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Back in early February, popular messaging app Discord announced that it would roll out age verification in order to keep its teenage users safe on the platform. By the end of the month, after facing significant backlash, Discord announced that it would be pausing that rollout while addressing some of the issues.

According to Discord, those age verification checks will now be rolling out.

Discord has launched a system that already estimates users' ages based on several factors, such as general activity levels, communities and servers joined, games that an account is connected to, and how old a user account is.

The company has also assured users that no messages, calls, or other content have been analyzed to make an age determination.

SEE ALSO: Discord defaults to teen experience for all users

Discord must believe in its model, as the company says that 90 percent of its users will not have to do or change a thing. However, Discord knows that mistakes will be made. The company says that any user can check the age group they've been assigned to by going to User Settings and checking Account Status. 

The main backlash against Discord's age verification system centered on the privacy and security concerns that came with the facial age estimation and ID upload methods. Discord says that if a user has to verify their age, there are now additional methods to do so that don't require facial age estimation or ID verification. These alternative methods include a credit card authorization, allowing the Apple App Store or Google Play Store to share a user's age range, a Google Wallet confirmation, or an AgeKey credential.

Adult users on Discord will notice no changes to how the platform works. Teenage users will still be able to message friends, join voice calls, and join non-age-restricted servers. However, age-restricted content and spaces will be blocked. In addition, extra safety protections have been added in cases where a non-friend attempts to message a teenage user.

Discord says it has already launched age verification checks in places like Texas, where it's required, and wants to get ahead of age verification laws as they expand globally.

At Meta Connect on Wednesday night, Mark Zuckerberg unveiled what could be the next frontier of VR hardware for the company: the Meta VR glasses.

These new specs blend the form factor of regular smart glasses with the stereoscopic 3D and virtual reality capabilities of a Quest headset. But how, exactly, do these glasses compare with the Quest 3? We can't directly test the glasses just yet, but even on paper, there are some notable differences to consider.

SEE ALSO: Meta's new VR glasses: We tried them, plus Muse on Meta's AI glasses Meta VR Glasses vs. Quest 3: Price

The most obvious difference between these two devices, aside from the way they look, is the price. The VR Glasses, when they launch in 2027, will start at $1,299. The Quest 3, meanwhile, can currently be had for just $599. One of these VR devices costs literally more than twice as much as the other, so set your expectations accordingly.

Meta VR Glasses vs. Quest 3: Specs There's that puck. Credit: Meta

Despite the price difference, there are actually a couple of areas where the Quest 3 outperforms the VR Glasses on a specs level.

Here are the basic specs of the VR Glasses:

• Display: Micro-OLED display with 2412×2288 resolution per eye

• Field of view: 70 degrees by 66 degrees

• Processor: Snapdragon Reality Elite

• RAM: 12GB

• Starting storage: 128GB

• Controllers: Not included, but compatible

And here are the equivalent specs for the Quest 3:

• Display: LCD display with 2064×2208 resolution per eye

• Field of view: 110 degrees by 96 degrees

• Processor: Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2

• RAM: 8GB

• Starting storage: 512GB

• Controllers: Included

The VR Glasses have the Quest 3 beat on display resolution and RAM, as well as with a newer processor. But there are some areas in which the Quest 3 wins here, too. Its field of view is significantly larger, as you'd expect from something that completely covers your face. It also comes with significantly more starting storage and a pair of touch controllers. The VR Glasses have a microSD card slot for expandable storage, and the controllers are compatible, but not included.

Meta VR Glasses vs. Quest 3: Design That's a lot more bulky than the glasses. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon/Mashable

Well, this one's simple. One device is a pair of glasses, and the other is a full-on headset. Whichever you prefer is ultimately a matter of taste.

There are pros and cons to each. The VR Glasses allow the user a greater degree of spatial awareness because they don't cover as much of the face, but that might also make VR experiences less immersive. Meanwhile, the Quest 3 will probably be a bit more immersive, but it's heavier and more cumbersome because its computing hardware sits in the headset.

That last part is important, as the VR Glasses don't actually have any of the real computing hardware built into the glasses themselves. Instead, there's a computing puck attached to the device by wire, similar to the Apple Vision Pro. That's what allows the glasses to be as sleek as they are compared to the Quest 3, but it might also explain why the starting storage is so low in comparison.

Ultimately, the glasses weigh about 100 grams and the headset weighs 515 grams. That's a big enough difference to justify the use of a puck, but again, it's your call.

Meta VR Glasses vs. Quest 3: Software

There is some overlap in terms of available software features, but there are also some key differences between the VR Glasses and Quest 3. In general, it seems like the VR Glasses can do more.

Both devices run on the same operating system, and the glasses support all of the same content that is currently available on Quest 3. Things get more interesting when you look at what the VR Glasses can do that the Quest 3 can't. The glasses support eye tracking and face tracking in addition to hand tracking, while the headset supports hand tracking but not eye or face tracking.

As such, there are some VR Glasses-centric gaming experiences, like a new update to Beat Saber that allows the game to be played without controllers. Glasses owners will also be able to watch fully 3D movies from streaming services like Disney+, and the glasses are the first VR device to be IMAX certified, according to Meta. Meta also envisions the glasses being used as a work device, so they can connect to Macs or PCs using USB-C or wirelessly. That will give users the ability to create virtual displays for their workspace.

Last but not least is Hologram, a new method of video calling coming first to the VR Glasses. You'll be able to join WhatsApp video calls as a face-tracked avatar of yourself, appearing at true scale for the other participants. This feature won't fully render everyone in 3D at launch, but Meta says that's coming later. The metaverse is back, folks.

Given that the VR Glasses are newer and much more expensive, it's not surprising that they seem broadly more capable than the Quest 3. But, as you can tell, there might still be reasons to get a Quest 3 instead.

Gas, groceries, smartphones, and your favorite streaming platform. The cost of all those things just continues to go up.

The latest streamer to roll out a price hike? Disney+ and Hulu.

Just one year after Disney last raised the price of Disney+ and Hulu monthly subscriptions, they're doing it again. Disney+ and Hulu will now cost $21.49 each per month for the ad-free tier and $12.49 per month for the tier with ads. That's an increase of $2.50 and 50 cents per month, respectively.

The Disney+/Hulu bundle subscription continues to be a bargain when compared to the individual service subscriptions, but even those bundled plans are going up in price, too.

The ad-free Disney+/Hulu bundle will now cost $21.99 per month, and the ad-supported bundle will cost $12.99. That's a bump of $2 per month and 50 cents per month, respectively.

