule — a very Apple and iRobot-coded tactic. In 2023 and 2025, Sony announced its new TV lines for the year in March, though it deviated in 2024 with a June launch. Sony's slightly differing release calendar doesn't change the fact that Black Friday and football season are the main times for discounts. Then, Sony's discounts throughout the year will simply depend on when its annual TV lineup launches. Its 2025 Bravia 8 II OLED and Bravia 5 and 2 LCD models should be revealed any day now.

Honorable mention: Prime Day(s)

Month: July

Amazon is typically pretty low on the list of best places to buy a TV. While it does sell most of the same brands of TVs as competing retailers do, its sale prices are more volatile and often plagued by inflated prices that make discounts look better than they are. (Pro tip: You can spot-check the prices of TVs at Amazon by pasting the listing URL into Camelcamelcamel, a free Amazon price tracking site.)

However, Amazon stands out as a TV destination during the shopping holidays it made up for itself: Prime Day and Prime Big Deal Days (basically a second Prime Day). These events usually happen in July and October, respectively. Amazon Prime Day 2025 has been confirmed for July with specific dates TBA.

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Naturally, Fire TVs are the focal point during Prime events, and these deals go hard — for example, we've seen a 43-inch Amazon Omni 4K Fire TV drop to $99.99 and a 50-inch Hisense QLED TV for $149.99 during Prime Big Deal Days. (These are wild screen size to price ratios that can only be rivaled by similar Walmart doorbusters on its TV brand, onn.) Both of those jaw-dropping deals were invite-only deals that you have to request to unlock, but it's still a first-come, first-served situation that would be the case with any doorbuster deal.

But Amazon isn't the only good place to buy a TV on sale during Prime Day. Amazon's self-titled events also trigger conveniently-timed competing sales from its biggest competitors, and as antithetical as it sounds, Best Buy and Walmart almost always beat Amazon at its own game during Prime Day — with TVs, at least. Unless Fire TV is already your comfort streaming platform, don't limit your TV search to Amazon during these events just because Amazon picked the dates.