How Disney+ and Hulu pricing compares to other streaming platforms

Virtually all streamers have raised prices in the last 12 months, but gas and groceries are necessities in a way that streaming platforms are not. (Well, maybe that's not the case for some binge watchers.) So, if one could only afford one or two streaming services per month, they may be wondering how they rank when it comes to affordability.

Netflix last raised its prices in March. Like Disney, Netflix also bumped the cost of its monthly subscription plans by $1 to $2. The price for a standard ad-free Netflix subscription is now $19.99 per month and $8.99 per month for the ad-supported plan. Netflix also offers a Premium subscription, which includes 4K and additional simultaneous viewing devices, for $26.99 per month.

Apple TV subscription prices just went up last month, but it still remains the lowest-priced ad-free offering if one opts for the annual plan. Apple bumped the price of its Apple TV streaming service from $12.99 to $14.99 per month. The annual plan went up as well, from $99 to $119 per year. Still, that annual price puts Apple TV at less than $10 per month.

HBO Max subscription last saw a price hike in October of last year, so it's very possible that we can see yet another increase next month for 2026. HBO Max's Standard ad-free plan went from $16.99 to $18.49 per month last time around. The annual plan also went up to $184.99 per year, which saved $36.89 from the monthly plan. HBO Max Basic with Ads went from $9.99 per month to $10.99 per month. The annual plan rose from $99.99 to $109.99, yet it remained the lowest cost ad-supported plan. The Premium tier of HBO Max rose from $20.99 per month to $22.99 per month, with the annual plan jumping to $229.99.

Disney will continue offering a Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max bundle option, which may be the best deal of all if you watch content on all three streaming platforms. The ad-supported Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle will cost $21.99 per month, and the ad-free bundle for all three services will cost $34.99 per month.

Before you hand over your inbox to an AI assistant, perhaps you’d like to meet a little guy.

His name is Jolly. He’s cute, cheerful-looking, and the default mascot for Meta’s Muse AI assistant. He also gives a friendly face to Meta’s much bigger ambition of making its AI part of your everyday life.

At Meta Connect on Sept. 23, Mark Zuckerberg showed off Muse and introduced Muse Charm, a Tamagotchi-like handheld device for interacting with the assistant on the go. With Jolly as its default avatar, it makes the idea of carrying around an AI assistant feel a little more like bringing along a tiny companion.

SEE ALSO: Meta gets metaphysical laying out vision for Muse AI assistant

Giving a product a cute face is a familiar move. Duolingo has an owl whose antics you can follow without ever finishing a Spanish lesson. LINE’s sticker characters became a brand people buy plush toys from. And Microsoft’s Clippy is still recognizable to anyone who remembers trying to get him to leave them alone. (Interestingly, Microsoft recently killed its newest mascot, Pico.)

Before Jolly settles onto anyone’s keychain, meet the other mascots that show what a little character can do for a big company.

Duo, Duolingo’s owl Credit: Noam Galai/Getty Images

You don’t have to be learning Spanish to know who Duo is. The green owl is the mascot of language-learning app Duolingo, where he encourages you to keep up with your lessons. But on social media, he’s better known for memes, petty feuds, and a willingness to make absolutely everything his business.

Duolingo has given its mascot plenty to do beyond reminding people to study. The brand is known to join in on trending conversations, joke with followers in social media comments, and once turned celebrity drama into a pretend feud with Google Translate. Following Duo has become its own form of entertainment, no vocabulary quiz required.

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In 2025, the company went so far as to announce his death. His eventual comeback was part of the "Dead Duo" campaign, which generated 1.7 billion organic impressions and brought a meaningful increase in new and returning users. For an owl employed by a language-learning app, he has a busy social life. That personality keeps people interested even when studying isn’t on their agenda.

Meet Brown from LINE Friends This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Brown has a lot to say for a bear whose expression barely changes. This straight-faced character is part of LINE Friends, the cast that started as stickers on the messaging app LINE in 2011. Alongside characters like Cony the rabbit, Brown gave people another way to express themselves in their chats.

Brown eventually outgrew the chat window. LINE Friends expanded into merchandise, stores, and collaborations, turning characters from a messaging app into a brand people could wear, collect, and give as gifts. With Muse Charm, Meta is also giving people a way to carry a digital character around. Brown offers a glimpse of what can happen when people get attached enough to want a company’s character in their lives beyond the screen.

Grimace, McDonald’s big purple mascot Credit: Jeff Schear/Getty Images

Grimace is the big purple, vaguely blob-shaped character from McDonald’s (canonically defined as a giant taste bud), recognizable enough that he doesn’t need to be holding a burger for you to know which company he belongs to. With his rounded shape and easy smile, he looks like something you’d win at a carnival and immediately want to hug.

He also gives McDonald’s a familiar face to bring back for new generations. In 2023, the company built an entire birthday promotion around Grimace, complete with his own meal and purple shake. That’s a pretty good gig for a character who doesn’t have much to say.

Yes, the shake inspired a bizarre TikTok horror trend, but the jokes also introduced him to people who hadn’t grown up with McDonald’s cast of characters, and gives new generations other reasons to connect with it (beyond the french fries).

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

Enterprise software might not sound like the natural habitat of an adorable character. Salesforce would disagree.

Its mascot, Astro, grew out of a 2014 developer-event T-shirt design and became a guide to the company’s world. Salesforce explicitly describes its characters as a way to make technology accessible, friendly, and fun. They give newcomers a welcoming presence as they learn their way around.

It’s an understandable approach. When you’re already trying to figure out unfamiliar software, a cheerful guide can make the whole thing feel a little less intimidating. Jolly could serve a similar purpose for Meta. "Personal superintelligence" is a lot to introduce to someone. A smiling character gives them somewhere to start.

Clippy, Microsoft’s assistant Credit: Pavlo Gonchar/Getty Images

If you used Microsoft Office during Clippy’s time, you may remember having a complicated relationship with an animated paperclip.

Clippy was an assistant with a face, popping up to offer help while people worked. Unfortunately, those interventions weren’t always welcome. A paper hosted by Microsoft Research described how earlier software agents, such as Clippy, became disliked for being intrusive and annoying. But still, the paperclip made an impression. Microsoft brought Clippy back as an emoji in 2021, giving people a way to enjoy the character without having him interrupt a document.

Microsoft has since tried another friendly face with Mico, an optional character for its Copilot AI assistant. Microsoft recently killed the Copilot mascot, shortly before it came out against anthropomorphizing AI technology.

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The company told the BBC that Mico was intended to make voice conversations feel more natural, and that users could turn it off. If Meta can learn anything from their experience, putting a face on an assistant gives people something to connect with, but it also gives their frustration somewhere to land. A character’s welcome depends on how helpful it actually is.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft ditches Copilot's mascot Mico (and cuts a few AI features) What does Meta want from Jolly?

There’s a reason companies keep hiring these little creatures. As marketing professor Anthony Patterson told the BBC, mascots give a company "a voice, a personality, a face even." Author and technology commentator Nathalie Nahai explained that big eyes and oversized heads tap into our instinctive responses to babies, while pointing out that their comeback coincides with growing mistrust of tech companies. It’s easier to warm up to a cuddly character than the enormous business behind it.

Of course, people can still recognize when they’re being sold something. A 2021 study found that cute characters could help when consumers felt a brand cared about them, but could backfire when they became more aware of its efforts to persuade them.

That matters for Meta, which wants Muse to handle shopping, email, and tasks on your computer. Those are fairly personal responsibilities to hand over to a product you’re still getting to know, so giving it a friendly face could make the prospect feel more comfortable. (Meta also outlined upcoming privacy protections, including Muse Confidential VM, which the company says will use encryption to prevent even Meta from accessing users’ data.)

Jolly could help get people interested enough to give Muse a try, but staying on their keychains will come down to whether they trust the assistant and find it useful once the novelty wears off.

Meta’s smart glasses are the latest in a line of products to raise eyebrows over privacy. That’s not stopping other companies from creating similar devices.

The official trailer for Musk, filmmaker Alex Gibney's documentary on Elon Musk, has arrived.

The two-minute and 24-second trailer was released today and, like the teaser from earlier this month, sets the tone for what to expect when the movie hits theaters next month.

"Elon Musk is one of the most controversial figures in the world," says Gibney in a voiceover that kicks off the trailer. "So, I decided to make him a subject of my next film."

"But it soon became clear, Elon would not participate," the filmmaker continues as posts from Elon Musk appear on the screen, calling Gibney a "douche" and declaring that the film is a "hit piece."

The trailer continues by touching on critiques of SpaceX, Tesla, Musk's acquisition of Twitter, his personal life and entrance into politics, DOGE, and much more. It truly looks like it's going to be a brutal exposé on Musk.

Musk hits select theaters in New York and Los Angeles on Oct. 9 and opens nationwide on Oct. 16.

Apple has a new iOS beta out for anyone who wants to test new iPhone features early.

This time, it's a public beta for iOS 27.2. You might be wondering: Where is iOS 27.1? The answer is a bit odd: Apple is launching the first big iOS 27 update with the iPhone Duo in October, so to keep iPhone Duo-specific features under wraps, the company is beta testing iOS 27.2 first. That means you're unlikely to find any nuggets of info about the iPhone Duo in the iOS 27.2 beta, but fret not, as there is still plenty to chew on.

SEE ALSO: If you have an iPhone, Apple might owe you money. Here's how to claim it. How to install iOS 27.2 beta

As always, Apple's beta process is pretty simple and requires only a modicum of effort on your part. Before getting started, though, make sure you have a recent device backup saved in the cloud. You never know what could happen with beta software.

Here's a basic rundown of how it works:

1. Go to Apple's beta software program page, sign up with your Apple account, and register whichever device you want to install the beta on.

2. On the device, go to Settings, then General, then Software Update.

3. Choose the iOS 27.2 beta as the software version you want to upgrade to.

After that, just wait for the update to download and install.

iOS 27.2 beta: What's up with the Health app? There's the new app. Credit: Apple

Earlier in September, Apple announced a revamped Health app coming to iPhones later this year. It's not actually going to launch with iOS 27.2, but you can test it out in the beta now to help Apple get it into shape for an eventual launch later this year.

Apple has redesigned the app so everything is sorted into three tabs: Insights, Longevity, and Browse. Insights will give you a broad overview of all your metrics in one place, updated throughout the day. There's also a For You section that'll recommend articles you might be interested in.

Longevity, meanwhile, includes a metric called Health Age that will analyze your health metrics relative to your actual age. The Longevity tab also tracks your health over long periods of time and provides insights based on that data. Lastly, Browse is most likely a way to find specific things within the app that might not be easy to find in the other tabs.

There are other odds and ends in the iOS 27.2 beta, like individual profiles in the mobile Apple TV app, but the upgraded Health app is the big headliner here.

Cricut has made a name for itself in the crafting and DIY space. Its makers are huge on wedding planning TikTok, staples in craft rooms, and even inspired recreations of Taylor Swift's "Stevie Knicks" T-shirt.

As of Sept. 24, Cricut is adding two new machines to its lineup: The Cricut StickerPix Print + Cut and the Cricut StickerPix Print — both available now. Other Cricut machines can be used to make stickers, but these are the first dedicated sticker makers from the brand. I got to play around with both StickerPix machines for the last week, and they've earned a permanent spot in my craft supplies.

Let's break down the pricing, specs, and differences of both machines.

The larger Cricut StickerPix Print + Cut. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable The smaller Cricut StickerPix Print. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable Cricut StickerPix Print + Cut

The Cricut StickerPix Print + Cut is the more advanced of the two. It prints, laminates, and precision cuts all in one machine. Within Cricut's Design Space app, you can start with a template or a blank canvas for your sticker or photo prints. There are tons of preloaded designs and themes: If you want some cute, little ghost stickers, they've got them. If you want to put your friends' faces on different holiday sweaters, they've got that too.

I'm an avid junk journaler and also just had a birthday, so I wanted to make a sheet of stickers for my birthday spread in my journal.

I started with a blank canvas and dropped in a photo of my cake, plus pics of my friends and family celebrating with me. I also wanted some more generic birthday-themed stickers, so I browsed through Cricut's huge library of artist-made illustrations and found a cute happy birthday banner to add to my sheet. To finish it off, I added a striped background to the sticker sheet. This part doesn't affect the stickers, but it adds another level of fun and design to the experience. The Print + Cut machine cut around the outlines of my images, so I have a perfectly cake-shaped sticker for my spread.

All of this creation was done on my phone, but you can also use the desktop app.

What I designed in the Design Space app... Credit: Screenshot: Cricut ...versus the printed sticker sheet. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable

The StickerPix Print + Cut retails for $299 but is available in a few bundle options. For the first seven days, the machine is available exclusively at Cricut.com and Michaels. After that, it'll be more widely available.

Cricut StickerPix Print + Cut $299 at Cricut
  Shop Now at Cricut Cricut StickerPix Print

The Cricut StickerPix Print is a smaller, pared-down version of the sticker maker. It prints 4x6 photos and prints and laminates pre-cut sticker sheets. My boyfriend and I took a trip to the Indiana State Fair this summer and haven't finished our journal spreads yet, so I used the circle pre-cut sheet to design some blue ribbon-worthy stickers. I paired illustrations with solid-colored and patterned backgrounds to create unique stickers that fit our State Fair experience.

My junk journal vision... Credit: Screenshot: Cricut ...brought to life. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable

I also used the Print machine to print a collage of photos from my summer (I could have done this on either machine). There are templates for different types of photo and card prints. I will definitely be printing my own holiday cards this year. Cricut Senior Product Director Jana Lee said she thinks these machines will be direct competitors with printing services like Minted.

I chose a collage tempate in the app and changed the background color and text. Credit: Screenshot: Cricut Filling in the photos was as simple as tapping the empty boxes and selecting from my phone's camera roll. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable

The StickerPix Print retails for $169, with bundle options available. Again, the machine is available exclusively at Cricut.com and Michaels for the first week, with wider availability later.

Cricut StickerPix Print $169 at Cricut
  Shop Now at Cricut

The UK's communications regulator, Ofcom, has launched an investigation into the most well-known tube site, Pornhub.

The investigation, which opened Sept. 22 and was publicly announced yesterday, is under the country's age-verification law, the Online Safety Act. It requires explicit websites (and some non-explicit websites that contain content that is deemed "restricted to adults," such as about addiction) to install robust age checks that require inputting personal data, like a government ID, to pass.

SEE ALSO: Pornhub viewers left in droves to see Apple's foldable iPhone

The Online Safety Act went into effect in July 2025, and Pornhub stated ahead of the enactment that it would comply with the law. But in Jan. 2026, Pornhub stated that it would restrict access to unverified users due to the Online Safety Act's failures, including the presence of noncompliant sites. In May, however, Pornhub restored access for any adult who confirms their age through Apple's UK age-verification process — a new capability as of iOS 26.4.

This process is device-level age-verification, which is what Pornhub and other industry leaders have been calling for for years. Rather than verifying age each time someone wants to visit a certain website (which might mean repeatedly uploading sensitive information), device-level verification is one-time only and takes place on (in this case) one's iPhone. Advocates for device-level age verification state that it's less invasive and risky from a privacy and security standpoint. And, it doesn't impede free speech rights, advocates say.

A 'welcome' investigation

Now, Ofcom will investigate Aylo, Pornhub's parent company, to determine whether it has complied with the Online Safety Act. Specifically, Ofcom will look into whether Pornhub uses highly effective age assurance to prevent children from seeing porn, and it will also conduct a children's access assessment.

"Online age checks are a vital protection to prevent children from encountering inappropriate or harmful material, including pornography," Ofcom's director of enforcement, George Lusty, stated in Ofcom's announcement. "We expect tech firms to ensure age checks are highly effective before introducing them. Anything less could leave children at risk."

"We actually really welcome this," vice president of brand and community at Pornhub, Alex Kekesi, told Mashabe in a phone interview. "We've done our due diligence."

Kekesi stated that there's no 100 percent, bulletproof solution, but Pornhub is confident that Apple's process is the best, as of today. She told Mashable that Pornhub embraces this investigation and intends to be transparent and public about how it's going, its data and findings, and its interactions with Ofcom.

"We have over 130 million daily visitors," she said. "We're the perfect testing ground if you have anything really that stands to actually work to protect kids and to keep them off of age-inappropriate platforms."

Verified adults in the UK don't have to worry — Pornhub will function in the country as usual, Kekesi said.

In Kekesi's statement on Aylo's website, she mentioned that less than five percent of consumers go through age-verification for adult content, according to the adult industry trade organization, the Free Speech Coalition. Viewers — whether of age or not — can circumvent platform-based age checks by using VPNs or visiting noncompliant websites.

Ofcom itself acknowledged the shortcomings of the Online Safety Act, including the use of VPNs and noncompliant websites, in a report released a year after its enactment. In Nov. 2025, Pornhub urged tech giants Microsoft, Apple, and Google to enable device-level age verification and recently sent a letter to U.S. lawmakers calling for mandates that they do so.

This isn't the first inquiry of its kind. In Feb. 2026, the UK fined porn company 8579 LLC £1.35 million for lack of age verification following an investigation.

PCMag's Iyaz Akhtar leads a panel of tech experts from CNET, PCMag and Mashable to unpack all the news from the Meta Connect 2026 launch event.

Read more about Meta’s new smart glasses: Meet the Meta Ray-Ban Gen 3, starting at $249
Meta unveils camera-free audio glasses

Timecode chapters
00:00 Introduction and muse AI assistant
00:02:49 Event reactions and privacy concerns
05:08 Smart glasses, fashion, and collaborations
09:54 VR glasses and display technology
16:16 Final thoughts on Meta devices and privacy

Video credits
Host: Iyaz Akhtar
Guest host: Timothy Beck Werth
Guest host: Will Greenwald
Guest host: Angela Moscaritolo
Guest host: Scott Stein
Producer: Stephen Beacham
Video editor: Stephen Beacham
Thumbnail designer: Tharon Green

Need a hero? LEGO has got you covered. From Star Wars rebels battling for the galaxy and LEGO Ninjago dragon-riding ninjas to the delivery person who races to get you your pizza on time, LEGO brick sets tell the stories of the heroes we all root for. 

Whether you’re getting ahead of holiday gifting for your kids or buying bricks for yourself, we all need heroes these days, and LEGO has them in spades. 

Take on the giant Guardian Droid Opens in a new window Credit: LEGO Star Wars Hutt Palace Sentry Droid Showdown $49.99 at LEGO
  Shop Now

The 415-piece LEGO Star Wars Hutt Palace Sentry Droid Showdown lets you relive epic battle scenes from Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu. The hands, arms, legs, and feet of the 5.5-inch droid are movable and you can fire its stud shooter. Give minifigure Mando a jetpack and blaster, then help Grogu open the back of the droid so he can deactivate it. Fight your rival bounty hunters, Embo and Keibu, for the fate of Mandalore. For kids ages 9 and up. 

Fun, no matter how you slice it Opens in a new window Credit: LEGO LEGO City Pizza Delivery Experience with Vehicles $49.99 at LEGO
  Shop Now

The 494-piece LEGO City Pizza Delivery Experience with Vehicles celebrates the everyday heroes: the people who deliver your pizza in 30 minutes or less. Turn the dial and see the flames flicker as pizzas are fed into the wood-fired oven. Push a lever to launch the flame-emblazoned delivery car that shoots pizzas from its hood. Or jump on the scooter or delivery drone and save the minifigures from their pizza cravings. For kids ages 6 and up.

Ride the dragon to victory Opens in a new window Credit: LEGO NINJAGO Wyldfyre's Transforming Dragon Mech $89.99 at LEGO
  Shop Now

Fans of the NINJAGO Dragons Rising TV show, prepare for battle. The 821-piece LEGO NINJAGO Wyldfyre's Transforming Dragon Mech set comes fully loaded with a two-in-one action figure that transforms from a 6-inch, four-legged dragon into a formidable mech figure armed with a large sword. Will ninjas Wyldfyre, Arin, and Sora defeat the villainous Empress Beatrix, Ice Monster, and Acid Monster? Empress Beatrix has her mech and the Weapon of Desolation. But you have your imagination. For kids ages 9 and up.

Take the fun in-store this September and October

If building these heroes brick-by-brick isn’t immersive enough for you, swing by the LEGO store at West Edmonton Mall, Guilford Town Centre, Fairview Mall, or Polo Park on Sept. 27 for their Hero Days event. Meet Kai from LEGO Ninjago and get free LEGO swag when you suit up as your favorite hero. 

On Oct. 11, you’ll also get a free LEGO set at the Make & Take: LEGO Pizza Delivery Shark event, held at all official LEGO stores. Bring your LEGO Passport for a Pizza Delivery Shark stamp.

While we’ve highlighted three hero-centric brick sets here, shop all adventure LEGO sets and start building your own hero story today.

Meta's September Connect event reveals a bunch of new Meta products, including a deep dive into its new Muse AI personal assistant, audio-only smart glasses in many new frame styles and new VR Glasses that weigh as much as a deck of cards. Check out all the highlights in less than 10 minutes.

Read more about Meta’s new AI and smart glasses: Meta to release Muse Charm, a Tamagotchi-like device for the Muse AI agent
Blackpink’s Lisa gives Meta’s AI smart glasses a major high-fashion makeover — where to buy

Timecode chapters
0:00 Introduction to Muse AI agent
1:00 Muse integrations and computer use
1:37 Agentic e-commerce and shopping
2:36 Muse voice customization and live demo
4:00 Privacy and security (Muse VMS)
4:34 Hearing enhancement feature
5:03 Camera-less audio glasses and new styles
5:53 Ray-Ban Meta Gen 3
7:00 Meta VR glasses debut
8:32 Hologram calling and legs in VR
9:05 Pocket Muse keychain device

Video credits
Video Editor: Owen Poole
Thumbnail designer: Zooey Liao

Muse AI on Meta glasses? Hearing enhancement? VR glasses that run Quest games? Camera-free glasses? All that and more to talk about, but very little on privacy.

Read more about Meta’s new glasses and Meta Connect 2026: Everything announced at Meta Connect 2026
Meta reveals next-gen smart glasses at Meta Connect: See all the new glasses

Timecode chapters
0:00 Overview and intro to Meta’s new lineup
0:47 Meta Ray-Ban Gen 3 and audio-only glasses
1:28 FDA-cleared hearing assistance feature
2:23 Meta Muse agentic AI demo
5:07 New frame designs and collaborations
5:46 Hands-on with $1,299 Meta VR glasses
6:08 Productivity, eye tracking and desktop modes
6:51 Media streaming and field of view comparisons
8:36 Immersive sports, IMAX and spatial media
9:44 Controllerless Beat Saber hands-on
10:12 Market price comparisons and final thoughts

Video credits
Host: Scott Stein
Scripted by: Scott Stein
Producer: Celso Bulgatti
Camera: Celso Bulgatti
Video editor: Numi Prasarn
Thumbnail designer: Zooey Liao

SAVE $1,399.01: As of Sept. 24, the Roborock RockMow X120H AWD robot lawn mower is down to $1,799.99 from its list price of $3,199. That's a 44% discount and a brand new low price.

Opens in a new window Credit: roborock Roborock RockMow X120H $1,799.99 at Amazon
$3,199 Save $1,399.01   Get Deal

If you've been waiting for a reason to permanently retire your old push mower, Amazon just handed you one on a silver platter.

Ahead of Prime Day, the Roborock RockMow X120H LiDAR AWD robot lawn mower just dropped to a brand-new, Prime Day-exclusive low of $1,799.99, down $1,399.01 from its usual $3,199 tag. That's a massive 44% savings and the absolute best price we've ever seen on this top-of-the-line robotic mower.

Forget about burying perimeter wires around your property or mounting satellite dish antennas on your roof. The X120H uses a 360-degree LiDAR laser scanner with dual cameras to map out up to a half-acre yard in minutes. Just turn it on, let it scan, and it creates pinpoint digital boundaries on its own.

SEE ALSO: Dreame's new robot lawn mower has a swing arm to make for precise edges

With a heavy-duty all-wheel drive motor, this beast climbs steep 80% inclines (roughly 39 degrees) and rolls right over 3-inch bumps that stall smaller mowers. Its active steering system lets it carve tight turns without digging up or damaging your lawn. By pairing laser depth-tracking with AI cameras, the mower spots toys, garden hoses, patio chairs, and yard tools sitting on the grass. It steers around them in real-time, so you can let it run safely without checking the yard first or worrying about pets and kids.

The Roborock app also gives you complete control to schedule multi-zone cleaning, set custom mowing patterns, and track progress remotely. It includes three years of 4G cellular connection built in with zero subscription fees, rain sensors that send the bot back to the dock when it pours, IPX6 hose-down waterproofing, and built-in GPS anti-theft tracking.

If you want to cross "mow the lawn" off your to-do list forever, head over to Amazon to grab the Roborock RockMow X120H before this record-low price disappears.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Apple iPhone 18 Pro — free at T-Mobile 

• Paramount+ — $0.99 for 2 months with code p2mcs26prem

• Apple AirPods Pro 3 — $199 $249 (save $50)

• Apple iPad Pro — $1,899 $2,099 (save $200)

• TCL 85-Inch Class QM8L Series TV — $2,497.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,502)

The best early Prime Day deals on speakers: Best speaker deal Beats Pill $99.95 (save $50) Get Deal Best budget speaker deal Soundcore Select 4 Go $22.99 (save $12) Get Deal

It's officially fall, which means a lot of things: Gilmore Girls rewatches begin, spiced coffees, and of course, the beginning of sales season.

From Prime Big Deal Days to Black Friday to Cyber Monday, the end of summer truly marks the season of discounts. And with Prime Day just around the corner, you can expect to see Amazon discounts on everything from portable power stations to Fire TV Sticks.

We've already spotted a bunch of discounts on speakers, including both premium and more budget-friendly options from brands such as Beats, Bose, and JBL. We've rounded up some of the best early deals below.

Best speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Pill $99.95 at Amazon
$149.95 Save $50.00   Get Deal Why we like it

The Beats Pill isn't just beloved for its classic, powerful sound; it's also a powerhouse in design. It's robust, with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, so it's ideal for taking to the beach, the pool, or wherever you might not feel comfortable taking a less durable device. For sound, there's a bespoke racetrack woofer that displaces 90% more air volume. You can also easily pair two Beats Pill speakers for a richer audio experience in Amplify or Stereo mode.

Best budget speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore Select 4 Go $22.99 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $12.00   Get Deal Why we like it

When a speaker is priced as low as the Soundcore Select 4 Go, there's little it needs to do to impress beyond just playing your music. But thankfully, this speaker does a little more than that. It has a compact, waterproof design (rated IP67) and up to 20 hours of battery life. It can even be immersed in water up to 3.3 ft deep for up to 30 minutes, so it's ideal for a variety of activities. And despite its compact size, this portable speaker delivers 5W of output for clear, punchy sound.

More early Prime Day speaker deals

• Anker Soundcore 2 — $29.99 $22.99 (save $15)

• JBL Go 5 — $39.95 $54.95 (save $15)

• Ultimate Ears WONDERBOOM 4 — $69.99 $99.99 (save $30)

• Bose SoundLink Flex — $79.99 $150 (save $70.01)

• Soundcore Boom 2 — $99.99 $129.99 (save $30)

• Ultimate Ears Boom 4 — $129.99 $149.99 (save $20)

• JBL Charge 6 — $159.99 $199.95 (save $39.96)

• JBL PartyBox Stage 320 — $499.95 $549.95 (save $50)

The best early October Prime Day deals on robot lawn mowers: Best Dreame Deal Dreame LiDAR A3 AWD Pro $1,799.99 (save $1,900) Get Deal Best Roborock Deal Roborock RockMow X120H LiDAR AWD $1,799.99 (save $1,399.01) Get Deal Best Mammotion Deal Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 3000 $2,109.00 (save $990) Get Deal Best Segway Deal Segway Navimow i105N $669.00 (save $130) Get Deal

While Amazon's next Prime Day event, which the retailer calls Prime Big Deal Days, doesn't officially kick off until Oct. 6, plenty of early deals have already dropped for shoppers to check out.

Robot lawn mower deals are among the items that have popped up ahead of the sale, which is very helpful if you're looking for a little extra assistance around the yard before chilly winter weather arrives.

Dreame, Roborock, and Mammotion are included, with a few popular models getting huge discounts. Check out some of our favorite early October Prime Day robot lawn mower deals below. Even if you don't need it for the rest of autumn, this is a perfect opportunity to get ahead of the game on next year's yard work.

Best Dreame deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dreame DREAME LiDAR A3 AWD Pro $1,799.99 at Amazon
$3,699.99 Save $1,900.00   Get Deal Why we like it

This Dreame robot lawn mower has received an astonishing discount ahead of October Prime Day, though you'll need to clip a coupon to snag it. Once you do that, its price plummets from $3,699.99 to $1,799.99. That's $1,900 in savings, which is a fantastic offer to jump on right now.

As for what this mower can accomplish, it can handle yards up to 0.87 acres, slopes up to 38.7 degrees, and features dual cutting discs for trimming down your yard. It also comes with EdgeMaster 2.0 technology that can reach the borders around your yard and even map them out. Thanks to 360° 3D LiDAR and AI binocular vision, this robot mower can navigate around any obstacles in its way to ensure the whole lawn gets a full trim.

Best Roborock deal Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock RockMow X120H LiDAR AWD $1,799.99 at Amazon
$3,199 Save $1,399.01   Get Deal Why we like it

Roborock's RockMow X120H is down to its lowest-ever price of $1,799.99 ahead of October Prime Day, a discount of $1,399.01 off its list price. This deal is exclusive to Prime members. If you're not signed up, check out our breakdown of how to sign up.

Unlike the Dreame model above, this robot mower can handle lawns up to 0.49 acres. It also features a 9.49-inch cutting width, and the cutting height can be adjusted from 1.57 to 3.54 inches, depending on how much you need to trim. On top of that, it comes with 3D LiDAR and AI Vision to map your yard and avoid obstacles in its path, and it can handle 38.7-degree slopes and 3.15-inch obstacles.

It's not the only Roborock deal we've stumbled on at Amazon, though. Check out more of our favorite early finds below.

More Roborock deals

• Roborock RockMow X115H Robot Lawn Mower — $1,399.99 $2,299 (save $899.01)

Best Mammotion deal Opens in a new window Credit: Mammotion Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 3000 with Cleaning Stand (Ship Separately) $2,109 at Amazon
$3,099 Save $990   Get Deal Why we like it

The Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD 3000 is normally listed for $3,099, but shoppers can scoop it up for $2,109 right now on Amazon, saving you a whopping $990.

This model comes with two 165W motors and six-blade discs to power through your lawn. Paired with AI vision, it can automatically adjust speed and power based on grass density, so your yard gets an even trim all around. Plus, it can handle slopes up to 38.6 degrees. Like the mowers above, it can also map your yard using a combination of 360° LiDAR for navigation, NetRTK for corrections, and Dual-Camera AI Vision to help it avoid objects in its path.

Below, you can see more Mammotion robot lawn mower deals that have caught our eye.

More Mammotion deals

• Mammotion LUBA mini 2 AWD 1500H Robot Lawn Mower — $1,699 $1,999 (save $300)

Best Segway deal Opens in a new window Credit: Segway Segway Navimow i105N $669 at Amazon
$799 Save $130   Get Deal Why we like it

Segway's Navimow i105N has returned to its lowest-ever price on Amazon, dropping to $669 from its $799 list price. Overall, that means you get to keep $130 in your pocket, which isn't too bad at all. If you're looking for a mower that can tackle slightly smaller yards than the ones above, this Segway model can certainly help you out.

Able to handle up to 0.125 acres and slopes up to 17 degrees, the Segway Navimow i105N features a cutting width of 7.1 inches and a cutting height between 2 and 3.6 inches. It also comes with mapping technology and VisionFence, which help it avoid objects left in the yard while it's cutting.

More robot lawn mower deals

• Sunseeker X5 AWD — $1,573.96 $2,198 (save $624.04)

• MOVA LiDAX Ultra 2000 AWD — $1,799 $2,319 (save $520)

The Moon is looking a little different tonight as it continues towards the Full Moon. With more of its surface illuminated each evening, there are plenty of lunar features to try and spot if you've got clear skies. Here's what to look out for tonight.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Thursday, Sept. 24, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waxing Gibbous phase, with 94% of its surface visible.

Without the assistance of visual aids, you should be able to spot the Mare Crisium, Mare Fecunditatis, and the Tycho Crater. If you have binoculars, they'll also help you see the Mare Nectaris, Gassendi Crater, and the Mare Frigoris. On top of this, if you have access to a telescope, you'll see the Apollo 17 landing spot, the Rima Hyginus, and the Rupes Altai.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on September 26.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon goes through a repeating cycle as it orbits Earth, taking roughly 29.5 days to complete. During that time, the amount of its sunlit side visible from Earth changes, giving us the different lunar phases. It starts with a slim crescent, grows to a half Moon and eventually reaches the Full Moon, before beginning the cycle again. NASA explains that which phase we see depends on where the Moon is in relation to Earth and the Sun.

The eight phases are:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TL;DR: As of Sept. 24, the Apple iPad Air (M4) 11-inch is available for $649 at Amazon. That's a $100 saving on the regular list price of $749.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Air (M4) 11-inch $649 at Amazon
$749 Save $100   Get Deal

If you're looking to upgrade your iPad, now's the time. With October Prime Day on the horizon (Oct. 6-7), there are some early Apple deals popping up across Amazon, including a neat saving on the Apple iPad Air (M4) 11-inch.

Don't be put off by the fact that this is powered by the previous-gen M4 chip, now outdated by Apple's next-gen M6. The M4 still puts this iPad on par with most laptops, so you're in good hands. As part of the Air range, it's also super light and portable — exactly as an everyday iPad should be.

As of Sept. 24, the Apple iPad Air (M4) 11-inch is priced at $649 on Amazon. That’s a $100 saving on the regular list price and our expert's favorite early Prime Day iPad deal.

This iPad is packed with all the brilliant tech you expect from Apple, with an emphasis on a fluid and intuitive user experience. It has Apple Intelligence, Touch ID, and Apple N1 for WiFi 7 capability — all managed and enjoyed through its beautiful liquid retina display. It also packs in 128GB of memory storage.

There are other iPad deals currently available, including the higher-spec iPad Pro 11-inch (M5) and budget-level iPad (A16). But when it comes to bang for buck, the deal on the Apple iPad Air (M4) 11-inch is hard to beat. Get it now for $649 and save $100.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Apple iPhone 18 Pro — free at T-Mobile 

• Paramount+ — $0.99 for 2 months with code p2mcs26prem

• Apple AirPods Pro 3 — $199 $249 (save $50)

• Apple iPad Pro — $1,899 $2,099 (save $200)

• TCL 85-Inch Class QM8L Series TV — $2,497.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,502)

TL;DR: Meta has teamed up with Blackpink star Lisa for a special-edition Meta Glasses by Lisa collection starting at $399. The frames come in cat-eye Capri and Adventurer styles featuring etched star details, collectible pet charms, and built-in Meta AI.

Opens in a new window Credit: Meta Capri Lisa Edition $399 at Meta
  Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Meta Adventurer Lisa Edition $399 at Meta
  Shop Now

Between fronting Louis Vuitton campaigns and dropping record-breaking solo hits, Lisa is no stranger to setting global fashion trends. Now, the international icon is bringing her distinct aesthetic to wearable tech. Meta has officially unveiled Meta Glasses by Lisa, a high-fashion collaboration that reimagines the brand's AI smart glasses into runway-ready accessories.

Unveiled at Meta Connect 2026 alongside the new Meta Ray-Ban Gen 3 line — which now features expanded frame options and spatial audio recording — the company is leaning heavily into style-focused collaborations. Designed over a year to capture both sides of Lisa’s persona — the rock star on stage and the off-duty trendsetter — the collection launches in two distinct frame styles:

• Meta Capri Lisa Edition — An eclipse (black) cat-eye frame paired with grey lenses, offering a sharp, high-fashion statement look tailored for standard and low-bridge fits.

• Meta Adventurer Lisa Edition — A versatile, modern silhouette available in a moonlit sky frame with blush lenses or an eclipse frame with grey lenses.

Both styles ditch basic plastic finishes for custom star accents etched directly onto the temple tips, engineered slip-reduction fits, and three-way adjustable nose pads. Every pair also ships with a pocket-sized, quilted star charging case — delivering up to 40 hours of additional battery life — and a collectible case charm inspired by Lisa’s beloved pets, her "L-Family".

Credit: Meta

The collaboration extends beyond physical hardware into the Meta AI ecosystem. When setting up the glasses, fans unlock exclusive onboarding experiences, starting with a collectible digital Lisa photocard that can be shared directly to Instagram Stories, with more photocards dropping over time in the Meta AI app. The app also includes a custom Lisa sticker pack for Instagram and Meta AI.

Despite the luxury framing, neither style cuts corners on tech. Both models come equipped with a 12MP camera that shoots hands-free photos and 3K video from your point of view. For sound, open-ear speakers pair up with a six-microphone array for clear music playback, crisp phone calls, and real-time voice translation when traveling abroad.

Credit: Meta

You also get full access to Meta AI voice features, allowing you to ask questions about what you are looking at hands-free, get local spot recommendations, share your live location with friends, or ask Spotify to play music that fits your view. Both frames also support prescription lenses and deliver over 8 hours of battery life on a single charge.

The Meta Glasses by Lisa are available now, starting at $399.

Jenny Hoyos wants to be your internet best friend.

That might sound ambitious for someone with more than 12 million YouTube subscribers. But for Hoyos, the feeling of accessibility is a fundamental part of being a creator.

"I don't want to feel like someone that just shows [up] once a week or once a month," Hoyos told Mashable and other journalists during a roundtable at the Made On YouTube event in New York City on Wednesday. "I want them to see, 'Wow, Jenny's accessible 24/7. She is responding all the time. She is posting every day, several times.'"

Then she laughed. "Does she sleep? Maybe not. Not enough."

SEE ALSO: MeganPlays has been on YouTube for 13 years. Here's what she's learned.

Maintaining that level of intimacy with millions of people is, unsurprisingly, a lot of work. At Hoyos' scale, it's also become a team effort. "I basically have someone to do everything," she said. "I don't think that there's a single task that I have to do [alone]."

Hoyos has people helping with community posts and a community manager who assists with engagement and moderating unwanted comments. She still has final say, she said, but much of the work surrounding her online presence can be delegated. There is one obvious exception.

"Other than being on camera, that is the only thing I cannot outsource," Hoyos said. "I try to maximize the amount of time that I can on camera, just so I can show up for my viewers as much as possible."

It's a revealing look at what community building looks like at the highest levels of the creator economy. The intimacy between creator and fan might feel casual — a reply to a comment here, a livestream shoutout there — but maintaining that relationship at scale requires an increasingly sophisticated operation behind it. And YouTube wants to give creators more of the tools to run that operation without leaving YouTube.

At Made On YouTube, the video-sharing platform announced a slate of new and upcoming features designed around creator communities, including members-only Communities and more ways for fans to interact directly on the platform. Users will be able to share videos directly with friends through YouTube, with group chats coming soon. At the same time, members-only Communities will give paying channel members their own spaces to interact. YouTube is also expanding the ways viewers can participate in comments, including reaction GIFs and the ability to leave voice-to-text comments from their TVs.

YouTube is giving creators and fans more ways to interact. Credit: YouTube

Livestreaming is getting more interactive, too. Live Showdowns will turn fan participation into a kind of game, with viewers contributing to an on-screen battle as they watch. YouTube is also working to make livestreams easier to discover, including surfacing them alongside videos, Shorts, posts, and podcasts in personalized feeds. Taken together, the updates give creators more ways to turn watching YouTube into something viewers do with them and with each other.

Hoyos said that although she never deliberately set out to foster relationships among her viewers, she's watched those relationships emerge in her Community posts.

"I post almost every day," she said. "People just respond to each other, communicate with each other, and get connected."

Because Hoyos shares details about her own life and interests, fans will respond with their own, she said. Other viewers see those exchanges and discover people who like the same things.

Barbara Macdonald, Google's product manager for Live, said she sees the same phenomenon play out in livestream chats, particularly among smaller communities.

Voice comments let viewers join the conversation without leaving the couch. Credit: YouTube

"People know each other's birthdays. They know what everybody is interested in," Macdonald said of her own YouTube community. She also maintains a Discord, where some of those relationships continue outside YouTube.

But unsurprisingly, YouTube appears to be building features that could keep more of that activity on its platform. Hoyos certainly sees the appeal.

"As a creator, I want everything in one place," she said. Creators already have enough work without maintaining separate spaces for every facet of their fandom, she argued. A creator might have a YouTube channel for videos, a Discord for their community, and a Patreon for exclusive content. Each new platform doesn't just create more work for creators; it also asks fans to follow them elsewhere.

"It's a lot," Hoyos said. "It's not even just a lot for us as the creator, but also the audience, getting them to convert."

"You have all these CTAs to download all these apps," she added. "It's so much easier for everyone [to have everything in one place]."

The business of being accessible

Of course, bringing more of a creator's fandom to YouTube also creates more monetization opportunities.

YouTube has spent more than a decade building ways for fans to financially support creators, from channel memberships and Super Chats to newer products such as Hype with Jewels and the upcoming Live Showdowns.

But Hoyos said she is cautious about directly monetizing the relationship she has built with her audience. "I don't like to monetize directly through just the fans, just because I do feel bad," she said.

Hoyos offers channel memberships, but unlike some creators, she doesn't put significant amounts of exclusive content behind them. Instead, membership largely gives fans a better chance of being noticed during her livestreams. Their badges make their messages stand out in a fast-moving chat, and Hoyos said she's more likely to acknowledge them or respond to their comments.

A closer look at Hype With Jewels. Credit: YouTube

She doesn't see that as shutting everyone else out. "I still give energy and attention to everyone," Hoyos said. "It's just the ones that are members, I immediately see it first."

That distinction gets at a complicated part of the modern creator-fan relationship: Fans are no longer only consuming content — they're being asked to participate in the economy surrounding it.

According to Macdonald, YouTube's research has found that viewers spend money on creators for several different reasons. Some simply want to support someone whose work they enjoy. Others want exclusive content. And some are paying for a moment of recognition.

"If they happen to be doing a livestream and you send a Super Chat, and then they say your name, they shout you out, they answer the question that you've asked in Super, you just — you feel it," Macdonald said.

The culture around that exchange has changed dramatically since YouTube first began developing fan-funding products around 2015, she said. At the time, Macdonald recalled creators being uncomfortable with the idea. "'I don't know how I feel about having my fans pay to hang out with me,'" she recalled creators telling her.

Eleven years later, Macdonald said creators are actively asking YouTube for those tools, and viewers are now accustomed to using them.

Hoyos has noticed the shift, too. "It's definitely become more part of the culture to support your favorite creators," she said.

You can't outsource showing up

YouTube can build more tools to help creators find viewers, talk to them, moderate them, and eventually monetize them. But Hoyos doesn't think the platform can do the most important part of community building for them.

For smaller creators struggling to find an audience, Hoyos argued that the problem isn't always discovery. Sometimes, they simply aren't making compelling enough live content.

"It's on the creator to actually have good content and not just go live and, like, 'Oh, I hope people show up,'" she said. Creators should promote their livestreams, have something resembling a show planned, and, crucially, actually talk to the people who arrive.

"If you're not interacting with people, why are they going to tell their friends [to watch you]?" Hoyos said. "Why are they even going to continue watching?"

It's perhaps the simplest explanation of Hoyos' "internet best friend" strategy. YouTube can make it easier for creators to gather their communities in one place. AI can help moderate their comments. Teams can schedule posts, manage communities, and handle the day-to-day logistics of running a creator business.

But someone still has to show up. For Hoyos, that's the part she isn't willing to outsource.